distance from New-York,, without any knowledge of the vigilance of its magistracy, and the excellence of its police; had we been ignorant of the abundant peace in which every religious denomination lives with every other, we should be alarmed at such representations, lest something like the revocation of the edict of Nantes, another St. Bartholomew's, or the massacres of Nismes, might approach our doors. When, however, we reflect, that nothing more has happened, than that some religious young men assembled peaceably for deliberation upon missionary plans, refused, upon examination of the Rev. Mr. Spring, to vote that he is orthodox, and so appoint his pupil, Mr. Cox, to a mission, we confess that we feel some surprise that any one should raise the cry of persecution in our city. Besides, it is manifest, that they who gave the alarm were themselves the aggressors. The Young Men's Missionary Society were originally a Calvinistic association. Their Constitution is Calvinistic. The minority urged the appointment of Mr. Cox; they proposed that he be examined by proxy; they urged upon a reluctant majority the debates about doctrine; they urged on to every step; and then, because the minority could not persuade the majority to relinquish their own sentiments, they are posted up before the world as intolerant bigots ; and the new Society appeal, to that public, for the compassion due to a persecuted people. There may be some art in this kind of management; but it is unworthy of those who act for eternity. The history of those arts, which avail for some immediate temporary purpose, is confessedly of less consequence, than the statement given of Christian doctrines. Principles are permanent. We see with regret, that in one of these pamphlets a caricature is given instead of a fair statement of Calvinistic principles: and that in the other the error is not sufficiently corrected; nor is the evangelical doctrine maintained, with all that energy, which we had a right to expect on the occasion. It is painful to be under the necessity of repelling unjust accusations; and as the mistatement of the doctrines taught in the Presbyterian Churches in this city comes before the public sanctioned by respectable names, a Review of them is indispensable. It is questionable, indeed, whether all, whose names, as officers, managers, and honorary directors, of what is, strangely enough, called The Evangelical Missionary Society of Young Men, are published with the Constitution, gave their assent to charges so indelicately, as well as unjustly, preferred against several members of the Presbytery of New-York, and against all the ministers of the other Presbyterian Churches, in the pamphlet called a Brief View, &c. We know many of those men, whose names are annexed to this work: we love them; and we feel confident that, individually, they are incapable of misrepresentation and calumny: and yet, collectively, they seem to have yielded the sanction of their names to a charge which implicates all the ministers referred to, in very high crimes-with local intolerance, resolved to burden the Church with incoherent and unintelligible dogmas. As if they could not be satisfied with this general charge, so courteously preferred against their friends and their pastors, they descend to specifications, and, in six distinct propositions, proclaim to the world the faith of them whom they oppose. We transcribe them, verbatim, in perpetuam rei memoriam. 1. "We actually sinned in Eden, six thousand years before we were born. 2. The inability of the unregenerate to comply with the terms of salvation, is the same as their inability to pluck the sun from his orbit. 3. The depravity of man destroys his accountableness. 4. The atonement is made exclusively for the elect. 5. The elect are invested with a title to eternal life, on principles of distributive justice, and that while destitute of regenerating and sanctifying grace. 6. The Christian's love of God is founded in selfishness, as completely as the miser's love of gold." Brief View, pp. 6, 7. These propositions are all distinctly expressed: but as it happens, that, with the exception of one, they are charged erroneously upon the ministers of New-York, it might be deemed sufficient to declare that this is the case. The 4th is the only one of the six that is true. All the rest are CARICATURES 3 and the fact of charging them, upon any one to whom they are intended to apply, is calumny. The 4th is true, and the charge is just. "The atonement is made exclusively for the elect." This doctrine, however, is taught, not with an intolerant spirit, but with love and delight; not as a burden to the Church, but as a matter of joy unspeakable, and full of glory. It may be called a dogma, it is true; but we cannot conjecture what they have done with their own intellect, who declare the proposition, in itself, "incoherent or unintelligible." Few words are more easily understood, or, in fact, better understood, by friends and foes, than these words, "The atonement is made exclusively for the elect." The proposition, moreover, which the Hopkinsians oppose to this, appears itself rather more to deserve the character of incoherent and unintelligible. It is in these words, p. 7. of the Brief View, "The atonement is unlimited in its nature, and limited only in its application.' We doubt very much whether any two men in New-Yorkwould agree, without previous concert, in declaring the meaning of these expressions. Were they asked, what is atonement? What is the nature of Christ's atonement? How is that nature unlimited? What is the application of the atonement? How comes that which is in its nature unlimited, to be limited in its application? What is the use or worth of the unapplied atonement? We suspect, even the Hopkinsians would be puzzled in giving intelligible and coherent answers. Let them make the experiment. By examining one another they can test the truth of this remark. If we understand the meaning of the assertion, "the atonement is limited in its application," it amounts to this, the atonement is applied exclusively to the elect; and in that case we are furnished with this con trast. The Calvinistic Principle. Christ made atonement exclu The Hopkinsian Principle. The atonement made by Christ sively for the sins of the elect of for sin is applied exclusively to God. the elect of God. Now we wish to know what but obscurity or evasion is gained by the Hopkinsian statement? It will be granted, that Christ is GOD manifested in the flesh-omniscient, unchangeable, and omnipotent. Therefore, if Christ's atonement is applied exclusively to the elect, it was designed to be so applied. It was unchangeably and eternally purposed, that Christ's atonement should be limited, in its application, to the elect. Christ, in making the atonement, and God the Father, in providing his Son to make atonement, determined that it should be applied, exclusively, to the elect. Is not, then, the whole benefit of Christ's atonement limited, in the purpose both of God and of Christ, to the elect? And what atonement is that which is not applied, which never was intended to be applied, which is without any use in the Christian system? Is this the Hopkinsian atonement? We urge this point no further: but we will not close the Review, without warning the Presbyterian Churches of NewYork of their danger from party spirit. A day of trial approaches. Adherence, faithful adherence, to the attainments of the Reformation, is, under the blessing of God, the means of escaping with safety. Let every one make it his business to inquire with diligence, and maintain truth with fidelity. Truth is not local. Country and kindred are, without truth, of no avail to the salvation of the soul. The Fathers of the Church call upon us to imitate their example, and to improve the inheritance transmitted to us. The pastors and the people are united by the bonds of the word of God and their Confessions of Faith. By these, let them try every doctrine. Let them oppose innovations with discretion and firmness: for thus saith the Lord, Stand ye in the ways, and see, and ask for the old paths, where is the good way, and walk therein, and ye shall find rest for your souls. Keligious Intelligence. Alphabetical List of Protestant Missionary Stations and Missionaries throughout the World, CANTON. [Continued from page 48.] 50,000 Roman Catholics; but they blend many A sea-port in the Empire of China, of exten-heathen notions and practices with their Chris- tianity. By the benevolent exertions of the Chief Justice, the Hon. Sir Alexander Johnston, the state of Slavery in Ceylon is put into a train of being speedily abolished for ever. COLUMBO. Is the capital of the island-population about 50,000 inhabitants chiefly idolaters, of the sect Mr. Morrison has effected the highly important object of the Translation and Printing of the New Testament in the Chinese Language Thus, through the medium of the Holy Scripturés, a way is opened for the introduction of the saving knowledge of Life and Immortality, of Budhu. into an Empire calculated to possess the im- LONDON MISSIONARY SOCIETY.-1805. mense population of hundreds of millions He has also translated the Book of Genesis and the Psalms. He has likewise composed a Chinese Grammar, printed in Bengal; and a large Chinese Dictionary, which is now printing at Macao. CAPE COAST. A British Settlement in Western Africa, under the African Company. SOCIETY FOR PROPAGATING THE GOSPEL. Philip Quaque, Native. CAPE TOWN. In South Africa. LONDON MISSIONARY SOCIETY. George Thom has resided here several years, and has been useful both to Europeans and Slaves. The following five Missionaries are on their voyage, to reinforce the Missions in South Africa. John Taylor, Evan Evans Robert Moffat, J. D. Palm, Sent out as a Missionary, is now minister of the Mr. Chater has nearly finished a Grammar of the Cingalese, and is now able to preach in Portuguese. Mr. Griffiths has lately joined him WESLEYAN METHODISTS.-1814. JAFFNAPATAM. WESLEYAN METHODISTS.-1814. James Lynch. BATTICALOE. WESLEYAN METHODISTS-1814. GALLE WESLEYAN METHODISTS-1814, These Missionaries visit Matura. From the same Society, the following Missionaries sailed for Ceylon and the East, and arrived in safety at Galle-Samuel Broadbent, Robert Carver, Elijah Jackson, and John Callaway; John M'Kenny having arrived be This celebrated island, lying off the south eastern point of the Peninsula of India, now wholly in possession of the British Crown, of fers the most ample and unrestricted encou-fore them from the Cape The following have ragement for Missionary Exertions. Both the Portuguese and the Dutch, who successively possessed Settlements here, promoted Christianity. There are now about 150,000 persons bo profess themselves Protestants, and about been appointed to the same destination :-W. From the American Board of Missions, there A |