if nothing had happened. I felt pleased that I might now make better drawings than before; and, ere a period not exceeding three years had elapsed, I had my portfolio filled again.

Appropriate Text.-The first time that Mr. Pitt went to Cambridge, after his election for the University, numerous clerical applicants were, as might be expected, gaping for lawn sleeves, and other good things in the gift of their representative. Dr. preached before the young premier, from the following text:-"There is a lad here which hath five barley loaves and two small fishes, but what are they among so many ?"

Franklin was always the advocate of every thing American, and it is perhaps not generally known to our readers, that he was strongly in favor of making the wild turkey the emblem of our national character, instead of the eagle. That venerable apostle of liberty and science advocated this proposition principally on the ground that the turkey is a bird indigenous to this country, whilst the eagle was a resident of almost all countries.-Sun.

Receipts on behalf of the American Protestant Society.

Through Rev. H. Norton :-Auburn, N. Y., $8 00; Detroit, Michigan, from the Presbyterian Ch, to constitute Rev. George Duffield, 1). D., life director, 50 00; from individuals at do, 6 86; Ann Arbor, 7 53; Utica, N. Y., 18 50; subscriptions for American Protestant, 36 00.

Through Rev. C. Shumway:-Collections at Hawley, Mass., Rev. Mr. Miller's church, $13 52; at Winchenden, donation from Mr. Whitney, 5 00; Plainfield, do. from Leavit Hallock, Esq, 12 00, constituting, with above, Rev. Moses Miller life member; Williamsburgh, Mass., Rev. M. G. Wheeler's Ch., constituting him life member, 40 25; at do, donation from Mrs. Joel Hayden, 5 08; Hadley, individual donations in Rev. Dr. Woodbridge's society, 11 72; Springfield, Rev. Dr. Osgood's Ch, 22 00.

Through Rev. Charles Johnston: -From Presb. Congregation at Livonia, Livingston co., N. Y., $25 00; constituting th ir pastor, Rev B. G. Riley, life member. Through Rev. Jno. R Dodge :-Cape May, N. J., $5 00; donation from Mr. Jacob Foster, 1 00; Methodist Ch, at Crosscreek, N J.,0 93: Seventh Day Bap. Ch Plainfield, 2 12; Second Presb Ch. at do., 6 12; First Presb. Ch, do. 8 50; Baskenridge Presb. Ch, N. J., 6 00; Liberty Cor. Presb. Ch., 1 06; Nottingham Square Presb. Ch., 10 57: La rington Presb Ch, 11 75; Meth. Ep Ch., New Canaan, 4 19; Cong. Ch Scarborough, Me., 3 80; Bap Ch., E Winthrop, Me., 1 94; Cong. Ch., E. Winthrop, Me., to constitute their pastor, Rev David Thurston, life member, 25 00; Wyingham Univer. Ch., 1 60; Limerick Cong Ch., 1 85; Springvale, Me,7 29; Millford, N. H., Cong. A h., 17 87; do Bap Ch 15 50, in part to constitute Rev. O. Stearns life member; Mrs. Silerne Kingsbury, life member, 25 00; Gr enfield, N. H., Presb. Ch., 3 00; Francestown, N. H., Cong. Ch, 45 42; constituting Rev. Jonathan McGee lif member; subscriptions to Am Prot., 8 50; J sse W. Dennison, sub. to Prot., 20 00; M. J. Gonsalves, sub. to do; col in Preston city Bap. Ch., Conn, care of Rev Mr. Stegman, 10 00.

Through Charles K. Moore :-From Depository, $11 09; sub. to Am. Prot., 226 84; from Thomas C. Wordin, Esq., constituting himself life member, 25 00; N. Bap. Ch., S. I., 3 50; Rev. W. W. Blauvelt, bal. col., 2 24; donations per Rev. I. P. Lestrade, Newark, N. J., 7 50; per Miss N. Hunter, do., annual member, 300; Mrs. Ogden, Franklin-street Ch., do., 3 50; Rev. F. James, from the Ch. of N. Sunderland, Rev. E. Andrews, pas or, 4 37.

New-York, Sept. 24, 1845.

MORTIMER DE MOTTE, Treasurer.

THE

AMERICAN PROTESTANT.

VOL. I.]

NOVEMBER, 1845.

[NO. VI.

SKETCHES OF THE CORRESPONDING SECRETARY OF THE AMERICAN PROTESTANT SOCIETY, ADDRESSED TO THE EXECUTIVE

COMMITTEE.

[Continued from the October No.]

DEAR BRETHREN :-If you desire to see one of the most beautiful places in our beloved country, visit Ann Arbor. There you will find hill and dale, a rich gravelly soil, and pure streams of water. There you will see the faces of an intelligent people. There is located the State University, which is now in a very flourishing condition. It is beautifully situated on the highest level of the village, and surrounded by 80 or 90 acres of rich land, the property of the University.

While here, your Secretary was not idle, as you may infer from the fact that he preached five times in less than a week. The meetings were well attended, not only by Protestants, but Romanists also found their way into a Protestant house of worship. They came repeatedly, and listened attentively to the end of the last meeting.

Their presence in Protestant assemblies, not only there but in other places, when addressed in a kind manner, may shed light upon the course to be pursued towards this part of our population. The Gospel must be brought home to them in the spirit of love. Love is the only influence in the world that cannot be resisted. It is the spirit of Christ, and is destined to bring the world into subjection at the foot of the cross. What is needed most of all in the Protestant church at the present time, is the prevalence of this spirit. This would awaken compassionate feeling for the ignorant, and would keep alive kind and vigorous efforts for the conversion of Romanists, and of every other class of men. This would cause Christians of every name to pray most fervently for the Holy Spirit to be poured out from on high, on the church and on unconverted men. Such prayers, and such only will prevail with God.

Many of the people at the West feel a deeper interest in the conversion of Romanists than is felt in many parts of the East. They see more of Romanism, know more of the wretched state of its votaries, and of their influence on the community. There is a deep, uncompromising, settled Protestant feeling, in the breasts of many of our western brethren.

Yet there are others who are called Protestants, who lend their influence and money to build up Romanism, rather than put forth efforts or

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SKETCHES FROM THE CORRESPONDING SECRETARY.

to aid those who seek to enlighten and to save these ignorant men. Recently at Ann Arbor, a Roman Catholic house of worship, built of brick, has been consecrated with much parade and splendor. From the account of this consecration, as published in the Roman Catholic Truth Teller, of New York, we might suppose it was most imposing and magnificent. One thing stated in the Truth Teller deserves a passing notice. It is this: had it not been for the liberality of Protestants in Ann Arbor, that house would not have been yet standing.

Were such houses built for the purpose of preaching the simple truths of the Gospel in them, and were the ordinances of Christ's appointment to be administered there in their purity, the case would be different. Were the Bible to be put in every pew, and Bible classes to be organized, and the people encouraged to search the Word of God, then we would bid them God speed. But when we know the reverse of all this is true, how can men who call themselves Protestants aid in perpetuating a system whose very existence depends on keeping the people in utter ignorance of the vital truths of Christianity? Yet we have many such men in our country, whose influence and example is now against civil and religious liberty.

In contrast with the course of such men, it has been interesting to your Secretary to see the deep interest expressed by others in the Protestant cause, and especially in the operations of the A. P. Society. When the subject has been presented, he has heard of one who was going to part with five dollars' worth of furniture for the purpose of aiding the Society, of another who would do without a new cloak and wear the old one (now far gone) through another winter, and of another who would deny herself the pleasure of a new bonnet, &c. When the poor people of God are thus willing to deny themselves not only of the luxuries, but of what may be denominated the necessaries of life, and when they lift their fervent prayers to God for his blessing on this work, we may believe that the great Head of the church will not abandon this cause.

There are things constantly occurring at the West that may well excite the spirits of men, and may awaken the deepest solicitude for our beloved country. Who can view with indifference the mighty population floating into the West? One of those great steamers on Lake Erie passed Detroit a few days since with 900 passengers on board. But the next week she came more heavily freighted. I was standing on the wharf at Detroit as she came up in her strength, her banners streaming, and on her decks stood twelve hundred and sixty passengers! Such a load of human beings I had never seen.

But this is not the only boat going west with passengers. There are many others also crowded as they move forward majestically westward. When you think of this, and when you are told that the steamer Wiskonsan, after she had taken on board 1260 passengers, left two thousand more at Buffalo, who could not obtain a passage, you can imagine how rapidly the West increases in population. And oh! with what materials is it filling up?

On my return to Detroit, I found the Conference of the M. E.

THE PULPIT MUZZLED ON THE SUBJECT OF POPERY.

163

Church of Michigan were in session in that city. Bishop Janes, of New York, presided. About one hundred ministers were present from different sections of the State. These men appeared as pioneers in the wilderness, as brethren, who could "endure hardness as good soldiers of Jesus Christ." The opening address by the Bishop was excellent and timely. The design of it was to imprint on the minds of the Conference a deep sense of personal responsibility when engaged in public business; the necessity of economy in the use of time, especially in debate; and the importance of exhibiting the character of Christian ministers in the families where they were kindly entertained.

Your Secretary was invited to preach before the Conference, on the subject of Romanism. This invitation he accepted, and addressed them in the M. E. church in the evening. He there came in contact with brethren fresh from the field, who feel a peculiar interest in the Protestant cause. He received pressing invitations to present the subject in various places, which the want of time compelled him to decline. Buffalo, Sept. 1845.

THE PULPIT MUZZLED ON THE SUBJECT OF POPERY.

We cannot affirm with the poet, in reference to the entire ministry in the United States.

• With golden muzzles all their mouths were bound ;”This is not the character of the great mass of the Christian ministry in this country. There is, we believe, more manliness and independence, and Christian fidelity in the declaration of truth in the American pulpit, than in any other part of the world. Men can speak out their sentiments here without fearing the frowns or seeking the patronage of the state hence, if a man has not the moral courage, or has not enough of the love of God and of man in his heart, to make a faithful exhibition of the truth with reference to any subject, or system of error, that involves the vital interests of the country, and of the souls of men, he is justly chargeable with unfaithfulness. Humiliating as it is, yet there are such among us. There are men in the nineteenth century, when Rome is putting forth such vigorous efforts in our land to spread her poisonous influence through every department of society, when she has planted about 2,000,000 of her members on our soil, there are men who at this late hour are as profoundly silent on the subject of Romanism, as though the foot of a Jesuit had never pressed our shores. Such men are to be found not only in the ministry, but among lawyers, merchants, and every profession and department of society. They deny themselves the liberty of speech, and the liberty of the press, while they believe in free toleration of religious sentiments. Should their example be followed by others, the result would soon be the total loss of that freedom of the press and of speech of which we now boast, and the entire overthrow of free toleration.

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THE PULPIT MUZZLED ON THE SUBJECT OF POPERY.

We most earnestly call upon the ministry and professional men to ponder and to anticipate the fearful consequences of unbroken silence on the subject of Romanism, Are you silent because you think Rome has little or no influence? The fact that any are afraid to speak out plainly on this subject, is demonstrative that Rome has influence. That influence can in no way be better nurtured than to let it aloneto say nothing about it. That is the way to produce the most abundant crop of noxious weeds in your garden. We are the last to recommend or to adopt violent measures, or denunciatory language, to counteract the influence of Romanism, or to seek the conversion of Romanists. But we believe it is right "to speak the truth in love,” and that it is betraying the cause of truth and righteousness into the hands of the enemy, to keep silence, when the Great Master requires us to speak out.

These thoughts have been suggested by the perusal of a letter recently received from a minister of the Gospel, an extract from which we publish, as follows:

"I am now among a people jealous of their rights and ready to burn in effigy those who would breathe a whisper, or point to a canker at the heart of society. Here, a few months since, they atttempted to mob a minister of the Gospel who said something on the subject of Romanism, and on his escaping, they burnt him in effigy.

66

'They have not yet, however, assailed me, but they are watching me very closely. May it never be said that I am over awed by their lurking revenge; yet it is a serious fact, and one that should claim the attention of every Christian or patriot, that in a community where the Roman Catholics are numerous, it is next to impossible to get the Protestants to raise a finger or a voice [to counteract the progress of Popery. The interests of the community are so blended together, and in such multiplied ways, as to make it a matter of the greatest delicacy to have the subject agitated even in the most kind and Christian spirit. The merchant, the landlord, and the lawyer, are looking to them for their patronage in various ways. The children of Protestants and Catholics are associating and marrying together, so that it is impossible to touch a single chord without causing it to vibrate through every vein of society. The reason of the thing is plain; yet a fact may not be amiss. In C., I could scarcely find a lawyer, and with difficulty a erchant, who was ready to even breathe a sentiment against the sysof Popery, and, to let the truth be plain, there was scarely a lawyer tical man who was not ready to side at once with the Roman In O., even a minister of the Gospel told me that he h the subject before the people of his charge; because,' 'dren of even the lady where I am stopping are married s, and it would not answer for me to come out on he difficulty of waking up a slumbering world states, the people, though awake, will not not troubled with them, and let those act Vest, they will not act, lest they might.