more important, and ought to be discussed and urged more frequently than others. I know, also, that many persons who are opposed to certain doctrines, will say that ministers always preach upon these, and make every passage lead to them. But allowing for all this, is it not too often the case with many ministers, that before they finish a sermon they get upon one of their favorite points? This practice is attended with many evils, and, particularly with this, that all Scripture is made to mean the same thing, though the expressions used by the inspired writers are so various, and the apparent meaning of different passages is so different. It surely ought to be the object of preachers to confine their sermons to the very sentiment expressed and implied in the text, without distracting the attention of their hearers with other sub

jects, which, though they may have a relation to the principal subject, are no more pertinent in one discourse than in another. Much confusion would thus be avoided; and the meaning of Scripture would appear, as it is, definite and perspicuous.

It is a great point with many of the clergy to express the meaning of texts in a striking manner, in order that the subject may catch the attention of the hearers. This mode has many things to recommend it. When the preacher succeeds in the attempt, it usually has a happy effect. But is there not of ten a failure of success? Is there not often a little more, or a little less, than the precise meaning, or something opposite to it, expressed? The attentive and crit

sermon

ical hearer can answer: A case lately occurred in a from Ps. xxxix, 6, Surely every man walketh in a vain show, The plain meaning of the passage is, that the objects of men's attention and pursuit are unsubstantial and vanishing. But the sentiment deduced by the preacher was, Man is not what he appears to be. This may be in part true; and may be usefully impressed on the mind. But as this is not the meaning of the passage, it cannot be proper to apply it in this manner.

Another case in which a meaning is affixed, different from the true one, is the common application of 1 Pet. iv. 18. And if the righteous scarcely be saved, where shall the ungodly and the sinner appear? The connexion shows, that this verse refers to salvation from the evils and miseries which were about to come upon the world, and not to deliverance from the miseries of hell, to which it is frequently applied. It is not true, that the righteous are scarcely saved from hell;-they are saved by an almighty arm with power and glory.

The subject of this essay is highly interesting. It demands the attention of every minister of the Gospel. The few cases, which have been noticed, shew its importance. Much more

might be done by those, who instruct students in divinity, towards preventing the evil, than has been done. No objection to any thing, which has now been offered, occurs to me except the following: Such a confinement to the precise meaning of Scripture would prevent the composition of some of the most in

structive sermons. Ministers often take occasion, from passages not directly to the purpose, to bring into view important subjects, and urge them in the most forcible manner. This is acknowledged;-and to such a plan there is no objection, if the passages thus interpreted will not occasion mistakes in the minds of the hearers. Of this kind is one in Mr. Jay's Family Sermons, from the words of Hagar, Thou, God, seest me. This is excellent. The same author has a most solemn, alarming, and affecting sermon from the text, Ephraim is joined to idols, let him alone. If the meaning which he attaches to the passage be correct, nothing can be more appropriate and happy than his management of the subject. But, if the command, let him alone,respects avoiding Ephraim, and having no communication with him, lest further corruption in religion should be the consequence, as some believe, howev. er much we may be pleased with the sermon, it clearly has no connexion with the text, and consequently is highly faulty.

The application of the address of the shipmaster to Jonah, What meanest thou, Q sleeper! arise, call upon thy God, &c. to the awful situation of impeni tent and secure sinners, is perfectly justifiable, and peculiarly impressive. The same may be said of a sentiment deduced from Mat. xi. 18, 19. For John came neither eating nor drinking, and they say, He hath a devil. The Son of man came eating and drinking, and they say, Behold a man gluttonous, and a wine-bibber, &c. These and similar instances are not opposed to the

principle which has been advocated. They occasion no mistake they lead to no error. All such subjects may be thus treated with the greatest propriety. But such a concession does not authorize the application of Scripture in the way which has been noticed above. The cause of the error may, in a measure at least, be seen from the particulars which have been mentioned. In most cases it is easily removed. Attention is all that is required. As we value the truth of God's word-as we feel the importance of declaring the truth, and nothing but the truth, so let us regard this subjectso let us practise.

N. U.

REVIVAL OF RELIGION IN EASTHAMPTON, HAMPSHIRE COUNTY, MASS.

The following account was commu nicated in a letter from the Rev. Seth Williston to a friend in Boston, by whom it was handed to us for publication.

"You desired me to give you some account of the late outpouring of the Spirit. I believe it to be a duty to make mention of the loving-kindness of the Lord, and communicate his great goodness; and I view the work of the Spirit as the most wonderful display of his goodness, through the mediation of the Divine Redeemer. I believe heaven and earth are made glad by those out-pourings of the Spirit which revive the churches, and bring new guests to the marriage supper, The narra tives of religious awakenings published in the Magazines,

have undoubtedly comforted the hearts of many and been the occasion of increasing the thanksgivings and prayers of the Church. But there is one thing which is calculated to cause a backwardness in giving an account of an awakening; and that is this: Awakenings often disappoint us in not yielding so much fruit as was expected from them. It is not uncommon, that some, who are considered as remarkable instances of Divine grace, manifest the unsoundness of their conversion by their falling away; and with respect to others of whom we still hope better things, there is such abatement of the fervent piety which appears in the midst of the awakening, that it would lead those, who have read accounts of these revivals, and have afterwards become acquainted with the places to which the accounts refer, to think the accounts were full of exaggeration, and false coloring, to answer some selfish purpose. This has operated as one reason to keep me hitherto from writing any description of the late awakening in this place, with a view to publication. I do not hesitate, however, to say, that I believe it was the work of God's Holy Spirit. I believe a considcrable number have experienced a change of heart. But I do not think all experienced such a change, who entertained such a hope themselves, and concerning whom others entertained a hope.

"The awakening commenced, as to its visible appear ance, the beginning of November, 1809; about the time of the Rev. Mr. Townsend's taking his

farewell of his flock. Indeed the farewell sermon probably made an impression on the minds of some of his hearers. Immediately upon his leaving the people, they were supplied with the labors of a candidate. whose heart appeared engaged in the work of the Lord. During this time those, who had waited for the consolation of Israel, multiplied their meetings for prayer, and other religious exercises. I was here the last Sabbath in November, and by this time the attention of the people had become quite awakened. There were one or two who had obtained comfort, and several were concerned about their salvation. Soon after this, the church agreed to keep a fast, to implore the more copious influences of the Spirit. On this occasion the house of God was full.

We had meetings in different parts of the town for the purpose of prayer and religious instruction, every evening in the week except Saturday evening, through the winter, and the summer following. These meetings through the winter were almost all of them crowded, and solemn. It was a time in which God seemed to show himself loath to destroy his enemies; willing rather that they should turn and live. During this time of special awakening, the Lord sent different messengers to plead his cause with this people. In the months of January and February, the work was most powerful. After this, it began to decline, and never revived so as to be as powerful as it was then. There were but few who attained a hope until two months after the awakening commenc

ed. After this, hopeful conversions were frequent. I believe it was four months after the work began, before any came forward to seek an admission into the church. Through the months of March and April, the churchcommittee appointed to examine candidates for the fellowship of the church, were frequently employed in their work. In the fore part of May, fifty-six were in one day admitted to the fellowship of the church. Twenty more were admitted in July, and six (I believe) have been admit ted since, beside those who have been received by letters from other churches. Some of these had been thinking of making a profession before the late outpouring of the Spirit; and now being revived, they came forward and took the vows of God upon them. Nearly two thirds of the eighty-two new members, who have united with the church since the commencement of the late awakening were, about thir ty years old or younger.

"This people had been accustomed to hear from their minister the doctrines of total depravity, regeneration by the power of the Holy Ghost, justification through the atonement of the infinite Redeemer, the certain perseverance of the saints, the perfect and immutable counsel and government of Jehovah, with other doctrines connected with them. During the season here described, the people heard a number of different preachers; but they all united in holding forth the doctrines which have now been mentioned. The subjects of the work appeared to become convinced of the truth of these doctrines. They all

seemed to be feelingly convinced of total depravity in their own case, and of the necessity of special grace to change their hearts. Great pains were taken to guard the awakened against looking for, and resting on, imaginary experiences; such as seeing visions, hearing words spoken to them, and having texts of Scripture suggested to the imagination, without sanctifying the affections. There was one remarkable display of the power of God in bringing a man off from a hope of this kind, on which he had rested for about nine years. At that time, being somewhat anxious about his soul, he thought he saw a light shining into his room one night, and thought he heard angelic music. This device of Satan, who transforms himself into an angel of light, he then considered as a true conversion, and rested on it until more than four months after the late revival commenced. He had taken some pains during these nine years, to keep alive his imaginary religion, and thought about making a public profession. Having opportunity one day to tell his old experience to a minister and a private Christian, they endeav ored to discourage him from resting upon it, and pointed out to him the fallacy of such visionary discourses. He felt angry

with them for their kindness. The next day being the Sabbath, the man felt so offended with the minister, that he could hardly prevail on himself to attend public worship. But the Lord, who, we hope, had designs of mercy towards him, brought him to hear the sound of his word, The text in the afternoon