GENESEE EVANGELIST.—WhoIe No. 717. For the American Presbyterian. A STRAY SUNBEAM CAME IN MY ROOM. BY E. J. H* A stray sunbeam came in my room, One cold and cloudy day, f To glimmer gladly ’mid the gloom, Then quickly go away: I saw if rise upon the wall, And creep upon the floor; I saw it vanish, saw It fall— The gloom was as before. It came again, a cloud had passed From off the sun’s bright disc; It stayed a moment aa at erst, A moment would It risk: Thus coming, going, time on time, : I thought the dimness fled; For mem’ry took the brightness home; And left the gloom as dead. So oft for man a blessing flight,*] Is on life’s sorrow cast, It stays a moment—sheds a light,: That in the gloom is lost: He feels that graver things outweigh This one of little worth; • • - Nor will he heed the fleeting ray That vanishes at birth. Yet when it comes and comes again, In love, affection’s tone; The heavy hands of fortune wane, And life has lighter grown:' For man may humble things disdain— Their power at first refnse; Bat still they recognition gain, By frequency of use. For the American Presbyterian. INDIA. PROTECTION OF NATIYE CONVERTS. My Dear Editor:— A few weeks ago, I sent you extracts from a letter of & Native convert in India, showing a gratifying change in the spirit and policy of the British Government towards Hindoo converts. The disposition of the Govern ment to reorganize the civil rights of converts, was brought to view in the result of a petition, pre ferred by some three or four hundred converts in the city of Ahmednugger, praying that they might be allowed to procure water from the public wells and fountains, like all other natives of the coun try. The Government promptly recognized this right of the converts, and they, of course, repaired to the public fountains, from which they had been so long excluded. This was the signal for a general outcry on the part of the people that the Christians were pol luting their water, and resolute efforts were made to prevent the act. All the markets were closed, and the British magistrates besieged with petitions to reverse the order in favor of the Christians, and return to their former policy. These-petitions of the Hindoos and Mussulmans disclose the views and expectations many of them have hitherto entertained of the-British Govern ment. They predicated their petitions on, the .past pledges and policy of the Government, as gua rantying non-interference With ttrelr. established customs and religion. They even went so far as to remind the magistrates] and the Governor, that “instructions had once been sent out by the Court of Directors to this’ country, requiring the local Government to deport all the American mission aries, in case it should appear that their labors were nob acceptable to the people." They prayed' that this neglected order might be looked up and pntinforoe. Now we cannot hut regret that the- natives had so good grounds on which to base their petition, in the past polioy of the British Government, but We do rejoioe that the petition was refused, and the rights of the converts nobly and firmly vindi cated. The British magistrate, who replied to the pe tition; is a man of firm Christian principle and earnest piety. His reply is worthy of permanent record, as evincing the more' just and righteous views obtaining among some of the rulers in India. : Its essential features will appear in the following brief extracts, viz.:— “The main statement in this petition (Of the Hindoos against the Christians) is not true. Vishnupunt’s wife is not a Mhar, or woman of-low caste. Yuhnupunt is a Brahmin, converted to Christianity. His wife is a Koonbee, also con verted. Before conversion, he and his wife had full right to draw water from the tank in question. He has not forfeited the above right, or any other, by becoming, a Christian. On the contrary, the law insures him every right which he possessed before his conversion to Christianity. This law will be enforced, and those acting contrary.thereto,. punished. . . Petitioners seek to debar Yiihnu punt and his family from the use of the public tanks, solely because be is a Christian. But it is well known that if a Mang or. Mahr (lowest castes) woman marries a Mussulman,.she is allowed to use the tanks, in right of her * having become a Mahommedan. Cattle, homes, donkeys, prosti tutes, &c., all have access .to the public tanks, and yet this common and obvious right, petitioners seek to deny to a man, whose high respectability they, themselves, dare not and cannot gainsay.” This decision of the magistrate was fully con firmed by the Government of Bombay. The Go vernment calls the petition of the Hindoos “ab surd and insulting,” and tells them frankly.: “You have perverted the declaration in the Queen’s pro clamation, which expressly states that none should be molested by reason of their religious faith, into an argument for ; molesting and insulting thcsei who possess the *sarae faith which the Queen‘ not merely acknowledges] but of which she proclaims herself the Defender.?’;- . -: i This position of the Government is impregna ble for its truth and justice, and the only wonder is that the British have assumed it now, for the first time after more than ahuadredjrms of domi nant rule in India. The native inhabitants all tk.e, public fountains to which the Christians ; res<?rte| j tjmy also bind their priests to pqrforiu special oefemo nies in presence oftbejr ( &#; discomfiture of the nativ.eCli|jftians- Borne of the prominent native Christiansajgghtd ont ; and commeuded to the special wrath ofibe gods by name, but all in vain. The British Govern ment would not change its decision, and the native converts did not die. . - Those familiar with the grievous disabilities borne by native converts through all the period of British rule in India, will not wonder at their joy and devout thanksgiving to Godffor this -triumph. ' But let us not leave the impression on any mind’ that the British Government in' India has become all that is desirable. Here is one act for which we thank God, and accord all due commendation to the Government; but we cannot cease to hope and pray for still greater changes, so long as Bri tish rulers support, from, their treasury, more idols and temples in India, than all the churches of die establishment in Great Britain. Yours truly, For the American Presbyterian. THE GOLDEN RULE. Ours is a busy world. It is full of labors, toils, and cares. It must be so. Man’s bread must be earned by the sweat of his brow. Each must hear, his part in feeding and clothing a world. - He is an unworthy member of human society who re fuses to do it. It is the demand of the divine law that every man “labor, working-with; his hands the thing that is good,” In some way he is to endeavor to better the condition of others.- A grand principle in Scripture economies is,; that no man is entitled to be supported by others who is able to support himself. And another of equal: plainness and importance is, that they are entitled to the aid of others who cannot aid themselves. Those in early, and those in advanced years, must be provided for by others. The feeble and un fortunate have a just claim upon the robust ,in health and vigorous in mind. No man liveth to himself. No man is to labor merely for self, but with the definite design that he may aid those jess able than himself. “7 So situated, this must needs be a world of busi-f ness. It is a world of realities, of effort and toil some endeavor. The earth does not yield its fruits at a word of command. It must first feel the hand of culture. The treasures of the. sea: and of distant climes, come not at a call to supply our wants. Effort must be made for them. Com merce must spread its sails for them. Risk must be incurred. Labor must be put forth. Man must meet.man-amid the sternest activities of life. Mind must come in contact with mind. Thought, study, forecast, must diregl the hand. The machinery of business must not stop.. There must he consultation, devising, of -mind- and! muscle. Science and art, learning and experience, must all be made tributary to -the furtherance of commerce, agriculture, and the thousand ; depart ments of business. There, is no wrong in all this. It is right, . The-necessities of the world demand, it. The word of God anticipates it, but does not condemn it. What it would do in-all these things, would be to regulate and control—not to stop. Nay, it would further and hasten all legitimate: business. But, everywhere, its-demand is, “that, no man go beyond, and defraud his brother in any matter;" but that in' V all things whatsoever they would, that others do to them, so they, shall do to others.” It demands that religion shall govern, business, not business,govern religion. ■ It requires that no man shall deal falsely with his fellow,- in, aiiytjupg, but .that equity, probity,, truth,,, a ?d. candor, shall characterize all. this actions of man towards his fellow-man. : And as every man desires to be thus treated by others, so, the word, of God demands that'he shall treat others.- It is a broad principle. It is, in truth, A Golden Rule. Let us try it, and see how many of the evils that now harass us and disturb human society, would vanish instantly and forever from the earth, if this brief law of our Saviour were loved and universally obeyed. Much of the irritation and strife, so prevalent in the world, springs from unkind words. There are those who '“whet their, tongues like a sword, and betid tHeir bows to shoot their arrows, even, bitter.' words.” 'There are' “talebearers 'whose words ate as wounds,” and “whisperers who se parate chief friends,” and “busybodies” who in-' termed'dle with affairk not their, own, and evil summers who imagine wrong of others if they know it not, and blurt it abroad to .the injury of their neighbor and the dishonor of .themselves.. Now, how direct the rule of tlie Saviour here ! How effectual the remedy, if applied!’ Would any dekire himself to be transfixed by the envenomed shafts of slander ? Then let him not do it to an other. Would any wish opprobrious epithets at tached to it, and his riaine bandied from mouth' to moutli, to the wounding of his peace and the staining of his character in the eyes of the world ? Then let him not do it to another- Let him do. to others as he would have others do .to him, and then dies slander. And where were they who overreach in traffic, if this Christian principle were in practice with all ? There are those who profit by your ignorance in disposing of their commodities—who practise upon your credulity, or necessity,,by unduly com mending. the article they desire you to take. The purchaser, on the other hand, often undervalues and feigns to despise it as worthless. “It is naught, it is naught, saith the, buyer; but when, he goeth his way, then hq boasteth,” But. docs. any one wish himself, to, be cheated,, or cajoled in., these ways ? Then let him not do it:to another; “Ye shall do no. unrighteousness in judgment/’ said the ancient law, “ inmete-yard, in ; weight, or in measure. Just balances, just weights,- a just: ephah, and,a just- hin. shall ye have;’? Because, the rule is not heeded, defalcations,, peculations and fraud, with consequent ruin of. character, and . hopes, are almost constantly reported.. Suffering, disgrace, and destruction of confidence of man in - man, are sure to follow in the track of the wrong, but still the work goes on. Fortunes are Wrecked, ’ respeotability lost, and prisons are filled by such lawlessness. ' The good suffer with tbe ; bad; the industrious and Well-deserving are, atriums, driven from homes of plenty to obscurity and poverty— and all because others do not;as-they love tohave' ‘ others do. They fear the Saviour's rule will not allour them to get rich so fast as' they desire. So - the fitfes of avarice are fed. So, many fall while yet in the morning of life, through the' deceitful ness of sin- Christian rules are not so strong for theifl; as the lust of wealth. The Saviour’s words are not so poteutastheelink.of'Mammorisbox. ; Others are mot loved as self is loved. • -Othershre npt treated as self would be-treated. Hence inis ohief and sorrow, avarice ’and: crime. And, Bee how the demon, intemperance; stalks abroad with horrid front and blood-stained tr%ek amid all the haiutits’of men. The curse of Je hovah is upon it. • The wo of the Most High is against ; him who promotes it. La mentatipb, mourning and wo/ are its infallible con oomittmtsi (tears ‘‘low-around it, and death s fol low! Bard affeit.^ : Armies ofhjrplians andpthere bereaved, stand trembling and aghast, and' heart crushed at the sight. It mocks at law. It laughs at mourning. It trifles with all that is holy and pure. It prinks up the life-hldod of youth, and sends gray hairs down, with, sorrow, to the graved And so, because all do not do by others as they would have others do by them, the demon still lives; and fond, hopes die; taxes and paupers are increased, and virtue and human happiness are diminished; jails and. penitentiaries are full,; and they whose right it is to be free, are mocked,’ and the work of ruin goes on. An<L how long could oppression continue in the earth, if each did by others as he would have others do by him? Would any wish himself to be bound, or scourged, or sold into captivity ? Then let him not do it to another. Would any, be willingly torn from the wife of his bosom, or the children he loved, and condemned to hopeless exile amid those whose hearts never'yielded to a moment’s I tehderntess ait' the recital of his trees? ®hen, says the gdspel of' the Biiyibni:, let hiiqjjjpt. do it to another. Is it not a Golden Rule that is here brotight to view? This is one'ofthd feittireS of the Gospel of grace. And how the whole sys tem glows with the light of Heaven! Is it not every where stamped with evidences of Its own di vinity ? What a spirit it breathes! What be nevolence it everywhere s inculcates I What light it shoots across the' ofteni shadoWy jtath hf lifeT What coiisdlation' it brihgd for the : mourning! What instruction for the ignorant! What peace to| the distressed 1 ! What glad tidings to lying in wickedness ! There is not a wo that the root of sih, that it .would nof that flews from the eye pf anguish, that it would hot wipe away. Have I done you an injury ? The gospel bids me repair the injiiry I have done. It bids you forgive my error; and sSek to db me good. Add would angry words, or coldness/'or indifference; manifested on the part of either, or both, heal s the breach half so qiiiek ? You have an enemy. Christ says, “Save him;” “Bless them that curse you; do good to them that hate you.” And where were bickering and strife, if-sueh a spirit dwelt in all? Malice dies -out’of the heart, when the, spirit.of these holy precepts: commences to live in it j, R. G. Wilder. ; And how far-reaching, is the holy rule the. Sa viour gives: ‘‘Therefore, all . things, whatso ever ye would that men should do to you, do ye, even so to them.” It-is a -principle that is to run through all the wide field, of morals; and reach to every department,pf human society. .It is intended to bless a world. , The wisdom of the Scriptures is- to aid in, the interpretation, of the Scriptures;, but, in that light we find abundant light. We are to demand the things that are just and equal of others, and they are to demand only the same of us. Right reason, is to direct, and our acts are to be correspondent. We are to givq to,him who asks, as we might reasonably ask. Never are we to say, or jo to another what we should think it wrong for him to say or do to us, were we in his condition and he in ours. * Evander. In an interview betweWOoppib and Cook, tWo o£=the Harper’s? Ferry victims; Goppie said to Bis' fellow prisoner/ at patting ; r - “John, our time is .drawing, short.” . ; To which Cook, cheerily replied, “Why, Ed; we’ve got another week;” and he ,inade this seem long: One"faculty at least was in ‘full play-—that 1 of: giving: indefinite exterisioti tb an inch of time; A whole week? What.could Coppie mean by thejitiie. “ drawing short?” , Getting gloomy/per;: haps; looking on the dark side. Why should a m'an put dtf serious'airs so long beforehand ?’ Thus he seems 1 to have' reasoned, and thus we see [the “ruMngpassiori.stronginfdeath.'?.- „ Surprising delusion man : within seven days,,of eternity should scarcely,:think;:himself: mortal! •' ” . Biff he was like most men,and reasoned as well. ‘ Reason, iudbisd/is liftle u«ed ; iir auafEuFlike this; Even'knowledge'is made'of no account,'for against reason, and knowledge,,and warning, and-appeal;. the human’niind m ever saying,.cheerily—“time enough yet”-—a week, a month, a year, it matters little 5 WffiohV By this "perverse mental forcej ser mons aTe rieutralized,:a&d the appalling array of death! s trappings and ..trophies is; turnedaside from its- effect. . ■ fS , But Cook’s ’(week” came round, and.so will the list moment come to every one. All around’ us'are those Who ! have’ entered 1 on their-last? few days, who cannot say, ri‘ We*ve gdtanOfKerweek;”? Every man is sentenced, and he goes about every day as under a keeper, awaiting the act of the executioner. Avarice,.. ambition, and mirthy'do not help the matter. The most. thoughtless, as. well as the most serious/ stand bn the trap-door’of. death, and tlie angel of 'destrub{i6n‘ waits' for the word'to cut the oord and clbsb the scene.-’ Who • will-heed- the 'Warningfthat , his: time • is- “drawing i -.-r-riV.lovt.x; -= fr-- We have, always honored the heroio faith'of the ojd- marinqr, .Sip ,Humphrey Gilbert,.,who, when , his two .small harks, vvere about to be sepamted- by. a furious storm/ with little,' likelihood 1 that either! .would : '6utridS’''itp !^ye/ as': his',;;,p4rtin'g’ :S! siilu&y' ri.CoirragC/cbmrad'es, beavfenisas nbai* by sea ah' by-claudi” Butthe following record of a noble mother in Israel,exhibits even a,higher order of faith, together with a charming Christian resig nation,’ and at the same time self-consecrationr—- all of which comprise the" very : essence of the 1 gospel: ’ . : ■. " V‘ MIMELPHIA, one wEek to LIVE. A; CHRISTIAN' MOTHER’S FAIT®. : An, affecting incident was; not long since, re lated by, Dr. Ncvin, to show the. spirit of conse cration Which the church of Christ must have if she wbiild extend hef triumphs over the wbrld. Two plain/poor people lived within the bounds of the. eburqh-of which lie was pastor; Their 'son presented himself and- was received as member of the church. He attended Lafayette College, and finished his course at Princeton. He devoted himself to the missionary work in Africa. In fulfilling-one of- his-engagements to preach; the vessel in which he?, sailed was capsized, and be was drowned.’ In the meantime the father had died; but the sad intelligence came with crushing weight-'Cn the heart of that old mother. She sub mitted, however, cheerfully to the Lord’s dealings, with-tbe remark:— .“.My son-is nearer, to me now, in heaven, than he was in Africa.” She was poor,’ but had always managed, by. the sale of thread and other little articles of hepma rmfaet’nrbj'to lay by fifty dollars a jrear for 1 the’ aid of her soft 5 iff his' good work. When the hews caiue IhafhemeedM/her kid mo lohger, she said, vrith tears 1 : :" J •' “Now my dear son is gone; my fifty dollars shall go to spme other servant Of Jesus Christ!” Ah, dear brethren, how long would it take to convert the world, if every Christian had the same spirit of self-eonseeration’ as that poor mother? 1 Rev. Db- Edsab, and Messrs. Dim, and Wil son, the Irish Deputation to tkis country, landed at . Queenstown, Ireland, on their return from the United States, on t Wednesday, the 28th of December; after a somewhat' tempestuous voy age of eleven days. REV. HENRY WARi BEECHER. This gentleman is not ooly |he idol of a section of the community where he li|fe s , and throughout the country, 1 but the-occasioflbf'a‘good deal of trouble to others. H,e has Jakeg-to the publication 6f,a Vefthoii, in each week’i Independent, and Which we cannot but regaM ss‘a foblish titove on his .part, however well it may hut the purposes of that;paper. ", ' fit - One.of these sermons has cajjed down about him the severe criticism of the strongly orthodox press,, such as the Boefoh Recorder,Who ‘dhru&in Intel ligencer, and the like, together Wiflithat of some of their correspondents. It wpbfijuhd fo ! be quite loose upon the doctrine of. rethbntion and future punishment. But, Mr. Beecher. answers it cha racteristically, not by writing)lnyletters, but . by; fifeacMng another sebnonfil lj which he' Refines hiiiiself more' accurately. 1 1 f'' ' ’ * ’-T It is perfectly useless to' ! |d "dfi a .heresy hunt pCouwill hot catch % thpugh you drive him many hples, for when you have dug Kim. rirfL yjpu will not find him t/te7sHß&lr. Bee'cher is sense a theolo -gran > ahcHHSbs not phstehd preach fhe.orthodox wlffit it is 5 but, not having iitlthei time of it, he ; is obliged to dfe itjOut as he gpes,; a n 3 is therefore liable to get #? the.track.. He is, aware iof this, and of cour.sV Tights himself as quickly as he can, and with afe little fuss as possi bJe.d Mr f Beecher is not u pah ;of definitions; He. can scarcely,frame one, kough he may-fry, u® he does, ever so hard., lloj can,simply describe, and in he is unequalled. J "But qvery accurate an-d logical man knows, ,is not de~ fimtion. Mr. Beecher does' iot 'reason logically, but: analogically. Itis thereijre. perfectly useless to think of holding him to; adjurapy in ahy matter: whatever; for he is not, and. cannot be an accu rate man. Alibis fine thingsluttere'd as published in his books; are only partially*Correct. They,are often nearly so, but as oftehjhot more than half true.. For this-very thing are all the more striking, and .the more :a.crowd, o^. readers, For the pictiircique Is. more-taking witb. & multitude tbdn t»Ee Hk' nipoious. Mr. Beecher must rated dt what beds 'worth. He is anj an who can make a blaze, at this .he has np suj erior. But he will' be no safe guide to follow ajßjigleunch out ofthe: beaten track. - It is Xo quote him as authority, for ahythifigy though,it is pleat: sant to read what he says, ferthdgraphic power is qis supereminently. ■ . ■-■ . ,r : But Mr. Beecher is benefited by criticism; : No sensitive tout tl^n;be, : fQr be..is:Mly s'enstoHof his weak points.- j/We ; hope, therefore,: that the Boston Recorder, wall-keep a : good eye. upon him. y But let it deal g|ptiy with: him, after a Jl* he sure to answer to the, lash, though’ it be .cracked over him ;only. s ' r . g. !: , But Mr. Beeohev ds f very foolish thing.,. He is abroad,giving.feleetuye upon “Bar- Making,” and which ..is described as but a, medium affair; but which heßas,-filled with flings and slandeps of. his brethrepßiithe ministry, and of the ortbqdox eburehes,,} .It-iis time that he Had, quit;ijiat; he is old enough to know bet ter. If bis-aim be to tiekieiths;haterB!Qf Evange lical' religion, and thus gk .applause,, the aim is unworthy and wicked. If, it.i| tp'repay.the'stings: he gets. for. his idiqsynqraoiesiffiejlakes a .poof wSy : for it, since to carry degrades re- Hgion... -He fiad. b : ett ? n bfekHtseA-and. stop. that course.' . ." . A .Writer in, the. Christian -Sqyisfer shows us hb'W, Mr. Bqecher appears when seen- from a, Uni tarian.standpoint.' .Hesaysi ~ “Indeed, undertaking jb.‘‘locate/ Down East, and. toll where, it lies, is. jljike, joining a- theological hunt in pursuit of Heary You see. him, and yell.witliexui’tation at being, in, at’ the death, but when you come-up, (he! isn’t there." .While the Recorder isqn the track of this-her resy, the preacher is by ttim,.time‘ii) another quar tet of the'heavens.. At any rate .he is -where the last word he saitf left him. Tliisiupoertainty and apparent contradiction which.is,so trying to some, uncomfortable to many, and fun.to. more, may be accounted for by the fact that’ the Brooklyn preacher in a certain sense,' no -principle-at all; either moridof theological." .That is, no phi losophical principles which mark the boundaries of thougbt . and action, He speaks from- good ethical and Hopff !l>^?df ,p^-;a ? ect * c,ns j which eommonly overstaie whatever they state, at all, especially when they areAiredted teward any thing, thatean on this account probably po,honest,man says more things that he does not mean. With all our ad miration for him;-and 1 rejoicing l in' his noble na ture, -wie'fiaye- liste'ued-fq I 'Kiiii'''wh'en we' thought him noisy, Vqeiferous, J ah4 .declatnatory; wheh.'if wevhad' been-on- the -Sight 1 iterinu with him,' we should Ihavh rushed: “to- and. soothed’ him dowu by putting our haiid" on his shoulder and telling bimtoxaotly What tHe ease was. ‘ Good I ellow, this is only-a publie meeting; don’t over do. You are not saying l anything - that requires great emphasis. What ,are,you paying on so for ? Why get so heated hammering cold iron? Heat your iron.’ Mr. quantity to the Recorder, because «his statements’ overflow all limits of doctrinal or theological phrase.-,- It is not because he is those limits! He speaks fronMmpulses; instinefe ahd ! afie’etibns, which must always be outside any such couditioiis. And the.attempte ofthe Recorder, to assign him a place, always reminds us of the.pup.aod the swal- l'' y" ■ ; : '. - ' ‘The Presbytery Reporter. THE WAY «T 0 iHDE v, !t , s; . ; j = . .EENIDEJKI& ;i-. Eeeblejchurches; that aspire after;a solid growth need to make it. their special aim, 5 in the first place, to . develop the workings-of that charity whereby eitch shall become a genuine Christian Household; and, in the second place; of that hctivicy, whereby alone this love cad livs. This activity,vto beper ruanent, must be ?. ■. 1. Many pastors cwfomorefai&ful in pa# toral labors, may be more ■watchful of opportuni ties, and may more regularly make it a matter of principle, and a part of their system, to follow up (either personally of otherwise) all such indivi duals as seem to; be. in-any degree 1 touched by tbe Hivtpe Spirit. And, thatthey maybe perpetually reminded of this duty, and incited to its fulfilment in the best mariner, they, iriay accustom themselves to make a'-statemerit to the church, each month, at one of the : regular prayer meetings, of their lab.om for that month; and of the general condition °l v - 13 congregation as it stands,- in their view, and of the peculiar exigencies of the times. * i ■ -• The officers of the church, with all those whose-duty it is to aid the pastor in courisel 4 arid m Christian labor,.may likewisej.ircquehtly,; be more systematic and zealous in the, performance or their duties j aodthat they perpetually reminded of them, they may be requested-to add their monthly statement td*hepastor's; r with ! their observations upon the state of the church and its duties to the surroundiri~g*dbmmunity. B. Sabbath School teachers can generally do more for their classes than they have been w.ont to do—may take more pains to beoome personally intimate with them; arid to win their afleefibri; may visit them.at theirihonies more regularly;-arid l be more watchful and .quick, to follow up any good; impressions made on their hearts.. may be .perpetually reminded' of these' privileges .of their they may be asked to mkke monthly report of all that they , have done, and Of all facts ?f interest, within their knowledge,,.to. the Supe rintendent, wJho .sha]L present .the : substance and summary of the whole to the church, with' timely suggestions and exhortations. 4. In many*churches,.again,-there are intelli gent members who, though neither officers nor teachers, are yet able to do.good by visiting from house to house, with tracts and Bibles, inviting the neglectors of worship to the house of God, gathering children into the Sabbath School, ad ministering to the bodily and the spiritual comfort of the sick, of strangers, widows, and orphans, and doing good in all ways, as they have opportunity. The number of these .visitors may easily>be: in creased; the work maybe cut out for them, in vary ing amounts to suit persons of various amounts of leisure p each one may have .his parish,: large or small, according to his timeand ability; and then, in order that they may be perpetually reminded of . their duty,:inqited, to regularity, ,in the best methods of performing it, and encouraged tq. be their monthly reports, also, may be given in .to the Superintendent of Visitation, and tlie sueft mary and' substance.of them be laid before the-church. , ; J •>; Any other Church Committees, for the pro motion of temperance, e.g., or for the conversion of Romanists; or for. any .good thing, in which the short,. whatsoever of a. moral or spiritual naturo needs, to-.be, done, in the; community where any church is located, can be taken in hand by the church; and the habit of looking after all these interests of tie Redeemer’s kingdom, of laboring for their promotion, of listeniug to the story of each other’s efforts, and of uniting in prayer for these-objeots which come home to all hearts, this habit:will help to keep; Christian hearts warm, to make Christian affections natural, healthful, and abundant, through this natural and regular out flow and exercise in .action. , The arrangements suggested above are very sim ple, and need only to be fairly started, to beome selfrsustaining. This is a fire that creates its own fuel; .. ... ..... ■ .. , .’ MR. BEECHER AND SLAVERY. Aprotraeted.debate’ has been maintained in Mr. Beecher’s Ghureh respectingthe- appropriations' of'iits toissionsiry Collections to the American Board,’whose relations to slavery are opposed by some of the-members : of : the Ghufeh! ;At one of thetn'eetings lßst week Blr: Beecher made an elabo- 1 rate speech in defen'ce bf tiie 'Board. 'He said that he' preferred the - American Board'because it: was old, and was Mllowed by association. It was objected to the AmMcah Board that it was a close He compared its action with ; that of the American Tract Society, an open cor poration, much 1 to the disadvantage of the latter.- On the question of slavery, he proceeded: to de- : fend the Board; These' Indian : Missions went away back to the time when there was 'no agita tion against slavery. ; And the Churches then es tablished were independent;' their independence, like that of all other : Ghurches under the Ameri can Board, being carefully guarded. He did not believe that slaveholdirig was necessarily sinful.’ There was uo such' thing as a thing being bad per se, or good per se: That was a scholastic subtlety. Nothing was bad; per sej and nothing was good' per se':■ A.'thing that was : bad in its resnlti was; bad, and a' thing good in its results ;was good. The question with' regard to.' slavery wais ! whether it was ; baneful in its influence or not.- The Ame rican; Board _ had ground: that selfish slayehpHinjgwais' reprehehsible; but if- a man were put in’ be was permitted to ; do so. If a mail could not emancipate his slavey he followsliiped liim, and would sit down to table with him, and so would ’ Christ. He would go through fire and water to stand by that man. The Board had done all that they could to enforce these’ doctrines.’ • ' Blit it was not reasonable'to'aisk that the Churches among the Choctaws should become anti-slavery before Dr. Spring’s or the Mercer-street Church became, so, or half the Churches in Brooklyn. Mr. Beecher reviewed the course of the American Board in regard to slavery among ’ the Choctaw Churches. He thought" the book- of Corinthians the Rest adaptation of Christian principle to the actual state of things, and next to them he placed Mr. Treat’s report oh the American Bpard 'and slavery in the Cherokee and Choctaw /CburcheS. Mr. Beecher;, presented the history of the Board’s action in .re gard to slavery/and readet leogth from Mr. Wood’s report, accepted by the viissionaries and Churches as their guidp'-ih matte'rs pertaining to slavery. ;: If by their vote they withdrew their; sympathy "firoth* 1 the American Board, they might just as Well with draw it from their pastor, and vote that they would not hear him'preach ahy longer, for he held just such views. That, was a nathral reason why he sympathized with the Board, and if; he was; hot adti-slayeryj they'had made a terrible mistake ih the Herald office.' Because the missionaries sard; that they could not bring, the Choctaw Churches up to this agreement, the American Board had cut off these Churches. When we looked at the course of the Churches 'contributing to the Ameri can Board, in regard to slavery, we'were sur prised that the. American Board ' had taken su.ch ground as it had. If there was any one form of slavery Which he utterly abhorred, it was bigotry for liberty. In tbe advanced'anti-slavery mtive-' ments of this country there was a bigotry whioh" equalled any papal intolerance: 1 Christian Advocate. TAMIL AND ENGLISH DICTIONARY, ! „ BY Da. MTRON WTNSLpW, .OF MADRAS.: .This great work has now been for several years in a coarse of preparation,?ander the critical and careful scholarship of Dr. Winslow. Bat for the ,want of; funds, it might' be completed arid published within-some' two or three years from the; present time.;, ,;It is much to be regretted that so great and important a work, and one on which so muehtalent and money have been ex pended, should be permitted to stop for the want of funds;; It is a work designed and adapted to pour, the wealth of English Christian litera ture into the Tamil mind; thus striking an ef fectiv&ibloiv pt the foundation of Brahmiriism, and-establisliing the Christian religion in pagan India. It is printed in treble columns on each page, in imperial octavo, equal to common quarto, of 1,000 .pages. The etymology of the words “traced from their roots, with extended definitions and examples in English and Tamil; alLthe more common botanical, grammatical, astronomical, and other' scientific terms, and the terms da Hindu philosophy, being also given and explained.” So very cheap; is labor in India, that the whole expense of preparing and finish ing this great work will be only about seven thousand dollars. The labor of Dr. Winslow upon it—a labor of'some three or four .‘hours per day for many years—is not included, 'its he is in the service of the American Board, and his work is a free contribution of time and culture to this service. By dividing the required sum into seventy shares of $lOO each, every person taking a share may receive ten copies, and thus leave five hundred copies of the twelve hundred being printed, for the Boafd; to dispose of in benevolent furtherance of its,great object, i As ; soon as fifty shares are thus secured, this im portant work-will be resumed ; ■ as, the Madras government will take ten shares, and Dr. Win slow generously offers to be responsible for the remainder. The work- is already one4hird ’through the :p<ess; and there it must remain, unless, the means of perfecting it are furnished.' Dr. :Winslow is" becoming advanced in years, and it is feared that protracted and severe labor under the Sultry skies of; India may terminate his life before this work is completed, unless it directlyiforwhrd.-'* This;would be a very serious calamity, in my view, and should if pos sible be averted. Chemistry informs ,ns tbatthe transformation of sugar into vinegar is effected by a very short process. Dilution, then fermentation, involving a slight change of the: relative proportions, hnd it is done. The sourest of all the things we taste is only the sweetest bewitched. A parallel to this fact we find in the chemistry of common life: Not a few'of the sour things we taste are the distortions of something quite different. Almost every one has a vinegar manu factory in his house arid heart. Children are God’s .great gift, and are de signed, in many ways, to minister to our happi ness. They do this especially by the care and labor they demand, thus reminding us of their “sweet burdensomeness.” , But how often this sweetness becomes a positive acid by the process to which it is subjected! From a privilege, a kind the labor is changed into a hard*inexorable duty. The sewing, the meud ing, the feeding, the clothing, keep the labora tory in full - blast, and incredible quantities of produced for hbme con it;’that tieebihrih wificnlt, and all 3 bright things? such'as the faces■of'children, lose their lustre. ■: . . To help, by word or act, our fellow-men, to bear a part in sustaining the institutions of a civilized and Christian community, is one of the rich perquisites belonging to oor earthly life. And yet, with not a-few; the performance of a duty that involves a pecuniary sacrifice, is well nigh as painful as a surgical operation. It is af fecting to see how the sweet words of mercy, ap pealing for help, passed through the laboratory of the heart, turn to bitterness. Every collector of our religious charities has often marked the sourly solemn look of not a few, when the op portunity of giving is presented to them. Why is this ? because they are unable to meet the de mand? Byno means, for the demand is always conformed to the; ability, and usually falls far below it. Nor is it because the object sought is unworthy of support. Angels would rejoice to aid it. They know it is good, but.they have no heart for it, and steal, with uneasy feet, along a way that eras made for eonquerors.to tread. Some persons are cheerful workers. In the family, in the ’chrirchy and in society, they are ready for' every good word arid work. Their rime ie spent in losing, and so in finding their lives. . They are never disturbed by a fresh ap peal fpr help. If they can respond, they do so cheerfully. If they cannot they as cheerfully refrain. ' 'These are the pillars of our churches, and the moving power of every good enterprise. Their example stimulates the slothful, and,urges forward the lagging.. They do not worry, do not look sour, do not chafe at the sight of a. bur den. They bless and are blessed. Let their number be multiplied 1 Home .Missionary. 'From the last book written by that admirable English authoress, A. L. 0. E., entitled the "• Christian's -Mirror," we extract the following. Aylmer is an eminent' Christian, and Philips is his pastor: : Aylmer. But there is something sodiscouragirig, so .Kurailiatiug in suoh cloae self-examination, that there isno fbligiMusrtsxmrcise more readily omit.- . • .f JPhilias!' -Discouraging it would be, nay, lead ing to- despair, had we not to do with a Master who.has compassion on our infirmities, and who, for the sake of his dear Son, accepts, approves, and-even deigna to.reward the imperfect services of our love. There is an Eastern anecdote which illustrates our position in regard to our divine Master:— Apoor Arab, passing through the barren desert, suddenly came upon a spring of water—bright, refreshing, and pure. While slaking, his burning thirst in, the fount, it appeared to the weary man that never had there Before been known water, so delicious to the taste. He deemed it worthy to be carried as a'gift to the caliph, the chief of his raee. So:the Arab filled his flask from-the-sparkling fountain, of the desert, and went on his solitary way. Ear he travelled, and suns had risen and sunk before he reached the presence of his sove reign,, and presented to him the water which he thought so sweet and pure. The caliph tasted it and smiled, and ordered a rich reward to be given to him who had brought the water from the desert.; The caliph’s, attendants pressed around, eager to taste the wondrous draught which had been so highly valued}' but: they:’were obliged to content themselves with the sight ofr it—they were not suffered more closely to test it. When the-poor Arab had withdrawn, overjoyed'at the acceptance of his.gift, thdeourtiers prayed the caliph to tell them why, they had been forbidden to drink. “Because,” replied the caliph,: “the water having been-.long.carried in the poor man’s flask, had become corrupt and, evil. I would lot none taste of it but myself, lest any should have shown disgust at its impurity* and so have wounded the feelings of a faithful servant, and discouraged him in ihis humble attempt to please his lord.” Aylmer. I understand and accept the applica tion, of 'the: tale; however mortifying to human pride. All that X can offer to my ? Crod' is impute,: yet He Mercifully deigns •to accept it* anil gra ciously conceals from iny fellow-sinners the, im perfection of the works which are,done with a de sire. to. please-Him. , : JPMlias. To please Him, not to merit His favor. Come to your heavenly Father in the spirit of a little child who plucks a daisy from, the sod, and: lays it at the->feet;of> his parent., .- The deybting.of your- timepinfluenee,tenergies, talents, compared with the mighty debt which-you owe,' are but as the, perishing daisy.! As; little could the, worthless flower purchase the comforts of. a home; supply the numerous wants of helpless .child hood, as all the noblest deeds of man buy for him a claim to heaven! Gome as the child, in simple love, in humble, trusting faith, to Him to whom a-Sayiour’s'blood hath-reconciled the sinner, and, doubt not that the Father’s smile will rest upon the. flower} and the. countless- riches of His graeß be-lavished on the child'! s How vast, a of blessing your;.prajers may take! .Who can tell the history, or trace the wanderings of yon cloud that sails in light and glory across the sky, or indicate from what source its bosom-was filled with the vapors it is yet to shed back upon the earth 1 Perhaps, though wandering over the tilled field and the peopled village, its stores were drawn from some shaded fountain in the deep forest where the eye of man has scarc.ely ever penetrated. In silent obscurity that fountain yielded its pittance, and did its work of preparing to bless the far-off lands that shall yet be glad for it. And even thus it is With the descending Spirit. Littledo we know often of the secret' origin of the dews of blessing that descend on the ;0h torches of God. In the recesses of some i lowly cottage; in the depths of some humble, heart, may be going on the work of pious intercession; in answer to which the grace of heaven. descends on us and on our children, on the labors of the wondering, and joyful pastbr, and bn the hearts of the far heathen, until the wilderness and the solitary place are glad for them. The time is to come, when from every Home, brethren, such prayer shall arise. Let us sustain and swell, in our thp af d %fipi| foludie of supplication that is yet to roll abound,’the globe; and never 1 to'fail, until' over a world regenerated*arid purified, the Morning stars shall again shout for joy, and the earth, emerging from her long and disastrous SWEET AND SOTTR. OUR GOOD WORKS. PRAYERS FOB MINISTERS, VOL. IV.—NO. 24—Whole No. 189. eclipse of sin arid wrath, shall vet again walk hearenlTd 8 “ Ur nns “ llied hrightnefs-a new neaven and a new earth wherein dwelleth righ toousness. : Tdl then, we have no - reason, To 1° totermit our supplications; and it is only when, inthe final accomplishment of David’s prayer, his greater Son shall have come to reign king over all lands, and to have dominion from sea to sea; it is not until that prayer shall have S !T ade / or continually, and he daily sha.ll have been praised, that the, believer re maining on earth, will be warranted to adapt to his own bps the touching arid close appendix to the supplications of: the crowned Singer of Is rael~ The. prayers of David, the son of Jesse are ended.” ’ He lives the longest who eats plain, substantial' food, and drinks pure water' other things Being equal. Bttt many .prefer highlyiseasoUed .and mixed dishesvand drinks.. j .AlLauch front inanition J As* certainly: will the mind suffer deelimrig vigor and efficiency, its stimulants being novel reading, and 4 morbid thirst for new things. ; •; . In the moral or spiritual world the general prin ciple holds true; hence, those who feed pn : the “pure milk of the word," who travel, in rife “old paths," are the surest to grow in the exercise and practice of prinoiples, stern, high; arid life grnng y What highly-seasoned .food and stimu lating drinks are to the body, what, novel reading is to the mind, sensation preaching is to the heart; and yet after “these three,” the great world, the masses run with eager pace: Itfs suggested that the clergy should do all in their power to put down the last practice, by not allowing it to be heralded in the papers when, or where, or on what , subjects they are to preach. That is the best “society” which always attends 1 its own meetings when its own adore are opened, and which seldom attends any others. Gadding about creates a , pernicious excitement, it unsettles and dissatisfies. Let every man attend religious services as a matter of course, the matter of worship, of prayer,and praise, and meditation being the absorbing objects; all other tningsbemg considered as utiiniportaht incidentals. Letpo man inquire whether “Paul or Apollos or Cephas is ,to preach, and. let him take it for granted that the great themeshall.be, “The Lamb of God which taketh away the sins of the world.” How wide is the departure from these whole some ways, may be estimated from the fact, that m, a, secu!a,r daily: newspaper for Saturday; there are over fifty “notices” under the “religious” head, of places, themes, and preachers, but not one of them announces a discourse on the subject of “Christ, and him crucified” The whole of them ranging, up or down, from John Brown to the devil. ~ Let no one imagine from this expression, that on the great subject of black and white we “to “on the fence,” This wonld.do us injustice. We are very decided in our opinions. The first third of a century of our life we passed in the very midst of the “peculiar institution,” and another third -we have, reason, to believe will be passed out of it, hence we have had unusual, facilities of per sonal observation, and therefore from a broad and liberal view of the whole question, we most'un hesitatingly declare that we are on the other side; -and. lest this- should .not be explicit enough for -SW 6 . ive.will further add-that on theright side, so that our friends North and South may hereafter know where to find' us,‘that, is, not on the fence, but on* the other side of it, the rmht side. ° Congregationalism At the meeting of the Massachusetts Historical Society, held on the ,15th instant, to commemo rate the .death of Washington irving. Professor Henry W. Longfellow’offered a series of- resolu tions, prefacing them with the following eloquent remarks: . ••• ■ Every reader has his first hook. , I mean to say one book among all. others, which in early youth first fascinates £is imagination; and at once excites and satisfies the desire of his mind, -To me this first book was the “ Sketch Book? of Washington Irving. I was. ,a- schoolboy .when it was pub lished, an.d read each succeeding. ■ number with, oyer-increasing wonder and delight ; spell-bound by its'pleasant humor, ite mWaneholy tenderness, its atmosphere of reverie; nay, even by its gray brown covers, the shaded letters of the titles, and the fair, clear type, which seemed an outward symbol of the style. . How many delightful hooks the same author lias : given us, written before and since; volumes of History and of Fiction,-most of-which illustrate his native land, and some of: which illuminate it and make the Hudson, I will not say as classic, but as roinantic as the Rhine ! , Yet, still the charm of the “Sketch-Book” remains’ unbroken; tiie old fascination still lingers about it; and whenever I open its pages,: I open: also that mysterious door which leads back into the haunted chambers of youth. , Many, years afterward, I had the pleasure of meefing’lffir: Irving in Spain, and found the au thor, whom I had-loved, ’ repeated'in-the man. The same playful humor, the same touches of senitment, the, same poetic atmosphere, and what I admired still, more, the entire absence of all literehy jealousy, of jill that’imhan avarice of feme, which counts what is given to another as so mubh taken from one’s self;^ At this-time Mr!: Irving was in Madrid, en gaged upon his “Life of Columbus;” and if the work itself did not bear ample testimony to his zealous and conscientious labor, I could do so from' personal observation. He seemed to be always at work. “Sit down,” he would say; “I will talk with you in a moment ; but I must first finish this sentence.” One summer morning, passing his house at the early hour of six, I saw' his study window already wide.ppen. On my mentioning it to him afterwards,; he said, Yes, lam always at my work.,as early as six. ” Since then I have .often remgmbefed that sunny morning and that open Window;, so suggestive of his sunny temperament and his open heart, and equally so of his patient and persistent toil; and have recalled those words of Dante: He had not outlived his sorrow, nor felt it slip from, him as a, temporary burden, leaving him the same .man again. Do any of us! God forbid. It would be a poor-result of all our anguish and wrestling, if we were nothing but our old selves at the end of it—if we could return to the same bliud loves, the same self-confident blame, the same light thoughts of human suffering, the same frivolous gossip over blighted human lives, the same feeble sense of that'unknown, toward which we have sent forth irrepressible cries in our loneli ness!-Let us rather he thankful that our sorrow lives in us as an idestructible force, only changing its forms as-forces do, and passing from pain into, sympathy—the one poor word which includes all our best insight and our best loye. Kev. W. K. Williams, D.D. LIVING ON EXCITEMENT. LONGFELLOW’S; REMINISCENCES OF IRVING. “ And rustling hears in every breeze; The laurels 6f MilUades. ” ( “ Seggemlo in pluma ’ In faiiia non si vien, no sotto coltre, . Senza ia qual, chi sus Vila consuma, Cotal vesligio in terra, (Use lascia Qua! fummo in acre ed in acqua la schimma.” . ; - “ Seated upon down, Or in his bed, man cometh not to fame, Withouten which, whoso his life consumes, Such vestige of himself on earth shall leave As smoke in air and in the water foam. ” OUTLIVED SORROW. Hall’s Journal. Adam Bede.
Significant historical Pennsylvania newspapers