GENESEE EVANGELIST.—WhoIe Ha 73L
For the Atnerlcau Presbyterian.
\ GOING UP TO CALVARY.
What is that sad Company,
Going up to Calvaryi .
Going in sadness and Borrow and .tears,
.‘Going with trembling, and toiling,'and fesxs,
Golbg away to Calvary}
Who 1b it beate that heavy cross,
Going up to CaiVaryi ;
Bruised and weary, and fafo.tifcg, and weak.
And halting; but gentle, and patifnt, and meek,
Qoifig sway to Calvary! : ’
What bath happened in the way,
Going Up to Calvary} ' ■
though .witling the spirit, the flesh ’neath the load
Bath sunken at laston the road,
V Going away lb Calvary.
What meaqetb all, this mourning,
Going up to Calvary} :
Jerusalem's daughters in-sOrrSW hnw’d.dowh,
Calvary!;3
Why, oh!; why, this anguish,'
Going up to Calvary?
JesWt 'our saviouri is bn the way,
To bear in.hlsbody, our sins away,
Upon Mount Calvary.
€on«sp#&*!tpf.
For the American’Ptesbyterian;
SUPERIORITY OF CHARACTER TO
- GENIUS. .
Mankind universally pay tribute to genius. The
ftowery field, the tangled dell, the ancient forest,
the purling stream, the gentle; vale, all receive a
higher finish —all bear a dheper impress of beauty,
when presented fay man by'the hands of genius.
It tracds but -and delineates before him * those
mysteries of his inner nature which otherwise
'frofild be unknown. ; It detects ffhases of btima
nity, exhibits motives'for actions, which lie too
deep for the common mind to fathom. It enters
iflto mid Investigates the results of mifid, the
great Works that prove its immortality. It grasps
and sympathizes with ideas that issue forth from
master: minds, and sheds a * new halo over that
which was before sublime, grand, almost divine,
Genius has its mission ; one of influence, of power.
It wins for itself a hearing; it attraots the trifling,
giddy crowd, who are living for. folly. It* points
the trifler to a higher destiny; tells him that he
has powers too vast to spend, on .mere animalism ;
that-he has an intellectual and a moral nature;
that he is allied to angelic intelligences; and that
he has entaredupon a life immortal. But whiib
we are delighted, swayed, entranced, by genius,
we give to character a still higher position; we
yield to it, hot only admiration, hat something
muoh loftier, homage. Beal character, not the
mefe pretence, but that which is honbst, sincere,
seoeives,frOm us in addition: the warmest flow of
' j |e%p I,
noble principles f unselfish acts. Character carries’
these qht in the daily life, Geftius inspires us
with the desire to heoome better men. Character
makes ns resolve, and by its bright example,
moves us to become such. Genius is the friend
who is always waiting for an opportunity to do
some splendid deed;, some act that will, astonish
us, and make an impress es mankind. Character
is the friend that serves ns in the most unobtrusive
-manner, on the* most-insignificant occasioh, will
ing to do us the smallest service, only anxious to
find out the Way to benefit us. The superiority
of oharaoter is manifest when we look at the man
bf genlns devoid of oharaoter'. Immediately we
perceive a spot upon our sun,;a blot, ripon our
sheet of pearly whiteness, a defect that no other
qualities, no .attractions of genius can atone for.
Character, enters with ns into nature’s scenes, and
there sees purity and God. It explores the almost
unknown regions of the mind of man, and there
meditates upon the moral bearings of his ,powers.
It studies the Works .of the world’s great minds,
and extracts therefibm moral ailment to sustain
it in the journey of life, Genius has its rise,-its
meridian splendor, and, sometimes, its inglorious
setting. Character has it germ, its thrifty youth,
its full-bearing vigorous age; but never its decay,
desolation, death. Genius has its earthly toil,
its triumph, and frequently its glorious reward;
but has no recognition beyond, this dull, cold earth.
Character has its earthly mission, its life work;
but also its iufiuenee, its moral power, its “well
done good and faithful servant” in a brighter
world. Then let no one despair because the
bountiful Giver of all good has not bestowed upon
him genius; when the far higher quality of .cha
racter is offered to Mm as freely as the water-that
gushes out from the mountain spring or the breeze
that fans the fevered brow. M. P. j.
Forthe American Presbyterian.
TEJTNEHT SCHOOL.
Mere than a hundred yeira ago Rev. Wn>.
Teanent, Sen., established atNeshamiiiy the “Tiog
College,”i® wbielranumber of the bright lights
of the Presbyterian Church were prepared for use
fulness. Since that Institution ceased to exist,
there has been in the same neighborhood, Harts
yille, Pa,, at different titties and under the control
of different individuals; a classical school of a high
order for. boys and young men. The succeflsidtt is
continued at the present time by the “Tennent
School,” named after the venerable Father in the
church just' mentioned, which is under the pare of
Rev. M.Long. I was present duringsome of the
exercises at thesomi-annual examination, recently
held at the close, of the winter session. No effort
had been made to prepate the pupils to exhibit
their acquirements, yejUthey passed the ordeal
with unusual credit to themselves and their teach
ers. The recitations by the younger boys in the
common English branches were yery commendable,
and showed, that they had been under efficient
training; and those, who had just commenced the
study of Latin, had been drilled with thorough
ness and accuraoy. They could repdatthe synopsis
of the verbs in any of the' conjugations, persons,
or numbers correctly and without hesitation, and
bigl evidently been obliged to lay well this ground
work of a knowledge of that language, an ac
quaintance with which is essential to a proper
understanding of our own native tongue.
Several of the older scholars had pursued the.
study of the higher branches of Mathematics; and,
the recitations in Surveying, Analytical Geometry,
Trigonometry, and the properties of the Parabola
and Ellipse, wore uncommonly fine. I doubt:
whether more clear and rapid demonstrations of
some of the difficult processes of mathematical in
vestigation are given in any of the colleges of the
land on Examination Day, thanwere rehearsed
by the young men of Tebnent School. Several
of them translated with ease, precision, and elegance
from YirgU, Cicero, Homer, &c., and. gave the
grammatical construction as well as the sense <Sf
the passages, to which they were asked to turn.
The timbers of “ Log College” were long smee
taken down, and scarcely a relio of it now remains.
Two. qr three walking-canes, ;one of which is in
Nassau Hall, Prinoeton, constitute almost every
thing that is left of the material structure, wherein
some of the best pnd most learned men of our
church a century ago received a considerable share
of their education. "Bati the love of.sound learn
ing, whioh eharaoterized them, abides in the place,
where they ohoe lived, and the attainments they
®a<je Ore no dbixbt in some respects equalled, if
not surpassed, By their successors.' The old build
ing of logs is replaced on a different rite by a sub
stahtiaL stohe edilioe, and Tencent School of : to
day with the Advantages of modem .progress in
science.is perbapsnot only externally, but in many
points intellectually, superior towhat ‘‘Log College”
OnmWßSv• ■ . ,E.
CiKMESTINB.
THE HUNGARIAN PROTESTANTS.
■Opinion is divided as to the: propriety of the
course takemby a part ofrthe Protestants of Hun
gary in refusing lo' aCquiesceih the Imperial Pa
tent pf geptemher’.lMt,* which, was designed tp re
organize their church -system. The system pre
viously existing, which Was: established in 1791,
is represented as having been - very ,defective. It
was peremptorily abolished bj ZTayriau in 1851,
sO that foi about eight’ years the Protestants of
that country, to their great detriment; have : been
without any legally reedgnised form of church
order. When in September last, the Einperor
issued orders fdr a temporary re-orgatjization, a
wide division of sentiment arose. The German
element of the Protestant population very gene
rally acquiesced in the proposed arrangements;
we see it stated in obe journal’ that as many as
800,000 of these Protestants are now living under
the provisions of the Patent. But the true Hun
garian or Magyar race; which ‘has ‘always ‘been
most 'restive,-as; under a foreign yoke, became
greatly agitated, and under their political leaders,
like Count Zay, who are represented', on good
authority; to Be making a mere tool of the church
itt catoying oM their onto selfish and’ ambitious
designs, repeatedly remonstrated with the govern
ment, andinsisted on the calling of a general
Syhod’iVbieb shouldbbhlldwed to form a- church
constitution to aconsiderable degree independent
of T! the government*The German, Protestants
who have acquiesced in the arrangement, and
those who- Speak for them, eonten'tedlysaythat
the pew arrangement is tor better than the condi
tion of 1 anarchy which previously prevailed;; that
the right of interference whioh the government
praposes’to;e*eroise,-aoaordiag;to4he-programme
of September,. & not by any meiins "excessive or
intolerable, and thht thfe whole arrangement is
provisional,; designed: to prepare the way for gene
ral action on ;the partof the church itself. These ;
Germans; earnestly hope that the imperial will
may be maintained, and would consider it a mis
fortune to the) cause of Christ; tor the party of the
Magyar nobility, with the secularized; bishops
who think with; them, to' have : their own way in
the ohntch. Accordingly,: they rejoiced when on
the 10th of January, an Imperial ordinance was
issued, confirming the. Patent! of
removing some of the most serious grounds of
objection urged against that document. We
-give the snbstancCiOf'.the, ordinaneeiof January:
«lßy the ediet of September, it is made possi
ble tor the evangelical churches of Sungary and
■Contiguous provinces to see speedily folfilled their
long cherished and oft * expressed wish for the
holding- of regular-synods; ; a matter necessary for
giving definite form to their church polity. That
this may be brought to pass, in the; shortest possi
ble time; it is incumbent on the' evangelical popu
lation to organize themselves in the form prescribed
in the Patent, without delay. Such communities
as have not already re-organzted, are exhorted to
do so as a matter of interest; and to follow the
example of the numerous' congregations already
organized.’ This must-be done, at the latest, by
the end of' March, or they bannot'afterwards ‘be
recognised as regularly organized, and will lose
all-the rights hnd privUeges. dependent oh such
recognition. In like manner the church sessions
are enjoined to constitute themselves in a regular
manner, by the 15th of April, otherwise their
acts will be declared; Void. ' The same; also, is
required of the Assembly or GohveeatiOtt fOf‘Su
perintendents, (who are a kind of superior clergy,
anßweringito the deans of the Ghurqh of England.)
The re-organized sessions are at liberty to proceed
’to thO Various'Stops necessary' before-calling a
general Synod, and the evangelical populatiotv
generally are urged, “as by the qaviee of a friend,"
to facllftate the holding df.the Synod at the* ear
liest practicable moment, qnd to fix .definitely by
tlieir acts such’a church constitution, as being
approved by his majesty, shall take the place of
the edict of September 2nd, -1859. : By this
course alone can they succeed in averting a con
fusion iu their church and school affairs, destined
to grow worse and worse under the influence of
the opposition shown to the benevolent designs of
his majesty.”;
Tt is claimed that this is a sufficient proof that
government is sincere in this matter of the Synod,
and that it really designs substituting the decisions
of this Synod for its owh Patent, and that all
causes for misunderstanding are forthwith re
moved. Yet it is any thing but satisfactory to
such as regard the straggle as a matter of princi
ple. They demand the Synod first, without a
recognition of the Patent of September, afad after
wards the church system by which it is reached.
A deputation of thirty of' these dissatisfied ones
went- to Vienna to ask an ■ immediate' convocation
of the Synod, but without success. Meanwhile,
at last accounts,-the Lutheran churches werb ra
pidly re-organizing. So that it.was expected the
entire church in Hungary would have conformed
to the Imperial edict withm..,the. time specified.
Spoh . confident. expectations, however, we,re not
. cherished in regard to thejteformed Churches,
which bithejrto have been the most obstinate'. . In
view of thfe whole, the correspondent of the N.
J&paiuj. Kivchepmlttw says;— -
._ It is our firm, conviction that a rich hlessibg
will grow opt of these new .ecclesiastical arrange
ments to the Protestant cause in Hungary, if the
expected Synod will but give them a suitable re
vision.”
PHILADELPHIA THII
NOTHING BUT LEAVES;
By Rev. H. Bcrmbo, .
. Alas!. We nsed not go far in any church to find
those who bring forth (t nothing but leaves.”—
§hduld strict investigation be made through the
vineyard of God imwhich you are .plants, I fear
it might reveal' many.such; often has the power
of this Olivet come seeking fruit and finding none.
He finds a standing among the fruit-bearing trees,
but beside this,’hothfeg v but tW leaves of empty
profession, mid mere frultleise, formal service: He
find's, “PleaSe have me excused, ’’ when something
is to be done, and “So mariy ’calls,” when some
thing is to be given, and a few formal prayers' ahd
expressed good wishes for the kingdom of Christ 1 ,
These, and ottljr ‘tiiiesd, %M'clr ais “ ndtiWnp : &itt
leaves,” characterize too many of those ivho are
God:
There’is one among you whom you see not'.'
He’ W s i^^Bii%'a'ftrfsbg'youi i! l» , a l ii6lLes : .‘ u ’deeks
fruit ,.fruit, , He sees 11 nothing but leaves!” Be
-Wape,, lept,He pay of thee, ‘!jNq fruit ffvpv> on thee,
evermore,” md presently-thou wither away- like
the cursed fig-tree.
Qh! sad, sad record ofiyour Christian profession.
Year by year the Master-pas, come seeking fruit,
apd year by year he has returned to enter upon
the great year book of God, the history of your
fruitlessness,. “nothingbut leaves.” ... .
And this has been thyrecordlo! how. many
years! .. . . •
. Nothing but leaves! the Spirit grieves
Over a wasteful life—
Sin-committed .while conscience slept, ■
, , '.Promisesmade .but never kept, ,
Hatred, battle, and strife—
• ■■■ Nothing but leaves !•
Nothing hut leaves—no garnered sheaves
Of life’s fiiir, ripened grain:
. Words, idle words for lamest deeds: i ;
We sow our seeds—iol tar»' ' vd‘- ads:
. —us—10l tares am
We reap witli toil and pain, '
... -, Notliipg but leaves.—
. No thihj; but leaves !—meniory-weaves
• Nji> veil-Jo, screenthe papt,;-: , s . .
As we retrace our, weary way,
Counting each lost* and misspent day,
We find sadly at last, i: . v •
Nothiug.bnt leaves.— ,
• And'shall we meet the Master sot
~ Bearing our withered leaves!—
The Saviour looks for perfect fruit:
We stand by Him, humble, mute,
Waiting the word he breathes,
“ frothing but leaves." —
Oh sad, sad record of past mercies ahuped, of
time and talents unused, of life and grace and
love received in vain! Oh, let me hasten and
wash out that record with my penitential tears,
ay,, with my life blood, yea rather with the blood
of the Lamb Divine, if so I may atone for past un
faithfulness, and past unfruitfulness. Why have
I thought so much of myself, of my family, of my
honor, or, peaee,or comfort, or ease, and so little
of my Saviour and his cause ? where is my' service ?
where my sacrifice? where my labor? where.my
frnit unto God? oh surely the harvest approaches
Where ip .my fruit? . I fear to look, I shrink
jfrom the,examination, I know. 1 shall' find
” “Nothing hut leaves,”- —“nothing but leaves.” ,
And must I meet my Saviour so ? must I look
iipon tpe vacant'record? 0 soul hasten, Hasten ere
Jt be too late 1 BetrievO the past! arise* watch,
jtray, toil, redeem' the time! thy Judge appears!
haste! lest the word go forth, “No man gather
firuiiofifieeMiietfarih” and thou bear fruit never,
0 never more. '
FEIACHiNG IN-THE COLISEUM AT
We clip; the following beautiful extract from
ftbs editorialicoiarespondence of the GhktckUout*-
gtatt'ii:- 1 --'.': 7 - ■ !N' : ;• - .
■jo;A pleasing' contrast to the dark scene last de
scribed, is the service which takes place at the
Coliseum on Fridays, when, in the rich .daylight
bf an Italian sun, and under’ no imperial awning,
bht beneath' God’s r >wn hbavehljr 6anopy,a'm6bk
■preaches to a: fraternity of devout Romans, of the
sufferings of. Christ, You must to your
self—-to . get any idea of this scene—the interior
of the Coliseum, with its beautiful,' soft-tiffted
stone-work, and its half-ruined' arches rising one
above the other, through* the open spaces of which
the blue sky shows itself in all its placid, beauti
ful repbsei iUp ’tiremHbS; : alcihg the bdges;dra%- :
_ing to high; ; preeipitous:walls, the dark,’'luxurious'
ivy and the golden wall-flower add their contrasts’
of. color and beauty. Perched here and there upon
grass-grown summits, a few adventurous ladies,
with tbloir escorts, have seated themselves on the
ruins of the patrician or iower tier of balconies.
Below, on the beautiful grass-edvered floor of the
‘amphitheatre, seattefedib grpupsor seated on fallen
columns, some tvro hundred Romans and strangers
have assembled to hear the preaching. One can
not but rejoice and share in the feeling of triumph
—even in the midst of things which .offend'our
Northern taste and our simpler theology—that the
Name of Christ crucified is here proclaimed, and
His cross erected. Here rang the cry, “The
Christians to the lions!” Here many martyrs
fought |he wild beasts; and, as has been beauti
fully said, closed their eyes on looks of cruelty and
hatred, to open them upon thfe smiles Of the Lord.
Here Ignatius himself, the Sisciple Of St.‘ John,
the fervent. Bishop of Antioch, gladly laid 1 ' down
his life, for Christ. It startle us,
as an indication of a double change ; which has
takeh place—a change not only in the. relation of
Christianity to the powers of the earth, but also
in the form 1 in whieh it presents itself in Rome—
to find written on the cross, erected perhaps on
the very spot where the ,Bishop-martyr shed Ms
blood, a sentence so thoroughly alien"from the
spirit of his epistles, as this:—“ Two.hundred days’
indulgence to every one -vvho kisses the Holy
; Cross.” " '. 1 ; ’ : ’
A ROLL OF CALVINISTS.
. Who for ages, suffered the confiscation of pro
perty, pxtle, imprisonment, and death,,ratter than
renounce the truth as it is in Jesus? ■ . ’ '
The Waldenses and Huguenots, those noble Cal
vinists Of France.
Who besides Luther were the great leaders of
the Reformation of the 16th century?
Melanctbon and Zuingle, Calvin, Farel and
Vinet, Knox, Cranmer, and Ridley—all Calvi
nists. '
Who “alone kindled the precious spark of li
berty in England;” and gave : “the■. Rnglish the
whole freedom Of their Constitution ?” • '
: According to Hiim§;;they were:rthe Puritans;
thosereviled Calvinists.
Who elevated Scotland to her high eminence
among the nations? ;
Her sturdy Calvinist#. -r. -
Who bore the most important-part in our Re
volutionary struggle ?
. Calvinists, according to our distinguished histo
rian Bancroft, himself a Unitarian.
He says: We> are proud of. the free States that
fringe the Atlantic. .
The Pilgrims of Plymouth were Calvinists of
fraage; .William Penuyras a diseiplfe.of the Om
guenots, the ships from Holland, thatfirst brpiight
colonists to Manhattan, were filled with Calvinists;
He that will not honor the memory, and respect
the influence of Galvin
origin of American lib'oi)
shall know them.” ."
IS THERE AN INTB
The v positions t aljeadw g||ted .still
another, not less
than the, last, which, if ,we can disprove, sevend:
of the main positions ofilae Annihilationists are
overthrown. With ‘ a
Elijah, none of the ngwejm. dial have lived oh flip ,
earth, from the creation, to the present time, are
ntho to hejaundinheayenif; iThejr bodies evidently
are? not there; their none—they
tuQ.ep&iiict, . ....
'; We hail fondly dreaineff;that our little ones who
.arq dead were, in heaven-i It, is some relief to a
sorrowing mother, whc»h^ijii?v e n .erpisleeping in
a cold.and distant which the darkness,
ofi .niidhight and wihtrjr;
wMa'fW||gj fa> tenderiambs are,
•Wfjpyfolded in.' |hp'
This.new doctrine would of the .last
gleam of comfort. We hiibeen taught to believe
that pious parents and Christian friends, when
they die,- go -with Christ; and;
that those who have long sipee-died, witnesses for
Him, after being persecuted and hunted for their
lives, had fonnd rst in hepen. This, doctrine,
if it he true, proves it-to he but the rest of tem
porary annihilation. Weiijs told that inasmnch
as there is no consciousnbsipthe time from the
death of Abel to the judjpient will seem as no
thing; that when the righteous rise, however, long
they may have been dead, it* will be td them but
as a mbmeht, and, therefo| , e i , can make ho per
ceptible difference with thepi. But it makes! thfe
greatest possible difference jVith us. We do not
believe, indeed, that the: pigeons will be made
perfect, and enter upon the. fpll enjoyment of their
powers and privileges till alter the resurrection;
neverthelesSj that they wiflM.be far happier after
death and before the resurrection than they-are
here. How cheerless andijreadful, then, mustit
he for the Christian when* about to die, to know
that he is not going to hcpVen immediately, but
into a state of unconscibuimCss, to continue, how
many ageSfhe does not kfcow|Wt : till the resurrec
tion of the body! " Are - of tthe saints
that we ; have seen die in ||||pph to be blastedf
Are. they.. to suffer this jgfept, disappointment ?
They seemed to .see' Jesusktnrough the opening
crevices of this.earthly fhlling to ruins;
they had Visions of angelth l they thought they
were about to step into glofe And the 1 latest sig
nals they gave us, on the. outmost limits of time,
after speech had failed, pye and the
radiant smile, even ih d&n, % seemed to, give
assurance to us that it sbo|i|)i "be as they hoped.
It - would be a terrible shoekwour faith !tb-be‘con
vinced that all this is hallucination, and that
these kindling raptures of tfredepartlng spirit are
to be suddenly dashed in Ap. darkness of a long,
long night! . ’ f, ,‘ r " T' , T ' .
We had been tanght to bilieve, as most of the
Church, for' ages, has behaved, 'thkt “the whole
family in heaven and eartb^feembraced the whole
.body, of believers, ,apd ;'thp ; ,<this jnyplyqd the
conclusion that the dead- in hpayen
as the. living ,on the. eartbf |haj “the spirits of
just men made- 'perfect;” ;am in 'heavoh; ‘ that
Abraham, Isaac and Ja'eb¥«^ ; tlierej that 3 the
holy apostles afejtherpj anilthat-jwhen Jesus said
to his. disciplesjt^flnfmyp^feßr’w^ibuTOWTeynSady.
mansions; I go to prepare aplacefor you ;• and if
I go'and prepare a plaM'for ygiij' iwili eome'agaip
and receive you unto myself, that where I am
there ye may be also,” he was not understood to
mean that this promise should be fulfilled at the
end of the world, but at their death. . ,* -
We had supposed, also, that whenever yre have
read, with quickened pulse, as we always do, the
inspired tocouht of Stephen's death/ the first
Christian martyr, and seen him < kneeling and
“looking steadfastly up Into heaven-,” beholding
“ the glory of God and Jestts standing, on the right
hand of God;’’ and as his persecutors ran upon
him, calmly calling upon God, and saying, “ Lord
Jesus, receive my spirit - ,” that He ! did not mean
after a lapse of ages; after his spirit-had been ex
tinct for many centuries; and. we cannot but think
that if Stephen;had.sp,r.ega.rded;it, i it would haye
cooled his ardor, if it had not made him shrink
from a martyr’s fate altogether. Would it not
seem weak or cruel, if an. Almighty Saviour, into;
whose "flee' he w& Ibokibg directly through the ;
openbd Heavens', cotfld-db nbtMfigf better- for 1 him
-than for let the lightof higiifß'ancl his soul go,out
together like- an extinguished taper,;for ages?.
What an answer to a martyr’s prayer, uttered in
the very face of the Son pf God! . What a recep
tion that extinction must be for the spirit 1 of one
dying a wifnefo for Jeisusl” - p 3 ; -
If Paul had not believed;that he would. enter
into heaven immediately after death, could he' have
felt as hedtid?; could he have-expressed himself
as he didf when he said, “lam in a strait betwixt
two, Mavihga desire to depart and fobs with Christ,
which is far better, nevertheless .to abide in the
flesh is moreneedful for. you ? , .Was; not i the
choice between heaven and earth, and not some
third plape unlike either?. Did he prefer tempo
rary annihilation or, a state of unconsciousness to
a few more years on ; esifthi to 1 serve ; the Chureh?
But Paul also says, to; the Corinthians : “We know
that if bur earthly house of this.tabernacle were
dissolved, ,we have a house not made with hands,
eternal in the heavens.” ‘‘Whilst we are at home
in the body we are absent from the Lord;” “and
willing "father to be 1 absent ■ froiS'thh body and 1 to
be present with the Dord:-* -Thb're; is. not the
slightest reference here to a third siate*N-?f the in
termediate state anJiWimation .of a long
in terval .of, .soul-sleep, unconsciousness or tempo
rary extinction, of being, between death and the
fesuriredfiiirf; ftßut the
whole • drift •of the argument 3 concur with-the
cufrenfetheology Qu the l sul§fot;',via.: that the souls
of the righteous at death £d£ enter .immediately
into glory.” ; I"** 1 "** .
Presberia' nQu arterly Review! :
NEVER JEST ‘ WITH SI&CRED THINGS.
Not long' since T heard a Christian 'gerifliihah,
while urging the improprietyof young men’s en
tering even the vestibule lof .a church with lighted
cigars; make use of this language : “Those are a
sort of ‘burning and shining lights'.that I.never
wish to see in the courts of God’s house.”
Shortly afterwards J-heard a minister, in a ser
mon on, ,the : ,-Power =of~ Christian,. Influence, an
nounce as Uif text' ffie worp; of hhf hfesed Sa
viour eoneerning-Jobh the' Baptist, “He was a
burning and a'Shining lightand though the
sermon was unusually,,solemn . and; impressive,
moving me frequently during its delivery even to
tears, yet as from timetotiine the minister would
repeat the words of'the text, the ludicrous appli
cation! had so recently heard' made of it Would
force itself upon myimind, making it ; difficult,
often utterly impossible, for mg to- bind, myself
down to the solemn sense in which the text was
used by Aim who ‘‘ •”
and by the effort required to do so, much of the
beauty and 'harmony of thc/liscourse was lost;
Such is doubtless ;often,,thev effect pf coupling
some thoughtless jest with.yfords of'Scripture,
the result can be only efil. This practice is a
criminal trifling with sacred,’ and by impli
cation at least, a daring impiety towards the Di
vine Being itself. Let overy approach to it be
avoided, and whenever wo take upon our lips the
words of Seripture. let it be with reverence to
wards their Author, and fervent gratitude for the
priceless’booh granted us-in this fouhtain of infi
nite wisdom and truth. Sueli emotions will nip
in the bud ahyirisingShdinatiopito ijesfowith God’s
word, and fit us alike to enjoy and profit by its
sacred teachings.
AY, MAY 17,1860.
pows but little of the
w.‘ “By their fruits ye
MATE STATE?
, A house of worship should be kept in first-rate
repair. Broken windows, leakyjroofs, crazy steps,
and. dilapidated fences; are a shame te a church,
and never should be suffered—-no; not for a month.
house of worship should be/repf. chap: Every
one who goes into the Lord’s house should clean
the mud off his shoes; and, if he uses the weed,
THE CHURCH PSAIiIST.
' Messrs . Editors “ A in your
last issue, asks “why the churches of the Third
aird Fourth Presbyteries Of Philadelphia, do not
introduce the Church Psalmist?”. He very truly
states that tbe-Publication Committee haye made
a large? investment in its purchase, anil, would be
benefited Hy its use. f ' ~ ' f
In; fopfy, I would say !; that 4 a ; number ’of the
churches of these Prb’sbyteries have adopted- the
Church .'Psalmist.This is : the case in the Se
cond Church of Darhy/piiyet; Church,
tqw,n Church, Beverly Chufch 4 ,
Pirst , 'tibevtiosj
Ohurbb, Catasaiiqua: Chufch; Noffistbwri-Church,
Wbitemarsh< Chufch, and’ North Broad Street
-Church. ' ;
.; Our now churches as they organize, and. older
ehurehes whdn.they rebuild or iriiproye their edi
fice, feisl ready to take"hdid 1 -of ii dew’Bbok 5 bf
Psalms atid Hymns. ■ In old Churches, moving
-quietly off, the. change is more- slowly’ made.
But, from inquiries made,?by;clmrch members an d
pastors, it is evident that.there is. a re^diness f jfo,r
the introduction of the Church Psalmist in the
old churches of the city," whenever a mov'emeii t is
proposed by the proper authorities. D.
088 BILATIC.HS WITH THE A. H. M. %
, ; . Indeed, there seems- to he, a.?pretty general ob
livion, on the part of many, of the .origin, ,consti
tution, and policy, of the American Home'Mis
sidnary“Society: At the tMe of its ofganizatiOti,
the Presbyterian Church' had its own ‘Missionary
Board, and churches in the same Presbytery- were
aided at the same time, by it and .by the Society.
The most conclusive evidence is‘ at hand to show
that ip the eariy period, when the nature of 'the
'otjfanizatiOri 1 was • cfeaflyi udderetbod', -if ; was rO
garded as a : voluntary association of individuals or
local churches contributing ;funds : to. .aid in, the
eyangelizatipn of any .destitute portions of ? the
land, without reference to denominational pre
ferences or denominational' eontributionS. , It fa
the deliberate and persevering' departure of- the
Society from its original policy, which has ied it
fo ! and .exercise ;a, power at which; its
|ounders would have stood aghast —cutting off
chUrchesrin q body, because^of their Presbyterial
cofiilbxioh, afthough individually these 1 churches
might conform to the straightqpt rules which the
SCciety-has laid down. . ■
If anything more were neeessaryto, show whither
the Society ,is. drifting, what is the spirit and the
inevitable tendency of its new policy, it is fur
nished by the cool demand of the Congregational
■Herald, of Chicago, that the Society shall carry
-out its principles;.to their 1 logical; result, and; cut
fiff the whole Presbyterian, Church jn a body—an
act which it might pefform quite as legitimately
as it has done in the exscision of Pres*
byteries, and o'u'preeisely the same grounds. 1 The
Herald l: says, in a tone which seems to regard the
managers of the Society only as menials appointed
to.dq tjie bidding of ; Ypung Independency: “We
see but one eourse ,for , that Society jto pursue, in
Which, if it hesitates, longer than after th’ejietion
of the next Gteberal Assembly, the'Congregatiou
aliStsiof the East will be forced'to withhold'con
tributions!” Consequently, “the various State
Societies qf New England, will be necessitated to
annul their auxiliary relation, and to send their
spare funds to the West under the direction of
4hbfr oWfn*®xecutiye Cb‘nfoiifte^ J 1
declares; that It ‘‘knows' not how thefGommittee
of the American Home Missionary Society” can
refrain from this wholesale exseisiou, on the grounds
upon which they already stand committed. Nei
ther do we: The logiSa! process is arrested mid
way, and'siuiply! because to! carry it out would re-
in a reductio ad aisurdum of the Society’s
policy. Yet it ipust be carried out. If there is
hesitation on, the part of the temporizing Com
rnittee, the Herald declares that Eastern Congre
gatidnalists 1 must withhold their funds, and the
Boston Recorder pronounces this an easy .way of
“ cutting the knot.” In other words, the whole
status of the Society is threatened, in case the
Cqmmittee .refuse to abide by their principles.
We 'have only to : suppose tbe Society to bow to
this dictation,'add exscind at a stroke the entire
Presbyterian Church, to perceive at once the na
ture of the unconstitutional policy already initiated.
Evangelist.
hasty Inferences.
Scientific men often, make, themselves ridiculous
by (their credulity. From; a few supposed facts,
hastily and carelessly gathered, they build up a
lief of slower minds. They,.have faci
lity in making the.o.ries, at.varianoewith the narra
tives of the Bible. A few months ago, a Mr.
Horner made: some discoveries in the valley of the
Nile, demonstrating, as he said, the existence of
man in Egypt'.before the -Mosaic.creation, and so
eminent a man, as Chevalier Bunsen adopted; his
theory withouthesitation., -But the London Lite-
Gazette ventilates these speculation's in* ’ah
•effective style: ■ • ; ; i:V y 1
That man has existed* on the earth for twenty
thousand' years* is: an inference - drawn hy learned
men from.,Mr..j Leonard Hprner’s .excavations,ip
Egypt, -(Preface, xxiii.-xxvi.) which; were made
at: the base of the statue .of Bameses 11., at Meha
henny, bn the site 1 of ahoieht Memphis. He found
an accumulation of nine feet four inches of ! Nile
mud upon it, and assuming (it is said) “ the reign
of. this Pharaoh ,to be, about; 1360 B. ,C., f and
adding to this, 1854, (the date of. Mr. Horner’s
exeaybtiouj) we' have‘32lh years for the accumii
lation of nirie feet-'four inches of sediment, the
mean rate of increase being three and a half inches
per oeptury,tor thereabouts.” From, thence Mr.
Horner proceeded downward borer, ..and
“ at a depth of thirty-nine feet from the Surface of
the ground ,the borer brought up a fragment of
:pbttery.-”; The i nference made; by one of these
cbronologists is thus stated: - ; '
“This bit of pot must be held to be a record of
the existence of man 13,371 years, before 1,854, if
there be no fallacy in my reckoning.” ,;
! Unfortunately for Mr. Horner, (replies the Lon
don-Literary GazeUfif). therb : is a fallacy in ■' his
-reckoning, and ,a one. The statueat
Mehahenny was originally pne, ,of four caryatides
supporting the epfrance front to the temple of
Phtha, which, like all other Egyptian .temples, was
built on a mound sufficiently eleVated to prevent
its ever becoming overflowed by the annual rise of
the Nile. ThiSimound must have subsided in the
earthquake WhjiehVsOver,threw, tlje. sjtatu,g.; .When
this took place we have no,certain recerdy earth
quakes are by rio means uncommon‘.in Egypt.
We knoW-ho waver, for certain, that this" Statue
was upright-and uninjured only six centuries ago,
for it is expressly and unmistakably described
among the wonders:of,,Meinphis by the Arab his
torian, Abdallatiff, who yisited its ruins, at tbiat
time, anlrhas ’left' us an account of- them. Sir.
Horner’s nine feCt ! four inches ofsedimeuthas,
therefore’, unquestionably accumulatedin less than -
six centuriespnstead.pf more ,-than thirty. rsThis
ner makes his subsequent calculations; and these
constitute the main prop and pillar of the assertion
that man-hag beentppon.theearth for twenty thou
sand-,years. \ , , ... ,
* . Watchman and Reflector.. .
Hints about Houses of Worship.— Tile
following is well * worthy of careful consideration
and~<action :—■ ; r
dispense with it entirely until lie leaves the sa
cred place. Dirt enough will accumulate'i n such
a place, after these precautions have been ob
served ; and no house will long be a fit place of
worship, which is not . carefully swept and dusted
at, least once a week., This must be done by some
one; and where' a sexton is hot hired to do it, it
must be done by volunteers.
There . are few, departments of authorship in
®hich there is greater room for the display of ta
lent than in that whieli relates to the, preparation
of books for the juveuile'ihind. In histbry, sci
entific-works, novels, and polite literature, the
Supply 1m kept up somewhat with the demand.
The shelves of our private, and public libraries
are oyer-burdened with: books in all these depart
ments, though, if we except a single branch of
reading, there are none too many. 1 ' But it requires
little argument to show that the dost important
department* has-been* "sadly neglected. We refer
M thafe pf • Itris-.by, no. means
true,, that. books haye not been written.-by the
busnei, intended to meet this'deftciency. No one
can dbubt'this, whb wili take 1 the trouble to look
into the catalogues of some of our great publish
ing sooieties, to say nothing of the thousands an
nually, sent out by private, publishers. But while
W,e make, no complaint of the quantify, we cannot
say as .mueli of the quality. Of all the scores of
volumes written' annually for the children,..few
are worthy of a place in Charlie’s or Lucy's
library. They are 'handsomely bound, and ele
gantly. illustrated;; but .they do, not reach the
standard, of. true juvenile literature. The fault
is not in any want of childish talk, but rather in
the exeeskof it; It is not that the bright-eyed
leader •eaonoi>:nhderstaud : the- story, but that 1 the
story.,being .understood, makes no distinct and
.valuable impression upon his mind. Most writers
of this class of books are incapable~of doing satis
factorily, sh great a work. Not that they cannot
descend to a standard bumble enough, but they
miunot rise to the level of the child’s mind; The
impression has extensively prevailed, that any
person: who can prattle in a small way to the ex
tent of three hundred 18mo. pages, is capable of
preparing books" for “Young America.' 1 ' This
impression has, doubtless, been nourished and
Stimulated by the excessive demands and-liberal
offers to authors, made by many of the publishing
societies. .And hence, as we should expect, there
is a vast amount of the veriest trash on the
shelves of Sabbath School libraries. It serves no
CJu-istian Observer.
; , W,e have often thought that on e Daniel Defoe
in. the lapse of a century, to write the history of
hne Robinson Crusoe, would be worth more .to
the Children of the wbrld than all the writers in
that department who have flourished since his
day. , .
: How strange it is that parents and guardians
should have a greater care for the dress of their
children, than for the intellectual pabulum which
is ministered by a thousand book-makers to their
minds—more' for the outside appearance than for
the internal growth!
, There is far too little attention given to the
kind of books our children read. Let those who
desire rightly to shape the mind of the next ac
tive generation see-to it -that vo
lumes written to gratify the; rage' for .Authorship
and fill the purse, be consigned, to an early grave;
and let them, by an imperative demand, call into
play such a high class of minds for the prepara
tion of books for the children, as will be sure to
come at such a call;- Let those who have in
,charge the. selection of books for the shelves of
our religious and popular libraries, exercise a
wise and,well-timed vigilance in this department
of literature, and insist upon having the first
class of juvenile books'or hone at all.
It was on a dark, rainy afternoon of last Oc
tober, while the winds were stripping the trees of
their last withered leaves, that a Christian man
received a letter from one of the most .eminent
physicians in Philadelphia, whither his wife , had
resorted for medical treatment, conveying the as
surance thata disease which might and finally must
prove fatal, ihad-fastened itself on his beloved eom
pauion. . This opinion had for some time been
anticipated by him, but only as possibility, and
now a dark cloud settled suddenly on him. He
strove to realize the Saviouris presence and love, 1
and find a conscious support and sympathy in
this; -but he-ksbuld .’oily feel sure that God is good:
and gracious. A covering of cloud was over him,
while he lookediiito a dark, dark valley before
him, through which a loved one was soon to pass.
The shadows of twilight were gathering., His two
little children had laid aside their childish sports,
and were seated with him at the tea-table, cheer
fully talking of an absent mother:whose return
Was daily expected, bnt only, as their father now
•knew, soon again to leave themion that last journey
from which there is no return. They knew not
his thoughts and feelings,-as, he gave them their
meal, remindedjby the vacant chair that soon she
who'had occupied it would leave it forever. The
meal was ’ over, and he sat in silence and in dark
ness of soul, wondering at what God had brought
before him, and gazing at the messenger who, in
a definite form, was seen drawing near his beloved
partner. ■
Soon, his little daughter, who is hot yef four
yeira old, Climbed'upon his knees, and nestling
her head on his bosdm, told, is was her custom,
of her little doings though the day.. Her father
heard berwords, but did not give them the usual
'attention. ’, But one. thought occupied his mind.
'Hooking to the future, he Was striving to see light
beyond the and His’-silent prayer waS—“o
God, hiy Saviour, send forth thy light from : thy
presence, Where light ever dwells, and where sin
and sorrow never enter! 0 Thou, who art ac
quainted with grief, give thy servant light on this
mysterious dispensation!” Scarcely had this
prayer left his heavy heart, wbebhis little daughter,
breaking frqm her previous:prattle; said—“ Papa,
. must we go through death’s dark vale to get to
heaven?’’. Now, he heard her, and answered —
“Yes, my dear,” —when she added, “But we will
not fear any evil, will we?"
BOOKS 808 CHILDREN,
better purpose 1 than to dissipate and retard the
proper development of youthful intellect and
.heart. -,. ; ■- h-
AN AFFECTING INCIDENT.
The fountain of her father’s heart - was nOW
opened, and the cloud of darkness was dispersed.
The Jjight which he had- been seeking, broke upon
him, and .made even the dark vale radiant with
the brightness of Heaven. He caught up the
words of David, in thb Sth Lord, our
Lord, how excellent in all the earth, is thy name! ”
“ Out of the mouths of babes and sucklings, hast
thou ordained strength that thou mightest still
theenemyand the avenger.”
.The shadows of evening, were closing over earth.
Father and child were silent ft#a time. She saw
hot his face, and knew not to what he was apply
ing: her .words;: but she felt the heavings -of his
bosom, as her head rested upon it and caught the
falling tearspn her upturned, face.; and as if with
a quick sympathy taught by a beavehly teacher,
she again spoke—“ But, papa, Heavenly Father
knows what is best for us ! ineDeryiAMig
be, papa?”
Sympathizing friend—experienced Christian—
learned divinel What could have been said more
fitting— more instructing—more sympathizing—
more cheering? - -
All narrated is strictly true. Tlow precious is
out j Saviour’s love! ; How constant, and tender,
and compassionate, his. care!
How wonderful his, ways'of, speaking to his .ser
vants!_ How precious is his truth,-and* bott pre
cious, in this instance, his ministering child!
Banker of the Covenant.
VOL. IV.—NO. 38.—Whole No. 203.
Journal- and Statesman.
DR. BETHUNE ON SABBATH SCHOOLS.
1ni849, eleven years since. Rev. Dr. Bethune,
then of Philadelphia, delivered a sermon in New
York on Sabbath Schools. It contained, as it
was thought, some radical, if not false views,
and its doctrines received some severe criticisms.
At the request of the Sabbath School Teachers’
Association,of the Dutch Reformed Church, on
Bifth Avenue, Dr. ! B Repeated this sermon last
Sabbath evening; He apologized for bringing
it ontiftom' thedust of years,” only because
invited to .dp so,:and with the gratifying reflec
tion that those who, formerly opposed his doc
trines were. no w practically carrying them into
operation. •<
■ The sermon l of Dr.*-Bethune, as, delivered ele
ven years since, and as repeated on Sabbath
evening, advocated the original use of these
sebopis,. as legitimately for .poor children. He
urged that parents 4h comfortable circumstances,
and of piety, were the proper sources from
whence children should; reeeive.tlteir moral and
religious training;, ; Tbft reaspnsfor it were -ob?
vious, such as natural affiection and fitness, home
being the peculiar place for snch educational
culture. Parents ordinarily had no right to de
legate such labor'to' strangei’s, and they would
always receivpithelr-appropriate; reward in the
superior character and rightitrainingjof their
Offspring. . •./.'•i-vf-..!.--
It was the poor who needed for their cbniaren
the care of the Sabbath School. A perversion
of the original design of Robert Raikes, con
sisted in permitting the children of families not
in indigent circumstances to usurp the places of
t)ie,popr, and thus engross, the sympathy and
time of teachers. In 1849, at the original de
livery of this discourse, there were but two Mis
sion Hchobls in New York and Brooklyn, Now
there are thousands of them, scattered in every
part of the c,ountry.: ,At that time, eleven years
sinee, what were called the “Cold Victuals
Children!” were gathered into a school in the
old Cedar Street Church, New York. But such
was the prejudice; with even Christians, against
teaching.the-indigent poor,, that all classes lite
rally shrunk from the work as if from contami
nation. ,
Dr. Bethune said he had a right to speak
freely and frankly on Sabbath Schools, for it
was on his mother’s knees in New York, (she
was one of the first teachers,) when they were
first .established in this country, that he early
learned about them. He congratulated the
friends of Sabbath Schools on the wonderful
progress they had made, and especially that
Mission, Schools for the poor were now both so
numerous, so well attended, and so admirably
sustained by all classes of Christian people. Dr.
B. was in his best mood, and .delivered the dis
course, with some closing additional remarks,
with rare impressiveness and power. The
church was crowded, and all were highly grar
tified. ■ , : ,
PERSECUTION IN BELGIUM.
. Below we give an interesting incident, the truth
of* which is vouched for by the Brussels’ corre
spondent of the-News of the Churches, under date
of March 19th, and which exhibits the method
taken by zealous Romanists to hinder the revival
now going on in Belgiura.; ; ~ .
: It has reference to a poor widow, a worker in
lace. The first time that .she attended at bur
Worship she received such an impression, that
from that titoe she began to attend regularly at
all the services, although resolved not to abandon
the Romish Church in which she was born. She
was afraid of losing her soul by separating herself
from, it. .But by tbe progressive knowledge of
the gospel and love of Christ; she was soon con
vinced of the' numerous: errors which Rome
teaches. ■ -It was then that many ladies of rank,
who procured for her assistance and employment,
redoubled the efforts which they had already made
to induce; her to cease frequentiiig my chapel.
They threatened her with eternal damnation, and
all sorts of temporal miseries, and made her the
most enticing promises if she would cease her
attendance at the evangelical preaching. The
poor widow, harassed by respect and gratitude, to
her benefactresses; from whom she knew wbll she
! w6iild have no more to expect in case of her refu
sal, and fearing, besides, for the safety of her soul
if she ;quitted the Romish communion;, was one
'.moment undecided; but the truth of the gospel
or‘ Christ ’ had already penetrated too deeply into
her heart to allow her to renounce her attendance
at the preaching, and she refused to accede to
this demand of her patronesses. Then these ladies
tried another expedient. The widow had.a child,
twelye. years of age, which, by the intervention of
some of itb mother’s fribndsyinfimbefa of my flock,
had been placed in ourlongregational school; In
orders suvbftbis child: from the hands of heretics,
and- to compel the mother to remain in the Ro
mish Church, they addressed to the poliee, in the
mother’s name, a species of complaint against her
child, accusing it of some misdeed, it is said theft,
■and demanded that it should be arrested and put
in prison. Then the widow,, entirely ignorant of
these machinations, was exhorted by these same
ladies, and the skilful intervention of another, to
acknowledge this complaint as .emanating from
her, should she be called on to appear before the
police. Not comprehending well what was going
on, but suspeetiug some bad design from hearing
them talk of the police, the poor woman refused
to accede to their request, and, being summoned
by the police magistrate, she declared that she
had not authorized the complaint against her
•child. Her eyes were opened, and the Satanic
plans: of these benevolent ladies unmasked. The
last link which attached her to the Romish Church,
the partisans of which had recourse to such noble
expedients, was broken forever. God insnared
die wise in their own trap, and, ike plans of the
wicked were frustrated*.
FLOWEBS IN HEAVEN.
“Well, now, tell me what is your idea about
heaven ? Do you think there are any flowers
there?”
I have thought of this very often. Are there
flowers in heaven ? Why not ? God has scattered
them all oyer the face of the earth. He has im
planted within us a taste for the beautiful, so that
we do not; like the brutes, trample them under
our feet, but cultivate them with tender care.
They adorn our earthly homes, and make them
cheerful.. May we not expect them in Paradise
above? Flowers are so sweet and beautiful that
we should think no one could help loving them.
But is it not true that those who love most Him
who- made them, love, the flowers most? The
profane man, the inebriate, and the infidel, don’t
care much about the flowers. The silent rebuke
which, these innocents express, as they look up
smilingly in the face of guilt, must be terrible in
deed. I don’t believe there are any flowers in
hell. < They couldn’t live there.’ If there are no
material flames to scorch and kill them, wicked
men and bad angels are quite enough to extermi
nate anything fair and lovely. But purity and
holiness shall d well in heaven and flourish there.
There will be4he blood-washed saints, and there,
too, possibly, may be the sweet roses and lilies.
God made the flowers, and far away from the
haunts of .men, in the uninhabited wilderness,
they sing their-silent praise, and send up their
fragrant incense to him.’ The poet has said: —
“Full many a flower is horn to blush unseen,
. And waste its sweetness on the desert air.”
-But it is not true. Though no man enjoys -its
beauty; there: is no waste, for God created it for
himself.
New York Observer.
Sabbath School Tunes.