be content to wait, not merely for the healing influences of time and grace, but for the rising up of another generation, before the preaching of the word, and the other benignant ministries of the Gospel, can be restored to their wonted honor and efficiency. We may not even hope that much of the evil already done to souls by the pending bitter contest is not irretrievable. This fiery ordeal must needs have proved dangerous, and even ruinous, to unstable, ill-balanced minds, and to immature piety, when so many eminent, deeply-experienced ministers have been betrayed into indiscretions and extravagances so unworthy of their holy calling.

Yet may we humbly rely on the Divine blessing, for bringing back at least a measure of the fraternal affection and sympathy which has been lost. If good men, of all parties, will practice and inculcate forbearance and charity-if the conductors of the press, satisfied with having done their utmost to prevent the evils that have come upon us, shall now devote the energies intrusted to their direction to the mitigation of evils no longer avoidable—if those who have suffered wrong will be content to endure it for Christ's sake, to impose silence on themselves, even under grievous provocation and injustice, waiting for time and God to mollify or expose their traducers, and to justify their conduct and motives—we may even hope that so brief a period as a single year, which has been able to work such miracles of mischief, may bring about the most benignant changes, and that the voice of kindly greeting and brotherly love may begin to be heard. even along the doubtful line of demarkation toward which so many strained eyes are now directed with eager, anxious hopes and fears. After these halcyon days of peace shall have been invited to return, and not till then, shall we be able to form an intelligent, impartial judgment upon the events of the past year. We shall then have opportunity to observe the working of the new organization. All may then become satisfied on a point, now by many good men held to

be doubtful, whether the Southern organization will prove effective for accomplishing the great objects of a Christian Church-whether it actually retains all of the essential elements and characteristics of that form of Christianity called Methodism. Our brethren claim for it that it does retain them, and is intended to do so. It is but fair to give them an opportunity to test their plans and to prove their sincerity, before we condemn. They assure us that the change will be highly favorable to the unfortunate class whose anomalous relations to our institutions have been the source of all our difficulties. Time will make its revelations on this subject; and if it shall show more numerous and more successful missions among the slaves, and more decided and comprehensive efforts to extend to their condition all the alleviations which the mission of the Gospel has to proffer, then our bitter regrets for the disruption of ties so dear and so sacred may possibly be succeeded by mutual congratulations, and by thanksgivings to God, who can make the wrath of man to praise Him. We may not be so sanguine, perhaps, as to anticipate such good results from events so unpromising, but we are at least under all Christian obligation not to frustrate and prevent them.

Who will not also anticipate from the progress of events, under the favoring auspices of grace and peace, more charitable opinions than now prevail in regard to the uprightness of intention, as well as to the wisdom of those who have been chief actors in this season of distress and perplexity? I confidently expect a speedy and great modification of the sentiments which now prevail, so far, at least, as intelligent and pious men are concerned. I have always believed that both parties in the General Conference were shut up to their course by a necessity which had nearly the power of a law, and that, in the end, this must come to be the verdict of history. Much of what has been done is deplorable enough, and can never be justified. Extenuation there may be, but noth

ing more of such revilings and personalities as all must admit have disgraced this controversy. Still, it should be remembered that the South, in justifying its own course, not unnaturally fell into a bitter conflict with the ecclesiastical body, under whose provisions it professed to act; while the North, in justifying the measures of the majority, almost unavoidably assumed a hostile attitude toward those who impugned it. Both parties were thus drawn away from the simple issue proposed in the General Conference resolutions. This has been the great error. It was perhaps an unavoidable error. Now that the issue provided for in that act has been reached -whether wisely or unwisely is no longer a matter of any practical moment-it seems to me to be our first duty to make the best of our altered circumstances, to see how far we can still agree to sympathize with and love one another.

It is of little public importance what course an humble individual may choose to adopt in the premises; but it is of some, at least, to my own sense of duty, to declare that I for one shall feel bound to further, as far as in me lies, the holy ends of peace and quietness. I think I voted right in the General Conference. I could not act otherwise on a similar occasion. But I certainly expected the result which has followed, and I do not complain of it; however, I must regret some of the accompaniments of the movement.

As to the important pecuniary interests that still remain to be adjusted between the North and South, I can not believe that much difficulty will arise from them when approached in the spirit of moderation and mutual forbearance, which I so earnestly invoke. Whatever of real piety shall remain in either division of the Church after the storm subsides will be engaged on the side of justice, and mere questions of property and right are seldom so obscure as to give rise to invincible differences of opinion among honest, enlightened men.

STEPHEN OLIN.

erous race.

CXXIX. TO MR. J. R. OLIN.

July 25th, 1845.

I received your welcome letter yesterday. It contained information that interested me a good deal—as, indeed, any thing connected with your plans and welfare always does. So, then, you are once more a keeper of sheep, like Jacob and the other patriarchs-you are fairly in the wool-market. You sleep better or worse as the prices current in the corner of the newspaper announce that Saxon has risen or fallen a cent a pound, according to the scale for pelts or pulled wool. You are, and were always, a dear lover of kine, and of the lanigSo was our honored father before you; and I can not regret that you are once more in the way of gratifying this inborn taste. I must submit to endure the anxieties, long since forgotten, which I used to feel about tariffs, inspections, Smyrna wool, &c., so long as you were in the market. May all kindly constellations hover over Mr. Polk and Secretary Walker, averting their thoughts from all speculations about free trade. May your wethers wax fat, and your ewes bring twins or triplets. May wool be dear and money plenty. I only hope that you will not involve yourself with land as well as stock. The precariousness of your health would, I think, render this unadvisable as well as dangerous. And, moreover, I stand ready to sell or rent you my farm in Poultney on the most reasonable terms. In the mean time, I hope you will not burden yourself with too many cares. Observe watchfully the influence of your situation upon your health, and you will be able to choose the course best adapted, on the whole, to your circum

stances.

You perceive by the papers that I am still an itinerant president. So I must be for some time to come, at least, if God permit. I hope for good success in my most difficult enterprise. I mean to be faithful in this work, to which I

Our prospects brighten. I think

am in a sense devoted. we must succeed.

CXXX. TO THE REV. DR. M'CLINTOCK.

Rhinebeck, Aug. 21st, 1845.

I am just now under the pressure of a very grievous disappointment, of which almost the only practicable alleviation is in your power. I left home on Friday after Commencement, visited my old friend, brother Landon, at Sag Harbour, preached on Sunday at Sag Harbour, on Tuesday at the dedication of a church in Southampton, and on Wednesday left the railroad at Farmingdale, at 3 P.M., and returned at five, having visited the camp-ground, dined, and preached in the interim.

I arrived here a week since, expecting to proceed to Buffalo, to the Genesee Conference, last Monday, but on that day, as ever since, I was confined to my bed with a severe cold, with such accompaniments of vertigo, fever, &c., as in my case usually magnify this slight visitation into a regular, but not dangerous illness. This was the last day of departure which would allow me to reach Buffalo in time for the Conference, so the expedition is given over. I suppose I shall be about as usual in two or three days, and I expect to remain here during this and next week. Will not this protracted stay allow you to visit me here? I need not say how much pleasure such a plan would afford me. Miss Garrettson heartily joins me in the invitation. I think you will enjoy a few days at this lovely place, with its noble view, and its spreading trees, its cheerfulness, and its peaceful calm.

CXXXI. JOURNAL LETTERS TO MRS. OLIN.

New York, October 28th, 1845. I arrived here yesterday about three in the afternoon, much refreshed and invigorated by the balmy gales, which were of the temperature of August rather than of October. My courage rose with my strength. The voyage to the South came