ingly, that relate to this agency and its results in the experience of the churches in the United States, are those in which he himself feels most interest, and to which he would specially direct the attention of the reader.

The author has divided his work into eight Books. The First is devoted to preliminary remarks intended to throw light on various points, so that readers the least conversant with American history and society may, without difficulty, understand what follows. Some of these preliminary remarks may be thought at first not very pertinent to the subject in hand, but reasons will probably be found for changing this opinion before the reader comes to the end of the volume.

The Second Book treats of the early colonization of the country now forming the United States; the religious character of the first European colonists -their ecclesiastical institutions-and the state of the churches when the Revolution took place by which the colonies became independent of the mother-country.

The Third treats of the changes involved in and consequent upon that event-the influence of those changes-the character of the civil governments of the States and the relations subsisting between those governments and the churches.

The Fourth exhibits the operations of the voluntary system in the United States, and the extent of its influence.

The Fifth treats of the discipline of the churches-the character of American preaching—and the subject of revivals.

The Sixth is occupied with brief notices of the evangelical denominations in the United States-their ecclesiastical polity and discipline-the doctrines peculiar to each-their history and prospects.

The Seventh treats in like manner of the unevangelical sects.

The Eighth shows what the churches are doing in the way of sending the Gospel to other lands.

From the very nature of such a work, it was requisite that the author should consult many authorities. In order to procure the requisite materials, he visited his native country last year, and so abundantly was he supplied with what he needed, that, in the actual execution of his task, he found himself in want of only one or two books and documents, and these of no essential importance.

But he would be guilty of great injustice were he not to acknowledge his obligations to many distinguished friends in America for their kind co-operation and aid. Without naming all who have anywise assisted him by furnishing necessary documents, or in communicating important facts, he cannot forbear to mention the names of the Rev. Drs. Dewitt, Hodge, Goodrich, Bacon, Anderson, Durbin, Emerson, and Schmucker, and the Rev. Messrs. Tracy, Berg, and Allen.* To the secretaries of almost all the Religious Societies and Institutions in the country he is also greatly indebted for the Re

* These gentlemen belong to the Reformed Dutch, Presbyterian, Congregational, Methodist, Lutheran, German Reformed, and Baptist churches, and are among the most distinguished ministers in the United States.

the colonization, political government, and religious character of the greater part of North America.

His aim throughout this work has been, neither to construct a theory on any controverted point in the economy of the Church, or its relations to the State in any European country, nor to defend the political organizations of his own, or the conduct of its government, on any measure, properly political, whether of foreign or domestic policy. His sole and simple object has been to delineate the religious doctrines and institutions of the United States, and to trace their influence, from their first appearance in the country down to the present time, with as little reference as possible to any other.

The author has mingled freely with his Protestant brethren in all the countries of Europe where Protestants are to be found, whatever might be their political sentiments, and whatever the religious communions to which they belonged. He has received nothing but kindness from them all. And while it would be the merest affectation of impartiality, and most unbecoming in him as a Christian, to profess having formed no opinion on the various questions so warmly discussed among them, and especially on the relations which do, or ought to, subsist between the Church and the State-a question so much agitated at the present moment in some countries, and which seems destined, ere long, to be so in many others-yet he can most conscientiously say that he has not allowed himself to be involved in any of them, nor is he aware of having written a sentence in the present work with the view either of supporting or opposing any of them. He has endeavoured to confine himself throughout to a faithful exhibition of the religious institutions of his native country-their nature, their origin, their action, and their effects. His first desire has been to satisfy the reasonable curiosity of those at whose request he writes; his second and most strenuous endeavour has been to promote the extension of the Messiah's kingdom in the world, by communicating some information respecting measures which, through God's blessing, have proved useful in America without having anything to adapt them to that country more than to any other.

The more that the author has seen of the Christian world, the more has he been impressed with the conviction that, whatever relations the churches maintain with the civil powers, whatever their exterior forms or even their internal discipline, nothing in these respects can compensate for the want of soundness of doctrine and vital piety. Not that, as some seem to do, he would treat those things as matters of indifference; for he firmly believes the maintenance and promotion of true religion to be much affected by them; but it is not in them that we are to look for that panacea for all evils which many hope to find in them, or any substitute for the agency which God has appointed for securing the effectual reception of his glorious salvation. That agency, he humbly conceives, is the presentation of the Gospel in all its fulness, in all proper ways, and on all suitable occasions, by a spiritually-minded ministry, ordained and set apart to that work, combined with holy living, faithful co-operation in their proper spheres, and earnest prayer on the part of the members, in general, of the churches. The parts of his work, accord

ingly, that relate to this agency and its results in the experience of the churches in the United States, are those in which he himself feels most interest, and to which he would specially direct the attention of the reader.

The author has divided his work into eight Books. The First is devoted to preliminary remarks intended to throw light on various points, so that readers the least conversant with American history and society may, without difficulty, understand what follows. Some of these preliminary remarks may be thought at first not very pertinent to the subject in hand, but reasons will probably be found for changing this opinion before the reader comes to the end of the volume.

The Second Book treats of the early colonization of the country now forming the United States; the religious character of the first European colonists -their ecclesiastical institutions-and the state of the churches when the Revolution took place by which the colonies became independent of the mother-country.

The Third treats of the changes involved in and consequent upon that event-the influence of those changes-the character of the civil governments of the States and the relations subsisting between those governments and the churches.

The Fourth exhibits the operations of the voluntary system in the United States, and the extent of its influence.

The Fifth treats of the discipline of the churches-the character of American preaching-and the subject of revivals.

The Sixth is occupied with brief notices of the evangelical denominations in the United States-their ecclesiastical polity and discipline-the doctrines peculiar to each-their history and prospects.

The Seventh treats in like manner of the unevangelical sects.

The Eighth shows what the churches are doing in the way of sending the Gospel to other lands.

From the very nature of such a work, it was requisite that the author should consult many authorities. In order to procure the requisite materials, he visited his native country last year, and so abundantly was he supplied with what he needed, that, in the actual execution of his task, he found himself in want of only one or two books and documents, and these of no essential importance.

But he would be guilty of great injustice were he not to acknowledge his obligations to many distinguished friends in America for their kind co-operation and aid. Without naming all who have anywise assisted him by furnishing necessary documents, or in communicating important facts, he cannot forbear to mention the names of the Rev. Drs. Dewitt, Hodge, Goodrich, Bacon, Anderson, Durbin, Emerson, and Schmucker, and the Rev. Messrs. Tracy, Berg, and Allen.* To the secretaries of almost all the Religious Societies and Institutions in the country he is also greatly indebted for the Re

* These gentlemen belong to the Reformed Dutch, Presbyterian, Congregational, Methodist, Lutheran, German Reformed, and Baptist churches, and are among the most distinguished ministers in the United States.

ports, and in many cases, also, for the valuable hints they have furnished. Nor can he omit to acknowledge the kindness of Dr. Howe, Principal of the Institute for the Blind at Boston, the Rev. Mr. Weld, Principal of the Deaf and Dumb Asylum at Hartford, in Connecticut, and Dr. Woodward, Director of the Hospital for the Insane at Worcester, Massachusetts.

For the invaluable chapter on Revivals, the reader, as well as the author, is indebted to the Rev. C. A. Goodrich, D.D., who has long been a distinguished professor in Yale College, at New-Haven, in Connecticut, than whom no man in the United States is more capable of treating that subject in a judicious and philosophical manner.

Nor should the names of the Honourable Henry Wheaton, the Minister for the United States of America at the court of Prussia, and of Robert Walsh, Esq., now residing in Paris, be omitted. Among other obligations, to the former of these gentlemen, the author is indebted for some views which the reader will find in the Third Book; and he has to thank the latter for many important suggestions which he has found much reason to appreciate in the course of his work. He makes this acknowledgment with the more pleasure, because Mr. Walsh is a Roman Catholic, and yet, with a kindness and liberality in every way remarkable, he tendered his assistance with the full knowledge that the author is a decided Protestant, and that his work, however liberal the spirit in which it is written, was to be of a thoroughly Protestant character.

One word more to the English reader. The author deems it right to say that his work was originally designed and primarily written for Germany and other countries on the Continent of Europe. Accordingly, it is fuller on some points than was absolutely requisite for British readers, these being, no doubt, better acquainted with the United States than are the inhabitants of the Continent.

Deeply sensible that the work is far from perfect, he commends it, nevertheless, to the blessing of Him without whose favour nothing that is good can be accomplished.

GENEVA (SWITZERLAND), September, 1843.