bath. The day on which this institution ought to be observed, might have been, and, I doubt not, actually was altered by the authority of our Saviour, without any alteration in the substance of the commandment.

7. "If the command by which the Sabbath was instituted, be binding on Christians, it must bind as to the day, the duties and the penalty; in none of which it is received."*

The duties of the Sabbath are without doubt, essential to the institution; but the day is not essential. By the penalty, our author, I suppose, means that of death, which was directed to be inflicted on the Sabbath breaker under the Jewish dispensation. But if there be any argument in this assertion, it will prove, that the punishments incurred by a breach of the other commandments of the moral law, ought to be inflicted on offending Christians. It will prove that the idolater, the blasphemer, the adulterer, and the stubborn, rebellious son, as well as the Sabbath breaker, ought to be put to death under the gospel dispensation.

8. "The observance of the Sabbath was not one of the articles enjoined by the Apostles in the 15th chap. of Acts, upon them, which from the Gentiles were turned unto God." 99*

In addition to the ceremonial pollutions, from which the Gentile Christians were commanded to abstain, the Apostle mentions the crime of fornication. But we are incompetent to judge, why the breach of one command only of the moral law is interdicted in this place. Little weight ought surely to be attached to such negative arguments, respecting

* Paley's Principles of Moral and Political Philosophy. 8vo. ed. vol. ii. p. 82, † Ib. 81.

the obligation of the fourth commandment of the moral law, since they oppose the positive declaration of our Saviour, that he came not to remove one jot or tittle of this law; which the Apostle Paul also declares was not intended to be made void by faith in Jesus Christ.

Those of your readers, who are unacquainted with the work whence the above quotations are taken, may be ready to conclude, that the author meant to speak disrespectfully of sabbatical institutions, which is by no means the case. He has shown their great utility, and has proved that

the assembling upon the first day of the week for the purpose of public worship and religious instruction, is a law of Christianity, of divine appointment." He concludes also, that "the resting on that day from our employments," is a duty" binding on the conscience of every individual, in a country in which a weekly Sabbath is established."*

The most careful consideration, which I have been able to give this subject, has produced a firm persuasion in my mind, that the obligation to this duty is of universal extent; and this seems to have been the view which the primitive Christians had of the subject, as appears from a quotation which our author has made from the works of Irenæus. Unusquisque nostrum Sabbatizat spiritualiter, meditatione legis gaudens, opificium Dei Dei admirans. Each of us spends the Sabbath in a spiritual manner, meditating on the law of God with delight, and contemplating his workmanship with admiration.

Let it be remembered that Irenæus had been instructed by Polycarp, who was the disciple of

* Paley's Principles of Moral and Political Philosophy. 8vo. ed. vol. ii. P. 86.

the Apostle John;* that in this passage he is not describing any doctrine or practice peculiar to himself, but the general conduct of Christians; that he appropriates the title of Sabbath to that day which was set apart for religious exercises, and which was undoubtedly the first day of the week; that the manner of spending this day by the early Christians, corresponds with the description of the Sabbath given by Isaiah; that what the Jewish prophet commanded, the Christians practised; and can any reasonable doubt remain that the Christian church had been instructed by the Apostles and their immediate successors, to sanctify the first day of the week as a Sabbath unto the Lord? A more direct historical testimony of this important fact need not be required.

W. H.

Thus Irenæus speaks, "I can describe the very spot in which Polycarp sat and expounded,

and the sermons which he preached to the multitude, and how he related to us his converse with John, and with the rest of those who had seen the Lord; how he mentioned their particular expressions, and what things he had heard from them of the Lord, and of his miracles, and of his doctrines. As Polycarp had received from the eye-witnesses of the word of life, he told us all things agreeable to the Scriptures. Milner's Ecclesiastical Hist. vol. i. p. 312. 2d ed. Life of Irenæus.

DECEPTION OR HYPOCRISY IN DEATH.

Messrs. Editors,-I wish you, or some of your correspondents would warn the public against a dangerous impression, which seems to have been too generally received, that all which is said by a dying man is to be received as truth. That mankind are generally sincere in their declarations at death, is doubtless true. But their sincerity, it is to be considered, does not, even at this hour, secure them from deception. If they have been sincere in a false opinion through life, it

is to be expected, that they will sincerely retain it, at death. There is seldom any new light reflected upon the understanding, at this late and dark hour.

Nor is it altogether incredible that the same self-imposition or hypocrisy, which some people practise upon themselves and others through life, should be attempted at death. Will it be said, that at this solemn hour, they can have no motives to deception? True, it would seem so. But the fact may be different from what we should, at first view, suspect. Is that heart, which has resisted through life, the most powerful motives to honesty and fair dealing, with itself, and with others, and yielded to the paltry considerations which have tempted it to deception, to be trusted in death? May not the same love of error, the same pride of opinion, the same propensity to self-justification, and the same desire to be thought consistent and firm, which are among the most prominent features of human nature, retain their influence over men as long as reason continues, and lead them at death to declare their belief in opinions which they have avowed merely for convenience's sake, and their innocence in regard to actions of which they are verily guilty? "Rosseau, the hardened villany of whose life is almost without a parallel in modern times, and who seems to have assumed the mask of virtue for no other purpose, than that of propagating with more success, the blackest vice, says, in that very work which contains a confession of his crimes,that no man can come to the throne of God, and say, I am a better man than Rosseau." And just before he expired, he observed to his mistress, "Ah! my dear,

Oodooville.-Five miles north of Jaffnapatam. Rev. Miron Winslow, Missionary; and Mrs. Winslow. George Koch, Native Medical Assistant.

Panditeripo.-Nine miles northwest of Jaffnapatam. Rev. John Scudder, M. D. Missionary and Physician; and Mrs Scudder.

Manepy.-Four miles and an half north-west of Jaffnapatam. Rev. Levi Spaulding, Missionary; and Mrs. Spaulding.

The number of native children boarding in the families of the missionaries, is 155. The number of natives belonging to the church is 73. The number of native free schools is 59. The number of boys in these schools, is 2,414, and that of girls, 255; total 2,669. Two revivals of religion were experienced during the year 1824; and 41 natives, the first fruits of the first revival, were admitted to the church.

THE CHEROKEES.

A tribe of Indians inhabiting a tract of country included within the chartered limits of the States of Georgia, Alabama, Tennessee, and North Carolina. Population about 15,000. Commenced in 1817. Stations at Brainerd, Creek Path, Carmel, Hightower, Willstown, Haweis, and Candy's Creek.

Brainerd.-Within the chartered limits of Tennessee, 240 miles N. W. of Augusta, and 150 S. E. of Nashville. Rev. Samuel A. Worcester, Missionary, John C. Elsworth, Teacher and Superintendent of Secular Concerns, Henry Parker, and John Vail, Farmers, Ainsworth E. Blunt, Farmer and Mechanic; and their wives; Josiah Hemmingway, Farmer; Sophia Sawyer, Teacher.

Carmel.-Sixty miles S. E. of Brainerd, within the chartered limits of Georgia. Moody Hall, Teacher, and Mrs. Hall; William Hubbard Manwaring, Farmer.

Creek Path.-One hundred miles W. S. W. of Brainerd, within the chartered limits of Alabama. Rev.

William Potter, Missionary, Dr.
Elizur Butler, Teacher, Fenner
Bosworth, Farmer; and their
wives; Ermina Nash.

E. of Brainerd.
Hightower.-Eighty miles S. S.
Isaac Proctor,
Teacher, and Mrs. Proctor.

Willstown.--About 50 miles S. W. of Brainerd, just within the chartered limits of Alabama. Rev. Ard Hoyt, Rev. William Chamberlain, Missionaries; and their wives; Rev. Daniel S. Buttrick, Missionary, Sylvester Ellis, Far

mer; and Mrs. Ellis.

Haweis.--About 55 miles W. of S. from Brainerd, within the chartered limits of Georgia. Frederick Elsworth, Teacher and Farmer; and Mrs. Elsworth.