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seventeen fair fires at him with my rifle, and after all could not bring him to the ground!"

The principal facts in the remaining life of Washington are well known. The following an. ecdotes, relating to this period, are however gleaned from this work. After he had crossed the Delaware in Dec. 1776, and came in sight of Trenton with but one of his three detachments, destined to attack that place, he ob. served some symptoms of terror in the countenances of his soldiers. Riding along the front of his halted troops, he rose upon his stirrups, and waving his sword towards the hostile camp, he exclaimed, "there! my brave friends! there are the enemies of your country! and now all I ask of you, is just to remember what you are about to fight for. March!" A thousand prisoners was the fruit of this enterprise.

In his last sickness Washington was beard once or twice to say, "if it had pleased God, I should have been glad to die a little easier, but I doubt not it is for my good." When his baffled physi. cians sat by his bed side, looking on him deeply affected, he stretched out his hand to them, and shaking his head, said, "0, no!-don't!-don't!" then with a smile added, "I am dying, gentlemen; but thank God, I am not afraid to die."

Know ing that the hour of his departure was at hand, he desired that every person might leave the room. He was accordingly left with his God.

As proofs of his religion, the following facts are adduced. One of his aids in the French and Indian war, colonel Benjamin Temple, has often declared,

"that he frequently knew Washington on the Sabbath read the Scriptures and pray with his regiment in the absence of the chaplain; and also, that on sudden and unexpected visits into his marquee, he has more than once found him on his knees at his devotions." He was very con. stant at church, and no company ever detained him from the house of God. In the winter of 1777, when the army lay encamped at Valley Forge, an old quaker by the name of Potts, as he was pass. ing through the woods near head quarters, heard the sound of a human voice; he cautiously approached the spot, and bebeld the commander in chief of the American armies on his knees at prayer!

The following circumstance brings high honor to the youth. ful Washington, as it evinces his readiness to retract an error, and to resist the spirit of revenge. In the year 1754, when he was colonel, he got warm in a dispute with a Mr. Payne, who raised his sturdy hickory and levelled the hero to the ground. The next day the colonel wrote a polite note to Mr. Payne, and requested to meet him at the tav.` ern. Washington received him in a friendly manner, and, instead of demanding satisfaction, acknowledged that he had been in the wrong, and settled the affair over a bottle of wine. A modera man of honor would have produced his pistols, and added murder to insult!

The following facts afford the most pleasing proofs of his be nevolence. Before the commencement of the late war, he used annually to visit the sweet springs of Virginia, at which

place he always ordered the ba. ker to supply the poor with bread at his expense. He often, says the baker, paid aighty dollars a season, and that for poor creatures, who did not know the hand, that fed them, as secresy was enjoined. The poor near his own plantation were constantly supplied with wool, corn, flour, bacon, clothes, &c. One of his managers had orders to fill a corn house every year for the sole use of the poor. when corn was a dollar per bushel, he bought several hundred bushels for them, besides giving them what could be spared from the granary.

One year,

With the following we shall conclude our extracts from this little work.

"When the children of years to come, hearing his great name re-echoed from every lip, shall say to their fathers, "what was it that raised Washington to such height of glory?" let them be told, that "it was his GREAT TALENTS CONSTANTLY GUIDED AND GUARDED BY RELIGION."-" What motives, under heaven can restrain men from vices and crimes, and urge them on, full stretch, after individual and na tional happiness, like those of religion? For lack of these motives, alas! how many, who once dazzled the

world with the glare of their exploits, are now eclipsed, and set to rise no more! There was Arnold, who in courage and military talents glittered in the same firmament with Washington, and for a while his face shone like the star of the

morning; but alas! for lack of Washington's religion, he soon fell, like Lucifer, from a heaven of glory into an abyss of never ending infamy. There was the gallant general Hamilton also--a gigantic geniusa statesman fit to rule the mightiest monarchy-a soldier, "fit to stand by Washington and give commund." But alas! for lack of religion, see how all was lost! Preferring the praise of man to that praise "which cometh from God," and pursuing the phan tom honor up to the pistol's mouth, he is cut off at once from life and greatness, and leaves his family and country to mourn his hapless fate. And there was

the fascinating colonel Burr. A man born to be great,-brave as Cæsar, polished as Chesterfield, eloquent as Cicero, and lifted by the strong arm of his country, he rose fast, and bade fair soon to fill the place where Washington had sat But alas! lacking religion he could not wait the spontaneous fall of the rich honors ripening over his head, but in an evil hour stretched forth his hand to the forbidden fruit, and by that fatal act was cast out from the Eden of our republic and amerced of greatness for ever.

We have thus, for the gratifi cation of our readers, collected the principal and most interesting anecdotes, contained in this little volume, and presented sufficient specimens of the author's

manner.

His style in many

places approaches to what is called prose run mad; but every part of his book is rendered in teresting by the peculiar genius of the writer. His humor is in. imitable. When he tells a story, every word is most aptly chosen, and every circumstance however minute, which can add any thing to the effect, is remembered. This disposition to copy closely after nature is, however, attended with evils, when the object to be delineated is deformed and unpleasant; for, in that case, we are disgusted with the sight of what a different artist would keep from our view. In our opinion Mr. Weems is very skilful in the execution of what he undertakes, but wants judgment to direct him in his design. He says much to promote the cause of religion; but he admits some things, which must greatly counteract the object, which unquestionably was dear to him. It is to us not a little wonderful, that a person who professedly writes for the young, and who zealously iucul. cates upon them the duty of lov. ing and fearing God, should yet

repeat anecdotes, in which the name of Jehovah is not treated with sufficient respect. We should like therefore to see an expurgation of this little volume before we could be pleased with its introduction into schools, If the author should be inclined to review his work on this point, we would recommend to the blotting of his pen all those expressions, which do not become the lovely mouths" of sweet little children; such for instance as governor Dinwiddie's oath in the fifth chapter; "damn em!" in the imaginary fight between old England's porters and the frog-cating foe; his majesty's curse on the next page; Brad. dock's profanity in his reply to Washington; Samuel Chase's terrible exclamation on the floor of congress, and the Waldeckers' vulgar irreverence to the name of the Most High, in the ninth chapter; Washington's address to Lee, at Monmouth; colonel Williams' first words, as he was roused from the torpor of approaching death; the rash expletive at the beginning of a sen. tence near the close of the thir. teenth chapter; the irreverent language, which follows an account of the affair between Washington and Mr. Payne; and general Wayne's profane

expressions, when he made his mistake about old bon repos. We ardently hope that these and other passages will receive some correction from the hand of the author, who certainly has no wish to corrupt the minds of our youth, or to accustom their ears to the dialect of Billingsgate.

But one word more, and we shall dismiss this work. In the twelfth chapter FRANKLIN, MERCER, and all the virtuous deceased patriots of the revolu. tion, are made to pour forth from heaven's gate in angelic forms to meet the ascending spirit of Washington. This may be called a flight of the imagination; but can it be justified in a work which is designed to impress the young with the value of religion? Is a brave soldier and an honest man ne. cessarily an heir of heaven? Is not deep, unfeigned piety essen. tial to salvation? And does the spirit of piety often take up its abode in camps? We wish not to be thought deficient in charity, but we cannot go the length, to which Mr. Weems' fancy would carry us.

In page 181 Pennsylvania is printed by mistake for New York, with which state it was that Vermont had a controversy,

RELIGIOUS INTELLIGENCE.

MASSACHUSETTS BIBLE SOCIETY.

At a late meeting of the "Bible Society of Massachusetts," the fol lowing members were chosen.

WILLIAM PHILLIES,Esq. President.

Rev. JOHN LATHROP, D. D. Vice President.

Mr. SAMUEL H. WALLEY, Treas. Mr. HENRY G. FOSTER, Assistant Treasurer.

Rev. JOSEPH S. BUCKMINTER, Corresponding Secretary.

Rev. JOHN PIERCE, Recording Secretary. TRUSTEES.

Rev. John Eliot, D. D.

Rev Joseph Eckley, D. D.
Rev. James Freeman,

Rev. Eliphalet Porter, D. D.
Rev. Abiel Holmes, D. D.
Rev. Thomas Baldwin, D. D.
Samuel Salisbury, Esq.
Hon. William Brown,
Francis Wright, Esq.
Hon. Isaac Parker,
Hon. Peter C. Brooks,
John Tucker, Esq.
Joseph Hurd, Esq.
Joseph Sewall, Esq.
Redford Webster, Esq,
Samuel Parkman, Esq.
Joseph May, Esq.
Henry Hill, Esq.

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REV. SIR,

of

HAVING obtained a copy of the following Resolutions, which have been lately entered into by all the most respectable inhabitants Windsor, they appeared to me so well calculated to promote the great object they have in view (namely, the suppression of those gross profanations of the Lord's Day, which are now most prevalent and most obnoxious) that I thought I could not do a more material service to the inhabitants of my diocese, than by request, ing the clergy to promote similar res, olutions in their respective parishes, wherever the same profanations, or any other flagrant violations of the Lord's Day, have taken place. I hope therefore, you will have the goodness to exert yourself with zeal in the accomplishment of this most laudable purpose; and am, Reverend Sir, your affectionate brother,

B. LONDON.

Resolutions of a Meeting for Promoting a due Observance of the Sabbath. AT a general Meeting of the Inhabitants of the Town and Castle of Windsor, held at the Guildhall on Tuesday, the 26th of April, 1808, for the purpose of adopting such resolutions as should be thought most effectual for promoting the bet. ter observance of the Sabbath, with in the Borough and its neighbour. hood, J. Eglestone, Esq. Mayor, in the chair, Resolved, That the prac tice of opening shops, or otherwise exercising trades or callings on Sun. days, the delivery of goods by the common carriers, and the admission of persons into public houses, and suffering tippling therein during divine service, are gross breaches of the Sabbath, and tend greatly to the corruption of morals and the increase of dissipation.-Resolved, That the persons present at this Meeting do hereby pledge themselves to discountenance such practices; and that they will not apply or send to any shop whatsoever for goods, provisions, or any other article, on Sunday, nor suffer their servants, or any of their respective families so to do; and they do recommend to the inhabitants generally to conform to this Resolution.Resolved, That this Meeting do recommend to the several trades peo. ple of this town and neighbourhood to keep their shops close shut during the whole day of every Sunday (excepting where it may be unavoida bly necessary for light; and, in that case, to remove all appearance of exposing goods for sale from the win. dows;) and not to sell any thing, except in cases of absolute necessity, nor to permit the carriers to deliver goods at their respective houses during the day.-Resolved, That it be recommended to all persons who em. ploy workmen, labourers, and others, weekly, to pay all such their wages in suficient time, to preclude the necessity of their purchasing provi sions or other necessaries on a Sunday. Resolved, That these Resolu. tions be signed, and copies thereof be printed, together with extracts from the several acts of parliament, relative to the Due Observance of the Lord's Day, and circulated throughout this town and neighbourhood.

Resolved, That the Thanks of this Meeting be given to the Mayor.

EXTRACT OF A LETTER FROM A

GENTLEMAN IN LONDON.

I HAVE lately had great pleasure in perusing the minutes of the yearly conference of Lutheran and Calvinist ministers, from all parts of the continent, who met in Lusatia, together with 91 letters addressed from pious bishops and pastors in other parts, who could not attend. There was one from an association of Protestant ministers in Languedoc in France; from an extensive circle at Basle; from Alsace, Holland, Saxony, Wirtemberg, Osnaburgh, Nuremberg, Russia, Poland, Hungary, the banks of the Wolga, Denmark, Norway, Sweden, Esthonia; also some accounts from Moscow; and some addresses from Catholic ministers. It gave a kind of ubiquity to me for the ime, and afforded a peculiar delight, with one glance to see and converse with, or hear them converse,-all speaking the same heavenly language -all lamenting the low state of religion, in their various districts, and all breathing after a wider and wider spread of the glorious gospel.-There appears to be a considerable work going on among the Catholics in the south of Germany. Many pious priests are raised up, and labouring diligently. These are meeting with great opposition and persecution from their church. So much has bigotry decreased, that it is not uncommon to see Lutherans and Catholics hearing the gospel from the lips of a Cal. vinist minister, and all sitting down to commemorate the death of our Lord at the same table.

EXTRACT OF A LETTER FROM REV. MR. WRAY, MISSIONARY AT DEM. ARARA, IT IS DATED,

Le Resouvenir, Demarara, Nov. 21, 1808.

'Dear Fathers and Brethren in Christ,

I DOUBT not you have often blessed God for his goodness mani. fested to me, since you heard of my arrival at this place: and that you are daily offering a petition to God in my behalf, and in the behalf of the sinful inhabitants of this coun

try. I feel thankful to the great Head of the church that I am still enabled to gladden your hearts, by informing you, That the work of the Lord prospers; and that the dear Redeemer is seeing of the travail of his soul in the conversion of the poor negroes. I have reason to believe, that more than twenty are sayingly' acquainted with the Lord Jesus Christ, and are rejoicing in that sal vation which he has obtained for sin. ners. It may indeed be said of many here, That they receive the word gladly!'

·

You will be astonished to hear that more than two hundred have learnt Dr Watts' First Catechism, and several some parts of the As sembly's; likewise some

short

prayers, the Ten Commandments, and other passages of Scripture; and, had I time and strength, I could teach as many more. Indeed, they are never tired of learning. Some spend their dinner hour in this delightful exercise; and tell me it is much better than eating. They pos sess great reverence for the word of God; and it is wonderful how their minds are filled with a sense of his greatness, goodness, and holiness, of which a few months ago they knew nothing.

A few days since, a manager in formed me, That the negroes on bis estate had a funeral; and after it was over, instead of meeting together to ` drum and dance, as formerly, about 30 assembled together to sing hymns and pray!

Our new church was opened Sept. 11. About 700 people assem. bled together on the solemn occa sion. I preached to them from Luke xix. 9. This day is salvation come to this house.' The number of whites was about 50. Such a scene as this was never before beheld in this country! Truly, the ends of the earth have seen the salvation of our God!'

I have written a little Catechism for them to learn; containing an Ac count of the State of Man by Nature, his Recovery by Jesus Christ,―The Work of the Spirit upon the HeartThe necessity of seeking Divine Grace in those Means which God has appointed in his Church,-The n

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