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Hon. Jonathan Phillips of Boston, then offered some remarks, to which we listened with great pleasure. After adverting to the nature of true religion, and its legitimate purposes regarding mankind, he glanced at the dangers attending religious associations; spoke of the evils that result to Christians from relying too much on one another in spiritual matters; dwelt on the great truth of individual responsibleness; and enforced the important duties of selfrespect, and of free, independent, personal exertion. He concluded with expressing his sympathy with the Society, in their efforts to main the cause of religious liberty, and to diffuse the truths of the gospel.

The Rev. Dr. Channing now rose, and spoke for nearly half an hour, in a strain of eloquence we have seldom heard equalled. He began with observations on the progress of liberal views of religion, which he thought very encouraging. He declared his belief, that they were held with a stronger faith now than two years ago. He dwelt with pleasure on their influence upon the community, not, indeed, as affording occasion for boasting, but as being in a high degree salutary, and as calling for devout gratitude to God. He adverted to the unhallowed methods by which these views had been opposed, particularly to the assaults made for party purposes on private character. He noticed the manner in which the attacks had been met by Unitarians, and appealed to the audience to say, whether the history of the Church afforded a parallel of mildness and forbearance on the part of a denomination of Christians, under like circumstances? He alluded to what he deemed a coalition extending through the land to put down Unitarianism. How was this to be effected? By argument? To such means he had no objection. But that the end should be compassed by the measures that had been resorted to by appeals to the ignorance and prejudices of the people-by calumny-by attempts to rob its advocates of their good name, because of their opinions, this he could not brook. By such means Unitarianism, whether right or wrong, must not-should not be put down. He could not see any cause suffer in this way. Let such efforts succeed in one case, no matter in what, and where would the evil stop? Nothing, not even liberty itself, would be safe. He closed his remarks with an appeal to those whom he addressed, to declare publicly their sentiments. It was not only their right, but their duty.

He was followed by the Hon. Wm. Sullivan of Boston, who secured the attention of the audience by a speech of great interest, in which, after alluding to the peculiar circumstances of this country in relation to religious institutions, and suggesting some means by which they are to be supported and perpetuated, he enforced, with earnestness, the duty of laymen seconding the clergy in their labours to advance the cause of Christian truth. He appealed to all classes of society to engage in this work-to the young, to the middle aged, to the old, to females; and we cannot believe that the appeal was made in vain. It is not possible that such an address, from such a man, could have failed of producing a most salutary impression.

Hon. Mr. Saltonstall of Salem, next addressed the meeting; after alluding to the animating circumstances of the occasion, and his gratification at perceiving the interest manifested by laymen, he presented the following resolution:-Resolved, That the gross personalities and libellous insinuations to be found in religious publications of the day, are to be discountenanced, and severely and openly reprobated by the friends of candour and decency.

Mr. S. observed, that the facts on which this resolution was predicated, could not be denied. He specified some of them-the attacks on the reputation of the late President of Harvard College, on the Judiciary, the Executive, and the Legislature of this Commonwealth, on Unitarian clergymen, alike on the living and on the dead. He noticed the evils that flow from this mode of maintaining a cause, the pain it occasions, and the bad passions it excites. He spoke of the duty of Unitarian Christians, to engage indeed in controversy, but to discountenance personality; at once to bear testimony to the truth, and to defend the reputation of their friends when assailed, and themselves to respect the rights and characters of their opponents. These duties were enjoined by a reverence for the precepts and example of Christ. Mr. Saltonstall's remarks were characterised by the energy of truth, and the warmth of high and generous feeling; they were uttered as with the consciousness of a holy purpose, and were received with evident satisfaction by the audience.

Other gentlemen, we believe, were prevented by the lateness of the hour from speaking. At 10 o'clock, the doxology, beginning with the words, "From all who dwell below the skies," was sung by the whole assembly standing; after which, the Association adjourned.

ON Thursday, August 6th, the Rev. John Porter was ordained by the Presbytery of Antrim, to the pastoral charge of the Second Presbyterian Congregation of Belfast, vacant by the death of the Rev. W. D. H. M'Ewen. The Rev. William Bruce commenced the services of the day by prayer; after which the Rev. J. A. Johnston, of Holywood, preached a sermon from John v. 39, "Search the Scriptures." The Rev. James Carley of Antrim, after explaining the nature and object of ordination, and stating the views of the Presbytery of Antrim in discarding the use of a formula in the admission of candidates into their body, called upon Mr. Porter to declare his general belief in the Scriptures. Mr. Porter, then, with great modesty and self-possession, stated a few of the leading doctrines of his faith. The elegant and decorous manner in which he made this statement, did great credit both to the taste and judgment of the young clergyman.

After asking the congregation if they confirmed the choice they had previously made, and receiving an answer in the affirmative, Mr. Carley, with the other ministers of the Presbytery in attendance, proceeded to the ceremony of laying on of hands. The clergymen belonging to other bodies who happened to be present, were invited to assist in the ceremony; and among those who accepted of the invitation, we observed the Rev. H. Montgomery, Rev. W. Porter, Rev. F. Blakely, Rev. Mr. Craig, Rev. Mr. Orr, &c.

The Rev. Dr. Bruce concluded the services, by delivering an address to the newly ordained clergyman and the congregation, in which he enforced their several duties, in language at once appropriate, elegant, and eloquent. In the course of his address, the venerable Doctor stated several very interesting facts in the history of the Presbytery of Antrim, and of the First and Second Presbyterian Congregations of Belfast. He said that the Presbytery had always considered their meetings as opportunities of communion rather than of legislation; and that, for upwards of a century, there has not been a single instance of interference by them between a pastor and his congregation. He stated, also, that since the separation of the Second from the First Congregation, one hundred years ago, there has been between them a constant interchange of good offices; and both ministers and people have lived in mutual friendship and Christian fellowship.

At the Congregational Dinner, there were present the

Catholic Bishop of the district, the Rev. Henry Ware of Harvard University, U. S. and many other individuals, not members of the religious society with which Mr. John Porter is connected. The proceedings were highly interesting. On the health of "the Right Rev. Dr. Crolly, and our brethren of the Roman Catholic persuasion," being given

Dr. Crolly rose, greatly affected, and said-" Mr. Chairman, I beg to offer you my best thanks, for the kind manner in which you, and this liberal and enlightened assembly, have been pleased to drink my health. The people to whom I belong are deeply indebted, in various ways, to the members of the Second Presbyterian Congregation. I enjoyed intimately the acquaintance and friendship of your late pastor; and I am most anxious to cultivate and secure a similar feeling towards his talented and esteemed successor. Mr. Porter and I may differ on points of speculative belief; but he and I shall never disagree on the more benevolent parts of the Christian doctrine. I wish him joy of his new appointment; and I hope he may maintain the high character he at present possesses. He is at the head of a body of the most enlightened Presbyterians in the United Kingdom; he stands high in literary acquirements; and these can only be eclipsed by the goodness of his heart. I here offer Mr. Porter a tender of my confidence and friendship, with an anxious willingness to co-operate with him in every work that can serve society, or benefit the dearest and best interests of human nature.' The Rev. William Porter, the Clerk of the Synod of Ulster, on his health being proposed in conjunction with the General Synod of Ulster, spoke as follows:

"The time was, Mr. Chairman, when I could have addressed you, on behalf of the Reverend Body to which I belong, without the slightest difficulty or embarrassment. The time was, when I could have characterised the members of the General Synod as advocates for the exercise of private judgment in matters of faith, and defenders of the sacred rights of conscience. The time was, when I could have held them up to view as an assembly of theologians, differing from one another on many of those points by the discussion of which the Christian world has been divided, and yet preserving the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace. It grieves me to say, that those times are gone. A few restless and intolerant individuals have risen up amongst us, who, by the incessant agitation of ques

tions on which it is well known that we entertain discordant opinions, by fomenting the prejudices of the uneducated and uninformed multitude, and by stirring up the expiring embers of political and religious animosity,have created discord and contention in our church, and lowered our character as a body in the estimation of the public. I do not despair, however, of seeing better days; the present fermentation will soon subside men's passions will gradually cool-their minds will emerge from the mist of misrepresentation, and they will perceive the delusions which have been practised on them. I am convinced, Mr. Chairman, that amongst our Calvinistic brethren in the Synod there still exists a mass of quiescent good sense, a store of latent liberality. I am convinced, Sir, that there are men amongst them who do not wish to impose restrictions upon conscience, or prescribe limits to religious inquiry-who do not wish to say to the traveller in quest of truth, Hitherto shalt thou go, but no farther.' It is to be hoped, that those men will at length lay aside their retiring timidity-their mischievous modesty. Now that the moment of emergency has arrived, it is to be hoped that they will step forth in the character and attitude of men, and insist on a return to Presbyterian principles and practice. The questions which agitate the Synod are not points at issue between the Unitarians and Trinitarians;-no, they are points in dispute between the friends of peace and of genuine Presbyterianism, and men, who, let them disguise themselves as they may, are, in fact, the enemies of both. On the part of those ministers of our body with whom I am in the habit of acting in concert, I have one thing to state, which we consider a hardship: We think we have cause to complain of being unkindly dealt with, even by liberal-minded members of our church; even liberal-minded laymen, when speaking of the existing Synodical contentions, do not sufficiently discriminate between the assailed and the assailants-between the party aggrieved, and the party guilty of aggression. They cast equal blame upon both, and represent them as equally chargeable with doing discredit to the Presbyterian cause. This we cannot help feeling as a censure unmerited by us. Throughout the whole of the late unpleasant transactions, we have acted entirely in selfdefence. In no one instance have we manifested a desire to impose our opinions on others. In no one instance

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