interests of community and the world-but these topics must he left to an abler expositor and a more fitting occasion. Reverend and respected sir, this communication is the last incident in your official relation to this people. Most of us behold in you, our own and our father's friend, endeared to us by the double tie of inherited and acquired attachment. Many now gone to their reward, and many still living, regard you as standing in the sacred relation of their spiritual father; and it will doubtless be their joy and rejoicing forever, that by the influence of your life, your character, and your instructions, they were led to the Saviour. Precious will be the reward of those who turn many to righteousness. Such reward be yours. And now, though we look forward to years of friendly and Christian intercourse, and expect your cooperation and counsel in all that appertains to the interests of our Zion; and though we forecast with filial devotedness, our duty to watch over and soothe your declining years, yet as our pastor and guide in the way, the endeared companionship of many years has now, in the allotments of providence, come to a conclusion. Here our paths diverge, and here, with the sorrowing emotions of true hearts, we bid you farewell. REV. E. YALE, D. D. CHARLES MILLS, 132 MEANS EMPLOYED TO PROMOTE A REVIVAL. CHAPTER X. MEANS EMPLOYED TO PROMOTE A REVIVAL. Seasons of revival are harvest seasons to the church. It is a truth which has been recognized by the friends of evangelical religion for a long period of years; and the Christian church has been giving her response to the prayer of the prophet: "Oh, Lord, revive thy work.” It was a prayer which Dr. Yale offered as sincerely and as frequently as any other. To say that he was not a friend of revivals, would be not only to belie his profession, but contradict the evidence of a long life of devotion and piety, and of the most untiring efforts for the building up of Christ's kingdom and the conversion of men. There was no truth which he more firmly believed than that of the entire alienation of the heart from God, and the absolute necessity of its renewal by the operation of the Holy Spirit, as a preparative for future bliss. "Ye must be born again." He mourned, also; he deeply mourned over the state of spiritual languor which sometimes pervades the Christian church, and the absence of that divine influence which results in the conversion of men. But in promoting religious revivals, he had no confidence in the use of such means as were calculated merely to move the passions, without either awakening the conscience, convincing the understanding, or affecting the heart. His firm conviction was, that the agency which God employs in the conversion of men, is truth, Bible truth; and that a reliance upon machinery instead of the truths of God's word, addressed to the understanding and pressed upon the conscience, was a departure from God's method of saving men. His conviction on this point he has thus expressed: "I have never, except in 1822, and about that time, nor then to any great extent, adopted human devices and expedients. Methodists, Baptists, and some Presbyterians and Congregationalists, have gone into the use of these devices. They have had great excitements, and have called them revivals. Probably God used his word as preached in truth, and in answer to the prayers of his people converted some souls. But I never could approve of these measures; and I fear that the churches have been filled up, and made to overflow with unconverted converts. Hence the low state of religion, and the worldliness of professors. Now I have been reproached by friends and every body, because I have not gone into these operations. An entire revolution is needed among us in regard to revivals. Religious revivals among Methodists and Baptists are what they always were. But among Presbyterians and Congregationalists, they are what they were not. Half a century ago they were a very different thing, and we must return to plain truth, plain prayer, plain talk and plain duty. Oh, Lord, help me and thy people.” The above was written near the close of the year 1849. Under date of Dec. 21, 1831, in writing to a friend in Connecticut, he uses the following language: "I wish to know how your mind is, in the midst of the changes around you. I perceive in many of my friends a most surprising change, in regard to what have been called the new measures,' and I am many times ready to look round for the land-marks. I seem to think that they are about to be swept away, and yet I fear to think anything against what appears to be the work of God. As to the philosophy of our religion, except so far as evidently based on the word of God, I do not care a fig for it. But I do think I see, even in the midst of revivals, many sorrowful traces of the wisdom of men-of philosophy, falsely so called a propensity to render the great truths of revelation more acceptable to unsanctified minds. The atonement remains; conversion remains. But where is regeneration? Where is election? Where are the decreas of God? Are we to be beaten out of these doctotrines? I hope not. kaminformed that some of our ministers in this state antl those, too, who have been among the most Jitong bas 12 134 REVIVALS DETERIORATED. successful, are very decided in these doctrines. But of others, I am sorry to say, that moral suasion is all the influence they believe in, all they preach, and it is to be believed it is all that most of their converts know. The few doctrines of the gospel are therefore useless, not preached-they are neglected, reproached, scorned. Experience, as well as the Bible, convinces me that the whole truth must be held up and enjoined fully, if we would promote the cause of God. I feel the need of preaching more doctrine, even that doctrine which depraved nature hates. Men hate God, his doctrine, and everything good; and if they are truly converted they are new creatures." In another letter, at an earlier date, in speaking of the revivals which took place in central New York in the year 1826, he says: "Yet a few things I lament-females praying in promiscuous assemblies-naming individuals publicly in prayer and preaching-resolving to retire and remain till death, or till conversion. For these things I feel grieved, and fear that sad results will follow." His belief was that on account of these irregularities, and resort to unjustifiable means in promoting them, the glory of revivals had been greatly marred-an idea which he expressed to a correspondent during the last year of his life: "Since 1833, revivals in this region are very much deteriorated. Many are greatly excited at times, and think, or others proclaim that they are converted. But after a few years, or even months, they need to be converted again. They know nothing. They do nothing. They are stumbling blocks. Men of sense despise them, and they despise religion." In connection with the "measures" spoken of above, there has sometimes been gendered such a spirit of censoriousness and denunciation, as has shocked the sensibilities of sober-minded, humble Christians, and from which men who were possessed of the spirit of genuine Christianity, have involuntarily revolted. This spirit was regarded by Dr. Yale as peculiarly offensive; and he has given, in some of his letters, such an exhibition of the true spirit of revivals, as will be read both with interest and profit. THE SPIRIT OF REVIVAL. 135 Oct. 22, 1827. "During all this year we have seen tokens for good in our congregation. Great unanimity and harmony in the church, and readiness to cooperate in the work proposed. I do trust in God that he will ere long grant us a refreshing from his presence. Indeed, though I dare not speak it aloud, yet I do think a sacred influence has been spreading over us for a number of months. But oh! our depraved hearts! A perpetual warfare of depraved nature against all that is holy, resisting even the Spirit of God. Should we be disappointed of the rich blessing, we must impute it entirely to our wicked opposition. And should God visit us with a refreshing, it will be 'not for works of righteousness which we have done.' I am more and more convinced that the real spirit of revival, is a spirit of deep reverence, awe, humility, dependence on God, divested of self-righteousness and self-seeking; and of tender, delicate, kind, faithful love to our fellow-Christians, and perishing sinners. It is such a spirit as moved Abraham to intercede for the cities of the plain; Moses to throw himself into the breach between the wrath of God and Israel; and Aaron to run between the living and the dead. It excludes boasting, self-confidence, pride, harshness, rashness, self-will, and censoriousness. In short, it is the same mind that was in Christ Jesus; the same humble and benevolent mind, ever ready to do good, deny self and make sacrifices. But you know it well." His views of protracted meetings, he has elsewhere expressed. After all his observation and experience, his belief was that other means might be employed with better results than they. Yet, there were times, when, under proper management, he supposed that they might be productive of good. Ân idea once occurred to him that there might be some utility in a protracted prayer-meeting. He thus expressed it in a letter to a friend: 66 The thought has occurred to me lately, that it would be very desirable to labor to have such a prayer-meeting in every church as preceded the day of Pentecost; when all members were present (all that could be, and as |