which is the subject, and in detailing the duties to which it points, we are not forgetful of the evils to which it may be abused by human frailty; and to guard against these will be pertinent to our present purpose.

One manifest evil is, that without due caution, it will prove favourable to the spirit of controversy; so as to tempt to engage in this unpleasant work unnecessarily; and when so engaged, to conduct it in such a manner as shall be inconsistent with Christian temper, and even productive of intemperate passion, and of the greatest excesses of censoriousness and of contumely: all of which will be reconciled to the consciences of the contenders, under the specious plea of its contributing to the glory of God. This is one of the shapes in which there is verified the apostolic saying "Satan himself is transformed into an angel of light." When there has been kindled the ardour of inquiry in any concerns deeply interesting; especially in the most interesting of all, those which have a bearing on the happiness of our immortal souls; when different views have been taken of the subjects at issue, and differences of opinion manifest themselves, in frequent conversation concerning what is uppermost in the public mind, there are so many leanings of the litigants to preconceptions, perhaps the effect of ideal associations, perhaps caused by different senses, which the same words convey to the understandings of different persons, and perhaps there intruding, without the consciousness of it, the ambition of excelling in argument, and of enjoying controversial triumph; that it requires no small measure of Christian prudence to distinguish between what calls for a greater and what for a less degree of zeal; and no small command of Christian temper, to keep within the limits of the caution-" in meekness instructing them that oppose themselves, if God, peradventure, will give them repentance, to the acknowledging of the truth."

We wish to be not misunderstood. It is far from our intention to discourage controversy in such a shape as shall, on any occasion, tend to the sa

crifice of any truth of our holy religian; for we are aware of that other injunction-earnestly to contend for the faith, which was once delivered to the saints." But when we call to mind, that even in such a holy contest, there applies the intimation," the wrath of man worketh not the righteousness of God," and much more when we reflect, that controversy turns so much on speculations, to which it would be profitable to apply the saying, "Knowledge puffeth up, but charity edifieth," and on practices similar to those described by our Saviour under the terms of "the mint, the anise, and the cummin" of the Jewish ritual; we can think of no occasion on which God will be honoured by dishonour done to a grace, concerning which it is pronounced, that without it we are as sounding brass and a tinkling cymbal."

Another coincident evil is, that in some minds the state of feeling takes the lead of the judgment; becoming the parent of extravagances and of material error; not seldom the nurse of spiritual pride; and even impelling to actions in contrariety to moral obligation, but concealing their malignity under the cover of imposing names. Disorder of this sort was conspicuous under the agitation of men's spirits produced by the powerful preaching of the apostles, continued in the age immediately following them, and even in its mildest forms, venting itself in notions compared by St. Paul to "wood and hay and stubble," and in others designated under worse characters, in various passages of the New Testament, and in the earliest records of ecclesiastical history. These phantasms have disappeared; while the precious instructions remain, to be the spiritual food of the faithful to the end of time.

The same frailty of human nature may be perceived in what took place at the blessed period of the reformation. However deeply laid the foundation of that event in the Scriptures of truth, it gave occasion to extravagances which were a disgrace to it, and which conducted their abettors to many errors and to many crimes. The benefit of the ecclesiastical revo

lution continues to be felt; when, for the knowledge of the attendant disorders, it is necessary to have recourse to the pages of history, where we may see them fallen under the verifying of the declaration of the Saviour-Every plant which my heavenly Father hath not planted shall be rooted up." There might be mentioned seasons of sensibility of a more local nature, but, in its accompaniments, manifesting the same infirmity; and reference is made to them to show, that when, in our day, there is a similar movement of the mind of the community, if, in some instances, it should run wild into the region of enthusiasm, or discharge itself into any intricacy of unprofitable speculation, the fact would be analogous to what is incident to every blessing of Heaven, alike in nature and in grace, should be little thought of, in comparison of the good conspicuously wrought; and not disproving the source of it in the agency of the Holy Spirit of God; however erroneous it would be to ascribe to his influence any sensations or any actions which are contrary to truth and soberness.

We will mention a third instance in which, from the nature of the subject, we perceive the possibility of there being advantage taken of the described state of the public mind for the accomplishment of purposes hostile to the general weal; or, if consistent with it, not to be endeavoured by means which may be put in operation. We allude to associations which may be found to have bearings either on the civil counsels of our country, or on those of our religious communion. Far be it from us to limit the privilege of expressing, under no other limits than those of truth and decency, the sense either of an individual or of a legally constituted society of men, whether it be in reference to political interests or to those of the church. What we allude to is the merging of individual opinion in that of a combination not known in any existing institutions, and affecting its object by an anterior and illegitimate government, impairing, and perhaps at last destroying, that which rests on gene ral consent and constitution. This

misdirection of the public mind ought to be the more carefully guarded against, as it often proves a snare to well-meaning persons under the influence of either civil or of religious zeal, who are led, unconsciously, to contribute their aids either to political or to sectarian ambition. Any attempts, therefore, to connect the civil authority with the particular views of religious communities, or to produce that connexion between the power of the civil government and that of any particular Christian denomination, from which have resulted conse quences injurious to the rights, to the purity, and to the influence of the Christian church, are deprecated by the House of Bishops, and as they believe, by the clergy aud laity of the Protestant Episcopal Church in the United States.

It should apply to us individually, that if, in this season of sensibility, there should be a witnessing the salutary operation of it on the minds of others, or an excitement of it in our own minds by the frequent presentation of the truths of religion from pulpits or in social converse, we should recollect the source of this holy influence, and the responsibility with which it is clothed. There is, in this respect, an analogy in nature, in Providence, and in grace. As in the first of these departments God is present every where; so, in the second, every event brings a duty along with it; and in the third, there ought to be cherished the correlative impressions on that part of our nature concerning which it is said, that" out of it are the issues of life."

We shall conclude this address to the members of our church, with intreating them to be often in their supplications to the Throne of Grace for the success of all enterprises judiciously planned on scriptural principles, for hastening that blessed period when "God's way shall be known upon earth, his saving health among all nations." It is one of the petitions in the prayer of our Saviour, prescribed by him for daily use, that "his kingdom may come;" the kingdom described in ancient prophecy, under the image of "a stone cut out of a

mountain without hands, and to fill the whole earth;" and more extensively represented in another prophecy, in which we read, " from the rising of the sun, even unto the going down of the same, my name shall be great among the Gentiles, and in every place incense shall be offered unto my name, and a pure offering." These splendid views began to be met in the person of the adorable Redeemer, when there was "given him a name which is above every name;" but will not be fully verified until the fulfilment of the promise," in the name of Jesus every knee shall bow." In the mean time, let it be the breathing of devout desire from the altars of our hearts-" even so come, Lord Jesus!" Words at the conclusion of the Canon of Scripture, to be taken on the tongues of his faithful followers, as expressive of their looking forward to the time when "the mystery of God shall be finished;" and of their readiness to join in all endeavours which tend to so glorious a consummation. Signed by order of the House of Bishops, WILLIAM WHITE, Presiding Bishop.

Philadelphia, Aug. 20, 1829.

Bishop Hobart's second Visitation to the Oneidas.

In our number for September last, page 269, we gave a narrative, from the Oneida Observer, of Bishop Hobart's visit to the Oneida Indians on the 26th of July. We have now the gratifying pleasure of giving to our readers an interesting account of the Bishop's second visit to that people, on the 14th of September, taken from the Gospel Messenger of the 3d of Oc tober ultimo.

"We had again the happiness of being present when Bishop Hobart made another visit to the Oneida Indians, on Monday the 14th September, at their Chapel at Oneida Castle.

"The exercises were exceedingly in. teresting and impressive, and we came away with devout thankfulness to Almighty God that our eyes had been permitted to see these "first fruits" of the gospel among the idolatrous nations of our own land, which, we trust, are

an earnest and pledge of that future great and glorious harvest promised to his Son, when all the heathen shall be given him for an inheritance."

"The Bishop had the day before admitted Mr. Solomon Davis, for several years the chatechist and lay reader among the Oneidas, to the holy order of deacons; and that he might be enabled to administer all the ordinances of the gospel to them, it was deemed expedient to ordain him priest; for which purpose several of the clergy attended with the Bishop, and joined in the imposition of hands.

"Prayers were read in the Indian language by Mr. Davis, after which the Bishop, with the aid of the interpreter, Mr. Martin Denney, a native, eminently qualified for that purpose, addressed them as follows:

"My Children,-You will thus be fitted, through God's mercy and grace, for the blessings of his salvation. These blessings are, the pardon of your sins--the favour of God—a title to the happiness of Heaven. And these blessings are conveyed and assured to those fitted to receive them, by the ministry and ordinances of Christ's holy Church,

"My Children,-This church is not an association of men for temporal objects. It is a society for spiritual and divine purposes; and it consists of all those who believe in God, and in Christ as the Saviour of the world, and submit to the ministry and ordinances which he and his inspired apostle appointed. This church is the body, the spiritual body of Christ; he is the head of it, and through it we are united to him,

"My Children,-Great is the good