tly, as our mighty, but not noisy mother-earth mellows her apples, and blessing after blessing will descend in silence on our heads.

But it must of course happen that in carrying on the work of the Lord, different persons will be engaged in different spheres. Let us all, and each as his own case requires, apply to our souls the fitting admonitions. Let those particularly interested and busy in putting into operation new engines, by no word or action do injustice to others careful to hold up the institutions of antiquity. And so let the lovers of the Established not withhold due regard from their brethren who would try fresh methods. It is easy to say that Novelty is always attended with something of peril and disaster, and that it is inconsistent with perfect quiet. It is perhaps true to say it. Some of the first trains of cars may meet with accident, and on a few individuals inflict suffering. But, at length, in long ranks they roll along smoothly as fly the birds of passage, bearing thousands to the scenes of beauty, to the negotiations of trade, to the greetings of friendship.

Thus smoothly and efficiently, not in opposition to, but in harmony with the true spirit of institutions already at work, would the Ministry at large conduct its operations. It desires not to speak arrogantly of itself, and would fain trust that few will be found ready to reproach it with having now spoken in reply to questions often coming to its ear, words too many or too loud. It claims not to stand on an eminence commanding every other station. But it would plead for admission as an auxiliary into the 'one army of the living God.' It would venerate the ancient that is good, and welcome the freshly discovered that is good, according to the Savior's rule--' bringing out of the treasure things New and Old.'-It prays that the Cathedral, which has stood for a century, may, if possible, hear the sound even of the last trumpet, and keep its gray tombs still fresh and shaded till the day of resurrection. But with this prayer it joins the entreaty, that new Chapels may be built wherever worldly dissipation rears her palaces, and seduces her victims by show and gaudy decoration. To all things and all creatures it would stretch its hands in benediction.

May he who holdeth up the world for our dwelling-place, and searcheth our hearts, enable us to gather wisdom from the Past, and to labor faithfully in our own day and generation, looking with the eye of untroubled Faith into that eternal world, whither all the things of this world, from the beginning to the end, hasten to find their issues!

CIRCULAR.

IN the autumn of the year 1826, a number of gentlemen, who were connected together under the title of the Association for Moral and Religious Improvement, and who for some years previous had been in the practice of holding religious meetings among the poor in different sections of our city, procured the use of an upper room of a building in Merrimack Street, known as the Circular building, for the purpose of holding stated religious meetings for the poor, and others of the less favored classes in that neighborhood. The religious services were conducted by Rev. Dr Tuckerman, who was the first, and, for years, the only Minister at large in our city.

The Howard Sunday School was also established at the same time and place, and was designed for the children of the same classes as those above alluded to. The success and importance of these exercises, and the inconvenient and comfortless condition of the room in which they were held, led to an effort in the year 1828, to procure some commodious and central place, where regular services should be held on the Sabbath, suited to the wants and capacities of those whom it was desirable to bring together under this ministry. A subscription paper was drawn up, and a sufficient sum soon obtained for the purchase of a lot of land in Friend street, and the erection upon it of the present wooden chapel. The whole was then conveyed in trust to certain of the subscribers, subject to the condition that it should be devoted exclusively and forever, to the free religious instruction of the poor in the city of Boston.

Both the chapel services and the Sunday School instructions have from that time been regularly continued, to this day; and, with every year which has rolled by, have been exciting a deeper interest and exerting a wider influence among the families in the neighborhood. In the chapel there are, during the spring, summer and autumn, two services on the Lord's day, and, in the winter, three, which are well attended. The Sunday school is held twice each Sabbath, and now numbers over two hundred pupils.

Will you then allow us respectfully to state to you, that the population around the mill-pond has, within a few years past, increased with great rapidity; and, in consequence, that the Chapel, which at first was thought to be favorably situated, is now confined and inconvenient. One of its sides has, for some time past, been completely closed up by a brick building standing against it; and the other is soon to be closed in the same manner; so that all access of light and air will be soon excluded, except from a narrow front and rear. There are, also, two large livery stables, and an extensive hotel, in the immediate vicinity; which, with their concomitants, are very disagreeable to the teachers, and disadvantageous to the pupils. In addition to these disadvantages, there are others of an irremediable character, which arise from the internal structure and arrangement of the building itself. Experience has shown it to be too small and

very unsuitable to the objects for which it was intended. The Trus tees of the present Chapel have been made acquainted with the above state of things, and approve of our design. The Executive Committee of the Benevolent Fraternity of Churches, have also expressed their unanimous approval of the measure. The present premises, we are of opinion, can be so disposed of as to net $3000, and we conceive that we shall need in addition, for the completion of the Chapel in Pitts Street, the further sum of $7000. This amount we propose to raise by subscription; and already a considerable proportion has been subscribed, but a large sum is yet needed; when we regard the importance of the object, and the known philanthropy of the parties upon whom we depend for its accomplishment, we cannot for a moment doubt our success. We desire our Chapel to be, in intention and fact, a free chapel for the poor; not an object of doubtful utility to any, but a cherished spot, where the children of ignorance and neglect may learn to love and practise the simple teachings of Jesus,and to which all for whom the Ministry at large is intended, may be free to come to gather hope and consolation and advice. Neither do we mean to act as the instruments of a sect, or for sectarian purposes. The Chapel, as is well known, is immediately under the patronage of the Benevolent Association of Churches, recently established in this city; but we do not mean, therefore, to teach Unitarianism or any other dividing creed; but simply those great and commanding truths of our religion which all Christians acknowledge, and which are adapted to the character and wants of those who are to be the subjects of them.

With these views and feelings, we willingly leave the subject to the consideration of the good and philanthropic, confident that it will meet their sympathy and approbation, and obtain for us whatever means may be required for the completion of an object so important to society, and so anxiously looked for by the poor themselves. Very respectfully, your obedient servants, FREDERICK T. GRAY,

ELIJAH COBB,

R. W. BAYLEY,

H. B. ROGERS,

JOSEPH TUCKERMAN,

Committee.

P. S. Subscriptions may be sent to Joseph Tuckerman.

SERMON,

PREACHED IN

THE SECOND UNITARIAN CHURCH, IN MERCER-STREET,

ON THE

MORAL IMPORTANCE OF CITIES,

AND THE

MORAL MEANS FOR THEIR REFORMATION,

PARTICULARLY ON

A MINISTRY FOR THE POOR

IN CITIES.

BY THE REV. ORVILLE DEWEY,

Pastor of said Church

NEW YORK:

DAVID FELT & CO., STATIONERS' HALL,

No. 245, PEARL STREET.