pathos of Tully extorted a favorable sentence from the mighty Cæsar. Nor has the christian church been destitute of sacred orators, who have sometimes had more influence in society than kings or conquerors; who have given a new moral complexion to the people they addressed. The opinions, passions and actions of men have been swayed as a field of wheat before the northern blast. "Though the effects were deleterious, we may learn the amazing power of eloquence from Peter the Hermit. He had visited the holy land, the city of Jerusalem, and the tomb of his Savior. He had witnessed the sufferings of christians in that country. With his heart penetrated and overwhelmed with the subject, he returned to Europe. Traversing the nations of christendom, he exhorted them to deliver their brethren from Mahometan oppression. Expressive of his deep concern, and readiness to endure any hardships for the relief of the suffering christians, his head was bare, his feet were naked, and his meagre body was wrapped in a coarse garment. Thousands thronged around him; he described the woes of the saints in Jerusalem, and Europe was roused. He mentioned the profanation of the Saviour's tomb, and they were melted into tears. He conjured them to prove themselves the soldiers of Jesus Christ, and they enlisted under the banners of the cross; he sighed, and millions marched to the holy land. The rustic enthusiast inspired the passions, which he felt. "It is not half a century since Whitefield blazed through the British empire. Though he had no remarkable charms of person or voice, yet he was an orator, and like a new star in the heavens he attracted every eye; all gazed as if a comet was sailing through the heavens. Though he gave no remarkable luminous or profound views of religious subjects, yet such was the enchantment of his eloquence, that every ear listened, as if an angel spoke. He was in earnest, his heart glowed with christian benevolence, and he persuaded men to be reconciled to God. "Dr. Wheelock possessed the genuine spirit of primitive christianity. He was fired with apostolic zeal for the glory of God and the salvation of men." "Possessing a lively imagination, a warm heart, and a deep concern for immortal souls, the impetuosity of his eloquence often presented common and well known truths, with all the irresistible charms of novelty. When he proclaimed the curses of the law; when he warned sinners of the approaching wrath of God, they seemed to stand as on the base of Sinai; the pulpit was cloathed in thunder; the coruscations of truth were as forked lightning, and with one voice they cried, "What shall we do to be saved?" When he addressed the humble saint his voice was that of the angels, who welcomed the spirits of the just to mansions not made with hands. The trembling penitent looked to the cross to behold the lamb of God; he was cheered with hope; he was filled with joy at his approaching glory." Proceedings of the Eastern Association, in 1819. THE ministers, messengers, and delegates, composing the eastern association of Universalists, met according to previous adjournment, at the MasonicHall, in Livermore, (Me.) on the 30th of June, 1819, and opened the meeting by solemn and devout prayer, and supplication to God, by brother Joseph Butterfield. Then proceeded to organize the Council. 1 Read the letters from the several branches of this association, and learned that the harvest is truly plenteous, but the faithful labourers of the Lord Jesus, comparatively few. A spirit of general inquiry prevails in this eastern section of the Lord's heritage. Although the messengers of Zion, who publish salvation in the name of the Lord, are not many, yet God hath not left himself without witness, in that he doeth good unto the children of men, sending them rain from heaven, and fruitful seasons, filling their hearts with food and gladness. And our prayer to God for Israel is, that they may be saved, for which reason we unfeignedly invoke the Lord of the harvest to raise up, qualify and send forth judicious and faithful labourers into his vineyard, whom he shall delight to own and abundantly bless. The council then proceeded to pass the following votes, viz. Is. That any or all the brethren belonging to regular societies in this association be permitted to vote in this meeting. 2d. That, pursuant to a request of the brethren composing the Universalian society in Lewiston, (Me.) Brothers Barzillai Streeter, Elias Smith, and Comfort Smith, be appointed to make out a catalogue of books, for the formation and establishment of a theological, social library, treating upon the subject of the infinite benevolence of the Father of all mercies, made known in the final redemption of all mankind from sin and misery, to universal holiness and consequent happiness. 3d. That any brother, wishing to have, at the next association, any question discussed which to him appears obscure, may have the privilege of forwarding the same to the clerk, which shall be inserted in this circular, if by him thought worthy. 4th. That our next annual association be holden two days successively. 5th. That each society pay their proportionable part to defray the expences of this publication. 6th. That Br. B. Streeter superintend the publishing of the proceedings of this meeting. 7th. Adjourned this association, to be holden at Paris, (Me.) on the last Wednesday and Thursday of June, 1820, and closed the labours of the Council, in devout thanksgiving to God for his divine benignity, through our association, council, and labours; By our beloved Br. Elias Smith. The public service in the morning, was attended as follows: Br. J. Butterfield, introductory prayer and sermon. Text, Rev. xiv. 6, 7. Br. Barzillai Streeter gave thanks to God. Public service P. М. Br. Elias Smith, introductory prayer ant sermon. Text, Heb. ii. 14, 15. Br. Fayette Mace closed the meeting in thanksgiv ing and prayer at the throne of grace. JOSEPH BUTTERFIELD, Moderator.. N. B. The two following questions were, by request, inserted with their proceedings, for discussion at the next session. The Editor hopes to be able to give the result of their discussions on the subject, in the next number, which will afford us some ideas of the views of the brethren in that part of the country. Ist. Does the fore-knowledge of God universally control the actions of man: or was every action of man absolutely fixed by the Deity, previous to the creation of Adam? 2d. Will any of the descendants of Adam be punished after temporal death, for deeds done before? ANECDOTE. Two persons in conversation, the one a believer in the salvation of all men, and the other in the opposite doctrine, the question was asked by the latter with much assurance of difficulty on the part of his friend, what do you think will become of a man that' dies, being dead drunk ? Sir, said his friend, if there be no alteration after death, I do not see but he must be dead drunk eternally. Of Man's active and moral Powers, taken from the Elements of Moral Science, by James Beattie, L. L. D. Professor of moral Philosophy and Logic in the Marischal College and University of Aberdeen. ACTION implies motion; but there may be motion as in a clock, where, properly speaking, there is no agent. Many motions necessary to life are continually going on in the human body; as those of the heart, lungs, and arteries: but these are not human actions, because man is not the cause of them. For the same reason, breathing, and the motion of the eyelids, are not actions; because, though we may act for a little time in suspending them, for the purpose of seeing or hearing more accurately, they commonly go on without any care of ours; and, while they do so, we are, in regard to them, not active, but passive. In like manner, the casual train of thought, which passes through the mind in a reverie is not action; but when we interrupt it, in order to fix our view upon a particular object, that interruption, and the attention consequent upon it, are mental actions. Recollection is another, and investigation a third; but a remembrance occurring to us, without any exertion on our part, is not action, and our minds in receiving it, or becoming conscious of it, are as really |