712 
of {mall pieces on political, moral, and 
other fubjects. 
Mr. Harris, Paft-grand Chaplain to 
the Grand Lodge, and Chaplain to the 
Grand Royal Arch-chapter of Mafla- 
chufetts, has lately publifhed, ‘* Dif- 
courfes delivered on Pablic Occafions, 
iluftrating the Principles, difplaying 
the Tendency, and vindicating the 
Defigns of Free-mafonry.’? The author 
fhews himfelf to be an abie advocate of 
the caufe of Free-mafonry. Perhaps 
we mighe juftly allow. him the credit of 
having exhibited bis fubjeét in more 
intereiting and favourable points of 
view than any writér who has preced- 
ed him in the fame path. ‘And thefe 
difcourfes may probably render a real 
fervice to fociety, by affiiting to banifh 
the jealoufies and fufpicions of free- 
mafonry, which, within a few years 
have gained fomuch ground, efpecially 
among thofe political and religious fa- 
natics, who not long fince pretended to 
fee, mn every private meeting, proofs of 
a confpiracy againft all government and 
religion, and ‘to trace in their docu- 
ments and communications ali the 
plots and horrors of jacobinifm. 
From the pen of the Rev. Dr. Dana 
we find “* Two Difcourfes :—1. on the 
Commencement of anew Year; 2.0n 
the Completion of the Eighteenth Cen- 
tury; delivered in New Haven, Con- 
necticut ; the former January 4, and 
the latter January 11, 1801. The bafis 
of both is laid, in thefe words of the 
wife preacher—‘* One generation paf- 
feth away, and another generation 
cometh; but the earth abideth for 
ever.” As might naturally be expect- 
ed, the author, in the firft difcourfe, 
applies the admonition contained in 
his text to the viciffirudes of the paft 
year, dwelling on the varieties of life, 
the inefficacy of its pleafures to con- 
fer happinefs, the tranfitory nature 
even of this imperfect enjoyment, and 
the fucceffion of new generations of 
men,, new fchemes, purfuits, and fa- 
fhions, which form the hiftory of the 
world ; and contrafting with thefe the 
faithfulnefs of God, the permanency of 
his decrees, and the immutability of 
his chara¢ter. Inthe fecond difcourfe, 
Dr. Danaemploys the doctrine exhibit- 
ed in his text to illuftrate the viciffi- 
tudes of the century juft completed. 
Extending his views beyond the limits 
of a year, he directs his attention to 
the political revolutions, the moral - 
changes, the improvements in litera- 
Rettofpett of American Literature.——Theohgy. 
4 
ture and fcience, and efpecially the 
events in the Chriftian church, which 
diftinguifh the laft age. 
Among the fingle ‘fermons, we think 
it proper to notice that of the Rev. Dr. 
TRUMBULL, on “ The Dignity of 
Man, efpecially as difplayed in Civil 
Government.” In the ftate of Connece 
ticut, the annual election at Hartford 
is always attended with a religious fo- 
lemnity. A clergyman of the ftate is 
appointed by the governor to deliver.a- 
fermon on the occafion, which is regu= © 
larly, asa matter of courfe, committed 
to the prefs; and this fermon is one 
of the fruits of that annual appoint- 
ment. ‘Though deftitute of the graces 
of compofition, and abounding in al- 
moft every {pecies of verbal inaccura- — 
ey, this performance is fenfible and j ae 
dicious. 
Before the ‘ Honane Society of 
Maffachufetts,” which was inftituted 
in, the year 1784, with defign ** to 
promote the Caufe of Humanity gene- 
raliy, by, purfuing: fuch Means as have 
for their Object the Prefervation of 
Human Life, and the Alleviation of its 
Miferies,” the Rev. Dr. Morse lately 
preached ‘¢ A Sermon,” the fubject of 
which is founded on Proverbs xi. 17. 
—‘* The merciful man doth good ta 
his -ewn foul.” From this text, the 
author gives a brief difplay of the cha- 
racter, duties, and rewards of the mer- 
ciful. This he does in ftyle of fim; 
plicity, good fenfe, and piety, ee 
the pulpit and the occafion. 
In the Rev. Mr. Mason’s fermon 
on ‘ Pardon of Sin in the Blood of 
Jefus,” we obferve, now and then, 
fome of the traces of a rapid and ar- 
dent eloquence; but there is a poft- 
tivenefs and intolerance, not to fay ar- 
rogance, in his manner of inculcating 
and defending truth, which is always 
difgufting to the rational reader. 
The Rev. Mr. HoLmes’s ‘* Sermon 
preached at Cambridge’? (Maflachu- 
fetts), January 4, 1801, in a fummary 
manner recounts the moft interefting 
events of that country within the laft 
century, and exhibits a minute review | 
of the progrefs of Cambridge fince its 
arft fettlement. 
The Rev. Dr. LATHROP’s * Senne 
delivered at Weft Springfield on the 
firitt Day of the Nineteenth Century,”’ 
briefly narrates the rife and progrefs — 
of Chriftianity in the old world. He 
then relates fome of the principal cir- 
cumftances refpetting the firft emi- 
grants 
