For the Panoplist.

ON DRINKING HEALTHS.

MR. EDITOR, Nor long since I happened to be present at dinner with a number of very respectable clergymen, at one of their stated associational meetings. When we had

dined, and before thanks were returned, a decanter of wine was brought on, and we were inform ed by the hospitable minister, at whose house the meeting was held, that the wine had been Furnished for the occasion by one of his parishioners. The glasses being filled, it was proposed by some one, that we should drink the health of the generous donor, which most who were present accordingly

did.

This led my mind into a train of queries and reflections, which I beg leave to propose through the Panoplist, to the serious consideration of your readers and correspondents.

"Is this," said I to myself, "a justifiable practice? At any rate, is it expedient for Christians and Christian ministers too, to sanction it by their example? What do people mean when they drink each other's health? Is drinking in general, more likely to restore or preserve health, than eating? If not, why should we not eat healths, as well as drink them? Is, "I wish your health, sir,” over the social glass, a prayer?

or is it a compliment which has no meaning?

"If it be a prayer, then what an awful profanation is it for the thoughtless and intemperate circles in taverns and dram shops, to use it as they do! And do the best of men feel, or express, that solemnity and awe of the Divine Presence, in drinking healths, which every body perceives, in their other addresses to God? I think not. Now if something different from a prayer be meant, what is that something? Is it a mere expression of friendship or good will? What kind of friendship or good will does it indicate in those, who daily drink one another drunk, till body and soul are destroyed? And may I be permitted to ask whether ministers and other pious people, might not express their good will in more unexceptionable language?

"If nothing is meant by saying "I wish your health, sir," &c. and "will you permit me to drink your health, Madam;" then it is a kind of polite trifling, which it seems to me but ill accords with the simplicity and godly sincerity which the Scriptures inculcate. I hope you,

Mr. Editor, or some of your correspondents, will give your thoughts to the public on these points; for in so doing, you will at least oblige

XLVI. Sermons evangelical, doctrinal, and practical. By ELIKU THAYER, D. D. Late Pastor of the first church in Kingston, N. H. Exeter:

A QUERIST.

C. Norris, & Co. 1813. pp. 366.

SEVERAL of Dr. Thayer's clerical brethren, who were best acquainted with his talents, piety,

and manner of preaching, expressed their united opinion to him, during his last sickness, that the publication of a volume of his sermons would materially promote the interests of religion. In conformity to their opinion, he consented to such a publication, and committed to them the care of selecting, transcribing, and publishing the intended volume. With the disadvantages which usually attend a posthumous publication, this volume is, in our judgment, highly worthy of the public patronage, and will, we doubt not, answer the double purpose of furnishing many persons with a treasure of sacred truth, and of affording assistance to a numerous and dependent family. Every one who purchases this book, will have the pleasure of contributing something to comfort the widow and children of one, who sought not his own things, but the things of Christ. Indeed there are few volumes of sermons, so well adapted to be useful to all classes of readers, as this. The author is always plain and evangelical, always serious, always in earnest. His method of exhibiting the doctrines of religion is judicious and impressive. In several instances, he has illustrated truths of the first importance with sin gular felicity. Did we think it best to notice all the passages, where the author falls short of elegance, we might make a considerable collection. And in a few instances, we might question the exactness of particular turns of thought and argumentation. But we pity the man, whose mind is so disciplined, that a few inelegancies of diction, or small irregularities of

reasoning, can close his eyes against all the beauties, and his heart against all the pleasures of divine truth. We mean not to intimate that the exactest rhetoric or logic will find here a great number of mistakes or inadvertencies, even of the minor sort. In reality, there is little to censure; but much to commend. And we think that Christian ministers, who set a high value upon the strictest orthodoxy, may derive peculiar advantage from the perusal of this book. Here they will find a preacher as orthodox as they, who is always careful to avoid expressions which are extravagant or needlessly offensive; who is always studious to find out acceptable words; who, from a sincere solicitude for the welfare of men, takes unwearied pains to convey his conceptions to their minds just as they lie in his own; and who would rather contribute to the edification of a single believer, or the conversion of a single unbeliever, than to gain the highest honors of genius,scholarship, or eloquence, or even be applauded as the head of a party.

This volume contains twentytwo sermons, on the following interesting subjects; viz. on the creation; on sinful habits;-on hypocrisy;-God's regard to the righteous;-youth addressed;inconsistency of sinners;-on the love of idols;-on poverty of spirit; the Gospel received in vain; -on the birth of Christ;-conversion joyful;-God has no delight in the death of sinners;— seven abominations; the danger of the ungodly;—a famine of the word, two sermons;- a new year's sermon;-the day of judgment;-on repentance;-on hu

mility; -on the Lord's supper;— and the blessedness of dying in the Lord.

As a specimen of the style and manner of this author, we make the following quotations from the first sermon. After showing "that the visible heavens afford abundant evidence of the being and glory of God," the preacher makes these reflections.

"1. How abundant is the evidence of the divine existence. Every object which we see on the earth; each of those shining wonders, which the night reveals to our eyes, is a witness for God. Though silent, yet they are eloquent preachers, whose instructions extend to every nation, tribe, family, and individual on the earth. The formation of the human body-the construction and location of the several parts, are sufficient to convince every mind, which ever inhabited such a curiously organized body, that it is a piece of divine workmanship. Many anatomists have held, that an examination of the eye was a complete cure for atheism. The inspired author of the 94th Psalm, addresses this argument to infidels in his day, who said, “The Lord shall not see, neither shall the God of Jacob regard it. Understand, ye brutish among the people, and ye fools, when will ye be wise? He who planted the ear, shall he not hear? He that formed the eye, shall he not see?'. Every sense you possess--every nerve, and fibre which give motion and sensibility to your frame-every pulsation of your heart, by which the crimson current is circulated through your veins, is an evidence of the Divine existence; and not only so, but of his presence and agency with youOn what part-on what object in creation, can you cast your eyes, where the name of God is not written? And written so legibly, and in such capitals, that you can read it in the distant star, as well as on your own frame."

The second reflection is as follows:

"This subject gives us a genera view of the blindness and wicked. ness of the human heart. Amidst all

this light-under these heavens which declare the glory of God, there are some of the human race-some, not in the deserts of Africa-not in the trackless forests of America, but in the civilized, highly cultivated, and even Christian portions of the earth, who deny the being of God! Could you suppose this possible, when the sun shines, and the heavens move round? Yes, they tell us, they see no evidence of a God. And what is still more wonderful, some have told us this, while they were measuring the heavens, or calculating an eclipse. Think not this impossible, nor let it confound you. Do you not know, that a wicked, proud heart can shut the mortal eye on all this light?-Do you not know, that it is a very undesirable thing to a wicked heart, that there should be a holy, sovereign God on the throne of the universe? When such a character is denied, and in the sinner's mind displaced, will be not feel more at ease in sin? Do you not know, that men readily be. lieve what they wish to be true?Indeed when the fool-the wicked man, once begins fondly to whisper in his heart "There is no God," that wish will soon grow into a persuasion, and this persuasion into evidence, and then his lips will publish, as a truth, the lie of his heart.-Do you not know, that the man "who loves dark. ness rather than light" is the blindest of all creatures? Suppose both the eyes of a man to be extinguished, yet with an humble, pious mind, he would find, in his own sensations, more evidence of a God, than the proud philosopher would find, look. ing with both his eyes, and all his glasses, into the remote regions of the universe, and bringing home intelligence from the most distant star. Of so much importance is a teacha ble, humble heart to learn of God."

The two closing reflections will be presented to the reader entire.

5. See the danger of wicked men. They are rebels against God the God of heaven and earth! The whole host of heaven obey his word. What can a poor particle of dust promise himself in a contention with the Almighty? "Who ever hardened himself against God and prospered?" O wicked man, cast your eyes on the heavens, and consider, against whom you oppose yourself. "He is not a man as thou art. He is the Eternal, Almighty Jehovah, against whom you contend. "Listen to the voice which goeth out of his mouth, which he directeth under the whole heaven," But there is no need, that God should arm against you, his thunder-that he should open the earth to swallow you up-that he should marshal against you the host of heaven. Your breath is in your nostrils-you are sinking into hell, without any act of his power, and nothing will prevent it, but an act of his mercy. And will you, instead of supplicating his mercy, provoke his wrath? "O that you were wise, that you understood this; that you would consider your latter end." "Because there is wrath, beware, lest he take thee away with his stroke; then a great ransom cannot deliver thee."

6. May we not infer, from the power and goodness of God, the safety of all his friends? Yes, rejoice, O ye people of the Most High, you are not overlooked in the number and grandeur of God's works around you. No, while God is governing worlds, and systems, the smallest insect which creeps upon them is not forgotten of him. Besides, you are not only the creatures of his power, and the inhabitants of his universe, but the children of his grace, the heirs of his spiritual kingdom, for which he made

the natural creation. Consider, thou friend of God, the ordinances of heav. en-the covenant which God hath made with the earth. This covenant insures to the earth, while it remains, summer and winter, seed-time and harvest. How regular are day and night? "Thus saith the Lord, if you can break my covenant of the day and my covenant of the night, that there should not be day and night in their season,' (then may his covenant with you be broken.) "Thus saith the Lord, if my covenant be not with day and night, and

if I have not appointed the ordinances of heaven and earth, then will I cast away the seed of Facob." When therefore you look abroad on the works of God, and see his covenant with day and night faithfully observed;-when you look on the peaceful bow in the cloud, remember that sure, that everlasting covenant, which God has made with you-a covenant well or dained in all things, and sure; which is all your hope and salvation."

XLVII. A Discourse, in twe parts delivered July 23, 1812, on the public fast, in the chap el of Yale College. By TIMOTHY DWIGHT, D. D. LL. D, President of that Seminary. Published at the request of the students, and others. New Haven; Howe & Deforest. 1812. pp. 54.

A Discourse, in two parts, delivered August 20, 1812, on the national fast, in the chapel of Yale College. By the same AUTHOR. New York; J. Sey. mour. 1812. pp. 60.

We have intended, for several months past, to take notice of these very able, opportune, and eloquent discourses; but the small portion of our work, which could be spared for reviews, has hitherto been insufficient for the purpose. Even now we shall be obliged to confine ourselves almost entirely to an abstract, and to a few selections which appear to us peculiarly interesting; as we cannot indulge in reflections of our own without risking the charge of prolixity.

The text of the four sermons is Isa. xxi, 11, 12. The burden of Dumah. He calleth to me out of Seir: "Watchman, what of the night? Watchman, what of the night?" The watchman said,

Isaiah, having prophesied the ruin of Egypt, Syria, Moab and other countries in the vicinity of these, turns to Dumah, or Edom, and represents that people, or one of them in the name of the rest, as calling to him from Mount Seir, and earnestly in quiring of him what is to be their destiny. He is addressed under the figurative character of a watchman, and replies, that a period of prosperity is immediately before the inquirers, which will be succeeded by a period of adversity. He urges them, if they are really desirous to know their destiny; to come and inquire at the mouth of God; to return to Him by returning to the religion from which they have departed, ever since the days of their first founder; to come again, and renew their allegiance to God.' Ser. July, pp. 3-6.

The manner in which the passage in question was deemed appropriate to the occasion, will be seen in the following senten

ces:

At

"A religious assembly, gathered in this land at the present moment, can hardly be supposed to feel a spirit of indifference with respect to the existing state of the world, and particularly of their own country. no time, since the deluge, has the situation of the human race been so. extraordinary; the world so shaken; or its changes so numerous, sudden, extensive, and ominous. He who is indifferent to these things, must be supposed to have neither heart, nor understand. ing, nor eves, nor ears. In addition VOL. IX.

to all the other solemn and ill-boding events of the present period, to use the language of our chief magistrate has permitted the nation to which we "the righteous Providence of GoD belong to be engaged in an offensive war, the multiplied evils of which must be felt by all, but its end cannot be discovered by human agency.' rest of mankind, is now in agitation. Our own cause, as well as that of the Even if we have been able to behold with indifference the general convulsion of the world, and to see nation after nation blotted out from under heaven, it can scarcely be credible, that the most stupid among us can fail of being serious, solemn, and solicitous, when our own case is under trial, and when our allotments are now, perhaps, to be finally settled." Pp. 6,7.

The period in which we live is, in the opinion of the author, "marked out in prophecy as a part of that which is included within the effusion of the seven vials." The fifth of these he considers as having been unquestionably poured out at the Reformation,' and states his reasons for that opinion. pp. 8-10. If this scheme is correct,we are under the sixth vial, or the seventh.

The preacher then quotes from the Revelation the description of the two last vials, and places after each a perspicuous statement of what he supposes to be the meaning of these interesting predictions. No abridgment could be materially shorter than the discussion itself; to this, therefore, we must refer our readers for satisfaction. Dr. Dwight differs from Mr. Faber, Mr. Smith, and others, with respect to many particulars in those prophecies, which are generally considered as intended to describe the present state of the enemies of the Church, and

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