years.

The eyes

of our constituents, are upon us. The people of this Commonwealth have a deep interest at stake, in the decision of this question. They are composed of different denominations of professing Christians. They expect, and have a right to expect, that we will show no partiality.

There is nothing more dreaded than a union of church and state. Let us not give any occasion for this reproach by uniting any denomination of the church with this child of the State. Let me put it to the conscience of every liberal minded gentleman in this assembly-If a proposition was now before this Board to establish a Calvinistic theological faculty in the University of the State, and put the president of Harvard College at its head, would not the people rise, en masse, and enter their solemn protest against such an encroachment on religious liberty? Yes, sir, and I would be one of the first to lift up my voice against it. And where, I pray you, is the difference in the principle? Of what consequence is it whether the sect, thus to be established as the religion of the State, believes in a long creed or a short one, or in no creed at all? Sir, the religious opinions of the proposed theological faculty are

well known, though they may not consist of thirty-nine articles-and there is the same injustice in establishing, as the religion of the State, a sect which has no written creed, as in recognizing one that admits all the doctrines of the Westminster confession of faith. I repeat it, I hope this Board will weigh well what they are about to do. At any rate, I hope they will give the people of this Commonwealth time to reflect upon the subject, by postponing the decision of it to another stated meeting of this Board.

Sir, I have discharged a painful duty. Gladly would I have relinquished it into other hands, but, since this honorable and reverend Board has become in part elective, no clerical member has been admitted, though a number of vacancies have occurred-excepting of that religious denomination of which the proposed theological faculty is well known to consist. The impartiality of the chair has placed me where I stand on this important committee-and I could not, without a dereliction of principle, without a violation of conscience, and without a total disregard of the religious liberties of this Commonwealth-withhold from this honorable and

reverend Board, my reasons for not concurring in the report of the committee.

I have not the vanity to suppose, that standing as I do in so small a minority in this Board as to religious opinion, I shall be successful in arresting the establishment of a theological faculty in this University, but I do hope, and have strong confidence, that the liberal minded gentlemen with whom I have the honor to be associated, will consent to a recommitment of the proposed statutes, with a view so far to modify them, as to separate the distinguished layman, who now presides over the University, from any connection with the theological department to make the divinity school, if we must have one, perfectly distinct for the academic part of the institution—and to secure to the Commonwealth a pledge, that it shall look only to the denomination of which it consists, for its support.

Sir, I have spoken for myself. I have given utterance to the spontaneous, unbiassed effusions of my own mind. I have not consulted with any man or body of men, respecting the opinions I have advanced in this Board. I am the organ of no party, religious or political. Although, in early life, I was thrown, by circumstances over

which I had no control, into scenes of religious controversy, I am no controversialist. I have never appeared, nor do I wish to appear before the public in this character. I have been content with my pastoral duty-and have wished to keep myself aloof from the din of controversy. Sir, it is because I love peace and dread polemic war-it is because I love my alma mater, and wish to see her enjoy the confidence of the whole people—it is because I love my country and am a friend of religious liberty-it is because I am conscientiously opposed to a union of church and state-that I have spoken with so much freedom. I trust I have discharged this duty in a spirit of meekness, and with a proper respect to constituted authority. I have stood in my lot-and although I have been obliged to differ from gentlemen whom I highly respect, I trust they will give me credit for being actuated by no other motive, than a sincere regard to the best interests of the University.

393

SPEECH,

AT THE SEVENTEENTH ANNIVERSARY OF THE AMERICAN BIBLE SOCIETY.

Mr. President,-It was with no ordinary emotions, that I saw it announced a few days since in one of the public journals, that your Board of Managers had resolved to appropriate thirty thousand dollars to the object contemplated in the resolutions, which I have had the honor to submit to this meeting.

From the view which I had been taking of the opening fields of usefulness in the foreign distribution of the sacred scriptures by American missionaries, I had supposed that not less than fifty thousand dollars might be advantageously expended during the present year in that interesting department of the operations of this society. I was therefore gratified to find that