tition. But the whole letter is excellent. We had proposed at first to publish only some extracts; but when we came to mark them, we found it difficult to make a selection -One part appeared as good as another, and we resolved to take the whole. The temper and manner of the letter we also approve, as much as the matter which it contains. It is written with a true Christian spirit, and in a plain and remarkably perspicuous style.

We beg that a very particular attention may be paid to the first part of the letter-to "indifference on the subject of revivals." It is on this point, that many congregations and churches require to be specially and solemnly admonished. They are still slumbering in the lethargy of formality; and have much more need of something to arouse them, than of any thing to guard them against intemperate zeal. Nor let them seek to quiet themselves in a state of stupidity and carelessness, by observing the extravagance which too often appears in revivals of religion. Let them remember that extravagance appeared in the primitive church;* appeared even in the abuse of miraculous gifts. Let them remember that while this extravagance takes place, many souls are savingly converted; and that this is a state of things infinitely more desirable than that in which hundreds and thousands are going quietly down to perdition; and in which the wise virgins are slumbering and sleeping with the foolish. On the other hand, let the friends of revivals learn from the example of the Apostle, to which we have referred, that those are not enemies to revivals who seek to preserve, or to rescue them, from abuse; and to free them from every thing that is really objectionable. Paul surely was not an enemy to revivals; nor is the Association that published this letter to be so accounted; nor are we who republish it. The best friends of revivals are those who wish

• See 1 Cor. xiv. chapter throughout.

the to be purified from all leaven of human infirmity, error, and delusion. It is mainly because we fondly cherish the hope that God is about to visit our land with revivals, more general and extensive than any which have yet appeared, that we have determined to republish this pastoral letter: so that if our hopes should be realized, the people of God may, from the very first, determinately set themselves against every thing which may bring reproach on revivals, and render them far less productive of sound conversions than they will be, if they are not conducted with Christian prudence as well as with holy zeal-conducted in the genuine spirit, and according to the sober maxims of inspiration, and not by the intemperate feelings and passions of men-honest, it may be-but yet unquestionably mistaken and indiscreet.

Pastoral Letter of the Ministers of the Oneida Association, to the Churches under their care, on the subject of Revivals of Religion.

The Ministers of the Oneida Association, having had opportunity for mutual consultation, agreed to address the churches under their care on the subject of some dangers in relation to Revivals of Religion, which appear to them to exist at the present time; and having unanimously adopted the following, directed it to be signed in their behalf by the Moderator and Scribe, and authorized them to publish the same in such manner as they shall deem proper.

JOHN D. PEIRCE, Register.

April 10, 1827.

The Ministers of the Oneida Association to the Churches under their care, wish grace, mercy and peace, from God the Father, and from our Lord Jesus Christ.

It has been an ancient custom, for ministers associated together, to address, on special occasions, those under their care, by way of a Pasto

animal passions will be affected, and selfish affections will be excited. And if the subject of them can be made to look upon these as a part of true religion, and the most important part too, it will give the enemy great advantage. While he cultivates se these, and takes every pains to inDa crease them, he will overlook and de neglect those which are right, and Cu they will be greatly diminished. And he will then think himself to be E: most engaged in religion, and most filled with the Spirit, when in reality She has the least of true religion, and is most under the influence of the great deceiver. And making this mistake with respect to himself, will lead him to make the same with respect to others. And his efforts to promote religion in others, will, in the same manner, be directed to promote that in them which is not true religion. And the same mistake that is made in cases of individual experience, will be extended to revivals of religion; and the consequence will be, that, with a view to promote a revival of religion, that will be most diligently promoted, in which the substance of true religion is not to be found. When the great adversary can accomplish this, he secures a double advantage. While the counterfeit maintains its credit, it is destroying the souls of men, and sinking true religion into contempt. And when the counterfeit loses its credit, and is found out to be of no value, those who have been made to think that all religion is alike, are prepared to reject it all, and to throw away the good with the bad.

منافع

s. Insensibility to danger. Some appear to take it for granted that the principal efforts of the great adversary, to injure the cause of religion, will be employed in endeavouring to divert the attention of the people from the subject of religion, and to keep them careless and indifferent; or, when they cannot be kept in a state of indifference, in rousing them to open and violent opposition to the work. Ou this side, therefore, they look out for dangers, and endeavour

to guard against them, by taking every means to awaken the attention of the people, and excite their feelings as much as possible. But we think, that while these dangers are not to be overlooked, there are dangers also on the other side. We think it quite possible for Satan to wish to excite the passions of men, in some cases, in favour of religion, when he can direct them to the accomplishment of his own purposes, and that he may readily contribute his influence to do it. It was a remark of President Edwards, that, in a time of revival, the chief exertions of the great adversary would be likely to be made with the friends and promoters of the work, to drive them into such excesses and extravagances as should ruin its credit, and ultimately bring all religion into disgrace. And in this, his success would be rendered the more probable, if he could first persuade such persons, that they were in no danger on that side. It was while men slept, that the enemy came and sowed tares among the wheat. Not while they were in a state of indifference, but while they were not watching against his devices. It is not while men in general are in a state of indifference, that the false conversions, represented by the tares, are brought in; but while men are asleep in a far different sense, while their passions are in such a state of excitement as blinds their minds to danger. Then the great deceiver can work to the best advantage, both in promoting false conversions, and in leading into dangerous extremes those who are zealous promoters of the work. Let Christians beware, then, of falling into this snare, of supposing they are awake, in the scripture sense of the word, merely because their feelings are strongly excited on the subject of religion. Let them be really awake, and guard against all the wiles of the devil.

4. Condemning in the gross, or approving in the gross. No man ought to be condemned because he has some imperfections. There is no

man that liveth and sinneth not. Neither ought a man to be accounted faultless because he has some good qualities. The sins of David and Peter, and other scripture saints, are not excused nor palliated, because found in such men. So also with revivals of religion. If a revival is attended with faults and blemishes, it is not certain that there is no good in it. Nor if it is admitted to be a revival of true religion, is it certain that no faults have attended it. And as it would be wrong to refuse to see the good because there are some evils, so it is doubtless wrong to shut our eyes upon the evils that exist, because there is some good. It is the policy of the enemy to condemn the good with the bad; and it is helping them to do it, for the friends of religion to attempt to justify the bad with the good. The true policy of Christians, is, to hold fast the truth, and judge righteous judgment; to approve what the scriptures approve, and to condemn what they condemn. We are not required, indeed, to trumpet abroad every fault we see; and where no injury will result from concealment, there doubtless we ought to be silent. But where such faults accompany a revival, as are known to the public, such as are likely to operate to the injury of souls, and the disgrace of religion, there silence would be criminal and connivance a partaking in the guilt.

5. Indifference to instruction. Truth is the great means of the conversion of sinners, and of the growth in grace of Christians. It was the prayer of Christ that his disciples might be sanctified through the truth. And it is plain that none can be sanctified through that truth of which they are ignorant. It is the work of the Spirit to sanctify: but it is presumption to expect he will do it, with out his own appointed means. It is characteristic of babes in Christ, that they desire the sincere milk of the word. It was one of the fruits of the revival on the day of Pentecost, that the subjects of it continued steadfast in the apostles' doctrine. We regard

it as a dark sign, when Christians think they know enough, and have no need to be taught. We tremble for the consequences, when instruction is thought to be unnecessary for awakened sinners, or the newly converted. And we cannot but feel concerned for the safety of the church, when feeling is substituted for thought, when addresses to the passions are required instead of the application of truth to the understanding and conscience, and when the instructive method of preaching and conversing with people is condemned as cold, and dry, and unprofitable, and is stigmatised as "preaching souls to hell."

6. Calling men hard names. We think it important that the truth should be preached plainly, the whole of it. We would have men taught their true character, as the scriptures reveal it, and made to see the depravity of their hearts, without disguise. It is desirable they should know the worst of their case; and in order to it, that they should see the true character of God, the extent and purity of his law, the justice of its awful penalty, and the aggravated guilt with which they are chargeable in slighting the grace of the gospel. That preaching which makes them see this, is plain preaching. But, calling men hard names, and addressing them with provoking epithets, we think is not adapted to make them see this, but rather to prevent it. There is a wide difference between addressing men in the style of provocation and insult, or calling them vipers, serpents, and devils, and addressing them in the language of benevolence, and mildly endeavouring to make them see what they are. And the less there is in the manner that is overbearing, provoking, and irritating, the more hope we think there ordinarily is, that the matter may be pressed home upon the conscience, and produce a salutary impression. It is true, that on extraor dinary occasions inspired men sometimes addressed particular individuals, in language which is pleaded as

an example, and the import of which language it is important men should see was according to truth. But while no direction is found for us to address men in the same style, a direction is found, which we fear is forgotten by some, that " the servant of the Lord must not strive, but be gentle unto all men, in meekness instructing those that oppose themselves, if God peradventure will give them repentance to the acknowledging of the truth."

7. Making too much of any favourable appearances. Some appear to think, that when there are any appearances of a revival, it is best to make the most of them, and to publish them far and wide. We think many evils result from this practice. Persons of an ardent temperament are liable to have their judgment very much biassed by their feelings, and to think much more of the same appearances than others do. And if they adopt the maxim of trying to make the most of what there is, they will be likely to put reports in circulation which subsequent facts will by no means justify to the minds of the public at large. To this cause we are disposed to ascribe it, that we have so often heard of the commencement of a "great and powerful revival," in one place and another, which has afterwards come to but little or nothing; and that individuals have been often reported to be under "deep and pungent convic tions," who have afterwards appeared to have had little or no seriousness of mind; and that great numbers have been told of, as hopefully converted, at one place and another, where it afterwards appears that very few such instances had occurred. Such exaggerated reports are adapted to have a very unfavourable influence upon the persons concerned, and on the public at large. They are extremely injurious to the credit of revivals; and expose the friends of the work to many unpleasant and unfavourable imputations.

8. Ostentation and noise. In every thing that pertains to a revival, we VOL. V. Ch. Adv.

think it of great importance to remember the directions of our Saviour, in the 6th of Matthew, not to sound a trumpet before us. Every appearance of doing any thing to be seen of men, that we may have glory from them, every indication of a high opinion of ourselves, talking of the great things we have done, telling how much we pray, and how efficacious our prayers have proved, and every appearance of a wish to attract the admiration of others, is most unhappy. Our Lord did not cry, nor lift up, nor cause his voice to be heard in the streets. Though the fact of his retiring for secret prayer, and in an instance or two of his spending the whole night in that exercise, is put on record, it is not recorded that he ever told of these things himself; much less, that, in his closet devotions he prayed so loud as to be heard by all in the house, and even by passers by, in the streets. When his kinsmen urged him to exhibit himself to the admiring multitudes, he refused; and though he went about doing good, he straightly charged those whom he healed that they should not make him known. A noisy and ostentatious revival is deservedly suspected, on that very account. "The kingdom of God cometh not with observation." And though Elijah witnessed the earthquake, and the fire, and the strong wind which rent the mountains, it was in the still small voice only that the Lord was peculiarly present.

9. Going to particular places to obtain the Spirit, or to be converted. We doubt not that it is often useful for Christians to visit places where a revival is in progress, and that many have found a blessing to their own souls by so doing, and that it has been the means of the greater extension of the work. And we doubt not that impenitent sinners, who have visited such places, have sometimes been savingly wrought upon. And we would by no means discourage the practice, when it can be done with proper feelings. What we wish, is, to point out some dan21