GENESEE, EYAKfiEUST.—WhoIe No. 730.
For the American .Presbyterian.
GOD’S COMMAND.
sv i. o. aivtai.
• <;' do forth, my servant, ahdiproclalnl
Salvation in your paviourt namej
Wherever tin bath rolled its tide,
Salvation preach, afar add wide.
Salvation! from that rjjffcteous law,
Which holds a guilty World in awe,
A guilty world In wirath o’orwholms,
And to e&raal death condemns.
Salvation'! from the guilt of sin,
And eih’i corruptive WOrK within
Ihe heart of mdn, so full guile,
Py thoughts, and,lips, and nets arc vile.
Salvation! from the dreadful doom, .
That sinks the wretched soulip gloom#- ,
When wrapt in shrouding shades of death, ;
Be pants awajr his dyingbreatlv'- •“ t 1" 4
Salvation! in my blesaed Son,
To whom for refuge all may run,
. And,-safety there, for ever hide
Their Weift sohW iti his dear ride.
Salvation 1 which, in Him alone,
lilts from the footstool to the Throne,
All men the goapel who receive, ■
Repent return, confess, believe.
Go! preaoh salvatlom.hastethee.fly!
Salvation! O, salvation cry! •’ : ■
Ifer wsf by itay, norreit bight,
1 Wahthe worrdis filled vtffh light.
€o#wswmbtt«.
. . > * •:r’~v*l T <v ’
o*s?bia.
■J r TO -THJ, lADtKS OP THE WESTEBN OHXTEOH.
; D!bak Sisters If my poof communications
oanserve to increase your interest in oar work,
-and make you feel more acquainted with your
missionaries, and feel that it is yonr work we
ate doing, or rather, the work yon are
Peiping ns to do, I shall feel a thousand fold re
paid for all I can say or write, ,
Wdnld that you could visit ns in onr moun
tain home! Just fancy yourselves On board a.
noble steatner in the harbor of Beirut, and you
have before yon one Of the finest views in the
world. TheOltyisbeantifnHysitu'atedonthe
Cape, stretching fat back amongthe'thoUsands
oforchardsofmulberry;olive,andfig!trees; and
beyond this bright Scene, in the backgrottnd,
tower the high peaks of LebabOh. is win
ter, and .’dil the upper hills are covered With
snow.andas yOn gaze upon thesd gigantic
thaues, all sparkling in thebright arieutaisnh,
•you wiHJanoy Ms old Lebanon's coronation day.
t Leave the crowded steamer, -pass .the city
gates, monnt a sure-footed Arab steeds and soon
you’ll cross the sandy plain, and begin to as
cend by a evoked, zfgisitg path, the mountain
eides, Hundreds of yiUages aro
over the varying flcene,:andmauy of ;tbe peaks
jare- cultivated f qnite to the 'top, by being ,#er-i
,raced ipp-j that is, the gronnd is,made into
stairs; each stair forms a narrow field, with a
thick stone wall ineach side, and each rising
higher and higher,till,the mountain-peak is con
•vetted Into’a ynitgreob; stair-case, most beauti
ful tcfthe eye, and showing the industry and pa
tience of these hardy sons of the. mountain.
Some are ioovered with fields of grain, others
•with mulberry, olive, fig, apricot, walnut, and
{almond trees. Andmorethan all, the delicious
fgrapeisoultivated in almost endless variety and
perfection. - Other peaks aroeovered with bare,
oragged rooks, with not a tree or a shrub, ex
cept a little, straggling thorn-bush, which.tempts
-none to ollnjbexoept the hungry goats and their
faithfal shepherd. How yon descend a deep
gorge, and ford a mountain torrent, babbling
Its noisy way over the rocks. How you walk
earofttliy and with a swimming brain thet edge
of a fearful precipice, where- a single'mis-step
*of your horse would plunge you into the awfal
abyss, far, far below. After four or five hours
-of climbing, your Arab guide poiuts to a large
village on the top of a high peak, and shouts,
“Bhamdun 1” You think you are almost there,
bat how these mountains deceive theweary tra
veller! You have got to descend a deep ra
vine, amd toil up a steep mountain. Hold fast
to the mane of yonr faithful beast, and let him
piok 'his Own way among the rooks, and he will
bring you safely up. And tjwn the fine view of
the bine Mediterranean Sea, spread out. in vast
expanse at yonr feet; the higher mountains
• towering high above, with their tops covered
With the everlasting snow; the eool, invigorating
breezes, and our most hearty welcome, I am sure’
Will repay all your toil. All the-simple villagers
will salute you as ryon pass along, and any one
Will gladly conduct" you to the missionary’s
house. It is an humble abode, rudely built of
stone, laid Up in massive thickness, without mor
tar, BB##>ugbly finished and,plastered vrfth mud
on the taSide/ Wfth a few Btnall wittdows. As I
said before, ’tis winter now, and the cold wind
whistles through the cracks, scattering the snow
oyer the floor, causing ’as to shiver, and to draw
closer to our nice little Yankee stove,’and to
'pat an additional stiok Of wood into the fire.
Gnr furniture is simple jet comfortable, and we
would not exchange our mountain home for the
finest, palace in your beautiful city, because we
. love these poor people, and long to bring them
to the Saviour. There Is’Hope In labdrihg for
these people; . there is many a jewel bright nnder
these rough exteriors. These people, though
dark-minded, and sunk in supersti
tion, have some good traits. There is very lit
tle attest' spirits dftffik. I have never seen a
drunkard in the streetsintl4»eountry. A small
quantity of Arabia made from distilling raisins
here every year, but little is drunk, thongh they
are most inveterate smokers,..The. mountain
people are very industrious and saving, and when
not oppressed hy their superiors ate guite happy
and comfortable. Such are the people of Bham
dun. There are very few suffering poor here.
How since, in imagination, we have conducted
you to pur distant home, we will invite you to
call on some of the people, and see them in their
houses; and as it is the day of my usual weekly
prayer-meeting with the women, will yon come
with me? We hold.it every afternoon at the
house of o*dear sister in ,the other part* of the
village. On arriving at her hoase, we find ?
bright fire burning in thc c |lt|le, round fire-plhce
in the room. There is no chimney; tho Bmoke
all stays in the room, or goes out at the open
door or the cracks about the window, Sheep
skins, with the wool-side up, are spread on the
door around the fire, and a little piece of car
pet and a cushion for the expected guest, A
few mats, jugs and pottery, plates and kettles,
make up the household furniture. No table,
chair, or quilts, spread on the
floor, is the bed of thfc East. lin Mora ls a
poor widow; blit Bhfe is rich in faith! ThOUgh
it is very hard for her to get her scanty clothing
froth year td year, shb aKiMys her little
bag ofraisihs to put in ISO febtMiy ? olf the Lord;
Here we shall meet from fifteen to twenty fe
males, arrayed in their simple cotton garments}
and their black veils of their own work. We
will an sifcaronnd the smoky fire. One of the
nativeslsterswillopen the meetingwithpraycr.
ThOnl will read and explain to th em‘a chapter
titmi m all ;freely speaK»| feelings
and hhpeai l aftef about tire'Mdee with
prayer. 'These dear seasons are very profitable
to all who attend, and the more encouraging as
there is more* Of a' Spiritual movement here thhn
anyfrbereelseiri Sytiaamongthe women. Our
on the Sabbath is still increasing In
numbers and interest, so that in all, I have over
forty females in these little meetings.
Dear sisters in Philadelphia, do pray for me
and pray for these, your poor Lebanon sisters.
To-day several of the women were in tears at
our meeting, and a solemn feeling seemed to
pervade their’whole hearts. Were you to call
with ns on every family in Bhamdun, all would
give us a most hearty welcome, spread Lor us a
clean rug or a nice sheep-skin beside the fire,
and bring us a plate of fine raisins of their own
making, and some of the richer ones would
Offer Us a little bOp of Black coffeej Md a pipe,
if We would smoke. We would visit the schoofe
and find the children all seated on the grbnhd;
Or each' sitting on his own sheep-skin, with their
eyes as bright, and their faces ait intelligent aS
need be; And if you could only Understand
thisgreatmysteryof BabelytheArabielangaage,
you would be delighted ■to hear their leSsons.
•You would’find the people ■ coming 4b onr house
from all directions, and frbm great distancesi’for
medicines for the maladies of their* bodies, and
thUa givitig us almost constantopporfcnnityto
speak to them of Christ, the only Physician fob
the soul.. .
Be 'assured of Sfriy^armest r lore, and Most
heartyiseiWice in this-good work. ; < >' • '
■ < Ton#hffectiontttesister, -; n t> ! ■
: : - ; ' : LOAtfZA : 'CI-.:BEyTON. ’
- ‘BbemdaD, Mt. iebanon, Feb, SO, 18601 r ’ ‘
, For the American Presbyterian.
ABLEAPOB dkITBCB: EXTENSION
Messrs. Editorsla the last number of the
(American Presbyterian,, church extension: iama.de
-for -its.
0 vernation by pur churck courts is feared! But
( great. interests, nevertheless,, are ,afc stake. Mis
understandiDgs .exist, and n P small amount ,of ir
ritation, that should/lf possible, be removed.. -.
Bead a pamphlet of October last, by Bey. Z; A.
Mturay, Agent of the A..H.M; Society, for W.
N. York. Also an article of November last, in
the Now Englander, by Bey. .Dr. Button, of New
Haven. • •
. , Mr, Murray says in his pamphlet, that separa
tion from the Congregationalists in the work of
Home Missions, “is to he depreoated asadeadly
pestilence- Not one-in .ten of the members of the
co-operating denominations desires it;” that of
contributions to the A. H. M. Society, for the past
year, there was expended upon missionaries of our
own. denomination,, some $25,000 more than we
furnished; that the church extension movement is
fraught with “division,” and consequently with
ruin to our , prosperous church. Mr.'Button
charges us with betraying, in this codnedtion, the
principle of “ co-operative Christianity,” and with
unfairness in withholding our funds from the com
mon treasury. The aetjon of large ecclesiastical
bodies in New England, is also adduced in denun
ciation of this conrse as intolerable. How then
can so great a breach bo repaired? How can the
irritation thence derived, be allayed, so as best to
subserve the. cause of Home Missions, to which we
are mutually pledged? ’ Is it quite certain, after
ail, that separation from the A. H. M. Society,
would not he for the interests of all concerned?
With all deference to the Committee of Confe
rence, appointed by the last General Assembly,
who are yet to report; and although it infer a dis
solution of partnership with the A. H. M. Society;
reasons exist why, in our judgment, we should act
independently as a denomination, in the work of
Home Missions. "
1. Dissolving partnership, then, with the A.
EL M. Society, is no novelty. What does the his
tory of that society disclose on this subject?
When organized in 1826, it embodied, aside from
its present constituency, the Dutch Reformed,
Associate, Scotch and Old School Presbyterian.
The Dutoh Reformed, in process of time, seceded.
So also did the Old School Presbyterians. They
chose to act independently in the cause of Home
Missions, and have been wonderfully prospered by
the adoption of this course. Their own statistics
are proof positive of it. Nor by the confession of
Mr. Murray himself, was the A. H. M. Society
materially affected hy these changes. It went on
from strength to 'strength—its missionaries the
last year numbering one thousand and fifty-four.
Instead, therefore, of deprecating our separation
from that society as a deadly pestilence, we marvel
that it should have subsisted on the co-operative
principle so long, and accomplished such an im
portant work for God in its day and generation.
2 By acting independently as a denomination
on behalf of Home Missions, we, of coarse, escape
the charge oi sectarian bias in the misapplication
of-funds. Of all the difficulties which hinder the
progress of the church in our age, strife about money
matters, is, in our way of thinking, the most un
gainly, and the most at war with the true spirit
of Qod and of missions. Presbyterians are jealous
of Congregationalism, and Congregationalists are
jealous of Presbyterians in reference to this sub
ject. Call to mind, indeed, the first cause of.con
tention in the .primitive church, and hoW very’hu
miliating: “ When the number of the disciples
was multiplied, there arose a murmuring of the
(9rec?‘a?is agaiinst the Hebrews, because their
widows were neglected in the daily ministration',"
The charge of neglect, made by the‘Grecians,
may have been ill-founded; or thb Etbbrews, rktfer
PHILADELPHIA,
than the Grecians, having sold their estates in
order to amass the common fund, obtained a pre
ference in the dispensation of it. This, however,
is not material. We are reminded by it that
fhen a chanty, becomes vast and, complicated in
Jts, dispensation, misunderstandings will arise.
And as m that case, so in ours, this must be met
by; tlte institution of new safeguards in the way of
direct .accountability,; . They chose seven men
from among themselves to manage that trust.
And if we would shun like difficulties in the col
> lection and disbursement of funds, we should drop
entangling alliances with all other, denominations,
and endeavor, by God’s help, to prosecute the
Work of Home Missions on our own responsibility,
; 88 those who have a charge to keep..
3. By acting independently in the cause of
Home Missions, we shall: also, it m believed, best
seou*eth e collection o/funds. ; ; l
regard^
separation from
fraught- with division to our branch of the church
of Christ, but with starvation to the missionaries
themselves. “Not.one in ten of the co-operating
denominations Aesires it.” But is he quite sure
of this ? How, then, comes our General Assembly
to have acted with so, much unanimity in opposi
tion to his views ? We-know the affection which
exists .for the A. H. M, Society. Nor shall it be
found fault-with, temperateiy exercised. Bnt by
some it is lauded as an organism in the cause of
domestic,.missions, of far greater,moment, than the
church of God’s own planting. I know not the
experience of Mr. Murray in W. N. York. I can
testify for myself,-however,-that as the pastor of
some responsible; village chasges in that State, fqr
many years, lalways found s strong minority ,op
posed'to sending money out of the denomination,
to be spent in Home Missions. They felt that if
the church owed to herself any'duty, it was to look
after that interest. They regarded it not only as
qduty, but asfuntransferabfe. ; ; Men of business,
who looked for direct in r the disr
buraement of funds, sympathized with them in this
respect. .And the effect of itwasto sadly restrain
our collections. I have reason to know that, the
difficulty hereby complained of, was; also widely
spread. Not a few churches in our denomination
have joined the Old School body, rather than sub-
Juit tothe degradation tjf practically ignoring their
ownibrganiSm, lathe - furtherance of the cause of
God and of missions. And the whole history of
domestic missions, 4nour- country, is a farce, if it
idoesmot showtbat the way to. raise the greatest
amount of funds in this enterprise, is to aot ckno
minationalli/.) Even immediate effect of the
church extension movement, as instituted by the
General Assembly of 1855, has hefen to increase,
rather than diminish, this amount' of funds raised
for such an object in our churches.
4. By acting independently in the cause of
Home Missions,, we retain the confidence, .and an
kindofficeswith' our: Congregational;
tole Wished?
No small proportion of our denomination at the
North is of New England origin. , Not a few of
our church members were born and nurtured
Gon'gregationalists. We are surrounded also by
orthodox Congregational churches, meriting con
fidence. They sympathize with ns fully in our
views of missions, revivals, and necessary reforms.
And why sacrifice an immense moral power, by
waging a partisan warfere* to,t% Why do
it, specially ,at the West, where every form of
popular infidelity is rife, and all our strength is
needed to resist the common enemy ? The strife
springing up between us in: the last few yearn, and
even .upon missionary.ground, is a scandal to
Christianity, a grief to , and a fertile
source of dissensions and bickerings, that ought
to be healed. And: a sure remedy for this evil,
.and the restoration of confidence aipong brethren,,
so extensively; forfeited, |b independent denomina
tional agencies in the work of home evangeliza
tion. , ~ ; , Vli . .; ,
5. And exeept we act independently in the
work of Home Missions, how can we, as a deno-
our mission?
We boast of the trisdom of our church polity,
and of its .representative character and aims. We
conceive of it as well fitted to draw out the piety,
talents and resources of the church, in the furthe
rance of spy noble and Christian-like; enterprise.
And God has set us ah open door in the cause of
Home Missions, to go and work in his vineyard.
Why not,, then, usequrowflecolesiaßtirtal organism
for this purpose?, That Congregational Churehes
should find the need of affiliation in a society out
side of themselves, even in “civil corporation,”
for the accomplishment of such an end, is not sur
prising; .But. for what purpose do our sessions
and presbyteries exist, if not to engage in (his
work?. -, How can a church, which does not tax
its own energies in the support of the gospel, ex
pect to prosper? Her very fife and sueem has
always been identified with the spirit of missions.
He that watereth in this field, shall be Uratered
himself. And that labor in this field should ever
have been accounted by Presbyterians au “excep
tional,” rather than normal obligation devolved
upon them, is matter of profound humiliation and
grief. “ Tell it not in Gath, publish it not in
the streets of Askelon!” What mission have we
to accomplish at “such a time as this;” nay, for
, what reasons do we exist independently as a Chris
tian denomination, if not by our own agency to
gather a lost'world home to God?
Let none shrink back from having cried up, in
connection with this cause, “co-operative Christa?
anity.” We did not endorse it. But whether it
iWere right or wrong, b..immaterial. What is
sound policy at one period, may not be so at ano
ther. The great I)r. Owen was .charged by one
of h|s cotemporaries with contradicting an opinion
he had expressed fourteen years before. His re
ply was, “The man who finds no occasion to
change his opinions once in fourteen years, shall
not have me for a rival.” He expected to five
and learn. And when Drs. Biddle, Barnes and
others aje called r%idly to account for fike in
cqnsistency in reference ,to tie work of Home
Missions, it admits of satisfactory defence! Hay
God enable our brethren of the next General As
sembly, (like the men of Issachar that “had un
derstanding of the times, and knew what Israel
ought to do,”) to go forward “in faith, nothing
wavering.” L.
Reiidsburgh, Wis.,April, 1860.
. TtisuiiXS, says a modern philosopher,, are like
counterfeit money; .we, can’t hinder their" bring
6ff&£d,‘b<& Wm iiofcc6mpeli£d W (aheSthgifi! '
isw;- \
Forth® Ataefittui FrCsbyterian.
citTECH,
Messrs. Editors paper of last
week, you had an article ;|{jon ’ “ Behaviour in
Church,” item the /‘Chtiitian Tnstrucstbr.” I
have wondered why Pasters do not become in
strhctois on this all important matter. Is itpCs-
Bible,, they do hot see this waits of maimer ap
parent in their congregations? Kind words, from"
beloved pastors, will go farther to correct the evils'
which the Instructor depletes, than columns of
written matter. In early life, I was one of a con
gregation, thus appealed cp,- and the impression
left upon my mind and hdjbt, has never been ef
faced. The pastor spoke pwtibalarly Of the want
of solemnity apparent among his people while
receiving the benediction,. 1 never afterwards re
ceived it, as the glad dismissal from 'tire
some
pnd; "WffhF 'my '*first
Wdfe to receive the
benediction. ' Do pot the churches need sermons
upon the hearing l of Christianity uponthe man
ners of Clod’s people, ioh^^iSisJ^>ksef Our
SeOtilar papers eomplain df thoughtless young men
and women, Who disturb the lovSrs Of tousie, by
whispering, at operas anfftofteerts: It is not only
the young uni giddy but Edd’s professed friends,
who need to be reminded, that the 'house of God
is ho place for conversation. Kemembef, dear
Christian reader, “ The EerS iS in His holy tem
ple, let all the earth keep silence before Him.”
Enter His house, with a quiet; reverent manner.
Do not take your seat and,gaze about the house;
do not try to see every stringer, who may come,
and if you recognise a friend, whisper to
your neighbor, that so atoffso is sitting in the
third pew 'to the' right;' dp.;,not turn your head
when you hear the sexton’s creaking shoes ap
proach. It is to be regretted that he does not
fffdvide hirhSelf With; ’ligtiMtf:. solos; and moderate
that hurried bustling manhe|< of. his, when he leads
persons into the house bfi.|g||£ “Let all things
be; dbhh decently and List this be
preached ttrthe pe6pJe, ; Mtf!ifte preaebed to the
sextons, let it be pfeadbed io the pastors, and
there will he moire reverehy manners to be found
in the house of G'od. Congregations' will assem
ble noiselessly, soitobswill tread lightly, and pas
tors Will fe&aitt frdm'etudwng thmir note's to join
in the Songs of praise. : H. i ;
THE SABBATH THE* \fbRKING MAN’S
• ■ ■ ng-ftTtTpt 1 *
BY CHARLES PHILIP, PARMER.
Tito' wOrklhl tofoh to&ffMsbmetimes tempted
to repine against the 5 ' arpahgements of Provi
dence, but when he walks to the sauetpary to
hear the ambassador ofGjd proclaim the tidings
of a common saltation, ‘'le feels that the Sab-
Bath and its ordinances hpal or pre vehtany bit
terness of spirit against tyose who hold the pro
perty of the world. : . r .
irjlkid great*
defence affainst the wiSnny or ’the wealthy, in
the competition bhtweehwiohfep'and labor. The
Sabbath is the grecthfHiarteh Which secures ithe
tcofaforfcand independence of theiworkingrman;
and ,it is so, only because it .is § Diviiye instir
tution. It would cepe to.,be of any value.to
him, were it superseded' by a, mere conventional
day of aihiisepieiit. V -.~'
Working men, the Sabbath is the gift of God
■to yon. Iltis/errcecf in l as your property nnder
its Divine obligation. V jßutif you take it out of
this fence, and attempt to hold it as a mere day
of amusement, you wfi find that your day of
resf in the struggle bSI Ween capital and labor,
■will be soott wrenched f tensyonrigrasp.
But even if you cqi Id hold it as a day of
amusement, have you ever thought "of . the vast
multitudes, by road ah'd river, in tavern and
ihop.jn town and coitatty/ who Would have to
boll for’ your pleasure, and who would have ho
Sabbath? If, however, youcare not, though
; your fl sport *t should; bet death; how long
.would yon continue tp hc#S§ as a day of amuse
bi'ent for yourselves apdilatnilies? One man
has a needy creditof whb Whnts remuneration'
in Sabbath-day’s WbrKw|febhht J lhbof cimldbe
given conscdentiduslyi teanlditbe withheld ho
nestly f, ...
' Another has no pressing creditor, bnt, re
fleeting on the sports bribe last Sabbath, there
are some father disagreeable' remembrances;
some of hi# sons or 1 dapghtetewent on ft rail
road excursion with ?bhs doubtful i companions,
faroutofthecpgnizanceipfany of theirfriends;
.the too, of tbf day were heavy, and
fie" considers' that this'Sabbath he had better
earn a little money; instead of spending it.
Another thinks’ that as (the baker or the toer
ehantputsaZi bis mon'ey put to usury; the work
ing man shonld: not be twowing away so much
.of his time, for r projS.table labor, which is, his mo
ney, and so shonld be doing a little Sabbath
work. [4 . . ; ’
Another is offered double wages if he will do
, aq>iece of work on the; Sabbath.
Bnt setting aside -all {these, and a*, thousand
other similar ways in which inroads would be
made upon the day of atooseinent, it would soon,
; by one of the most infallible and invariable laws
that, m spite of all hindeirjuijijjes, govetn tbetrUns
actions of men, <be sufepkhfetttpaltogether, and
ingulfed in the, jabor |||pe week; —■& day of
toil, and yet a day .wi^ffem-toages.
Is the same price marketTof goods
when they are plenty asyrhen they are scarce ?
? Have you ever seen deliberately
pay seven dollars instead «f sise f or take six iri
spad of seven ? Consider for a moment what
will be the state of the labor-market when the
restraint and fence of the Sabbath is no longer
between the workmen and the capitalist. Even
if there were at first - a universal combination
that Sabbath-wofk shouldnot be done, it would
be a rope of sand.
If so many are bribed even now to break the
mjuhetion of God, by a Jfttle extra pay, would
a like bribe be ineffectualto : bfeak a merely con
■ ventional arrangement ? But there would be
little need of bribery; the' acute merchant or
employer, with the glance, of his eye, would see
the advantage of his position; he would see the
real accession that bad been made to the sup
ply of labor. •- ■ ' 5
In the contest which must ever exist between
labor and capital, the capitalists, or: employers
of labor, would as surely claim the work of the
seven days as of six, and as surely obtain it; be
cause the real increase of available labor Would
reduce the price of it at least as seven to six,
and. theworkmah would“|kfiiilibly have to throw
in the seven days’ labot%Ssix days? wages.
Workmen might comhine, but except under
peculiar circumstances, such as a known defi
ciency of labor, combinations amongst workmen
for higher wages are rninotis to workmen, while
they are sometimes advantageous to employers,
by enhancing the price of'goods on hand. In
terest alone regulates the business transactions
in the sale of labor, as of any p|keT' article.
Trade knows iio mercy-. . Each ipaity aims to
purchase all he. can acquire of of ano
ther ,with-the least DossittierQuantity of his-o.wn.
, • thefe ,were
certain pei®)ds*at'ti?bBcßi the''selflBfiflbsS' ! 'of coihr
merce was interfered with; these were the Jubi
lee seasons, when alienated inheritances were
restored. ;
, The Sabbath is also a merciful interference
between the buyers of labor and those who sell
it; between labor and capital It is a balance
wheel which checks the force of capital, pre
venting the entire swallowing up of the labor
and strength of the working man; and, in its
operation, by a simple principle of trade, effect-,
ing la;, miracle possibly as great as when the,
mauna of the sixth day was made to supply the.
seventh. Bemove the Sabbath, and the work-*
ing man is placed entirely in the power of the
capitalistl
Shonld the Sabbath be set-aside, the work
ing man will find that, miserably,, paid, inces
santly toiled, and at the merey. of,the employer,
he Has parted with his birth-right, and mKeri
tvmce oi a da;f of earthly rest, and t>f
preparation. As, with brpken health and de
jected spirits, be looks, upon his peglected family,,
he may bitterly recall the days when they and be.
■‘went to -the bouoo in. ooulpany ;”. and
when he comes to%it
df for a death-beid, a Jrfcfg
menfeday, and an eternal futurity; be; may ,feel
like ; .the poor letter-carrier of Bath, W:ho had;
sold his Sabbath to bis employers, and dying
exclaimed, “Who is topay nie for my soul?”
PASTOEAL WSITATtOBT.
That frequent pastbral and social visitations of
his-flook, by the minister, give him great power
to dothem.goodjis afact thatca nnot have escaped
the notice of. .the most careless, observer. l That
through megligenee, .or inertness, or
distaste' for mingling with the masses. do fall far
below the reasonable demands of their people in
this mustbe admitted. :: They-fail toi|ain
the bold upon the eonfifienee and affections of their
People, which a frequent intercourse with them,
and, interchange of .seutimente and feelings with
them has a tendency to produce. They remain
ignorant of their peculiar trials and difficulties,
and of the er-tiorieoimiyietrs 7 into Whidh- they have
fallen, and consequently there must be in their
pulpit .ministration, a ,great want of adaptation to
the peculipr spiritual condition of-their bearers.
But whilst all'this’ is freely admitted; it is jjist as
true that upon no point are' the demands of Clhris
tiah people upon theirJpastors' so uhreasonable, so
exacting, and so utterly/inipossible; to be complied
with, as upon this., Very sensible and pious
people expect and demand of
off'time anfl attention' ’id .viMtinfg; and fe'el sore
towards them if they do not grant it,• which it> is
absolutely, impossible for them to grant in
finey with the discharge, of . other: and .jmpre.im
portant duties. They might know that this is so,
if they would only take the trouble to inform them
selves as to the number and variety of calls upon
a minister’s time. It. is the want of reflection
thatimakesithem .complain oflthteirjpastor.:for not
.yisjiting .themjmpre- frwpiently, and -not'a.disppsi
tiofl to .flnj jfault where. therg„is, no bJame due.
'They really love Kiin, aud it gives them' pleasure
fo see bim in thdir houses and around theiir
hospitable boards; and when he does not borne of
ten, *it ;giyes them: pain.; ) They do; npt remember
that tb e to;asc .from; fifty .to one .hundred,-other
families who feel just as they do, and have quite
as strong eiaims upon his attention as they have.
They have a small circle of choice friends whom
theyteareyfeit oneebi twice aWefek, and sbmetimds
pastor>in that efrele; and if he does not reciprocate
the feeling and'comply with the demand, they feci
repulsed, and are sometimes ready to turn their
backs upon him, inasmuch as they think he has
turned his upon them.
These thoughts have been suggested by an
article-in-one of our exchanges;- from which we
take an extract or. two very much to the point:
“It is a long time since, you have called to see
me,” said a lady to her pastor, the minister of one
of the largest of our City Congregations, as ho one
day paid her a visit.
The minister took from.his pocket a card and a
pencil, and; made .some figures rapidly, then turn
ing to the lady, said,.pleasantly: ,
“I want you to tell me how many visits I should
be Obliged to'm’ake in a year, if't called upon
every family iu toy torigregatioh asbfteh as I have
called uponyou,isibceithebeginning of stbisyear.”
“I am-sure I .cannot tell,” was tbe reply. ;
“Just nine thousand!” said the minister.
The writer then goes on to enumerate the variety
of duties which the pastor is called to perform in
the Way of' preparing sermons and lectures, and
attending weddings and funerals, assisting his
ministerial brethren, supplying destitute churches,
attending upon church courts and councils, school
and college examinations, conducting correspond
ence, &c : . In addition to all this, if he be' located
-in a large city or town, fce says:-
“Hisdoors are besieged from morning till night
by scores of applicants for his car—some on im
portant, many onfrivolous errands.. Every itinerant
book vender; every inventor of a nostrum for
the body of the soul, for the iridividubl or the
community; every beggar, from - the ‘ gentleman
in temporary embarrassment;? to the commonest
pauper; every; travelling lecturer or showman;
every peddler of maps, pictures, sewing machines,
patent washtuba, and ‘Yankee notions,’ must see
the' minister, and interest frim in their matters.
It: requirea a vast amount of grace; and no little
‘grit, r to bear all these interruptions, and to treat
their authors with that courtesy which is a Chris
tian duty, and virtue, How can a minister from
whom so touch intellectual labor is constantly de
manded, and whoso time is so unceasingly and
-pertinaciously levied: upon, meet the expectations
of a,-large congregation, every family of which ex
pccts to see him very often, and complains if the
expectation is disappointed?
“ Now, it’is freely admitted that there are
certain visits which every pastor should most faith
fully and scrupulously pay to the families of his
people. The sick; the afflicted; and those who are
anxious about their souls, should claim his peculiar
regards. The aged and infirm should not be for
gotten. Let him visit these as often as their eases
may require. If, in addition to this, be is able to
visit every'femily in bis congregation onee within
a year, it is as much as ought to be required or
expected. j,
“ But persons tin whose families there is sick
ness, often treat their minister very unreasonably,
by taking np-pains to communicate'the fact to
him, yet finding fault with his absence. They do
not expect their physician to come, without being
advised of-'the fact, that-his presence is desired.
But theyiSepm to imagine that their pastor knows
by intuition, or by special revelation,-the exact in
ternaL Btate of every one. of the two or three
handrMfamilies which compbsehis chargh. They
take no pains to let him know that they specially
need lus presence, and then wonder and complain
at his-absenee.
“ Blit a very common ground of criticism in all
our congregations is found in the discrimination
which a minister .makes, in the frequency and
character of his visits to his people. ‘My minister
visits such and siich - familiesia greatdealoftener
than* he visits; me,’ is a remark often heard, and
sometimes coupled with very, ill-natured surmises
as to the reasons for such discriminations. Well,
suppose he does. Ho is a man, as well .as a
minister, a fact which many forgetj and as a man,
he has-just as many social Wants, and jusfcas' many
socinL.rights, as any. other man. As a pastor, ho
should.make no disiiipetion among his people.
But.as a man,, with a social nature and social
affinities, he .has the same privileges which other
-men have. There will always be, there must al
ways* be, some individuals and families with whom
hei, is on more intimate terms than-with others.
Iprthis respect, he Stands on the same foptidg with
other men, and his rights are to be equally admitted
and respected. So long as he gives every family
their appropriate attention as a pastor; a religious
teacher—-so long as he directs each inquirer,
sympathizes witfteachsufferer,and discharges the
appropriate functions of the pastoral office, among
all the families of his people—he is at liberty to
seek for that social enjoiment which he needs as
a man, wherever he chooses.”
CHRIST AND PYTHAGORAS.
There is one feature in the character of
Christ, that this contrast, as it becomes, brings
out most beautifully. It is the simplicity of
the aim of his fife. With all the treasures of
knowledge, such as Pythagoras was striving
after, ready to be expressed; perfectly com-,
pc tent to proclaim all about the stars, aid the
rocks, Christ complicates his doctrine with no
such'scientific instruction. With all the trea
sures of wisdom, such is Solon and Montesquieu
longed and labored for, about the best civil
.organizations for human;. soclety, Christ never
conTSuMed what teach with political
disquisitions or apophthegms, ‘fie has no con
cealed doctrines; he assumes no, peculiar dress'
nor manner of speech. He withdraws himself
from no class of men; he has a word for all,
for his heart is full of tenderness for all. He is
a character clear as crystal; transparent as the
water from the mountain-side, which he so aptly
made the emblem of his truth.
A contrast may be drawn between Pytha
goras and the founder of Christianity in other
respects. The entire originality of the Saviour’s
character is a noticeable point. Pythagoras
travels for twenty or thirty years. He secures
the confidence of the Egyptian priests, and is
initiated into their mysteries, and becomes fa
miliar, with the, methods by which they keep the
multitudes in awe. He visits Phoenicia, and
probably other countries of the East, and re
turns home with ranch gathered lore, ready to
impart what he has learned to disciples, who
shall be willing to submit themselves to religious
observances that his temperament and reflection
have Induced him to borrow.
But Jesus of Nazareth springs up among an
agricultural, exclusive, and comparatively un
lettered people. He is born in the bosom of
-an humble family, and soon leariis to bear the
burden of a widowed mother’s support. His
companions are poor, and no philosophy handed
down from preceding generations, expands his
mind, or excites his ambition. Amiable, indus
triouSj prudentand dignified, he is chiefly known
for the regularity of his life, and for the un
wonted ripeness of; his judgment. All at once
his‘.'friends iand countrymen are startled to hear
that he is abroad, teaching the people. They
listen to him and concur in the general opinion,
that never man spake as this man.
Moral truth was made to flash like a sunbeam
on the eye of bis listeners. Knotty questions
were disentangled by the elucidation of a single
principle. Acute scribes attempted to answer
him in his speech, but stood monuments of re
buked vanity before the people, when he opened
his lips and taught which was the great com
mandment of the law. And then his sublime
enunciations of doctrine! Plodding through
the volumes of the masters of human literature
in sunny Greece, and then sitting down to the
teachings of Jesus Christ, as recorded in the
Gospels, is like coming out of Aristotle’s ima
gined cave,"and looking uponrihb brofedibeaulx
fol, sun-illumined world; One sentence to the
woman of Samaria, gives more instruction about
the nature of God, and the worship that is ac
ceptable to him, than can be derived from'all
the writings of Socrates, or Plato, or Cicero.
One single sermon delivered on a mountain in
the early part of his ministry, in maxims of ex
quisite morality, in compactness and complete
ness of exhibition of the simple religious duties,
is unlike ,any,other.discourse,ever delivered to
men. Whence'came , that unborro wed wisdom ?
Whence did this bumble Jew obtain that com
prehensive knowledge of religious doctrine?
With what deep ocean of inexhaustible truth
did the human mind off Jesus of Nazareth com
municate ? ,
Where verthe human mind has invented itself
a religion, it has gathered around it in profusion
these scenic appendages to strike the senses;
and none ever knew better how to employ them
to effect than the Egyptian priests. There
never was a better imitator in all such matters
than Pythagoras. At Samos, we are told he
withdrew to a cave, and; taught his disciples
with a great show of mystery. His precepts
were delivered as though they were responses
from a divine oracle. With a long, flowing
beard, clothed in a white linen robe, with a
golden crown upon his head, as some represent,
he was never seen to express in his counte
nance, joy, or grief, or anger, or any other emo
tion. - , ;
What a contrast with Christ and his religion!
As the springlet gashes from tho rock, clear as
the crystal, and meanders on to the sea, ever
revealing to the eye its treasures of pebbles and
sands, the life of Christ is transparent. To
raise a niortal to the skies by making him fit
for them, was the end of his ministrations.
Oat intOiilhe village,; along to the well-side,
through the streets of Jerusalem, into its syna
gogues and its temple, he Went, to seek the
.'■people, notwaiting to be sought. He hid him
self behind no artfully chosen speech; he kept
back for no favored few, more distinguished
doctrines. He was the man of the people,
arising from among them, anxious for their
welfare; sending down his consolation, and ad
ministering his help to the poor, the sick, the
blind, and the lame.' He called upon none to
betake themselves to other diet than that to
which “they were' accustomed; he triads ho re
quisition of garb or speech, to render them pe
culiar among the brethren. All that he insisted
upon was, that they should show that they were
his followers, by being more forgiving, more
compassionate, more kind than others. He
wedded no prayers, no praise to satirise or sun
set, to midday or midnight hours. Bringing orit
the principles of religious worship arid morality,
as God brings out the flowers over the field,-
in that apparent disregard of order which
adapts them so much the better to the variety
; loving mind of man,—each truth is a study in
itself, each truth is a completed whole, from
Whatever point contemplated.: The shepherd
under the mountain cliff, meditating, though he
may not mirie as deep into the hidden treasures
of heavenly wisdom, may find the shining gold
on the surface, abundant enough to make him
passing rich; and the student, with his micro
; scopic eye, and dillgent comparison of utterance
with utterance, though he may trace along the
yellow vein, and mark the net-work of other in
termingling veins, will only find the same gold,
though he will find it more plentifully than his
ignorant brother in Christ.
Howbeantifni that life of Jesus Christ! The
best human representations of.him are what the
Parian marble is to human flesh; The words
in which men form arid express their concep
tions, are too coarse, too rigid, to exhibit the
Saviour of men.
j-gAs we go back from all the countenances on
wffjeh the most skilful painters have exhausted
tlieir art, as wanting elements that we feel, rather
than know, oughtto be upon the canvass; so we
step/aside from every word-picture of the Sa
yipnr, as imperfect, as unworthy of the sublime
original.We ask anew pf 'Matthpw, and Mark,
and Luke,and Jphn, what, the Prophet said, and
What the Prophet did; and passively suffer his
features to mirror fMdmibl vesbb -theblcte waters.
TOL. W—NO. 37.—Whole No. 202.
of his doctrines and doings, as meek and melan
choly, earnest, dignified, mjasculinely strong.
Presbyterian Quarterly Keview.
Often do we hear remiss professors strive to
choke all forward holiness by commending the
golden mean. A cunning discouragement; the
devil’s sophistry! , The mean of virtue is between
two degrees. It is a mean grace that loves a mean
degree of grace; yet this is the staff with which
the World beats aifthat would be better than them
selves. What ! will you be singular,—walk alone?
But were not the apostles singular in their walking,
a spectacle to the world ? Did not Christ call for
this singularity?' What do ye more than others?
You that are God’s peculiar people, will you do no
peculiar thing? Ye that are separate from the
world, will ye .keep the world’s road? Must the
name of a puritan dishearten us in the service of
God ? st. Paul,said in his apology, “By that which
they call heresy, so worship I the God of my
fathers;” and by that which profane ones call
Puritanism, which is indeed zealous devotion, so
let my heart desire to, serve Jesus Christ.
_ln order tbat a 'teacher may bfe : competent to
his duties, he should qualify himself, aS well as
prepare his lesson. He should endeavor to be
well “up" in the subjects which he teaches- He
should endeavor to acquire a pretty full knowledge
of all which can illustrate and throw light upon
them. I would lay it down as an all-important
maxim, that the teacher should know much more
than he teaches. He should not feel, when with
his class, that he is working up to his full power;
that another draft upon his mental capital, in the
form of an inquiry from an intelligent scholar,
would meet an empty exchequer, and must be dis
honored, because there are “no effects.” His
ship should sail with plenty of sea-room on each side,
with greater depth of water than she draws, and
with some sails which are reefed; the erew should
have somewhat more bread and water than would
be consumed on the average passage, and the cap
tain should know the lights and the sounding of
the coast a little north and south of the destined
harbour. As a traveller he should not creep along
the narrow; valleys in which he can only just trace
his path before him, and his view is confined on
either side; but should endeavor to climb the
heights from which a wider prospect is visible,
and bis past and future route is plainly to be
traced. And if he catch a glimpse of the land,
which is very far off, now and then, through the
mists which surround it, he Will be cheered in his
onward way.
Do not tell the learner toomuch about a subject,
and puzzle him with many things, before he has
understood the first principles; do not aim at being
wonderfully profound in your first explanation, but
reserve your profundity for subsequent'stages.
Even extreme accuracy may be dispensed with at
first; it is not wise to puzzle the learner with little
niceties and refinements, when he is conclusively
grasping at anything like an approximate idea of
the matter in hand. You will not mislead him
by using or permitting an expression which is not
quite technically accurate; the mistake will not fix
itself .upon his mmd,for he is not giving his at
tention to that little point in which the inaccnracy
lies: he is not yet able to appreciate nice distinc
tions and petty exceptions. The first thing is to
give him a rough general idea of the subject; and
when he has mastered that, you may proceed to
' enlarge, refine, and dive deep. There are some
teachers who cannot hold their peace when oc
casion requires, bat seem impelled by their nature
to tell all they know upon every subject they touch
upon; the consequence is that the learner, being
unable to discriminate between the essential and
jthe non-essential, is overwhelmed with the mass
of leaahing, and instead of having a clear idea of
the main points, has au indistinct recollection of
many things.
Many years ago, a lady was seated, reading, in
the verandah of her Burmese house, when sud
denly she was'startled by seeing a little wild look
ing boy 'standing before her, and asking, with
great eagerness, “ Does Jesus Christ live here ?”
He appeared about twelve years old. His coarse
black hair, matted with dirt, bristled up in every
direction, like the quills of a porcupine; and the
only covering about his person was a ragged cloth
of cotton: ■ -‘‘Does Jesus Christ live here?” he
again asked, as he was crouched at the lady’s feet.
“ What do you want of Jesus Christ?” inquired
the lady. “ I want to see him: I want to confess
to him.” “Why,:what have you been doing,
.that you want to confess to him?” “Doing!” re
pliedthe boy: “what have I been doing ? Why,
I tell; lies, I steal, Ido everything that is bad. I
am afraid of going to hell, and I want to see Je
sus Christ, for I heard say, he can save us from
hell. Does he live here? O, tell me where I
can find Jesus Christ.” “But, my poor boy,”
said the lady, “ Jesus Christ does not save people
. from hell if they continue to do wickedly." “But
I want to stop,, answered the boy. “I want to
stop doing wickedly ; but I can’t stop. I don’t
know 1 how to stop. The evil thoughts are in me,
and bad deeds come out of evil thoughts. What
caul do ?” ‘ Nothing,’ said the lady, “ but come
to Christ like the rest o.f us; but you cannot see
Jesus Christ now.” Here she was interrupted by
a sharp cry of distress from the poor boy. “ But,”
she continued, “lam his humble follower and
servant, and I can teach all those who wish to
escape from hell how to do so.” The joyful look
of the wild Karen boy was beyond all description,
as' he exclaimed,’-‘‘Tell me! 0 tell me! Only
ask your master, the Lord Jesus Christ, to save
me, and I will be your servant; your slave for life.
Do not be angry. Do not send me away; I want
to be saved—saved from hell!”
Of the twenty-seven' young men composing the
class that graduated a few days since in the Wes
tern Theological Seminary, at Allegheny-City,
three are to go to Siam—Messrs. D. W. Fisher,
N. A. M‘Donald, and Samuel G. M'Farland; one
to Northern India —Mr. W. F. Johnston, a brother
of one of .the martyrs of the mutiny there in 1857;
one to South America:—Mr. W. E. M'Laren; one
to the Kickapoo Indians—Mr.» Robert J. Btirtt;'
one to Lake Superior—-Mr. Charles P. French;
and one to labor among the Germaus—Mr. John
Launitz. 'l-. ;• ..
NO MIDDLE COURSE IN RELIGION.
KNOW MORE THAN YOU TEACH.
NEVER TELL TOO MUCH.
THE WILD KAREN BOY,
The lady, you may believe was not angry, and
the next day she took him to the little bamboo
school-house} and never was there a scholar in
any school or country, more anxious to learn, “ the
truth asit is in Jesus.” After some time, he was
baptized} and then he went on daily improving
iu the knowledge of those things which belong
to our salvation. Tears passed away, 'and the
gentle lady had gone to that happy home where
sin and sorrow are known no more. The wild
Karen boy had also changed from boyhood to
youth, from youth to strong manhood, and then
this'hand of death was laid upon him. But while
the strong man lay bowed down with sickness
while he tossed wildly to and fro upon his fevered
couch. —even then his heart was filled with pre
cions memories of Jesus, and his lips uttered
fragments of hymns and texts which he had learned
in days of health.
At last the parting hour arrived, when, with
out a sigh or a struggle, his happy spirit passed
away, to be forever with that Saviour whom he
had sought with such eagerness.
S. S. Banner.