3. This society adopt, as the basis of its religious faith, the Profession of Belief accepted by the General Convention of Universa lists, at its session in Winchester, New Hampshire, A. D. 1803, which is in the following words:

"We believe that the Holy Scriptures of the Old and New Testaments, contain a revelation of the character of God, and of the duty, interest, and final destination of mankind.

"We believe there is one God, whose nature is love, revealed in one Lord Jesus Christ, by one Holy Spirit of grace, who will finally restore the whole family of mankind to holiness and happiness.

"We believe that holiness and true happiness are inseparably connected; and that believers ought to maintain order, and practise good works, for these things are good and profitable unto men."

4. Any person sustaining a good moral character, and assenting to the aforesaid Profession of Faith, may be admitted a member of this society, on application to that effect, by a majority of votes, at any regular meeting.

5. It shall be regarded as the duty of every member to adorn the doctrine of the Lord Jesus with a holy life and conversation, to contribute according to his ability, in the manner determined on by the majority, towards the support of public worship, and the other necessary expenses of the society; to attend upon the exercises of the sanctuary, as well as the regular meetings of the society for business; and a habitual neglect of either of these duties shall be regarded as a sufficient reason for striking the name of any member from the roll, by a vote of the majority.

6. This society shall have an annual meeting, which shall be held on the day of at such place as the Standing Committee may direct, at which meeting the officers of the society shall be elected, and the sum necessary to be raised, and manner of raising money for the ensuing year, shall be determined on.

[In Massachusetts the annual meeting must be held either in March or April. See section 7, of the chapter before given.]

7. The officers of the society, shall be, 1st, a Clerk, who shall keep a true and faithful record of its proceedings; 2d, a Treasurer, to receive all moneys, and pay them out at the order of the Standing Committee; 3d, a Standing Committee, who shall be the executive power of the society, and 4th, a Board of three Assessors, to apportion all taxes, if the society should see fit to raise money in that

manner.

[The Clerk may be sworn by the Moderator; the other officers may be sworn by the Clerk, or by any Justice of the Peace. See section 10.]

8. The meetings of this society shall be called either by a warrant being left at the house of each member, or by posting it at the place at which the society holds its meetings for public worship; and the same length of notice shall be given as is required in calling a meeting of the town in which the society may exist; and the subject matter to be acted upon at the meeting, shall be fairly and fully stated in the warrant, and in the plainest possible manner.

9. Ten members shall constitute a quorum to do business; but a less number may adjourn.

10. This Constitution may be amended in the following manner :

the amendment shall be proposed, and entered upon the Record, and shall lay over till the next regular meeting; when, if assented to by a majority, it shall become a part of the Constitution.

VI. Let it be observed, once for all, that the Constitution and By-Laws of any society must conform to the Constitution and laws of the State in which the society exists; otherwise, they are, of course, null and void. With a due regard to the laws, a society may make any by-laws it sees fit to; and every society has the fullest right to regulate, as it sees best, the admission and expulsion of members.

VII. Having thus marked out the way in which believers may form themselves into societies, we propose to speak in the next instance of Christian zeal. It is of great importance, that every member of a religious. society should cherish an enlightened, steady, active zeal. By zeal we do not mean mere animal excitement, the wild-fire of human passion, which, like some combustible material, burns and makes a great light for a few moments, and then expires, and leaves you still more sensible of the surrounding darkness. Christian zeal does not operate in this manner. It is a heartfelt engagedness, a deep and abiding interest, a sense of the importance of the work to be done, an untiring perseverance, accompanied always with the tenderness of love. Such is pure Christian zeal; the best example of which, that the world hath ever seen, we find in the character of our Lord Jesus Christ.

The apostle says, "it is good to be zealously affectalways in a good thing." Some are afraid to be zealous, lest they shall have a zeal "not according to knowledge ;" and hence they are moderate in every thing, and far too moderate in any good thing they undertake. It is surely very wise to be certain that our zeal is according to knowledge; but how shall we ascertain? how shall we determine when we shall be zealous, and when we shall restrain our zeal ? Here is the rule," It is good to be zealously affected always in a good thing." Be sure that the object is a good

one, and then you never need fear that your zeal is misplaced, be then "zealously affected always."

What more noble object is there to which human zeal may be directed, than the inculcation of just views of God, and of the blissful immortality of all mankind? This sentiment wipes the tear of sorrow away, and removes the causes of anxiety, despair, insanity, and suicide, which have so sorely afflicted the community. What more noble object is there to which human zeal may be directed?The preachers of the doctrine of universal mercy may well be zealous, - zealous always, for it is good to be zealously affected in a good thing. Members of Universalist societies may be zealous. Their object is a good one. It is the overthrow of the kingdom of darkness, it is the cause of philanthropy, and the highest welfare of mankind. It is the cause of civil and religious liberty. Their design is to make men truly happy, by exposing and bringing into discredit, those errors which are the fruitful sources of their greatest sorrows. This cause does not require of men that they should make themselves monks, or ascetics, or self-torturers; but it does require a strong, steady, and unfailing zeal; and a truly reasonable man, who is not buried in the world while he lives in it, but who gives himself time to reflect upon his relations and his duties, will find himself moved by such a zeal. And here is one word which we wish to drop for the benefit of our societies in general; if you wish to convert others to the truth, and bring them to be co-workers with you in the great and good cause which you have espoused, you must be zealous yourselves. You never can make others zealous unless you are so. No man can impart a feeling to others, that he does not possess in himself. You may as well endeavour to warm another with an application of ice, as to make him feel zealous in a cause in which you show no interest yourselves. If will consider how much zeal will do in a bad cause, you will have a tolerable idea of what it will do in a good cause. How much have the Catholic

you

zealots in Europe been able to do for the Roman Church, by nothing but their zeal. Every reflecting man knows, that men are brought sometimes to respect and venerate even the most absurd notions, and practices, merely by the zeal of those who undertake to establish them. If a man appears to be sincere and earnest, and fully engrossed in any scheme, (it does not matter so much what it is,) others will respect it, and will think there is surely something of reality in it; but they will never think so, if he shows that he does not think so himself. Now apply this principle to a good cause, which will do so much even for a bad one, and it becomes much more efficient. The members of almost every society which does not flourish, must take the blame to themselves, for they might flourish, if they would be steadily engaged. They may overcome any obstacles, and accomplish any purposes, and win over others to their own views, feelings, and pursuits, by showing that they respect their own cause, that they believe there is something of reality, — something worthy of the attention of men,-in it; and depend upon it, brethren, yoU CANNOT DO IT WITHOUT.

VIII. As a member of a Universalist society, it will justly be expected of you, that you will do every thing you can to advance the cause of Universalism in the world. It is the cause of God's grace; it vindicates his character; it is the cause of human morality, happiness, and consolation; and is worthy of your highest efforts. Let all your exertions be directed to the advancement of truth. Bend your private partialities to this great object in all things. The fault of many members of Universalist societies is, that they do not feel their responsibilities. To join a society is not the only duty; it is necessary to feel, continually, that you are a member. In pecuniary things, do as much as you are able, without injury to yourself, and do no more. If your income is small, retrench your expenses as well in the superfluities of your family as in your contributions to the cause of religion. But this is not all, that the

members of a society should do. You should make it a rule to be present at all the meetings of the society, both for business and for public worship. Show your zeal for the cause by your presence; it is better than ten thousand professions. It is too often the case, that the responsibility of doing the annual business of a parish is thrown upon a few individuals; and then, if they do not adopt such measures as please everybody, they are very unjustly blamed for it. Every member of a society should think himself of some consequence, and remember that he fills a place, which, if he is not present, is vacant. In every society, there should be union; this gives strength, and enables the body to carry all its measures into effect. A society may well be represented by a wheel. The hub, spokes, and felloes are not a wheel. All these different parts must be fixed in their proper places, and then there is a wheel; but it is even then weak, unless a strong tire is drawn around it, to keep every part firmly bound together. So twenty or thirty individuals are not a society. They must be placed in their stations, and this gives them the form of a society. But without union, they will have no strength; they can accomplish no important object. A strong band of love must unite them, and press them compactly together. Here, then, we see the importance, that every member should fill his place, and discharge his duty. If we strike but one spoke from a wheel, it mars its beauty, and diminishes its strength; it weakens the whole. If one member in a society be negligent or remiss, he is not only missed in person, but the burden he would bear is thrown on others, who, being unable to discharge the double duty, sink beneath its weight. How important, then, that every one should be ready to discharge the obligations that rest upon him.

Again, look at the effect of this remissness in another point of view. Its influence on the minister of the parish is pernicious. No clergyman has stoicism enough in him to make him insensible to the remissness of his