From the Gospel Advocate. MINUTES OF THE CAYUGA BRANCH OF THE WESTERN ASSOCIATION OF UNIVERSALISTS, FOR THE YEAR 1824. 1st. The Ministers and Delegates constituting the Cayuga Branch Association of Universalists, met according to previous adjournment, at Sempronius, and organized the Council on Tuesday evening, October 5th, by appointing Br. J. Potter, Moderator, and Brs. W. I. Reese and J. S. Flagler, Clerks. Order of public service in the evening; introductory prayer, Br. J. Foster; sermon, Br. A. Green, from Luke ii. 30, 31, 32; Br J. Potter, concluding prayer. 2d. Opened the Council, on Wednesday morning, with solemn and fervent prayer to the throne of love, by Br. A. Green. 3d. The letters from societies represented and in fellowship, were read, which exhibited an increase of the number of the faithful and true worshippers of the one God. 4th. Received requests from three new societies, one of Waterloo, one of Caroline, and one of Fleming, for the fellowship of the Association, which, being duly represented, were received. 5th. Appointed Brs. N. Stacy, J. Foster, and A. Green, a Committee, to receive applications for fellowship and ordination, and report their decision to the Council. 6th. Appointed a standing Clerk to keep a regular account of the proceedings, (embracing the rise and progress) of this Branch, at the expense of the Association. 7th. Order of public service on Wednesday forenoon. Br. N. Stacy, introductory prayer; sermon by Br. W. I. Reese, from St. John xvii. 9; Br. J. Foster, concluding prayer. Afternoon. Br. J. S. Flagler, introductory prayer, sermon by Br. J. Potter, text, Eph. iii. 14, 15; Br. W. I. Reese, concluding prayer. 8th. Proceeded to read the New Constitution of the Western Association, which being read in separate articles, was unanimously adopted. 9th. Appointed Brs. Whitnel, Flagler, and Green, a Committee of discipline for the ensuing year. 10th. After uniting with Br. Foster in solemn prayer, adjourned the Council to meet at 10 o'clock, on Thursday morning. 11th. Order of public services on Wednesday evening. Br. W. I. Reese, introductory prayer, Br. J. S. Flagler, sermon, text, 1 Cor. xiii. 19, Br. J.Foster, concluding prayer. 12th. Thursday morning, resumed the business of the Council, after supplicating the divine direction, by Br. J. Potter. 13th. The Committee appointed to consider the propriety of granting letters of fellowship, &c. having returned from their consultation, reported in favor of giving a letter of fellowship to Br. Winthrop Rowe. 14th. Order of public service on Thursday forenoon: Br. Stacy, introductory prayer; Br. J. Foster, sermon; text, 2 Cor. iv. 5. Br. W. I. Reese, concluding prayer. Afternoon, Br. A. Green, introductory prayer; Br Stacy, sermon ; text, Gal. iii. 15, 16, and the usual addresses; Br. Flagler, concluding prayer. 15th. Voted, that the doings of this body be published in the Buffalo Gospel Advocate, with a request that they be transcribed by other editors of Universal periodical works. 16th. Voted, that in future the doings of this body be published in a separate pamphlet, at the expense of the Societies of this Branch. 17th. Voted, that the names of the town and county of each society represented at this session, together with the names of the delegates present, be inserted in the Minutes. 18th. Appointed Br. W. I. Reese to prepare the Minutes; and adjourned to meet at Nine-Mile-Creek, Marcellus, on the first Wednesday and Thursday of October, 1825. WM. I. REESE, Clerks. J. S. FLAGLER, JOB POTTER, Moderator. Delegates present. A. Bartle, E. Loomis, Waterloo; E. Woodworth, W. Hooper, Sempronius; A. Simonds, T. Fisk, Scipio; J. C. Evers, J. Dodge, Dryden; J. G. Paul, S. Gregory, E. Hammond, Fleming; W. S. Smith, J. White, Caroline; M. H. Sherman, W. Ingol, Locke; S. Curtis, Marcellus; H. H. Orton, J. Clift, Onondaga; Rev. A. Green, Virgil. TWO CLASSES OF PEOPLE, RIGHTEOUS AND WICKED, JUST AND UNJUST, &c. That the scriptures constantly speak of two characters, the righteous and wicked, is true, and our own experience confirms it. But the same book assures us that this division will end. When, as David says, all the ends shall remember and turn unto the Lord, and all the kindred of the nations shall worship before him`; when, as God has sworn, every knee shall bow,and every tongue confess, saying, In the Lord have I righteousness and strength; when all shall know God from the least to the greatest, (and Christ says to know him is life eternal) the whole family of Adam will be right cous. The 18 and 19 v. of the 5th chapter of Romans, are sufficient to silence all cavils on this head. Therefore as by the offence of one, judgement came upon all men unto condemnation, even so by the righteousness of one, the free gift came upon all men unto justification of life. For since by one man's disobedience many were made sinners, even so by the obedience of one shall many be made righteous. Many being the same aš all ·J. J. men. SUBJECTS FOR CANDID REFLECTION. If God has done all that he can do and will do for our salvation, and it is left for the creature to do the rest, why should we pray him to convert sinners? for he can do nothing more for them, than what he has done. The scriptures inform us that all have sinned and come short of the glory of God. If man has come short of the glory of God by sin, will God be glorified in his endless sin and misery? Will the same thing promote God's glory wherein men came short of it? Of what use will the punishment of the wicked be, if it is not designed for their reformation? The sinner (it appears) sinned before he was punished, he is punished because he sinned, and will be punished to all eternity, and therefore must still sin as long. Thus he is continued in the very sin he is punished for!! O the absurdity, the blasphemy of the idea. The more I look at it, the more I see the absurdity of it, all the obstinate stress laid on the word everlasting prefixed to punishment, in Mat. xxv. 46, notwithstanding. The idea is in effect this, God will punish the transgression of his law by the endless continuance of it. J. J. From the Utica Western Recorder. VERMONT LEGISLATURE. The Legislature of Vermont, to their everlasting disgrace, have appointed a Universalist for their chaplain. That the illiterate and light-minded should be so far led away by seducers as to disbelieve the solemn sanctions of the great Jehovah, even with the book of God in their hands, is a circumstance not to be wondered at, when we consider the power which the prince of darkness has over the inhabitants of this ruined world; but, that a grave Legislative body, the Representatives of an enlightened and free people, should set their seal to such a heresy a heresy, which, if widely extended, would infallibly subvert the foundations of government, and introduce the reign of anarchy-is more, much more than we ever expected to see in this enlightened age. We care not to inquire what motives led to such a step; there is no apology for it; there is not a single circumstance which can have the least tendency to wipe off the disgrace. REMARKS. We are indebted to the Herald of Salvation, published at Watertown, for the piece that contains the above severe lashing. Br. Morse, the Editor of the Herald, has accompanied it with a number of very prompt and pertinent remarks; but they are too lengthy to be transcribed in the present number of the Repository. We would not, however, omit to notice that he says, "It must be observed, that the Western Recorder is published under the patronage, and for the benefit of the Western Education Society and Auburn Theological Seminary." We are not aware that such pieces as the above need any very labored criticisms from an editor in Vermont. We publish it that our brethren may know what is going on abroad as well as at home. "Seest thou a man that is wise in his own conceit? there is more hope of a fool than of him." Prov. xxvi. 12. "Blessed are ye when men shall revile you, and persecute you, and shall say all manner of evil against you falsely for my sake." -JESUS CHRIST. Matt. v. 11. - BR. BARTLETT'S SECOND LETTER TO DEACON HEATH, Dear Sir, In commencing my letter to you, I would offer van apology for not answering your second letter sooner. The sermon which you sent me, and which you said contained my sentiments, being lent, passed from one to another through the town, so it was with much difficulty that I obtained it. I little thought, when I lent it, I should ever have occasion to see it again. But as you continue to write to me on the subject of my preaching at Warner, and also of a conversation which I once held with you at your house, in which you discover, as I consider, no small degree of vanity, I have thought best to obtain the sermon again, to see whether it contained my sentiments, according to your charges, or not. I have, therefore, the second time examined it carefully, and find that it contains not my method of preaching. On page 3d, the doctor of the sect says, "Our wishes prove this doctrine (Universal Salvation) true." This is a method of proving Universalism that |