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.