I have no method of exactly ascertaining the number of congregations in this state. The number of townships is 247. Many of these, however, are recent settlements, and contain but a small number of inhabitants. If we are to judge from the past, particularly from what has taken place within the last fifteen years, there is good reason to conclude, that a considerable number of these townships, also, will establish ministers among them. The legislature, however, has by an act of violence thrown very serious difficulties into the way. The former law, on which the regular support of ministers rested, in a manner somewhat similar to that in Connecticut, was not long since repealed, and a new one substituted for it, of a loose and very imperfect nature. By this act, the ministers already settled were unsettled in a moment, and their congregations not only released from their engagements to support them, but precluded from the power of renewing those engagements on the former principles. They were compelled to embody themselves anew, and to act in a new manner. Each individual bound himself by a subscription to contribute a certain amount, or his proportion of a stipulated sum, for the future support of his clergyman. The whole transaction appears to have been designed and executed by a spirit of the most determined hostility against religion, and to have been originated by minds totally destitute even of common honesty. Had not the inhabitants at large possessed a better character than that of a majority in their legislature, it should seem that Christianity must have received a fatal blow at this time, and the inhabitants been condemned, in future, to hear nothing from the desk but the wretched harangues of ignorance, clownishness, and separatism. But, to the immortal honour of these people, not an individual minister, so far as I have been informed, was compelled to leave his cure. The congregations zealously determined, almost with a single voice, not to be deprived of their ministers; and, availing themselves of the means still in their power, resolved to support them according to the new law. In few cases has such a collection of detached bodies of men acted without concert, and in a manner perfectly spontaneous, and yet so honourably to themselves and so beneficially to their children.

Of the Presbyterian congregations in Massachusetts, 341 in number, 333 were supplied with ministers in 1810. Of course there were but 8 congregations vacant.

Of the 128 Baptist congregations in the same state, 37

were vacant.

Of the 10 Episcopal congregations, 3 were vacant.

Of the 6 Presbyterian Proper congregations, 3 were vacant. Of the 7 Universalist congregations, 3 were vacant.

Of the 216 Presbyterian congregations in Connecticut, 27 were vacant the same year, and 189 were supplied with ministers.

Of the 61 Episcopal congregations, 32 are pluralities. Of the remaining 29, 4 were vacant. Pluralities, you will remember, are congregations too small to be able to support a minister.

Of the 67 Baptist congregations, 20 were vacant.

Of the 9 Independent congregations, 3 were vacant. The number of congregations in New-Hampshire I am unable to determine with certainty, but have reckoned up 160. The number of townships is 207. It is probable the true number of congregations lies between 160 and 180. These are furnished with 134 ministers, of whom

I have given you the number of ministers in Vermont, and therefore the number of such congregations only as have ministers. The number of those, which may properly be called vacancies here, cannot be conjectured. The congregations which I have specified amount to 154. The whole number of inhabitants is 217,913. The proportion of ministers to the number of people is, therefore, 1 to 1,415.

In the year 1810, there were, in Massachusetts, 472,040; in Maine, 228,705; in New-Hampshire, 214,414; in Connecticut, 261,942; in Vermont, 217,913; in Rhode-Island, 76,931. There is, therefore, in Massachusetts, one congrega

tion to every 888 inhabitants; in Maine, a congregation to every 1,004 inhabitants; in New-Hampshire, according to the number stated above, a congregation to every 1,340 inhabitants; in Connecticut, a congregation to every 737 inhabitants.

There were at this time, in Massachusetts, 438 ministers of different denominations, or one to 1,077 inhabitants; in Connecticut, 265, or one to 988 inhabitants; in Maine, 171 ministers, or one to 1,337; and, in New-Hampshire, 134 ministers, or one to 1,600 inhabitants.

This proportion, you will remember, is exclusive of the societies of Methodists and Friends.

In the older settlements, these congregations may be said to be evenly diffused, so as to cover the whole ground, each occupying a tract of from three to six miles square, the larger towns being excepted. Accordingly, the churches rise everywhere at these distances. Ministers are of course stationed everywhere, at a small distance from every inhabitant. This is but partially true of the more recent settlements: but there are the very best reasons to believe, that it will soon be true to the same extent of them also.

Every one of these congregations, you will also remember, has its church. Almost all the churches of the Presbyterians are decent buildings, in good repair, comfortable, sufficiently large to contain the whole congregation, painted, and ornamented with steeples. A few are so ancient, that the congregations consider them as not worth repairing, particularly as they are able and willing to build new ones; and, in a number of instances much smaller still, the congregation itself may have been lessened by sectarian inroads to such a degree, or may have been criginally so small, as to be unable to maintain its minister, and repair its church. The new churches, built within the last twenty-five years, are both numerous and handsome. These, also, are annually increasing in their number.

The Baptist churches, a few excepted, and those of the Methodists, are small and indifferent buildings. The congregations, also, of both classes, are small, and their ministers are very generally uneducated.

It ought to be observed here, that there are a few Methodist congregations in the state of Connecticut. They are universally small, and the number of them I am unable to ascertain.

Both the religious and political writers of England often complain, that in many parts of your country churches are not sufficiently numerous to furnish the inhabitants with the means of attending conveniently on public worship. The difficulties which embarrass the raising of new ones, and even of obtaining seats in those which are already erected, are mentioned by them also with not a little feeling. What cannot fail to surprise an American, it is said, that the dissenters find fewer obstacles in increasing the number of their places of public worship, than the members of the established church in adding to theirs.

From these evils the people of New-England, except those of the recent settlements, are exempted. I have remarked, that our churches stand everywhere at convenient distances. Their number in all the established settlements keeps full pace with the population. Every inhabitant, also, who enters a church, finds a seat of course. In Boston, the sexton has customarily waited at the door until the service has begun, for the purpose of introducing strangers, who may enter it, to a seat. In the country towns, where all the inhabitants are known to all, the moment a stranger enters the church door he will see the doors of the pews immediately opened to invite him in. The poorest man, whenever he will come, is of course welcomed to the house of God.

We have, it is true, no cathedrals. These vast and magnificent edifices, so much boasted of by English writers (nor will I say improperly), have not yet begun to ascend the American shore. There is not in New-England, and I believe not in the United States, a single church so large as not to be conveniently filled by the voice of the preacher. But if our churches are not distinguished by the grandeur of cathedrals, they are perfectly suited to the convenience of the inhabitants, and the great design for which churches are erected. They are in the strict sense houses for public worship. I mean that this is their whole destination. The expense, laid out upon one of your cathedrals, would build many churches. I will not say that it was not well laid out; but I will say, that every man in England, and every other country, ought to be able, as in the older settlements of this, to find a church within a reasonable distance of his own habitation, and to find a seat in that church, which he may occupy without molestation, and without impropriety. I am, Sir, &c.

CHARACTERISTICS

OF THE

MEN AND WOMEN IN NEW-ENGLAND.

LETTER I.

The Personal Appearance of the Inhabitants. Their Gravity, &c. General Remarks on the Influence of Theatres and Plays on Society.

DEAR SIR;

THE persons of the New-Englanders, their complexion, manners, and language, so much resemble those of Englishmen, that the similarity has, as you know, been the subject of not a little discussion on both sides of the Atlantic, in the knotty case of impressing seamen. Differences however exist, which are discernible without much difficulty. The English, if I may be permitted to judge from those whom I have seen, are, as a body, fairer than we; have oftener hair of a light colour, and blue eyes. They are more frequently fleshy. Our countrymen are taller, more agile, have frequently dark hair and black eyes, and the muscles are more strongly marked, both in the limbs and in the face.

The climate of this country, and perhaps the mode of living, have, I think, had a perceptible influence on both the complexion and figure of the New-England people. Still, a multitude of very fair complexions are found everywhere; and flaxen, auburn, golden, and still lighter-coloured hair, is seen in very numerous instances.

The natives of New-England are generally straight, and well-formed. I have seen great numbers of Europeans from

VOL. IV.

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