usual subjects, however, of the birth of Christ, of his resurrection, and sending of the Holy Spirit, may be handled and the people be admonished, that these feast days are abolished." Hence it appears that the fathers of the Church considered the observance of these days, as resting solely upon the commandments and doctrines of men; and, though they retained them for the purpose of counteracting, by appropriate discourses, the influence of the papist. ical superstitions with which they were surrounded, there certainly can be no good reason for such retention in a country where that influence is not, to be dreaded-or must they be kept for ever, merely to inform people, in succeeding ages, that they were abolished at the Reformation? To symbolize longer with Catholics of Rome, in this practice, is calculated, it is believed, to do more harm than good-to foster rather than prevent superstition.

On the 28th of December, 1768, in compliance with the request of more than a hundred members of the congregation, the Consistory convened to receive a petition relative to the calling of another minister, which was then laid before them, praying they would look out for another English preacher, and intimating that the petitioners would be gratified with the invitation of Mr. Livingston. They

immediately and unanimously resolved that they would endeavour to ascertain whether a sufficient sum of money could be raised by subscription, to warrant the procedure solicited, and directed a subscription-paper to be prepared for the purpose. The friend who advised him of these preparatory measures, thus concludes the account: "Almost every body I have heard, seems well pleased that you should be called, and so they appear to be with every part of your character. All they fear is, whether you will have voice enough for our Church; for if you have not, say they, we are undone; what shall we do with a minister who cannot be heard throughout the Church? I could, therefore, heartily wish that you may for some time past have exercised your voice in the pulpit, as I am convinced it may be there much modelled and improved. And if it is strong enough, can't you get one or more of your friends to give a certificate about it, and enclose it to me? Much good may come from such a step."

By a letter from the same person, dated April 1, 1769, it appears that the Consistory had the day before resolved to call Mr. Livingston; and that the call, when made out, was to be sent to some Ministers in Amsterdam, with particular instruc

* Mr. Lott.

tions not to deliver it, unless they were well assured that he had sufficient strength of voice to fill a large building. In another letter, written the following June, he says: "Our third, or rather North Church, was opened for Divine service by Mr. Laidlie, on the 25th ult. (May,) by a very pathetic discourse from John 4th and 23d, showing wherein the true Gospel doctrine consists; in which he approved himself very much to the satisfaction of all who heard him, and particularly to our Governor, who honoured us with his presence on that occasion. Mr. Laidlie now preaches three times every Sunday; to wit: in the morning and evening in the New, and in the afternoon in the North Church, to which if we add his catechising, you will agree his labours must be weighty. You cannot, therefore, be surprised to hear our call to you to come over to our Macedonia to help us. May the ever blessed Jesus make your way prosperous to us, and may you come among us with a full blessing of the everlasting covenant !"

Having finished his studies at the university, Mr. Livingston appeared before the Classis of Amsterdam, on the 5th June, 1769, to be examined for licensure, and the evidence given of his personal piety, and of his acquirements, literary and theological, being satisfactory to that rev. body, he be

came a candidate for the ministry, or what is called in Holland, a proponent. His first sermon he preached in the Dutch language, for the Rev. Mr. Van Issum, his examinator in the Classis, at Hilversum, a village to the east of Amsterdam.

Soon afterwards, he preached again in Dutch, at Purmerend, a small city in North Holland :-in English in the English Church in Amsterdam; and again in English in the Scotch Church in Rotterdam, whether in the same building in which his distinguished ancestor had often proclaimed the glad tidings of salvation, or another, is not known, but that it was the same is thought probable.

This commencement of his public labours was of a very promising character. Enjoying, in no common degree, the confidence and esteem of numerous Christian friends, as a young man experimentally acquainted with the power of Divine grace; * -with intellectual powers and attainments much above mediocrity;-with a voice naturally weak

* Among the letters and notes addressed to him about this time, by his Holland friends, there is one containing a postscript in these words; "Mrs. * * * *

*

* expresses her most friendly regards for the good Mr. Livingston :”—a familiar way, it

would seem, of speaking of him, that shows the high estimation in which his piety was held.

and effeminate, and concerning which so many fears had been entertained and expressed in New-York, now greatly improved by the attention he had paid to its modulation, and susceptible of the richest intonations; with a manner peculiarly interesting and solemn, he made by these early efforts in the pulpit a very favourable impression. Of the opinion formed of his talents as a preacher, and of his qualifications for the situation to which he was invited, this fact is evidence enough-that in about a month after he was licensed, the call was put into his hands by the gentlemen who were conditionally charged with its delivery.

Expecting to remain yet some time in Holland, and thinking, probably, that it might be of considerable advantage to him to be able to produce when he should return to America, what was then regarded as a valuable testimonial of proficiency in theology, the degree of Doctor of Divinity, he concluded to present himself before the theological faculty of the university of Utrecht, a candidate for the same. And here it ought to be remarked, that it was not customary for that university to confer honorary degrees; and that the distinction now sought, could not be obtained but by his submitting to a pretty severe ordeal. He must be examined and reexamined, and after being sifted by the learned