Standard, Volume 4, Number 22, Madison, Jefferson County, 20 March 1835 — Page 2

88

THE STANDARD.

deeded. Designated. V:ss. Assis, Cherokers, Choctaws, Creeke, Osage?, and Indians west of tae State of Missouri, The Sioux, Ojibwas, Indians in Xew York, 1 6-2 Totals, 19 Also, two teachers for the Cherokecs, two for the Osages, and five for the Choctaws. One accepted missionary and one assistant missionary are vet to receive appointments. Such is a brief view of the plans and piogrcss of the Board, so far ns missionaries arc concerned, fur several yeais past; and such are its plans and prospects for the present year. The plans are urge' upon it by the manifest indications and call of Pr'v" idence. L'miled as they are, and they areexc-cd-ingly limited compared with what they should'"! they are in imruinentdnnger of being more tlan half frustrated bv the want of missionaries From the foreffoinc schedule it appeal "iat the j .i., r ..,;J;.;o ...i, :.... Hoard h:,c ! I K. UUlIJUtl 4 I 1 1 I .?HMI Ul iliLil 'It' - .,n...rJ ..f i i. r. . ,r,rn of time equal to ono-srventh purt of the proHtion allowed ! to a generation of heathen upon c'rM, is about l'.'.O. ( and thatM (not including man iot or unmarried ft. males) have been obtained of" bom (54 only were ' nrH:m. mir.i.rc ftl, I ll:- rhlirrll of! Is iho church of Christ in earntst in ii.-fioits to f:ii the earth with ! the knowledge of d Lord? Shall the Board go on occupying new ground.' bl.ail it any longer Cn-1 deavor to ke P"".ce with the grand movements of j Providence? During the three vears past, six or dameJ missionaries, and two male assistant missionaries, have died; and nine missionaries and twenty j male assistant missionaries, owing to impaired health, ! the expiration of the time for which some of them j rnc'tged in the work, the discontinuance of the j missions in the former Choctaw country and amontr the Chickasaws, or fr other reasons, have withdrawn from the service of the Board; leaving the increase of ordained missionaries in four years only 4'J, and the number of male assistant missionaries actually less by two, at the present time, than it was four years ago. This leaves the number of missionaries of the Board now amo; g the heathen Ci), and the present number of male assistant missionaries 47. But what aie these, in comparison with the many millions in Afnca, ai.d western, southern, and eastern Asia, and the islands of the sen, and on our own continent, to whom we have undertaken to proclaim the gspel? When will the work be done? how ? by whom? Why should not the chinches of America do it, and do it far more rapidly? Mice men will be urgently needed the present year to s'istam the operations of the Board, than there is now any prospect of obtaining. The Committee are aware that tiie Churches have not the power at once, or in a single year, to raise up an indefinite number of well qualified missionaries to meet the great and increasing demand of the heathen wotld. To ;:c on plish this is the work of time. It is, also, to a very cons:c!erable extent, pecnliaily the woik of God; He only can convert the hearts of the young men in our country and endue thi ni with the gd's and graces which are requisite for so holy ;snd laborious a calling; and he only can frx their minds and hearts tin the heathen, and dispose thnu to abandon all the blessings of their native land r.nd encounter cheerfully the toils and exposures of a niissioiiuiy life, "let to raise up a mi ruber of missionaries adequate to perform the service which Christ, at bis ascension, charged his fol lowers with, and to furnish them for their calling, is a work in which the churches have an important agency, and tor which they are to a very great extent responsible. If the conversion of the heathen to Gd should linger 01 be postponed for some centuries to come, for the want of an adequate number of missionaries, would it be any lhe less lhe fauli of the churches, than if the failure had been owing to the want of adequate funds? Did not Chris', when he gave Irs command to disciple all nations, make his followers responsible for iho means requisite; and if they are faithful, may thev not be conlident of his blessing on their effort to obtain the means? Are there, then, it may he respecfiillv and affectionately asked, those anxious and untiring exertions made, which lhe exigency demands, for multiplying, greatly and speedily, the number of candid ites for the foreign missionaiv service? Are those institutions whose special object it is to train up young men for the ministry, as liberally supported as I hey ought to be? Are due effoiis made in ail parts of our land to search out young men of piety and lalenis, and induce them to enter on a course of study for the s acred office? Is unceasing and fervent prayer offered for our colleges, that the young men in them may be converted and qualified to serve God among the heathen? Do ministers and private Christians every where labor and pray for the effusion of the Holy Spirit and the conversion of souls around them, as they would do, if they had an unquenchable desire for the s .lvatiori of the heaihen, and realized how much the sneedv accomplishment of this depends on a great increase of the number of missionaries? Are all suitable means used to direct the minds of ministers and candidates for the ministry to the six nrxDREr millions of jieathens, and to the demand made by them benighted, miserable, and perishing in sin ;.s they are for immediate help? If all this is not f.iithfullv felt and done, how can the churches excuse themselves before their Redeemer and Head, that thev have sent, and are preparing to send, so few men to perform the reat work of converting all nations unto God. As the forr going remarks relate principally to the apprehended deficiency in the number of missionaries, it may be inferred that no increase in the receip's of the Board will be necessary for the current ye ir. It should, however, he stated that, if the expenses at the several missions already establish ed remain the s ime, any increase of the number of missionaries must necessarily increase the expenditures of the Board. Shoiild'the Board send out this year thirty missionaries and male assistant missionaries, which but little exceeds the number sent forth' during the last year, tht-ir outfit and conwynncc to lhc.rEi-vcr.il fields of UMir, logchrr with what it s necessary to advance fr 1(,lr Slippr, wil b. aLly occ sinn an increase of ....... ....... .1 .. . . . io o 1 1 1- ,u)o e 01a 1 of the last year of .,t leas. S'UO. OU.or reasons exist fir an ...crease ex,H-,,h,we. , ne:(r,v ., well conducted missions, l t, hu.b(,c.M j,, ccssfwl opeia.,..,, for a ,,,!, r of ye.,,s .ciit,v enlarged plans have been lonnod tor prom ', notion and for .he distribution of b..ks, j.s .Vi'. c se ;,,.,g ,e M.diralias, Ceylon, ;i( a,',ie S.X well Umd, the exp.-nd.t. in s must increase from e .rto ye.,r. Oth.-rw is,, .he h.ho.s of ibe missionaries already theie cannot be rendered most eihcifr.r.nor the grBtW advantage N t-ken "f lU

For the prttenl year.

progress already made. Tl e amount which sho-.ild be added to the" expenditures of last year on this account cannot be stated definitely. It should not, however, be lees than 510,000. This would make the sum needed by te Board fur establishing new missions, and strengthening th.osejilre.aily in operation and extending 'heir influence, to exceed that expended last yar by $30,000. The Comrr-Hee have never presented an appeal to the Chris'ian community under circumstances more slemn'and affecting than the present; or when th'V felt it more necessary to solicit their brethre in the ministry and of t he churches to take n s'miein their responsibility. The urgency of the worl is every year becoming greater. Missionaries ar not suffered to remain by reason of death. Ten if their brethren and sisters who one year ago were laboring among the heathen, have fallen in the field ; four of whom were preachers of the gospel. Three

other preachers have been providentially called from me., wo.h. ,wiu now, jusi as uicse suee.s are go- , mg to the public, the Head of tin: Church, for rea- j sons, winch, whether plain to US or not, we know i are pe.iecny ise arm goou, nas rcnimeu l.y .seam i '.u execu.ne umceroi me L.oara u, wnom was speciany mtiusted llie correspondence Willi the church- . - - t'?. on whom, more than n anv other. theUw BMrcl dep-,'-''J cbta.ning add.iional m.ss.oiia- . s the mcrcse of its resources. ia.t the ; d s ear is not heavcy that he c-.miot heir, nor ; arm shortened that be cannot s -ve. May he by I ",a ' "eciu.uiy ie.,cii me ci:uicncs am; Hie j "ia I''l ClKClU.ll!- le.iCII IHC Cl:lllC!lCS aiMl tilt i 1"'!w l' vilic'' designs L.y Inese momevents, hll ns all with holy zed and perse vec- j ' " . - gosp--. oe.y cu-a.u.e, ar.o , ll"e us ''ligently to accomplish as an hireling our j u 'i "Ml ,,lc ullJ,JU 01 sollis "") 'wi i i-'st ue "J"-'"" in our skirts. 11. ANDERSON, DAVID GREENE, j Missionary Koo?i:s. Fib. IDA. Secretaries. TIIE PASTOR'S NEW-YEAR'S GIFT, Or thoughts for every member of the. church on the duty of making special efforts to promote public worship in 1835. Disciples of Jesus! Suffer your friend to lay his plea at your feet. I. This year, strive daily and without tiring for high attainments in personal holiness. II. Spare no efforts to promote the purity. peace, highest welf.re of this church. III. Labor perpetually, and with all your might, for the conversion of your family, kindred, neigh bors, mankind IV. Let it be vour first, last, constant, chief nur- i pnse, to honor

. i purse, exampl V. For these ends, consider the duly, privileges, ! and neglect of public woiship. and the excuses and

God with your heart, hands, tongue, I s"cl' ''"'"gsare done here; -here, where mdepene, influence . prayers. " lcr.ce of opinion is so stienously advocated ? Yes

remedy for this neglect, and fail not to apply the ! The following f,cts came to our knowledge duremcdy. ' j ring the past week , of the truth of which the'e can 1. The duty Public worship is rearonable and ! 1)0 " ''"uht. proper it falls in with our obligations to keep holy v ,7 "un resting, amiable and intelligent boy, ibe Sabbath, and to hi ing our children up in tile fear i a,1(lllt seventeen yeais of age, of Irish descent, last of God it is enforced by the promises, threaten- ! 'l'ct ,uber commenced working as an apprentice at

nigs, and declarations of the Bible, by the example and counsel of good men. of prophets, of apostles, and of Jesns Christ. All who neglect it dishonor God, the Bible, religion, the church, themselves. 2. The privileges. Public worship promotes bodily rest, personal cleanliness, decency, mildness, and civility of character, social order, nood neJnhliornoi.'d, ana souno n.oi.tnu , i-.pai.os i:te mind, restrains excessive love of the world, rebukes vice, leads to the know ledge, reverence and love of God, Father, Son, and Holy Ghost to an acquaintance with ourselves, destiny, and duty, and to the attainment of forgiveness, holiness and heaven it thus blesses the body, mind, soul, and its fruits will l ist forever. 3. The neglect. Half the people of this village, lown, county, state, nation, are not regular itteudunfsi.n nnhlif woosl.in T!iot!.- of lliic ; !' , 1 4. The excuses. No seat.no decent clothes,; hard labor through the week funily cares, books j to read at home, dislike of I he preacher. ' 5. The remedy. Church members must ahcays I attend, and thus set a sound example they must exert a daily, direct, personal influence they must piironize the Sabbath School provide for the poor and the stranger and offer unceasing prayer. Let every member of this church always attend, bringing his family when possible, and let him do weekTv what he cm, and before lSio is gone, the results will be visible, satisfactory, glorious. Dear friend! Do this, looking to God, and your personal holiness will he advanced the church will prosper the impenitent will be converted the great God will be honored and this will he, as I devoutly wish, to you and yours and me also, a h.vpi'Y tw ykar. Bost. fiec. IH TV .VXD ENCOURAGEMENT OF THE MINISTRY. And why will the Lord send none to feed his flock who do not love him? because they alone will truly love the sheep. They have a motive yvilhi:i them which constrsineth them to unremitting cheerful diligence; a motive, of which those know not ibe power, who have not themselves been led to flee for life to that Savior, who loved them and gave himself for them. But when once a man has come to the knowledge of bis lost and miserable state, mid hnlb found h. poruicl c..mf..n l,j ,c. liance on his Redeemer, he will most gladlv spend and be spent in his service. He perceives and rejoices in the love of God, in tint he laid down his lift: for him, and now with hearty w illing zeal acknowledges the obligation that he ought to lay down his life for the brethren. He is bought with a price he is not his own, and therefore liencefoith lives not (o himself but to the Lord. If we then, my brethren, desire that to us ministers, the yoke of Christ should be easy; and his burthen light, let us learn more of the burden of our own iniquities. If we can see clearly, from what a weight of wrath he hath redeemed us, we cannot think his commandments grievous. "2. But a willing mind is not enough. We must also learn the right way and means to do this work of saving souls, or we shall yet be useless p stots. And here let us remember, that without Christ we can do nothing. The salvation and edification of his church is his own woik; we aie but nistiuiiients in Ins hands. But then we are instalments appointed by bun, and he has promised thai to the end of the world, be will aKv; ys be with ns to strengthen us. The conversion of one sinner is above the reach of man's ability or wisdom. For in attempting it, yve wrestle not against lleshand Mood, but against spirits of wickedness, who will d a,eir uoisl to deleat us. But if we he Christ's, greater .s K. that is with us, than be which is aI gainst ns. God will make us to triumph; for those i """ which are impossible with man, aie possible

with God; and they who trust in him shall never be confounded.

''Since then, it is by humble faith in the pow- i tirwl ..F lL..A iL.i ,1,.ll I.. 1 - :. ! erand help of God, that we shall be made superior to the great enemy of souls, and be enabled to labor successfully for their salvation, let us consider what will be the fruits of this faith, that we may judge whether it exists in our hearts. INTERESTING FROM BURMAH. ! The Gospel is making progress. attention and ! inquiry are awakened in Ava, "the Golden City' I Mr. Kincnid writes, as we learn from the Mission- i ary Register, that "several men of intelligence and i learning have carefully read the Christian bHks and ; pamphlets, and acknowledged their conviction of I the gospel. The distribution of these publications ! is awakenina attention and inouirv in the Golden ! CitV. OnonMlvP l,nUr,nnn!,li,l,.,wl,, ,n i l(U, W;1S imprisoned fur a month. At the funeral f a puriugnese chili, Mr. K. read some passes nf ,jie Sc riptures on the resurrection, which excited much notice hi the crowd. The f-overnmet.t h is appointed a mm to report the persons who call on iho mi;n..nrv A tl, ....... U.,r f i, .,;, ,, .....m, , , ui.w ii.kii wv w i vhiao . - .v IT.. i" f-.,nfi,t,.,,f t.-r..r it.-.i .1 :i 1 - strained from driving him out of the city. Mr. Cutter and his press arrived in Ava from ! RiU15lion. on ,!ie lst Jllm:irv, On the 'Jib ,i ,ie n,OI1,hlv concert was observed at sunrise. On j t ie 11 I t. Messrs. K nea d and Cutter visiiod R.w ! t!ll llth. Mors ICin:,iH nml f 'nllor rl.l.J T?... ' n,;l, Catholic village, near the city of Ummeraqoora, ' an1 a pn,,ic nrgum(.nl xvith one of the priesls ;i un J(;lIl;in. 0n the 15th, the number of persons ilo ,cara ,!0 gppel j,, ,ie collrse 0f a day was seven to eic-ht hundred ; and from two to four linn-1 dre-J tracts were distributed. Two young Burmese j were baptized on the 20th. On the 28th, two native ; ! assistants reported that they had been preaching to j lirge numbers in Ava. "The gospel is now sound-1 j ing out into every town around.'" On the lGth of j February, Mr. Kincaid writes that the government had acknowledged the missionaries had a right to print their books and '-praise their own religion."' They objected, however, to their publishing any which reviled the Buinian creed. Six children have learned to read, and the wives of Messrs. K.and C. follwl CDnn linvn n rrirl crIi.wil if l...,r l.-wl .1,. cessary nooks, and a simply o the artic es reou red ! . . ... - . ! in teaching to sew. .. i . ' POPERY IN BOSTON A FACT. I out giving it a careful penis al,- nor without thinklne mer 'N ;inJ weeping over it. Is it a fact that i. .i i . m Ios,oni liberty of conscience is opposed by ;hysica force. the printing business, in an office in Cornhiil. II parents are Papists, but he has been sceptical respecting the truth of Popery for some time past.His parents discovered it, and with the genuine spirit of lhe church, began to take incipient measures to bring the boy back to the faith. On the evening of the first of January, his moth- . - - " iu io coniession; nut he evaded the request. January (Jib he met his father in the street, who wished him lo go home with him to converse with one of the priests. The ecclcsiaslic urged the importance of his being "confirmed," and recoivin" the sacrament, saying, he should obey his parents in mitteis of religion. Upon the boy's saying, incidentally, that he hnd a bible given to him as a new year's present, the priest said, "The Bible was not made for common folks to read, but only for the ministers of the church. The next h.y he went home again. His reverence was immediately sent for. When be entered he accosted the 1 id thus,- l'You urefehl how often must I come to see you for nothing !"' The boy replied -"I did not send for you." An old woman who was listening, asked him how he dared to talk so to a priest. "Dont yot know," said she, "that he could strike you dead, and has power to remove mountains?" The priest heard this, but did not contradict her. The woman said, "if ye war my son, I'd chain ye ind the boose: anil satisfy myself by batcing ye- I'd make ye be a Caterlic." His f.ther told him "if he was going to leave the Roman Catholic faith, to quit his house, and never come there again, and never speak to him hereafter. He got into a towering passion, snatched up a stick of fire wood, about two inches thick, and struck him, saying that it "would be a charity to kill him." The ensuing Saturday the father called at lhe printing oflice, and ordered the youth to go to his boarding house, get his clothes and return home. Through fear of ill treatment he refused. On Monday morning the father called again, and promised if he would return home, not to talk with him on the subject of religion. Consequently he went. When he arrived in the house, Ids father took him by the hair, struck him several limes,1 and knocked his head against the wall. He then took oil Ins clothes, mid made him put on some sailor's apparel, and told him if he attempted to escape he would murder him. Several men were stationed on the stairs around the house as guards. After being locked up for a day and a night, in lhe up per chamber, and beaten several limes very severely, by the advice of the priest, he was released, and told to leave the house immediately, and never enter it again. Thus was lhe hoy sent from the home of his parents, a wanderer over the f ice of the earth, because he chose to adhere to that belief which he thought most consistent! We have the names of all concerned in our possession. One thing should be particularly remarked, viz., that the father was apparently the insliuniciit merely, of lhe Boston Popish priesthood. The comment we leave with lhe reader; but we would just say that yve have not done with the subject. She to proe this, related lhe following mined, s: A piiest blessed a Mor womans coin in Ireland. Shoilly after, during an inundation, all the com in the whole town was spoiled but hers! Another piiest, as she slated afterwards, always lighted his candle without any fire! By lhe way, this same holy man, as the old lady acknowledged, was a veiy social personage; he would drink his wine and swear with the bravest of them.

P. S. Since writing the above we have had an

other interview with the young man. He has re ceived warning from a brother not to no alone near i . . . o . his fathers house, as the Panisls in that vir.imtv threaten to kill him. One of them said he "didn't think any thing of killing a Protestant." Zioivs Herald. THE WAGES OF SIX IS DEATH." Editor: I have witnessed within the last !en T' sce,u's ' ie ,nost !,omd "a,ure sI)OW-! ,h? -'"''y of human misery and degrada- ; , e ,mP tss" mi.de by them on my mind In,hi,!,,'' Y'111n,e,ver ,,e ft"Sen. D:td " i - n,Sht U,ev"' '"8t: aI ai:,Vtrn ' ,i,,s v,1'':,?e' ! V'"""2 ( . ll!,,es-i fl,," ' ' ,e 1e,,tcIt 0,1,r,1 (iruik.ng lie supposed to hue "e,i ;U Sf,,emM l"",r lf nndnight, as he was' died at the solemn hour of midnight, as he found dead in his bed Tuesd iv morirn". IO,ln,i k;id 1,1 hisbed TllCsd IV m..ri,T;. The fict cannot be ascertained to a certainty, for he had 110 attendants, not a friend; as the beast dieth ' so died he. 1 1 is companions at the bar, though i brave in the service of the evil spirit, shrunk from ! his bed w hen he passed the .lord in of death. On the bunday following (lSth ins!.) died at the ! j . s;ime PI,iCR n,1(1 b.v 'he same cause, II c i 3 l,,an S'lvhairs, an old resident of P C""n'y- JIP 1;e si,,,n? "'..'"f f,,,!,,r- 1 suw 1,l,n ""I ,,r Uvo ''ours before he died; his countenance ns,lf , V1C, ,errorisiof hell had seized 0,1 Ins uivc ..j.aiaucu iuu t,uKvn - J , ' . ,,,e s,,vf CMrd wo,,11 ii(,(n l)e , . ' 1 f h"V wouK! be brokcn :" ' "" . , ' ' '" y j ,l,e S:im.ecnin8: and i.,s p',n "k hehind the j . ' -u"5,o"tu "arrow On Tuesday following (20th inst.) in the same place, another hum in being (J. G.) died of the effect's of the same destroying bowl. Thus in eight days three souls fell victims at the shrine of Bacchus, in one house; a licensed house for what? Sh-dl I say murder, by dealing out slow poison? If I were to use the rieht terms I probably should. In the short space of one week , three immortal souls hurried into eternity, "unwept unsung,'" with nothing k it to memory but a polluted name. Should such thiiu's be in an enloditenM rlll-ICll-.iril.l rrt.ceA I .... 1 7 I ' ."---- b" 1 ' mo,, ,,. . I ill 11 IS. Here in this village are men professing morality. i. ... and religion too, and 1 have scarce beaid a word rom ",e,n :,g;""-st me evil. What will G. d require Aietliey afraid to lift a voice against so Heaven forbid! Yet such is the case. O. P. Q. H , Ohio, 23 January, 183.". THE STANDARD. FRIDAY, MARCH 20, l83.-. Errata. In that part of the Essay "On marriage with ibe sister of a deceased wife," which appears in the Standard of the Cth i.istant, some typographical errors occur, two of which, perhaps, had better be noticed. In the first paragraph of the reply to the objection from Lev. xviii. 13, instead of "only making provision that, in this case, "they ihoitld marry two sisters," read "they should not marry two sisters." A little farther down the "one wife to another." PnorosED ruuucATioxs. It will be highly gratifying to the friends of truth, to learn that the Rev. Dr. Hodge, Trofessor of Oriental Literature and Liblical Criticism in the Theological Seminary at Princeton, is preparing, and yvill shortly publish, a Commentary on the Epistle to the Romans. The attainments of Professor Hodge in Biblical Literature, the soundness of his Theological views, and the spirit of elevated , humble, consistent piety which never forsakes him in the Lecture Room, and which pervades all his writings, even those of the most controversial character, eminently qualify him for such a work. We hope it will prove a powerful and complete antidote to the ponderous and rotten Commentary on the same Epistle, published a few years since at Andover, and to another more recently issued at Philadelphia, from the pen of a Presbyterian (falsely so called) clergyman. Wearesureit will, solar as a plain and forcible exhibition of truth are concerned. Rev. Georhe Fish, A.M., Professor of HebrewLiterature in the University of New York, has, in the Press, a new Hebrew Grammar. From the inspection of a sheet received by mail, we are disposed to judge very favorably of the work, as it respects its general plan and arrangement. Rev. Dr. Green, of Philadelphia, has issued proposals for publishing by subscription, in two volumes, octavo, the whole works of the late Kev. Jonx WiTHERsrooN, D. D. L. L. D., together with the life of the author and an estimate of his character as a writer and a divine, in connection with a Summary History of the Presbyterian Church from its origin to the death of Dr. Wit hers poon. The proposed work will contain a considerable number of articles from the pen of Dr. W., which are not contained in cither of the tyvo editions of his works which have already appeared in this country, both printed under the superintendance of Dr. Green. It is not expected that the third edition can appear in a period much short of one year from the present time. The Doctor says he is determined that haste shall not produce omissions and inaccuracies. We sincerely hope and pray that life and health may be given unto our venerable father until he has accomplished his long wished for object, and given to the yvorld "a life of his early and best friend his venerated teacher, counsellor and patron," in a manner "worthy of the subject." Installation. Rev. S. D. Blythe was insta' led, by the Presbytery of Philadelphia, Fast"' of the Seventh Presbyterian Church of that 011 the 16th ult. Sermon by Rev. G. V- 1 etuune, Tastor of the First Dutch Reformed church of Philadelphia Rev. Wm. Engi.es resided, proposed the constitutional question. an,l delivered the charge to the Pastor charge to the People, by Rev. S. G. Winchester. iev. ,ur. v.oir .u-ceioeu uic; i leMuency oi Transvlvariia University. ri ht i . i .i.- n :j .r

For the Standard. ON MARRIAGE WITH THE SISTER OF A DECEASED WIFE. Concluded.) We now proceed to Historical evidence of the light in which marriage with the sister of a deceased wife has been viewed in past ages: and here the writer of these remarks, not having access to the original authorities, will content himself with a selection of the testimonies, adduced by the Iato

venerable Dr. Livingston, of the Dutch Reformed Church, in las Dissertation on this subject, Pr 147,71. 11 "In several ecclesiastical councils, of the early centurit?, it was decreed, 'That all marriage's within the prohibited degrees were incef-tuou. and void; and that the contracting parties should be cast out of the communion of the church. The marriage with a sister-in-law was expres.-Iv mentioaed, and included within the prohibited degrees. In this decision, the church was siiB-port-ed by the civil law of the Roman Empire, aVter it became Christian ee ii.Ur alia 'Fratris uxorem ducendi, vel duabus sororibus conjungendi jjenitu. licentiam summovemus,' c. Ve absolutely withhold the liberty of marrying the wife of a brother, or joining in wedlock with two sisters.' Casur. Ccd. lib. v. tit. v. de Incest, uujit. lig. 5." "Among the Fathers, in the Greek church, Oiigen upon Lev. xx. Chrysostomj liemil 71 on Matt. xxii. and Basil, unite in, asserting the universal and unchangeable obligation of the law of Leviticus against incest." In his epistle to Diodorus, ilasij, he says, "Letters were brought to us under the signature of Diodorus, but, except- : .1. . t t - . . '. them. It seems your name was prefixed to-ad-1 wcight to the qu;stion whether it is lawful lor 1 man to marry the sister of his deceased wife, ami by this forgery, to recommend and support an obscene transaction... .We might in the first instance, object, and in matters of this kind, such objection is of great importance, that, among us christian, there is no such custom.. ..The divine Lawgiver... has most severely and pointedly interdicted such marriape....Vhat is so near of kin! to a man as his wife! Are they not onefleshl fjy t'ne wite, therefore, her 5iter becomes nearly related to the busband. For as he may not marry, the mother of hi wife, or the daughter of his wife, so, for the same reason that l.e may not take the mother or the daughter, he may not take the sister of his wife; yea, no mere than he mav take his own sister bv blood.' "7f.siciii;.-:j! on I.evit. xviii. and xx. proves, that these prohibitions were universally obligatory, because both the Egyptians and Canaanites are taxed for marrying within these degrees; from whence he infers, 'that thev are of moral nn.l oiom-.i ligation.' "Of the Latin fathers, Ttrtullion,) who lived wiihin a century after the apostles, expressly declares, 'that the law forbidding to marry a sister-in-law, is still binding upon Christians.' Contra '..Vurcioiirm, lib. iv. And Ambrose, Epist. G6, Jerome, ff contra Ilelvidium, and . liigustine.H contra. Faustum, cap. t! 10, quost. 64, "De CivUatc Dei, j cap. xvi. iVc, all held to the mora! nature and viniversal extent of" the law of Leviticup,...and they i proved it to be absolutely unlawful for a man to : marry bis sister-in-law." ! From the sentiments of the Ie.. iing fathers of ; tlic e:lr!.v centuries of the church, it isevi.lent what were tlie views, and what the practice, of the great body of the ancient Christians; and since the civil law of the.cnipire corresponded with the sentiments of these eminent men, and the canon or ecclesiastical law, even surpassed the civil in the strictness of its interdicts, we see clearly, that prior to th? Reformation, marriage with a sister-in-i.mv was universally field to ne a violation of the law of God. Let us again bear Dr. Livingston, "Anions the celebrated Reformers, there was not a dissenting voice. They were explicit and unanimous on the subject Calvin in a letter :e Grindus writes: 'It must be maintained, that the prohibition respecting sisters-in-law, is one of those which time or place can never abrogate. It proceeds from the very fountain of nature, and is founded on the general principle of all laws, which is perpetual and inviolable. When the emperor Claudius obtained the sanction of the senate toremove the opprobrium of his incestuous marriage with Agrippina, there was none found to imitate his example, exception; only one liberated slave. jj I mention this to show how inviolable the law of nature is, even among profane nations. Let the examples drawn from the heathen, if in virtue and modesty they should appear to exceed us. make us ashamed.' In another of his letters, Calvin says: 'There are some who dispute, or rather cavil, whether it is not lawful for a man to marry the sister of his deceased wife; and they seize, as a pretext, upon the words. Lev. xviii. li). during her life time. Lut their error is refuted by the verwords of that text. ...That text actually respect's polygamy.' "Occolampadius, in a letter dated 1531, asserted, the law in Leviticus did bind all mankind; and that the law in Deuteronomy, respecting a brother's marrying his sister-in-law, was a dispensation of God to his own layv, which dispensation belonged only to the Jews.' Similar ciiations might be made from the writings of Beza, Hullinger, Ursinus, Musulas, and others, who were eminent for their profound erudition, and exemplary piety, n the reformed cantons of Syvitzerland, in Geneva, and on the Rhine." The divines of the Lutheran church, in their reply, to the enquiry made by Henry VIII, of England, whether it yvas lawful for a man to marry his sister-in-law, express the sentiments of their church in this manner: "It is manifest, and cannot be denied, that the law of Levit. xviii. prohibits a marriage with a sister-in-hnv. This is to be considered as a divine, a natural, and a moral law, against which no other layv can be enacted, or established. Agreeably to this, the whole church has always retained this layv, and judged such marriages to be incestuous. Agreeably ta this also, the decrees of Synods, the celebrated opinions of the most holy fathers, and even the civil laws, prohibit such marriages, and pronounce them to be incestuous." With this sentence of the Lutheran divines, agreed nearly -d the Universities in England, and on the co-''neiit of Europe, in their replies to Henry. Orige" was llorn -AD- lt5i a,,d died AD. 254. f Ch-)'"0'0111 v'as i,orn -AD. 354, and died AD. 407 ( tasil was born AD. 329, and died A.D. 370. IIHesychius flourished about A. D. 600. Tertullian yvas born A. D. ICO, and died about A. I. '2-20. Ambrose was born A. D. 333, and died A. D. 397. tt-lerome yvas born about A.D. 331, and died A.D. 4:0. Augustine was born A.D. 354, and died A. D. 430. This marriage took place A. D. 50. It is prop, er to remark, that Agrippina was the niece of Claudius, and that the reader will find a history of the rasp i n il n a n 1 1 v related hv Suetonius, a Pa i . . - . ... j gan W1jter, in his Lives of the Caesars, lih. v. cap. xxvi.