ties." These matters are not only irrelevant, but some of them, I think, depart from the liberal and truly christian spirit, in which the controversy with Mr. Herttell is conducted, and which constitutes, in my judgment, one of the chief merits of the performB. F. BUTLER.

ance.

Nov. 29th, 1833.

XXIII. From the Rev. COR's C. CUYLER, of the Dutch Reformed Church, Poughkeepsie.

POUGHKEEPSIE, 2nd Dec., 1833. DEAR SIR,—I thank you for the perusal of Sherlock's letters to Thomas Herttell. They appear to me to contain a fair view of the subject of which they treat, and a reasonable rebuke to that. mad spirit which would make us a nation of infidels, because our constitutions do not contemplate a union of the Church of Christ with the State. This grand fallacy having been taken for granted, infidels have assumed without proof or warrant that christians of almost every name wish a union of church and state, and are pursuing active measures to effect the object. So far however from desiring any thing of this kind, the evangelical christian sects, with one accord, would not only deprecate such a union, but protest against and resist every thing of the kind. They fully and cheerfully accord the Savior's declaration, "My kingdom is not of this world." They know full well that the world has never embraced the church without polluting her. It has been so from the days of Constantine to the present, and it will be so to the end of time. We ask no such an alliance-we abhor it. The religion of Christ, as we learn it from the holy oracles, is a religion of civil and religious liberty, and for all the freedom our happy coun try enjoys she is indebted to that religion.

But while we deprecate the union of the church with the state, we equally deprecate the union of the state with the Moloch of infidelity. We do not anticipate the improvement of our institutions by such a union. The experiment has been sufficiently tried elsewhere, to satisfy even Thomas Herttell, if he be not blinder than a mole. What have been the results of the revolutions prosecuted upon infidel principles in France, Spain, Naples, Piedmont, and in the Mexican and South American (so called) Republics? Thomas Herttell and his coadjutors can have no difficulty in telling us. These things have not happened in a corner. The sun has shone on them, so that he who runs may read. Heaven and

*This is a mistake on the part of Mr. Butler, owing, we presume, to the haste in which he wrote his note; since, on referring to the "animadversions" of Sherlock, alluded to by Mr. B. it will be seen, that they relate to a small portion only of the population of Duchess county, viz. the horse-racers and gamblers: Nor is any personal offence intended by the Author to any honorable member of the turf, as he presumes all such persist in the pursuit, because they have not seriously reflected upon its evils, and not from wilful corruption or immorality. The reader will recollect, that Dr. Allen, Dr. Hosack, and the Rev. Mr. Cuyler, all of whom recommend the Letters of Sherlock, are citizens of Duchess county.

earth have testified that the spirit of infidelity is not the spirit of liberty any more than of sound wisdom.

Infidels constitute a very meagre numerical minority in our country-not a tithe of the whole-and yet they have so managed as to rule the land. How have they effected it? By crying Church and State." This is their great Diana of the Ephesians. By vilifying the christian sects, and making them afraid of each other. It is time this lie were put down-this foul fiend had his robe of light torn off, and his black limbs exposed. The christian public owe you thanks for your attempt. This work must be done by a layman, and I think you have happily succeeded. I hope your book may have a wide circulation, and accomplish much good. Your friend, COR'S. C. CUYLER.

XXIV. From the Rev. Mr. KIRK, of Albany.

Albany, Jan. 8. 1834.

DEAR SIR-Sherlock's Letters have the advantage of authorship by a Layman. The gentleman to whom they are addressed, cannot regard them as self-defensive. They are calculated to do good by the air of frankness, the courteousness, and yet christian firmness and fidelity which characterize them. I desire to see them circulated. E. N. KIRK.

XXV.

The Rev. JAMES MARTIN, of Albany, writes to the Rev. Andrew Stark, of New-York, in relation to the Letters of Sherlock, as follows:

"I read the Letters at the time," (meaning the time of their publication in the Salem paper,)" and was exceedingly pleased with them. Mr. proposes to publish them in a book form, with notes. I hope he may succeed, as I think his work is well calculated to do good, especially to those who are inclined to Infidelity."

To the preceding Recommendations, may be added the fact, that the venerable ALEXANDER PROUDFIT, of Salem, whose fame is in all the churches, was the first to recommend earnestly to the Author of Sherlock's Letters to publish them in their present shape: And his recommendation was followed up, as earnestly, by that of the Rev. JOHN WHITON, of the same place.

LAYMAN'S APOLOGY,

FOR THE APPOINTMENT OF

CLERICAL CHAPLAINS

BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF NEW-YORK: IN A SERIES OF LETTERS,

ADDRESSED TO THOMAS HERTTELL,

Member of Assembly for the City of New-York, 1833.

ORIGINALLY PUBLISHED IN THE WASHINGTON COUNTY POST, SALEM,

(RECAP)

5970

.867

Capy Right secured, agreeably to Act of Congress, by entry in the Clerk's Office of the Circuit Court of the United States, for the Northern District of New-York, on the Twentieth day of September, A. D. 1833.

DEDICATION.

TO THE LADIES OF THE UNITED STATES. Can any apology be necessary, for addressing you on the present occasion? If so, permit me, my fair readers, to offer the following considerations; and to hope, at the same time, that you may give them all the weight to which they are justly entitled.

If there be any difference, in a temporal point of view, in the necessity and importance of the Christian Revelation, to one portion of the human race, more than another, that difference is in favor of the Female Sex.

If women wish to know how much they are indebted to Christianity for the blessings which they now enjoy, let them compare, for a moment, their degraded condition under the ancient heathen or pagan mythology, and that of the Arabian Impostor, or the Braminical System of Asia, with the elevation which they have derived, in the social state, from the prevalence of the gospel of Jesus Christ.

Let them view themselves in Greece and Rome, under the heathen or pagan system, as the absolute property, the humble, devoted and degraded slaves