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Within the period, embraced in this report, there have been admitted to the order of priests, six :-David I. Campbell, J. W. Chanler, Henry Gibbes, R. Dickenson, E. Rutledge, and Peter Van Pelt; the latter by the bishop of Pennsylvania. And to that of deacons, also six persons of this diocese :-W. H. Mitchell, E. Philips, B. H Fleming, F. H. Rutledge, M. Motte, and T H. Taylor; the latter by the bishop of Pennsylvania. The number of candidates recognised by this diocese, is four.

The Rev. Thomas Osborne, who bad removed into Ohio, has returned to the parish he formerly had in South Carolina. Six young men from the diocese have been pursuing their studies preparatory to the ministry, at the General Theological Seminary.

There are at present thirty five organized congregations. Five of them are vacant. Since this state was settled by Christian people, there has never been so many ministers of our communion as at present.

The mis

The Protestant Episcopal Society for the Advancement of Christianity in South Carolina has essentially contributed to the present promising condition of our ecclesiastical concerns. It has aided several of the parishes, otherwise unable to support ministers. sionaries sent forth at different times, have all, with a single exception,* derived their whole support from this society. It is formed on the most comprehensive plan, being at once a bible, a prayer book, a tract, a missionary, and an education society. Its books have been distributed in most of the parishes. It has aided several young men while engaged in their academical studies, preparatory to theology; after which, it has been hoped, our theological seminary, by scholarships, or otherwise, would provide for them. It possesses a select library, which contains about one thousand volumes, and is increasing, instituted more particularly for the use of the clergy and the candidates for the sacred office.

The Charleston Protestant Episcopal Missionary Society, composed of young men and others, designed to act as auxiliary to the elder institution, when necessary, and to send missionaries beyond the diocese, within which the earliest society is restricted, has had a missionary for nearly two years at St. Augustine.

The exciting among our youth an interest in the cause of the Redeemer and his church, and the regulation of their zeal by well established principles, are among the valuable effects which appear to have resulted from this association.

(TO BE CONTINUED.)

LITERARY.

HOOKER'S WORKS, AND ARCHBISHOP POTTER ON CHURCH Government. We learn, with great pleasure, that it is the intention of E. and H. Clarke, of Middletown, Connecticut, to republish Hooker's works,

*The mission to Cheraw, here referred to, was partly maintained by the Young Men's Society.

from the last Oxford edition. We have not yet received their proposals, but shall take the earliest opportunity of laying a notice of them before our readers.

Messrs. S. Potter and Co. have issued proposals for publishing, by subscription, Archbishop Potter's work on Church Government. The conditions are as follows:

"The work will be published in one neat 8vo. volume, of about 400 pages, on good paper and a fair type. Price to subscribers, $2,50, boards, $3,00 neatly bound and lettered.'

The following recommendation, by Bishop Moore, of Virginia, expresses so well our own opinion of this work, that we choose to insert it instead of giving any comment of our own.

"I have long regretted that the admirable treatise of Archbishop Potter, on Church Government, was not more generally known and read. It has never been republished in this country, and the English copies are extremely scarce and dear. Considering that it contains an irrefutable argument in favour of the divine institution of Episcopacy; an argument which has never been answered: it must be a matter of congratulation to all the friends of the Church and of primitive truth and order, that we are like to have this desideratum supplied by an American edition, for which Messrs. Potter and Co. of Philadelphia, have issued proposals. It will be compressed into a convenient octavo volume of about 300 pages, and furnished at a price within the means of most of your readers. It ought to be in the hands of every Episcopalian; indeed, of every person who attaches value to whatever is consecrated by apostolical establishment and practice.

"It must be confessed, that there is a lamentable ignorance in our community in general, with respect to the grounds and reasons of the Episcopal constitution of the ministry. And believing as I do, in my conscience, that we are not justified in departing therefrom, and that consequently, we are bound to promote whatever is calculated to give correct information upon the subject; I most cordially hail the prospect of the wide diffusion of the invaluable work abovementioned.

RICHARD C. MOORE, Bishop of Virginia."

We venture to express the hope that Messrs. Potter and Co. will be particularly careful in reprinting this excellent book, to examine the correctness of the marginal references. In a work of this nature, where it is very important to examine the authorities referred to, a wrong figure, or inaccurate quotation, may subject the student to great trouble, and the author to unmerited censure. It appears to us, that in the last part of the work some notes exhibiting the difference as to internal organization between the Church of England, and the Protestant Episcopal Church in America, would be very useful. The arbitrary association with the Episcopal office of those temporal privileges, honours, and immunities which are accorded to it under monarchical forms of civil government, but which have no more to do

with it than a legal establishment has with the existence of the Christian church, has been one of the greatest impediments in this country to the increase of apostolick principles. The value of Messrs. Potters' edition will be vastly increased, if the venerable father of our American Episcopacy can be prevailed upon to revise and edit the work of the Archbishop.

TO THE EDITOR OF THE GOSPEL ADVOCATE.

By inserting in your work the following communication, acknowledging the liberality of the ladies of St. Paul's church, you will confer a favour upon your obedient servants, A. E.

S. F. J. From the Philadelphia Recorder, of March 13. THE treasurer of the Domestick and Foreign Missionary Society of the Protestant Episcopal Church in the United States of America, acknowledges the receipt of the following sums:

From the ladies of Dr. Samuel F. Jarvis's parish in Boston, to constitute him and the Rev. Asa Eaton, of Christ church, patrons of the society

From Rev. Charles P. M Ilvaine, a collection made in Christ church, Georgetown, District of Columbia

$100

$19

The undersigned, having received the sum of fifty dollars each, from "the ladies of St. Paul's church," to constitute them patrons of the Domestick and Foreign Missionary Society, and having no other method by which they can convey the expression of their thanks to the donors for their pious liberality, beg leave thus publickly to acknowledge their gratitude for so acceptable and encouraging a testimony of respect and confidence. They are requested also, by the secretary," to present the thanks of the board of directors to the ladies of St. Paul's church, for their liberal contribution to the missionary fund." ASA EATON,

Boston, March 23, 1824.

SAMUEL F. JARVIS.

The subscriber takes this method of expressing his gratitude to the ladies of St. Mary's church, for their liberality in presenting him with the sum of fifty dollars, to constitute him a patron of the Domestick and Foreign Missionary Society of the Protestant Episcopal Church; and hopes that their example will stimulate and encourage others to contribute liberally to the same benevolent object. Newton, Nov. 20, 1823.

ALFRED L. BAURY, Rector of St. Mary's Church, Newton.

TO CORRESPONDENTS.

WE are gratified to bear again from our friend P. P. S. on "The Piety of the Scholar," and trust that the spirit of piety, which directed him in writing this article, will aid him in tracing the unfavourable influences of other professions and avocations, on the Christian character. His paper will be inserted in our next.

THE

GOSPEL ADVOCATE.

No. 41.]

MAY, 1824.

[No. 5. Vol. ¡V.

THEOLOGICAL.

TO THE EDITOR OF THE GOSPEL ADVOCATE.

THE PROPRIETY, IN A MORAL POINT OF VIEW, OF THE CONQUEST OF CANAAN BY THE ISRAELITES, CONSIDERED.

Few objections to the divine origin of the Old Testament history have appeared more plausible than that which has been made to the account which it contains of the conquest of Canaan by the Israelites. As an enterprise carried on under the direction of the Almighty, and by his express command, it has been thought to impeach his moral character. It has been represented as a series of acts in which cruelty and rapine were associated in a most horrible degree; a sanguinary destruction, which could not have been sanctioned by God, and which must certainly have produced in its agents an utter destitution of the feelings of humanity.

To notice this objection, and to endeavour to supply a sufficient answer, is the object of this lecture.

It will not be denied by the objector, (for it is the Deist, not the Atheist who offers it,) that the punishment of guilt is consistent with God's attributes; and it will be admitted, that when the punishment is national, there can be no discrimination; individuals who are innocent necessarily partaking of the chastisement which is designed for the guilty. Otherwise he will be obliged to account for the fact, which the history of all ages attests, that in the ruin of kingdoms and the sacking of cities, the innocent infant falls a victim as well as the abandoned villain; and that the same fact is witnessed on occasions of destruction produced by natural phenomena. Paine's objection, from this circumstance, is unworthy of notice; since it is not an objection to the divine authority of the Mosaick history, but in truth to what we see to be the present constitution of things. The Deist, as well as the Christian, is bound to reply to it, and if pursued into its consequences it must lead to Atheism.

Neither can it be denied that the iniquity of the Canaanitish nations was such as to call for retribution. They were idolatrous. In reply it must not be said that so were other nations, and that this was the effect of errour, rather a proof of mental blindness requiring instruction and offering a palliation for guilt, than demanding punishment. Idolatry in all its forms is indeed an object of pity, and implies ignorance, but among the Canaanites, it was connected with every crime that can disgrace human nature. It made them ferocious and cruel. Their own offspring they consigned to the flames in order to propitiate their bloody deities. Their sacred rites were impure.

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Idolatry made them commit unnatural crimes. They were bestial, incestuous, adulterous; prone, in a word, to every crime which can disgrace humanity. The prohibitions in the sacred history with which the writer warns the Israelites not to partake of their enormities— facts which are therein narrated of which it is sufficient to mention the affair of the Midianites, and to remark that the history of the kings affords frequent instances-concur in proving that the idolatry of the Canaanitish nations was not only weak and pitiable, but sanguinary and lustful in the bighest degree. I consider it unnecessary to quote the passages of scripture by which these remarks may be confirmed. It may be proper, however, to observe, that when the Lord informed Abram (Gen. xv. 18.) that he had given him the land which was about 400 years afterwards possessed by his posterity, the reason why the accomplishment of the promise was delayed is given in these words," the iniquity of the Amorites is not yet full;" which proves, that the extirpation of the Canaanitish nations was not intended to take place till they had completed the measure of their crimes, and become fit objects of divine indignation-that a sufficient space of time was allowed for their repentance, and if they neglected to improve it they must bear the consequences-and that, under such circumstances, the punishment even of extirpation comported with the moral attributes of God. The state of society which the abovementioned crimes would of course have produced, must have been brutal, licentious, and every way immoral in the extreme.

It will hardly then be questioned, that under such circumstances it is consistent with the nature of the Supreme Being to inflict punishment; and it will be granted that the degree must be regulated by bis own infinite knowledge of every particular, of the necessity of the case, and of its bearing on the general welfare.

But it is still objected, that if punishment were necessary, if total destruction were required, it is incredible that God should command this work of ruin to be performed by the sword of the Israelites. Rapine and ferocity could not have the sanction of divine authority. Why could not the nations of Canaan have been swept off by a pestilence, and the Israelites placed without resistance in the possession of their territory ?"* Undoubtedly the Almighty could have adopted this mode of punishment, but among the variety of methods of effecting an object which may be presented to the all-wise mind, it is surely his province to determine which is the most expedient. This we must allow even when we cannot discern the motives which may have led to the selection. But in the case before us, it is not impossible to perceive some reasons which may make the mode adopted not only not immoral but in itself particularly proper. Let it be noticed then that an action in itself immoral, becomes a duty under very peculiar circumstances. As it is remarked by a valuable writer, "a clear divine interposition plainly requiring a particular act of obedience to an immediate divine command, so materially affects the principle on which that action is performed, the motives from which it proceeds, and the effect it produces on the minds of those who are

* Graves.

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