The increase during the last year was about 12,000, which has been nearly the annual average increase since 1821. The number of associations of this denomination of Christians is 184, among which are 3594 churches, and 2219 ministers. Gazetteer.

Br. Barzillai Streeter, Salem, Mass. has received and accepted an invitation to become the pastor of the Universalist Society in the city of Troy, N. Y.

The Genesee Branch of the Western Association convened at Pembroke, Genesee County, N. Y. Sept. 14, 1824. Discourses were delivered by Brs. S. Adams, J. S. Thompson, L. S. Everitt J. Potter, and J. S. Flagler. Five new societies were received into fellowship, and favorable reports were made of the cause of truth in various sections in the region round about. The Association adjourned to meet at Parma, Monroe county, on the last Wednesday and Thursday of Sept. 1825,

The Chenango Branch Association of Universalists was attended in the town of Hopbottom, County of Susquehannah, on the first Wednesday and Thursday of September last. Two Societies were received into fellowship, and Br. John A. Dexter received a letter of fellowship as a preacher of the gospel. The new Constitution of the Western Association was unanimously adopted, and Br. S. Adams appointed standing Clerk of that branch. Four discourses were delivered by Brs. S. Finch, O. Ackley, E. Ferris, and N. Stacy. The Association adjourned to meet at Tioga Point, county of Bradford, Penn. on the last Wednesday in August, 1825.

Another challenge.-Mr. M'Calla has challenged Mr. Kneeland to another controversy, to which he has assented, on condition that Mr. M'Calla's friends will

open one of their Meeting houses, to show that they approve of this method of conducting an argument, and to reciprocate the favor they enjoyed in the use of his church, in the first debate. Gos. Her.

Br. Wood has lately published "a sermon on the salutary nature of punishment." Br. Hudson has likewise published a pamphlet containing, "a brief statement of the reasons for rejecting the doctrine of endless misery." Both appear to be well written pieces, and merit the attention and perusal of the brethren.

To correspondents.-The Editor calculates to answer Br. Brooks' last communication, in the next number. Several communications are on hand, which will be noticed in our next.

Subscribers are requested to excuse an unusual delay of this number of the Repository, on account of the necessary absence of the Editor.

POETRY.

For the Christian Repository.

THE RESURRECTION OF CHRIST.

"Thou wilt not leave my soul in hell; neither wilt thou suffer thine holy One to see corruption."

Relentless death, we own thy power,

A universal conqu❜ror, thou,

All kindred, nations, ranks and stations,
Must at thy shrine submissive bow.

Yet, tho in dusty beds of slumber,
Thy victims sleep in long repose,
Didst not thou find thy power athwarted,
When, from the grave, the Savior rose?

He burst the iron bars asunder,

The massy doors flew open wide ;

The shroud, the linen clothes and napkin,
Roll'd together, laid aside.

Triumphant rose the Prince of life,
And spoil'd the powers of death and hell;
The heavenly seraphs joyful waiting,
The glorious victory to tell.

Be glad, ye heavens, rejoice, O earth,
Your great Redeemer's fame extol;
Come, sound aloud the great salvation
Of him who died and rose for all.

T. L. CARPENTER,

From the Haverhill (Mass.) Gazette.

THE GRAVE.

'Tis silent in the grave;

No noise disturbs these chambers of the dead;
For them in vain we weep,

We cannot break their sleep,

We cannot rouse them from their lowly bed.

'Tis peaceful in the grave,

The pain and sorrow through the earth should reign No bitter pang of woe,

Nor trouble does he know,

Who lies at rest within its dark domain.

'Tis lonely in the grave,

The voice of love and friendship never sound
Amid the hoary gloom

And darkness of the tomb,

But dread and horror ever reign around

No. 5.

FEBRUARY, 1825.

SERMON, NO. XX.

VOL. V.

Matt. xiii. 27.—Didst not thou sow good seed in thy field? from whence then hath it tares?

The parable, of which these words form an important part, has received particular attention from all classes of Christians. Scarcely a person can be found, who professes a knowledge of divinity, if only in a very limited degree, but considers himself capable of explaining and applying the parable of the tares and the wheat, because he supposes that its object and meaning must be too obvious, to admit the possibility of mistake, unless in cases, where people wish to be deceived. The construction which is almost universally given to this section of scripture, has always appeared exceptionable to some persons however, and they have endeavored to give it an interpretation more consistent with their own particular, religious views; but whether they have approached nearer to truth and fact, is a question, which can be determined only by reference to the general design of the parables of the New Testament, and by the bearing they had upon known and acknowledged circumstances. It has been generally thought that by the wheat, we are to understand good men, and by the tares wicked men. This interpretation is liable to difficulties, so obvious as hardly to need pointing out. It would seem to show, that the devil is the creator of wicked men, because he is said to have sowed the tares. This interpretation has been met by another, which supposes that sinful habits and dispositions are represented by the tares. This is certainly more rational than the preceding; at least, it is not liable to the same difficulty; but yet I greatly doubt, if the con

struction falls in with the general design of the parables, and particularly whether it corresponds enough to the views that our Savior was exhibiting in the passages in connexion. Besides, we ought to avoid all interpretations of scriptures, which are made to favor a particular doctrine. Parables were probably never designed as direct proofs of any doctrine; but as modes of illustration of general facts and principles. They sometimes expose human prejudices, and lay open the sources of error, and this shows that their application must be general, as no church or individual is free from, at least, a liability to the influence of prejudice and error. We have seen, on former occasions, how protestants have erred in interpreting scripture in such a way as to fix the charge of falsehood and wickedness upon the church of Rome, and thus exempt themselves from her sins and plagues. It would be well to adopt general principles, in treating upon parables, as well as upon other parts of scripture.

The discussion of this subject agreeably to the nature and order of the ideas, advanced in the text, will consist in pointing out, first, what we are to understand by the good seed, and our success in determining this point will enable us, secondly, to answer the question relative to the introduction of the tares. "Didst not thou sow good seed in thy field? from whence then hath it tares ?"

First. There is sufficient reason to lead us to conclude that the parable, a part of which is before us for consideration, is a continuation of the parable of the ower, contained in the nine first verses of this chapter. In other words, that the parable of the tares and wheat is a representation of the same subject, in a different view, and under new circumstances. From the explanation of the parable of the sower, as given by our