Elisha Clap, A. M. Treasurer. Rev. Samuel Ripley, Sec'ry, and eight Trustees. The object of this Society is, to promote the knowledge and practice of religion, by the publication and distribution of religious tracts. The subscription is two dollars annually.

The preacher, for the next anniversary, is Dr. Richmond, of Stoughton; and for the succeeding, the Rev. Wm. E. Channing, of Boston.

In the evening of the same day, the Rev. Elisha Fiske, of Wrentham, preached the seventeenth annual sermon before The Massachusetts Missionary Society, in the Old South Church, from Nehemiah. 66 "I am doing a great work; so that I cannot come down. Why should the work cease, whilst I leave it, and come down to you?"

On the morning of the General Election, the Rev. Joshua Bates, of Dedham, preached the annual sermon before The Society for promoting Christian Knowledge, from John xvii. 17. 66 Sanctify them through thy truth."

Officers of the Society.
Eliphalet Pearson, LL. D. Pres.
Rev. Ab. Holmes, D. D. V. Pres.
Dr. James P. Chaplin, Treas.
Mr. Oliver Brown, Clerk.
Rev. Jed. Morse, D. D. Sec'ry.
Mr. Jacob A. Cummings, Libra.
Mr. Henry Homes, Auditor.
Directors,

The above, with Rev. William Greenough, Rev. John Codman, Rev. Samuel Gile, Rev. Joshua Huntington, Caleb Gannett, Esq. Deacon William Hilliard.

The next preacher is, Rev. Daniel Dana, D. D. of Newburyport.

At the General Election, the Rev. John Thornton Kirkland, D. D. LL. D. President of Harvard University, preached from Psalm cvi. 4, 5. "Remember me, O Lord, with

This Society was instituted at Lancaster, in 1807, and was the first to adopt the plan of locating Missionaries, instead of having them itinerants, as is the usual practice.

Officers chosen at the last annual meeting, in October, at Shrewsbury. Hon. Elijah Brigham, President. Rev. Ezra Ripley, V. President. Rev. Nathl. Thayer, C. & R. Sec. Hon. Benj. Heywood, Treasurer. Trustees.

The President and Vice-President, ex officio, Rev. Aaron Bancroft, D. D. Rev. Reuben Puffer, D. D. Rev. Richard R. Eliot, Rev. Asa Packard, Rev. Isaac Allen, Hon. Joseph Allen, Deacon John White, Deacon Moses Coolidge, Thomas W. Ward, Esq. Isaac Fiske, Esq. and Mr. Josiah Bridge.

The next annual meeting, will be in the Chapel of Harvard Univer-. sity, 2d of October, at which the Rev. Isaac Allen, of Bolton, is to preach. The Rev. Wilkes Allen, of Chelmsford, is second preacher.

Any person may become a member of this Society, by paying two dollars annually in aid of the Institution.

up sword against nation; neither shall they learn war any more."

The collection, after sermon, was $663 05 for the benefit of the widows and orphans of deceased ministers.

Among the most important articles of business, transacted at this Convention, were the following:

A Committee of sixteen was appointed to inquire into the provision inade in the Manufactories of this Commonwealth for the instruction, and moral and religious improvement of the children employed in them, and report next year.

An address to the publick was voted to be printed, being an attempt to correct the publick mind on the subject of war.

A Committee of seven was appointed to consider, whether any measures, and if any, what may be usefully adopted by the Convention to discountenance and suppress the great evil of intemperance, in the use of spirituous liquors; to consult with any Committee, that may be appointed by the Massachusetts Society for the suppression of intemperance, and with such gentlemen in civil life, as may be thought proper, and report the result of their deliberations and consultations at the next annual meeting of this Convention.

The Rev. Dr. Hyde, of Lee, is to preach the next year. The second preacher is the Rev. Dr. Ware, Hollis Professor of Divinity in Harvard University.

In the afternoon, The Society for propagating the gospel among the Indians and others, in North-America, held their annual meeting, and elected

His Hon. Wm. Phillips, Pres.
Eliphalet Porter, D. D. V. Pres.
Abiel Holmes, D. D. Sec'ry.
Rev. Wm. E. Channing, As. Sec.
Samuel H. Walley, Esq. Treas.
Mr. Josiah Salisbury, V. Treas.

Select Committee.

Samuel Salisbury, Esq. Jedediah Morse, D. D. Alden Bradford, Esq. Mr. James White, Rev. Charles Lowell, with the President, Secretary, and Treasurer.

The Rev. William Greenough, of Newton, is to preach before the Society, in First Church, the first Thursday in November. Dr. Foster, of Brighton, is second preacher.

The Society for the suppression of Intemperance met on Friday, the 31st of May, Rev. Jesse Appleton, D. D. President of Bowdoin College, delivered the annual address.

Officers chosen.

V.Pres.

Hon. Nathan Dane, President.
Eliphalet Porter, D. D.
Hon. Artemas Ward,
Hon. Samuel Haven,
Rev. Jos. M Kean, LL. D. C. Sec.
Mr. John Tappan, Recording Sec.
Counsellors.

Rev. Dr. Worcester, Rev. Abiel Abbot, Rev. Dr. M'Kean, Rev. Joshua Bates, Rev. Charles Lowell, Hon. Richard Sullivan, Professor Levi Hedge, Jeremiah Evarts, Esq.

The person chosen to deliver the next annual discourse, is Dr. Worcester of Salem. After him, the Rev. Wm. E. Channing is to officiate.

On Monday, third of June, The Ancient and Honourable Artillery Company held their 178th anniver

sary.

The Rev. Paul Dean preached from Romans xiii. 4.

On Thursday, 6th of June, The Bible Society of Massachusetts, held its seventh annual meeting.

The Rev. John Pierce, of Brookline, preached from Galatians vi. 9. "Let us not be weary in well doing; for in due season we shall reap, if we faint not," on the motives to unwearied perseverance in distributing the scriptures.

There was a contribution of two hundred and twenty-six dollars.

Officers.

His Hon. Wm. Phillips, Pres.
Rev. John T. Kirkland, D. D.
LL. D. Vice-President.
Bev. Samuel C. Thacher, C. Sec.
Rev. John Pierce, Record. Sec'ry.
Mr. John Tappan, Treasurer.
Mr. John Grew, Assistant Treas.
Trustees.

Dr. Freeman, Dr. Porter, Dr. Holmes, Dr. Baldwin, Rev. Charles Lowell, Rev. Joshua Huntington, Samuel Salisbury, Esq. Hon. William Brown, Hon. Isaac Parker, Hon. Peter C. Brooks, John Tucker, Esq. Joseph Hurd, Esq. Samuel Parkman, Esq. Joseph May, Esq. Henry Hill, Esq. Deacon John Simpkins, Hon. Thomas Dawes, Hon. Dudley A. Tyng.

Executive Committee.
Rev. William E. Channing,
Rev. Francis Parkman,
Mr. Edward Tuckerman, Jun.

The Board of Commissioners of the Society in Scotland, for promoting Christian Knowledge," have not been obtained.

Bible Societies.

The Newark Bible Society has become auxiliary to the American Bible Society, agreeably to the provisions of the third article.

The New-York Auxiliary Bible Society has also voted to pay over to the National Society its surplus monies, after supplying its own district. The West-Chester Bible Society has passed a similar vote.

The Albany Bible Society has become auxiliary to the National Society, and voted a donation of $500 to its funds.

The Philadelphia Female Bible Society have also voted $500 to the National Society.

The constitution of the Plymouth and Norfolk Bible Society is omitted for want of room.

Ordinations.

June 5th, Rev. Joseph W. Curtis, over the First Church, in NorthYarmouth. Introductory prayer, by Rev. William Jenks. of Bath; sermon by Rev. E. Payson, of Portland, from 2d Corinthians v. 20; ordaining prayer by Rev. T. Lancaster, of Sarborough; charge. by Rev. S. Eaton, of Harpswell; right hand, by Rev. J. Scott, of Minot; concluding prayer, by the Rev. D. Thurston, of Winthrop.

May 15, at Bethlehem, Connecticut, Rev. John Langdon. At the same time two Missionaries, Stephen Mason and Herman Halsey, to labour in the State of Kentucky.

In Dracut, Rev. William Gould, over the First Church in that place.

Obituary.

Died at New-Mills, New-Jersey, Rev. Joseph Stratton, pastor of the Baptist Church in that place.

In Richmond, Virginia, William Marshall, Esq. Clerk of the Federal Court for that District.

In Amesbury, of hydrophobia, Mr. Francis Chase, aged 30. He was bitten about the middle of March by a heifer, which was supposed to have been previously bitten by a mad dog.

In Philadelphia, Peter M. Potter. His death was occasioned by a moral hydrophobia-he was killed in a duel.

At Norwich, Connecticut, Miner Babcock was executed for murder; and the Thursday following was appointed for the execution of Peter Lung, at Middletown, in the same State.

Suppose every man should be executed, who has been guilty of shedding innocent blood; how greatly would this diminish the population of Christendom! But while a few are hanged for such crimes, thousands are trained up to the business by the rulers of nations, and are paid and praised for the murders they commit!

THE siege of Jerusalem lasted only five months. But from the immense strength of the place, and the desperation of the inhabitants, it was expected to sustain a much longer resistance. According to the testimony of Roman historians, nearly a million of Jews perished within the walls; and Josephus supposed a still greater number.

Titus, the Roman general, after the conquest of the city, exclaimed-"We have fought with the assistance of God; it was God who drove the Jews out of these fortifications for what could the hand of man effect against such works."

Our Saviour had said, "Except those days should be shortened, there should no flesh be saved; but for the elect's sake those days shall be shortened." Matt. 24. 22. The providential circumstances which seem to have shortened the time of the siege, were such as these-the intestine divisions among the Jews, the wanton destruction of provisions by the opposite factions, and the vast number of foreign Jews, who had come to Jerusalem to attend Vol. IV. No. 8.

the passover. As the multitude of foreign Jews augmented the number inclosed within the walls of the city, they also increased the famine and the pestilence.

Our Lord also had said, "They shall fall by the edge of the sword, and shall be led away captive into all nations." The truth of this prediction and its accomplishment, we have no occasion to prove, by quoting authorities. Our Saviour added, "And Jerusalem shall be trodden down by the Gentiles, until the times of the Gentiles shall be fulfilled." In agreement with this prediction, Jerusalem has been subject to the Romans, the Saracens, the Egyptians, the Mamelukes, the Franks, and the Turks. The Jews have never possessed it, and they still remain distinct and dispersed among all nations. It is also never to be forgotten, that contrary to the usual practice of the Romans,and to the will of Titus, who made exertions to preserve it→→ the city was entirely destroyed. They dug up the walls, they ploughed up the foundations of the temple and the only monu

ments left of the metropolis were some towers, which were suffered to stand, as proof of the impregnable nature of the works, and the courage of the besiegers. For said our Lord, "Thine enemies shall lay thee even with the ground, and they shall not leave one stone upon another which shall not be thrown down." "Behold your house is left unto you desolate."

The destruction of Jerusalem took place thirty-seven years after the crucifixion of our Saviour. This accords with his prediction. "Verily I say unto you, this generation shall not pass away till all these things be accomplished. Heaven and earth shall pass away, but my words shall not pass away." Although he limited the time to that " generation," he did not foretell precisely the day or the year-" But of that day and hour knoweth no man, no, nor the angels which are in heaven, neither the Son, but the Father." The precise day had not then been revealed to him, but the event was to take place while some of that generation should be living. The uncertainty as to the day or the year, was a strong argument for vigilance on the part of the disciples, and hence the propriety of the reiterated injunctions, to watch, to pray, and to be always ready.

The circumstances which have been mentioned, are not even the larger part of those which might be enumerated and confirmed by undisputed histories. But on a careful review of those which have been mentioned, who will not be ready to exclaim-"O

Lord, how unsearchable are thy judgments! and thy ways past finding out! who hath known the mind of the Lord, or who hath been his counsellor!"

He

He

But some unbeliever may ask, what is your authority for believing the minute fulfilment of these extraordinary predictions? We answer, that we have the same kiud of evidence in support of the facts which have been stated, that we have for believing that there was such a city as Jerusalem, and that this city was destroyed-the testimony of reputable historians. Read the history of Josephus, then lay your hand upon your heart and say, whether any facts can be better substantiated. Josephus was a Jew, but not a Christian. wrote his history of the conquest of Jerusalem, not under prepossessions in favour of Christianity, and was probably ignorant of the predictions of our Saviour. was an eye witness of the calamities which befel his nation; and while he records them, he attempts to account for their unparalleled greatness, by describing the wickedness of the people. His history is confirmed by the publick register to which he confidently appeals; by the testimony of Vespasian, to whom his book was presented, and it has all the marks of authenticity which any narrative can be supposed to exhibit. But even if the history of Josephus had not come down to us, the Roman historians would have been sufficient to have confirmed the essential parts of the prediction. It is perhaps not too much to say, that there is no other portion of