130
dm&M (Swwgtlfoi
UtotmSDAT, APRIL lE. 1860.
. D. C. HOUGHTON, )
V EDITORS.
i : JOHN ¥. HEARS, J
' ASSOCIATED WITH
I ALBERT BARNES, | GEORGE DUFFIELD Ja.
THOMAS BRAINERD, JOHN JENKINS,
HENRY DARLING, 1 THOMAS J. SHEPHERD,
JESUS CHRIST UNCHANGEABLE
In the Scriptures, Jesus Christ is affirmed to
he unchangeable, “ the same yesterday, and to-day,
and forever/’ This unchangeableness or essen
tial eternity of God’s Son is a great thought. It
outlines, with wonderful distinctness, Christ's per
son, and expresses, with amazing exactitude, some
prominent features of Christ’s work.
Note, first, how it outlines the person of Christ.
If Unchangeable, Jesus Christ
is something more than man. Man is a creature
of change. His body is subject to constant waste
and repair. His condition is one of ceaseless vi
oissitude, health, yielding to sickness, joy to sor
row, life to death. Hl9 intellect is ever acted on
by>.new olyqota of perception. His/emotiooal naj
ture is at 1 all times' festless as the sea. He is
never two moments together the same. But Je
sus Christ fs the same always. Whatever, then,
Jesus Christ is, ho is rUtt mere. man. ;
Nor is he an angel. From the law of his being,
an angel must increase steadily in capacity, and
add continually to his sum of knowledge and joy.
Milton finely represents Ithuriel, who, in search of
Satan in the garden, has “with his spear touched
lightly” a toad, which squatting “close at the ear
of Eve,” starts up into the Fiend’s own shape, as
stepping back “amazed.” Ignorant that the
Prince of Hell has taken such disguise, Ithuriel,
by the sudden apparition of the grisly king, is sur
prised, startled, shocked. His new knowledge is
the source of new emotions. So, too, a greater
than Milton tolls us, “ There is joy in the presence
of theangels of God over one sinner that repenteth.”
The announcement in heaven that a rebellious hu
man soul has returned to loyalty and love, is joy
ful Jiews to angels, as louder, sweeter harpings
Hetice, we cannot sdy that an angel is al
ways the same. The angelic, as the human state,
is one of change, nor change less real, because al
ways in the line of loftier wisdom and higher
bliss. But Jesus Christ is above change. “The
same yesterday, and to-day, and forever,” he is
not, he cannot be an angfel.
The same method of reasoning must persuade
US. furtfier that Jesus Christ is infinitely more
than a' creature, however exalted, wise, powerful.
In every creature there must be limitation of being;
with every creature, we cannot but associate time
and space. But Jesus Christ is before time, is
beyond space. Ages, told off by flying worlds,
the unerring clock-work of the skies, add nothing
to one who, “yesterday, and to-day, and forever,”
Is “the same;” universes of blazing, wheeling sys
tems, crowded so thickly as to appear in the awful
depths of heaven’s blue, like finest star dust, affect
in nothing the immensity of one, who, before as
after oreation’s work, is superior to change. What,
tjien, is Jesus Christ? If not a mere man, if not
an angel, if not a creature, though first in creation
and dignity, he must he, he is the self-existent
Creator, “who is over all, God blessed forever.”
Grandly peculiar, therefore, is the person of Jesus
Christ. To this person belongs everything that
consists with an essential, eternal, unchangeable
divinity.
Now, the peculiarity of Christ’s person outlined
by His sameness “yesterday and to-day and for
ever,” involves a peculiarity of work, the promi
nent features of which this unvarying sameness
most exactly expresses.
Note, firet,how plain it is that Christ’s work
is something more than a work of mere instruction.
It was important, indispensable that sifch work
should be done. Sin had enshrouded the human
souljn night so thick, that through it no star of
-.hope could shine. In the absence of Revelation,
wlw'nygbt say that God was merciful? The his
tory of this Sinning angels gave no ground to think
that God would seek and save the lost. But
surely, in order to reveal God’s mind in this par
ticular, and-so instruct the world upon a point of
infinite moment, it was not necessary that God
himself should be “ made flesh.” Nothing for
bids, so far as we can see, the doing of mere in-
Btruction-work by Gabriel, or even by Noah, Moses,
Samuel, or Elijah. God could possess a creature
of the knowledge sufficient to enable him to speak
as a prophet, and could authenticate a creature
as the “teacher come from God.” Still the
grand peculiarity of Christ’s person as divine,
wonderfully assures us that He is an infallible
teacher, whilst it plainly constrains us to acconnt
Him something more.
Nor is this something more fully met by saying
that Christ’s work is that of mere example. It
was important, indispensable that onr race should
have an example of sinless obedience to law de
spite the strong temptations -incident to our pro
bationary state.' But is it impossible that there
should be a miraculous birth, like Christ’s, and
yet the born one be infinitely short of essential,
personal divinity? No one, surely, can affirm
this. One could the taint of
original sin, and could be preserved sinless. In
the life of one thus born, thus kept, there would
be,‘ what tho world needed, a perfect example of
exact obedience. Still, Christ’s divinity of per
son fully assures us of the absolute perfection of
his example. When we read, “He did no sin;
he was holy, harmless, undefiled, separate from
sinners,” we assent, without hesitancy, although
thfe declaration respects his humanity; for he was
not more man than God. But whilst Christ is a
perfect example, he is certainly something more.
If instruction and example were all that a mes
senger from God is required to furnish, we cannot
see wb/ an angel or a man might not be snch
messenger.
What then is the something more -which Christ’s
divinity of person constrains us to connect with
iiia work ? In response, we are forced to acknow
ledge that Christ’s work is strictly a redemption
work which, including every thing that belongs
to instruction and example, embraces also tfie no
tions of mediation, satisfaction, intercession, bene
diction, and the like. Sin is such that it cannot
be stayed in its awful consequences by instruction
and example. What if a physician should, in
struct a patient laboring under yellow fever in re
spect to all the peculiarities of the disease, and
should give the patient, in his own person, an ex
ample of entire exemption from the disease: would
he thus cure his patient? Sin, as a disease of
soul, requires remedies adapted to it, as really as
yellow iU « ***«
rf body reddine >*!“ “ A " d
the kind of remedies required, it is not difficult
to see. Between the hgly God and the unholy
sinning race there post stand a mediator pos
sessed of a double nature, divine and human. To
the broken law there must be made a just, ade
quate, availing satisfaction. For the rebel subject
there must be offered intercession, and there must
be secured those gracious, omnipotent influences
which convert the rebel into a penitent, submis
sive, loyal child. And above the pardoned, ac
cepted,' redeemed sinner, there must be lifted the
hands of blessing, sign of every thing involved
in forgiveness and favor.
The work, therefore, of Christ is quite as pecu
liar as his person. In its highest expression a
redemption-work, it demands the purpose and the
power of Godhead. Ghrist is “the Lamb slain
from the foundation of the world.” Christ “is
able to save them to the uttermost that come unto
God by him, seeing he ever liveth to make inter
cession for them.”
Now, if the thought of Christ’s unchangeable
ness carries with it such peculiarities-of. person
and of work as constrain us to acknowledge him
the God-man, the One Mediator between. God and
men, the sole yet sufficient Redeemer of men, and
the like, we cannot hesitate to say that this sarnie
thought justifies to the foil such conclusions as
these:
First, Men may have entire confidence in Jesus
as a Saviour. The manifested Son of God is not
fickle, vacillating, changing perpetually in .purpose
and plan. Ho does q&t to-day aid a soul, and to
morrow forsake it. He does not at one time in
vite tenderly the penitent sinner to come to him,
and at another time drive wrathfolly that sinner-
away.
The soul that on Jesus hath leaned for repose
He will not —he will not desert to its foes;
That soul though all hell should endeavor to shake,
He’ll never — no, never—no, never forsake!
Next, The followers of Jesus may cherish the
largest expectations of coming, unending blessed
ness. The salvation of every redeemed soul is
the result of infinite power exerted in accordance
with an eternal plan. It is a steady march through
the glooms of time to the glories of eternity. It
is .light, love, peace, joy, life, in germ; and its
growth and fruit-bearing are placed beyond the
possibility of failure. As Novalis sings:
If only He is mine,
Then all else is given—
Every blessing lifts my eyes
And my heart to heaven.
Filled with heavenly love,
Earthly hopes and fears no longer tempt to move.
DENOMINATIONALISM.
Nationality, a half century since, was im
perilled in many of the states of Europe. Espe
cially was this true of that belt of Scandinavian and.
Teutonic commonwealths, which lie between the
great Russian empire on the east, and France on
the west, and the Latin nations farther south.
Volcanic France, with the out-bursting of her
own fires, had dissolved her time-honored, but
time-worn institutions. The molten stream rolled
down upon her neighbors. In Italy and Spain
patriotism was a lost sentiment. The national
vitality was too low for resistance. Italy and
Spain became appendages of France. But, in the
Scandinavian and Teutonic stocks, patriotism
lived. Though they quivered and bent before
the flood, they did not thus yield. Their leaders
saw the danger and the remedy. Their only hope
Was in the power of'an idea —tho sentiment of
nationality—patriotism; Instantly every thing
that would" kindle or strengthen the national self
consciousness was seized upon and cultivated.
The ancient war cries and histories and heroes,
even the forgotten legends and the obsolete words
of the national life were revived. The idea grew
strong, and subjugation or absorption was impos
sible.
And is there no lesson here for the churches
of our Assembly? That the day of our greatest
peril as a denomination is past, we are happy to
know. Ecclesiastical self-consciousness has begun
within our body. It is a hopeful sign. But it
is quite useless for us to shut our eyes to the fact
that between two active, aggressive, strongly de
nominational neighbors, we were in great danger
of disorganization and absorption from the lack of
a proper church tone on our part. Without the
ecclesiastical sentiment acting as a coherent force,
it would have been impossible for us to have stood
our ground continuously. No amount of tough
ness in individual grains will stand the constant
attrition of the “upper and nether millstones.”
We must frankly concede that in attempting to
carry out the ideas of liberality, disinterestedness
and co-operation, to such an extent as to have
nothing of our own , we have gone to an extreme.
In the present imperfect state of the church uni
versal, this is simply Utopian. It will not do.
The first question for us is, “Are there reasons
why we should live as an organized body of Chris
tians?”: If we find in our history, our principles,
our position, reasons for our continued existence,
we must take proper measures to secure its per
petuity and expansion. To this end ecclesiastical
self-consciousness and organization are essential.
Hence, we look upon-the present reaction against
the ultra liberalism of our past course, as a healthy
reaction. For growth and vigor, for power to do
good to our land and the world, we need—not the
selfishness of sectarianism—but the tonic effects of
a proper Christian denominationalism. ~ We do
not hesitate to say, that irr three-fourths of our
churches, it is our duty to cultivate the denomi
national spirit. The time may come when this
spirit will need to be cheeked. We pray that
when that day arrives, we may have grace to see
the evil and honesty to fight against it. As yet,
with the mass of our people, this element of power
needs stimulating. v
In Philadelphia, which comes more immediately
under our uotiee, we see the happy results of an
advanced tone of the denominational sentiment.
In Philadelphia—and in no city have we had
greater obstacles thrown in our way—we see a
united band of churches aiding each the other,
and combining to build new churches, to meet
the wants of a rapidly-growing population. By
acting together, ancLby directly cultivating the
family sentiment, every attempt to do good is made
more hopeful. Strange as it may seem to some
good men, who see no charity except in insisting
upon a compulsory co-operation—where co-opera
tion means endless strife—it yet is true that .we
may strengthen in our performance of denomina
tional action for ecclesiastical ends without losing
liberality and love, and without ceasing to delight
in Christian union for the ends which it can best
attain.
That our churches come slowly to this convic
tion, affords no reason for doubting that they come
surely to it. They cannot do otherwise/ In fact,
there is more real than apparent unity in this be
lief. The most tangible manifestation of a church
sentiment of this sort is at the contribution-box.
To take this test as decisive, would lead us to sup
pose that there was but a-moderate amount of sym
pathy for the sehemes of usefulness inaugurated
by our General Assembly. But this is a current
slow to take newcbannels. Benevolence flows in the
old river-beds with a placid quiescence, semi-vir
tuous, semi-instinctive, when it has not force enough
to burst barriers and pour forth fresh streams in new
channels. And then each church thinks that it has
its hands full. It has sympathy, but “cannot do
any thing just now,” Hence the financial steam
gauge does not point high m this direction. Wo
believe —we know —that thesteam is rising, though
it has not yet reached the degree of pressure that
forces wide open the purse.
The ministry are, generally, in advance of the
people in this respect. They come more imme
diately in contact with the facts, and are more fa
miliar with their bearings. But, wherever our
laymen get the facts they are ready to act upon
them. When the whole subject is understood,
the Denomination will be substantially a unit upon
it.
For the present, those interested in the respon
sibility of an assembly’s delegated work must be
willing to endure anxiety and toil. They must
hold on., for the tide is rising. Yet, it is the very
least that our pastors and sessions can do to stand
by those upon whom they have laid these anxieties
and responsibilities. .In many of our churches
nothing has been done the past year for the Publi
cation cause, or for church extension. Especially
In the former enterprise, m which a large outlay
at first is indispensable, the burden has been
'thrown far too much'upon a few. By this time,
all should be ready to lend their aid to the work.
The very smallest contribution of the poorest church
in our body would be cheering to the committees
upon whom we have thrown weighty responsibili
ties. The aggregate of such contributions would
be a source of strength, not only m a moral, but
also in a pecuniary point of view.
But wo must not be unreasonable. The train
ing of twenty years in a virtual dislike of all de
nominational action is not to be overcome in one
year or in five years. But. that our churches are
steadily opening their eyes to the absolute need
of a stronger organic life and action, is undeniable.
We repeat, that we believe this change to be a
wholesome one. Yet do we need great wisdom,
and patience, and an humble, earnest godliness,
lest in curing one evil we fall into others.
May the great Leader of His flock guide‘ and
bless us! . .
PHILADELPHIA INQUIRER.
The Pennsylvania Inquirer, one of the eld
est and most respectable of our city dailies, ap
pears in a complete new dress, a la mode of the
popular journals of New York. It has an air
of elegance and beauty that is attractive. A
'large double sheet, filled with every thing that
every body desires to read for two cents, is an
experiment which the Gothamites think cannot
succeed in provincial towns like Boston and
Philadelphia; but we trnst that Mr. Harding
will be able to demonstrate that some things
may be done in Philadelphia as well as New
York. Thirty years’ experience has given cou
rage to doff the name of the Commonwealth, to
emerge from the woods, and take the more lo
cal name of the township.
The Inquirer lias always been a fajr, reliable,
and dignified paper, and we hope it will not
deem it necessary to pattern after the prevailing
vices of its New York contemporaries, and be
come in any- degree a panderer to a vitiated
taste in orderfto but will ever continue
to be a sheet fit to be introduced and read in
the family, and at all times maintain with bold
ness the vital principles of virtue and religion.
The secular press, one of the influential educa
tors of the people, has contributed not a little
to debauch and corrupt the popular taste in
teaching that government was only a reward for
the successful party, and that the spoils belonged
to the victors. Where success is every thing,
and character and principle nothing, it may
be safe to divorce, in certain cases, politics from
religion, but religion from politics never.
THE CHURCH EXTENSION COMMITTEE.
Our readers will rejoice with us in the an
nouncement that the Church Extension Committee
is able to meet all approved applications.
It follows from this announcement, that all our
churches that need aid, and ought to have it, can
now obtain it, either through the Home Mission
ary Society, one of its branches, or through the'
Church Extension Committee. Many reflections
will arise in our readers’ minds as they read these
words, one of which is that it goes pretty far to
wards settling the Home Missionary question.
The Church will have aid for her children, and so
she says —Aid viam inveniam aut faciam. It'
might be well, among other suggestions, in rela
tion to the next Assembly, to consider whether
there:is not danger of doing too,much as well as
doing too little. We should keep our eye on the
substanee of things, .not on names or shadows.
Why not let every church, and Presbytery, and
Synod, have their eboice as to the method of car
rying on their domestic missionary operations?
One of the faults of our great church quarrel was
the forcing of a particular method of missions on
the churches. When any considerable body of
the Church wish a particular method of conducting
missions, let them have it.- In this point of view,
the establishment of the Church Extension Com
mittee was sound policy. So some outlet will
probably have to be those-wbo prefer
church action in Foreign Missions. But we must
he careful not to coerce those who prefer other
methods of operation in Home and Foreign Mis
sions. Free action will lead, in the end, to united
action.
The new appointments of the Church Extension
' Committee, not heretofore announced, are
1. The Rev. G. W. Elliott, Milwaukee, Wis.
2. The Rev. J. G. Whitney, Forest City, Min.
3. The Rev. William Porterfield, Washington
and Ainsworth, lowa. r
4. The Rev. M. Waldenmeycr, Nauvoo, 111.
5. The Rev. L. F. Severance, Suspension
Bridge, N. Y. t
There has not yet been a response to the offer
of the gentleman who proposed to pay one half of
the expense of a missionary to Kansas. Shall
we not hear from some one or more of our friends
as to this matter ?
Protestants in Austria.— -Positive information
has been received that the Hungarian Protestants
will never accept the Imperial octroi, “ but .will Con
tinue to insist on their right to settle the internal
affairs of their Church and schools in the way de
termined by the Synods which were held at Pesth
and Buda in the year 1791.’’ Late intelligence
from Austria states that Imperial permission has
been granted to the Protestant Consistories in Hun
gary for them to assemble in Conference and decide
on the means to be proposed to Government for the
redress of their grievances. And a despatch from
Vienna of the 13th says the reforms promised in the
Ministerial programme are about to be granted.;
Each province will receive a Constitution and ad
ministration of its own--
TEDS SABBATH IN PENNSYLVANIA.
We have received from Mr. Wiidey, our Repre
sentative at Harrisburgh, a copy'of the report in
relation to our Sabbath laws, submitted a few days
since by Mr. Landon, Chairman of the Committee
-on Vice and Immorality. Certain petitions' had
been referred to this Committee, asking for “such,
a modification of the Sabbath laws as will .allow,
passenger railway cars and other conveyances to
run on Thg -rcport before us is a credit
both to the CoT|mittee and the Commonwealth.
We would bd'glai, if we could find space in our
columns, to give| the report entire. We must,
however, contentjourSelves with a brief abstract.
The report states that the hereditary policy of
Pennsylvania has! been to observe the Sabbath.
Laws in favor of ]the Lord’s day were established
m the very infancy of the (j° mmoawea^
these have been; repeatedly sanctioned by legis
lative and judicial action. The people of the
State, as a body, ljave given the policy their hearty
approval, and sternly repulsed every effort to
abrogate or seriously modify it* Hence the com
mittee demand qf any party claiming a repeal of
our present laws in this subject, that convincing
reasons be given for such a radical change in our
policy, and that jevidence be furnished that this
change is demanded by the public voice. The
Committee very satisfactorily answer the arguments
chiefly relied, on by the advocates of repeal or modi
fication- The first argument is, that “ the existing
Sabbath laws usurpation npon the personal
rights of tho hafeen ” To this the Committee
reply as follows . 1
The founders of our Government wisely ex
cluded from their plans an ecclesiastical establish
ment. But, m doing this, they were not so ob
tuse as to imagine that a State could flourish with
out the aid ob religion and morality. They not
only secured to eveiy citizen and every sect liberty
of opinion and. of worship, but- they recognised
Christianity as the religion of the country. In
our laws relating to oaths, to blasphemy, and the
Lord’s day; in the appointment of chaplains, and
in the observance' of days of fasting and thanks
giving, we have paid national homage to - the God
of the Bible. -It is the recorded'opinion of the
Supreax Court o£.,tbis State, that “ Christianity,
general Christianity, has always been a part of the
common law of Pennsylvania.” This imports that
we are a Christian people, and not a Mohammedan,
a Pagan, or an atheistic people. It neither sup
poses nor involves an organic union between the
civil and ecclesiastic it powers, much less the con
cession-of special pi Ivi leges to any religious se'et.
But it proceeds ,upon the acknowledged fact that
Christianity beginning, been' the re
ligion of the gfoat nSss of our people; that as
such, they claim tbe protection of the laws in the
exercise of their religious'rights; and that to deny
them this protection, would be of the essence of
tyranny on the -part of the government—espe
cially of a government which; like our own, recog
nises the will of the majority as its fundamental
law. r>-~ 1
This is one of the grounds upon which our
legislation on tins subject rests. Another is, that
the State needs-the sustaining influence of‘‘that
morality which derives its code, its sanctions, and
its efficiency fiow*the Bible. Republican insti
tutions have never survived the general decay of
public virtue. It is as essential to their healthful
action as the atmosphere is to animal and vege
table life. The instinct of self-preservation, there
fore, admonishes the State to abstain from all acts
whieh may weaken the restraints of morality. And
such is the obvimjjp tendency of enactments de
signed to secularist tbe fii st’day of the week. For,
in respect. certainfy.Ao communities and nations,-
truemorality is the offspring of Christianity; and
Christianity cannot reach the masses of the people
without its Sunday. W hatever consequences might
eo net religion obliterating frofo our statute-,
book the modotat«|ftD(Treasonable laws pointed at‘
in the petitions. theltSVate cannot afford to repeal
them It thee lawsAare repealed or essentially
modified, no reflectinglperson can suppose the’so
called r< form will the other laws whieh
recognise Christianity land its institutions have
been abrogated. this accomplished, the flood
gates of vice and immorality will be thrown wide
open in every part of the Coro monwalth. It would
be suicidal 111 the State to sanction this policy.
The.allegation that the “Sundaylaws” area
usurpation upon the personal rights of the citizen,
is a sheer assumption. That they may be regarded
as burdensome by individuals or sects which do
not accept the Christian system, is very true. But
this is an incident srifich pertains to all legislation.
In our country, at least, laws must reflect the will
of the majority of the people. If the working of
a law is attendedwifo inconvenience, it is better
that the few should suffer than the many. But
in thfe present case there is very little, if any, room
even for this plea;-;for the laws in question are
merely negative. They establish no church, they
impose no creed, they exact no service, they leave
every man free to adopt what religious dogmas he
chooses, or .to digcajfdV.il faiths. They require no
one to attendY pladpfof worship, or to contribute
to the support ot rijpgious ordinances/ They in
stitute no mquiry into the mode m which people
Bpend the Sabbath. They simply ordain that Sun
day shall be a day of. rest; that those who choose
shall have the opportunity of worshiping God with
out molestation, and that all secular avocations
which would conflict with these ends shall be sus
pended- Is there any real hardship in this? The
hardship would be dll on the other side. Let the
“Sunday laws-” be repealed at the bidding of a
small majority of our population, and the residue,
comprising the great mass of the people in every
part of the Commonwealth, might with reason
complain that the State, in depriving them of their
peaceful Sabbath, had virtually robbed them ,of
their right to worship God. Here would be a
positive invasion of the rights of conscience. . We
are not able to perceive that these rights are in
fringed by enactments which simply inhibit cer
tain worldly employments on the Sabbath.
The other consideration urged by the opponents
of our present Sabbath law is, that “it js especially
oppressive to the working classes to deprive them
of the use of thess jjjlpnveyanccs on their-only day
of leisure.” The alttwer by the Committee is that
Pennsylvania has treated her son 3 of foil, “as a
mother treats her and “because this
sentiment throbs with such power in her breast,
she has refused to do any thing which might dero
gate from the just authority of the Christian Sab
bath.” The Sabbath is claimed to be a strong
fortress ofmorality, and one of tbe chief defences of
the poor man’s health and freedom, against the
insatiate greed of avarice:— .
For tl}is day of' rest, important as it is to
all classes of society, jis indispensable to the work
ing man; It is the only day of the seven he can
spend with his family. It recruits his exhausted
frame; it places within his reach invaluable op
portunities for self-culture and improvement; it
supplies him with mfeans and incentives to frugal
ity, industry and integrity; it opens to him the
only sources of comfort and hope which are really
adequate and permanent.
These are no trivial advantages, but there are
others which must bit be overlooked' in this con
nexion. The SabbatMs the great barrier which pro
jects tfcre. laboring clwses against the wiles of am
bition and the encroachments pf merciless cupidity.
Neither king-craft nor priest craft can long delude
a people who make '£ true use of their Sabbaths.
And no intelligent operative can be so blind as not'
to see that if this ragteioiis, money-making spirit
of the age could have its way, it would compel
him to work seven days instead of six. What, in
faot, is the very proposal now before us? Should
the prayer of these' petitioners be granted, it
would bear with cruel severity upon the. per
sons employed by the 'passenger railway and
omnibus companies..'' In ; the capacity of con
ductors, drivers, hostlers,' ticket-agents, switeh
tenders and the like, they and their families must
already number several thousand individuals in
this Commonwealth, and this aggregate is con
stantly increasing. Those who are familiar with
the services these men perform, are accustomed to
think that it is already sufficiently rigorous. What
would it become if they were compelled to spend the
Sabbath also in the same way ? Is it for the State,
instead of throwing -her -parental over this:
great company of her children, to break down the
last dyke which: protects them against the pitiless
surges of avarice, and surrender them to its fatal
embrace? Is it acting the part of a parent for her
to say to them, you must relinquish to your em
ployers even that day of rest, which the slaves on
every. Southern plantation are allowed to call their
own? We cannot.think so. We believe that the
State has no moral right to become the oppressor of
her own citizens. She certainly may not connive at
the oppression of the weak by’the strong; least of
all may she use, for these illegitimate ends, a'day
which is not hers to give away.
The report concludes:—
In the “Great Law,” passed in the Assembly
at Chester, soon after his first landing, Dec. 12,
1682, William’Penn has recorded his estima
tion of the Sabbath as one of the main safeguards
of civil and religious liberty. In the first article
of this code, the design of which is declared to be,
“that God may have his due, Caesar his due,.and
the people their due, so that the best and firmest
foundation may be laid for the present and future
happiness of both the government and people of
this Province,” he thus ordains:—“To the end
that looseness, irreligion, and atheism may not
creep in under the pretence of: conscience, in
this Province, be it further enacted by’the autho
rity aforesaid, that, according to the good example
of the primitive Christians, and for the ease of the
Creation, every first day of the Week, called the'
Lord’s Day, ; people shall abstain from their com
mon toil and labor, that whether masters, parents,
children, or servants, they may the better dispose
themselves to read.the scriptures of truth at home,
or to frequent such meetings of religious worship
abroad, as may best suit their respective persua
sions.” (Hazard’s Annals 1602,1682:)
Since the abrogation of the Sabbath laws would,
be absolutely oppressive to a large mass of labor
ing people; would tend directly to the increase of
vice; would be contrary to the known convictions
of the patriot worthies of the past, and in contra
vention of all previous legislation; would be re
pugnant to the moral sensibilities of, the great mass
of the best citizens throughout the State, and di
rectly in conflict with the statutes of Revelation,
therefore we submit that the prayer of the peti
tioners should not be granted, and accordingly be
it
Resolved, That the abrogation of the existing
Sabbath laws would be unwise in itself, and vicious
in its results, and the Committee are hereby dis
charged from the further consideration of the sub
ject. • •’ Geo. Landon,
Jeremiah Schiedel,
Kennedy L. Blood.
/For the American Prosbyteriau,
“THE SHORTER CATECHISM WITH
PROOFS."
In your notices of New Books, you recently re
ferred to the new edition of the Assembly’s Shorter
Catechism, issued by the Publication Committee.
Tour commendation was richly deserved. I have
compared it with many others, and find none to
approach it in fulness and appropriateness of the
texts adduced in proof of the doctrines advanced.
The analysis is very complete; and being in the
very words of the text, furnishes essential help to
the memory. This catechism is now a complete
exposition of the doctrines of our church, proved
and illustrated by abundant quotations from the
holy-Scriptures. It ought to be in the hand of
every member of the church, of every teacher in
the Sabbath School, and of every pastor.
As a book for Sabbath School instruction, it is
invaluable, The is no, longer dry anil,
repulsive; the’ words of living truth quoted, to
prove its positions, are so pointed and clear, that
the one helps to explain and illustrate the other.
In most of our Sabbath Schools, verses of the Bible
are largely committed to memory. I would sug
gest to teachers that they encourage their pupils
to commit the answer to one of the questions, and
the verses cited in proof, or a part of them, as
their Scripture portion. The advantage would be
that the bearing of the Scripture upon the doctrjne
will explain that, while the doctrine will explain
the Scripture, and aid the memory in its retention.
Try it, and you will be satisfied that a hundred,
or a thousand, verses, thus learned and thus con
nected, will be better understood, and better re
membered, than the same number committed con
secutively, or at random.
A S. S. Superintendent.
•‘‘ANNALS OF THE POOR.” -
“ THE ORPHAN.”
It will be remembered by those who read the
“Annals,” that this young woman's ease was pre
sented some two or three months since. It at
tracted a good deal of attention, and enlisted the
sympathy and good offices of one of the ladies
whose faith and works have gone hand in hand,
unobtrusively, hut efficiently, with us from the
beginning. We now recur to it because of the
interest that attaches to her history sinee our first
interview with her. We think’this may be safely
done, inasmuch as neither herself nor any ope else,
except those who have taken a personal interest
in her welfare, .have any knowledge or intimation
of her identity with “The Orphan.”
After being supplied with suitable clothing, she
commenced attending our evening meetings, and
soon became overwhelmed with a sense of her sins.
There was no mistaking. the depth of her convic
tion and distress. , We instructed her as best we
could, and steadily pointed her to Christ as able
and williug. to. save to the uttermost all who come
to Him. sßut her distress continued. In the
mean time, she was one of the first to join the
mourners’ class in the 3- School, whose teacher
also visited her at home. The result is, as might
well be hoped and expected, she has found peace,
in believing, and desires to connect herself with
a Christian church. ,
We wish those who may have access to the.
published Annals, would once more read the case
of this orphan, as there presented. She is inva
riably present at S. S., and at meeting, and ap
pears to. be at peace.
But she is yet severely tried, although making
np complaint. As heretofore stated, she washes
for a living, bat has not enough to do, her earn
ings being hardly sufficient to supply her daily ne
cessities. We called upon her two or three days
since, and observed her stove was gone. On in
quiry into .the cause of this, she related that she
had bought it of a stove dealer—-that the other
day an agent of some society had stepped in, and
seeing the stove, claimed it as belonging to them
selves, although the letters of their mark had been,
effaced, or nearly so. It was in vain she pleaded
that she had bought it in good faith—it.was taken
from her, leaving her nothing to cook with, and
no means-, of replacing it. Fortunately, some
kind lady had given us a small wood stove, and
this we gave fier. How she is to get wood is still
another question. It seems a hard case—very
hard, but she does hot complain. B.
, There is no such way to attain to greater mea
sure of grace, as for a man to live up to' that little
grace he has.
THE BAHAMA ISIIipDS. .
'•:• (Thi-.f0110m4
eye of a friend, loutafts so much
with regard to a favorite place of resort or
valids, that it cannot fail deeplyto interesfcmany
of our readers.)
New Proviso Bahama W
Dear Sir:—As yon were kind enough to ,ca
my attention to this place as a healthy, retreayi
will not let another mail go up without fulfilling
my promise to write to you» . .
You will be interested to know what have been
my impressions of this place. It is a comfortable
town, in an agreeable location, with well-pave
streets, and tight and well-ceiled houses.
In all but the business parts of the pity, these
houses are surrounded by gardens, which give it a
rural aspeet. On the ridge from which the city
descends a fine view can be had, both seaward and
inland. This ridge is flanked at either end by a
fort. The one at the east,, Fort Fincastle, is ele
vated about 150 feet from the sea, and is a place
of frequent resort for us to get the pure air. . That
at the West is not so highland is kept as a maga
zine for the stores of the regiment. Neither would,
be of much, use in modern warfare, but are curious
as relics of Spanish rule. - Midway on the ridge ;
is the Governor’s house, overlooking the town and
the. distant parts of the Island. . There are three
roads available as drives, one to the east, along the
shore, one to the west, and one across the Island.
That to the east is the most frequented, and here
may be seen, after 4 o’clock, the Groverhpr s lady,
the Attorney General, the Chief Justice, and other
dignitaries, taking, their afternoon ride. It does
not present much variety of landscape, but is open
to a pleasant sea-breeze from the north-east. The
Estates, which you pass, show but the, remains of
former thrift and cultivation. Some of the houses
are inhabited, others are only used as “maroon”
places. The lands, with the exception of a few
acres which are planted in oranges and pme apples,
have run to waste, and are covered thick
growth of brush and palmetto., A good house, out-,
buildings, and anindefiuite number of acres, may be,
bought for two orthree Hundred dollars. The com
plaint is “no labor to be had.” The Africa* l will
not work unless compelled by his necessities, and
these are soon supplied, so that, if it were not for
one tribe, the “NaDgoes,” which seem by nature to
be more industrious and thrifty than the others,
we should lack even the meager supply we now
have in the markets, and our other industrial ope
rations would have to cease for want of laborers.
The road to the west terminates hear three eaves,
which are objects of some interest. The chambers
accessible are blue-washed by the action of the
sea-air upon the limestone. They have trees
growing from their bottom out through openings,
in the top. One is takenpossessioh of by a swarm
of bees, who bid defiance to all unprotected visi
tors. From one of them a narrow opening seems
to indicate much unexplored beyond.
, The road across the Island mounts the “Blue
Ridge,” and from its top gives a view of wilder
ness andpwie barrens with two good-sized salt lakes.
The Island is about fourteen miles long and seven
broad, with no other settlement of white people but
at Nassau. Thus you have a general description of
the present state of an Island, which might have
upon it an abundant supply of produce for man
and beast, beside acres planted in cotton, coffee,
oranges and pine-apples. - -
Of the climate enjoyed here in the winter,
candor compels me .to speak favorably j. with the
exception of about three weeks in January, which
were too wetfor invalids, the remainderof the time
has been continued sunshine. The mercury .in,
the thermometer has ranged from 70° to 80°.
The north and north-east winds, which have
brought you many a bleak storm, have come to us
tempered by their passage over the sea and the
gulf stream, so as to be only a pleasant and
bracing wind, sinking the thermometer in the
night perhaps to 63°, but at noon only to 68° or
70°. We have a sea-breeze at nearly all hours;
the prevailing one from the east,and north-east.
When the south wind blows it is oppressive, espe
cially if the air is full of moisture; but not as
warm as upon the more southern Islands. The
uniformity of temperature from day to day is
quite noticeable, and if one is not affected by the
salt particles, which must be constantly in the
air, and by the relaxing nature of the south wind,
I do not see why it is not a favorable residence.
In the wet season, August and September, they
have a miasm which blows,over from the south:
that produces a slight intermittent, especially upon
the natives, but it is not thought seriously of.
What is most needed now for the prosperity of
the Island, is a better supply for the market. It
can never become popular to United States people,
unless they import American cooks and get Ameri
can supplies. The hotel in its present contract
ed shape has been opened, but the gentleman
from New York who was to keep it, has failed to
come, and it is under the management of rather
an inefficient Bahaman, with negro cooks. So
that that, as well as the other boarding-houses* set
tables often most uninviting to Yankee appetites.
We have the shapes of poultry, ribs of beef, and
legs of mutton, but they proveto be the toughest,
most tasteless caricatures of the genuine article.
As to vegetables we have only what the ground
produces spontaneously, yams, sweet potatoes,
pumpkins, and beans.
There is now a hill before the present legisla
ture to,, employ a steamboat to run between the
different islands. . This will facilitate i.nter-comnm
nication- and an interchange of supplies. The
merchants, who feel confident of the coming pros
perity of the place, are making every effort to
bring about the changes needed. ..... •
W e have nearly sixty American visitors here this
season. Among them, as you have read, General
Pierce and wile. Nearly all speak well of the.
climate, but desire better accommodations. The
citizens have been quite hospitable, and. we have
had many sources of entertainment. There are
popular lectures every fortnight at the Bahama
Institute, and in the alternate weeks musical soi
rees, open to the members, the performers being
amateurs. Twice a week the band of the regiment
play upon the public square, and twice a week they
parade there.
Every week the Governor and lady receive calls
from two to five on Wednesday] and thosewho favor
her with a call are invited to parties at the govern
ment house. The other citizens have made en
tertainments for the strangers, the most popular
of which is the “maroon,” which differs from our
“ pic-nie,” in that the host furnishes the eatables
and takes the party to his country house instead
of the woods. <
A distinguished visitor hero at present, is Sir
Gore Ousely and wife and daughter. He is on
his return from his mission 'to Central America,
and designs to stop a month. He spent a week
with the Governor, hut has since taken a house.
His wife is daughter of a Governor of Yermont
so that she can sympathize with American citizens*
even though she is now an English “Lady.’'
His daughter displays much skill in horsemanship,
; '"ipril 12,
.1 1
issho beautiful saddle
%>re we mieefc at the library,
which is to us another>place of agreeable resort.
It is stocked with the standard works, beside a
'gbod deaT bf populaf and ligHt reading, so that we
ai@ never at a; loss, for a good-book as a compamon.
Boating* and huotihg Rafter shells, with
riding, make
As to our religious privileges, we have ex
cellent preaching from Dr. Maclure. He is a
man quite above medipcrity. withal a poet He is
spirituals his feelings,and kindand warm-hearted
towards the strangers. He has been here twenty
six years, having visited Scotland and the United
States in 1843. The Sunday school service is
held from 9to 10—30 on Sabbath morning. Tbe
good order and discipline of tbe school is quite
creditable, and would compare favorably with our
best schools at home. At first view it appears
strange to see colored teachers and classes inter
mingled with the white, bat soon habit overcomes
what was first repugnant, and reconciles us to
many things we see among these practical amal
gamationists. /
Mr. Maclure’s chbiris composed of colored per
sons, and one of his elders, the only one out of
four who is* willing, to* lead in prayer, is a colored
man. This latter is a member of the legislature
now in session.
There are' four denominations here rthe Wes
leyan, the Uhureh of
England, and Baptist. The, former have two
churches, and one or two chapels among the co
lored populatwn. Jdr. JHaclure, being alone here,
has no chapel—but many colored people attend
worship at his church. The government church
.have two large churches and four chapels among
the colored people, so that the spiritual wants of
these thousands of Africans are egred for, if they
would but avail themselves of them, I do not
think they are adequately cared for, however,
since many are of different tribes," and can most
imperfectly understand English: The .law with
them is not the law of the Bible, but the law of
the police court, and being a most timid race, they
have a great dread of it.
I have said the legislature is now in session:
this is a matter of some interest to us, for we study
the laws and the politics of .’the islands for our
amusement. The whole affairis aminiatureimita
tion of the parliament. The governor opened the
session with a speech: the topics of State" were the
consolidation of certain lawsrelatingtothe Court
of Common Pleas, insolvency, sale of spirituous li
quors, and the police* the new. hotel, an esplanade,
or public walk, and a public play-ground; the im
provement of the harbor*- and a system of general
vaccination. ' 1
The speech was read in the presence of the
house, and a crowd of the fashionable ladies of the
city —mother citizens" "ware Admitted; besides most
of the visitors, Ex-PresideniPiercejwas honored
with a place next the governor, and his wife next
to Mrs. Bayley, the governor’s lady.
The legislature is qpite a family.- affair—the
members are all citizens of the town, though
elected to represent the out-islands; Many, have
never seen their* eonstituentsnortfceislands on
which they live: being “at'home/’ ahd many of
them owners of the. wrebJciiig «esse?s,they legislate
for their own benefit most carefully. They do not
tax their own real'estate; they will not form them
selves into an’active" militia, which in. a favorite
scheme of th& Tipme government.; and they are
sure, as far. as they can, to make wrecking laws
quite favorable to their own interests, There are
two parties, the “people’s party,” and-those who
favor tbe governmentschemes,:.- The salvage given
by the Chamber of Commerce and Courts here, is
from forty-five to seventy or eighty per cent.,
usually fifty. In the Florida Cotirts they get only
fifteen or twenty, and it pays them well.
We have-had five wrecks comeiiisince I have
been here, and the fleet of wreckers in the harbor,
the display of wrecked goods festooned upon every
shop window* and. the; song of the wreckers’ crew
while at work, makes the town quite lively.
EDITOR'S TABLE. 4
NEW PUBLICATIONS.
The following books have been placed npon onr
table, and will receive,-the attention of the editor
as soon as he shall be able to examine and appro
priately notice them further:—
THB BORTIOS OF THE SOTO. THE CHRISTIAN
XIFE. Two Treatises in One. By Herman Hooker,
B. D. Fourth Edition. .Philadelphia: H.' Hooker,
S. W. corner of Chestnut and Eighth Streets.
THE FLORENCE STORIES. By Jacob Abbott. Grim
kie. New York’: Sheldon & Go. For sale by Lind
say & Blaklston, Philadelphia.
RITA: An Autobiography. Copyright Edition: Bos-
Mfyhevv & Baker. For sale by G. G. Evans,
Philadelphia.
STORIES FROM FAMOUS BALLADS. For Cbil
dren. By Grace Greenwood. Author of « History of
tey England,” etc., etc. With illus
trations by Billings. Boston : IScknor & Fields. For
sale by J. B. Lippincott & Co., Philadelphia.
S t Y nt,f D SE t L A By AUthor of “ Wide wide World •”
Dollars, and Cents.” In Two Volumes. Philadel
phia: J. B. Lippincott & Co. . -
MAMMa’S LESSONS ABOUT JESUS. By a Mother.
Philadelphia: William S. & Alfred Martien.
fitEMORIAI, OF J.ADDISON ALEXANDER, D. D.
Philadelphia: W. S. &A. Martien.
R for ß thp!J? w E w hospital
w- ® FOR THE YEAR 1859 - ByTho-
PhUad lo the Institution.
Philadelphia: 1860.
ASTOUNDING DISCLOSURES AND FRAUDS IN
THE LIQUOR TRAFFIC. Published by P. S. T. S.
To be bad at the Tract Society, Philadelphia. ..*
MARTYRS op THE MUTINY; or TriaU and Tri
umphs of Christians in the Sepoy Rebellion in India.
S. a v^ ntr t n 0 by Eey - Jotn Adkins, D.D.
Philadelphia: Presbyterian Publication Committee.
8 ° F RAINBOW AND LUCKY. THE
THREE PINES. By Jacob Abbott New York:
OT So?J?,S ,? . ” Vi ™ TOM DIBCOvaitERS IN
SCIENCE AND THE USEFUL ARTS, A Book for
luJrar ° ld ’ S. A. With II
r"- 8 A -° rk: ***« & Brothers. For
sale by Lindsay & Biakiston, Philadelphia
ThhS3*® 01rAKT SPIRIT IN Chudrin—
“ , a . re points on which the rising
°, nsh u a d carefully trained by tbeir
wn f f 6 eachers. Among the multiplicity, the
t nnssions should be occasionally laid be-
This
toun.hinl y u! T^ e t“ bjectis vast fand many tender,
reariili: hi dUBtTa^ODS ' are famished, which could
vouThful ™- 80 h pre^nted 88 to deeply affect the
to SfL - inaybe thus edneated
tip onm i a Pd contribute of their lit-
Der^nnuir°‘K tl? ® e “S® i P 11 caase > *» besides
maiip in Kk D fu ted ‘ Well-directed remarks,
tendon: Sa^> a th schools by ministers, soperin
heathel and others, about the condition of the
- ® YOirldj and; the efforts of pious mission
thi !’^ d , e r %cjpus purposes of Jesus Christ,
fp Missionaries,.may be so blessed that
: ~ o.Lttle scholars, In a few years, the force
he mission field will be greatly augmented.
x ;■ . i* U. P. of the West.