ed a Christian meeting in the same place-audience consisted of 19. The preacher sounded an alarm. Religion on the decline! Vital piety, he thought, was giving place to the theoretic systems of the doctrines of men. As an evidence of this, he mentioned the fewness of hearers that composed his auditory; whereas formerly, multitudes there attended. Thus, for our faithfulness in attending on his ministry, he schooled us, because other people did not attend his meeting.

On Sunday, 24th, preached two discourses in Plainfield. The Monday following returned to Barre, and attended the Methodist yearly Conference, where I heard two discourses. It had been in session seven days previous to my arrival, in which time, I was told, great exertion was used to make the people believe in the endless misery of the wicked. Elder Headen delivered a sermon professedly to that point; but as I did not hear the sermon, I forbear to remark on it from report. The name of the gentleman whom I first heard, was said to be Osborne. His discourse, from 1 Sam. ii. 26, was particularly addressed to the youth. In this he appeared very fervent, and, to use his own expressions, invited and besought the young people, "by the horrors of hell, and the mercies of heaven." But what seemed the most remarkable, was his attempt to induce them to come, and kneel at the altar to be prayed for. In this he exerted himself in importunities and entreaties. He promised that he would pray for them a month. In behalf of all the ministers present, he would engage they should be remembered in every prayer for a month. Having finished his sermon, he went down to the altar, and continued his entreaties, beseeching them to come. At length, almost despairing of success, he began to threaten. He told them, he had done all he could for them; he had freed his garments of the blood of their souls; if they would not come, he should pray for them no more; and with a tone suited to the expression, assisted by many hollow sighs, dismal groans, and distorted countenances, all combined to picture a

most horrible scene, he exclaimed, You may go to hell!!! At this he obtained a victim: one soul came and kneeled at the altar! Shouts and cries from the multitude were incessant, till flame and terror had caught many youthful and inexperienced minds, and brought fourteen unwary sufferers to their altar. They sang, and then began to pray, men and women by turns, with many cries, groans, and spiritual agonies, sometimes breaking off to sing; and they continued about two hours. Those that were exhausted (for their exercise was violent) were continually receding to give place to reinforcements from the rendezvous of ministers, which I understood was not far from sixty. Some prayed for more conviction; some, for conversion ; some, for more power; and some, for more fire. One prayed that the Lord would give them to the ministers; another plead that the Lord had promised to convert some at that meeting, and that he would not fulfil his promise, unless he did it. Some said, if they did not get converted at so favorable an opportunity, when they all would pray for them; angels would pray for them; and Jesus Christ would plead for them; it was a chance if Satan did not get them, and they never would be converted Thus they pursued with tumult and roar; and we have not yet learned that one soul among them has been converted.

In the evening, we attended another meeting. The preacher's name I do not recollect. In the introductory prayer, he was steady, solemn, and appropriate. His sermon, from 1 John i. 9, embraced (as I thought) some gospel, some law, and some tradition. Among the instances of conversion, he mentioned that of an infidel sinner, above eighty years old. He had believed there was no hell and no devil. He began to pray twice a day, and increased to three times a day, and five times a day, and so on, till he prayed ten times a day, and he told the old woman, there was a hell, for he felt it.

Whether the old man was converted into the belief of a devil, we were not told. But we are willing to

save our opposers the trouble of using such arguments, to prove there is a hell and a devil, by acknowledging the facts; and we can receive the meeting herein described, as affording as strong an argument, in favor of a hell and a devil, as the old man's prayer repeated ten times a day.

We believe our Methodist brethren to be a devotional and sincere people; but when in the midst of confusion, they pray for more fire, we conclude they know not what manner of spirit they are of. We feel to warn young people to beware of such excessive fire, lest it prove to be the fire of enthusiasm. As fire devours wood, so will the flame of fanaticism, when once kindled, prey upon the passions and inexperience of youth. Our sympathetic powers are moved by the irregular passions of others, as well as attracted by their virtues. Much zeal and great noise are not sure tokens of the spirit of the Lord. We read, the Lord passed by Elijah, "and a great and strong wind rent the mountains and break in pieces the rocks, before the Lord; but the Lord was not in the wind and after the wind an earthquake; but the Lord was not in the earthquake and after the earthquake a fire; but the Lord was not in the fire: and after the fire a still smali voice. And it was so when Elijah heard it, he wrapt his face in his mantle." 1 Kings xix. 11, 12, 13.

ON THE WORD, REVEREND.

An anonymous communication has been lately res ceived, remonstrating against applying the title Rev. to preachers of the gospel. The force of the objection seems to be, that in the only passage of divine testimony in which the word is found, it is applied to God. The writer states his "full belief of the final salvation of the whole human family," and thinks of joining our connexion; but concludes he "cannot join such Babylonish stuff, as that of giving to men a title that belongs to God." To this brother we observe,

that such is the nature of language that we cannot have a distinct word for every idea. Hence the same word is applied to different objects, and with different meanings. We can attach an appropriate idea to the word great, when applied to a horse, and to a fly; but we never think of inferring from the force of this word that their size is the same. If we apply no word to man, which the scripture applies to God, we should not perhaps have a good epithet to describe his moral qualities. Even the very name of God, the Supreme Being himself applies to Moses: "See," says he, "I have made thee a god to Pharoah." Ex. vii. 1. It is likewise to be remembered, they were called gods, to whom the word of God came. We have likewise the word reverend applied to man in scripture. St. Paul says, speaking of earthly fathers, "We have fathers of our flesh and we gave them reverence ;" and concerning wives, "See that they reverence their husbands." The good use or abuse of words depends, in a great measure, upon what we mean by them. It is now generally understood that Rev, applied to a preacher means nothing more than a respectful title, designating their profession as ministers of the gospel..

The words that compose our English Bible are such as the translators, in king James's reign, were pleased to dictate. Had they been disposed, they might have substituted another word in the place of reveren ene in the only passage in which they used it. To contend, therefore, for the use of scripture words only, as the Christian denomination have done, is only yielding submission to the literati of king James. They have given us the words, bishop, elder, deacon, &c. But a bishop at this day, is made a lord over God's heritage. He is as much above a reverend clergyman, as a sovereign is above a subject. Elder, among the Methodists, is a title of much higher distinction, than reverend among other denominations. I wish to avoid a dispute about words; but I see no harm in using the word reverend, according as we understand it, even tho it could be proved, its use originated from the Pope of Rome; nor have I, in my

own feelings, any objection to the disuse of the word: I ask no man to write it with my name; nor, if they be disposed to write it, am I offended. I do not know but elder would be as likely to feed a man's vanity, if he have any, as reverend; perhaps more so, as he would plead, it is a scripture word. We have no right reverend, nor most reverend; we only retain a term in common with denominations in general. This term I use in conformity to others of my own connexion; but when any brother will show us that there is death in the pot, let meal, according to the commandment of Elisha, be immediately brought and cast therein. EDITOR.

EXTRACT FROM AN ARTICLE, ENTITLED, "GENERAL VIEW OF REVIVALS IN VERMONT," TAKEN FROM THE (WOODSTOCK) EVANGELICAL MONITOR.

"In Franklin County, in Bakersfield, Enosburg, Berkshire and Montgomery, the work has prevailed since about the commencement of the present year, and has already given an accession to those feeble churches of 180 members, 22 of this number joined the Baptist and Episcopal churches.. The converts are computed at 285, and the work is said to be progressing. Here the labors of Mr. Boardman, in the service of the Vermont Juvenile Missionary Society, have been signally blessed. The work has excited and put down much violent opposition, especially among those, who had advocated the doctrine of Universal Salvation. Very many of this character in the light of truth saw their feet standing on slippery places, who now, instead of making "the heart of the righteous sad, and strengthening the hands of the wicked that he should not return from his wicked way by promising him life," are piously engaged in warning their friends and neighbors to flee from the wrath to come, and do works meet for repentance."

The works of the learned and pious, ever command respect. Their unintentional errors should be viewed