Dioceses.

1790.

1800.

Extent in sq. Population in Clergy in Population in Clergy in Population in Clergy in Population in Clergy in

miles.

1792.

1801.

1811.

1810.

1820.

1820.

Population in 1830.

Clergy in Clergy in 1829. 1832.

Population in 1843.

Clergy in 1843.

CONCLUDING REMARKS.

This much then of the facts and incidents connected with the rise and progress of the Protestant Episcopal Church in these United States. At first a feeble band, she is called to the endurance of a great fight of affliction; and, at one period, reduced to an extremity which perilled her very existence. The jealousies which were awakened in the colonies by her union with the state in 1693, more than counterbalanced the short-lived advantages she derived from the protection and support of the British crown. This is evident from a view of her position, immediately following the recognition of the independence of the States in 1783. That event, dissolving her connexion with the state, subjected her on the one hand to the loss of many of her ablest clergy, and on the other, to the scorn and derision of opposing sects. Not that she could not at this very time, strictly speaking, compare with any other religious body in point of numbers, the members of the Methodist Society, up to the year 1784, constituting a part of her communion.

Five events mainly distinguish the history, and may be considered as affecting the interests of the Protestant Episcopal Church in this country, from her earliest connexion with the colonies, to the present time.

The first, was her erection into a church establishment in 1693. This circumstance secured to her a temporary ascendency, especially in the province of New York. From that period, accessions were made to her communion, and not a few from among the original emigrants, the Hollanders; some, doubtless, for conscience' sake, but more, we fear, from mercenary motives, or from considerations of state policy.

The second, was the severance of the Methodist Society from her communion; a circumstance, which, if we mistake not, viewed in any light, furnishes an occasion of the deepest regret.

The third was the dissolution of the church establishments, consequent upon the recognition of the independence of the colonies by Great Britain in 1783; the effects of which, as it relates to the best interests of the church, can be measured only by being thrown in contrast with the folly of erecting into a church establishment any one religious body, amid so many discordant and hostile elements, social, civil, political, and ecclesiastical.

The fourth, the procurement, in 1793, of the episcopate through

the English line of succession. This event precluded the necessity of that temporary departure from Episcopacy, proposed by Dr. White, in order to meet the supposed exigency of the church in 1782.

Henceforward, the Protestant Episcopal Church, thus duly organized, with her apostolic ministry, her liturgy, her diocesan and general conventions, her constitutions and canons, &c. &c., gradually advanced into a consolidation of her distinctive principles; till— to the praise of God's grace be it spoken-she has realized the truth, (in a subordinate sense at least,) "a little one shall become a thousand, and a small one a strong nation." (Isa. lx. 22.)

EVANGELICAL ASSOCIATION.

BY THE REV. W. W. ORWIG,

NEW BERLIN, UNION COUNTY, PENNSYLVANIA.

THIS Christian denomination took its rise about the year 1800, in one of the middle free States of America; at first they were called the Albrights, (Albrechtsleute), probably on account of Jacob Albright having been, by the grace of God, the instrument of their solemnly uniting themselves for the service of Almighty God. About the year 1790, Jacob Albright became the happy subject of the awakening influences of God's Holy Spirit, and was brought to the knowledge of his sinful state and of the truth; and after a long and very severe struggle, he received at last, by faith in the Son of God, the remission of his sins and the spirit of adoption. In this state he spent several years in the service of God; and, at the request of his fellow-Christians, he at sundry times spake publicly a word of exhortation, which did not remain fruitless. In the year 1796, after a very severe conflict respecting his call to the ministry, he commenced travelling through the country, and to preach the gospel of Christ, and him crucified, to his fellow-men, and the Lord owned and richly blessed his labours, and gave him many souls for his recompense. Having now continually a feeling and tender regard for the Germans of this country, as among them true Christianity was at that time at a very low ebb and almost entirely extirpated: he united himself in the year 1800 with a number of persons, who by his preaching had been awakened and converted to God, into a Christian society. This is the origin of the Evangelical Association. In the year 1803 this society resolved upon introducing and instituting among, and for, themselves an ecclesiastical regulation. Jacob Albright was therefore elected as the presiding elder among them, and duly confirmed by the other preachers, and by their laying on of hands ordained, so as to authorize him to perform all transactions that are necessary for a Christian society, and becoming to an evangelical preacher. They unanimously chose

the sacred scriptures for their guide in faith and action, and formed their church discipline accordingly, as any one may see, who will take the pains to investigate and examine the same. At first, indeed, when their principles and design were not yet much known, this denomination met with considerable opposition and suffered much persecution; it, however, spread more and more till to the present time, but more especially during the last ten years. At present (1843,) their number is near 15,000 communicants, and between two and three hundred preachers, of whom there are above one hundred travelling preachers. Hitherto they have confined their labours chiefly to the German population of the United States and the Canadas, and have for some time past been very successful in their missions among the emigrated Germans in the western States, and in several of the principal seaports of this country. The following is a compend of their unanimous doctrine and confession of faith.

ARTICLES OF FAITH.

I. Of the Holy Trinity.-There is but one only, true and living God, an eternal Being, a Spirit without a body, indivisible, infinite, mighty, wise and good, the creator and preserver of all things, visible and invisible. And in this Godhead there is a trinity, of one substance and power, and co-eternal; namely, the Father, the Son, and the Holy Ghost.

II. Concerning the Word, or Son of God, who became Man.-The Son, who is the Word of the Father, the eternal and true God, of one substance with the Father, took man's nature in the womb of the blessed Virgin, so that both natures, the divine and the human, are perfectly and inseparably joined together in him (as in one person); therefore he is Christ (the anointed) very God and very man, even he, who suffered, was crucified, dead and buried, in order to reconcile the justice of the eternal Father with us, and to present himself a sacrifice for both our original and actual sins.

III. Of Christ's Resurrection.-This Christ did truly rise again from the dead, and reassumed his body, with all things appertaining to the perfection of man's nature, and thus in the same body he ascended into heaven, and sitteth there until he return again, at the last day, to judge all men.

IV. Of the Holy Ghost.-The Holy Ghost proceeds from the Father and the Son, is the true and eternal God, of one substance, majesty and glory, with the Father and the Son.

V. The Sufficiency of the Holy Scriptures for our Instruction to Sal