7

din press. 4 of the Orissa, ed in 1600 to 3000 copies, was upwards press. 5 of the Mahratta, 2d in of 15,000 dols. "The Missionaries press. Of the 15 following, one gratefully acknowledge the pecunedition of each is published: Teiary aid which has been afforded knghi, Sikh, Gujuratee, Kunkun, them by the munificence of the karnata, Pushtoo or Affyan, As- British and Foreign Bible Society. samee, Wuch or Mooltanee, Bick

Christ. Watch. aseer, Kashmeer, Bhugulkhurd, Marwar, Nepalee, Harotee, and Slavery. In 1820 the slave populaKanoje. A second edition of the tion of the country was 1,500,000. Gospels, is also published in the Their annual increase is estimatChinese. Ten other versions of the ed at 35,000. Their number douNew Testament in other languages bles in less than 20 years. Things of India, are also in press, and now remaining as they now are, in 1840 nearly completed. None of these we shall have 3,000,000 of slaves, have been hurried through the -in 1860, 6,000,000—and in 1880, press; but much care has been tak- 12,000,000-a nation of slaves, es that they should be both cor- larger by 4,000,000, than the whole rectly translated and printed. present white population of the Seven years have been the shortest United States. What a state of period occupied in translating and things will this be! printing. The Missionaries re

Christ. Spect. Inark respecting the happy tendency of the circulation of the scrip- Colleges.—It is stated in the tures in these versions, that no Christian Almanack, that "there translation has ever yet been pub-are in all 51 incorporated Colleges lished in any country, however in the United States. In our Thesmall the number of its inhabitants, ological Seminaries are more than which did not make numbers wise 350 pious Students: in our Colunto salvation. On twepty of the leges, more than 700: and more versions which have been wholly | than 200 in our Academies." or in part executed, the testimo. “ In the various Colleges of our nies of learned natives have been country, there are about 3000 stuobtained, and are published with dents, of these, between 7 and the versions. In all cases the ap- 800 are hopefully pious. The proprobation is explicit; and in nearly portion of pious students, is much all it is declared, the several ver- greater than it has usually been, sions will be universally intelligi- since the establishment of our Colble to the people for whom they leges, and affords just ground of

encouragement to those who weep The memoir further states, that over the desolations of Zion. And after sixteen years of unremitting yet, if we allow to the unsanctified labour, the Missionaries are ena

man an equal influence in society bled, through the good hand of God with that of the true Christian upon them, to redeem their pledge and in a wicked world it is likely to the Christian public, by pre- to be much greater, unless presenting them with a CHINESE BI-vented by infinite goodness-the BLE complete. It is printed on balance is altogether against the noveable metallic types. Parts

cause of religion. Is there, then, of the New Testament had been no need of the effectual fervent previously printed in the Chinese prayer of the righteous man,” in manner, on wood blocks. The behalf of our Colleges?" , expense of this edition of from

Telegraph.

are designed.

Religious Periodical Publications. receipts amount to somewhat less In the United States, there are than one million of dollars. published, monthly, about 21 reli- In the United States, there are gious Magazines ; and weekly, ten Domestick Missionary Socieabout 22 religious Newspapers. ties, all instituted since the year

1798, whose annual receipts, pro Missionary and Education Soci- bably, fall short of 20,000 dollars. eties.—There are, in the Christian The number of Education Socie world, thirteen principal Foreign eties in the United States, is 12, Missionay Societies, whose annual | all instituted since the year 1810.

ORDINATIONS AND INSTALLATIONS. 1824. February 4th. Ordained at Back: Congregational Church and Society in land, Mags. over the Congregational Williamstown, Ver. Rev. JOEL Davis. Church and Society in that place, Rev. Sermon by Rev. John Lawton, of HillsBENJAMIN F. CLARKB. Sernion by Rev. borough, N. H. from Acts xxx. 24. Charles Jenkins, from II. Cor. ii. 16. 1824. March 10th. Installed associate

1824. February 4th. Ordained, Rev. Pastor of the Congregational Church in Ruros Austin Potram, 'over the Church Northampton, Mass. the Rev. MARE in Fitchburg, in connexion with the Cal. TUCKER. vinistick Society in that place. Sermon It.stalled Pastor of the Congregational by Rev. John M. Putnam, from I. Thess. Church in South-Hadley, the Rev. ARii. 4.'

TEMAS BOYES. Sermon by Rev. Mr. Os 1824. February 25th. Ordained over good, of Springfield. the Congregational Church and Society 1824. March 24th. Ordained as Pastor in Ashburnham, tlie Rev. GEORGE PER- of the First Congregational Church in KINS. Sermon by Rev. John Sabin, of Salsbury, N. M. Rev. A BIJAH Cross. Ser Fitzwilliam.

mon by Rev. Mr. Parker, of London. 1824. March 4th, Installed over the I derry, from I. Corin. ii. 3.

SELECTED POETRY.
THE SABBATH MORN. But on the sacred altar laid,
By J. W. Cunningham.

The fire descends and dries them all. Dear is the hallow'd morn to me,

Then when the world, with iron bands, When village bells awake the day,

Had bound me in her six-days' chain, And by their sacred minstrelsy, Call me from earthly oares away.

Didst burst them, like the strong man's

bands, And dear to me the winged hour,

And let my spirit loose again.
Spent in thy hallow'd courts, O Lord,
To feel devotion's Footbing power,

Then dear to me the Sabbath Morn, And catch the manna of thy word.

The village bells, the Shepherd's voice :

'These oft have found my heart forlorn, Dear is the simple melody,

And always bade that heart rejoice.
Sung with the pomp of rustic art,
That boly, heavenly harmony,

Go, man of pleasure, strike thy lyre,

Of broken Sabbaths sing the charms; The musick of a thankful heart.

Ours be the Prophet's car of fire, lo secret I have often pray'd,

Tbat bears us to a Father's arms. And still the anxious tears would fall;

TO CORRESPONDENTS. PALO-Hopkirstan is received, and will, probably, appear in our next. The Ex position of Betu will be inserted. The 2d No. of MORALIS on the Sabbath is omitted, this month, for wart of room. Those, who send original communications for the Magazine, are requested to annex Signatures to them.

Brratum.--In oor last number, page 55, 3d line from the top, for Sabbath, rearl setertha

FOR THE HOPKINSTAX MAGAZINE,

no excuse.

any other; I shall make it the ob

ject of the following essay to prove, The Divine Decrees afford no ex

that the decrees of God afford no cuse for the wicked conduct of excuse for the wicked conduct of tikinkind.

mankind. In pursuing the subIt is a remarkable fact, thatject, I shall endeavour to show, mankind are ever ready to excuse

I. That God has decreed the themselves for their wicked con- wicked conduct of mankind, and, duct. For this purpose, they re

II. That his decrees afford them sort to several pleas and subterfuges. Though they naturally hate I. I am to show, that God has the doctrines and duties of the Bi- decreed the wicked conduct of ble; yet they are very willing to mankind. And, arail themselves of one or other of 1. God could not have been inthese doctrines and duties, to jus- diferent respecting the wicked tify them in errors both of faith conduct of mankind. To say that and practice. When they are ex- God avas indifferent respecting the borted to repent and embrace the wicked conduct of mankind, is the gospel, for instance, they will say same as to say that He did not care they are unable, because of the whether their wicked conduct took Divine

purposes. When the Di: place or not. But this is highly to vine purposes are clearly stated impeach the character of God. and vindicated, they will quarrel, Are boliness and sin a matter of and reject them ; because, they indifference? Is it not derogatory say, the Divine purposes are in to the character of God, to say, consistent with their own free He did not care whether his creaagency and accountability. When tures were holy or sinful? God the free agency and accountability cannot be indifferent respecting of mankind are clearly exhibited; any action of any of his creatures. and it is plainly shown, that they we will take, for example, a sinare able, and under moral obliga- gle instance. How could God have tion to believe the doctrines and been indifferent respecting the imperform the duties of the gospel; portant event of Christ's crucifixagain they are angry, and say, ion ? Did not God care whether This is entirely inconsistent with Christ was crucified or not? Was the purposes of God.

Thus they it no concern of his, whether the alternately admit and reject the Divine Redeemer made an atonedoctrines of the Bible, as they find

ment for the remission of sins or convenient, to promote their own not? It is presumed, that no one sinful conduct. As the doctrine will entertain such a reproachful of Divine Decrees is, perhaps, as idea of the great and eternal Jehooften wrested for this purpose as 'vah. It is generally admitted, that

Christ was sent into the world to | lutely certain, that God must have die, the just for the unjust. He decreed either that the wicked says himself, “ For this cause conduct of mankind should take came I unto this hour.” But if place, or that it should not. He God was not indifferent respecting must have decreed, either that Christ's death; then he could not Judas should betray Christ, or that have been indifferent respecting he should not; either that Pilate the means and manner of his death. should condemn him, or that he The former must inevitably involve should not; either that the Jews the latter. Hence, God could not should put him to death “by wickhave been indifferent respecting the ed hands,” or that they should wicked conduct of the Jews in be- | not. So of all the wicked conduct traying and crucifying the Lord of which has ever existed in this fall. glory. But if God was not indif- en world; God must certainly have ferent respecting the wicked con- decreed either that it should exist, duct of the Jews, in the crucifixion or that it should not, ! But, of Christ; then he could not have 3. It is evident from fact, that been indifferent respecting any part God never decreed, that the wickof that vast chain of events, which, ed conduct of mankind should not from the creation of the world, exist. Wickedness has been practended to prepare the way, and tised by all mankind, in every age introduce the important scenes of of the world, from the apostacy of Christ's sufferings. And if God Adam to the present time. God was not indifferent respecting these himself has declared, that "the events, or actions of his creatures; wickedness of man is great in the no reason can be given, why he earth, and that every imagination should be indifferent respecting of the thoughts of his heart is only any action or event which takes evil continually.” If, then, God place in this lower world. It may had decreed that evil should not be received, then, as a settled exist; the wickedness of mankind

a point, that God can never have must exist in opposition to his debeen indifferent respecting the crees

. That is, it must exist in wicked conduct of mankind. This spite of all that God could do to leads me a step further, to ob-prevent it. For to say, that God serve,

is not disposed to accomplish his 2. That God must have decreed i purposes, is a contradiction.

To either that the wicked conduct of suppose, then, that God chose, on mankind should take place, or that the whole, to prevent the existence it should not. This conclusion is of evil, reduces us to the only alinevitable. For if any being is ternative of supposing that he is not indifferent respecting an object, unable to prevent its existence. he must necessarily have some That evil does exist, and has exchoice respecting that object. If listed from the days of Adam, canwas not absolutely indifferent whe- not be denied. But is God unable ther I should write this essay or to do what he chooses? God is alnot; then, certainly, I must have mighty. It is absolutely certain, chosen either to write, or not to then, that if he chose, on the whole, write. So of every being in the to prevent the existence of evil, universe. But the decrees of God it would never have had existence. are what he chooses on the whole. There is no other conclusion posIf he chooses on the whole, that any sible. God has not decreed that thing should exist; that choice is the wicked conduct of mankind his decree. Hence, it is also abso- | should not exist.

If, then, God could not have of passages to prove, that God debeen indifferent respecting the creed the conduct of Pharaoh; of wicked conduct of mankind; and, the wicked Canaanites; of Jerobokence, must have decreed either am; of Abab; of Judas Iscariot; that it should take place; or that and that his eternal determinations it should not; but never decreed extend to all the tribes of the that their wicked conduct should earth, and include all the moral not take place; it appears, to a actions of all mankind. But suflimoral demonstration, that He has cient, it is deemed, has been said, decreed their wicked conduct. We to establish this point; and we nay observe,

hasten to show, 4. That the truth of this senti- H. That the decrees of God afment is established from the abun- ford no excuse for the wicked condant testimony of Scripture. When dact of mankind. And, Peter preached to the Jews, on the

el ,

1. Moral good, or moral evil, day of Pentecost, he said unto depends on the nature of the moral them, concerning Christ, “ Him, actions and not on any decree or being delivered by the determinate determination. The distinction counsel and fore-knowledge of God, between virtue and vice is foundre have taken, and by wickeded in the nature of things. This hands have crucified and slain." is agreeable to common sense.“ Again it is written, “ For of a When we hear of a certain action truth against thy holy child Jesus, performed by a certain individual, whom thou hast anointed, both we never wait to enquire respectHerod and Pontius Pilate, with the ing any previous decree, or deterGentiles and people of Israel, were mination ; but immediately progathered together, for to do what- nounce the action virtuous or vicsoever thy hand and thy counsel ious from its own nature. The determined before to be done." The nature of things can never be chang. apostles, also, declared concerning ed, by any decree. or pre-determithe death of Christ and his mur- nation, either in the natural or derers, “For they that dwell at moral world. God has decreed Jerusalem, and their rulers, be that light and darkness shall take cause they knew him not, nor yet place in regular succession, by the the voice of the prophets which are means, which he has appointed. read every Sabbath day, they have But who will say, that this decree fulfilled them in condemning him. changes the nature of light or the And though they found no cause nature of darkness?-So in the of death in him, yet desired they moral world. Holiness is holiness Pilate that he should be slain. still, and sin is sin still; notwithAnd when they had fulfilled all | standing the divine decree. It was that was written of him, they took decreed and foretold, that the Lord him down from the tree, and laid Jesus Christ should be perfect in him in a sepalehre." These pas-holiness, during the whole course sares of Scripture abundantly of his mediatorial work. But who teach, that God had fore-ordained | will say, that the holiness of the all the conduet of the Jews and Divine Redeemer was not holiness, rulers toward the Lord Jesus Christ, or that his conduct was not virtuand caused them to accomplish his ous; because it was pre-ordained ? purposes; though their motives Who will pretend to say, that the were entirely sinful, and their con- labours of the Apostle Paul were duct grossly criminal in his sight. not 'virtuous and praise-worthy ; We might, also, cite a multitude | because he was a chosen vessel, to