Mr. Calvin Colton had leave of absence from the remaining sessions of the Assembly. The committee appointed on an overture respecting the consistency of admitting into this church ministers who manifest a decided hostility to Ecclesiastical creeds, confessions and formularies, made the following report, which was adopted, viz. 1. That the Constitution, as is well known, expressly requires, of all candidates for admission, a solemn declaration that they sincerely receive and adopt the Confession of Faith of this Church, as containing the system of doctrine taught in the Holy Scriptures. 2. That the last Assembly, in a report of their committee, to be seen on the minutes, have so explicitly and fully declared the sentiments of this church in regard to her Ecclesiastical standards, and all within her communion who may traduce them, that no further expression of our views on this subject is deemed necessary. The committee to whom was referred the overture respecting the Cumberland Presbyterians, made a report, which was discussed at some length, when the Assembly adjourned till to-morrow morning at half-past 8 o'clock. Concluded with prayer. (To be continued.) [The Treasurer's Account of Receipts for the Theological Seminary at Princeton for the past month, will be published, with his report for the month of October, in our next Number.] View of Publick Affairs. EUROPE. No news of great importance has reached us from Europe within the past month. The last accounts which we have seen, were from London of the date of August 15th, and from Liverpool of August 16th. BRITAIN. A university is shortly to be erected in London, for the education of those youth of the metropolis, whose parents are unable to educate them at the universities of Oxford and Cambridge. In those ancient seats of learning, the expense of education is stated to be about three times as great as they are expected to be in the London University. The new institution seems likely to receive a very liberal patronage, and the specified course of instruction is very ample. No religious test is to be required. A society has also been lately formed under the name of the "Language Institution, in Aid of the Propagation of Christianity." Its principal object is to teach missiona ries to the heathen, before they are sent out, something of the languages of the people among whom they are destined to labour. Pupils, however, are admitted whose views are entirely secular-It is patronized by various religious denominations. Instruction is confined to the languages, manners and habits of the heathen; and nothing is to be said on those points of doctrine and discipline on which Christian denominations are not agreed. Milton's Latin “Treatise on Christian Doctrine," which was not long since discovered, has been translated and published-An outline of this treatise, (which is soon to be republished in this country) is inserted in another part of our work. There has been a failure of some mercantile houses in Liverpool, for sums of very large amount-occasioned by the fall in the price of cotton.-The prospect of an abundant harvest was said to be general throughout the island. Another expedition into the interior of Africa, under Captain Clapperton, of the royal navy, was on the point of setting out. It is to proceed by the Bight of Benin; and one part of it to make for the newly discovered city Soudan, the other for Timbuc too. A comet had been observed in England in the constellation Taurus-it has since been seen, and is now visible, in our hemisphere. FRANCE. It is said that the great financial measure of M. Villele is likely to be carried, and to be completely successful-Its object is to provide an indemnity of 30 millions of francs per annum, for the emigrants, without increasing the national debt. This, it appears, may be effected by reducing the interest on the whole of that debt from 5 to 4 per cent. Much and warm opposition has been made to this reduction; but it appears that it will take place, and that the national debt, so far from being increased by this measure of M. Villele, will be diminished, by no less a sum than ten millions of francs-The holders of the old debt will lose one per cent. of interest an nually; but money enough can be obtained at 4 per cent.-All the ministers of foreign courts who were present at the coronation of Charles X. have been complimented with golden medals, commemorative of that event-Mercantile failures have taken place to a considerable extent, in France as well as in Britain.-The weather, as elsewhere, has been unusually warm and oppressive; and the drought in the neighbourhood of Paris was extreme-Vegetables had almost disappeared from the market. There is a degree of mystery yet hanging over the declaration of the independence of Hayti; which probably will not be fully cleared up, till the return of the commissioners who have gone from Hayti to France. By the ordinance of the king, as published in the Moniteur of August 12th, the whole that has been yielded to the Haytiens is represented as a matter of mere grace and favour, on the part of the French monarch. His sovereignty over the French part of the island of St. Domingo, is not renounced but maintained. The favours conceded to the Haytiens are represented as granted in consideration of the reduction of one half in the duties on French merchandise, and the payment to France of 150 millions of francs, to indemnify the losses sustained by those who have fled from St. Domingo. For these considerations, the King of France declares "the ports of the French part of St. Domingo open to the commerce of all nations," and grants "to the actual inhabitants of the French part of the Island of St. Domingo, the full and entire independence of their government." For ourselves, we do not believe that the French have any real intention or expectation of enforcing any further or future claim on Hayti. By the measures that have been adopted a point of national pride may have been saved; the system agreed on by the Holy Alliance may not, at least in terms, have been violated, and a guarded caution has certainly been used not to appear to interfere more or less, with the part of St. Domingo which formerly belonged to Spain-France negotiates with only one of her own colonies-with the French part of St. Domingo. By the late measures also, as given in the Moniteur, the French may intend to leave their concerns with the Haytiens in a measure unsettled-more with the expectation of obtaining farther pecuniary advantages, than with the intention of attempting to reduce them to a colonial state. But whether it was wise in President Boyer and the authorities of Hayti to accept those conditions, is another question. The whole is certainly not yet known; and as we have intimated, will probably not be known, till the return of the Haytien commissioners from France. Their mission thither shows that there are points not yet settled. When the whole is known it may appear, and we have sanguine hopes that it will, that Hayti is really and permanently independent, and that, in the late transactions, Boyer and his counsellors have acted wisely, and deserved well of their country. GREECE.-The anxieties which a month ago we felt for the cause of Greece, are in a considerable degree relieved. It appears that the commander of the Egyptian forces, Ibrahim Pacha, flushed with his success in the capture of Navarino, pushed forward across the country, expecting to carry all before him. Success for a time attended his arms, and cruelty and desolation marked the progress of his troops. But his victorious march was not more than about 30 miles in extent. By the last accounts, on which reliance can be placed, he was hemmed in on every side by the Greeks, in the defiles of that chain of mountains which runs through the whole of the Morea, from the Gulf of Maratonisi on the south, to the Gulf of Lepanto on the north. It is said that he was permitted to pass these defiles with the intention to prevent his return. He has suffered some partial losses, has been repulsed from Napoli di Romania, and the siege of Missolonghi has been raised. The Grecian General Colcotroni commands against him. Rumour, indeed, had represented Ibrahim Pacha as already in the hands of Colcotroni-This we suppose may have been premature, and we know that what is called the fortune of war is ever fluctuating and uncertain; yet there is much reason to hope that this whole Egyptian army is now in captivity. If so, the arduous part of the present campaign is over for the Greeks; and the Turkish fortresses of Coron, Modon, Navarino, and Patros, on the southern and western coasts of the Morea, must surrender; since the Grecian fleet is triumphant on the water, and the garrisons are too feeble to make incursions into the country. It is, however, stated, that the Egyptian fleet had succeeded in landing 5 or 6 thousand men in the neighbourhood of Navarino. The pressure of their affairs seems to have united the Greeks, for the present, and we wish the union may be lasting. It were much to be desired, that they had a Washington, or a Bolivar, who should at once deserve and possess the entire confidence of his countrymen. ASIA. Some details of the British military operations in the war with the Burmese have reached us, in the course of the last month. Aracan, the north-western part of the Burmese empire, is said to be entirely in the possession of the British-If so, the capital must have fallen; yet we have not seen this expressly stated. There has been a good deal of hard fighting; and in one instance the British were repulsed from a fortress and compelled to retreat. Sir Archibald Campbell has published a proclamation, stating to the Burmese the cause of the war; laying the blame both of its commencement and continuance on their rulers; and assuring them that they shall not be injured if they remain peaceably in their dwellings. The Christian Observer for July says "The causes of this war are still an enigma to the publick."-Sir Archibald's proclamation had probably not reached England, when this was written. The proclamation states that the causes of the war were the wanton murders of Englishmen, committed by the Burmese rulers, and other grievous violations of good neighbourhood; and the utter refusal to give any satisfaction or explanation relative to those enormities-And he affirms that these rulers still refuse to come to any terms of accommodation, or to give any assurances of better conduct in future. Doubtless, the Burmese would tell a different story; but we now know the alleged causes of the war, on the part of the British. We have seen it stated, since the publication of our last number, that the account which we there gave, on authority which we thought unquestionable, of the destruction of the printing establishment of the Baptist missionaries, is entirely false. We hope that this last statement may be true; but we hardly know as yet which account is the most worthy of credit-Both come to us by the way of Britain. AFRICA. Beside what we have already mentioned, relative to a new exploring expedition into the interior of this vast continent, we have nothing new to report, except that it appears that the plague is making dreadful ravages in Egypt. AMÉRICA. BUENOS AYRES AND BANDA ORIENTAL.-The Congress of "The United Provinces," of which Buenos Ayres is the capital, and from which the executive is always chosen, has met-The Congress found fault with the executive for not taking more active measures in support of the Banda Orientals, although no authorized provision had: been made to enable him to do it. In consequence of this, the chief executive officer resigned The Congress, apparently finding themselves in the wrong, and that they could not dispense with the services of the officer, recalled him and sanctioned his measures. Endeavours are used to preserve peace with the Emperor Don Pedro, but we think they will not be successful-perhaps nothing more is sought by the Buenos Ayreans than to gain time. A Brazilian fleet has arrived at Monte Viedo, which is still held for the Emperor; but the whole surrounding country is under the control of the Patriots-They look to the Congress of the United Provinces for aid, and we think they will ultimately receive it, and hope that ere long they will achieve their independence. UNITED STATES.-The controversy between the Governor of Georgia and the government of the United States is, for the present, quiescent; and we think it will not be revived-The governor seems to have had enough of it. General Gaines has lately written him two letters, of a very caustick character-not however in the character of agent for the United States, but as an individual whom the governor had treated with disrespect and insult. General Fayette has, for a time, bidden farewell to our country, and embarked in the Brandywine frigate for France. He carries with him the good wishes and benedictions of a nation of freemen-a greater honour, if rightly received, than to wear the proudest diadem that ever glittered on the head of kings or emperors-The farewell address of the President and the General's reply, cannot be read without emotion, by any sensible American. Intimations were given in both these addresses, that the General expects to return, if his life shall be prolonged, to the United States-We devoutly pray for his happiness in time and in eternity. The trial of Commodore Stewart has been closed, and his acquittal is unqualified and complete. His sword is returned to him, and his honour has not received even the slightest stain. In this we exceedingly rejoice. But is it right to publish such charges as were specified and published in the case of Commodore Stewart? Although proved to be false at last, it is mortifying in the extreme to have them circulated throughout the civilized world. We cannot but admire the order which exists in the judicatures of the Presbyterian church, that he who brings charges against a gospel minister which he cannot support, shall himself be censured as a slanderer. Perhaps, in this, the state might learn a useful lesson from the church. THE CHRISTIAN ADVOCATE. NOVEMBER, 1825. Heligious Communications. LECTURES ON THE SHORTER CATE more than one instance, runs a pa CHISM OF THE WESTMINSTER AS- rallel between the ruin brought on SEMBLY OF DIVINES-ADDRESSED TO YOUTH. LECTURE XVII. The important and interesting subject of discussion now before us, is thus stated in our catechism:"The covenant being made with Adam, not only for himself, but for his posterity, all mankind, descending from him by ordinary generation, sinned in him, and fell with him, in his first transgression." The first point demanding attention in this answer is, that the covenant made with Adam related not only to himself, but to his posterity. Let us examine what evidence we have of the truth of this position. We have heretofore shown that a covenant was made with Adam; and that the promise of it was eternal life, and the penalty eternal death. But how does it appear that this promise, or penalty, was to reach all his offspring, as well as himself? Can it be clearly shown that Adam was the representative and covenant head of his posterity, so that they were to be considered as standing or falling with him? Yes, my young friends, this is clear, beyond all rational controversy. It is clear, both from the unequivocal statements of scripture, and from observation on the actual state of the world. The Apostle Paul, in VOL. III.Ch. Adv. the whole race of man by the disobedience of Adam, and the benefits procured by Christ for all his sincere disciples: and this parallel is run in such a manner as to put it beyond a reasonable doubt, that Adam was a covenant head in the fall, and Christ a covenant head in the redemption and restoration of man. In a word-and that the word of inspiration-" By one man sin entered into the world, and death by sin; and so death passed upon all men, for that all have sinned." Farther.-Observation on the actual state of the world demonstrates that there is much moral evil in it. This is not denied as a fact, by any but atheists. It is readily admitted by many of those who deny altogether the prevalent tendency of our nature to evil,-which is to be particularly considered in a subsequent discussion. If mankind, then, are admitted to be actually in a state of depravity, and it be inconsistent, as heretofore shown, with all our ideas of the divine character and perfections, that man should have been originally formed by his Creator in a sinful or depraved state, it follows, that he is not now in the state in which he was originally formed. Without revelation, indeed, we could not know that he fell from that state by his connexion with his first SP parent as a federal head; but the fact that he is fallen being ascertained by observation, it strongly confirms the representation of scripture, that he did fall in his original progenitor. Let us now shortly consider the equity of this constitution. As it was the appointment of God, we know indeed before hand, that it was perfectly equitable and righ teous; because all the Divine appointments certainly possess this character. We are, however, permitted humbly to investigate the Divine proceedings, and to discover, as far as we can, the ground on which they rest. In the particular before us, I am of the opinion that we can discover a part of the ways of God, and that a part must be resolved into his holy sovereignty, or into our own weakness. We are acquainted with two or ders of moral and dependent beings, -angels and men. Between these there is, as in many respects, so in this, a wide difference-that angels were not formed to be propagated like men, in successive generations. Angels were all formed at once, by the immediate agency of the Creator. Of the human race only two were formed at first, and from these all the rest have descended by ordinary generation. As all angels were created at once, each was capable of acting for himself, in the full maturity of his powers. Accordingly it appears, that each did act for himself; that there was no federal head among them; that each individual stood or fell for himself. That it was otherwise in the case of man, seems to be a kind of necessary consequence of that law of his nature, by which each generation is derived from that which immediately precedes it, and all from the first. This law is not peculiar to man, but extends, not only to all animals, but to all the vegetable tribes. It is an invariable law of the whole, that like shall produce its like-that the offspring shall resemble the parent. On this law depends the preservation of that beautiful variety of beings which was at first created, and that knowledge of what we are to expect in their successive productions, so useful, if not essential, to our comfort and existence. Observe then, that Adam's being made the federal head of his posterity, both standing and falling, was just one instance of this universal law of propagated beings, that like shall produce its like that the offspring shall resemble the parent: So that the question really comes to this, whether it was equitable for the Creator to ordain such a law, and to extend it to man?-and this is only, in other words, to ask whether it was equitable for Him to make the world which he hath actually made, and as he hath made it. I am fully aware, my young friends, that what I have just been saying affords no solution of the difficulty before us. But I do think, that by presenting it under a new aspect, it affords some relief to a contemplative and humble mind. It shows that if Adam had not been the federal head of his posterity, there would have been an anomaly in creation-a violation of the law which the infinitely wise Creator hath ordained for all propagated beings-that like shall produce its like. Think, for a moment, that if Adam had retained his holiness, all his offspring would, like himself, have been holy and happy. Would not this have been equitable? If it would, it must be equitable that his offspring should be unholy, when he became so. The principle is the same, however it may affect the actual condition of our race. If hereditary holiness and happiness would have been equitable, hereditary depravity and misery must be equitable also. Accordingly we are told in scripture, that after man fell, "he begat a son |