Page images
PDF
EPUB

Of hope, in that glad moment when it springs From deep despair? O, can there be a

heart,

That never, at its foot, poured out itself
In supplications, thanks, and humble vows
Of unreserved devotedness till death?
Away with every refuge from the woes,
Here and hereafter, but the bleeding cross!
Who flees to any other, for relief
From conscious guilt, and misery, is undone;
Who leads to any other, them that wait
His guidance, adds their ruin to his own,
And on himself redoubled vengeance draws.
Wo to the men who tear away the cross!
Sole prop and pillar of a sinking world,
If its foundation by unhallowed hands
Be undermined, what, what can give sup-
port?

But, bush, my fears! it rests not on the sand;
The raging waves, that dash against its base,
Sink harmless, after foaming out their shame:
Quick, at the voice of the almighty Word,
Away they shrink, their shallowness betray,
Stir up, and leave exposed to every eye,
The foulness at the bottom unconcealed.
From Calvary springs the only fount of life,
Knowledge, and truth, celestial. Whoso
drinks,

Feels immortality begun within,

And his din vision cleared from every mist
Of doubt and ignorance; its virtues high
He that contemns, is wholly dead at heart,
And, in a maze of errours without end
Bewildered, darkling winds his joyless way.
Divine Redeemer, thou art truth itself;
In thee are found its sum, and living source,
Its boundless and inestimable stores.
They that forsake thee, that with hands
profane,

From thee thy uncreated glory wrest,
Thy independent throne, and in the pride
Of talse philosophy, refuse to sit
Meek learners at thy feet, how fast they pass
From one delusion to another worse,
Gone, from the earliest hesitating thought
Of leaving thee, well nigh beyond the hope
Of restoration, as if left in turn!

One step from thee, thy Godhead, and thy

cross

Inseparable, and down a steep descent, Down, down they go, with bold and bolder strides,

Till, all restraint thrown off, one desperate plunge

Sinks them below the light of truth and heaven,

In the dread gulf of infidelity,

The fatal gulf. Between this rayless depth, And that celestial height, from which they leap

Who once from thee depart, exists no ground On which to rest; all is but empty air;

In which wide void each pause the falling inake,

Is but a transient hovering on the wing.
Saviour of men, almighty as thou art,
And infinite in mercy, to thy throne,
Though human argument and friendship fail,
Restore the wandering, there to kneel again
In adoration, and repeat the praise
Of thy divine perfections, once their song.
Turn back the tide of errour, flowing wide,
Bearing away the boundaries of truth
For ages fixed, the enclosure breaking down
Of many a garden planted by thy hand,
Laying it open to the world's wide waste.

""Tis when the cross is preached, and

[blocks in formation]

are,

Men of illustrious name. that have employed
Years in portraying to admiring crowds,
In vivid colours, with the magick hand
Of genius guided by refining taste,
The loveliness of virtue, and of vice
The hideous features, and in urging all,
With eloquent tongue, to make the happy
choice,

And, at the end, with grief and self-reproach,
Have looked around in vain for the reformed.
On all the moral field within its reach,
Their beautiful philosophy has fallen
Powerless, as moonlight cold on the cold

snow.

Convinced, at length, of this its impotence,
And taught divinely to proclaim instead
Messiah crucified, on the same field
With joy have they beheld an aspect new,
From fruits abundant, of immortal growth.
When amid frozen seas, mountain- of ice,
And all the horrours of a polar clime,
Moravia's humble but heroick sons
The bold attempt began, truth to make
known

To the besotted Greenlander, and lead
His feet into the path of virtue and of life,
They pointed to the heavens thick set with

stars,

All, to the least, twinkling with vivid beams,
Presenting a whole living firmament
Through the clear atmosphere, intensely
cold,

Of his long wintry night; and to the sun,
Duly returning, to spread o'er his vales
A sudden, transitory, summer smile :

To these and objects visible like these,
His eye they long directed, and from them
To their Creator laboured long to raise
His grovelling thoughts, devotion to inspire,
And teach obedience; while with stupid awe
He gazed and listened, or with wonder wild,
But still to vice remained a willing slave,
Till, of success from efforts thus pursued
Despairing, they conducted him at once
A ruined wretch to Calvary, when with guilt
He trembled at the sight, melted in love,
Shook off the long-fixed clinging habit of sin,
And from his bestial degradation rose
To intellectual and virtuous life.

What though the cross, presented to the view

With all the humbling but momentous truths
Inscribed on it, offend the pride of man?
Shall it be hidden, or its truths effaced?
Shall dying men be pleased rather than
saved?

When one who traverses some polar waste,
Feels the benumbing influence of the cold
Steal o'er him in a grateful drowsiness,
Too strong to be resisted, and repays with
Bitter words, while sinking in the snow,
The efforts of his comrades to alarm
And rouse him, or support and drag him on,
Is it philanthropy to please, or save?
Will not their hated care be recompensed,
When, borne beyond the danger, and restored
To feeling and to reason, he pours forth
The weeping gratitude of a full heart?
And will the kind severity, that seeks
To rescue those seized by a lethargy,
Ending, not broke, in ever-dying death,
Receive a recompense of thanks less rich
From the delivered? Or the transient scoff
Of those delivered never, can this pain
Like their eternal curse, and that of heaven,
For ministering an opiate to the soul,
To gain its momentary favour here?

Cruel the tenderness, that whispers peace
To men at war with their Redeemer, men
Who scorn his clemency, and dare his wrath!
And O how false the friendship, that unites
Preacher and hearer in the ruinous work
Of mutual flattery !—that together joins
The sacred guide, and those who make him
theirs,

In travelling merrily on the high way
Of sin and errour, as the path to heaven,
Praising its breadth and smoothness, each in

turn

Cheering and cheered, deceiving and deceived,

Undoing and undone! Learn'd he may be,
And eloquent, who yet the name deserves
Of a false teacher, false in head and heart;
But learning, with its boasted powers, ar-
rayed

Against the sweet simplicity of truth,
And eloquence from counterfeited warmth,
The painted passion of a mind at ease,
How vain and pitiful in all their pride!
He is the true ambassador of heaven,
Whose learning is the knowledge of the
truth;

Whose eloquence is that of piety
Enlightened and impassioned-now a flame
Of pure devotion rising to the skies,
And now a stream of pure benevolence
Poured down on man. Of such the mighty
theme,

That takes supreme possession of the soul,
The bosom swelling, glowing on the lips,
Is Christ, the Lord of life, dying to give
Blest immortality to wretched foes;
Exchanging, in the plenitude of love,
His own imperishable crown of light
For man's mock diadem of wreathed thorns,
The praise of angels for the scoff of worms,
The infinite beatitude of heaven
For pain unutterable on the cross."

pp. 23-33.

RELIGIOUS INTELLIGENCE.

Eastern Diocese.

AN abstract of the proceedings of the Biennial Convention of the Protestant Episcopal Church in the Eastern Diocese, holden at Portsmouth, New Hampshire, September 25, 1822.

THE Convention was attended by the right reverend Alexander V. Griswold, D. D. bishop of the diocese, eight clerical and three lay deputies.

The meeting was opened by the celebration of divine service and a sermon, which were followed by the administration of the

holy rite of confirmation, and the sacrament of the Lord's supper.

The reverend Asa Eaton was chosen secretary of the convention.

The reverend Mr Crocker, reverend Mr. Burroughs, reverend Mr. Bronson, reverend Mr. Ten Broeck, reverend Dr. Jarvis, reverend Mr. Eaton, reverend Mr. Morss, Dudley A. Tyng, and George Brinley, esquires, were chosen the standing committee of the diocese.

The reverend Dr. Jarvis was appointed chairman of the standing committee.

The alterations in the constitution proposed at the last meeting of the convention were unanimously adopted.*

The following alterations in the constitution were proposed and ordered to lie over for consideration at the next meeting of the convention; viz. in the second article, that the words, "each of the states by rotation," be erased, and the words, "such place as shall be agreed upon at the preceding convention," be inserted: also, that after the words lay delegate," the words, delegates, not exceeding three," be inserted. In article tenth, that the word annual be substituted for the word "biennial."

[ocr errors]

or

Agreeably to the provisions of the 45th canon the bishop delivered an address exhibiting a view of the state of the church in the diocese and an account of his official duties since the last convention. Whereupon it was

Resolved, That so much of the bishop's address as relates to the supply of vacant parishes, the support of the episcopate, and a uniform system of catechetical instruction for the diocese, be referred to the reverend Dr. Jarvis, reverend Mr. Morss, and reverend Mr. Leonard.

The above committee reported the following resolutions, which were unanimously adopted.

Resolved, That the bishop be, and he hereby is requested to assign to the several rectors of parishes within the diocese, such missionary duties as he shall think expedient: and that it be, and it hereby is recommended to the several parishes to form missionary societies, auxiliary to such societies for that purpose, as have been or may be formed by the authority of the state conventions.

Resolved, That a committee of three of the laity in each state in the diocese be appointed by this convention to solicit subscriptions and donations to the Episcopal fund.

Resolved, That a committee of three of the clergy, in connexion with the bishop, and under his direction and superintendance, be appointed by the authority of this convention, to set forth a uniform system of catechetical instruction for the use of the diocese.

Conformably to the resolution on the support of the episcopate, the following committees were appointed in the several states composing the diocese.

* By these alterations, the state of Maine is recognised as a part of the Eastern diocese, and the meetings of the convention are to be held annually, instead of biennially, to be composed of all the clergy of the diocese and a lay delegate from each church.

[ocr errors]

In Massachusetts, Dudley A. Tyng, Thomas L. Winthrop, and George Brinley, esquire.

În Rhode Island, Alexander Jones, Henry De Wolf, and Stephen Northum, esquires. In New Hampshire, the Hon. James Sheafe, Hon. John Harris, and Ezra Jones, esquire.

In Vermont, the Hon. Daniel Chipman, Hon. Jonathan H. Hubbard, and Alexander Fleming, esquire.

In the state of Maine, Robert H. Gardiner, Simon Bradstreet, and Stephen Wait, esqr's. The next meeting of the convention is to be held at Windsor, Vermont, on the last Wednesday of September, 1823.

Vermont.

WE present, with great pleasure, to our readers, an abstract of the journals of Vermont, for the years 1820, 1821, and 1822. This, if we mistake not, is the first printed journal of any of the conventions of the states which compose the eastern diocese. Though small and humble in its appearance, it is not more so than were the first journals of those churches which now annually exhibit reports of 40 or 50 pages. It is a good example, and we hope it will be followed. We insert the constitution of the church in Vermont, as revised and adopted at the convention, in 1820.

CONSTITUTION.

I. The various churches in Vermont shall be considered as united in one convention in subordination to the general convention of the United States.

II. The said convention shall meet annually on the fourth Wednesday in June, at such place as shall be appointed at a previous meeting; and all clergymen of the protestant Episcopal church, residing in this state, shall be entitled to seats in convention; and lay delegates from the several churches in this state, shall be entitled to seats in the said convention, in the following proportion, to wit: Each church shall have the privilege of sending at least one member; if it consists of ten or more communicants, then it may send two members, and for every twenty-five communicants, excepting the numbers above specified, the said churches shall be entitied to one additional member.

III. The convention shall deliberate and act in one body; but shall vote in distinct orders, when any member shall call for such a division on any one question; and in such case a concurrence of a majority of both orders shall be necessary to constitute a vote.

IV. A president, secretary, and standing committee, shall be chosen at every annual meeting of the convention; and when there is to be a session of the general convention

within the ensuing year, the requisite delegations shall be appointed to represent this state in that body; also as long as this state shall belong to the Eastern diocese,a delegation shall be appointed to attend each diocesan convention at the next preceding annual convention, or at some meeting specially warned for that purpose. Provided, however, that no person shall be a member of the standing committee, or shall represent this state in the general or diocesan convention, unless he be a regular communicant in the church. Provided, also, that when the bishop of the diocese shall be present in convention, he shall, ex-officio, be president. The convention may, from time to time, if deemed expedient, appoint a prudential committee to superintend the prudential concerns of the church.

V. If, at any time, a bishop is to be elected by this convention, the secretary, by order of the president or standing committee, shall write to the minister, or one of the wardens of each church, at least six weeks before the election is to take place, and give notice of the time and place appointed for such election, and request, that delegates may attend the convention for the purpose; and in every such election, the convention shall vote in distinct orders-the clerical order shall make a nomination by ballot, and a majority of the lay delegates, shall approve the appointment, before the person shall be considered elected.

VI. No alteration shall be made in this constitution, except in annual convention; nor unless proposed and reduced to writing at a previous convention.

VII. The bishop, or standing committee, shall have power to call a special convention, by giving six weeks previous notice to the minister or one of the wardens of each particular church.

Parochial reports in 1820, were from eleven churches, as follows: baptisms, 99; deaths, 35; whole number of communicants, 391. Parochial reports in 1821, from thirteen churches, baptisms, 101; marriages, 14; deaths, 32; whole number of communicants, 592. Ín several of the churches, flourishing Sunday schools.

Parochial reports in 1822, from thirteen churches, baptisms, 73; marriages, 21; deaths, 32; number of communicants 557.

Standing committee, for the year ensuing, Rev. Abraham Bronson, Rev. George Leo nard, Rev. Carlton Chase, Rev. Joel Clapp. Prudential committee, Hon. Daniel Chipman, George Cleveland, Esq. Hon. J. H.

Hubbard.

Delegates to the general convention, Rev.

Abraham Bronson, Rev. George Leonard, Rev. Carlton Chase, Rev. Joel Clapp; clerical :-Joshua Isham, Esq. George Cleve land, Esq. Mr. Alexander Fleming, and Dr. Elisha Sheldon, lay.

Rev. Abraham Bronson, was nominated by this convention, as a trustee of the general theological seminary of the protestant Episcopal church, in the United States of America, agreeable to the third article of the constitution of said seminary.

A communication from the secretary of the general convention, containing a proposed alteration of the constitution of that convention, relative to the time of holding its triennial meetings, and investing the presiding bishop, in certain cases, with the power to alter the place where the same shall be held, was read; and the convention voted, that this convention does not approve of the proposed alteration.

Resolved, That the clergy of this state be requested to preach in their several churches, and to solicit contributions, once or more in each year for the benefit of the protestant Episcopal missionary society in this state ;and that they be requested to perform similar duties in the several vacant parishes in this state.

The Rev. Carlton Chase is appointed to preach before the next convention, to be holden at St. Albans.

The following canons were passed in 1821. I. Of the mode of trying clergymen accused of misdemeanor.--Whenever the standing committee shall have reason to suspect a clergyman of this church to be guilty of infidelity, heresy, vice, or irregularity of any kind, it shall be their duty to inquire into the circumstances of the case; and, if upon investigation, they consider the crime worthy of notice, they shall report thereupon to the bishop, who may summon a council of his clergy, not less than three; a copy of the charge, and due notice of the time and place of trial being likewise communicated to the party accused; and after a full and fair investigation of the subject, the bishop may pronounce sentence in the case. And if any minister, degraded agreeable to this canon, shall consider himself aggrieved, he shall be allowed an appeal to the house of bishops.

II. Of the mode of forming and organizing churches.-Whenever any number of persons in this state shall form themselves into a regular society of the persuasion of the protestant Episcopal church, in such a manner, as that they will become a body corporate according to law, and their proceedings shall be sanctioned by the bishop of the diocese, or, in case of no bishop, by the standing committee of the state convention, they shall

[blocks in formation]

Ar a quarterly meeting of the standing committee of the protestant Episcopal church of this state, September 18, 1822, the fol lowing resolution was passed, viz.

The rules of order of the standing committee of the state of Massachusetts not hav ing been published, in consequence of which, the candidates for orders have not been made acquainted with them,

Resolved, That the secretary of this board be directed to send an attested copy of the rules of order for insertion in the Gospel Advocate, which shall be considered as a sufficient publication of them, and that in future no dispensation of the sixth rule he admitted. RULES OF ORDER,

Of the Standing Committee of the State of Massachusetts.

1. The standing committee of the state of Massachusetts shall meet on the last Wednesday of the months of January, April, July, and October, at such time and place as shall be determined on at the preceding meeting. 2. A quorum to transact business shall consist of at least two clergymen and two laymen, or of three clergymen.

3. No testimonials of any kind whatsoever shall be signed by any member of the committee, unless when the committee is duly convened, and after full discussion and deliberation.

4. Agreeably to the provisions of the 8th canon of the general convention of 1820, every candidate for orders must be required to present to the committee a satisfactory diploma or certificate from the instructers of some approved literary institution, or a certificate from two presbyters, appointed by the ecclesiastical authority of the diocese to examine him, in the words following:

"We, whose names are hereunder written, being appointed by to examine A. B. do hereby certify, that we have accordingly

examined him, and that we find he possesses such academical learning as will enable him to enter advantageously on a course of theology, and we do accordingly recommend him to the standing committee.

C. D. Examining Presbyters.
E. F. S

In case of the dispensation of academical learning, provided for by canon ix, the candidate is required to lay before the commit. tee a testimonial signed by at least two presbyters of the church, in the words following, viz.

"We, whose names are hereunder written, do solemnly testify that, in our opinion, A. B. possesses such extraordinary strength of natural understanding, such a peculiar aptitude to teach, and so large a share of prudence, as renders it advisable, for the edification of the church, to dispense, in his case, with a knowledge of the Latin and Greek languages, and other branches of learning not strictly ecclesiastical." C. D. Presbyters. E. F. S

5. The testimonials, required by the standbe recommended as a candidate for holy ing committee of every person who wishes to orders, agreeably to the vii. canon, must be as follows. I, C. D. do solemnly testify that I have been personally acquainted with A. B. for years, (or months,) last past, during which time I have had constant opportunities of knowing his general character and conduct; and I fully believe that, during that time, he hath lived piously, soberly, and honestly, and is attached to the doctrines, discipline, and worship of the proI further believe testant Episcopal church. that he possesses such qualifications as will render him apt and meet to exercise the ministry to the glory of God, and the edifying of the church."

6. The standing committee shall in no case grant testimonials for orders, until the examinations required in canons x. and xi. have been made; and a certificate from the examiners, that they are satisfied with the result of the several examinations shall form a part of the testimonials laid before the standing committee, on which, their testimonials to the bishop are to be predicated.

7. Special meetings of the board shall be called by the president at the request, or by the consent, of any two members, which request or consent shall be communicated by the president to the secretary, who shall forthwith issue the necessary notifications.

A true copy from the records of the standing committee. Attest,

ISAAC BOYLE, Secretary.

« PreviousContinue »