society of the faithful, nor allowed to return save after open, painful, and severe penance: wherefore indeed is not this godly discipline, fraught with such vast blessings to the primitive Church, and solemnly recognised by the Anglican Church, restored throughout the land? Even in later times, the bright and noble example of the great and good Bishop Wilson is not wanting to excite and arouse his episcopal successors to a similar fearless and apostolical course, in whatever diocese or province they may exercise their sacred functions. Let us call to mind what are our privileges, how great, how mighty, how fearful the responsibility of their neglect or abuse! We have a Church-not infallible, indeed, in minute details, but indefectible in the essentials and fundamentals of her faith. We have an apostolical, and, consequently, episcopal ministry, whose uninterrupted descent may be traced with an accuracy which would be marvellous, did we not recognise the unerring hand of Providence. In that episcopal ministry is undoubtedly vested the administration of those blessed means of grace the sacraments of baptism and the communion of the most blessed body and blood of Christ. To that episcopal ministry has the mighty power and authority been conveyed and transmitted, which popery would profanely affect to barter for "silver and gold, the work of men's hands," the power and authority of absolution, only restricted by the repentance of the sinner, as the condition upon which such power and authority can be duly and beneficially exercised. Are not these mighty privileges? Up then, let us be stirring; let us awake from our slumber before it shall be too late. Popery may attempt to lure us by her deceitful splendour, and awe us by her borrowed majesty. Sectarianism may essay to invite us by her pretended moderation, and win us by her assumed simplicity. With neither can we have part or portion; our stand must be taken without doubt or hesitation-our watchword the Holy Catholic Church -that Church which is "built upon the foundation of the apostles and prophets, Jesus Christ himself being the chief corner-stone."

ART. X.-Defence of Church Establishments. By J. G. LORIMER. Glasgow: M'Phun. 1835.

IN a preceding number, we flatter ourselves that we gave an interesting paper upon the History and Prospects of the Protestant Episcopal Church in the United States of America. We purpose now to give a general view of the state of religion in that country. From our former paper it will appear that where the episcopal church was established, that there religion was in a thriving condition, and was yielding to its members those blessings which the church of Christ is so well adapted to bestow.

Our opponents have pointed out to us the prosperity of America as an argument against the existence of a national church; from the facts which we shall extract from the excellent work before us, we shall, we trust, without making too bold an assertion, completely overthrow this flimsy apparatus which has been reared by those, whose desire is not only to cast off the nationality of the Church, but to root up its very foundations. In all controversy one argument may be weakened by a better; and if the arguments brought forward on both sides be equally balanced, the subject for ever remains doubtful, and the controversy, so far from being at an end, becomes only the more intricate and unsatisfactory; but FACTS, supported by sufficient testimony, cannot be disputed; the opponent is bound to yield the matter to be set at rest, and the established truth to become established law.

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Mr. Lorimer has produced those facts in his Defence of Church Establishments, which should ever put to silence all the declamation of dissenters on the prosperous condition of religion in America, and fill every christian heart with the deepest sympathy and concern. We feel ourselves particularly obliged to this gentleman for his admirable work; it indeed be ranked among the ablest that has ever issued from the press upon the subject. The voluntaries, says his publisher, have here met a champion they little dreamed of encountering, when they set out on their dishonourable crusade; and while the Church, with truth and justice on her side, can reckon upon such men as Mr. Lorimer as her supporters, she has nothing to fear from the foolish and unworthy attempts now making to her injury.

The work itself is a review of the speeches delivered in Dr. Beattie's chapel by, the leading men of the Voluntary Church Association. But it is not our intention at present to allude to the arguments which Mr. Lorimer so ably brings forward to dissipate the dogmata of these voluntaries, but only to introduce those facts relating to the state of religion in America. No better argument for a religious establishment can be drawn than that which is supplied by the facts themselves.

Reverting, for a moment, says Mr. Lorimer, to the testimony of President Dwight, as to the state of religion in the United States at the beginning of this century, or thirty years ago, we find it to have stood thus.-In Connecticut, where the principle of a religious establishment was maintained, there was a population of 251,002, and 209 congregations. In the States south of New England, where the principle of a religious establishment was not acknowledged or maintained, there was a population of 4,033,776, and only 430 congregations. To supply the latter population as fully with ministers and churches as the former, the whole number would need to have been 3344 churches, instead of 430. In Connecticut, continues Dr. Dwight, every

inhabitant, who is not precluded by disease or inclination, may hear the gospel, and celebrate the public worship of God every sabbath day. In the States specified, it is not improbable that a number of people, several times as great as the census of Connecticut, have scarcely heard a sermon or a prayer in their lives. To complete the picture, it is only necessary to add, he says, that the number of churches in all places where there is an establishment, keeps full pace with the population. Every inhabitant also who enters a church finds a seat. The Doctor remarks, that the statistics of Massachusetts (where there was also the principle of a religious establishment,) would have presented a result equally favourable; and, what is still more striking, speaking of these two States, he says, "I know of no country in which revivals of religion have been so frequent in proportion to the number of inhabitants, or so extensive as in these States. God, therefore, may be considered as having thus far manifested his own approbation of the system."

Should it be said, or supposed, that these facts describe a state of things which existed long ago, but that a new order has begun; we ask where were the benefits of the voluntary system in America down to 1800? Did that system work as beneficially as its present advocates imagine or anticipate? Did it preserve from error, or sloth, or spiritual death? Was religion at that period more prosperous in America than in Scotland?

But we shall come much later down in the religious history of America than the beginning of the century. We come down at once to 1815. Was religion in a more flourishing condition then, than it was fifteen years before? Did the voluntary church system improve greatly in its power with the lapse of years? Let the following statements, drawn from the reports of religious societies in America, and supplied by the Americans themselves, testify. Our first facts are from the "Missionary Tour" of the Rev. Messrs. Mills and Smith, west of the Alleghany mountains.

The Rev. Mr. Wright, of Lancaster, is well acquainted with the proportionate number of the destitute in Ohio. And in his opinion, as many families as one in five, are not possessed of the Scriptures. According to this estimate, more than 13,000 Bibles are necessary, in order that there may be one to each family. This territory (Illinois) is deplorably destitute of Bibles. In Kaskaskias, a place containing from 80 to 100 families, there are, it is thought, not more than four or five. We did not find any place in this territory where a copy of the Scriptures could be obtained. Merchants occasionally bring into the territories books of this description. The common school Bible is not unfrequently sold for two dollars. When we consider the inferior manner in which the Bible is often printed, this is certainly a very high price.

We could not ascertain that there had ever been any Bibles or Testaments sent into this territory for gratuitous distribution, and comparatively but a few territories are supplied with either. Some, who are anxious to obtain the Bible, and able to purchase it, have been for years destitute. One man, whom. we saw in this territory, informed us, that for ten or fifteen years he had been using exertions to obtain the sacred Scriptures, but without success. From the best estimate we could make, with respect to the proportionate number of destitute families in the three territories of Indiana, Illinois, and Missouri, we are led to believe, that 10 or 12,000 Bibles are necessary, in order to supply each destitute family. This State (Ohio,) although in many parts deplorably destitute of the means of grace, is on the whole far better supplied both with established preachers and missionaries, than any of the States or territories west or south of it. With a population of about 250,000, it has more than fifty Presbyterian and Congregational ministers, making an average of one preacher to 5000 inhabitants; while the State of Kentucky has not one Presbyterian minister to 10,000 inhabitants, and the north-western territories not one to every 20,000. It is probable, then, that there are three Presbyterian clergymen now in the Indiana territory. But what are they for the supply of so many thousands? They are obliged to provide principally for their own support, by keeping a school through the week, or by manual labour. They have, therefore, very little time to itinerate. The settlements (on the Miami and White Water) are yet in their infancy. It is said, however, that they are able to support a minister. And yet there are people here, who, for five years past, have not seen the face of a Presbyterian clergyman. Six miles from Kaskaskias (in the Illinois territory) there is an associate reformed congregation of forty families. Besides this, we did not hear of a single organized society of any denomination in the country, nor of an individual Baptist or Methodist preacher.

In all this territory, there is not a single Presbyterian preacher. And this is not all. When we arrived, we learnt that very considerable districts had never before seen one. An inhabitant of the Eastern States can have no adequate conception of the want of schools in this country (Missouri territory). It is very common to find men of considerable property, whose children cannot read a word. The greater part of this State (Kentucky) may be considered as a proper missionary field. Some of the counties, containing from 10 to 12,000 inhabitants, have not a Congregational or Presbyterian minister within their limits.

The State of Kentucky, according to the last census, had a population of more than 400,000 souls. 30,000 Bibles are probably wanted to supply all the destitute families. There

are about 80,000 people of colour, principally slaves, within the limits of the State. It is very rare that a Bible can be found in the possession of any of them, though many of them can read; and were they possessed of it, many more would soon learn. By an estimate made about two years ago, it appears that there were twenty-five counties in the State Tennessee, containing nearly 15,000 inhabitants, without a Presbyterian minister in either of them. The vices common in our western country prevail in this State, intemperance, profaneness, sabbath-breaking, gambling, &c.

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The want of Bibles, and other religious books in this State, is probably as great as in Kentucky. A respectable clergyman says, perhaps one-fourth of our population has not a Bible." According to his estimate, which we think is too favourable, more than 10,000 Bibles are wanted, in order to give a copy to each destitute family. The whole of this territory (Mississippi territory) is exceedingly destitute of the sacred Scriptures. Very few Bibles have ever been distributed in it. There is, indeed, at Natchez, a pious gentleman, who is a bookseller, and keeps Bibles on hand for sale. But many of the people live at a considerable distance from Natchez-and very many of them are too poor, or too indifferent to religion, to purchase. Indeed some are even ashamed to buy a Bible. When they ask for one at the book-store, they often think it necessary to frame some frivolous apology for their conduct. The degraded Africans, although there are many individuals among them that can read, are almost, without exception, destitute of Bibles. The number of slaves in this territory is about 20,000; and the Bible is almost the only book that can be circulated among them, without offence to their masters. There are some American families in this part of our country (Louisiana,) who never saw a Bible, nor heard of Jesus Christ. There are some pious persons, who cannot obtain a Bible or Testament. These facts were given us by a religious teacher, who had been among the people of whom he spoke.

It is a fact that ought not to be forgotten, that so lately as last March, a Bible in any language could not be found for sale, or to be given away in New Orleans. And yet 8000 Bibles would not supply the destitute in this State.

In the general summary, it is said by Messrs. Mills and Smith, our exertions have been stimulated by a deep conviction of the deplorable state of that country. Never will the impression be erased from our hearts, that has been made by beholding those scenes of wide-spreading desolation. The whole country, from Lake Erie to the Gulf of Mexico, is as the valley of the shadow of death. Darkness rests upon it. Only here and there a few rays of gospel light pierce through the awful gloom. This vast country contains more than a million of inhabitants. Their