WE are met together, this day, my respectable auditors, to commemorate an event; which, whether it be considered in its causes, in its execution, or in its consequences, must be acknowledged, a splendid instance of the accomplishment of that remarkable predic­tion of the prophet,

These words in their obvious and literal meaning point out a vast increase of science, and the subserviency of travelling to this im­portant purpose. The time to which they refer cannot be precisely defined; but it must [Page 6] be considered as remote from that in which they were delivered; and, it is evidently con­nected with the appearance of that glorious person "Michael the Prince," whose coming and kingdom, and the salvation of which he is the author are foretold in the same proph­ecy.

A thought of this kind would not readily have occurred to the mind of a captive Jew, had he not been under the influence of the prophetic spirit. Transported by the fortune of war into the dominions of a foreign Prince, as was Daniel, his highest expectation would be to return to the land of his nativity and resume his former employments and mode of acquiring knowledge; the objects of which were, the antiquities of the world, the doc­trine of the divine unity, the series of prophe­cy, the ritual worship and the system of moral duty, which were taught in the sacred books. The hope of such a return, grounded on a divine promise was one source of consolation to the Jews in their captivity; but this proph­et was favoured with such divine communica­tions respecting the future fortunes of his na­tion and the state of the Church of God un­der the reign of the Messiah, as carried his [Page 7] views into the most distant ages, and present­ed scenes and events, of a nature very differ­ent from the genius and character of the times in which he lived. Among these, the increase of science, as it is connected with travelling, is not the least conspicuous. Though brief­ly mentioned, yet it is placed among the most important facts, and is represented as one of the happy events attending the reign of the Prince Messiah, of the increase of whose gov­ernment and peace there shall be no end.

Subsequent ages and transactions have proved that this prediction was founded in truth. Time has unfolded what was foreseen in prophetic vision; and the hand of divine Providence has spread before our eyes, those great events, which many prophets and wise men desired to see, but saw them not.

As "the testimony of Jesus is the spirit of prophecy," so we may very properly consider the travels of the Apostles to spread the knowl­edge of the gospel, as one capital instance of the fulfilment of Daniel's prediction. By virtue of the commission which they received from their Lord, and the special powers with which they were vested, particularly the gift of tongues, those chosen witnesses carried the [Page 8] knowledge of the truth to all parts of the world, then known; so that it might be said of them, as of the luminaries of heaven, "their found went into all the earth and their words to the end of the world; there was no speech nor language where their voice was not heard." The effects of that evangelic mis­sion, though in some places transient, yet in others were abiding. Though a corrupt form of christianity overspread many of the na­tions who had heard the glad tidings of sal­vation; yet so much of the truth remained, as to be a foundation for reviving the pure doctrines and practices of the apostolic age, when a concurrence of circumstances present­ed a favourable opportunity.

Beside the miraculous spreading of divine truth by the labours and travels of the Apos­tles, there was no remarkable event, which might be called another instance of the ac­complishment of the prophecy of Daniel, till several centuries had elapsed. Other causes then contributed to produce events, which, either in their nature or consequences, proved beneficial to the interest of science. Even the superstition which prompted the crusades, in the tenth and eleventh centuries, [Page 9] opened a communication between the most distant countries of Europe and Asia; and the adventurers, who returned from the holy land, brought home a taste for the manners, habits and productions of the east, which proved favourable to the spirit of commerce; the most powerful of all causes which have contributed to enlarge the sphere of science; because it is stimulated by one of the most active principles of the human mind.

But even the operations of commerce were slow and languid, till the discovery of the magnetic needle, in the beginning of the fourteenth century. Before that period, the cautious mariner followed the indentings of the shore, and consumed much time in creep­ing along from Cape to Cape; seeking a port before every tempest, and drawing up his bark to land during the reign of winter, or of ad­verse winds. But when the polarity of the magnet became known, he ventured farther into the ocean, and began to assume that do­minion over the sea, for which man had a grant from his Creator, when he was original­ly formed in the divine image. Then the deep rooted errors of antiquity were gradual­ly [Page 10] corrected: The torrid and frigid zones were found to be habitable. The dream of Scipio proved to be an illusion: Thulé was no longer the last of lands, nor the pillars of Hercules the boundary of the universe.

About the middle of the fifteenth century, when the Portuguese under the conduct of Prince Henry, and afterward of King John II. were pushing their discoveries along the western shore of Africa, to find a passage by the south to India; a genius arose, whose memory has been preserved with veneration in the pages of history, as the instrument of enlarging the region of science and commerce, beyond any of his predecessors. CHRIST­OPHER COLUMBUS, a native of the Republic of Genoa, was born in tbe year 1447, and at the age of fourteen entered on a seafaring life, as the proper sphere, in which his vigorous mind was destined to perform ex­ploits which should astonish mankind. ^* He was educated in the sciences of Geometry and Astronomy, which form the basis of nav­igation; [Page 11] and he was well versed in Cosmo­graphy, History and Philosophy. His active and enterprising genius, though it enabled him to comprehend the old systems, yet would not suffer him to rest in their decisions, how­ever sanctified by time or by venerable names; but, determined to examine them by actual experiment, he first visited the seas within the polar circle, and afterward those parts of Af­rica, which the Portuguese had discovered, as far as the coast of Guinea; and by the time that he had attained the age of thirty-seven, he had from his own experience received the fullest conviction, that the opinion of the an­cients respecting the torrid and frigid zones was void of any just foundation.

When an old system is found erroneous in one point, it is natural to suspect it of farther imperfections; and when one difficulty is o­vercome, others appear less formidable. Such was the case with Columbus; and his views were accelerated by an incident, which threat­ened to put an end to his life. During one of his voyages, the ship in which he sailed took fire in an engagement with a Venetian galley, and the crew were obliged to leap in­to [Page 12] the sea, to avoid perishing in the flames. In this extremity, Columbus by the help of a floating oar swam upwards of two leagues, to the coast of Portugal near Lisbon, and met with a welcome reception from many of his countrymen who were settled there.

At Lisbon, he married the daughter of Perestrello, an old seaman, who had been concerned in the discovery of Porto Santo and Madeira; from whose journals and charts, he received the highest entertainment. Pur­suing his inquiries in Geography, and observ­ing what slow progress the Portuguese made in their attempts to find a way round Africa to India, "he began to reflect that as the Portuguese travelled so far southward, it were no less proper to sail westward," ^* and that it was reasonable to expect to find the desired land in that direction.

It must here be remembered, that India was in part known to the ancients, and that its rich and useful productions had for many centuries been conveyed into Europe, either by Caravans through the desarts of Syria and Arabia; or by the way of the Red Sea, through [Page 13] Egypt, into the Mediterranean. ^* This lu­crative commerce had been successively en­grossed by the Phen [...]cians, the Hebrews, the Egyptians, the Assyrians, the Palmyrenes, the Arabians, the Genoese and the Venetians. The Portuguese were then seeking it by at­tempting the circumnavigation of Africa; and their expectation of finding it in that direc­tion was grounded on ancient historical tra­ditions, that a voyage had been formerly made by the orders of Necho King of Egypt, from the Red Sea, round the southern part of Africa to the straights of Hercules; and that the same route had been traversed by Hanno the Carthaginian, by Eudoxus the Egyptian and others. The Portuguese had [...]nsumed about half a century in making va­rious attempts, and had advanced no farther, on the western Coast of Africa, than just to cross the Equator, when Columbus conceiv­ed his great design of finding India in the west.

The causes which led him to entertain this idea are distinguished by his son, the writer of his life into these three, ^† "natural [Page 14] reason, the authority of writers, and the testi­mony of sailors."

By the help of "reason," he argued in this manner, That the earth and sea composed one globe or sphere. This was known by observing the shadow of the earth in lunar eclipses. Hence he concluded that it might be travelled over from east to west or from west to east. It had been explored to the the east by some European travellers as far as Cipango or Japan, and as far westward as the Azores or Western Islands. The re­maining space though now known to be more than half, he supposed to be but one third part of the circumference of the globe. If this space, were an open sea, he imagined it might be easily sailed over; and if there were any land extending eastwardly beyond the known limits of Asia, he supposed that it must be nearer to Spain by the west than by the east. For it was then a received opinion that the continent and islands of India ex­tended over one third part of the circumfer­ence of the globe; that another third part was comprehended between India and the western shore of Spain; therefore it was con­cluded, that the eastern part of India must be [Page 15] as near to Spain as the western part. This opinion though now known to be erroneous, yet being then admitted as true, made it ap­pear to Columbus very easy and practicable to discover India in the west. He hoped al­so that between Spain and India, in that di­rection, there might be found some islands; by the help of which, as resting places in his voyage, he might the better pursue his main design. The probability of the existence of land in that Ocean, he argued, partly from the opinion of philosophers, that there was more land than sea on the surface of the globe; and partly from the necessity of a counterpoise in the west, for the immense quantity of land which was known to be in the east.

Another source from which he drew his conclusion, was "the authority of learned men," who had affirmed the possibility of sail­ing from the western coast of Spain, to the eastern bounds of India. Some of the an­cient Geographers had admitted this for truth, and one of them ^* had affirmed that forty days were sufficient to perform this nav­igation. These authorities fell in with the [Page 16] theory which Columbus had formed; and having as early as 1474, communicated his ideas in writing to Paul, a learned Physician of Florence, he received from him letters of that date, confirming his opinion and encour­aging his design; accompanied with a chart, in which Paul had laid down the city of Quisay (supposed to be the capital of China) but little more than two thousand leagues westward from Lisbon, which in fact is but half the distance. Thus by arguing from true principles, and by indulging conjectures partly well founded and partly erroneous, Columbus was led to the execution of a plan, bold in its conception, and to his view easily practicable; for great minds overlook inter­mediate obstacles, which men of smaller views magnify into insuperable difficulties.

The third ground on which he formed his idea was "the testimony of mariners;" a class of men who at that time, and in that imper­fect state of science, were too prone to mix fable with fact; and were often misled by ap­pearances, which they could not solve. In the sea, between Madeira and the Western Islands, pieces of carved wood and large joints of cane had been discovered, which were sup­posed [Page 17] to be brought by westerly winds. Branches of pine trees, a canoe, and two hu­man bodies of a complexion different from the Europeans and Africans had been found, on the shores of these islands. Some na­vigators had affirmed, that they had seen islands not more than an hundred leagues westward from the Azores. There was a tradition, that when Spain was conquered by the Moors in the eighth century, seven Bish­ops who were exiled from their country, had built seven cities and churches, on an island cal­led Antilla; which was supposed to be not more than two hundred leagues west of the Canaries; and it was said that a Portuguese ship had once discovered this island, but could never find it again. These stories, partly true and partly fabulous, had their effect on the mind of Columbus. He believed that islands were to be found, westward of the Azores and Canaries, though according to his theory, they were at a greater distance than any of his contemporaries had imagined. His candour led him to adopt an opinion from Pliny re­specting floating islands, by the help of which he accounted for the appearances related to [Page 18] him, by his marine brethren. It is not im­probable that the large islands of floating ice, driven from the Polar Seas to the south­ward; or the Fog Banks, which form many singular appearances resembling land and trees, might have been the true foundation of this opinion and of these reports. ^*

[Page 19]It is not pretended that Columbus was the only person of his age who had acquired these ideas of the form, dimensions and balancing of the globe; but he was one of the few who had begun to think for themselves, and he had a genius of that kind, which makes use of spec­ulation [Page 20] and reasoning only as excitements to action. He was not a closet projector, but an enterprising adventurer; and having es­tablished his theory on principles, he was de­termined to exert himself to the utmost, to demonstrate its truth by experiment. But deeming the enterprise too great to be under­taken by any but a sovereign state, he first ap­plied (as it is said) to the Republic of Genoa, by whom his project was treated as visionary. ^* He then proposed his plan to John II. King of Portugal, who, though a Prince of good understanding and of an enterprising disposi­tion, yet was so deeply engaged in prosecuting discoveries on the African coast, with a view to find a way to India round that continent; and had been at so vast an expense without any considerable success, that he had no in­clination to accept the terms which Columbus proposed. Influenced however by the advice of Calzadilla, a favourite courtier, he private­ly [Page 21] gave orders to a ship, bound to the islands of Cape de Verd, to attempt a discovery in the west, but through ignorance and want of enterprise, the navigators, after wandering for some time in the ocean and making no discovery, reached their destined port and turned the project of Columbus into ridicule.

Disgusted with this base artifice he quitted Portugal, and went to Ferdinand, King of Spain, having previously sent his brother to England to solicit the patronage of Henry VII. But being taken by pirates, and de­tained several years in captivity, Bartholo­mew had it not in his power to reveal his pro­ject to Henry, till Christopher Columbus had succeeded in Spain. Before this could be ac­complished, he had various obstacles to sur­mount; and it was not till after seven years of painful solicitation that he obtained his re­quest.

The objections made to the proposal of Columbus, by the most learned men in Spain, to whom the consideration of it was referred, will give us some idea of the state of geogra­phical science at that time. One objection was, How should he know more than all the [Page 22] wise men and skilful sailors who had existed since the creation? Another was the author­ity of Seneca who had doubted whether it were possible to navigate the ocean at any great distance from the shore; but admitting that it were navigable, they imagined, that three years would be required to perform the voyage, which Columbus proposed. A third was, that if a ship should sail westward on a round globe, she would necessarily go down, on the opposite side, and then it would be impossible to return, because it would be like climbing up a hill, which no ship could do with the strongest wind. A fourth ob­jection was grounded on a book of St. Au­gustine, in which he had expressed his doubt of the existence of antipodes and the possibil­ity of going from one hemisphere to the oth­er. As the writings of this Holy Father had received the sanction of the Church, to con­tradict him was deemed heresy. ^*

For such reasons, and by such reasoners the proposal of Columbus was at first rejected; but by the influence of father Perez, a Span­ish Priest, and Lewis Santangel, an officer of [Page 23] the King's houshold, Queen Isabella was per­suaded to listen to his solicitation, and after he had been twice repulsed, to recal him to Court; when she offered to pawn her jewels to defray the expense of the equipment, amounting to no more than 2500 crowns; which sum was advanced by Santangel, and the Queen's jewels were saved. Thus, to the generous decision of a female mind, we owe the discovery of America.

The necessary preparations being made, and a year's provision laid in, on the 3d of August, 1492, Columbus sailed from Palos, a port of Spain, on the Mediterranean, with three vessels, one of which was called a Car­rack, and the other two, Caravels; having on board, the whole, ninety men. Having passed through the straights of Gibraltar, he arrived at the Canaries, on the 12th of the same month; where he was detained in refit­ting one of the Caravels, and taking in wood and water, till the 6th of September, when he sailed westward on his voyage of discovery.

This voyage, which now is considered as an easy and pleasant run, between the lati­tudes of 20 and 30 degrees, with a trade wind, was then the boldest attempt which had ever [Page 24] been made, and filled the minds of the best seamen with apprehension. They were go­ing directly from home, and from all hope of relief, if any accident should befal them. No friendly port nor human being was known to be in that direction. Every bird which flew in the air, every fish which appeared in the sea, and every weed which floated on its sur­face, was regarded with the most minute at­tention, ^* as if the fate of the voyage depend­ed on it. A phenomenon which had never before been observed struck them with terror. The magnetic needle appeared to vary from the pole: They began to apprehend that their compass would prove an unfaithful guide; and the trade wind, which wasted them along with its friendly wings, they fear­ed would obstruct their return.

To be twenty days at sea, without sight of land was what the boldest mariner had never before attempted. At the expiration of that time the impatient sailors began to talk of throwing their commander into the ocean and returning home. Their murmurs reach­ed [Page 25] his ears; but his active mind was never at a loss for expedients, even in the greatest ex­tremity. By soothing, flattery and artifice, by inventing reasons for every uncommon ap­pearance, by promising rewards to the obedi­ent, and a gratuity to him who should first discover land, in addition to what the King had ordered, and by deceiving them in the ship's reckoning, he kept them on their course for sixteen days longer. In the night of the 11th of October, he himself saw a light, which seemed to be on shore, and in the morning of the 12th, they had the joyful sight of land, which proved to be the island of Guanahana, one of the cluster called Bahamas, in the 25th degree of north latitude.

Thus in the space of thirty-six days, and in the 45th year of his age, Columbus complet­ed a voyage which he had spent twenty years in projecting and executing; a voyage which opened to the Europeans a new world; which gave a new turn to their thoughts, to their spirit of enterprise and of commerce; which enlarged the empire of Spain, and stamped with immortality the name of Columbus.

After spending several months in sailing from one island to another in that vast archi­pelago, [Page 26] which, from the mistakes of the age, received the name of the West-Indies, Colum­bus returned to Spain with the two smaller vessels, the larger having been wrecked on the island of Hispaniola. During his passage he met with a violent tempest which threatened him with destruction. In this extremity he gave an admirable proof of his calmness and foresight. He wrote on parchment an ac­count of his discoveries, wrapped it in a piece of oiled cloth, and inclosed it in a cake of wax, which he put into a tight cask and threw into the sea. Another parchment, secured in the same manner he placed on the stern, that if the ship should sink, the cask might float, and possibly one or the other might be driven on shore, or taken up at sea by some future navi­gator. But this precaution proved fruitless. He arrived safe in Spain in March, 1493, and was received with the honours due to his merit.

After this, he made three other voyages to America, in one of which he discovered the continent; and in a succeeding voyage he endeavoured to find a passage through it to India, but in vain; that desirable country he never saw.

[Page 27]To particularize all the succeeding events in the life of that great man, is not the design of this discourse; let it suffice to observe, that his latter days were embittered by the envy of his rivals, the death of his patroness and the jealousy of his sovereign. Though he merited the honour of giving his own name to the continent which he discovered, yet it was called after an inferior, but more fortu­nate adventurer. ^* Nor have endeavours been wanting both formerly and lately to rob him of the merit of originating this capital discov­ery. But in the pages of impartial history, he will always be celebrated as a man of ge­nius and science; as a prudent, skilful, in­trepid navigator; as having first reasoned out [Page 28] the probability, and then demonstrated the certainty of the existence of this continent.

It is remarkable, that a fate similar to that of Columbus, hath befallen others of the first adventurers to America. The great RALEIGH was sacrificed to the jealousy of Spain by the pusillanimity of his sovereign. SMITH, GOR­GES, MASON and POPHAM, consumed their time and fortunes in prosecuting discoveries, and laying a foundation for the prosperity of their successors. Yet the names of these men have not been given to any considerable part of this territory, the object of their painful and expensive undertakings. History how­ever will preserve the memory of their exer­tions, though forgotten by those STATES which are indebted to them for their exist­ence.

Having thus traced the steps by which the discovery of America was made to the Euro­peans; let us take a view of its connexion with the advancement of science.

The first branch of science which presents itself in this inquiry is Geography; the knowl­edge of which has been most essentially im­proved by means of this discovery. It is to [Page 29] us very astonishing, that the ancient phi­losophers persisted so tenaciously in their opinion respecting the five zones; and espec­ially that they deemed the equatorial regions uninhabitable, when they had the means of better information. For, voyages were fre­quently made from the red sea to the coast of India, within ten or twelve degrees of the equator. The Carthaginians planted colo­nies on the western side of Africa, within five degrees of it; and if the country of Ophir was the same with Sofala, on the eastern shore of Africa, the navy of Solomon must have crossed the equator both in going and return­ing. Notwithstanding this advantage which they certainly had, it was a received opinion among the Greeks and Romans, which no one dared to controvert; that the torrid zone was scorched by the vertical sun, and that no hu­man being could reside in it, or pass through it, from the northern to the southern hemisphere. This error, it is probable, first arose from the knowledge which they had of the vast, sandy desarts of Africa, which had sometimes prov­ed destructive to whole armies who had at­tempted to pass them. The only way, in [Page 30] which we can account for their not correcting this mistake, is, that the navigation of the southern seas was performed chiefly by the Phenicians and Carthaginians, who were the enemies and rivals of the Greeks and Romans, and kept their knowledge to themselves. We find among them no philosophers, and very few authors. They were practical seamen and merchants, intent on gain, and monopo­lizers of commerce.

The Greeks and Romans had very little more of the spirit of enterprise than was con­nected with their hostile expeditions; but they formed theories of geography, either by the observations and reports of their military commanders, or by second hand information, or by conjecture and hypothesis. These na­tions produced many authors, and many of their books are preserved to our times, in which we see the imperfection of their knowl­edge of the globe, their prejudice in favour of their erroneous system, and their incredulity when evidence was offered against their pre­conceived hypothesis.

On the authority of these philosophers, the Roman world for many ages founded all their [Page 31] geographical knowledge. That imperfect system became at length a part of the creed of the Roman church, and was defended by the court of inquisition. If St. Augustine doubt­ed the diurnal motion of the earth, or the ex­istence of antipodes, or the habitableness of the torrid zone; St. Dominic was ready with his infernal logic, to silence every one who presumed to dissent from the infallible chair. Thus ignorance and error were canonized, and the feeble dawn of science was scarcely able to penetrate the dark mist of the middle ages. Even after the discoveries made by the Portuguese in the east, and by the Spaniards in the west, the Roman Pontiff gravely as­sumed a right to divide the world between them by a line drawn from pole to pole, at the distance of an hundred leagues from the Azores or western islands; without any pro­vision, in case they should meet, and their claims should interfere on the opposite side of the globe. ^*

By the progress of discovery, those ancient systems have gradually vanished, and man­kind [Page 32] have founded their knowledge of the form and contents of the terraqueous globe, on fact and experience. One traveller has succeeded another, and one nation has emu­lated another, in the survey of the earth, till within the last twenty years the boundaries of navigation have been precisely ascertained, and the circuit of the globe is now become a familiar voyage among our marine brethren. The reign of George III, though stained with the grossest political errors, and disgraced by the loss of a large portion of this continent from his dominion; yet deserves respect, for giving birth to many expensive adventures to the most distant regions, especially in the vast pacific ocean; by which the science of geog­raphy has been much improved. Indeed we are now so far advanced in our acquaintance with the globe, that every school-boy knows more of it than all the philosophers of antiqui­ty; and as we proceed in our inquiries into this noble science, we learn more and more of the wonderful works of him who is perfect in wisdom and knowledge.

Connected with geography, we may view the science of navigation as also greatly im­proved [Page 33] since this discovery. By navigation I do not mean barely the mathematical knowledge necessary to keep the reckoning of a ship, and the celestial observations to deter­mine its position; though even these are re­duced to more accuracy, and performed by better instruments than formerly; but I would comprehend the whole art of travelling by sea, the construction and equipment of ships, and the methods used to preserve the lives and health of seamen in all climates. When Columbus sailed on his first voyage, two of the vessels employed in that service were with­out decks, ^* and in the short run from Spain to the Canaries one of them lost her rudder. This must give us an idea of the very imper­fect state of naval architecture at that period; for these were doubtless the best ships which could be procured in the dominion of Queen Isabella, and they were three months in pre­paring for the voyage. After that period, commerce, the soul of navigation, dictated the building and equipment of larger, strong­er [Page 34] and more commodious vessels, for the pur­pose of transporting merchandise, and explor­ing new regions. But that fatal distemper the scurvy, was an obstacle which for many years baffled the ingenuity of man, and the power of medicine. It is but half a century since the squadron of ANSON, in circumnav­igating the globe, were reduced to the utmost distress, by its uncontroled ravages. But within the last twenty years, methods have been adopted to prevent it; and the name of COOKE will always be renowned in naval history, for having successfully perfected the means of preserving the lives of seamen in the longest voyages; as well as for having established the limits of navigation, toward the southern and the northern poles.

It is now known by experience, that the human constitution is capable, by proper management, of enduring all the vicissitudes of heat and cold, of moisture and dryness, to which any accessible part of the earth is sub­ject; and that its health may be preserved in all climates and situations. This discovery is in the highest degree favourable to the pur­poses of commerce, which in the present age, [Page 35] affords its friendly assistance to the progress of knowledge and humanity.

We may also reckon the science of natural history as greatly improved by the discovery of this continent. It has given mankind more just and sublime ideas of the works of GOD, some of which appear to be constructed on a larger scale, and in a more magnificent style, than in the old continent. The immense Andes of South America are elevated above the Alps, the Taurus or the Atlas. The Am­azon, Oronooque and La Plata discharge greater quantities of water than the Danube, the Ganges or the Nile. The vast chain of lakes which flow into the St. Lawrence, forms a singular phenomenon, which no part of the old continent can parallel. Besides, America can boast of the most extensive and fertile plains, whilst it is entirely free from those scorching sands and parched desarts, which deform the countries of Africa and Arabia.

In America are found several species of an­imals unknown in other parts of the world, beside the remains of some supposed to be now extinct, which for bulk and strength must at least have equalled the elephant of Asia and Africa. The vegetable productions of [Page 36] this continent have also enriched the medical art, with many valuable acquisitions before unknown. The precious metals, gold and silver as well as diamonds and pearls are vast­ly more common, and of less value than before; and the fossil treasures which have been discovered, afford not only many useful articles in commerce and the arts, but dem­onstrate the certainty of an universal disrup­tion of the earth, at some remote period, and thus confirm the truth of sacred history.

The discovery of America has also open­ed an important page in the history of man. We find our brethren of the human race, scattered over all parts of this continent, and the adjacent islands. We see mankind in their several varieties of colour, form and habit, and we learn to consider ourselves as one great family, sent into the world to make various experiments for happiness.

One of the grandest of these experiments has been made in our own part of this conti­nent. Freedom, that noble gift of heaven, has here fixed her standard, and invited the distress­ed of all countries to take refuge under it. Our virtuous ancestors fled from the impositions and persecutions to which they were subject­ed [Page 37] in England, and found in this wilderness an asylum from that tyranny. Their exam­ple was followed by others, and in North A­merica, the oppressed of Europe have always found safety and relief. But we were design­ed by Providence for a nobler experiment still: Not only to open a door of safety to our European brethren here; but to show them that they are entitled to the same rights in their native countries; and we have set them an example of a hazardous, but success­ful vindication of those rights, which are the gift of God to man.

It is both amusing and instructive to re­view our former notions of liberty, both civil and religious; and to see what imperfect ideas we had on these subjects, derived by tra­dition from our European ancestors. Like them we boasted of English liberty; as if Eng­lishmen had some exclusive rights, beyond any other people, on the face of the earth. And what was English liberty? Its origin must be sought in ancient charters, and par­ticularly in magna charta, granted by, or rath­er forced from, one of the worst princes that ever disgraced a throne. The liberties of Englishmen, after the Norman Conquest, [Page 38] were the grants of their Kings; ^* and the pre­rogative was the claim of those Kings to pow­er and dominion supposed to be founded on a divine right.

In the early stages of our controversy, we had formed an idea of liberty, as an inherit­ance, descended to us from our ancestors, who were Englishmen; ^† some of whom, when they quitted England, had received of the then reigning prince, charters under the great seal; by which it was supposed that their privileges were confirmed to them and their posterity; and the colonies which had these charters plumed themselves on posses­sing more and greater privileges, than those [Page 39] styled royal provinces, which were governed by temporary commissions from the crown, revocable at the royal pleasure.

In like manner, our title to religious free­dom was supposed to be derived, partly from the same charters and commissions; in which, liberty of conscience was granted by the King, to such of his subjects as should settle in the plantations; partly from acts of toleration, made in England, and construed to extend to the colonies; and, partly from our own laws made to favour the religious opinions and practices of those who dissented from the majority. Religious liberty was not placed on its right foundation, nor deriv­ed from its true source. The world was not obliged to the statesman or the divine, for the first acknowledgment of this darling right; but to the spirit of commerce and to the interested views of the merchant. Religious toleration was introduced into the European countries for the benefit of trade. When the merchants of Holland struck out the idea, it was regard­ed by their neighbours, with the same horror as a pestilence. It was imported into England, with William, Prince of Orange, under whose [Page 40] patronage it was formed into a law; but it has never been there so extensively admitted as to put all sects and parties on an equal foot­ing. A preference is still given to one de­nomination above all others; and if an Eng­lishman would fully enjoy the privileges of an Englishman, he must conform to the rites and ceremonies of what is called the establish­ed church; all other persons are subject to burdens and incapacities, from which they cannot be free, whilst they continue within that realm; and the opposers of these une­qual burdens are exposed to the rage of par­ty zeal, which in some late instances has been carried to the most criminal excess.

Too much of the same spirit, it must be con­fessed, has reigned here. Our ancestors in New England established a test before any was enacted by the English parliament; and though it has, long since, been abrogat­ed, yet the idea of an exclusive right to the honours and emoluments of government, by the prevailing religious denomination, con­tinued till very lately. Some of us can re­member the time, when it was thought a suffi­cient objection to a man's being chosen to a seat in the legislature, that he belonged to the [Page 41] Episcopal Church. And, even at this enlight­ened period, I blush to own, that, by the Constitution of this Commonwealth, the Jew, the Mahometan, the Gentoo, and the Disci­ple of Confucius, are excluded from our pub­lic councils, be they ever so good citizens; whilst men, who for convenience, call them­selves Christians, though deeply tinged with infidelity, and destitute of moral principles, may freely be admitted.

But though imperfection is more or less interwoven with all human constitutions; yet a spirit of improvement is evidently pervad­ing this country. Several of the first forms of government which were made for these States, have been reviewed and amended. Re­ligious tests have been gradually abolished; and our national form of government is en­tirely free from them. It leaves religion where all civil government ought to leave it; to the consciences of individuals, under the control of the supreme Lord.

As learning is acknowledged to be essen­tially necessary to the preservation of a repub­lican government, so wherever the true spirit of liberty reigns it will cherish the interest [Page 42] of science. This principle was well under­stood by the fathers of New England, and we their posterity have reaped the benefit of their wise and faithful care to provide the means of instruction for us. The same spirit seems more and more to prevail throughout this country, and forms one of the most hap­py omens of the preservation of liberty to future generations.

From our example of a government found­ed on the principle of representation, exclud­ing all family pretensions and titles of nobil­ity, other nations are beginning to look into their natural and original rights as men; and to assert and maintain them against the claims of despotism. As far as the present struggle in Europe against civil and spiritual usurpa­tion, is conducted on virtuous principles, we cordially wish it success. But have we not reason to fear that the cause of liberty may be injured by the intemperate zeal of its friends, as much as by the systematic opposi­tion of its enemies? If wisdom, harmony and fortitude were combined with patriotism on the side of liberty, we might hope that the time was approaching, when an hereditary right to govern a nation would appear as con­temptible [Page 43] as the royal touch for the King's evil; and when the loftiest prelates of Europe would find themselves reduced to the same level with the curate of a parish. But what scenes of anarchy and distress may take place before these desirable events, we must wait for time to unfold.

It is an old observation of Solomon, "He that increaseth knowledge increaseth sorrow." This may justly be applied to the enlarge­ment of science which is made by the discov­ery of America. The field is extended, but difficulties have arisen which are not yet solv­ed. Though we have learned more of the works of creation and providence than was known to preceding ages, yet we find that there is still more behind the curtain.

Among these difficulties we may reckon the question, whence was America peopled? For three centuries this has been a subject of de­bate among the learned; and it is amusing, to see how national prejudice has become in­volved with philosophical disquisition, in the attempts which have been made to solve the question. The claims of Hanno the Car­thaginian, of Madoc the Welchman, of the [Page 44] seven Bishops of Spain, and the ten tribes of Israel, have had their several advocates; and after all, the claim of the six nations is as well founded as any, that their ancestors sprung like trees out of the soil. The true philoso­pher will treat them all with indifference, and will suspend his judgment till he has better information than any which has yet appear­ed. Since the late discovery of many clus­ters of islands in the Pacific Ocean, and the near approach of the Asian to the American continent, the difficulty with respect to the population of America, by the human species is lessened; and had this continent been dis­covered by a scientific people on its western, before it was on its eastern side, perhaps the question would not have been so long nor so warmly agitated. But still the transporta­tion of other animals from the old to the new continent, and the existence of some here which are not known there, is a subject, which remains involved in obscurity.

Before we have solved one difficulty anoth­er rises to view. It is not many years since the large bones found in the neighbourhood of the Ohio excited much attention. We [Page 45] had scarcely conjectured to what animal they belonged when a new object was brought for­ward. Mounds and fortifications of a regular construction were discovered in the thickest shades of the American forest, overgrown with trees of immense age, which are suppos­ed to be not the first growth upon the spot since the dereliction of its ancient possessors.

The most obvious mode of solving the dif­ficulty which arose in the curious mind on this occasion was by making inquiry of the natives. But the structures are too ancient for their tradition, their oldest and wisest men know nothing of their original. Indeed the form and materials of these works seem to indicate the existence of a race of men in a stage of improvement superior to those natives of whom we or our fathers have had any knowledge; who had different ideas of con­venience and utility; who were more patient of labour, and better acquainted with the art of defence.

That these works were not constructed by any Europeans who have penetrated the A­merican wilderness since the discovery of the continent, appears from various considera­tions; [Page 46] ^* but most decisively from the trees found growing on them; which by indubit­able marks are known to be upwards of three hundred years old. At what remote period these works were erected and by whom; what became of their builders: whether they were driven away or destroyed by a more fierce and savage people, the Goths and Vandals of America; or whether they voluntarily mi­grated to a distant region; and where that region is, are questions which at present can not be satisfactorily answered.

Our astonishment is further excited, by considering that the discovery of America has opened a large mart for the commerce in slaves from the opposite continent of Africa. So much has been written and spoken on the in­iquity attending this detestable species of traf­fic, that I need not attempt again to excite the feelings of indignation and horror, which I doubt not have pervaded the breast of every person now present, when contemplating this flagrant insult on the laws of justice and hu­manity. I shall only observe, that the first intro­duction [Page 47] of the negro slavery into America, was occasioned by the previous destruction of the native inhabitants of the West-India islands, by the cruelty of their Spanish con­querors, in exacting of them more labour than they were able to perform. The most remarkable and unaccountable circumstance attending the beginning of this traffic, is, that it was recommended by a Spanish Bishop, one of the most benevolent friends of the In­dians, whom he could not bear to see so wan­tonly destroyed by his countrymen. When they pressed him with this difficulty, "How shall our plantations be cultivated if we may not use the natives as our slaves?" He ad­vised them to send to Africa, for a more ro­bust and patient race of men, who could bet­ter bear the fatigue of labour in a warm cli­mate. Thus from a principle of lenity to­ward the savages of America, he introduced the commerce of slaves from Africa; which has proved destructive to human life and happiness, in the same proportion that it has encouraged avarice, luxury, pride and cruelty.

But do I not see the dawn of that auspi­cious day which shall put a stop to this in­famous [Page 48] traffic, and shall teach mankind that Africans have a native right to liberty and property as well as Europeans and Americans? May these rights ever be respected, and nev­er more be infringed, especially by those who have successfully contended for the establish­ment of their own.

Let us now turn our attention to another subject of debate, arising from the knowledge of this continent. If the gospel was designed for an universal benefit to mankind, why was it not brought by the Apostles to America, as well as propagated in the several regions of the old continent? To solve this difficulty, it has been alleged that America was known to the ancients; and that it was enlightened by the personal ministry of the Apostles. ^* With equal propriety it might be solved, by denying that America was at that time in­habited by any human being, and it might not be impossible to maintain this negative po­sition, against any positive proof which can be adduced to the contrary. But both are attended with difficulties which require more [Page 49] light to unravel than has yet appeared. If America was peopled at that period, perhaps the state of human society was such, that the wise and benevolent Author of christianity saw no prospect of success, to the propagation of his gospel here, without the intervention of more and greater miracles, than were consist­ent with divine wisdom or the nature of man to permit.

Nearly akin to this, is another difficulty. The native inhabitants of Peru, for some centuries before the Spanish invasion, are re­presented as worshipers of the sun; whose uni­versally benignant influence to the world they thought themselves bound to imitate. ^* Ac­cordingly their national character was mild, gentle and humane. They made no offen­sive wars; and when they repelled the inva­sions of their savage neighbours, and conquer­ed them, it was done with a view to reduce them from their native ferocity, under the government of rational and social principles; and to incorporate them with themselves, that they might enjoy the benefits of their own pacific system. Their code of laws, deliver­ed [Page 50] by the founder of their empire, was a work of reason and benevolence, and bore a great resemblance to the divine precepts giv­en by Moses and confirmed by Jesus Christ. In short, they seem to have made the nearest approach to the system of christianity, I mean the moral part of it, of any people who had never been formally instructed in its princi­ples.

It would seem then to human reason, that they were fit objects for an apostolic mission; and, that if the pure, simple, original doctrine of the gospel had been preached to them they would readily have embraced it.

But when we find that these mild and peaceful people were invaded by avaricious Spaniards, under a pretence of converting them to the catholic faith; when instead of the meek and humble language of a primi­tive evangelist, we see a bigoted Friar grave­ly advancing at the head of a Spanish army, and, in a language unknown to the Peruvians, declaring that their country was given to his nation, by the Pope of Rome, God's only vic­ar on earth, and commanding them to re­ceive their new masters on pain of death; when we consider this parade of arrogant hy­pocrisy [Page 51] as the signal for slaughter, and see the innocent victims falling by the sword of these ministers of destruction; when we see the whole nation vanquished, disheartened, and either murdered or reduced to slavery, by their savage conquerors; when instead of the worship which they addressed to the lu­minary of heaven, and which needed but one step more to conduct them to the knowledge of its invisible Creator, we see the pomp of Popish idolatry, with the infernal horrors of the Inquisition introduced into their country; our astonishment is excited to the highest, de­gree, and we can only exclaim, "Thy judg­ments, O Lord, are a great deep! and thy ways are past finding out!"

It would give me the greatest pleasure, if in concluding this discourse I could say any thing, with respect to the propagation of christian­ity, among the original natives of America, which could be construed into a fulfilment of the prediction of Daniel, concerning the pro­gress of knowledge.

Every European nation, which possesses any considerable share of the continent, has made this desireable work a part of their pro­fessed design; in planting and settling the [Page 52] country; and it must be acknowledged that some very zealous and well meant endeavours have been made, by men who had neither wealth nor power in their view; but the suc­cess has not been answerable to the goodness of the design, nor to the wishes of those who have engaged in it. If we survey the whole continent, from the first discovery of Ameri­ca, to the present time, the number of con­verts to christianity, among the Indians, bears but a small proportion to those, who have been destroyed either by war, by slavery or by spirituous liquors. And, with respect to many of those who have been called con­verts, it may justly be inquired, whether any thing more can be said in favour of their con­version, than that they have exchanged their original superstitions, for others, more glit­tering and refined.

If the truths of our holy religion are to be propagated among the savages, it will become us to consider, whether we had not better first agree among ourselves, what these truths are. For whilst they see diversities of opinion a­mong us, and that some of the more zealous advocates of particular tenets, are endeavour­ing to instil the peculiarities of their respec­tive [Page 53] sects among them, and to prejudice them against others; the native sagacity with which these people are endowed will lead them to avoid confounding themselves with our dis­tinctions, and to retain the religion of their ancestors, till they can find one, more free from perplexity, than christianity appears by the diversity of our opinions concerning it.

It is also worthy of consideration, whether the vicious lives and conduct of our own peo­ple, and especially those on the frontiers, with whom the Indians are most acquainted, be not a great obstruction to the spreading of divine knowledge among them. It is very natural to estimate the goodness of any reli­gion, by the influence which it appears to have on those who profess it; and, if they are to regard the conduct of the people by whom they have been cheated, robbed, and murdered, as a specimen of the influence of christianity on the human mind, it would be a greater wonder that they should embrace it than reject it.

If the christian religion is to be propagated, without the assistance of miracles, among the savages of this continent, it must be in some such manner as the Moravians have attempt­ed. [Page 54] These people seem to have an art of at­taching savage nations to their faith and man­ners, and of forming them into civilized and laborious society, beyond any other denomi­nation of christians; and, for the honour of the common cause, I cannot but wish them all that support and encouragement which their zealous and benevolent efforts deserve.

It is much to be wished, that the spirit of bigotry and the shibboleth of party were to­tally abolished; that the christian religion may appear in its native simplicity and pu­rity, and that the professors of it would distin­guish themselves by that love, that meekness and gentleness which marked the character of its author and his primitive followers. By these marks all men will know us to be his disciples; our light will so shine before men, that they will see our good works▪ and glorify our father who is in heaven.

Notwithstanding any present unfavourable appearances, yet we have the greatest reason to expect that the time will come when knowl­edge will universally prevail; when specu­lative truth will be reduced to practice, and men will be led to a devout acknowledgement of the only true God, and of Jesus Christ [Page 55] whom he hath sent, evidenced by a careful obedience to the laws of virtue and righteous­ness. Then will "the earth be full of the knowledge of the Lord as the waters cover the sea." Then will be fulfilled those sub­lime predictions of the inspired Isaiah. "I will bring thy seed from the east and gather them from the west; I will say to the north, give up; and to the south, keep not back, bring my sons from far and my daughters from the ends of the earth. Thy gates shall be open continually, they shall not be shut day nor night; because the abundance of the sea shall be converted to thee, the forces of the Gentiles shall come to thee. Violence shall no more be heard in thy land, wasting nor destruction within thy borders; but thy walls shall be salvation and thy gates praise. Thy sun shall no more go down, neither shall thy moon withdraw itself; for the Lord shall be thy everlasting light, and thy God shall be thy glory. Thy people also shall be all righteous; they shall inherit the land for­ever, the branch of my planting, the work of my hand that I may be glorified. I the Lord will hasten it in his time."