which was the principal seat of the Pequods. On some part of his march, Capt. Mason was attended with two or three hundred Indians; but, as he approached the enemy, they deserted him, or fell so far in the rear, that he found he must depend on his own men, who amounted to only seventy seven. The army encamped for the night, and, by divine favor, no news of their approach reached the enemy.

The crisis had now arrived, when the existence or the extirpation of the infant colony was to be determined: When they were to triumph in peace, or perish in the hands of merciless savages. Rome staked less in the war with the Sabines, and Sparta at Thermopyle, than was now hazarded by this feeble colony, on the event of a battle. And this was to be determined, under God, by the fidelity of seventy-seven brave men. On the morning of the 26th of May, this consecrated band were roused before day, and having briefly commended themselves and their great cause to God, they marched to the foot of a hill, which was topped by the fortress of the enemy. As the object they had long sought, by the dawn of the morning, now rose to their view, the savage cruelties of the enemy rushed upon the mind, the recollection that they were to fight for parents and children impressed every heart, their bosoms glowed with martial ardor, heaven nerved every arm for the combat. Profound sleep held the savages, till the assailants were within two rods of the fort. The sentinel then roared the alarm, and the attack commenced. The English discharged their pieces through the palisades, and instantly entered the fort. The thunder and blaze of the firearms roused and appalled the enemy.But they soon rallied, the assault was hand to hand, and the conflict was terrible. The arrows of the enemy flew from innumerable lurking places, and, after a considerable time, and unparalleled exertions, the victory was still doubtful.Capt. Mason called out to burn the fort. He instantly fired one of the wigwams which were very combustible, and shortly, all was in a blaze. The English army retired, surrounded the fort, and suffered none to escape. In this work of destruction, which was soon completed, six hundred Indians perished. As soon as the victors could reach the harbor, at the mouth of the river, their vessels, guided by an unseen hand, were sailing in to take them on board. Two of their men were killed, and nearly twenty wounded. Capt. Mason had a very providential escape. About the last of May, this band of patriots returned in safety to their respective habitations. Never did Roman triumph afford such unsullied joy; never did a more grateful incense of thanksgiving ascend to

the Lord of Sabaoth. The annals of war scarcely furnisła an expedition, for conduct, valor and success, to be equalled with this.

The troops from Massachusetts and Plymouth soon arrived, and, being joined by a few from Connecticut, the remaining Pequods were pursued, their other fortress was destroyed, and the tribe wholly subdued. A general fast had been appointed in Massachusetts, on account of the Pequod war and some other objects. The day after this fast, the Mistie fort was destroyed. After the termination of this war, the colonies had rest from Indian enemies for a number of years. The war impoverished and distressed the Connecticut colony, but in the enjoyment of peace and the divine blessings, they soon increased in numbers and prosperity.

The people of this colony, finding that they were not included in the grant to the colony of Massachusetts, in the year 1639, formed a constitution of civil government, and, at the election in April, Mr. Haynes was chosen governor.The constitution then formed, is the basis of all the civil privileges which we still enjoy.

The company which commenced the settlement of Dorchester, consisting of Mr. Rossiter, Mr. Ludlow, Mr. Wolcott, and others, a little before their embarkation from England, in the spring of 1630, were organized as a congregational church, in the town of Plymouth. They immediately chose the Rev. Mr. Warham, and the Rev. Mr. Maverick, for their ministers; who accordingly, received the charge of the church. This was done on a day of solemn fasting and prayer. The Rev. Mr. White, of Dorchester, the great paton of the New-England colonies, assisted and preached on the occasion. As the most of the members of this church, with Mr. Warham, removed from Dorchester to Windsor, it was never re-organized. Mr. Maverick intended to remove with his people, but, while preparing for his journey, he died in Boston, February 1636. In 1639, the Rev. Mr. Heuet, with a number of settlers, came from England and settled in Windsor, and united with Mr. Warham in the ministry.

The people of Watertown, were organized in church state, soon after their arrival in the country, in July 1630. Their covenant is preserved by Dr. Mather. This was on a day of public fasting and prayer, appointed for the purpose. The Rev. Mr. Phillips became their minister. This, afterwards, was the church at Wethersfield, though Mr. Phillips never removed to Connecticut. The Rev. Mr. Prudden, who afterwards settled at Milford, was their first minister.

The church at Newtown was never gathered till after the arrival of Mr. Hooker, their long-expected, and much beloved pastor. He and Mr. Stone, arrived in the summer of 1633. October 11th of that year, on a day of solemn fasting, the church at Newtown was gathered, and they chose Mr. Hooker for their pastor, and Mr. Stone for their teacher, who were, accordingly, set apart to their respective duties. The most of these people enjoyed the eminent ministry of Mr. Hooker, in England. This church, with their ministers, removed to Hartford in the year 1636.—The Fort at Saybrook, had for a chaplain, the Rev. Mr. Higginson, son of the eminent Mr. Higginson, the first minister at Salem.

These churches and ministers were eminent advocates of those distinguishing doetrines of the gospel, called the doctrines of grace; they were faithful friends of experimental religion; they were humble patterns of practical piety. In this character, they laid the foundation of our Ecclesiastical institutions, of our peaceful and united churches. May the Almighty God, in his adorable grace, long remember their humble prayers, in behalf of their posterity.

(To be continued.)

ON THE CAUSES OF INTEMPERANCE.

No. IV.

0.

ALL the sickness, and waste, and poverty, and woe, that ardent spirits produce, may be traced to one general cause; viz. the deep and desperate depravity of the human heart.— If the heart were right, every thing else would be right. If men were holy, as Adam was in his primitive state, they would abhor every species, and every degree of excess. Every good and perfect gift would be thankfully received, and temperately enjoyed. Not a fever would be kindled by strong drink. Not a pang would be excited, not a mind would be clouded, enervated, or distracted by its abuse. Not a husband, wife, son, brother, or friend, would yield to its power. Not a trophy would it obtain on earth. Not a soul would it plunge into hell.

It is because men are dreadfully depraved, that they will drink to excess. It is owing to the powerful ascendency, usurped by their appetites, that so many voluntarily resign themselves up to the cruel dominion of ardent spirits, in spite of all the warnings and instructions of Scripture, the stings of conscience, the strugglings of natural affection, the tears and agonies and remonstrances of friends, the loss of health,

the swift approaches of poverty, the presages of death, and the terror of future retribution. But to be more particular:

1. Many parents by their example, and many more by their neglect, contribute largely to extend and perpetuate the evils of intemperance. Those of the first class drink to excess themselves. They must have their morning bitters, and their 11 o'clock dram, and their afternoon sling, and as much more liquor as will make them merry, or cross, or foolish, or completely drunk. The children stand by and look on. At first they sip and loathe the poison presented to their lips by a parent's hand. But as the glass moves daily and briskly round the family circle, they gradually learn to follow the example that is set them. How many parents, (it harrows my soul to think of it,) but how many thousand parents, thus initiate their own offspring into all the abominations of drinking. And how many children are in this way ruined for time and eternity! "I have once," says Dr. Rush, “known drunkenness descend from a father to four, out of five of his children. Now who can conceive of a more horrible picture, than a school of intemperance kept by a parent in his own house? Who would not shudder to see a father leading his children into a den of serpents, or into a hospital green with the plague; or inviting them to follow him over a precipice, or offering them ratsbane: or persuading them to drink melted ore, at the mouth of a furnace? Such cold blooded barbarity would be regarded with universal abhorrence, and consign the name of its author to everlasting infamy. What then shall we say of a parent, who lends the whole force of his example to make his children sots, beggars, and maniacs; a loathesome burden upon society here, and vessels of wrath fitted for destruction hereafter?

But this, though the worst, is not the only way, in which parents may incur the guilt of extending the mischiefs of intemperanee. They may do it indirectly, that is, by their neglect of family religion and family government. I cannot possibly doubt, that if due pains were taken to impress on the minds of children, at a very early period, an abhorrence of drunkards and of hard drinking, in all its forms, many might in this way be saved from shame and perdition. If, after the example of the pious fathers and mothers of New England, parents would universally and diligently instruct their children, in respect to the great principles and duties of religion; if they would urge upon them the immense importance of governing all their passions and appetites; if they would daily pray with and for them; in one word, if they would do overy thing in their power, to bring them up in the nurture

and admonition of the Lord, multitudes, who, for want of such discipline and instruction, are overcome and ruined by temptation, would make very useful, and respectable members of society.

But alas! how many children make themselves vile, and their parents restrain them not. How many fathers and mothers, in this christian land, leave their sons and daughters to grow up almost as ignorant of God and duty, as if they were total strangers to the Bible. How many young nien, while under the paternal roof, and during that critical period when the vigilance of parents should be doubled, are permitted to associate with the dissolute and unprincipled; to loiter about taverns and dram-shops, and to contract habits of idleness and tippling, which are the sure presages of approaching ruin. These things are a lamentation, and shall be for a lamentation.

2. People often learn to drink, first moderately, and then to excess, by using spirits as a medicine. "Persons out of health," says Dr. Rush, especially those who are afflicted with diseases of the stomach and bowels, are very apt to seek relief from ardent spirits. Let such people be cautious how they make use of this dangerous remedy. I have known many men and women of excellent characters and principles, who have been betrayed, by occasional doses of gin and brandy, into a love of those liquors, and have afterwards fallen sacrifices to their fatal effects."

3. Domestic trials, hypocondriacal affections, disappointment of wishes, frustrations of plans, loss of property, and the like, produce despondency in the minds of many. And instead of seeking for relief in the consolations of religion, where alone permanent relief can be found, not a few of them madly attempt to drown their sorrows in the wide and troubled sea of intoxication. But how many thousand times worse is the remedy than the disease! It is as if a man should set fire to his own house, in order to divert his mind from the loss of six pence; or pluck out both his eyes, to rid himself of the momentary sight of some painful object, or lie down in a bed of glowing embers, to allay the heat of a fever. O let those who are in trouble, beware of the yawning and bottomless pit of intemperance. Let them watch and pray that they enter not into temptation. Let them resist the devil, and be will flee from them.

4. To the unfaithfulness, timidity, or temporizing policy of informing officers and magistrates, may be traced many of the evils which we deplore. Had the laws been faithfully executed when hard drinking began its desolating career,