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by new proffers of service, new vows of self-consecration to the cause of human freedom." Under this latter head Mr. Furness describes and rebukes what he considers the slavery of the North, and" mentions some of the fallacies by which our minds are fettered, and we are defrauded of our liberty;"-to wit, that " we continually allow ourselves to talk and argue as if there were such a thing as a right of property in human flesh;" "the idea, that it is a violation of the Constitution, even so much as to discuss the subject of Slavery;" "the idea, that the discussion of this subject endangers the continuance of our glorious Union ;" "the notion, that the physical comfort and apparent contentment of the enslaved compensate them for the loss of their rights as men ;" the plea, "that the victims of oppression must first be prepared for freedom, must be first educated,"-which Mr. Furness considers a gross absurdity, since freedom is "the preparation, the indispensable preliminary to education;" the idea, that "by the bestowment of emancipation upon the enslaved our obligations to them would be cancelled, and we have nothing more to do,"-instead of which "this is but the first step in the path of justice and mercy."

There is reason for believing, that the subject which Mr. Furness has here discussed may become a topic of earnest-we hope not angry-debate in our denomination. We have only one word now to say in anticipation of such a crisis. Let those who hold it to be their duty to introduce this subject into the pulpit have the common justice to believe that others may as honestly account it a duty to abstain from its discussion in that place, and not wound and insult them by assuming that they act on no higher principle than expediency, or self-interest. Unitarian Christianity, as we have learned it, has taught us not to deny purity of motive where we think we see errors in opinion or mistakes in conduct.

LITTLE STORIES FOR LITTLE PEOPLE. Boston: William Crosby & Co. 1843. pp. 50, 18mo.

THIS "little" book is written in a simple and attractive style, and abounds in suggestions of a useful kind. But we see no good reason for making children talk ungrammatically, as the author often does in these stories.

INTELLIGENCE.

INSTALLATION AT GROTON, MASS.-On Wednesday, July 12, 1843, Rev. Joseph Couch Smith, who received his Theological education at Andover, and was ordained about a year since as an Evangelist at Portland Me., and afterwards had charge of the Unitarian Society in Frankfort Me., was installed as Pastor of the First Church and Society in Groton. The services were conducted as follows:-Introductory Prayer, by Rev. Mr. Chandler of Shirley; Reading of the Scriptures, by Rev. Mr. Gilbert of Harvard; Sermon, by Rev. Mr. Fox of Newburyport; Prayer of Installation, by Rev. Mr. Robinson of Medfield; Charge, by Rev. Mr. Fosdick of Sterling; Fellowship of the Churches, by Rev. Mr. Babbage of Pepperell: Address to the People, by Rev. Mr. Lincoln of Fitchburg; Concluding Prayer, by Rev. Mr. Kingsley of Stow. Mr. Fox took for his text Ephesians iv. 1: "Walk worthy of the vocation wherewith ye are called." The subject of the discourse was the vocation of Liberal Christians. The origin and position of this class of believers were briefly described, and then it was proposed to answer, in part, the question :-for what objects should Liberal Christians maintain the Christian Ministry and the Christian Church-take an interest in religious institutions and the spread of the Gospel. To this question, in the first place, negative answers were given. The preacher said they are not to act as antagonists of other sects, especially they are not to regard themselves as appointed to wage a war of extermination against the Orthodox. The time for this, if there ever was such a time, has gone by. Their appropriate work now is to do, and not to undo: to build up, not to pull down. Again, Liberal Christians, as a body, are not to propagate any fixed, unchangeable creed of their own. They have no such creed. Each man among them may have his own opinions, clear and distinct, to which he adheres as Gospel truth. Many principles and doctrines they may all hold in common, but still as a denomination they have no Confession of faith, shaped and expressed, to maintain and defend. Contrasted with other denominations, they are characterized rather by what they do not, than by what they do, believe. If you would describe their views, in contrast with those of any sect, you must, to a certain extent, describe them as a series of negations. In the third place, Liberal Christians are not to act together, in order to have a more indulgent form of religion than other denominations are willing to grant. The largest liberty-such as they claim—

implies the highest bondage. Rightly understood, Liberal Christianity inculcates the strictest accountability. For where does the Liberal Christian stand? Alone! in the presence of God and his own soul. Alone! in the last result to seek for truth. Alone! to find the way to heaven and escape the miseries of hell. The preacher next proceeded to answer the question under consideration affirmatively. He pointed it out as a first duty of Liberal Christians, to seek for more and more of Christian truth and to deepen faith in that already received. In this connection he met the objection-'Is not the Gospel already known; and even now-when it has been in the world for almost two thousand years-even now do you say we must seek for its meaning and search for its doctrines? All of Christianity, it was urged in reply, pure Christianity, has not as yet been distinctly seen and recognised by the human soul. There is proof of this, it was argued at some length, in the very nature of Christian truth. That is absolute truth-truth as it lives in the mind of God; and if it be such, how can we deem that man has already fathomed its depths and read its whole signification? That he has not done so, is farther seen in the fact, that Christianity has been corrupted—that a reformation became necessary; and there is no test by which it can be shown that any reformers have, thus far, stopped at precisely the right point. To this may be added another conclusive fact, brought out by a comparison of the promises of Jesus as to what his religion should accomplish with the existing moral condition of Christendom. The amount of Christian truth and Christian faith in the world may be measured by the prevalence of the results Christ predicted. Apply this test, and it will hardly be contended the work of inquiry has been finished. This work then Liberal Christians are to prosecute. And whilst doing so, they should translate the truth they find into life and carry it out into action,-in relation to themselves as individuals, and to the age in which they live. The solemn fact, that each man has a soul to save or lose, has the fearful problem of existence to solve by his own experience, enforces the duty of making personal use of the teachings of the Saviour. And Liberal Christians owe much to the age and to society. They should breathe the spirit of a large and widespreading philanthropy-be among the foremost of reformers; because if they hold to any thing in common, it is, that religion is a manifestation, in all life and all relations, of certain great Christian principles and a Christian spirit of humanity. The necessity for the cultivation of a more fervent spirit was next briefly touched upon; and the discourse closed with an allusion to the former pastor of the Society, Rev. George Wadsworth Wells, as a rare example of the Liberal Christian, and the expression of the wish that his memory-the memory of his

fearless, yet humble, his free, yet obedient spirit-might be immortal among those to whom he so recently, and so faithfully ministered.

In the other exercises also reference was made to the late Pastor, showing how highly he was appreciated and how much beloved, by all who knew him, as a Christian man and a Christian minister. The call of Mr. Smith was very cordial. The house in which he is to preach is neat, and in good taste; and the Society appears to be in a prosperous condition.

CAMBRIDGE DIVINITY SCHOOL.-The Annual Visitation of the Divinity School connected with the University at Cambridge took place on Friday, July 14, 1843. The graduating class consisted of nine, one of whom, Mr. James Blodgett, was prevented from taking a part in the public exercises by ill health. The subject which had been assigned to him was, "The true doctrine of Justification by faith." The other members of the class read dissertations on the following subjects :— "The comparative claims of Study and Action in the Ministry”—Mr. Edmund B. Willson. "The proper tests of Progress in a Christian Society"-Mr. Martin M. Willis. "Religion in Germany"-Mr. John Weiss. "Christian Missions"-Mr. Herman Snow. "The effect of progress of knowledge in the People on the influence of the Pulpit”— Mr. John Pierpont, Jr. "The Agony in the Garden”—Mr. Frederick Hinckley. "Saint Bernard and John Wesley"-Mr. Charles H. Brigham. Religion and Natural Science"-Mr. Joseph H. Allen. Prayers were offered by Professors Noyes and Francis, and two original hymns were sung,—one written by Rev. John Pierpont, and one by Mr. John Weiss. There was a good audience, but by no means so large as it should have been on an occasion of so much interest to our churches. The dissertations generally showed independence of thought and vigor of style, and were read in a free and natural manner. From the nature of the subjects there was less opportunity for the exhibition of theological or critical knowledge than we should have preferred; but the tone of thought was sound, and free alike from sectarian narrowness and extravagant speculation.

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In the afternoon the Association of the Alumni of the Theological School held their annual meeting. The Officers for the ensuing year were elected :—Rev. Henry Ware, Jr. D. D., President; Rev. Convers Francis, D. D., Vice President; Rev. Chandler Robbins, Secretary, in place of Rev. S. K. Lothrop, who declined a re-election, and to whom thanks were voted for his past services in the office; Rev. George Putnam, C. A. Bartol, and F. D. Huntington, Committee of Arrangements.

Rev. Dr. Ware, Jr., who had been chosen to deliver the Address this year, being unable to perform that service, and Prof. Francis, who had been chosen to supply his failure, being therefore called upon to give the Annual Discourse, it was necessary to make both a first and a second choice for the next year. Upon counting the ballots it appeared that Rev. N. L. Frothingham D. D. of Boston, and Rev. Alvan Lamson D. D. of Dedham, were chosen. Some discussion arose upon a suggestion, that means should be provided for furnishing aid to destitute or enfeebled ministers, and the subject was referred to a Committee, consisting of Rev. G. E. Ellis, Prof. Noyes, and Rev. H. A. Miles, to report the next year. Conversation ensued upon the state of the Unitarian Society at Fall River, which had suffered severely from the disastrous fire, that lately consumed a large part of the town and impaired the resources of nearly all the families belonging to that Society. The subject was commended to the consideration" of our congregations. Several persons settled in the ministry or engaged in preaching to societies of our faith, but not educated at the Cambridge School, were elected members of the Association.

After the business of the meeting was finished, the Association adjourned to the meeting-house of the First Parish in Cambridge, where the annual Address was delivered by Rev. Convers Francis, D. D. It treated of the relations of the Pulpit to society at the present time. After refuting the notion propagated by some visionary reformers that the pulpit is a worn-out institution, whose influence has departed, Dr. Francis exhibited the demands which the age makes upon the pulpit, 1. It demands thorough preaching. He who would serve the age must be free from scholastic subtilties. The elements of the spiritual nature are few and simple, but they are not superficial, and they lead to diversified results. Hence the preacher should be a student of spiritual things in the school of Christ. He recognises back of the practical something higher, and he must learn the principles and laws that lie behind the facts-the outside of religion. He must administer the Gospel according to Jesus, not according to the world. 2. It demands a hearty and quickening faith. By this may the pulpit act for and upon the times. Such a faith feels the deep and living reality of the present hour. It interprets the doctrine of eternal life as the principle of union with the Source of being. Both the earnestness and the infidelity of our times call for this faith in the kingdom of God as a present reality. We must not in passive acquiescence lean on truths as matters of tradition; faith must be a growth within the soul. Preaching imbued with such faith awakens the same in the hearers. Without it the mind has no security against skepticism. The preacher must be a life-containing, in order to be a life-giving man. 3. The pulpit should be fearless and in