the question regarding the chaplaincy only furnished the occasion and pretext. To me, therefore, these letters appear highly important; and, as such, I cordially recommend them to all descriptions of readers; hoping that the historic research, the sound reasoning, and the political independence which they evince, together with the christian mildness and flowing eloquence which they constantly maintain, will secure to them an extensive patronage, and a candid perusal. WM. PARKINSON, Pastor of the First Baptist Church, N. Y. New-York, Nov. 11, 1833. XVII. From the Reverend Vicar-General of the Roman Catholic Church, of New-York. The letters of Sherlock to Thomas Herttell, Esq., are written with point and spirit. They, as far as I am able to judge from a hasty and I may say imperfect perusal, reach the triumphant merits of his subject. The divine origin, and sublime influences of Christianity are set forth in a limpid style; and as far as the letters touch on these topics, they cannot fail to be productive of the most beneficial results. JNO. POWER, Viear-General of New-York. New-York, Nov. 13th, 1833. XVIII. From Dr. Benjamin Allen, founder and principal of the Academy at Hyde-Park. Hyde-Park, (Duchess Co.) Nov. 23, 1833. I have read with deep interest and pleasure, the letters of Sherlock, addressed to Thomas Herttell. They are written with great force and eloquence, and ought to be in the hands of every citizen. of our country. While the cause which gave rise to them is. deeply to be lamented, the friends of sound morality and religion, and our free institntions, have good reason to rejoice, that those have found in the author of the letters so able and eloquent a defender. I am glad that those letters are to be presented to the public in a more permanent and convenient form; and hope that they may meet with that reception which they so justly deserve. BENJAMIN ALLEN. XIX. From Dr. DAVID HOSACK, formerly of New-York, now of Hyde-Park. New-York, Nov. 25th, 1833.. DEAR SIR, I have read with much pleasure and instruction, your letters, published under the signature of SHERLOCK. Without entering into any details, relative to the arguments. you have advanced upon the subject of Divine Revelation, the system of ethics the sacred writings inculcate, and the duties which thence devolve upon man in his individual as well as in his collective capacity, your remarks receive my warmest ap probation. They convey much useful information on the several subjects to which they relate; and in my opinion they are welk calculated, with very few exceptions, to subserve the objects for which they were written. Accept my thanks for your communication, and my best wishes for your successful prosecution of the useful labors in which you are engaged. I am, dear sir, yours, DAVID HOSACK. XX. From the Hon. AMBROSE SPENCer. Albany, Nov. 29, 1833. I have read a few of Sherlock's Letters in defence of the Christian Religion, and have been very favorably impressed with the powerful and candid manner in which the great truths of Christianity are enforced and defended. I do not hesitate in giving my opinion, that the publication of those letters will be eminently useful to the present and rising generations. A. SPENCER, [Late Chief Justice of the State of New-York.] XXI. From the Rev. B. T. WELCH, of Albany. Albany, Nov. 29th, 1833. Under the impression that the extensive circulation of the letters of Sherlock will have a tendency to promote the cause of religion and virtue, and to shield the young from the insidious influences of Infidelity, I cheerfully concur in the above expressed sentiments and recommendation. B. T. WELCH, Pastor of the Baptist Church Albany. XXII. From BENJAMIN F. BUTLER, Esq., Attorney General of the United States. I have read several letters, published in the Washington County Post, under the signature of SHERLOCK, and addressed to Thomas Herttell, Esq. And as the author has requested my opinion of their merits, I take pleasure in sayiug, that I think they contain a very interesting and powerful exposition of several important topics of Natural and Revealed Religion, with a general defence of Christianity, its doctrines and influence, which does equal honor to the heart and talents of the writer. I therefore highly approve of the proposal to collect and publish these letters in a volume with supplementary notes and illustrations. If the additional matter shall correspond in vigor of thought, extent of research, and eloquence of manner, with the original letters, the whole work will be one of much interest and value. As it is imposible that all men should think precisely alike on points that admit a diversity of sentiment, it is not surprising that the letters of Sherlock should embrace, in the wide range taken by their author, some passages, to which many readers who approve their general design, should not entirely agree. This is, at all events, the case with myself; and to prevent misapprehension, I will therefore add, that I do not assent to all the arguments advanced on the constitutional point discussed by the writer. Nor do I approve of his allusions to political subjects, his strictures on the character of individual members of the Legislature, or his animadversions on the people of one of our most respectable coup 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 of. fence 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 Your friend, COR'S. C. CÜYLER. good. 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. |