_. Thank God.--Thank God for his holy word. Amen.]

"It can hardly be denied, I think, that the prevalence of this spirit
has greatly increased within a few years, and become a great and
alarming evil. This increase is owing, no doubt, to the influence and
new practices introduced into the religious world by a certain class of
ministers, who have lately risen and taken upon themselves to rebuke,
and set down as unfaithful, all other ministers who do not conform to
their new ways, or sustain them in their extravagant career."

The interference, I may say the tyranny, of the laity over the ministers
of these democratic churches is, however, of still more serious
consequences to those who accept such arduous and repulsive duty. It is
a well-known fact, that there is a species of _bronchitis_, or affection
of the lungs, peculiar to the ministers in the United States, arising
from their excessive labours in their vocation. I have already
observed, that the zeal of the minister is even unto death: the
observations of Mr Colton fully bear me out in my assertion:--

"There is another serious evil in the Presbyterian and Congregational
denominations, which has attained to the consequence of an active and
highly influential element in these communities. I refer to the
excessive amount of labour that is demanded of the clergy, which is
undermining their health, and sending scores to their graves every year,
long before they ought to go there. It is a new state of things, it
must be acknowledged, and might seem hopeful of good, that great labours
and high devotion to the duties of the Christian ministry in our country
will not only be tolerated, but are actually demanded and imperatively
exacted. At first glance, it is a most grateful feature. But, when the
particulars come to be inquired into, it will be found that the mind and
health-destroying exactions now so extensively made on the energies of
the American clergy, particularly on these two classes I am now
considering, are attributable, almost entirely, to an appetite for
certain novelties, which have been introduced within a few years, adding
greatly to the amount of ministerial labour, without augmenting its
efficiency, but rather detracting from it. Sermons and meetings without
end, and in almost endless variety, are expected and demanded; and a
proportionate demand is made on the intellect, resources, and physical
energies of the preacher. He must be as much mo