licly read in all the churches under the care of the General Assembly. The Committee in Massachusetts will please to accept of the salutations of their brethren in the Presbyterian church and be assured of their cheerful co-operation in any measures which may be deemed conducive to the object of their appointment. EZRA STILES ELY, Secretary of the Committee of the General Assembly. Rev. Dr. Worcester. The letter from New Hampshire evinced, that that the Committee in that state had taken up the business seriously, and were disposed to pursue it effectually. At the same meeting it was voted, That, in the opinion of this Committee, it is highly desirable, that such a Society, as is above referred to, should be formed, if such a one can be formed under auspicious cir. cumstances. At a subsequent meeting, your Committee were able to state from actual inquiry, that several very respectable men, in different places, were willing to join a Society for the objects above specified. Your Committee have conferred much on the subject referred to them; particularly on the most efficacious means of restraining and preventing the abuse of spirituous liquors. Some of the results of their reflections will be stated below. The foregoing is a brief history of the course of their proceedings. Your committee have been extremely harmonious in their deliberations, and it is not recollected that there has been a single difference of opinion on any point of importance. In the course of their investigations, your Committee have had a vast variety of facts laid before them, some of the principal of which are the following: It is undeniable, that the evil of intemperate drinking has been rapidly increasing in the United States, for a number of years past, and has now arrived to a magnitude, which may well alarm every friend to his country. It is also certain, that the free use of ardent spirits has already reduced several country places from a flourishing state to a state of extreme poverty; and the same cause is gradually impoverishing a great part of our country. A particular village has been pointed out, in which heads of families and children, (with the exception of two or three persons,) have all become drunkards together. It is also certain, that many reflecting persons, in all parts of the country, are greatly alarmed at the progress of the evil in question, and are apprehensive, that unless some check is applied, it will of itself, ruin the country. Physicians are of the opinion, that death is hastened in many instances by the abuse of spirits, and that the constitution is injured in many more. Experiments made by gentlemen in different parts of the country satisfactorily prove, that it is very practi cable to hire laborers without giving them spirits. It is also beyond dispute, that many persons of good moral character, and many who sustain a fair religious character, incur great expense in the consumption of spirits, without any possible advantage, and thus exhibit an example which serves to lead others into a course of evil habits. It appears from the evidence collected by your Committee, that the use of strong drink diminishes the active and productive labor of the country. From the return of the Secretary of the Treasury of the United States it appears, that the quantity of spirituous liquors annually distilled in the U. S. is 15,000,000 gallons. And that the quantity imported is 9,750,000, making nearly 25,000,000 in the whole. From the Marshal's return, it appears that in Massachusetts alone, 2,472,000 gallons are distilled from molasses, 63,730 gallons from grain, and 316,480 gallons from cider, making in the whole 2,851,210 gal. lons, which at the wholesale price are valued at 1,632,326 dollars. It ought to be observed that only a small part of the spirits distilled in Massachusetts is consumed here; but it is probable that not less than 24 2,000,000 gallons of imported spirits are consumed in this Commonwealth, at an expense of more than 2,000,000 dollars. In some parts of the union imported spirits are almost exclusively consumed; in other parts, spirits distilled in this country. Massachusetts comes within the former class. We come to the melancholy result, from the foregoing statement, that the free citizens of this country, (for the slaves have this great advantage over the whites that they are not allowed the use of ardent spirits)the free citizens of this country consume annually not less than 20,000, 000 gallons of spirits; which, (considering that a large portion is consumed in taverns at a great addition al expense, and that a large portion is greatly diluted after it leaves the ship or distillery and before it is retailed,) can hardly cost the consumers less than 23,000,000, or 25,000,000 dollars; an enormous sum, which exceeds the expense of our national government in time of peace added to the expense of all the state governments, the support of schools, and of the clergy, and the interest of our national debt; a sum, in short, which exceeds all that is paid for the sup port of government, the education of children, and the support of religious instructors, by the people of this country. Your Committee cannot but state, that from the examination which they have given the subject, they are more and more deeply impressed with the opinion, that it is the duty of all good men to engage vigorously in the attempt to suppress this great evil. Every real friend to the community, to the present and future happiness of men, must see the necessity of making resistance to a set of evil habits and customs, which threaten to introduce poverty, igno. rance, vice, and barbarism. All Christians should unite in this cause with zeal and unanimity which cannot but have a salutary influence. So far as the opinion of your Committee can have any weight, we would earnestly urge a perseverance in the present course of investigation, Allowing about 5000 gallons to be exported. which may at least lay before the public some of the evils which threaten them from this cause, and awaken all the considerate and reflecting to a sense of their danger. Among the means of remedying the evil, which your Committee have bad under consideration, some have been recommended in the letter from New York which has been cited. We would, however, particularize a few of the most promising remedies which have occurred to our minds. 1. Great pains ought to be taken to exhibit the magnitude of this evil and the distressing consequences to which it leads. It should be displayed in all its hideous deformity, and traced from the needless use of spirits to drunkenness, and from drunkenness to ruin-ruin temporal and eternal. It should be represented as the door to poverty and dis grace, as the destruction of health and reason. The enormous expense which it occasions should be adequately described; and the beneficial purposes to which this expense might be applied fully detailed. Every person should aid in making this exposure, according to his ability. But, 2. Ministers of the Gospel are pe culiarly engaged to take an active part in this work. It must depend upon the situation of each minister whether it is proper for him to pur sue some particular measures; but, we should apprehend that it is the duty of every minister in the United States to give a thorough examination of this subject from the pulpit. 3. In the discipline of our churches especial and vigilant reference should be had to this national sin; and all Christians should beware of giving the least countenance to it, and should abstain even from the appearunce of evil. In this view of the subject it is questionable whether spirits should be used at all, unless really and avowedly as a medicine. 4. Cheap tracts may be extensively circulated to advantage on this subject. Dr. Rush's "Inquiry into the effects of Ardent Spirits," is admirably adapted for this purpose, and can be afforded by the large quantity for four dollars, or perhaps three dollars and a half, a hundred. It would be attended with good conse. quences if two or three dozen of these could be circulated in every parish in the Commonwealth. 5. The laws of Massachusetts on the subject of drunkenness, tippling. houses, &c. are admirably calculated to accomplish their end, if they can only be enforced; and they are per haps as likely to be enforced as any laws which could be made on the subject. It is the duty, therefore, of every good citizen to exert himself to enforce these laws. 6. Voluntary associations formed for the purpose of communicating information, and exciting a proper zeal on this subject, would promise much good. If these measures, and others con. nected with them are adopted and pursued with reliance on the Divine aid and guidance, there is reason to hope that a general reformation might be the consequence. Your Committee are prevented, by a great variety of unforeseen and in. evitable calls upon their time, from giving so full a discussion of this subject as it would otherwise have received. All which is respectfully submitted, SAMUEL WORCESTER, Chairman, JEREMIAH EVARTS, Clerk. CHARLESTON, (s. c.) BIBLE So, CIETY. THE following gentlemen were elected officers of this society, June 15th, 1812: Gen. C. C. PINCKNEY, President. Rev. Dr. FURMAN, Rev. Dr. PERCY, and Rev. Dr. DEHON, Vice Presidents. N: RUSSELL, Esq. Treasurer. T. FORD, Esq. Rec. Secretary. Rev. Mr. GADSDEN, Cor. Secretaries. Rev. Mr. Simmons, Rev. Dr. Bu chan, Rev. Mr. Gervais, Maj. S. Rob ertson, Robert Dewar, William Inglesby, Thomas Lowndes, George Macaulay, John P. Martin, James Legure, Thomas Jones, John Ball, Dr. David Ramsay, Abraham Markley, and William Payne, Managers. MAINE MISSIONARY SOCIETY. THE anniversary of this Society was held at Hallowell, on the fourth Wednesday of June last. It was a very pleasant season to the friends of Zion. The good hand of our God has been so evidently manifested in favor of the doings and success of this Society, that pleasing hopes are indulged that it may in due time vie with other Societies in advancing the interest of the dear Redeemer. The report of the Trustees was such as to give full evidence, not only that the labors of the Missionaries, are very useful, and in a good degree successful, but highly acceptable to the people. The Rev. Edward Payson of Portland preached an excellent sermon on the occasion, from Luke xv, 10;-And the following Officers were chosen for the present year: Rev, SAMUEL EATON, Harpswell, TRUSTEES. The President, ex officio. Rev. David Thurston, Winthrop, North-Yarmouth. The next annual Meeting is to be holden at North Yarmouth, on the fourth Wednesday of June next; and the Rev. Kiah Bailey is to preach, THEOLOGICAL SOCIETY. On the day next following the meeting of the Maine Missionary Society, "The Theological Society," lately incorporated in the District of Maine, for the education of pious young men for the Ministry, was organized at the same place, and the following Offi. cers were unanimously elected for the present year. Rev. EDWARD PAYSON, Portland, Rev. ASA LYMAN, Portland, Secretary. Hon. AMMI R. MITCHELL, North Yarmouth, Treasurer. TRUSTEES. The President, Secretary, and Treasurer, ex officios. North Yarmouth. The first Annual Meeting of said Society, is to be holden at Portland, on the second Wednesday of Octo. ber next, and Rev. Eliphalet Gillet is appointed to preach. It is sincerely hoped, that this So. ciety will receive the patronage of the wealthy and pious, as it has for its object the preparation of such young men, as are hopefully pious and have some previous learning, and other qualifications, for the Gos. pel Ministry. It is to be lamented that this District, in particular, is overrun with illiterate sectaries, many of whom, there is great reason to fear, are subverting the Gospel of Christ, and leading immortal souls to destruction. Those who have the good of Zion at heart, cannot be too much engaged to counteract the vices of the times, and disseminate true, genuine, evangelical piety. One way to do this must be to send forth Preachers who are experimentally acquainted with divine truth, THE General Association of Con necticut, taking into consideration the undue consumption of ardent spirits in this State; the enormous sacrifice of property annually made in this way; the consequent alarming prevalence of intemperance; the deadly effect of this sin upon health and intellects, upon families and societies, upon our civil and religious institutions, and especially its influ ence to render ineffectual the means of grace, and to bring upon the souls of men everlasting destruction, have considered it as their duty to submit to the churches and congregations under their care the following re commendations. 1. It is recommended to all the ministers in connexion with this Association, that by appropriate discourses on the subject, they endeavour to call up the attention of their people, and impress their minds with a sense of the evils of intemperance, and the importance of uniting their efforts to effect a reforma. tion, or at least to prevent the accumulation of these evils. 2. And that example may give efficacy to precept, it is recommended to the district associations in this State, to abstain from the use of ardent spirits at their various ecclesiastical meetings. 3. To the members of our church. es it is recommended that on this subject they avoid the very appear. 4. To parents and all heads of families, it is earnestly recommend. ed, that they dispense with the or. dinary use of ardent spirits in their families; that they early and often admonish those under their care of the evils of intemperance, of their danger of falling into the ways in which they are liable to be overcome, and that they restrain them as far as may be from places of temptation. 5. To Farmers, Mechanics, and Manufacturers, we recommend ear. nest and prudent exertion to diminish the quantity of ardent spirits consumed in their several employments, by the substitution of other palatable and nutritious drinks, and by giving an additional compensation, if necessary, to laborers who will dispense entirely with the use of ardent spirits. 6. To extend information and impress the public mind on this subject, it is further recommended, that special efforts be made to circulate pamphlets and tracts calculated to effect this purpose, particularly a Sermon by the Rev. E. Porter, and a pamphlet on the same subject by Dr. Rush, of Philadelphia. 7. It is recommended that voluntary Associations be formed in the different towns and societies of the State, to aid the civil magistrates in the execution of the law, and to exert their influence according to their best discretion for the removal of this growing evil. And that these practical measures, may not be rendered ineffectual, the Association do most earnestly entreat of their brethren in the ministry, of the members of our churches, and of the persons who lament and desire to check the progress of this evil, that they neither express nor indulge, the melancholy apprehension that nothing can be done on this subject; a prediction eminently calculated to paralize exertion and become the disastrous cause of its own fulfilment. For what if the reformation of drunkards be hopeless, may we not stand between the living and the dead, and pray and labor with effect to stay the spreading plague? and what if some will perish after all that can be done, shall we make no efforts to save any from destruction, because we may not be able to turn away every one from the path of ruin? But how are we assured that nothing can be done? Is it impossible for God to reform and save us? Has he made known his purpose to give us over to destruction? Has he been accustomed to withhold his blessing from humble efforts made to rescue men from the dominion of sin? Have not all past efforts for reformation commenced under circumstances of apparent discouragement, and all great achievements usually begun in little things? The kingdom of heaven was itself in the beginning as a grain of mustard seed, and the apostles, had they consulted appearances only, had never made an effort to enlighten the world. Immense evils, we are persuaded, afflict communities, not because they are incurable, but because they are tolerated; and great good remains often unaccomplished, merely be cause it is not attempted. If the evil, however, were trivial, or the means of its prevention arduous and uncertain, despondency would be less criminal. But it is a wasting consumption fastening upon the vitals of society; a benumbing palsy extending to the extremities of the body; a deep and rapid torrent, bearing the wreck of nations in its course, and undermining rapidly the foundations of our own case, therefore, of life and death; and what we do must be done quick. It is a |