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At a time when infidelity and irreligion are sapping the foundations of civil society and overspreading the world with misery, and when the remains of Christianity among ourselves are confessedly our strongest barrier against the general inundation, is it not astonishing that any good citizen, especially after he has professed himself a Christian, should become indifferent about preserving these precious remains? The Searcher of hearts knows with what concern and grief I behold the defection of a friend whom I have so highly esteemed, and in whom I acknowledge there are many virtues and estimable qualities.To silence heretics by burning them, was as repugnant to Dr. Osgood's judgment as it was abhorrent to his feelings; yet his catholicism was discriminating. He had no taste for human appendages and fanciful theories in religion. Less sympathy still had he with those who philologize Jesus Christ out of the Old Testament, and philosophize him out of the New. He was a steady advocate of the doctrines of grace. He was neither for Aristotle nor Plato, neither for Paul nor Apollos, but for Christ. His faith in the divine authority of the Bible was peculiarly strong ; and he preached “Christ crucified, yea, risen again,” with all the power he possessed. To state exactly the latitude and longitude of his theological opinions is perhaps impossible. The nearest approach to any exactness may be found in a conversation he had with a friend in 1819. He asked, “low far is it from here to Andover Institution?” and was answered, “About seventeen miles.” “How far is it from here to the Cambridge Theological Institution?” “About four miles.” “Well,” said he, “I have been thinking that is just about my theological position with regard to the two schools.” It had always been our impression that he was nearer to Andover than his remark implied. He emphatically forbade the publication of any of his controversial sermons; and in the later part of his life he had so modified his views of the doctrine of total. depravity, that he used, in private conversation, to relate a dream, the meaning of which may be summed up thus: “Men are wicked enough, but not totally depraved. Devils only are totally evil. In hell there are no barbers' shops; no devil there dare trust his throat with another; whereas men on earth do so trust each other safely.” His principles of Christian toleration cannot he so well expressed as in his own words. They are as follows:--
