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The rise and progress of the Society of United Christian Friends, is but a sketch. The first book of the church, containing (or it ought to have contained) much matter of interest, is lost; and some of the most interesting transactions took place at a time when the wri. ter of this did not reside in the city. What yet remains will be considered as worth preserving, by those who take an interest in the welfare of the Society.

The Marriage Ceremony has been generally thought very solemn; copies of it have been asked for, and a wish has been expressed, that it should be printed; it is, therefore, furnished. Here it may not be improper to remark, that those present may be benefited-those who have been long husband and wife, by being reminded of duties which they may, in some degree, have forgot. en-and the unmarried, by having presented to them what will be their duties, should they enter into the mar. riage contract. It is to be feared, that many consider the matter as a mere ceremony, and that while that cere. mony is performing, they do not pay a sufficient atten. tion to the obligations to which they bind themselves, "in the presence of God, and his chosen witnesses." Let the unmarried think well of these things before they call on a minister to officiate; and if they cannot ac. cede to the principles contained in this form, and will marry, it is better that they apply to a civil magistrate, who is only bound to know marriage as a civil contract,

Again, we would exhort those who profess religion, to marry only in the Lord; that is, to those of like faith. Our greatest enjoyment in life arises from our prospect of bliss to come in a future life; and if on this subject husband and wife cannot agree, their difference must

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be inexpressibly painful. Can a woman, having any respect for religion, marry a man holding the marriage contract in contempt !

The Short Sermons were written at the desire of a company of persons in the congregation, who wished to improve themselves in church music, and thought it desirable that their exercises should be preceded by a very short sermon, and that they should afterwards be printed; for at that time, what is called Universalism, was much talked of, and principles attributed to us, which we did not only not believe, but held in abhorrence; and it was hoped, that in those who would read, the error might be corrected. To these is added a Sermon on Matthew xxv. 46. This is given, not to excite controversy, (we abhor it,) but for the purpose of showing, that one of those parts of Scripture, generally supposed to be an insuperable objection to the doctrine of the final happiness of all men, may not only be reconciled to it, but support it; and if one, why not another, why not every other? The Book of God does not― cannot contradict itself..

To those who feel themselves disposed to controver. sy, we would most earnestly recommend a very careful and candid reading of a letter on that subject, by the celebrated John Newton, of Olney; it may be found in the first volume of his works, New-York edition, p. 241.

We would hope that its effect would, at least, be to soften that bitterness of spirit which too often dishonours both the subject and the writer.

Our remarks on this little book are closed, and we would address somewhat to the congregation.

And first, to those who are yet children: The wri

ter of this remembers well when he was himself a child of not more than ten years old, and that he then felt an interest on the subject of religion; but he had been taught little more on that subject than what Isaiah says of the moral government of God: Say ye to the righteous that it shall be well with him: for they shall eat the fruit of their doings. Wo unto the wicked; it shall be ill with him for the reward of his hands shall be given him. (Is. iii. 10, 11.) A catechism was indeed put into his hands, but he remembers little of it; it was called the New-Light Catechism, and perhaps would now be called liberal; but he never learned from it any thing of the way of salvation. He hoped if he was spared till twenty, he might, by trying in all things to obey God, procure his favour. About this time Watts' Divine Songs was given him to commit to memory; but though there is much good in this book, there was even then, to him, something he could not accept, and cannot to this day but he found much to approve of, and well worthy of remembrance; and among these, an important truth, elegantly expressed: "A flower, when offered in the bud, is no vain sacrifice." Is not this flower mature age, and the bud childhood? then even in childhood offer yourselves to God: speak to him in your own language, ask of him that he would accept of you, that he would watch over you, and take care of you; that he would keep you from evil, and lead you in the way that he will himself approve of. Fear not that he will not listen to you, because you cannot speak well; your father and mother on earth do not refuse to hear you, because you speak to them imperfectly; they are even sometimes amused by your childish manner;

but they know your wishes, and as far as these are right, it does their hearts good to gratify you. How much more does your Father who is in heaven love you? As much more as the Almighty God is greater than his poor, feeble, fallen creature, man. Fail not to ask instruction from your parents; the blessings which you now enjoy from God come to you through them; they love you, and will give you the best instruction in their power; and remember, that if they should appear to you not able to answer all the questions you ask, it may also be, that your intellect is yet so small and feeble, that if the best answer were given, you might not be able to comprehend it; that knowledge is progressive, and that the things which are now difficulties, may at a future day be plain and easy.

To you, young men and women, who are as the flower just beginning to blow, and show its leaves in all their beauty, have you been offered to God in the bud? If so, happy are ye; yet would we, in the spirit of pure affection, warn you, that the world, into which you are now only looking, but are perhaps eager to enter, that you may discharge the duties which you will owe to it, and enjoy its rational pleasures ;-that world hath temptations and trials-it hath pains you have not yet felt, as well as pleasures which you may lawfully enjoy; but of all the pleasures which can be found in life, there is none equal to that which flows from confidence in God, and an humble assurance, that you have, however imperfectly, endeavoured to discharge the duty which you owe to him.

To you who have entered on the busy scene of life, and who, perhaps, have formed the tenderest tie that binds human beings together; your little innocents—

for such you esteem them, and such they comparatively are-O teach them, so that the first accents of the lisping tongue shall be to our Father who is in heaven. Think not that they are too young to be taught; they may be taught as soon as they can think; and when they think, they reason; and they do this much sooner than some of us imagine. Then teach them the love of God, and especially as it is manifested in the gift of his Son for our salvation; for no sooner does a child know the difference between good and evil, than it knows it hath done that which it ought not to have done, and hath neglected to do that which it ought to have done : it is, therefore, a convicted sinner, and it is your duty to lead the sinner to the Saviour. You have taught your child to call God by the endearing name of father, and probably you have made it feel the authority of the earthly parent; have you also taught it the authority of. our heavenly Father? that whom the Lord loveth he chasteneth, and scourgeth every son whom he receiveth. (Heb. xii. 6.) And would he do this if it were not merited? and what is his motive in this? Blessed be his name, it is, that we may be partakers of his holiness; (Heb. xii. 10. ;) and, we take leave to add, therefore, of his happiness. Shall we here be met with the ap. palling question, how can they teach who have them. selves never been taught? Is it possible that any liv. ing in a Christian country have never had an opportunity of knowing the evidences of Christianity! The Bible has internal evidence of its divine origin. Where will you find so perfect a picture of the true character of man? where so interesting a view of the character of God? where shall we find so perfect a system of human

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