of winged messengers, to excite the passions, to influence the opinions, to control the energies of a nation.  Powerful as is this engine, for corrupting or sanctifying the people, who does not know that its munitions and magazines of strength are placed principally in cities; and that the character which the press there sustains is diffused throughout the land?  In cities, commerce is concentrated.  The products of the soil flow from every county, town, and village, to the cities; and thence they are distributed to the world.  The riches, the luxuries, the products of other climes and nations are brought to cities, and thence distributed through the land.  How manifest then, that cities must exert a mighty influence on the country and on the world.  Who, that reflects on their extended intercourse, does not know, that they regulate the prices of commodities; that their fashions are imitated; that their maxims of trade are common law; and that their moral habits and opinions, good or bad, have an influence on the whole community?  Their influence is great, whether we consider them in a moral or political point of view.  The capture of a city has decided the destiny of nation.  When Babylon was taken, a mighty empire was given to the invader.  When Jerusalem was vanquished, all Judea was subdued.  When ill-fated France was tossed with revolutions and counter-revolutions, the possession of her metropolis gave to either party the supreme command.

Now suppose that all this influence of cities is of a worldly, immoral, irreligious character; what must be its blasting power on the general interests of religion!  It was when the pretended successor of Peter established his authority in Rome, that that mystical Babylon became “the mother of harlots,” and “made the nations drunk with the wine of the wrath of her fornications.”  And not until the angel shall “cry, with a mighty and strong voice, Babylon the great is fallen, is fallen,” will the strong man armed be vanquished, and the earth be encompassed with glory.  Not until the evil influence of cities shall be arrested, will the mighty obstacles to the world’s redemption be removed.  How immeasurably important then, that great efforts be made for their conversion; and how merciful in God to destroy such of them as will not repent.  Oh, it was mercy infinite, that rained down fire upon Sodom, and poured it heavily upon Gomorrah; and thus saved millions from the contagion of their wickedness!

But suppose that all the influence of cities were of an heavenly character—­suppose the intelligence could be circulated along all our navigable rivers and canals—­suppose it could be communicated from village to village, and from family to family, throughout the country, that the Spirit of God, as on the day of Pentecost, had come down in awful majesty and power among us; that all our men of business, and youth of folly, had been arrested in their worldly career; that all our theatres and resorts for vain