ions of their workmen, or to control them on this subject, merely to gain accessions to party, are watched with no little jealousy. Each sect in the land is, indeed, making efforts for the prosperity of its own order, whether in these places, or elsewhere. But the ratio of exertion and success, it is believed, is greatly in favor of the evangelical denominations. They are certainly gaining more force constantly in manufactories. Such is the operation of different christian sects among us, in regard to these important, and rising, and multiplying institutions. The tendency of success on the part of one denomination, is to excite and encourage the others-and thus efforts are augmented, and most of these compact masses of human beings, may be effectually reached by the ordinary means of grace. In this result, by which the tendency to sloth and inaction in one denomination, when it occupies securely the whole field, is arrested, we may see the wisdom of God, in suffering the diversity of sects, and in overruling that diversity, for the purposes of his own glory and the salvation of

men.

The reasonings and facts which have been submitted above, are sufficient, we think, to account for the state of things among us, in regard to manufactures, and to authorize the hope, that their moral influence in this country will on the whole, be favorable. Still, it should be remembered, that there are great and manifold dangers in the career on which we are entering; and that nothing but the most watchful care and self-denying effort on the part of the christian community, can avert from us the evils which have resulted in other countries, from an extended system of manfactures, or secure to us the benefits which such a system is adapted to produce. We have incidentally touched on some important measures and principles to be applied to the case. These we would present to the reader a little more distinctly, and mention two or three others, in addition.

In this connection, too much importance cannot be attached to the temperance reform, which has been so happily commenced and carried on in this country. This is one of our advantages for the prosecution of manufactures, the want of which would be terribly felt, whatever other means should be employed to promote knowledge, virtue, and religion, in the places of mechanical business. In these places, the aspect of things is essentially altered, by means of the temperance reform. The common use of ardent spirits amidst a population so dense, and of course easily moved by a common impulse, would infuriate and stultify thousands, who would otherwise be peaceable and ingenious workmen. It becomes every owner or conductor of a manufacturing establishment, to see that this article is excluded from it, by a re

gard alike for his own interest, and the interest of the commun ty. We are assured that such is the fact in many establishment The christian public ought not to rest until entire abstinence written on every factory in our land.

The observance of the Sabbath, should receive the most mar ed attention, in all places of manufacturing business. Perha the greatest danger to morals and religion, resulting from this en ployment, lies in the temptations which it addresses to those wh are engaged in it, to violate the sabbath. In places otherwi well regulated, the operatives too often use the sabbath rather a season of mere cessation from care and labor, or of modera recreation, such as walking and riding in the country round, the as time to be consecrated to God, and to religious improvemen The constant confinement and drudgery of the week days, su plies the inducement they feel, or the pretext which they urg in respect to this indulgence. But they forget that the divine appointed services of the sabbath, are designed as the highes and best, and most grateful refreshment, both of the body and th mind of man. Christians indeed, who love this sacred day an its employments, will not be found among the violators, or negled ters of the sabbath, but no effort should be spared to reclaim from so dangerous a habit, every one who has the least regard for hi own character, or the moral interests of the community. Th profanation of holy time, ruinous to the souls of men every where is emphatically so in these crowded resorts, where example i pre-eminently contagious and powerful. For this reason, as wel as its intrinsic excellence, and immutable obligations, the chris tian sabbath should be zealously guarded against profanation, b all who have the control of workmen, or who can, in any degree influence their conduct.

Sabbath Schools are pre-eminently important in a manufactur ing community, calculated as they are to enforce the better ob servance of the day, and to do infinite good to the rising genera tion. Salutary as their tendency may be elsewhere, they are singularly advantageous here. The nature of the institution, as well as the results of experience, go to prove, that, more than any other human contrivance, (if it is human,) they prepare the young for those habits of obedience, diligence, and regularity, by which they are managed with ease, and their labor rendered productive, to their employers. Such indeed is their general effect, wherever established. Those therefore, who have large numbers of young persons in their service, would find it altogether conducive to their personal comfort and pecuniary advantage, to maintain sabbath school instruction among them, aside from answering the nobler purpose of benefitting immortal minds. Where

competent teachers are wanting, what employment could be more useful or animating to christians in the surrounding neighborhood, than to repair on the sabbath, as instructors to these new centers of population, which are every where forming in our land? Let it never be said, that our churches are slumbering over the interests of the thousand communities which are bursting into life among us, fraught with the destinies of unborn millions--perhaps with the destiny of our country.

In the new villages which are springing up under the influence of manufactures, we have a pressing call for home missions: and they who are charged with this object, should see that these places are, from the beginning, adequately supplied with the preached word. Much care and foresight must be exercised, or before we are aware, these young seats of enterprise, so rapid is their growth, will have advanced in size and population, far beyond the ratio of their religious privileges and means. So fast are our centers of business changing, that the christian philanthropist needs to be on the alert, that he may adapt his measures to the new forms and the new places, in which the irrepressible energies of freemen, are continually developed. Let, then, these centers of business, as fast as they rise, become each the seat of churches, and a nucleus of a widely extended evangelical influence. With pleasure we record the fact, that in many instances, they have been made such; and it only requires the application of the gospel in the form here mentioned, and to the desired extent, to render them all the very "locos lætos" of the Spirit's residence.

The highly promiscuous collections of people in manufacturing sites, call urgently also for a kind and catholic spirit, among the different christian sects. They who have a common bond of evangelical feeling and action, though called by different names, should make much of that bond, and little of their distinctive appellations, in circumstances where they must necessarily have a constant intercourse with one another. In such a situation, to contend about minor points, would be destructive not only to social enjoyment, but to kind and right feeling. It would result in a partial sacrifice at least, of those principles in which all christians are agreed, and a disastrous failure to recommend christianity, in its grand characteristic excellence. How studiously ought all sectarian feelings to be repressed in places, where the responsibility of a child of God is measured by the number of eyes that are daily upon him, and the number of souls whose moral character is forming under his influence. Infinitely better would it be, for the different classes of christians so brought together, to sacrifice their different titles, and party prejudices, than to put in

jeopardy their common christianity, and their common and blessed privilege of urging its claims.

In addition to the above, a redeeming influence which may be applied to the seats of manufacturing art, is the missionary spiris of our age and country. Not only should they be made, espe cially in their early foundation the objects of missionary labors, as before insisted on ; but they may become, in their turn, each a sort of missionary society, in which, by that concerted action so easy for them to maintain, they might happily promote the common objects of benevolence, and aid in the dissemination of the gospel. An engagement in these heavenly designs, so far as is compatible with their secular labors, would raise the standard of morals and piety in the manufacturing classes, as it has raised this standard, in every part of the christian community, where such designs have been conceived and executed.

That it is the interest and duty, of those who control our manufacturing establishments to promote the various means of improvement which we have pointed out, will not admit of a question; and in view of the solemn responsibilities which rest upon them, a strong appeal might be made to their best feelings for a hearty co-operation in so noble a cause. Our limits however will permit us only to say, that if they would avert the moral evils, which were once generally supposed to result from manufacturing pursuits, and the fear of which doubtless lingers in some minds at the present time -if they would secure the benefits which may be derived from them in regard to the social, intellectual, and moral and religious character of the people-if they would disarm the prejudices which have been awakened in the minds of many well meaning people, who have not become familiar with their results,-and if they would hope to reconcile those, who have opposed the system from interested and pecuniary views, they must enter heartily into measures and principles of the kind that have been here pointed out. A practical refutation, in this case, will be afforded of most of the objections that have been made to manufactures, so far as they have been sanctioned by the general government, or sustained by the enterprise of individual citizens. And this, after all, is the best way of convincing its enemies of the beneficial nature of the system in its several bearings. Let it then be seen, through such exertions as are requisite for the purpose, how much good can be achieved in the midst of these seats of ingenuity and industry-that not only large, and flourishing, and opulent villages are reared, where the beauties of architecture are spread around; and taste, and convenience, and plenty spring up by the side of the manufacturer's shop-but that the charities of life, pure morality, and revivals of religion, follow in their train. Especially should the reproach be taken away

from these pursuits at the present day, which poetry and inspiration have fastened on the artificers of the primeval world, that

"Studious they appear

Of arts that polish life; inventors rare;

Unmindful of their Maker, though his Spirit
Taught them."

The interests of our country in reference to its manufacturing and other pursuits, present very solemn claims to the attention of all, who glory in it as their birth place and their home. It was our design to connect with this discussion some miscellaneous remarks on the state of the country, viewed in the aspect in which it offers itself to the minds of christians, at the present crisis. The spirit of moderation which should characterize our public councils; the evils of domestic factions; the great principle of a republic that a majority must rule; the necessity of yielding obedience to the laws; the peculiar duty of christians, by a peaceable, yet firm deportment, by prayer, and by the hidden exercise of spiritual religion, to seek the good of their country, were among the topics which we thought appropriate to the time and the occasion. But our limits permit us only to say, respecting the present agitated state of the nation, that our fears for the republic have been great amidst all our hopes and exultation, not in view merely of the system which has now been dwelt upon, or any particular measure to which the majority of the people may give their sanction; but in view of the feelings by which every plan of general policy is sure to be resisted. Our astonishment has been immeasurably excited, at the spirit which is manifested among us, by minorities, let the scale turn on what political side it may, as if they were determined to be

"rebel to all law."

The spirit of insubordination among the people of other governments, (perhaps we use too harsh a term, and we are willing to call it in them a struggle for just rights,) has seemed to reach our shores -as if any among us had the same ground of uneasiness—as if where all have a voice in the government, and where a properly constituted majority is the rule of action, the disappointments of a minority could ever justify the resistance which a people make, who have no voice in theirs'; a resistance in the latter, whose object is not so much to set aside laws, as to obtain the equal privilege of making them. A spirit of insubordination has seized upon a people, who, having tasted the sweets of liberty, seem to be satiated with the draught, and would now dash it from their lips-who having enjoyed fifty years of union and prosperity, deem it a period sufficiently long in which to be happy. At a time when there should be nothing but gratulation and mutual good will among the people,