away, and his blessing and protection restored.*

"If beside these local associations, a more extended concert could be formed of wise and good men, to devise ways and means of suppressing vice and guarding the public morals; to collect facts and extend information, and in a thousand nameless ways to exert a salutary general influence; it would seem to complete a system of exertion, which, we might hope, would retrieve what we have lost, aud per petuate forever civil and religious institutious. Associations of this general nature for the promotion of the arts and sciences, have exerted a powerful influence, with great success; and no reason it is presumed can be given, why the cause of morals, may not be equally benefited by similar associations." pp. 21-23.

The motives to immediate exertion, which Mr. Beecher brings forward, in this discourse, are selected with judgment, and urged with becoming earnestness. They are drawn from the mag nitude of the interest at stake; the danger of delay; the guilt that we shall contract if we give up our laws and institutions: from the present and impending judgments of God; from the

"The writer would not be understood to recommend an indiscriminate attempt, to erect local societies to aid the civil magistrate in executing the laws. In some instances grand jurors have done their duty with entire success. In others, the authority of the whole town have met and resolved, and published their resolutions faithfully to execute the laws. Heads of families have associated to restrain and guard their children and servants. Individuals, without the formalities of an association, have met occasional ly to converse together concerning existing evils in society, and the proper method of preventing them: resolving to exercise their best discretion to promote a reformation. In other cases; where cir cumstances dictated the necessity and expediency, regular associations have been formed; and always, when prudently conducted, with decisive effect. The manner of exertion may however be safely left to local discretion. For in whatever shape reformation, in any place, has been seriously attempted it has always succeeded, and with far less difficulty than was anticipated."

"The hand that overturns our laws and altars, is the hand of death unbarring the gate of Pandemonium, and letting loose upon our land the crimes, and the miseries of hell. If the Most High should stand aloof, and cast not a single ingredi ent into our cup of trembling, it wou.d seem to be full of superlative woe. But he will not stand aloof. As we shall have begun an open controversy with him, he will contend openly with as. And never since the earth stood, has it been so fearful a thing for nations to fall into the hands of the living God. The day of vengeance is in his heart, the day of judgment has come; the great earthquake which sinks Babylon is shaking the nations, and the waves of the mighty commotion are dashing upon every shore. Is this, then, a time to remove foundations, when the earth itself is shaken. Is this a time to forfeit the protection of God, when the hearts of men are failing them for fear, and for looking after those things which are coming on the earth? Is this a time to run upon his neck and the

thick bosses of his buckler, when the na

tions are drinking blood, and fainting, and passing away in his wrath? Is this a time to throw away the shield of faith when his arrows are drunk with the blood of the slain? To cut from the anchor of hope, when ti e clouds are collecting and the sea and the waves are roaring, and thunders are uttering their voices, and lightnings blazing in the heavens, and the great hail is falling from heaven upon men, and cyery mountain, sea and island are falling in dismay from the face of an incensed

God?

5. "The judgments of God which we feel, and those which impend, call for immediate repentance and reformation. Our country has never seen such a day as this. By our sins we are fitted to destruction. God has begun in earnest, his work, his strange work, of national desolation. For many years the ordinary gains of industry have to a great extent been cut off. The counsels of the nation have by one part of it been deemed infatuation and by the other part oracular wisdom: while the ac

ton and reaction of parties have shaken our institutions to their foundations, debased our morals, and awakened animosi ties which expose us to dismemberment and all the horrors of eivil war. But for all this his anger is not turned away, but his hand is stretched out st ll. On our sea

board are the alarms and the plagues of war. On our frontiers is heard too the trumpet of war, mingling with the warwhoop of the savage, and the cries and dying groans of murdered families. In the south, a volcanoe, whose raging fires and nurmuring thunders have long been suppressed, is now with loud admonition threatening an eruption. In the midst of these calamities, the angel of God has received commission to unsheathe his

sword, and extend far and wide the work of death. The little child and the blooming youth, the husband and the wife, men of talents and usefulness, the ministers of

the sauctuary, and the members of the

church of God, bow before the stroke and sink to the grave.

"That dreadful tempest, the sound of which, till late, was heard from afar,

borne across the Atlantic, has at length be gun to beat upon us. And those mighty burnings, the smoke of which we beheld from afar, have begun in the nation their devouring course. Nothing can avert the tempest, and nothing can extinguish our burning, but repentance and reformation. For it is the tempest of the wrath of God, and the fire of his indignation." pp. 29--31.

Upon the whole, we wish this timely discourse to be extensive

ly circulated, among all classes of people; and the reason is, we think it eminently calculated to do good, by instructing those who need instruction; by reproving the selfish and the supine; by imparting hope and courage to the timid; by confirming the wavering; and by animating the most zealous, in the great work of reformation, to more fervent prayer and more vigorous exertions.

Having presented our readers with a short abstract of Mr. Beecher's sermon, together with such extracts as we flatter ourselves will enable them to form a tolerably correct opinion of its merits, and of the justness of our strictures, we now proceed to say something of the Massachusetts and Connecticut societies for the promotion of good morals, As neither of these societies has existed long enough to offer the public any detail of its operations, we can say nothing, at present, of the wisdom or success of their exertions. That they have been judiciously commenced, however, we cannot doubt, from the well known discretion of the leading characters concerned; and that the expected reports will be highly encouraging we fondly and confidently anticipate.

But although we are not officially informed of what has been done, and cannot hope to be, for some months yet to come, the constitutions of the two societies have been laid before the public. To these instruments we shall invite the particular attention of our readers; and when we have hazarded a few hasty remarks upon some of their prominent articles, we shall go on to make such observations, as our time

and limits will permit, upon the urgent necessity of such a general reformation as is contemplated the advantages of associating in order to effect it-the difficulties and objections to be anticipated, and the encourage. ments which the friends of reform have to proceed in the good work steadily, prudently, and prayerfully.

As the constitution of the Massachusetts society, was published entire, in our number for February last, pp. 419, 420, we shall now merely sketch the outlines of its leading articles. The first article designates its title; the second, its objects; the third, the qualifications of its members, and the manner of their admission; the fourth, the time and place of its annual meetings; the fifth, its officers; the sixth and seventh, their duties; and the eighth, the duties of all its members.

In reviewing this well-framed constitution, our first remark is, that its title is somewhat defective. It designates but a single, limited object; viz. the suppression of intemperance; whereas the very next article declares, that "it shall be the object of the society to discountenance the too free use of ardent spirits, and its kindred vices, profaneness, and gaming, and to encourage and promote temperance and general morality." But this deficiency is of very little consequence, as it is well known, that the best things are not always honored with the most appropri

ate names.

We are pleased with the resoJution of the society, as expres sed in the latter part of the secand article, that it "will recom

mend the institution of auxiliary societies, in different parts of the state upon such a plan, as shall be deemed the best adapted to give system and efficiency to the whole." Should the society be urgent and persevering in this important recommendation, we presume it will be very extensively complied with; and should it be carried into effect, under the patronage of leading men in the different counties and towns, the most pleasing results may be anticipated.

Effectually to guard against the admission of immoral persons, as members, the society has determined, that no person shall be admitted, unless nominated in open meeting, and approved by the votes of two thirds of the members present, at the time. Before any person, so approved, can become a member, he must pay two dollars for the use of the society.

The duties of the Board of Counsel, as prescribed in the seventh article, will, we are persuaded, be found of vital importance to the benevolent objects of the society. Let this Board be prompt, in making communications to auxiliary societies; let it diligently collect interesting facts from all quarters, and carefully combine them; let it present a luminous digest of these facts, at each annual meeting of the society, to be approved and laid before the public, accompanied by a suitable address;-et this course be pursued, and surely a reasonable hope may be entertained, that a rich harvest of improvement will annually gladden the hearts, and reward the labors, of all the friends of our moral and religious institutions.

HAM VT At the seal meeting of $14 war, m May, shat he deded a Predict, three Vice Presije nits, a Coresponding Beerstary, and a Recording Mortant, tod also a Committee, conmeting of woven persons, to receive and somutatione de information, to arrange buig ites for the consideration of the society, at their several meetings, and to report, from time to time, the results of such measures as shall have been adopted.

"AT VIL. It shall be the duty of the Committee to meet semi-qually, at the Comt room, in Hartford and New-Haven, at two o'clock, P. M on the day preced ing cheh stated meeting of the society, wood at such other times, as shall be notibed by the chairman of the Committee, with the ndsien of any two members of Las Committee

"Art VIII The members of this society, residing within the limits of each ec

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LE RITESOr a le stre Ken the Hon. Zawra sef, the Ein Aben. De Hon Tights Home. Vice-Pres

eats: Chorley Dewet. Esq. Corresponding Secretary, Taim as Lay. Esq. Fecording Secretary; Gen. Jena in Hunangton, Roger M. Sherman, Esq. 556– venue Backus, Esq. Rev. Carvin Chapin, Sylvester G:.beri, Esq. Rev. Lyran Beecher and Mr. Charles Sigourney, Committee.

Of all the constitutions which we recollect to have seen, of similar societies, the above is the shortest. Whether this should be regarded as a defect, or an excellency, admits of a serious question. It is certain, that a long constitution does not of course, make an efficient and useful society. To multiply and extend articles, beyond due bounds, is, we believe, one way to weaken their force. On the other hand, they may, we have no doubt be too few and too geueral to answer the ends propos. ed. Of the two, lowever, we

should have no hesitation in preferring brevity to prolixity. If experience, which is the best teacher in all these cases, should evince the necessity of more explicitness in the constitution before us, it can easily be amended: or what may seem to be wanting in it, may, perhaps, be better supplied, by such by-laws and regulations, as the wisdom of the society may, from time to time, dictate.

To hit upon the best mode, of introducing members into such a society, is, if we mistake not, a difficult matter. On the one hand, to do it by nomination and vote, may in some cases, be deemed so invidious, as indirectly to defeat the object of the association; while, on the other, to set the door wide open, and say, that any person, sustaining a fair moral character, (without deciding what is necessary to constitute such a character,) may, upon subscribing his name, become a member, may be thought a hazardous allowance. We shall rejoice sincerely, if no embarrassment should arise to the moral Society of Connecticut, from this source. The difficulty, we are persuaded, will be more or less felt, particularly in the first establishment of branch societies. Should this be the case, we would inquire with deference, whether something like the following mode of procedure night not be expedient.

Let each clergyman, in his own parish, avail himself of a suitable opportunity to address his congregation on the importance of uniting, and lending their aid, to bring about a general reformation of morals. Let him not forget to remind them,

that reformers should them selves possess fair and vaimpeachable moral characters. Let him state, explicitly, that none but such, can, with the least propriety, become members of the moral society. Let him then earnestly exhort all, who feel sincerely desirous of promoting the great object, to join the society. In this way, we should suppose, might exceptionable characters be deterred from offering themselves, while the strictly moral and religious might be induced to come forward. But this is a matter, in which we would not presume to dictate. We merely throw out these hints for consideration, if they should be thought worthy of it, and hasten to another topic.

The plan adopted in Connecticut of having one general society, which shall extend its branches to every part and corner of the state, strikes us more favorably, than any thing of the kind, that we have scen. It is more simple, and promises, if we mistake not, to be more efficient. One constitution serves for the whole state, so that by subscribing a copy of it, a person becomes at once a member of the general society and of that branch of it, where he happens to reside. This, in the final result, must produce a stronger bond of union, than can be expected to exist, between one central society and a number of auxiliarics. The general society will be led to exercise a kind of paternal care and authority over its members, while the members will naturally feel a sort of filial reverence for the parent, from the combined influence of which the happiests ef