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trious, never thinking his proper business a burden, and punctual in fulfil ling engagements. He maintained a cheerful serenity of mind; not elated by prosperity nor dispirited by adversity: was contented and patient, a stranger to envy, and free from a worldly spirit; looking habitually to his final destination.

His

With such qualities, as would be supposed, he entered into the spirit of his sacred office, and discharged its various functions with fidelity and af fection. His views of Christianity in the beginning of his ministry had the Calvinistic tincture, which his education would naturally produce. further inquiries led him to think what is peculiar and distinctive in the statements of doctrine by that sect erroneeus, and to vary accordingly the tenor of his instructions. But he was afraid to use the pulpit, as though it were design ed to be a "mint of controversies." te considered the sanctifying and consoling influence of Christianity, as depending on a few simple and plain, but grand, fruitful, and affecting truths and motives. These he aimed to display and enforce, not coveting a precision of sentiment and exactness in theological language, which may serve to give a reputation for ingenuity and depth, or to excite or gratify a party spirit, but not to make men wiser or better.

Dr. Lathrop was a zealous champion of Christian and protestant liberty, and a catholic spirit. The judging, imposing temper and separating schemes, so often prevailing among Christians, would lead one to suppose that men thought Christianity was designed to give them a ground of selfexaltation; to encourage our propen şity to think very highly of ourselves and contemptuously of our neighbours, and allow us to make a principle of our selfish passions. There seems to be no remedy for this deep disease, but the conversion of all good men to one opinion, or agreeing to differ.

As

unity of speculations and dogmas is not to be expected, it is wise to cultivate unity of affections and views. Catholicism, however, is not indif erence. It is founded on principles

* See Mr. Parkman's Sermon, at his

which purport to unite the interests of truth and charity. It maintains that, revelation being designed for all classes of persons, the doctrines universally essential to be believed must be plain; that it is the first and indispensable duty of every one to follow the light he has, and seek for more; that virtue, holiness, is final in Christianity; that saving faith depends not on the number or extent of the doctrines believed, but on the disposition of the mind to the light presented, and that an honest mind cannot fatally err. These and other maxims of the catholic sect received the cordial assent of Dr. Lathrop, being consonant alike to his judgment and temper. In the delivery of his discourses, he was earnest and affectionate-in prayer, fervent and solemn. In the private duties of the pastoral office, he was exemplary and engaging-the counsellor, the comforter and friend of his people.

Dr Lathrop loved his country with ardor, and thought it is duty in his pulpit discourses, to notice interesting events, and give the counsels which the aspect of the times seemed to require. He was a patron of all our most valued institutions, and an associate in their labors and cares. In 1784 he received the degree of Doctor of Divinity from the university of Edinburgh. He was Librarian and one of the Counsellors of the American Academy of Arts and Sciences-one of the Trustees of the Humane Society-President of the Massachusetts Congrega. tional Charitable Society-Vice Pres ident of the Bible Society; and of the Society for propagating the Gospel in North America." From the year 1778, he was one of the Corporation of Harvard University, and for many years Secretary of the Board of Overseers. He took peculiar pleasure in the du ties arising from this Academic relation; though they were sometimes rendered arduous by peculiar circumstances.

With some heavy afflictions, Dr. Lathrop enjoyed much prosperity. He outlived the friends of his early years, but the proofs he received of attachment and respect from those interment.

who came in their places, abated the sense of their loss. He was favored. in his end. After a short, though painful illness, in the full possesion of his mind, he sunk to rest. He was en

abled to meet death without dismay, and to rejoice in the hope of the glory of God.

On the 9th instant, after a service suited to the occasion, in which pray ers were offered by the President of the College and Rev. Mr. Channing, and an affectionate and just tribute paid to the memory of the deceased by Rev. Francis Parkman, minister of the church connected with that of Dr. Lathrop, his remains were carried to the grave, attended by a numerous concourse of friends and fellow citizens, who joined in testifying their regret for the loss of a character so long known to the community, and so generally esteemed.

From the loss of such persons, let us learn what are true principles for the conduct of life. By proper meditations on the removal of the good, may survivors be excited to such usefulness as may tend to repair the breaches made by death.*

Hibernian Sunday School Society.

A GENTLEMAN from the neighborhood of Castle Blaney, in the county of Antrim, gives the following very interesting account:-"A little boy, one

of our scholars, became so impressed, as never to go to bed without saying his prayers. One evening, while he was doing so. his father, a very profligate man, came home, and, as usual, began to curse and swear, and abuse

his wife and family. In the midst of his rage he overheard this child, who was only separated from him by a low mud partition, praying aloud, that ‘God would have mercy on, and pardon his wicked father.' The effect was astonishing; his heart was struck; he crept to the bed side, and there with a broken and contrite heart,' joined in supplicating that God would be merciful to him, a sinner. Such a prayer was never yet rejected at the throne of grace: a Saviour was presented to his view, able and willing to save to the ut termost. He is now a perfectly reformed, correct, industrious character, and his wife and other children are partakers with him of 'like precious faith; and thus a family, in which comfort was before unknown, and who were a proverb in the country for wickedness, are now patterns of sobriety, industry, and cleanliness to the neighborhood. May we not exclaim then, "out of the mouth of babes and suck. lings the Lord hath perfected praise;" and should not such blessed effects animate the friends of religion, and of their country's welfare and good order, to further the objects of such institu tions We are happy to be enabled to state, that numerous additional Sunday schools have been lately formed, and are now forming in various parts of Ireland. Evang. Mag.

Report of the Trustees of the Evangelical Missionary Society.

THE Trustees refer to their Report

published in April, 1812, for the state of the Society at that time.

* From the amiable and pacific character of Dr Lathrop, it would be natural to infer that he would have favored such an object as the formation of the MASSACHUSETTS PEACE SOCIETY. But we are not under the necessity of infer ring this merely from his general character. We are able to state as facts, that he attended the first meeting for forming the society-acted as moderator in taking the minds of the gentlemen present; expressed his own opinion in favor of the object, and his willingness to become a member. Had the constitution been then completely prepared for signing, his venerable name would probably have been at the head of the list of subscribers. We have not indeed the pleas ure of saying, that he is now a member of the Peace Society on earth; but we have the pleasure of believing, that he is a member of a more perfect Peace Society in heaven. En.

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The pleasing events, which were then in prospect, have. through the Divine blessing, since taken place -The town of Ellsworth, and the Plantations of Jackson and Washington, in the County of Hancock and the District of Maine, encouraged by your benefactions, ripened measures for the ordination of the gentlemen as their ministers, who for years had been among them as preachers of the gospel. At the earnest solicitation of those societies, and of the pastors elect, three of the Trustees, the Executive Cmmittee, made a journey in the autumn of that year, and, in compliance with the votes of their respective churches, assisted in gathering a church and ordaining the Rev. Peter Nurse at Ellsworth, and ordaming the Rev. Silas Warren at Jackson. They received the warmest expression of gratitude from the people of Ellsworth for the aid afforded them. Although this people have manifested a disposition to contribute to the utmost of their ability to the maintenance of the public institutions of the Gospel, yet they are fully persuaded, that without assistance they could not have retained among them the man, to whose person and ministrations they are greatly attached. But thus assisted, a church gathered, and a minister ordained, that people have a fair prospect of continued peace and harmony, and are encouraged with the hope, that the labors of their minister will be attended with increasing usefulness. The birth of a church, the society will hail as a renewed evidence of the success of their humble endeavours in the Christian cause, and bless God for his benediction upon their measures.

The plantations of Jackson and Washington are new and small, but are continually increasing in numbers; and by your bounty, and the benevolent agency of others, they have been enabled to maintain the public ministrations of the gospel; and these are silently and gradually producing their desired effects.-The divisions which in new settlements too often arise from the preaching of ignorant itinerants are subsiding; and under the faithful and prudent services of Mr. Warren,

your Committee found that the Congregational Society was gradually gaining order, strength, and stability. The expressions of delight from this people, at the prospect of having the Christian ordinances statedly administered among them, were repeated and ardent; they receive your donation with gratitude, and earnestly entreat its continuance, that the temporary engagement with their minister may be followed by his permanent establishment among them.

In 1813, the Rev. Mr. Keith, of whose qualifications the Trustees had ample testimonials, was employed to perform missionary services ten Sabbaths in the town of Dixmont, Maine. He was received by numbers with attention and respect; but on account of great divisions, as we learn from a respectable inhabitant, an association could not there be formed of sufficient importance to contribute in any proportion to the support of a preacher of the Gospel; the Trustees were therefore discouraged in their attempt to give that people aid.

That the Society might not be wholly destitute of means, should the annual contribution of its members occasionally fail, the Treasurer has beeu directed to put one thousand dollars at interest as an accumulating fund.

The Trustees having been fully confirmed by experience in the opinion, that by bestowing their charitable aid upon particular churches and societies, they should more effectually promote the objects of the institution, than by allowing their missionaries to traverse an unlimited extent of territory, and in the apprehension that the war might press with peculiar weight upon the eastern section of our Commonwealth, in 1813 and 1814, they made the support of the Rev. Messrs. Nurse and Warren a primary object; and they directed that the surplus of appropriation in those years should be expended in schools-a part in Jackson and Washington, under the direction of the Rev. Mr. Warren; and part in the neighbourhood of Ellsworth, but not within the town under the inspection of the Rev. Mr. Nurse, whose agency in transactions of this nature was fully approved.

The Trutsees continued to receive information of the success attending the faithful labors of the ministers, in whose induction into the pastoral of fice they had sssisted. A Church was gathered at Jackson, numbers presented themselves for admis-sion, and an increasing attention to religious concerns was manifested among the people. Mr. Warren devoted a part of his time successfully in a school.

The beneficial effects of the indefatigable labors of Mr. Nurse, as a preacher of the Gospel and an instructor of youth, appeared in the greater attention to public worship, in the more general manifestation of the Christian spirit, and in the elevation of the tone of public morals. His school continued to flourish. Under his auspices, many children and youth were greatly improved in the most useful branches of education; and numbers were qualified to become themselves instructors in schools.

In 1814 the Legislature of the Commonwealth, in compliance with their petition, granted the Society an act of incorporation. In pursuance of an application of a number of gentlemen of Boston, who, approving the plan of our institution, were disposed to aid in the attainment of its object, the Society voted to hold a semi-annual meeting in that town.

The Trustees invite the attention of the Christian community to the objects of their institution. They beseech those who are favored with the regular administrations of the Gospel, to express their sympathy for their brethren who are suffering for lack of knowledge. They assure all the benevolent, that their charity shall be faithfully applied to the education of children and youth, to the founding of churches, to the support of regular

ministers, who shall contend earnestly
for the faith which was once delivered
to the saints. They indulge the hope,
and unite with the members of the
Society in the devout prayer, that
their association may be successful in
the humble endeavour to arrest the
triumphs of error, to promote pure
and undefiled religion, and to enkin
dle that charity which is the bond of
perfectness.

AARON BANCROFT,
NATHANIEL THAYER,
SAMUEL RIPLEY,

Committee

of the Trustees.

The next annual meeting will be at Cambridge. The Rev. Isaac Allen is chosen the first, and Rev. Wilkes Allen the second preacher. Worcester, Dec. 26, 1815.*

Obituary.

In Danvers, Jan. 2, Hon. Samuel Holton, aged 77

In Braintree, Jan. 16, Rev. Ezra Weld.

There were in Portland, during 1815, 111 deaths, nearly one half of which were children.

The deaths in Hartford in 1815, were 122, 50 less than in 1814

In New Haven the deaths in 1815, were 213, in 1814 they were 100

The deaths in Baltimore in 1815, were 1349, of which 218 died of consumption, 167 of cholera morbus, 108 of pleurisy, 858 of various fevers. Of these 8 exceeded 80 years of age, 5 exceeded 90, and 1 was upwards of [Centinel.] 100 years of age.

Many aged people have died this winter. Beside the Baltimore account, in the obituary notices of the Centinel for Jan, 13, mention is made of the death of no less than 14 persons up. wards of seventy years of age; 7 of whom were upwards of 80

Candidates for the ministry in Cambridge and its vicinity.

Mr. Ed. W. Andrews, Newburyport.

Mr. Francis Jackson, Cambridge.

Mr. Thomas Prentiss, Cambridge,

Mr. Hiram Weston, Duxbury.

Mr. David Reed,

do.

Mr. Samuel Clarke, Cambridge,

Mr. Joseph Allen,

do.

Mr. Henry Ware, jun.

do.

Mr. Jonathan P. Dabney, do,

Mr. Rufus Hurlbut,

do.

Mr. Samuel Gilman,

do.

* See the Annual Report, in the Number for December last, p. 379.

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No. II.

A standard proposed. HAVING suggested, in the preceding Number, some probable sources of misapprehension relating to this subject, I shall now propose a standard, by which we may judge of the progress or decline of religion and virtue. It is perhaps impossible to fix on any standard, which will correctly apply in every supposable case; yet it may be possible to fix on one, which may be safely adopted, as a general rule. The standard now to be proposed is the following:

The progress or decline of bener olent, humane, and pacific principles.

By these principles the Chris tian religion is remarkably distinguished from paganism, mahometism, and all the cruel and sanguinary isms or religions, which have ever prevailed among Our Savior has taught us, that to love God with all the heart, and all the understanding, and all the strength, is the first commandment of all; that the second commandment is of the No. 3, Vol. IV.

men.

9

same nature-"thou shalt love thy neighbor as thyself;" and that on these two hang all the law and the prophets:-In other words, that these two commandments comprise all that God requires of men-the sum of religion and virtue. The gospel evidently makes that love which worketh no ill to his neighbor, the proper evidence of genuine love to God, and to his Son, Jesus Christ, The proper fruits of the spirit, are "love, joy, peace, long suffering, gentleness, goodness, faith, meekness, temperance." The "wisdom, which is from above, is first pure, then peaceable, gentle, easy to be entreated, full of mercy and good fruits, without partiality and without hypocrisy." "Pure and undefiled religion-is this, to visit the fatherless and the widow in their affliction, and to keep himself unspotted from the world."

Such being the nature, the spirit, the principles and the du, ties of the Christian religion, what can be a more proper standard for judging of the progress or decline of true religion and

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