the people. But none seems to have been offered; and the proprietors of the South meeting-house, finding that they could not resist the imposition, submitted to it as well as they could. Both parties, indeed, after the intrusion was effected, and regarded as a settled thing, evinced some desire to accommodate each other with regard to the hours of their several meetings, though Andros was still the dictator. On Easter day, March 27, the governor and his retinue again met in the South Church, at eleven o'clock, word having been sent to the proprietors that they might come at half-past one; but it was not till after two that the church service was over, owing, as it is stated by Judge Sewall, to the sacrament, and Mr. Clarke's long sermon; so 't was a sad sight,' he continues, 'to see how full the street was with people gazing and moving to and fro, because they had not entrance into the house.'" - pp. 37-40.

The facts in regard to the changes in their doctrine and liturgy are thus given:

"On the 20th of February, 1785, the proprietors voted that it was necessary to make some alterations in some parts of the Liturgy; and appointed a committee to report such alterations. This committee consisted of seven gentlemen, in addition to the wardens, who were to consult and communicate with the Rev. Mr. Freeman. On Easter Monday, the 28th of March, they reported that some alterations were essentially necessary; and the alterations as reported were read, considered, and debated at several adjournments. On the 19th of June, the proprietors voted, "that the Common Prayer, as it now stands amended, be adopted by this church, as the form of prayer to be used in future by this church and congregation." The yeas and nays being called for, it appeared that of yeas there were twenty, and of nays seven; and three out of the seven dissentients had worshipped at Trinity Church ever since the year 1776. The alterations made in the Liturgy were principally those of Dr. Samuel Clarke, the celebrated English divine, and for the most part were such as involved the omission of the doctrine of the Trinity. The work as amended was immediately put to press, and was used in this church till the year 1811, when other amendments were made.

"Here was a most conspicuous, and as we must regard it, a most happy revolution; an auspicious turning from the dominion of creeds and phrases of men's device, to the easy yoke and authority of simple Scripture. This important change is to be attributed mainly to the judicious and learned expositions of

Mr. Freeman, who preached a series of doctrinal sermons to his people, and by the aid and influence of the word of God, moved them to respond to his sentiments. The first Episcopal church in New-England, became the first Unitarian church in America,* and our venerated senior minister, though not absolutely the first who held or even avowed Unitarian opinions, still on many accounts deserves to be considered as the father of Unitarian Christianity in this country."— pp. 137 - 140.

The influence which these changes had on their Episcopal and other ecclesiastical relations is thus stated:

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Although the congregation thus adopted a Liturgy from which all recognition of the doctrine of the Trinity was excluded, as being an erroneous and unscriptural doctrine, they nevertheless continued to regard themselves as Episcopalians, and desired to remain in connexion, if possible, with the American Episcopal Church. At a meeting held on Sunday, July 22d, 1787, they voted that a letter be addressed to the Rev. Bishop Provost at New York, to inquire whether ordination for the Rev. Mr. Freeman, can be obtained on terms agreeable to him and to the proprietors of this church, and that this letter be drawn up by the Rev. Mr. Freeman, and signed by the Wardens.' The letter was written, approved, and sent; and an answer thereto was returned by the Bishop, in which he declined giving a decision in a business of such moment, and stated that it was to be referred, by advice, to the ensuing General Convention.

The congregation then determined to ordain Mr. Freeman themselves. A plan of Ordination was reported on the 4th of November, and adopted on the 11th, and on the 18th of the same month, 1787, it was carried into execution, and the Rev. James Freeman was ordained on the afternoon of that day, by a solemn and appropriate form, 'Rector, Minister, Priest, Pastor, teaching Elder, and public Teacher" of the Society worshipping at King's Chapel. The evening service being performed as usual, the wardens joined Mr. Freeman in the desk, and the senior warden made a short address to the proprietors and congregation, setting forth the reasons of the present procedure. The first ordaining prayer was then read by Mr. Freeman, after which the senior warden read the

"The writer does not mean to assert that King's Chapel was the first church in America, in which Unitarian opinions were to any extent entertained, but the first which came out and appeared before the world, in a body, as a Unitarian Church."

ordaining vote, which was unanimously adopted by the Society, and signed on the spot by the wardens in their behalf. Mr. Freeman next declared his acceptance of the office to which he had been chosen, and signed the same. The ceremony

of ordination was then performed by the senior warden, who, as the representative of the Society, laid his hand on Mr. Freeman, and declared him to be their Rector, &c.; in testimony of which he delivered to him a BIBLE, enjoining upon him 'a due observance of all the precepts contained therein.' He then blessed him in the name of the Lord, and the whole assembly, as one man, spontaneously and emphatically pronounced, Amen!'

"After this, Mr. Freeman read the second ordaining prayer, and, an anthem having been sung, preached on the duties and offices of a Christian Minister. Another anthem closed this affecting and appropriate service.

"The validity of this ordination was furiously assailed in the newspapers of the day, as might have been expected, and vehemently protested and argued against by some of the former proprietors of the church. The newspaper abuse was sufficiently and pleasantly answered in a short piece attributed to the Rev. Dr. Belknap, always a truly liberal and charitable man. The protest was triumphantly refuted by an unpublished reply of the wardens of King's Chapel, distinguished for good sense and sound argument. A sort of repudiation or excommunication of Mr. Freeman and his church, was also circulated by the clergymen of five episcopal churches of NewEngland. But all the notice which Mr. Freeman took of this, was to send it to the Columbian Centinel, requesting its insertion in that paper."―pp. 140–142.

The Appendix contains a selection of old and curious, or otherwise valuable papers and documents. The volume is also embellished with an engraving of the present Chapel, and of the old Chapel, as in 1720, with Beacon Hill in the distance. The form in which Mr. Greenwood has published these memorials, and the mechanical execution generally, may be recommended as a model to the preachers and publishers of century, and other historical and elaborate discourses.

ART. I.- The Biography of Intelligent Reformers, and History of the Reformation in the Sixteenth Century. From REES'S CYCLOPEDIA. Being Vol. iii. of the New Series of the Christian Monitor, published by the Society for Promoting Christian Knowledge, Piety, and Charity. Boston. Samuel G. Simpkins. 1833. 24mo. pp. 213.

We are glad to see that the abovenamed religious society continues its labors with so much spirit and punctuality. This is the third volume issued under its auspices, which we have had occasion to notice within the space of a year; and though it cannot have cost nearly the same care in preparation as the two others, indeed none at all but that required in selecting the articles from Rees's Cyclopædia, yet we are pretty certain that it will be more read than either of them, on account of the interest invariably belonging to narrative. It contains the lives of Wickliffe, Huss, Jerome of Prague, Luther, Zuingle, and Calvin, to which is added a short history of the Protestant Reformation. We have read the collection with great pleasure, and commend it to those who do not possess the tomes from which it has been taken.

And now let us inquire, What is the spirit of reform? What is it that has animated and enabled men from time to time to become reformers, not disturbers, but true reformers; and not religious reformers alone, but moral reformers of all descriptions? Has it not been a sense of independence and personal responsibleness, and of superiority to what are usually termed existing circumstances and the spirit of the age? A very large proportion of the evil which has always exist

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ed in society, may be traced to the want of personal independence, and disregard of personal responsibility. We do not mean by independence, that fiery essence of pride and selfishness, which is quick to resent a slight or wrong; which is always ready to meet aggression more than half way; and which delights to show itself in rudeness or haughtiness, as its condition may happen to be low or high. For such independence we have little sympathy and less respect, and so far from thinking that there is a want of it in the world, can only lament that there is such a superfluity. By independence we mean another and a far different thing. We mean the resolution which adopts, and maintains, and obeys its own standard of right and wrong; which refuses to render an unquestioning homage to the voice of the many; which, being based upon principle, is not to be driven to and fro by the popular breath, even should that breath rise into a whirlwind; which, acknowledging allegiance to a higher than any mortal authority, will not forfeit it at the behest of any. This is the independence which leaves to a man his own views and convictions, his own conscience, and his own conduct. Without inciting or suffering him to be forward or boisterous, it makes him steadfast and sure. Without obliging him to feel an uncharitable scorn of public opinion, it offers a rule to his admiration and observance which is alone worthy of his serious study, and entitled to his faithful submission, the great rule of right, the solemn law of God. It teaches him to consider himself as responsible for his thoughts and actions, in the first and highest place, not to the multitude, but to his Maker; and in the second place, not to the multitude, but to his own soul. It leads him into a safer, happier, and more glorious path, than the broad, dusty, soiled, and soiling road, which is beaten by the multitudinous and crowding world. It sets his feet and his heart at liberty, and breathes into his soul the consciousness of individual existence and value, and the sense of individual duty.

This is the independence, to the want of which may be traced and referred very much of past and existing evil. Not possessing it, men lose themselves, their accountability, their dignity, all that constitutes them men, in the absorbing mass; where they acquire the color, and motions, and tendencies of the mighty vortex which has engulphed them. Instead of uttering a voice of their own, they wait for an acclamation, and then they join in; instead of having opin