INTELLIGENCE.

INSTALLATION AT LYNN, MASS.-Rev. William Gray Swett, late of Lexington, was installed as Pastor of the Second Congregational Society in Lynn, on Wednesday, January 1, 1840. The services were as follows:-Introductory Prayer and Selections from Scripture, by Rev. Mr. Thayer of Beverly; Sermon, by Rev. Mr. Lothrop of Boston; Prayer of Installation, by Rev. Dr. Flint of Salem; Charge, by Rev. Mr. Upham of Salem; Right Hand of Fellowship, by Rev. Mr. Thompson of Salem; Address to the People, by Rev. Mr. Stetson of Medford; Concluding Prayer, by Rev. Mr. Green of East-Cambridge.

Mr. Lothrop's sermon was founded on the idea, that Christianity is a practical, and not a metaphysical system,-that its great object is the formation of character and the government of the heart, and not the solution of mysteries or the satisfying man's restless curiosity upon all the points of religious philosophy. His text was from John xiii. 35: "By this shall all men know that ye are my disciples, if ye have love one to another ;" and the object of the sermon was to illustrate the importance of this principle of Love, as the essential element and feature of the Christian character. This he endeavoured to establish, 1st, from the express language of the New Testament, which teaches that charity is greater than either faith or hope, and represents the decisions of the great day of account to depend not on what we have believed, but on what we have done on those works of love, which men may do or neglect to do for each other. 2ndly. From the character of God, who by his works and in the strong and emphatic language of Scripture is declared to be not simply good, benevolent, but "love" itself, and whom we are called to imitate "as dear children." If God be love, the great duty of man is, by the cultivation and exhibition of this spirit of love to show that he loves the moral image of his Maker. 3dly. From the character of Christ, which character, briefly but beautifully described in the declaration, he "went about doing good," is a guide and example, an interpreter of Christian truth and duty, teaching us that we must have the principle of love, that "spirit of Christ without which we cannot be his disciples." 4thly. From the condition and wants of men, which proclaim that what is needed among them is not so much the righteousness of the Pharisee as the righteousness of the Samaritan-a spirit which sends a man out into the world, meek, gentle, peaceable, with an arm for weakness to lean upon, a heart for sympathy to appeal to, and a tongue on which kindness dwells and soft words that turn away wrath. And lastly, from the tendency of this principle to subdue all those selfish passions which are at war with social peace and individual virtue-envy, pride, malice, uncharitable. ness, dissoluteness, and to awaken and develope the sentiments of piety.

The Charge was an earnest exhortation to maintain individual independence in the study and promulgation of Christian truth, and to observe that prudence, circumspection and propriety in private walk and conversation, which can alone give efficiency and success to the pastoral office. The Right Hand of Fellowship was an appropriate expression of Christian sympathy, of the pleasures, and the encouragements to ministerial fidelity. The Address to the People aimed to urge the duty of individual effort, and to awaken and impress the conviction that the pastor could only sow the seed, which they must cause to spring up and bear fruit abundantly by their own spiritual exertions.

We are happy to learn that this society, notwithstanding their repeated disappointments in the removal of their ministers, is in a strong and flourishing condition.

DEDICATION AT EAST LEXINGTON, MASS.-The new meetinghouse, erected by the parish in East Lexington, was dedicated to the worship of God, on Wednesday, January 15, 1840. It is an uncommonly neat and graceful structure, of an unusual style, uniting great convenience of internal arrangement with external proportions that make the building pleasant to the eye and an ornament to the landscape. The form is octagonal; and attached to it is a tower, surmounted by a light and lofty spire constructed of open lattice work, which gives it an effect both novel and pleasing. The design and plan of the building are owing, we believe, to the taste of Dr. Follen, the temporary minister of the society, to whose warm interest in all that concerned their prosperity they owe in no small measure the accomplishment of the work and the happy prospects attendant upon it. Long will his memory live in the hearts of that people, and the Follen Church stand among them as his monument. Little did they think, little did his brethren who gathered there on the morning of the fifteenth, to exchange congratulations with him and to hear the outpouring of his heart on this completion of a favorite object of his care, think, that he himself was already sleeping in death. The non-arrival of the steamboat Lexington, in which he was expected from New York, had excited no alarm, and it was thought, even after the company had begun to assemble for the dedication, that he might still arrive. So great was the disappointment at his non-appearance, that even at the last moment it was a matter of deliberate discussion whether the service should not be postponed. But a postponement was found to be out of the question, and the work went on. Excepting the one great deficiency, it was all well.

The neighboring clergymen officiated in the several duties:-Rev. Mr. Stetson of Medford made the Introductory Prayer; Rev. Mr. Ripley of Waltham, the Prayer of Dedication; Rev. Mr. Pierpont of Boston preached; Rev. R. W. Emerson made an Address to the Society;-this unusual part was introduced by request of the society, in consequence of Mr. Emerson's long relation to them as their preacher; Rev. Mr. Damon of West Cambridge made the Con

cluding Prayer. Appropriate hymns and anthems were sung by a large choir. The sermon was from 1 Corinthians, i. 23: "We preach Christ crucified;" expounding and enforcing this declaration of Paul, in its relation to the evidences of Christianity, the character of the religion, and its operation on man. The hospitalities of the occasion were furnished with a Christian liberality; but in them also the one absence was deplored; it was present to every mind; it was spoken of by every tongue. It will be long and deeply felt by that people to whom he had attached himself strongly, and who reasonably looked to his affectionate ministrations with a more than usual confidence. Let them not, however, faint, but persevere. Though the shepherd has been smitten, let not the sheep be scattered.

INSTALLATION AT PETERBOROUGH, N. H.-Rev. Curtis Cutler, late of Gardner, Mass. was installed at Peterborough, as Colleague Pastor with Rev. Dr. Abbot, on Wednesday, January 29, 1840. The arrangement of services on the occasion was as follows:-Introductory Prayer, by Rev. Mr. Wood of Tyngsborough; Reading of Scriptures, by Rev. Mr. Livermore of Keene; Sermon, by Rev. Mr. Robbins of Boston; Installing Prayer, by Rev. Mr. Pierpont of Boston; Charge, by Rev. Mr. Leonard of Dublin; Right Hand of Fellowship, by Rev. Mr. Miles of Lowell; Address to the People, by Rev. Mr. Osgood of Nashua; Concluding Prayer, by Rev. Mr. Bates of Ashby.

The sermon was founded upon the words of the woman of Samaria, John iv. 29: "Come, see a man which told me all things that ever I did; is not this the Christ?" Its object was to indicate some of the principal characteristics of our Saviour's efforts to disseminate religious truth and communicate holy influence. 1. In order to obtain an entrance for his truth into any mind, he approached it without formality—with nothing professional or sectional in his manner-with simplicity, and genuine kindness, combined with directness. 2. He endeavored to enter into the feelings of the object of his address, to put himself upon his level, to mingle his doctrine with the current of his life, to bring his teachings into contact with his actual condition, and to show the connexions of God and duty with every fact of his being and every common action. 3. He manifested calm and full confidence in the power of his doctrine, and in its adaptation to the human soul in every condition. 4. He neglected no opportunity, and considered no place or time inappropriate for unaffected conversation upon sacred things. 5. He considered no instrumentality that he could employ, even of the humblest personage, as mean or unworthy, in view of the propagation of heavenly truth.

The day was stormy, and the snow three or four feet deep, yet the church was full, and unqualified signs of interest in the affairs of the society and the cause of religion were manifested by the members of the congregation. The venerable senior Pastor, although he declined taking any part in the services, added much nevertheless to the solemnity and pleasure of the occasion. It was a circumstance of some interest, that the very aged clergyman who was minis

ter before the settlement of Dr. Abbot, Rev. Mr. Dunbar, was also present at the Installation, in good health and spirits.

In the evening, a meeting was held in the church for a public and free discussion of the following subject, viz: what means shall we employ to awaken a deeper and more general interest in religion. Addresses were made by Rev. Messrs. Miles of Lowell, Osgood of Nashua, and Pierpont of Boston, and by Messrs. Prentiss of Keene and R. W. Bayley of Boston.

We understand that there is connected with the parish an incorporated library, containing upwards of 500 volumes.

BOSTON QUARTERLY REVIEW.-At the close of the second volume it was announced that this work would be discontinued. An arrangement has since been made, by which Mr. Brownson has been induced to resume his editorial office, the late publisher, as we learn, having become the proprietor of the Review. On the whole we are glad such an arrangement has gone into effect, for although we believe the work has done some harm, we think it has done more good. From much that its editor has said, and from still more that he has, whether consciously or unconsciously, suggested, we dissent. But its tone of freedom and life and energy we welcome, even if it sometimes express itself in forms that do not quite suit our notions or our tastes. In the Introductory Statement with which the new volume commences, Mr. Brownson gives a sketch of the views which it will be his aim to promote by this journal. It will be devoted, as heretofore, he says, "to Religion, Philosophy, Politics, and general Literature." "The great idea, which constitutes the life and unity of the Review, is that of freedom. The Review is instituted for the purpose of carrying freedom into all subjects, and into all the relations of life." "But by freedom is not meant lawlessness." "Into religion it will carry the spirit of free inquiry;" "for whoso would render religion a service, must begin by respecting the rights of the mind." "But as to the actual doctrines inculcated, saving the forms in which they may be clothed, it is not apprehended that they will differ essentially from what has been and is the universal faith of the Christian church." The meaning of this declaration we must wait for future numbers of the Review to disclose. The ground which Mr. Brownson is disposed to take in philosophy is indicated in the following paragraph :"The philosophy, by whose results we have long been governed, is now passing away. The dominion of Locke is broken up, and he now has only a few adherents, and they are men of yesterday, who can exert no influence on to-morrow. The tendency is just now to an opposite extreme, to what among us is called Transcendentalism, a system of philosophy,-if that may be called a system which disclaims all system,-which builds upon an order of facts, proceeding from an origin which transcends the senses and the operations of the understanding. The source of this order of facts is called by some Instinct, by others Spontaneity, and by others still, Inspiration. They are intuitive and immediate. All among us, who are denominated sometimes the New School, contend for the reality of this order of facts, and so far all who have broken with the past are agreed. But there are some individuals, holding a high rank

in the movement party, who regard this order of facts as the only order it is necessary to recognise, and with these they think themselves able to construct a philosophy, which shall explain the existence of God, man, and nature. They therefore pay little attention to the senses, hold reasoning or logic in slight esteem, and treat the demand for proofs of their statements with contempt. With these individuals I do not entirely agree. I recognise spontaneity as a source, and a fruitful source of ideas, and I also admit that the ideas, which come to us from this source, do not require to be proved. But I recognise also other orders of facts, not less real, nor less essential in their place than these."

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In politics the Quarterly Review "will sustain democratic principles and measures. As a necessary consequence of this, it will cooperate with that party which adopts these principles, and supports these measures-the democratic party." Still this party is not "perfect." Mr. B. "sees much to be done which it has not yet attempted." Among these as yet unattempted things is the hastening "of a time when the relations of master and slave, and of proprietor and workman, or employer and employed, shall be unknown!" "The literary aim of this Journal," adds its editor, "will be to breathe into our literature a free and elevated spirit, and to give it a democratic cast, a truly American direction." "The Review," finally, "is intended for all who sympathise with the movement party, for all who wish to see progress effected in politics, philosophy, literature, or religion."

The characteristics of the Review, we doubt not, will be freshness and force. Of the probable soundness of its views our readers may form some conjecture from the extracts we have now given.

CHRISTIAN REVIEW.-We are sorry to learn that this publication has been discontinued for the want of support. It has from the first held a high place in our periodical religious literature, and we had hoped that the Baptists, to whose special interests it was devoted, were too well aware of its value, to permit it to reach so speedy a termination. If they will pardon the suggestion, we would tell them that they ought to make an effort on its behalf that shall induce its editor to resume the publication.

NEWTON THEOLOGICAL SCHOOL.-This institution, situated a few miles from Boston, is designed for the education of young men for the Baptist ministry. From the Catalogue recently printed it appears, that there are now 44 students; in the Senior Class 11, in the Middle 10, in the Junior 20, and in the English Course 3. The Faculty consists of Rev. Barnas Sears, President, and Professor of Christian Theology; Rev. Irah Chase, Professor of Ecclesiastical History; Rev. Henry I. Ripley, Professor of Sacred Rhetoric and Pastoral Duties; Rev. Horatio B. Hackett, Professor of Biblical Literature and Interpretation.