another Wickliffe and another Luther must be raised up by the fostering hand of knowledge, and the inspiration of God to wake the world from another sleep of ages. "The consequences we deprecate are not, indeed, in their nature sudden. They are not to be expected in our day. But so surely as the standard of learning and theological research is depressed among the clergy, the clergy will sink towards insignificance and contempt. So certainly as the amount of mind in the service of the church is diminished, the great results of mental energy will dwindle away. If the intelligence and judgment which have been applied to the explanation and application of the truths of the Bible, are lessened and disesteemed, the reasonableness and beauty and power of those truths will disappear. Open the volume of history, and you will find, that the Bible has reflected upon every age the character of the clergy of that age. Unchangeable, indeed, it has itself remained from generation to generation: but unchanged it has not appeared to men. Like the sun it has been fixed, an unfading, unvarying light in the moral firmament. But its effulgence, like that of the sun also, poured upon the world by an ever changing medium, and reflected from ever changing objects, has exhibited in succession, all the hues which light can assume." "The evils on which we have dwelt it is the direct tendency of Education Societies to prevent. They aim not only to multiply the preachers of righteousness, but to give them effectual aid in obtaining a competent preparation for their work, to give them an impulse, at the outset, which shall carry them forward in the pursuit of knowledge against all the counteracting influence of the spirit of the time, and the pressing calls of active life. "Doubtless the increased and increasing demand for ministerial labor will call forth supplies of some kind. If intelligent and qualified preachers cannot be had, the ignorant and incompetent will be employed. The call of an excited people for religious privileges and spiritual guidance will, to some extent, and in some manner be answered. It is in no small degree in the power of Education Societies to say to what extent and in what manner this call shall be answered. Could we train and send forth yearly, one hundred thorough bred and right minded clergymen, we should not only, in the best manner, prepare for usefulness so many individuals, but we should set up here and there over the land so many models of the clerical character, to show the people what Pastors should be, and what Pastors may be had to break to them the bread of life, and to guide the feet of their children in the paths of salvation.*** Who then shall tell the blessings, which it is in our power to confer on our country, in all time to come, by doubling and trebling this number?"" MISCELLANEOUS. ADVICE OF REV. SAMUEL PEARCE TO A PIOUS STUDENT. The following letter was written by the eminently devoted Samuel Pearce, Baptist minister in England, to a young man who was about to enter Bristol academy, and who had applied to him for advice, how he should best improve his time. It may be read, and the directions given may be reduced to practice, with great profit, by all who are engaged in a course of preparatory studies for the ministry. Birmingham, Nov. 13, 1798. I can only confess my regret at not replying to yours at a much earlier period, and assure you that the delay has been accidental, and not designed. I feel the importance of your request for advice.*** At present, the following rules appear of so much moment, that were I to resume a place in any literary establishment, I would religiously adopt them as the stan dard of my conduct:-First, I would cultivate a spirit of habitual devotion. Warm piety connected with my studies, and especially at my entrance upon them, would not only assist me in forming a judgment on their respective importance, and secure the blessing of God upon them; but would so cement the religious feeling with the literary pursuit, as might abide with me for life. The habit of uniting these, being once formed, would, I hope, be never lost; and I am sure that, without this, I shall both pursue trivial and unworthy objects, and those that are worthy I shall pursue for a wrong end.-Secondly, I would determine on a uniform submission to the instructions of my preceptor, and study those things which would give him pleasure. If he be not wiser than I am, for what purpose do I come under his care? I accepted the pecuniary help of the Society on condition of conforming to its will; and it is the society's will that my tutor should govern me.--My example will have influence: let me not, by a sin gle act of disobedience, or by a word that TO MINISTERS. "Preach the word; be instant in season, out of season." Several years ago a vessel, which was blessed with a pious chaplain, and was bound to a distant part of the world, happened to be detained by contrary winds, over Sabbath, at the Isle of Wight. The chaplain improved the opportunity to preach to the inhabitants. His text was, "Be clothed with humility." Among his hearers was a thoughtless girl, who had come to show her fine dress, more than to be instructed. The sermon was the means of her conversion. Her name was Elizabeth Walbridge, the celebrated DAIRYMAN'S DAUGHTER, whose interesting history, drawn up by the late Rev. Legh Richmond, has been printed and translated in various languages, and circulated widely throughout the christian world with spiritual benefit to hundreds and thousands. What a reward is this for a single sermon preached "out of season?" How to accomplish great and difficult objects of benevolence. A distingushed friend of Africa, when asked how it was possible to raise nearly two millions of slaves in the United States to the condition of christian freemen, replied-"This is the way; Let all the friends of the cause Go to work, KEEP TO WORK, HOLD ON, AND NEVER GIVE UP." To these, my dear brother, let me add three or four things more minute, but which I am persuaded will help you much. -Guard against a large acquaintance while you are a student. Bristol friendship, while you sustain that character, will prove a vile thief, and rob you of many an invaluable hour.-Get two or three of the students, whose piety you most approve, to meet for one hour in a week for experimental conversation and mutual prayer. I found this highly beneficial, though, strange to tell, by some we were persecuted for our practice!-Keep a diary. Once a week, at farthest, call yourself to an account: What advances you have made in your different studies; in divinity, history, languages, natural phi- Dying counsel of Pliny Fisk to his mislosophy, style, arrangement; and amidst all, do not forget to inquire, Am I more fit to serve and to enjoy God than I was last week? Last sentences in the Journal of Henry "I sat in the orchard and thought with sweet comfort and peace of my God; in solitude-my company, my friend, and comfort. O when shall time give place to Eternity! When shall appear that new heaven and new earth wherein dwelleth righteousness! There-there shall in no wise enter in any thing that defileth; none of that wickedness that has made men worse than wild beasts-none of those corruptions that add still more to the miseries of mortality, shall be seen or heard of any more." S. P. sionary Brethren. Live near to God, dwell in love, and wear out in the service of Christ. STATISTICAL REGISTER OF RELIGIOUS DENOMINATIONS IN THE UNITED STATES FOR JAN. 1829. The following list of ministers, containing the names of the churches with which they are severally connected, has been prepared for occasional reference, as well as for general information. It is as complete, as the documents in our possession enable us to give. The names of vacant Churches are not mentioned; but, the number of such Churches, and the number of communicants, or members in all the Churches as reported to their respective ecclesiastical bodies, will be found annexed. Should the patronage given to the Quarterly Register and Journal be such as to justify the expense, a more full and complete list will be prepared at the commencement of future years. For authority, it is our invariable rule to refer, whenever it can be done, to the printed and public statements of the different religious denominations. CONGREGATIONALISTS OF NEW-ENGLAND. Explanatory Note. Under this head are included those only, who are denominated orthodox, or evangelical Congregationalists; and of these, we are necessarily limited, by our documents, to those ministers and churches who are in connexion with the General Conference of Maine, the General Association of New Hampshire, the Ceneral Convention of Vermont, the General Association of Massachusetts, the General Association of Connecticut, and the Evangelical Consociation of Rhode Island. There are, in some of the New England States, orthodox ministers and churches of the Congregational denomination, who are not thus connected. Not having however the means of forming an accurate list of these, we choose to defer any enumeration of them, for the present. There are a few Congregational ministers and churches in other parts of the United States. But, for the same reason, they will be omitted. It may be remarked, generally, that the statistics published by Congregationalists are less accurate, and less complete, than those of most other denominations. The ministers, whose names are in Italics, are Scribes or Clerks of the several distinct associations or conferences, where they occur. S. S. denotes Stated Supply. I. General Conference of Maine. Meeting at Waldoborough, Tuesday before the fourth Wednesday of June, 1829. Rev. ASA CUMMINGS, Portland, Cor. Sec'ry. 1. York Conference. 2. Cumberland Conference. Chas. Jenkins, do 3d ch. 3. Lincoln Conference. do. II. General Association of New-Hampshire. Meeting at Newport, on the first Tuesday of September, 1829.-Rev. JOHN H. CHURCH, D. D. Pelham, Sec'ry. 1. Caledonia Association. 2. Deerfield Association. 3. Haverhill Association. 4. Hollis Association. H. G. Nott, Dunstable. Eli Smith, Hollis. Ebenezer Hill, Mason. 5. Hopkinton Association. 82 48 7238 C. M. Brown, Lempster. Pas. 15. Vac. ch. 5. Comm. 2139. 7. Orange Association. 8. Piscataqua Association. 6. Monadnock Association. J. Peabody, Sullivan. C. Bolles, Bridgewater. J. L. Hale, Campton. A. Richards, Francestown. D. Clayes, Meriden Parish. Comm. 904. Total in connexion, as far as ascer tained. Pastors, or stated supplies Pas. 10. Vac. ch. 2. Comm. 1706. Vacant Churches 11. Windsor Association. III. General Convention of Vermont. Meeting, at Woodstock, on the second Tuesday of September, 1829. 1. Windham Association. S. Sage, Westminster Fast. 2. Orange Association. Thetford, Vac. ch. 4. Comm. 642. 3. Windsor Association. 5. Montpelier Association. Pas. 6. Vac. ch. 10. Comm. 972. 100 39 14,116 13 6. Addison Association. A. Lovell, Vergennes. 7 Rutland Association. Pas. 9. Vac. ch. 4. Comm. 1006. 8. N. Western Association. Pas. 13. Vac. ch. 15. |