when ye fail, they may receive you into everlasting habitations. But, I doubt not, you already burn with desire to testify your love to the crucified Redeemer. Enthroned in the high and holy place, he looks down at this moment upon the heart of every one of us, and will accept of your offering, though it be but the widow's mite, if it be given with the widow's feeling. In the last day of solemn account, he will acknowledge it before an assembled universe, saying, Inasmuch as ye did it unto one of the least of these my brethren, ye did it unto me!

May God of his grace enable us so to act, that on that day we may meet with joy the record of the doings of this evening; and to his name shall be the glory in Christ. Amen.

THE

DUTIES

OF

AN AMERICAN CITIZEN.

DISCOURSE I.

LUKE XXI. 25.

AND THERE SHALL BE UPON THE EARTH, DISTRESS OF NATIONS WITH PERPLEXITY.

minister of religion, path of his ordinary

THE season has arrived, my brethren, when in conformity with the usages of our forefathers, we are assembled to supplicate the blessings of God on the labors of the advancing year. Custom has permitted that, on such occasions, the digressing somewhat from the duty, should exhibit to his hearers, some truths not expressly revealed in the gospel of Jesus Christ. He is allowed to select a theme, which may be rather of national interest, and is commanded to abstain only from such discussion, as would enkindle those feelings of party animosity, to which a free people, in the

present imperfect condition of human nature, must be always liable. If, then, I should on this day direct your attention to a subject somewhat unlike those which you are accustomed to hear from this sacred place, I trust the example of wiser and better men will plead for me an apology.

But I find, in the occasion that has called us together, an apology, with which I must confess myself far better satisfied. We have come here as citizens of the United States, to implore the blessing of God upon our common country. At such a time, it cannot be unsuitable to inquire, how may the interests of that country be promoted? The destinies of this, are intimately connected with those of other nations, and it surely becomes us to ascertain the duties which that connexion imposes upon us. I remember that, on every question decided in this community, each one of you has an influence. I am addressing an assembly, whose voice is heard, through the medium of its representatives, not only in our halls of legislation, and in our cabinet, but throughout the legislatures and the cabinets of the civilized world. In the attempt, then, to enlighten you upon any of those great questions, on which the well-being of our country, as well as of other countries, is virtually interested, I seem to myself to be discharging a duty not improperly devolving upon a profession, which is expected to watch, with sedulous anxiety, over every change that can have a bearing upon the moral or religious interests of a community. Impressed with these considerations, I shall proceed to offer you some reflections, on what appears to be the present intellect→

ual and political condition of the nations of Europe; the relations which we sustain to them; and the duties which devolve upon us, in consequence of those relations.

I shall, this morning, direct your attention to some reflections upon THE PRESENT INTELLECTUAL AND

POLITICAL CONDITION OF THE NATIONS OF EUROPE.

You are doubtless aware that society, throughout Christendom, has been undergoing very striking alterations, since the era of the Reformation, and the invention of the printing press. The effect of the new impulse, which was then given to the human mind, has been every where visible. The attempt to delineate it would require a volume, instead of a paragraph. It will only be possible here to state, that it has been produced by the more universal diffusion of the means of information; it has been characterized by a more unrestrained liberty of thinking; and has every where resulted in elevating the rank, and improving the condition, of what are generally denominated the lowest classes of society.

But it must be obvious to all of you, that, especially within the last fifty years, the intellectual character of the middling and lower classes of society throughout the civilized world has materially improved, and that the process of improvement is at present going forward with accelerated rapidity. A taste for that sort of reading, which requires considerable reflection, and even some acquaintance with the abstract sciences, is every day becoming more widely disseminated. And not only is the number of newspapers multiplying beyond any former precedent, but it is found necessary

to enlist in their service a far greater portion of literary talent than at any other period.*

For this increase of the reading and thinking population of Europe at this particular time, many causes may be assigned. It is owing, in part, to that slow but certain progress, which the human mind always makes after it has once commenced the career of improvement. It may also have been considerably accelerated by the various wars, which have of late so frequently desolated the continent. The momentous events to which every campaign gave birth, have quickened the desire of intelligence in every class of society, and taught men more or less to reflect upon the principles which led to so universal commotions. And, beside this, the range of information among those attached to the army must have been materially enlarged by visiting other countries, and becoming in a considerable degree acquainted with their inhabitants, and familiar with their institutions.

And here truth obliges us to state, that this melioration owes much of its late advancement to the pious zeal of Protestant Christians. Desirous to extend the means of salvation to the whole human race, these benevolent men have laboured with perseverance and success, not only to circulate the Bible, but to enable men to read it. Hence have arisen the British and Foreign Bible Society, the British and Foreign School Society, the Baptist Irish Society, the multiplied free schools, and the innumerable Sabbath Schools, which are so peculiarly the glory of the present age of the

* Note A.