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The beneficial effects of the indefatigable labors of Mr. Nurse, as a preacher of the Gospel and an instructor of youth, appeared in the greater attention to public worship, in the more general manifestation of the Christian spirit, and in the elevation of the tone of public morals. His school continued to flourish. Under his auspices, many children and youth were greatly improved in the most useful branches of education; and numbers were qualified to become themselves instructors in schools.

In 1814 the Legislature of the Commonwealth, in compliance with their petition, granted the Society an act of incorporation. In pursuance of an application of a number of gentlemen of Boston, who, approving the plan of our institution, were disposed to aid in the attainment of its object, the Society voted to hold a semi-annual meeting in that town.

The Trustees invite the attention of the Christian community to the objects of their institution. They beseech those who are favored with the regular administrations of the Gospel, to express their sympathy for their brethren who are suffering for lack of knowledge. They assure all the benevolent, that their charity shall be faithfully applied to the education of children and youth, to the founding of churches, to the support of regular

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In Danvers, Jan. 2, Hon. Samuel Holton, aged 77.

In Braintree, Jan. 16, Rev. Ezra Weld.

There were in Portland, during 1815, 111 deaths, nearly one half of which were children.

The deaths in Hartford in 1815, were 122, 50 less than in 1814

In New Haven the deaths in 1815, were 213, in 1814 they were 100

The deaths in Baltimore in 1815, were 1349, of which 218 died of consumption, 167 of cholera, morbus, 108 of pleurisy, 858 of various fevers. Of these 8 exceeded 80 years of age, 5 exceeded 90, and 1 was upwards of 100 years of age. [Centinel.]

Many aged people have died this winter. Beside the Baltimore account, in the obituary notices of the Centinel for Jan. 13, mention is made of the death of no less than 14 persons upwards of seventy years of age; 7 of whom were upwards of 80

Candidates for the ministry in Cambridge and its vicinity.

Mr. Ed. W. Andrews, Newburyport.
Mr. Francis Jackson, Cambridge.

Mr. Thomas Prentiss, Cambridge,

Mr. Hiram Weston, Duxbury.

Mr. David Reed,

do.

Mr. Samuel Clarke, Cambridge,

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Mr. Henry Ware, jun.

do.

Mr. Jonathan P. Dabney, dɔ,

Mr. Rufus Hurlbut,

do

Mr. Samuel Gilman,

do.

* See the Annual Report, in the Number for December last, p. 379.

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No. II.

A standard proposed. HAVING suggested, in the preeeding Number, some probable sources of misapprehension relating to this subject, I shall now propose a standard, by which we may judge of the progress or decline of religion and virtue. It is perhaps impossible to fix on any standard, which will correetly apply in every supposable case; yet it may be possible to fix on one, which may be safely adopted, as a general rule. The standard now to be proposed is the following:-

The progress or decline of benevolent, humane, and pacific principles.

By these principles the Christian religion is remarkably distinguished from paganism, mahometism, and all the cruel and sanguinary isms or religions, which have ever prevailed among men. Our Savior has taught us, that to love God with all the heart, and all the understanding, and all the strength, is the first commandment of all; that the second commandment is of the No. 5, Vol. IV.

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same nature-"thou shalt love thy neighbor as thyself;" and that on these two hang all the law and the prophets:-In other words, that these two commandments comprise all that God requires of men-the sum of religion and virtue. The gospel evidently makes that love which worketh no ill to his neighbor, the proper evidence of genuine love to God, and to his Son, Jesus Christ. The proper fruits of the spirit, are "love, joy, peace, long suffering, gentleness, goodness, faith, meekness, temperance.' "The "wisdom, which is from above, is first pure, then treated, full of mercy and good peaceable, gentle, easy to be en-' fruits, without partiality and without hypocrisy." "Pure and undefiled religion-is this, to visit the fatherless and the widow in their affliction, and to keep himself unspotted from the world."

Such being the nature, the spirit, the principles and the duties of the Christian religion, what can be a more proper standard for judging of the progress or decline of true religion and

virtue, than the progress or decline of benevolent, humane, and pacific principles?

Were we to make the degree of attention to the outward ceremonies of religion the standard, it would lead us to the most false and dangerous conclusions. For nothing is more evident, than that multitudes in different ages, have regarded a scrupulous at tention to rites and ceremonies, as the sum of religion, as а substitute for doing justly, loving mercy, and walking humbly with God; and as a kind of atonement for the grossest vices and crimes. By such a standard the ancient pagans and the papists of the dark ages, must be preferred to the most enlightened Christians of the present day; and the pharisees of our Savior's time must be preferred to him and his disciples.

The progress or decline of benevolent, humane, and pacific principles, may furnish a standard far less deceptive and dangerous.

But how, it will be asked, are we to judge of the progress or decline of these amiable principles? I answer; by the public laws, institutions, customs and usages, which have been popular, or which have fallen into disrepute in different ages.

The more the benevolent principles of the gospel have their genuine influence in any age, or in any nation, the greater aversion will be excited to laws, institutions and customs of a savage, inhuman and sanguinary character; and the less there is of the influence of Christian principles, the more will sanguinary laws and customs abound,

and the greater will be their popularity.

In every age since our ancestors professedly embraced the Christian religion, there have probably been some enlightened men, who adopted the principles of the gospel, and who felt an abhorrence of such laws and customs as violated these principles. But at some periods, the number, the situation and the influence of such characters, have not been sufficient to give popularity to their principles, or to effect a change in public opinion, so as to abolish the laws and customs which they really abhorred, and for which they mourned.

Besides, it is probably true, and it may yet be made evident from history, that the progress of Christian light among our ancestors was very slow and gradual, even among the most pious and exemplary. It was by degrees that their eyes were opened to see the inconsistency and inhuman character of many laws and customs which they had derived from paganism, and the dark ages of popery. After their eyes were opened, in respect to one such law or custom, they were still advocates for others, equally unjust and and abominable.

In proportion as such laws and customs abound among any people, we have evidence of a general depravity in principle and practice, and of a general defect of Christian light and Christian virtue.

It may indeed be true, that a multiplicity of such laws and customs may be popular, while there are many individuals, who are enlightened and pious. Nor

is the prevalence of such laws and customs, evidence that there is not great severity in punishing for some particular vices, and some omissions of supposed religious duties. Nay, such laws and customs are consistent with the prevalence of that kind of love to God, which leads men to injure and destroy one another for God's sake." But when ever and wherever such sanguinary laws and customs have been very numerous and popular, we may safely infer a deplorable want of Christian light and Christian love, in the most influential characters in the community, whether they were rulers, or ministers of religion. For it is impossible that such laws and customs should long retain their popularity against the opinions and combined influ

ence of the leading characters in a nation.

It indeed appears evident from history, that by education and habit a people may be brought to regard the most inhuman and abominable laws and customs, as sacred, necessary, and useful, and that it requires considerable time and effort to change those opinions, which have been imbibed by education, and confirmed by habit. But it is also evident, that such opinions are not invincible, and that when a large number of the most influential men have their own eyes opened, and are disposed to combine their efforts to open the eyes of others, long established laws and customs may be abolished, to give place to others more congenial to the spirit and principles of the gospel.

ANTHONY BENEZET.

No persons of our race have higher claims to public esteem and admiration than those who have spent their days in humane and benevolent exertions; and nothing more clearly evinces a depravity of taste, than the renown which is given to men, who have employed their talents in mischief, and whose feet have been swift to shed blood. The The extravagant eulogies and panegyrics which have been written of men, who had caused the death of millions of their fellow beings, deserve the abhorrence of every virtuous mind. They have a corrupting and deleterious influence, and especially on the minds of young people. But the exhi bition of humane and benevolent

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characters, has an opposite tendency. The character now be brought to view, may be admired without danger, and imitated without remorse.

Anthony Benezet was born in France in 1713. His father was a protestant, and left his country After to escape persecution. some stay in Holland he went with his family to England, and settled in London. He gave to his son Anthony a liberal education, and procured him a place with a merchant. But the son, being of a serious character, feared the snares to which he might be exposed in the business of merchandize, and preferred becoming a cooper. This business however he soon found to be too

laborious for his constitution, and he consequently left it, and be came a school-master. In this useful employment he spent the greater part of his days.

While he was a young man he came to America, settled in Philadelphia, and joined the society of Friends. He was uncommonly active and industrious in whatever he undertook. "He did every thing," says Dr. Rush, "as if the words of his Savior were perpetually sounding in his ear-Wist ye not that I must be about my Father's business?” So upright and amiable was he in his manners, so humane and benevolent, so fervent in doing good, that he had not been long in this country, before he attracted the notice, and gained the esteem, of those among whom he lived.

Benezet could not behold the crimes and miseries of the African slave trade without deep regret, and sincere compassion. Its abolition became an object of his pursuit, and in this business he engaged with all his soul. He published several tracts in favor of the emancipation of the blacks, and of civilizing the Indians. One of the pamphlets which he published against the slave trade was entitled "An Historical Account of Guinea, its situation, produce, and the general disposition of its inhabitants; with an inquiry into the rise and progress of the slave trade." Mr. Clarkson says, "This pamphlet became instrumental, beyond any other book ever before published, in disseminating a proper know. ledge and detestation of the trade."

Various were the means which

this philanthropist adopted for accomplishing his object. He wrote a letter to the queen of England, and to the queen of Portugal, to persuade them to employ their influence for the abolition of the African trade. His letter to the queen of England was accompanied by the pamphlets he had published. The queen on reading them said "the author appears to be a very good man.” Not only did he write pamphlets and letters on the subject, but he made his school subservient to his humane purpose, by communicating knowledge to his scholars, relating to the dreadful commerce, and by exciting in them an abhorrence of the guilty custom. In this way he annually prepared many to aid him, and increased the number of abolitionists.

He seems to have been born and to have lived for this great object. So much was his soul engaged in it, that if any person on a journey called to see him, his first thoughts were, 'How can I make this man an instrument in promoting the glorious cause?" He would either give him tracts to distribute,or send letters by him, or give him some other commission on the subject. Thus he was daily doing something to open the eyes of people, and to excite their compassion for the poor blacks.

He corresponded with the benevolent Grenville Sharp, Mr. Wesley, Mr. Whitefield, and the Abbe Raynal, all of whom were friendly to his cause. And he wrote to the king of Prussia, to convince him of the unlawfulness of war.

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