spirit of its design, and marking the finish of its execution. But he called me to him, and requesting me to resume my seat beside him on the grave-stone, he thus continued. "I had written to their mother in England that her children were in extreme danger, but it was not possible that she could arrive in time to see them die, not even to see them buried. Decay was fast preying upon them, and the beauty of death was beginning to disappear. So we could not wait the arrival of their mother, and their grave was made. Even the old gray-headed sexton wept, for in this case of mortality there was something to break in upon the ordinary tenor of his thoughts, and to stir up in his heart feelings that he could not have known existed there. There was sadness, indeed, over all the parish for the fair English Twins, who had come to live in the manse after all the other boys had left it, and who, as they were the last, so were they the loveliest of all my flock. The very sound or accent of their southern voices, so pretty and engaging to our ears in the simplicity of childhood, had won many a heart, and touched, too, the imaginations of many with a new delight; and, therefore, on the morning when they were buried, it may be said there was here a fast-day of grief. "The dead children were Englishin England had all their ancestors been born; and I knew, from the little I had seen of the mother, that though she had brought her mind to confide her children to the care of a Scottish Minister in their tender infancy, she was attached truly and deeply to the ordinances of her own Church. I felt that it would be accordant with her feelings, and that afterwards she would have satisfaction in the thought, that they should be buried according to the form of the English funeral service. I communicated this wish to an Episcopalian Clergyman in the city, and he came to my house. He arranged the funeral, as far as possible in the circumstances, according to that service; and, although, no doubt, there was a eling of curiosity mingled in many minds with the tenderness and awe which that touching and solemn cere monial awakened, yet it was witnessed, not only without any feelings of repugnance or scorn, but, I may in truth say, with a rational sympathy, and with all the devout emotions embodied in language so scriptural and true to nature. "The bier was carried slowly aloft upon men's shoulders, towards the church-yard gate. I myself walked at their little heads. Some of the neighbouring gentry-my own domestics→→→ a few neighbours-and some of the school-children, formed the procession. The latter, walking before the coffin, continued singing a funeral psalin all, the way till we reached the churchyard gate. It was a still gentle autumnal day, and now and then a withered leaf came rustling across the path of the weeping choristers. To us, to whom that dirge-like strain was new, all seemed like a pensive, and mournful, and holy dream. "The Clergyman met the bier at the gate, and preceded it into the Kirk. It was then laid down-and while all knelt-I keeping my place at the heads of the sweet boys-he read, beautifully, affectingly, and solemnly, a portion of the funeral service. The children had been beloved and admired, while alive, as the English Twins, and so had they always been called; and that feeling of their having belonged, as it were, to another country, not only justified but made pathetic to all now assembled upon their knees, the ritual employed by that Church to which they, and their parents, and all their ancestors, had belonged. A sighing and a sob bing too, was heard over the silence of my Kirk, when the Clergyman repeated these words: As soon as thou scatterest them, they are even as a sleep, and fade away suddenly like the grass. "In the morning it is green and groweth up: but in the evening it is cut down, dried up, and withered."" While the old man was thus describing their burial, the clock in the steeple struck, and he paused a moment at the solemn sound. Soon as it had slowly told the hour of advancing evening, he arose from the grave-stone, as if his mind sought a relief from the weight of tenderness, in a change of bodily posi tion. We stood together facing the little monument-and his narrative was soon brought to a close. "We were now all collected together round the grave. The silence of yesterday, at the Elder's Funeral, was it not felt by you to be agreeable to all our natural feelings? So were the words which were now spoken over these children. The whole ceremony was different, but it touched the very same feelings in our hearts. It lent an expression to what, in that other case, was willing to be silent. There was a sweet, a sad, and a mournful consistency in the ritual of death, from the moment we receded from the door of the manse, accompanied by the music of that dirge sung by the clear tremulous voices of the young and innocent, till we entered the Kirk with the coffin to the sound of the Priest's chaunted verses from Job and St. John, during the time when we knelt round the dead children in the house of God, also during our procession thence to the graveside, still attended with chaunting, or reciting, or responding voices; and, finally, at the moment of dropping of a piece of earth upon the coffin, (it was from my own hand,) while the Priest said, 'We commit their bodies to the ground, earth to earth, ashes to ashes, dust to dust, in sure and certain hope of the resurrection to eternal life, through our Lord Jesus Christ.' "Next day their mother arrived at the manse. She knew, before she came, that her children were dead and buried. It is true that she wept; and at the first sight of their grave, for they both lay in one coffin, her grief was passionate and bitter. But that fit soon passed away. Her tears were tears of pity for them, but as for herself, she hoped that she was soon to see them in heaven. Her face pale, yet flushedher eyes hollow, yet bright, and a general languor and lassitude over her whole frame, all told that she was in the first stage of a consumption. This she knew and was happy. But other duties called her back to England, for the short remainder of her life. She herself drew the design of that monument with her own hand, and left it with me when she went away. I soon heard of her death. Her husband lies buried near Grenada, in Spain; she lies in the chancel of the Cathedral of Salisbury, in England; and there sleep her Twins in the little burial-ground of Auchindown, a Scottish parish." For the Christian Journal. Address delivered, July 24th, 1822, in the City of New-York, at the meeting of the Trustees of the General Theological Seminary of the Protestant: Episcopal Church, by the Right Rev. William White, Presiding Bishop. BRETHREN, The Trustees, the Professors, and the Students of this Seminary, ALTHOUGH, at my time of life, there can be little prospect of being serviceable to the institution in the active ma- .. nagement of its concerns; yet, as official character may be supposed to give some weight to an interest taken in its prosperity, I have complied with the solicitation of some of my brethren in the trust, and especially of my Right Rev. brother the Bishop of the diocess in which we are assembled, to be present on this occasion. I was the more easily induced to make a journey for the purpose, on ac count of its being known to many, that while we wavered between the comparative merits of two different plans, I was in favour of that which preferred· to a general school, the countenancing of local schools in whatever diocesses it might be thought expedient to found them. My principal reason, was the apprehension entertained, that by multiplying the subjects of discussion to be brought before our General Conventions, extraneous to the tie binding us together in the absolutely necessary provisions of our ecclesiastical system, the danger of future collisions of views and of opinions would be proportionably increased. The contrary scheme having obtained the stamp of the general sanction of the Church; the opposing suggestion should have no other effect, than to induce the greater cau- tion against the spirit of disunion; and to dispose us the more to look up to God for the continuance of that ten tdency to conciliation, which, under the influence of his grace, has hitherto blessed our counsels. Of so happy an issue the prospect is the brighter, in consequence of the unforeseen alterations of the constitution of the seminary, by the Convention which assembled in the last autumn; and especially by its being provided, that the weight of influence of every section of the Union shall be proportioned to the number of clergymen therein, and to the extent of its contributions to the fund. For, as the General Seminary was established, and continues, with the allowance of locally constituted schools; it appeared to me, that there would be essential injury to the former, from indifference in some departments, and from rivalship, or perhaps hostility in others. For, even the latter ought to be supposed the possible result of the infirmity of human nature, acted on by local jealousies, if not by a lurking desire of making inroads on our ecclesiastical institutions. To give effect to the principles of the new organization, it will be especially necessary-and this is respectfully addressed to my brethren of the Board to exercise such discretion in the appointments of Professors, in the prescribing of a proper course of education, in looking well to its being carried into effect, and in interference for the correcting of disorders, if they should occur, as may take a fast hold on public opinion: establishing a reputation proportioned to the grade of patronage, and to the degree of expectation consequently excited. Another feature of the ameliorated constitution, tending to reconcile to the preference obtained by it, is the opening left for future branches of the institution. For although, in the opinion of the present speaker, it is inexpedient to extend this provision further than in the instance sanctioned by the conditions of the late compact, yet, there will occur many cases, in which, on account of expense and severance from family, it will be a reasonable accommodation to young men, to have opportunities near to their respective homes and, perhaps, the best expedient to this effect, would be individual professorships in different places, with a view to the completing of education in the General Seminary.* When there shall be means competent to what is suggested, a beneficial effect, will be the lessening of inducements to theological instruction under clergymen designated by private partiality, who may not always be equal to the trust. That the proposed enlargement of the plan, on the principles provided by the constitution, will tend to the preventing and the removing of local jealousies, must be obvious. With a view to the sentiment in the beginning, having principally an aspect to the future peace and unity of our communion, let there be taken the liberty of stating respectfully to the learned Professors of the Seminary, not as a matter at present without influence on their minds, but to confirm the weight of it, that the object aimed at will very much depend on the complexion of their public instructions, and of their personal intercourse with the pupils. It is well known, that from the time of the reformation to the present day, there have been shades of difference in the opinions of the divines of the mother Church of England, without any deteriorating effect on her institutions; although, in some instances, with different interpretations of them. The meaning is, not that such matters should be kept out of view; but, that they should be presented with a fair statement of opposing arguments; and although with explicit expression of opinion, yet without such an interposition of influence, as might be unfavourable to free inquiry. We ought not to wonder, that the discrepancies referred to should exist; when, even in the Church of Rome, notwithstanding her pretence to the possession of an infallible head, the * The deliverer of the address wishes it to be understood, that the above scheme of accom ried into effect, until, what has not yet taken modation ought not, in his opinion, to be car place, the obtaining of a sufficient fund for the support of the parent school; and, in this event, that there should be preference of those parts of the Union, from which contributions have been the largest. same has existed in a greater degree, and in a much greater variety of instances, than in the Church of England. That in the latter there was a designed latitude in some particulars, may be gathered from sundry circumstances; especially from the fact, that on some points much litigated in the age of the reformation, her compilers carefully avoided a definiteness of expression, adopted by many of their reforming brethren on the continent, as well in their public confessions, as in their theological disputations. The same was a constant source of complaint within the bosom of the Church of England; by a party, who faulted her institutions as defective in these respects. That the sentiments delivered are liable to misapprehension, must be obvious to guard against which, let it be understood, that whatever has a tendency to shake the constitution of the Christian ministry, believed by us to have been handed down from the Apostles, or to obtrude on us any mode of worship diverse from the forms considered by us as agreeable to Scripture and primitive antiquity, or either to dispense with our doctrinal articles on the one hand, or to enlarge them by dogmas not clearly comprehended in them on the other, is not the latitude here pleaded for. Even in regard to subjects within the scope of what has been delivered, there may be manifested a love of controversy not consistent with the spirit of the Gospel, independently on all question of the truth or the falsehood of the matters to be taught. It would be a suppression of personal feeling, rather worthy, it may be hoped, of indulgence, if the opportunity were not embraced of congratulating the members of the faculty on the useful station occupied by them, of beginning a system of education, which may be expected to give the tone of correct theory, and of correct feeling also, to the future ages of our Church. To say any thing of the duties of their respective departments, is not the present object: but it will not be held improper, to tender a fervent wish for the success of their labours; and for their being sustained in them, by all who have the concerns of the institution at heart. For we must perceive a weighty obligation resting on us, to secure the respectability of those, who have imme diate and constant intercourse with the youth expected to be the future instructors of our flocks, when the voices of at least the greater number of us shall be heard among them no more. The peace and unity of our Church being still in view, it will not be irre levant, to address a few suggestions to the consideration of the students of the institution: on whose wisdom, in respect to this point, our Church may be dependent. Were it known, of any engaged in this course of study, that they are without a due apprehension of the sanctity of the ministerial calling, and of the duties to which they propose to pledge themselves in the services for ordination, this would be a proper occasion to warn them of their error; and to declare to them, that they cannot engage in any other calling with so much hazard to their souls. There is also none, in which there is less likelihood of the enjoyment of peace of mind. It is not, that there are wanting satisfactions in the Christian minis→ try; tending to support under its labours, and to console under its sorrows and its disappointments: but, the satisfactions are such, as will not be possessed by him, whose conduct has any other directory than that of the glory of God and the good of men. In the circumstances referred to, it is not likely, that even correct instruction, not proceeding from the heart of the deliverer of it, will reach the hearts of his hearers; and, even if this should sometimes happen, it will avail no more to his salvation, than did the true prophecies of Balaam to the preventing of the fearful end recorded of him. Integrity of intention being suppos ed, there are avenues for the intrusion of temptations, other than those of vice in her undisguised form. It is one of the warnings of Scripture, that Satan may be "transformed into an angel of light:" and he may be often found doing his work, through the instrumentality of vanity or of ambition. These may assail minds which are strangers to the motive of sordid interest; although even this may eventually combine with the others, for the accomplishing of the same object, in proportion to the increase of the exigences of life. Accordingly, our young brethren may be assured, that many a man, after having, at their time of life, professed religion with integrity of principle, has been afterwards seduced from the strait course by the pursuit of an evanescent popularity, so as to condescend to very unworthy expedients for the obtaining of it. Let not this be understood, as discountenancing their well directed endeavours, for the establishing of themselves in public estimation generally, and that of those among whom Providence shall appoint them to minister, in particular. But, this can only be the fruit of tried consistency, after having been not greedily coveted, and much less obtained by the disregard of any requisition of moral rectitude. On the contrary, when it is perceived of any man, that on every subject of considerable interest, he takes precisely the line of conduct sustaining a cast of character affected by him, he has descended from the high ground of Christian integrity. In such a case, if it be allowable to throw over his pursuits the mantle of charity, it must be because of some counteracting excellency of character, and with the hope, that its blemishes will be worn away under the hand of time. In reference to popularity, there is especial danger from the more than ordinary interest taken in the question of evangelism and of the want of it, in the exercises of the pulpit on which account, there shall be here an unequivocal expression of opinion, concerning the origin of the distinction, its misapplication, and a correct regard to it. There was ground for the charge, although not in the extent sometimes affirmed: as is evident in the circumstance, of there having been no period of time, near which there are not printed discourses of prominent divines of the Church of England, having no such fault as that referred to. It being impossible, to ascertain what proceeded from all the pulpits individually, we may reasonably hope, that they were not divested, in so great a degree as has been alleged, of what renders the Gospel "the power of God unto salvation." Still there was ground of the complaint; and we ought to rejoice in the circumstance, although it is no apology for the delinquency, that even under this privation, the consequences were partly guarded against, by the evangelical services of the Book of Common Prayer. On the other hand, the distinction has been misapplied to various pur poses. With some, it comprehends such views of the sovereignty of God, as are inconsistent with what our Church affirms of "the oblation of Christ for the sins of the whole world." In the notions of others, it is connected with such an excitement of animal sensibility, as we have no instance of in the Bible, except in what is recorded of the issue joined between Elijah and the Priests of Baal. And, in some instances, there has been a subserviency to the purposes of party, for the making of inroads on the institutions of our Church. So far as the present speaker can judge from his own observation, and from his reading in the ecclesiastical histories of the Church of England, however honourable the epithet of evangelical in the proper sense of the word, yet, when applied to the purposes of party, it has a tendency to reconcile the conscience to any expedients, however contrary to good morals, which may seem conducive to what may perhaps be esteemed the cause of Long before the organizing of our Church, it had become a matter of complaint, concerning a considerable proportion of the clergy, both in Eng-Gospel truth. Tand and in the colonies, that they did not sufficiently insist on the leading doctrines of the Gospel: principally, and almost wholly, confining themselves to moral duties such as may be found in -the writings of the heathen sages. Whatever may be the degree of weight to which this expression of opinion may be thought entitled; it is the more solicitously delivered, in consequence of having known some, who have begun with upright views in the |