Trevisan of Italy, whose researches were principally made at Castel Franco and its environs. He also attributes much of this increased mortality to the exposure of children at church to be baptized. (k)

Having shown that this ceremony was neither absolutely enjoined or practised by Christ-that no precise rules are given concerning it-that religious sects do not agree as to the manner of administering it, and are kept disunited solely on account of this disagreement- and that it may be injurious to the health, especially of the feeble, and of infants, and in cold climates, I think the practice ought to be abandoned.

Some other ceremonies are alluded to in the New Testament, which appear to me to be much more strongly enjoined upon the followers of Christ than either of those I have considered, particularly that of washing one another's feet; and I much wonder why it has not been practised, or rather, why those who thought they were at liberty to neglect this, did not feel equally at liberty to omit the ceremonies of Baptism, and the Lord's Supper. The reasoning of Robert Barclay on this subject deserves great attention, and appears to me unanswerable.

"But to give a further evidence, how these consequences have not any bottom from the practice of that ceremony, nor from the words following, Do this, &c., let us consider another of the like nature, as it is at length expressed by John, chap. xiii. 3, 4, 8, 13, 14, 15. Jesus riseth from supper, and laid aside his garments, and took a towel, and girded himself: after that, he poureth water into a basin, and began to wash the disci

(k)"Revue Medicale," 1835.

ples' feet; and to wipe them with the towel wherewith he was girded: Peter said unto him, Thou shalt never wash my feet: Jesus answered him, If I wash thee not, thou hast no part with me. So after he had washed their feet,—he said, Know ye what I have done to you? If I, then, your Lord and Master, have washed your feet, ye also ought to wash one another's feet: for I have given you an example, that ye should do as I have done to you. As to which, let it be observed, that John relates this passage to have been done at the same time with the other of breaking bread; both being done the night of the passover, after supper. If we regard the narration of this, and the circumstances attending it, it was done with far more solemnity, and prescribed far more punctually and particularly than the former. It is said only, As he was eating, he took bread; so that this would seem to be but an occasional business but here he rose up, he laid by his garments, he girded himself, he poured out the water, washed their feet, he wiped them with a towel: he did this to all of them; which are circumstances still far more observable than those noted in the other. The former was a practice common among the Jews, used by all masters of families upon that occasion; but this, as to the manner, and person acting it, to wit, for the master to rise up, and wash the feet of his servants and disciples, was more singular and observable. In the breaking of bread, and giving of wine, it is not pleaded by our adversaries, nor yet mentioned in text, that he particularly put them into the hands of all; but breaking it, and blessing it, gave it the nearest, and so they from hand to hand: but here it is mentioned, that he washed not the feet of one or two, but of many. He

he

saith not in the former, that if they do not eat of that bread, and drink of that wine, they shall be prejudiced by it; but here he saith expressly to Peter, that if he wash him not, he hath no part with him; which being spoken upon Peter's refusing to let him wash his feet, would seem to import no less, than not the continuance only, but even the necessity of this ceremony. In the former he saith, as it were passingly, Do this in remembrance of me; but here he sitteth down again, he desires them to consider what he hath done, tells them positively, that as he hath done to them, so ought they to do to one another and yet again he redoubles that precept, by telling them, he has given them an example, that they should do likewise. If we respect the nature of the thing, it hath as much in it as either baptism or the breaking of bread; seeing it is an outward element of a cleansing nature, applied to the outward mau, by the command and the example of Christ, to signify an inward purifying. I would willingly propose this seriously to men, who will be pleased to make use of that reason and understanding that God hath given them, and not be imposed upon, nor abused by the custom or tradition of others; Whether this ceremony, if we respect either the time that it was appointed in, or the circumstances wherewith it was performed, or the command enjoining the use of it, hath not as much to recommend it for a standing ordinance of the gospel, as either water-baptism, or bread and wine, or any other of that kind ?"

The command to "salute one another with a kiss," was positive, and often enjoined, yet modern Christians very properly disregard it; though the primitive Christians observed it. See Bishop Lincoln on Tertullian.

CHAPTER V.

PLACES OF WORSHIP, INCONVENIENCE OF HOUSES, NIGHT MEETINGS, CAMP MEETINGS, PROTRACTED MEETINGS, RINGING OF BELLS.

Places of Worship.

There is not perhaps any thing more beautiful in the scenery of New England, than the churches and spires that are seen in almost every town. They are generally built of wood, painted white, and impress the traveller with favorable ideas of the order and piety of the inhabitants around. I wish I could say that these churches are as comfortable for worshippers, as they are beautiful to the observer; but in truth they are not. In general they are poorly built, and badly keep out the cold of winter and the heat of summer. The seats, usually unsupplied with cushions, are very uncomfortable places to remain in, even for two or three hours. Many of these churches are placed upon the tops of hills, where they are exposed to the violence of wind and cold, unprotected by woods or rising ground. They have neither inside nor outside shutters to the windows, and as they are greatly lighted, the heat of a summer's sun is exceedingly oppressive.

But this can be better endured than the cold of winter. Within a very few years, however, this evil has

been greatly lessened, and many churches have had stoves placed in them, and are partially warmed; but even now, I presume one quarter of the churches in New England, in the country towns, are destitute of any means of being warmed, and those thus unsupplied are the churches situated in the most bleak and cold places in the country. The suffering from this cause is great, and many lives, I have no doubt, have been sacrificed in consequence. In the early part of my life, I attended, for several years, one of the churches in Berkshire county, Massachusetts, in a town containing near 2000 inhabitants, many of whom lived from four to six miles from the church. The winters then were very severe, yet the church was every sabbath well filled; many of the congregation coming from home as early as nine or ten o'clock in the morning, and remaining until nearly night, with but little food, and often not leaving the place of worship until the close of the afternoon services.

But though human suffering in such cases is severe, yet far greater is that of the horses, that convey the people to the church, and kept in the cold all day. It has always appeared to me surprising, that rest for beasts on the sabbath was not thought a more important duty by Christians, than it is; a subject I shall again allude to. During the extreme cold weather of last winter, on a sabbath when the thermometer was several degrees below zero, I visited two of the towns adjoining Hartford; in one of which I counted forty, and in the other, thirty horses, fastened around the churches, many of them unprotected by sheds or by blankets. I regarded it then as extreme cruelty, and now take the opportunity to say that it deserves severe reprehension, as being unmerciful