come-though we should be deprived of all the conveniences and elegancies of life-though we should be cut off from all our usual sources of commerce, and constrained, as many of our poor brethren have already been, to abandon our present comfortable habitations-let us, nevertheless, "stand fast" as the guardians of Liberty. And though we should not be able to entertain the heaven-born maid with such affluence and splendor as we have hitherto done, let us still keep close to her side, as our inseparable companion, preserve her from the violence of her adversaries, and, if at last necessary, be content to retire with her to those peaceful though homely retreats of rural life in which she was first entertained by our venerable ancestors-determined to contend to the very last for such an illustrious prize, and never to part with her but for the more sure and complete enjoyment of her blessings in a world of glory.

"Now, therefore, be strong, O Zerubbabel, and be strong, O Joshua, the son of Josedech the high-priest, and be strong, O ye counsellors, generals, and people of the land; for I am with you, saith the Lord of hosts. Look unto me, and be saved, all ye ends of the earth!" Even so grant, thou great and glorious God, that to thee only we may look, and from thee experience that deliverance which we ask, not for any merits of our own, but for the sake and through the merits of the dear Son of thy love, Christ Jesus our Lord! To whom, with thee, O Father, and thee, O blessed Spirit! three persons in one eternal God, be ascribed all honor, praise, and dominion, now, henceforth, and forever!

WILLIAM SMITH, D. D.

DOCTOR SMITH was a native of Scotland, and graduated at Aberdeen, in 1747. After his arrival in America, he was for two years employed as a tutor in the family of Colonel Martin, on Long Island. Revisiting England, he received regular ordination in the Episcopal Church, and in the month of May, 1754, was placed at the head of the University of Penn sylvania, and constituted its first Provost. Under his administration, the institution rapidly grew into fame, continuing in advancement, until the period of the revolution. At that time, being suspected of views unfavorable to a separation from Great Britain, and being strongly attached to the Church of England, the more ardent whigs, and some of the Presbyterians, who were whigs to a man, determined to remove him from office, much against the judgment of the friends of the institution. The old provincial charter was abrogated, a new institution was chartered by the state legislature in 1779, and endowed with the property of the old college, and the confiscated property of the tories. Ten years after, Doctor Smith and his friends procured a restitution of the property of the college to the trustees, and in 1791 an act of the legislature was passed consolidating the two institu

tions. At this time, Doctor Smith retired permanently from the college, carrying with him the respect and admiration of his fellow-men. He died at Philadelphia, on the 14th of May, 1803, leaving a collection of writings, which were published soon after. The sermon which succeeds this sketch, was preached in Christ Church, on the twenty-third of June, 1775. In the Preface, the learned author says, it "was drawn up on a few days' notice, and without any view to the press, at the request of some of the author's worthy friends, to whom he could refuse nothing of this kind. At their request, it is now likewise submitted to the public, as it was preached, without varying or suppressing a single sentiment or material expression; and with the addition only of a few lines, and three or four explanatory notes. The author considered that, although he was called to this office by a particular body, yet he was to address a great and mixed assembly of his fellow-citizens, and a number of the first characters in America, now met in consultation, at a most alarming crisis. Animated with the purest zeal for the mutual interests of Great Britain and the colonies; ardently panting for the return of those halcyon days of harmony during which both countries so long flourished together, as the glory and wonder of the world; he thought it his duty, with the utmost impartiality, to attempt a statement of the unhappy còntroversy that now rends the empire in pieces; and to show, if peradventure he might be permitted to vouch

for his fellow-citizens, so far as he has been conversant among them, that the idea of an independence upon the parent country, or the least licentious opposition to its just interests, is utterly foreign to their thoughts; that they contend only for the sanctity of charters and laws, together with the right of granting their own money; and that our rightful sovereign has nowhere more loyal subjects, or more zealously attached to those principles of government under which his family inherits the throne. These, with a few things which seemed necessary respecting the church at this time, are the topics handled in the following sermon. the principles it contains are but thoroughly felt, the reader will not regret that the limits of a single discourse would not allow a particular application of them."

If

THE CRISIS OF AMERICAN AFFAIRS.

The Lord God of gods; the Lord God of gods, he knoweth, and Israel he shall know, if it be in rebellion, or if in transgression against the Lord, save us not this day.―JOSHua, xxii. 22.

THESE words, my brethren, will lead us into a train of reflections wholly suitable to the design of our present meeting; and I must beg your indulgence till I explain, as briefly as possible, the solemn occasion on which they were first delivered, hoping the application I may afterward make of them, may fully reward your attention.

The two tribes of Reuben and of Gad, and the halftribe of Manasseh, had chosen their inheritance on the eastern side of Jordan, opposite to the other tribes of Israel. And although they knew that this situation would deprive them of some privileges which remained with their brethren on the other side, and particularly that great privilege of having the place of the altar and tabernacle of God among them; yet, as the land of Canaan was judged too small for all the twelve tribes, they were contented with the possessions they had chosen. And thus they spoke to Moses: "It is a land of cattle, and thy servants have much cattle, wherefore, if we have found grace in thy sight, let this land be given to us for a possession, and we will build sheepfolds here for our cattle, and cities for our little ones; and we ourselves will go ready armed before our brethren, the children of Israel-and will not return into our houses, until we have inherited every man his inheritance." And Moses said unto them: "If you will do this thing, and will go all of you armed over Jordan before the Lord, until he have driven out his enemies from before him; and the land (of Canaan) be subdued (for your brethren); then afterward ye shall return, and this land (of Gilead) shall be your possession before the Lord."*

This, then, was the great original contract, under which these two tribes and a half were allowed to separate from the rest, and to dwell on the other side. of Jordan. They were to assist their brethren in their necessary wars, and to continue under one government with them, even that of the great Jehovah him

* Numbers, xxxii.