ART. X.-1. Journal of the General Convention of the Protestant Episcopal Church in the United States, held in 1835. New-York: Protestant Episcopal Press.

2. The Present Condition and chief Want of the Church; a Charge to the Clergy of the Protestant Episcopal Church of Ohio. Delivered Sept. 9, 1836. By CHARLES P. McILVAINE, D. D. Bishop of the Diocese. Gambier : Western Protestant Episcopal Press, 1836.

3. Journal of a Convention of the Protestant Episcopal Church of Maryland, 1837. Baltimore: 1837.

As Churchmen, we thank God for the signal favour he has shown to the Protestant Episcopal Church of the United States. In the original settlement of the country almost excluded from gaining a footing; during the Revolutionary conflict the object of distrust, aversion, and obloquy; and for many years afterwards struggling under a weight of complicated prejudicethe Church has, nevertheless, advanced to her present prosperous and commanding position. During the last twenty years particularly her progress has been rapid and cheering; the number of her clergy has increased nearly fourfold, with a corresponding increase in the number of her congregations. In 1814 there were eight bishops, (three of whom were in New-York), and the number of the clergy was but little more than two hundred and forty. There are now twenty-two dioceses, seventeen bishops, and nearly eight hundred clergy.

Nor is it merely in external prosperity that we rejoice. We are heartily persuaded there is no religious communion in the country where the elements of true spiritual well-being are found in greater proportion. We believe there is no body of persons "who profess and call themselves Christians," of whom it may more truly be affirmed that they "hold the faith in unity of spirit, in the bond of peace, and in righteousness of life." This fact, at the present moment, when one of the largest religious bodies of the country is rent "from the centre to its utmost verge" by disastrous schism, is, to our feelings, a special confirmation of the fitness of the peculiar institutions of the Protestant Episcopal Church to secure the best interests of pure religion. Nor is it less a confirmation of our views, to trace the progress of this Church during the passing of those events which for several years have rendered the religious history of this country so remarkable. For fifteen or twenty years our

country has been the theatre for successive scenes of vulgar extravagance and revolting fanaticism, which scarcely find a parallel in the worst and wildest days of the English Commonwealth. A period of comparative apathy, from previous overexhaustion, has now indeed succeeded; and although a virulent contest, growing out of those scenes, is now going on among the leaders of opposite parties in the communion referred to, in relation to points of ecclesiastical organization and discipline, yet we hear but little now of the motions and successes of those notorious perambulating apostles of fanaticism, whose "protracted meetings," "new measures," "revivals," and multitudes of "converts," were not long ago the theme of so many bulletins and jubilations uttered from the religious presses under their influence. In fact, they have worn out the excitability of the popular mind. They have administered continually increasing stimulants until nothing sufficiently exciting now remains. In the mean time many eyes among the people, once dazzled, have become open to see the legitimate fruits of their fanatical proceedings and licentious doctrines. These fruits are visible enough in the breaking up of the old ties that united their pastors and people-in the destruction of the appropriate authority and influence of their ministry--in the multitudes of unworthy members admitted to their communion, and subsequently falling off into open apostacy, or else continuing in their bosom the authors or dupes of all sorts of disorganizing and licentious principles--and finally, in the contempt which, from all these causes, has been brought even upon the venerable name of Religion itself, in the minds of the irreligious, and in the ten-fold increase of infidelity and skepticism.

We have neither time nor inclination to go into a detailed history of religious fanaticism in our country for several years past; otherwise it would be easy to justify all we have said, and much more than we have said, by the most abundant and unquestionable evidence. But the truth of these things is sufficiently known to most of those for whom we write, and we have adverted to them simply to direct attention to the contrast presented by the Episcopal Church during this period. Not only has she steadily advanced in numbers and influence, but she has presented an edifying spectacle of purity and order.

Nor have the revolting scenes presented in other communions operated to preserve the Church in the repose of a mere cold and spiritless formalism, rejoicing in her external order and dignified "form of sound words," but indifferent or hostile to the inward power of genuine godliness, whose spirit it was intended, in the framing of the Church, should glow all the more

purely and fervently within the sacred enclosures which protect it. It would be nothing strange, indeed, if something of this effect should have been produced; for it is the tendency of one extreme to throw the mind of the unsympathizing observer to the opposite extreme. We believe, however, that such has been scarcely at all the case. On the contrary, we have not a deeper conviction than that there has been not only a growing intelligent attachment, a hearty well-principled devotion to the distinctive principles, and to the external institutions and forms of the Church; but a decided increase throughout our whole body, in the love of true Christian doctrine and in pious zeal for the interests of spiritual religion. On the one hand, there has been a growing conviction of the necessity of external order to preserve the internal spirit of religion in its purity and power, and a growing conviction of the admirable adaptation of the peculiar constitution and forms of the Church to promote the full and uncorrupted influence of the Christian doctrines set forth in its articles and liturgy :-and, on the other hand, there has been an equally growing conviction of the practical worthlessness even of the divinely adapted outward institutions of the Church, except as they actually cherish the inward spirit of religion and promote the practice of true godliness.

It is in this two-fold progress that we see a decided and cheering approximation to that true unity which constitutes the excellent glory of the Church in its ideal constructionoutward Apostolic order, and inward Evangelical doctrine and spirit; the former as the means, the latter as the end; and both in their mutual relation and just proportion inseparable and inviolable. It was this unity of spirit that presided over the General Convention of 1835, and which in its various manifestations and results made it, as we must believe, a memorable and auspicious epoch in the history of the Church. Never was there a period when from every quarter came up the expression of warmer attachment to the external order of the Church, and of the disposition-passing by all minor questions left undecided in the framing of its articles-to unite as one in sustaining and extending that order in all its integrity. Equally decisive and delightful, tco, was the manifestation of a hearty zeal for the extension of the spiritual kingdom of Christ, and for the promotion of the internal interests of true religion. We might find various illustrations of these remarks in the doings of that Convention, but we presume it is needless to adduce them. The purpose of this article leads us, however, to refer to one memorable act- the recognition of

the Church as one great society for the extension of Christianity, whose "field is the world," and to the system of Home and Foreign operations then organized, by the authority of the Church and subject to its direction, for the fulfilment of its acknowledged duty.

The action of the Convention on this subject, we regarded, at the time, not only as the effect and manifestation of the progress of the right spirit of union in the Church, but also as a cause that in its turn would redouble the movement that gave it birth-would bind the Church more closely together in the best of all bonds, a mutual hearty zeal for the illumination and salvation of the world; and that in labouring together for this great common end, some of the few points of real difference would be forgotten, and others amicably left to be held according to each one's light; while the rest, resulting wholly from mutual misconception and prejudice, would altogether disappear in the brotherly communion of counsel and action thus established.

In this view we cannot as yet believe ourselves mistaken. There are some, we are aware, who will think that our expectations were too sanguine, and that events have proved it. We cannot think so. The few specks of cloud which at one time threatened, as many thought, to overcast the whole sky, portending a general storm-we then regarded as local and transient. They have passed away. The promise of the morning has, in our view, been substantially redeemed; and a brighter and still brighter day is before us. We cannot but believe that there is, throughout the great body of the communion, a disposition stronger and more general than ever before, to "study the things which make for peace ;" and where this will exists it will find a way, and that without compromising on either hand conscientious convictions of truth and duty. The Church-recognizing itself as, by its constitution, a great Apostolic Society for the Extension of the Gospel--calls upon her faithful members to work together for the enlightening and saving of our country and the world. Mutual cooperation for this great object has in itself an influence to increase the Apostolic spirit of zeal for the spread of Christianity abroad, and to brighten the golden chain of brotherly union at home; and not only so, but by its tendency to increase the actual power of religion--to make us every way better Christians, it cherishes that "most excellent gift of charity which is the very bond of peace" as "of all virtues."

But whatever may be thought-or whatever may be the exact truth-in respect to the degree in which the Church has

"already attained," or is "already perfect;" no one can doubt that our remarks have at least indicated the true goal to which our eyes should ever be directed, and towards which we should continually "press forward." At all events we have indicated what we regard as our duty in the conduct of this journalto extend, namely, the Church in its full integrity and completeness of external order and inward Christian spirit, in their just and inseparable connexion. For herein alone, as we believe, can be realized that noble IDEA of Unity which shone so clear and bright before the minds, and ever presided over the labours, of those great and glorious spirits, the reformers and founders of the English Church. By the contemplation of this noble idea we wish that our exertions may ever be animated; and we shall embrace every proper occasion to recall it to the minds and commend it to the affections of Churchmen. At the same time we desire no unity growing out of indifference to truth. We affect none of that silly liberality which wilfully shuts its eyes to things that differ. On every important question of religious or ecclesiastical interest we mean to utter our opinions distinctly and freely. But we honestly believe there is no ground for party strife; there is no question concerning Christian doctrine or Church order which need be discussed in the spirit of party. The lines of party distinction, if they ever existed, are now to a great extent broken up. They may be drawn again; it would perhaps be expecting too much from human nature to dream otherwise; but we cannot believe they will ever result from any separation or imperfect holding of the two great elements of good Churchmanship-Gospel truth and Primitive order. Certain it is that particular differences of opinion and feeling on these points, which were once supposed to be distinctive of a party division, have now to a great extent disappeared in the growing conviction on both hands that there is no ground for difference-that there is no need of exalting the importance of the truth on the one hand at the expense of the truth on the other; but that both, in their just proportion, are one and inseparable. THE GOSPEL IN THE CHUCH is now, we sincerely believe, the noble watchword to which the great body of the faithful in our communion respond with all their hearts. We do not admit there is any good ground to fear a disposition to extend the Church without the Gospel, or the Gospel without the Church. And as to particular questions which may arise under the general ones: What is the Gospel, or What is the Church,we believe there is a cordial disposition to rest in the decision of the Scriptures and of the formularies of the Church. We believe that such questions