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church and Pastor, that they certainly feel no objection to your future participation and intercourse with the Association.

Affectionately Yours,

Secretary."

"Having thus replied to the message you left with me, permit me to assure you, that your attendance upon the meetings of the society will afford me much pleasure. Still trusting that united effort will effectuate the important objects at which we all ought to aim

Yours truly,

-.

In haste."

"Augusta, October 27th, 1840.

MY DEAR MRS. : Your note of last evening was duly received, and I am much obliged to you for attending to my request; but I have to say that on leaving your house, after the last Maternal meeting, I determined in my own mind, that I should not probably ever visit it again, and I find nothing in your note to lead me to alter my determination. I then thought and still think, that I can never again encounter a meeting with persons who treat me with such evident marks of coldness and want of cordiality. I had my answer, after entering the room, where the association were assembled, without your making the enquiry, whether it would be pleasant to them to have me meet with them. Yes, my dear Mrs. —, I plainly perceive my presence is not desired there, and of course, I forever withdraw from the Association-and the responsibility of it whether for good or evil, rests with the members of the Association-for had they continued to treat me with kindness, and christian courtesy, I should probably have never left them.

Mrs. -, your President and leader, has met me three times, the past season, at the Maternal meeting, and has not spoken to me at all, nothing but a slight bow as she entered the room. I have thought this hardly consistent with our former friendship, but perhaps it was all right. I do not feel worthy to be spoken to by any christian. I feel that I am less than the least of all God's children, if indeed I am one, and can offer no other petition than, "God be merciful to me a sinner." I had hoped that we could meet on the broad ground of our common christianity, as professed disciples of the same Saviour, seeking and praying for an object dear to all our hearts, even the conversion of our children; without hringing into

view our conflicting opinions on other subjects, but I find I am mistaken, and therefore yield the point, and take my leave.

It was always pleasant to me to meet with christians; it is still so; and perhaps I can find some yet, without the pale of Mr. Tappan's church. I have one reply to make respecting the "spirit" which the Association say I have manifested. I would ask what evidence, what proof they have, that I have exercised a wrong spirit? I have scarcely spoken with any of them for the past summer that I recollect of. I have met them a few times at the Maternal meeting. Did I manifest a wrong spirit there? "Judge not, that ye be not judged, for with what judgment ye judge, ye shall be judged, and such measure as ye mete, shall be measured to you again." I suppose Paul was accused of a wrong spirit, when he said, "God shall smite thee, thou whited wall; for sittest thou here to judge me according to the law, and commandest me to be smitten contrary to the law?" And even our Saviour himself, I presume, was accused of severity, when he said, "wo, unto you, Scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites!"

If disapproving of past proceedings is wrong, I cheerfully abide the decision. I do heartily disapprove of them. I feel indignant and ever shall, at the treatment my sister Weston and her family have received, at the hands of Mr. Tappan and his church. I shall never cease to condemn them, for the gross injustice with which my beloved sister has been treated, until they satisfactorily explain why she is singled out from others, who do the same things and much worse. I believe it to be contrary to the gospel of Jesus-I have not so learned Christ. And although Mr. Tappan has said, that "no one has left his church, whom he would wish to retain," yet I shall say, fearless of contradiction, that Mrs. Weston has not left her superior behind her, in the South Parish Church, one who habitually manifests more of the virtues which constitute the christian character. Although she is my sister, I must say it. "I have become a fool in glorying, but ye have compelled me." Remember the parable of the tares of the field, how the disciples would have gathered them up, but our Saviour said, "nay, lest while ye root up the tares, ye gather up the wheat also; let both grow together until the harvest," &c. I leave you all to judge, whether, with the exception of myself, any wheat has been rooted up.

I

One word respecting the Pastor, and I have done. am not of the number of those who consider it an unpardonable sin to censure him-I consider him to be as much

amenable at the bar of public opinion, as any other man; and I am perfectly free to say to the Maternal Association, that I have never felt, since I removed from Thomaston to this place, which is more than ten years, that I had a kind and affectionate Pastor, to whom I could go confidingly: and Mr. Tappan knows himself, if he would testify, that I have been dissatisfied with him for years. Also, further, it has ever been a great trouble to me, that my children could not attend on the ministry of some one, whom they could love; and I have at times, utterly despaired of their ever receiving any spiritual benefit, unless Mr. Tappan was removed, or another evangelical church was established among us: the latter alternative has taken place, and it has been with joy, that we have fled under the shadow of its wings. It seems to me as a refuge from the storm, and a covert from the tempest. The worship and service of the Episcopal church is delightful to me, and I feel happy in being gathered into its fold. We have an excellent Pastor, whose preaching is truly evangelical; and in his more private interviews, and pastoral visits, I should say he was unsurpassed.

My dear children also are more interested, than they have ever been before, in the services of the sanctuary, and I can perceive a gradual improvement, especially in the older ones, since they have attended on the service of the Episcopal church, so that, on the whole, I feel that I have great reason to "thank God and take courage." "Forgetting the things which are behind, I would press toward the mark, for the prize of the high calling of God in Christ Jesus." And now, my dear friend, 1 bid you an affectionate farewell, assuring you of my sincere personal regard and esteem-also present my love to the other members of the Association, and although we may not pray together, here on earth, yet may we still continue to remember each other, before a throne of grace in our private retirement. "God forbid, that we should sin against the Lord," in ceasing to pray for each other, and our respective children. I would close, by saying, in the words of our excellent Liturgy, "from envy, hatred, and malice, and all uncharitableness," "Good Lord deliver us." And may the blessing of Almighty God, the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit, be with you and remain with you forever. With respect and affection, I subscribe myself,

Yours, &c.

A. G. INGRAHAM. P. S. I should be glad to have you read this to the Maternal Association; and I should also be very willing for Mr. Tappan to see it."

After this, "Mrs. Ingraham's insulting note to the 'Maternal Association,' and the very calm and christian reply of that society," was, forthwith noised through the church! So difficult it is for some people to represent things truly! And so easy is it merely to invert facts!

B.

CHURCH COVENANT.

"You, being sensible of your dependence upon God, and of your inability of yourself to keep covenant with Him, yet relying on His grace, and in obedience to His will, do freely, sincerely, and heartily, take the Lord Jehovah, the all perfect Governor of the world, to be your God; promising and covenanting, that by the help of His grace, which you devoutly implore, you will be devoted to love and fear Him, with the whole heart, and to walk in all respects conscientiously, so as to glorify and please Him.

You believe, with all the heart, that Jesus is the Christ, the Messiah promised of old, the only begotten Son of God; and you gladly take Him to be your Saviour, Prophet, Priest, and King; devoting yourself to learn of Him, to trust in Him, to imitate Him, and to be subject to His authority, according to all His holy commandments.

And herewithal you profess repentance towards God respecting sins that are past, imploring His gracious forgiveness through the blood-the perfect righteousness of Jesus Christ; and that, as you may fai', in any respects, of a due observance of His covenant, you will humbly and penitently wait upon Him for His pardoning and healing mercy.

You have a firm persuasion of the truth and divine inspiration of the Holy Scriptures; and of the sufficiency and perfection of them, as a rule of faith and life. As the only perfect rule, you will use your best endeavors to respect, consult, and receive them, and to conform your belief, temper, and conversation to them.

You take the Holy Spirit of God to be your Director into the sense of the Sacred Oracles, and to be your Sanctifier and Comforter.

You will sacredly regard every personal and relative duty. You will submit yourself to the care and discipline of this church, so far as they shall be guided by God's most holy Word.

You will dedicate your children, or those minors whom Providence may commit to your parental care, to the Lord in baptism; promising to use your best diligence, that they may be educated in the way of Christianity.

And you promise to walk with this church in all the holy ordinances of God."

"Hereupon it is declared, in the name and by order of this church, that they do receive you into their sacred fellowship; promising to watch over you for your good unto edification, and to walk with you in all the instituted ordinances of the Christian Religion."

"And now, dear brother, [or sister] the vows of God are upon you. You have sworn unto the Lord, and you cannot go back. Take heed that you do not depart from the living God. But be thou faithful unto death, and He will give thee a crown of life."