166 fMsfcjtmatt THURSDAY, JUNK 14, 1860. D. C, HOUGHTON, 1 JOHN W. HEARS, } BD,TOBS ' ASSOCIATED WITH HA'tBBRT BARNES, . I GEORGE DUFFIELD Jb. THOMAS BRAINERD, JOHN JENKINS, HfiNRV DARLING, 1 THOMAS J. SHEPHERD, FORMATION AND VALUE OF CHRISTIAN CHARACTER. It costs much to form the character of a ma ture and experienced Christian. To estimate aright what has gone into snch a character, and what constitutes its true worth, it would be necessary to understand fully the plans of the Eternal Father; the work of the Redeemer; the agency of the Holy Spirit; the influences which hare been brought to bear on the intel lect, the will, the imagination, and the heart; and the conflicts and struggles of perhaps a long and troubled life. Into every such cha racter there enters, as an essential element in its formation, and, in the result, the purpose of God, laid far back in the depths of eternity, to provide a plan, of salvation, and the purpose that that plan should be developed in refers cnee to that particular member of our fallen race to whom it is in fact thus applied. Into the formation of that character there has en tered, as an element, all that the Saviour has done in becoming incarnate, fn his trials, his teachings, and his sufferings on' earth; in his agony in the garden, and in the great sacrifice made for sin on the cross; for the result of that work is seen on earth, only in the formation of the character of'a Christian. In a formation of that character there has entered, as an element, all that the Holy Spirit does for man; in en lightening the mind, in arresting the attention, in arousing the conscience, in converting the heart, and in sanctifying the soul; for the forma tion of snch a character is the main work of the Holy Spirit on the earth. In the forma tion of such a character there enters all that is done by parental counsel; by the slow process of training np a child for God; by the admo nitions and efforts of pious friends, and all that occurs under those providential events by which the attention is arrested and the mind turned to the subject of religion. And into the for mation of such a character there enter the struggles and conflicts of the Christian himself; all that has been done by him to gain a just knowledge of God, to overcome his own easily besetting sins, to learn his duty, to resist tempta tion, to become conformed to the example of his Master, to be prepared for death and for heaven. It is no light thing, therefore, to form a mature Christian character, it r no unimport ant eveut when such a Character is formed. In a character we see the result of the eternal purposes of God. and the result of a process that has' awakened the deepest interest in hea ven, earth and hell. Such a character is usually, perhaps always, pf slow growth; and It is of the more value be pausa it ia of slow growth. The mushroom starts up in a night, porous and spongy and valueless; the germ of the oak requires centu ries to develop itself, to send out its great Roughs, to form the stately trunk that shall defy the tempest, and to strike its roots deep in the earth, and its valne is measured by the years that have rolled away in its slow formation. The ferns of the old geological periods of the earth, when the ernst of the earth was still heated, shot up m ft gigantic growth, adapting them to the purpose for which they were in tended,'when. imbedded in vast masses, they were to be converted into coal, to form the fuel fpr a future world; but that which is to form the ribs, and the beams, and the masts of the vessel that Is to plough the deeps of ocean, and stand firth amid heading billows, and resist the rude shocks of war, is the result of slow accre tions, and is the growth of many years. . Every such mature Christian character has an individual history, and there is not a trait of that character which is not the result of some thing in that history which has made the result what it is. There is no more of chance in the formation of a Christian character than there is .■ftfHhe growth of the lofty Norwegian pine, ■ ftom which the mast of the “ great Admiral ” is hewn, 1 or the live oak of the ever-glades of Flo rida, which furnishes the keel and the ribs of “the man-of-war.” A few of the struggles which have gone into the formation of mature (Christian characters have been recorded, and but a few only. We know something, but after all very little, of what made Paul suqh a man as he was, and of what entered as forming ele ments i&to the-character of Augustine, of Lu ther,of Edwards. But the struggles, the con flicts, the victories, the defeats, the hinderances, the triumphs of the mature Christian, in lives less known than theirs, are, for the most part, un recorded on earth. Yet it is as true that such struggles have entered into the formation of every mature Christian character, as it was in the case of Paul, Augustine, Luther, Edwards; and it is Us true that when the process shall come to be disclosed in heaven, it will be found that there has been no trait of Christian cha racter developed that is not the result of a dis tinct Struggle, and which is not itself U victory. Such a character is of inestimable value in a community. Considered merely in reference to its influence on this world apart from all refer ence to the world to come, it is worth ail which it has cost. On this more tbab on most other things, the welfare of the world, the cause of sound morals, the preservation and diffusion of true religion, depend. The hearts of men may be insensible to the power of abstract troth, however valuable in itself, but they are never insensible to the power of a pore and holy life. Men may cavil at argument, they cannot cavil at that which is pnre. and kind, and benevolent in the life The Bible may be a neglected book- but men cannot neglect the influence which springs from a pure heart, from kind ness shown m times of trial, and from sympathy in the day of adversity. It is easy to allege of a preacher of the gospel, however earnest and eloquent he may be, that it is his '’business” to be earnest and eloquent, that he is " paid for it.” and tbaft it constitutes his very "living;” but it is not possible to allege this of the pure virtue of a Christian father, and the tender sympathies of a Christian mother. The mass of men obtain their ideas of religion, not from the pulpit, or from treatises on theology, bat from the examples m connexion with a Chris tian profession which they see around them' in daily life. It is not from Grotins, and Butler and Paley, that they are impressed with the truth of religion, for the mass of men never have even heard of their names; it is not so much from the Bible, for the mass of men do not read the Bible; it is not from the pulpit, for there are multitudes who enter no place of public worship; it is from what they see in the lives of the professed friends of God. There is no power of a perverted logic which can beat down the argument drawn from “a meek and quiet spirit;” there is no sophistry which can turn aside the conclusion in favor of religion fur nished by a devout and holy life. There is something most sad, so far as this World is concerned, when such influence is with drawn from the earth; when the mature and ripe Christian, having gained his victories, and having placed himself on an eminence from which his light might shine afar, is taken away by death 1 . For ourselves, we never sec an aged tree cut down, valuable as may be the purposes to which it may be applied, without melancholy emotions. The axe-man, careless as to what he is about; destroys at a few strokes the life which baS been the slow growth of scores of years, perhaps of cen turies, We cannot but, reflect how long and how patient has been that growth. We cannot but think of the little germ, and its struggles for life. We cannot but think of the winter’s cold which endangered its early life, and the fury of the stordi which raged as if on purpose to twist off its branohes and to tear it from its roots; 1 we cannot but think how bravely—-how* manfully— how heroically—that oak stood in the fury of the storm; and we cannot hut think how calm and sublime 1 it appears now that it is so strong that it may defy any.storm: and yet, in a moment, all its glory is laid low. How wo miss now its venera ble form, its shade, its beauty! So we see the ma ture Christian fall. . By long conflicts; by much prayer ; by the favouring grace of God; by the results of many a struggle in life, he-had reached a point where he seemed secure, and where his influence spread afar. Alas! in a moment all this is withdrawn from the world, and all that there was in his living virtue to sustain the cause of truth has been removed. What a thing is death 1 Death to the old oak! death to a Christian man— so useful, so needed in a worlcTlike this! - And yet there is that in a good man which Joes not die. “Abel being dead, yet speaketh; ” and the influence that flews from the character of the mature Christian man does not 1 die. His vir tues, his example, his remembered worth, consti tute a part of that vast inheritance in favor of religion which goes down from age to age,, and which lays the foundation for the assurance that true religion will yet triumph in the earth. The argument for religion—the real influence which is keeping it up in the world —is derived from the accumulated examples of all the friends of God that have ever lived in the earth, though their individual names may have been for gotten, as the green islands that spring up-in the waste of oceans are the results of the num berless animalcules that spent their little lives in piling up the coral reefs, while they themselves have passed away unknown. Yet they, in silently and noiselessly heaping up those coral reefs, laid, foundations beneath the surface of the agitated ocean which shall not be -moved -by any heaving of its billows, and which shall be the basis of islands and continents, —the firm foundation on which forests shall grow, and cities shall rise, and - lofty columns commemorating great events in the world's history, shall stand to the end of time. So past ages have sent down to-ns, for our exam ple, and for the confirmation of religiou in our times, the results of the lives of all who have lived and struggled for God and for virtue; so to all that has been~accumulated in the past in favor of virtue, there shall be added soon all that there is in the lives of the friends of God in this genera tion; so the strength and the power of the argu ment shall be augmented by the virtues of all that are yet to live and to die until thtf argument shall become complete, and the world shall be filled with the knowledge of God. The old oak is put to a better use—it is worth more—when it is converted into the keel and the ribs of the vessel that sball, bear the productions of one land in commercial exchanges to that shall bear the herald of salvation to the distant darkened shores of Pa ganism, than it was when it stood merely to show its own greatness, and to resist the storm and tem pest; and the influence of 1 a Christian man, va luable as it is, as that influence goes into the ac cumulated argument for religion in theworld, and as he himself may be removed to other and higher employments in new worlds, —as the old oak now plays its part, not on the land, but on a new ele ment, the ocean,—may be put to a better use, may be worth- more, than it would be in any length ening out of life; or in any victory that could be secured in fntfute conflicts. Let the old oak then fall,— vfeejj "while it dick,—and under ft new form move off in grandeur amidst new elements, to accomplish new and higher purposes: let th&mature and aged Christian-die—for it was amain part of his great struggle thatr’he might be prepared to die, find the real work of' bis exist ence, —the great, the grand, the noble end for which be was made, may then -begin. ‘ RELIGIOUS INFLUENCE OF OUR ASSEM- A Pittsburgh correspondent of the Sunday School Times of this city, gives the followin s dei lightful account of the imprdssidn made by the recent meeting of our Assembly in that city: I must write a word from the “ Smoky City,” to let your Christian readers know what a refresh ing season we have lately enjoyed, of religious awakening and activity among the Lord ? s people. This is consequent?!. In great part! upon the meet ings of the church body which has just closed its deliberations here. The lovers of Zion look upon their departure from us with feelings of regret; although it is a sad admission that we should be so dependent upon extraneous influences, and that our lamp® should need the borrowed oil of our brethren frond abroad. Butit is the peculiar bles sedness of our Christianity that we may “exhort one another,” “ bear each other’s burdens," and “ strengthen them who are weak in the faithi” We all feel that these conferences of the talent and heart of the New School body of the Presby terian church, which have been had in such kind ness of spirit, and in which so many fraternal and Christian concessions of Opinion have been made, have exerted an ihflitenee for good upon our whole community. Much of your Philadelphia piety and talent has been exercised amongst us; and as brethren in the Lord we would record our indebt edness for the presence and counsels of the Rev, Ur. Brainerd, Dr. Wallace, of the Presbyterian Review, the Rev. Mr. Wilder, who is soon to re turn to his former missionary field in India, and to your well known and long esteemed Christian brother, Isaac Ashmead, Esq. The proceedings of the Assembly are no doubt by this time spread broad-cast over our land, and I only make this allusion because no letter from the “ Iron City” would be complete just now without it. Our Young Men’s Christian Association held its regular monthly meeting in the Second Presby terian church,:on the evening of the 28th instant. §?tfsi&irtfnas# inti Able addresses were delivered by the Rev. Messrs. McLeod and Brainerd, of Philadelphia. The first speaker loved the Association chiefly because he saw in it a most important means of “producing a consciousness of the unity of the Church of Christ on earth.” The address of Dr. Brainerd abounded in beauty of thought and eloquence of expression, although, as he remarked, his labors had been so constant and severe, that lie could only render us the tribute of the “ end of a weary'day.” We, were delighted. We ’all felt' that we sbotild have been glad to have heard him in the freshness and. vigor of the morning, if that was but a specimen of his “worn-out” efforts. the Church militant. To a careless observer, even, it must be manifest that unwonted activity prevails in the Christian world. The Church has been revived, and the revival is permanent. Not merely because daily prayer meetings are persisted in here and there in our large cities; but because the Church in all its branches has 1 experienced a ne'W development- of healthful and determined energy. There is an enlarged consciousness of the greatness of the work —the open door set before her. There is a girding on of armour for the final struggle and triumph, felt to be nearer than ever before. The Spirit of God, dovelike add flamelike, has? made the entire Circuit of Christendom, pervading whole nations at oneft and converting men by hundreds of thousands. We have beheld in our day the peaceable removal of the most, obstinate barrierktothe entrance* of the Gospel .among heathen nations. The millions of mankind are open everywhere to missionary effort. And the heart of the church is stirred, her views - are enlarged, and her bosom is expanded with uncommon hopes. The numerous Assemblies; Conventions, Synods, and Anniversary Celebrations recently held,, and covering pretty much the whole ground of Evan gelical effort in this country and in England, bear concurrent testimony to this view. They show decided progress with scarcely an exception. They reveal a consciousness of increased vigour in these bodies. Their tone is animated, hopeful, resolved. Even measures which at first sight appear divisory and weakening, are but intended to disentangle and consolidate the separate forces, so that the charge of each upon the enemy may be more effec tive and overwhelming*. m It is needful that the Church should exhibit such activity. The age itself is pervaded with intenselife and vigor. The world is active. Worldly enterprises and interests are pushed with surprising energy. They claim a largely increased share and degree of man’s regard. Commerce is pushing into new tracks of trade, and bringing the ambas sadors of the most exclusive of heathen nations to our shores for the purposes of business. Science is sending her exploring agents into the tropic wilds of Africa; even the death of Kane, the re sult of exposure in Arctic regions, cannot damp the ardour of an adventurous Hayes in his quest after an open polar sea. While wave after wave of an emigration unparalleled in the history of civilized man Tolls Westward—a grand, solemn and continuous march of the European race to the Rocky Mountainsand the Golden Gate—“ a delnge of men rising unabatedly, and daily driven onward by the hand of God.” The Church must needs be watefiful and active at such a time as this. It is true her aims are intrinsically and unchangeably exalted, and Would ever of themselves be a sufficient motive for zeal; -but when she. beholds an. unwonted earnestness — the enlistment of all the energies of the soul—in' the struggle for the meat that perisheth, how much more emphatic must the claim for activity in her own sphere appear; what a cutting reproof for negligence in laboring for the meat which endnreth unto eternal life ! Yes, the Church must sympa-. thize in this great throb of the quickened pulse of humanity. She cannot remain unmoved irhen everything around her is in motion. She is no grand-and stately mausoleum of stone, whose per fect proportions look coldly down on the tide of life that sways tumultuously around it. She is a spiritual house, reared up of lively stones,- with the very centre and fountain of life welling up iu her Courts; She may not and she will not be left out in any quickening of the circulation of that social body of which she is so important a mem ber; her part is to lead on, and-shape and spiri tualize these movements, transforming the world -in this,.its plastic state, to the image of her own great author and prototype, i The Church cannot suffer the world to ravish away the soul of man. She must match its activity to destroy with her Zeal to save. Amid all the pomp and pride of modern improvement, like the faithful monitor at the ear of the Roman Emperor, when enjoying the intoxication of a public triumph, she must whisper indefatigably- in his. ear: Re member that thou art mortal: what shall it profit a inau if be gain the whole world and lose his own soul? She must announce to this self-com placent heir- of the spoils of all time, that only- by renouncing himself at his best estate, and be coming a suppliant for sovereign mercy at the foot of the cross, can he hope to attain the true good, or to be anything, but a miserable self-deceiver, feeding upon ashes,, unable to deliver his soul, or say, Have I not a lie in my right hand?. 1 It-would be no high evidence of activity on the part of the Church simply to denounce and dis parage the worldly interests and pursuits of men, and. to: labor, to withdraw men from them. - She does not prove her energy by insisting on idleness or indifference to woridly, ; affairs. She contem plates with interest and.with studious care the phases of secqlar activity presented by our age, and she labors not to suppress them, but to purify them of their-dishonorable features, and to guide -them into chanfibls of real usefulness. She does not aim to silence the whirr of spindles, to tie up the fleets of merchantmen by rotting , piers, to cheek the flight of theisteam-car, or to recall the explorer from Central Africa, or from the ice-bound inlets of the North. A vfeiysdrowsy church might preach and practise such-a doctrine. The Church of to-day shows her vitality by aiming to regulate and subordinate these grand secular movements to her own principles and purposes. She seeks to expel selfishness, and to impart charity and de votedness in its place, and under the guidance of these high principles so far from discouraging the merchant, the explorer, the man of science, she cheers him on. She boldly seizes upon the highest results of science and of art, and presses them into her service in her work of defendingand extend ing the kingdom of Christ. Nay, it is. she herself that sends the intrepid Li vin gatoUein l advance of all explorers into the heart of Africa 1 ; it is she that constructs written languages, reduces heathen jargons to order, writes Tamil lexicons and MpoDg we grammars, prompts a Hugh Miller to a triumph ant vindication of the footsteps of the Creator on ancient rocks, and gives an impulse t'O' art and science in their highest stages, that thpy may be made yet more effectually tributary to her high purposes. ; It is by observatlon and meditation oir the faults of others, that wise men correct their o4mi westphiladelphia. We are happy to oblige-onr friends in the Wal nut Street Fresbyterian Church of West Philadel phia, (Mr. Butler’s) by giving our readers notice that they are about to hold a Fancy and Floral Fair for the benefit of the church. The little company who**coippose tjiat church, are. doing a good work. J^eyr ( in numbers,, they have under* - .taken 1 -tto erect- a-large and' handsome yet economi cal edifice, which, will cost about 317,000. Their former house of (worship was small, and not worth the repairs it needed. In building, it-was seen that such a church ought to be erected as would be adapted to.the rapidly increasing population of that part of the city. They deserve great credit for the courage and the generosity with which they have assumed thisresponsibility; and they deserve as truly the co-operation of their -friends on the hither side of the Schuylkill. The new church is nearly- completed. . The Fair will be held next week, by the Ladies in the Lecture Room. It is in Walnut Street,"Setween William and Till Streets, (or 39th and 40th,) and is readily reached by the Market street.cars. Those of onr readers who are not familiar with this beautiful suburb, would much .enjoy a- walk up and down Chestnut,. Walnut, South, Spruce and other streets in this vicinity. We risk-nothing in saying that they will be sur prised at the improvements made. within a few years. We the.good ladies of the West Philadelphia Siujiijob will havp a successful fair.. ABE THE JABAifESE VISITtHTG A' CHSiS : ‘ ;;r ?' TIAJff COUNTRY? . V ‘ ' 'While it seems MM Me authorities in Washing- I ton took all have a room fitted u'p where the Japanese might’conduct their heatben'worship, special carehasbeefitaieil to keep thein ignorant of the religion of this land. Those .who are ac quainted with the history of our people cannot bht know that our greatness is chiefly attributable to our religion:: ‘“Happy is the people whose God is Jehovah,” said the Psalmist.- The saying ex plains the prosperity of this country. But-unless the public have been misinformed, our Japanese visitors have been carefully prevented; from learn ing anything about our religion, or its influence upon the nation. , How strikingly this contrasts with the eondpcdof‘Victoria in a-similar case! An African prince sends an ambassador to the queen of ,England to inquire what js tbe secret of Britain’s happiness and ;glpry, when the noble woman sends back a Bible asgfche true answer. ; , : ■; v We find in tiifr'NalimiallntelKgencerß.aomm'a.- nication on which we understand is from the pen of our esteemed brother, Rev. T. H. Stockton,, Chaplain of, -the House of Representa tiyesr!'"The whole article might be read with profit, but we .can on! Me following: , “ When Jesus born in Bethlehem of Judea, in the days of Herod the king, behold, there came wise men frotn the East to Jerusalem, saying, Where is He Mat’is" born King of Me Jews ? for we have sfeen Mis star in the east; and are come to worship him: rWhen Herod theling beard these things, he was troubled, and all Jerusalem .with him.” Herod and frip dependents had no notion of losing iheir gains. . ' Eighteen centuries havegbneiiiy, and lo ! “ wise men from the east” come to our Jerusalem, saying, virtually if not formally, “ Where is he who is acknowledged as the common Lord of the Chris tians? for we have seen his thirty stars , in the east, and are come to p worship him.” AM what now? Alas ! Commerce; our king, is troubled’; and al the infidels of his court, and his selfish* retainers throughout the mty and country are troubled with him I : ’ Buk Qorlprcej. lfJss generous Mpu Herod, gives Me .inquirers no diretjions., ’ 1 . ' Hark! Stop With the strangers at Fort Monroe, salute themfftjin its;;batteries| and |how them its be on r the Sabbath day. Salute them again as they land at the metropolis, escort them tothßirhptelwithall possiblehonor,and ‘ ’install them there in Me midst of comforts and Mxuries. CbhBfuet them to the StMdT)hgaf iffieht for official reeogbitimi : and the more pnvate -trtfns action of preliimnary-ihusiness. 'Then, intheeast room of the Presidential Mansion, give them the most brilliant and impressive diplomatie reception ever witnessed .there. Take them to the Patent (Office. Take them to the Smithsonian Institution. Take them to JSe Savy Yard; Take them to Me Capitol, while the Senate and House of Represen tatives are both iu session. Take them to the southern portico of the White .House, that they may hear, the music of the marine band, see the people in their hblyday attire, and marvel at his “ Majesty” the President'mdving among them as an equal and fribnd. .Take them to gay domestic partieSj.for feasting, drinMng and dancing. Next, being less annoyed than at first, and all at ease themselves, gwe them the freedom of the city. Lefc them glide* along out*Btreets itt separate groups, repose in the shade of our public grounds, examine the agents, instrumentsand products of art in all places of manufacture and and return to their headquarters at their will. Take them, orlet them go, anywhere and everywhere—except to the hal lowed scenes of Christian* worshipf ‘ Make them presents of ally thing and everything—except the Bible, the NeWTestament, or any other religious book! Let the physicians have access to them— for some of them are doctors; but beware of the clergy—for ho priests ' ate among them. Their religion is dc^d —and so is ours 1 . Christianity is up more; thq Bible is a fiction; the.- Church, a superstition ; ; the. Ministry a mere profession; and the Sabbath a grievous imposition. Commerce is king! and Commerce requires Mat these “wise iheff ftotii the Cast” should fall doWh and worship him, and open “Mfeir treasures ” in his presence] and strew at hisfbet their “gifts,of gold, of frank incense, andj myrrh.” In a .word, Commerce de crees that thjs expensive.entertainment must and shall pay! ’j AStdnisMtfg S 1 Are we indeed living in the high noon ofithe nibeteenth century of our Holy Religion ? Bo ’we occupy the summit regions of Christian f fe||b«RPW W 4 glb r y ? Have we the good, work ijptar hands, Me sure promise in our minds, ahd Mei giad Hope,ui our heaxts,of speedily evangelizihgHhe World ? In particular, has God just ptovidence, by opening before ui the long-closed- door of Japan, and saying unto us “Eater ! i%, of Me bjeesingof the gospel of Christ!”, And have these, the princely ambassadors of that Imperial Government, by the very treaty just iatified, echoed’that Divine com mand— Me> blessing of Metgospel Af Christ!” . ,Why, Men, this sad abeyance of the tmth ? , . A Philadelphia paper reports ( that Me Japanese were invited ’“ to attend the services in Me'capitol last Sabbath, but it is doubtful"’whether Me naval authorities Mem to receive-the' invita tioayfearingsomethingprejudicial to Christianity.” Is Mis correct ? : If so, why not permit such, an invitation to reach them ? , And why fear anything prejudicial M Christiahify ? la it not Me ihva , ritble practice of intelligent travellers, official or unofficial; td pay Special attention.; to-the-religions of the countries .they visit? - -Has: it not been so in Japan itself, ; frqm the.,days of Koempfer. to the recent missions of Perry and Elgin ? And will not the Japanese Government expect some account , of ‘ AWeriMn ChriitiaaitJ? Ahfl; if so, Mall its’ Ambassadors 'be Cotppelled to report, “The Ame ricans bav* no religion; or if: they' have any, they were afraid, or ashamed, or for some reason un willing tpwtjus see it.”- ' As SobtjJasf pur guests were settled, a brief, mo dest and respectful note was addressed-to the offi e_er incharge, stating, simply, that if it were de signed, to conduct them to. any place of -public ■ worship, and no other arrangement had been preferred, the chaplain of the House of BeprCsein tatives 'would be happy to See them at . the Capitol. ‘There seemed to be a special pro- -. priety in’ this invitation. It was supposed; as a' matter .of course, M#; it, Would ;be agreeable, to 1 them to be taken, to some place of worship ; and. if taken to-any, where in all-the land more appro priately, or even so appropriately as* to the Hall of Me House of our holy religion appears, not as denominational, but as na tional ; not in the form of a union of church and state, hut as allied to boM, and yet independent of both, being, by common consent, far above both, exhibited only in Biblical and therefore Divine simplicity and purity,: the gracious and glorious inheritance of the whole world, and especially of all who' are inspired with the Spirit of Christ, and love his name and cause. In all probability they, would have been most favorably impressed. CORRECTION OF A REPORT. To the Kdilors of the American Presbyterian. Dear Brethren ; The report copied into your columns has unintentionally misrepresented my views in tbe statement of some remarks which I made to Me General Assembly,;soas..to convey an entirely erroneous impression upon what I regard as a-yttal point „ If this report had ap peared-in another; eityr than, Fhiladeiphia,: and in another paper than the American Preaby terian, and had regarded a maltter less than one which I eonsider of the greatesfi importance, I should probably have felt it best to pursue my ordinary coarse in all Such eases—to let the matter die as a pertonal one; of no consequence to the : public: As no one i 3 in the least degree responsible for this note bnt myself, yon will allow me to state Me-matter in my own way. • -Yon < withOirt qualification, thafc I have no objection tp the re moval of the Church Extension Committee from Philadelphia: It- seems to me that it hrould haVe been; for several Masons; very in delicate to have; made: such a statement. ,i ;; In the eight years that I have lived here, I have: been treated yiriM great kindness; and. have , been sustained in all my plans for the good of the' Church with remarkable libe rality. Then, again, in all plans for building up our (March’ instittttioHs, and sustaining. our Committees, Philadelphia has- generally taken tbe lead, and has never shrunk from any claim upon her enterprise or generosity. Why should I volunteer a statement that a Committee of which I have been Secretary from the beginning, and of which Philadelphia has been the breath of life, might as well be removed from this city? And removed whither, Messrs. Editor's ? No other project as is well known, is seriously planned, Man a removal to New York. I should then have been implicitly ex pressing an opinion that an undue amount of centralizing influence is located here. I can hardly conceive of anything so improper. At New York, are the Trustees of our Church Erection; Fund; with $llO,OOO already to dis burse, and a prospect, of indefinite increase;! Me Union Theological Seminary with an endowment of nearly $400,000; the Assembly’s Permanent Committees for Education and Foreign Missions. Our brethren of the other branch of o.ur Church already expetfdfor this last interest through their Board upwards of $200,000 per annum. Only two of these central powers are-at Philadelphia, tyoa, qut of six. They are the Church Extension Committee, which will probably be changed to Me Home Mission Committee and the Publica tion Committee. Philadelphians mainly, have purchased Me Presbyterian House at an ex pense of, upwards of- §50,000, .to .accommodate these Committees.; Now if I had expressed Me opinion on the floor of the General Assembly; that I saw no objection, on grounds of general policy, to add a fifth of: these central powers to New York, and take it from Philadelphia, I should have felt that I was acting with, extreme indelicacy. And I wish to say, Messrs, Editors, that I expressed no suph opinion. . ; -What I,did say, or meant to . say, on this point, was entirely .in self-defence: A Com missioner ft ota ; the -Western Presbyteriea, made an attack on : Pbiladelphia; ; and upon the Secretary of Church Extension. What he inti mated was; that Philadelphia was too much taken up withlocal ideas, that She did not look out over the whole Church and see what its home missionary wants are, and Mat Me Secre tary was not conducting the affairs of the Com mittee efficiently and. comprehensively. This Commissioner, both impnbJic and prirate, dis claimed any discourteous intention in bis re marks, and I wish to give) him the full benefit pf. this disclaimer; which: was made several times. But the statement was public, and my reply was this; I; said—not as you have reported that Dr. Bullard had recommended my appoint ment as Secretary, with which he had nothing whatever to do that Dr.: Bullard and my self were Chairman and Secretary of the Com mittee that brought in the report establishing the Church Extehsion Committee lb 1*855; that I pressed another person as Secretary of the Committee, whom Mev did not think it best to appoint;; that I was appointed in my absence, and at the same meeting at which lMad: ear nestly pressed another pprson;; that: two years afterwards I had stated the necessity of enlarge ment in the operations of the Committee] and offered to resign, if Me,Committee should think it^Belt; bnt instead of accepting that offer; the Committee had enlarged my powers, sind doubled my J salary. -I .Men went on to speaking still- .of matters purely personal, that rio man's individual interests, or-those of any locality, ought' to stand in the way-of great Church movements, and that,—speaking with reference to the attack of the Western Commis sioiieri—l-whs to putMe interests of the 1 Committee into any other hands that coaid: conduct them better than I, and that so fair as my private and personal itir terests ■ were • ’concerned] the General Assembly might put the Committee at New York, Buffalo, : Chicago, St. Louis, or any otber point they thought proper. As to efficiency, I asked Me* Assembly instead of taking Up vagM hotiohs; siridjoly^^tb^look at Me figuMs uf ißqr report, and I Men said Mat it might be wCll to consider, before taking any such step as the removal of the Committee, all that Philadelphia had done for the Church; how Philadelphians had stood firtaly bjr-evCry Preshyteriah interest in' the darkest moments; and that so far from taking narrow views, they had poured ont their money freely for every part of the Church. And I think Mat T pledged Philadelphia as so un selfish and liberal, and comprehensive in her views, Mat she would stand by every'Commit tee of the Church wherever located. ; ‘ My sole object was to repel what T considered an improper charge against myself, and against the city whose unselfish liberality and broad comprehensiveness for the Church has been most conspicuous ever since the divisibn of ouf 1 body. . .I'.-. j. Of the remarks of Dr. Brainerd I will not trust myself tb speak. I* hope, some day to have an opportunity of doing sbtteMihjg to testify my sense of such noble generosity. ' ’ ' 1 Benj. J. Waeuaot. “ANNALS OF THE ?$)&•” xt.ra wdw.A.TO'raoMja^'iM**,.. .. It rilay be supposedly somiftbat ttar to the Poor is a work requiring superhuman_power and resources to accomplish any good, is like casting, pebbles iutq/a contribute to their wants and preach t e jff?:'. to these. -When Jesus was upon the earth prbaeli ing, he taught the poor repentance, and althoug we cannot see his\shape> stiU' he is-here a aloud to us saying—“ deal tby bread tot e angry, and see that thou-bring the that are eas oa to thy house/' Our mission does toe mighty hand of God. to carry it forward,, and m know he has been, and is with, us now,, for we can see hie foot prints, and we will still trust that bis mighty resources,, held by his stewards,; will, o used in his vineyard. Our district is not a sponge absorbing aUiend'sh&wing^nprfniit..,. Go with mf) dear reader, again to that old man’s roopi, lift his latch , and , hear his welcome; that, old Christian there behind the loom is he who some few months ago, rise with, the , hiSjShnt tle.untU, his disease would cause, him to oease and throw himself upon that bed racked with-pa' ll Jjt. was he whose face was haggard and whose brow was sunken in. despondepey, and, whose forpi .was scarce hidden by the rags, he wore- —rememberlt W»s he; who at threescore years lived upon bread and wafer, earning, but: a- few.pennies a day. ... B.ut look at ibis cheerful face- now,*. see, that smile or thankfulness as. he bids us welcome, , and hear him say “God be thanked, for it was he sent you here, and bad. you- not come I dont know..W,hat would have become of me.”, He has. more .flash upop,hisfaceT--tbe brow iflli.fted,and,he,withhis loom can now earn twenty-five instead of lQ cents per day ; hope now fills:hhs: herat (thePi^ s ..fe contributors) and - while he remains in this world his only care is to get his. boy to a good place in the country away from the evils which now sur round Mm. . . THE WILD GIRL. Some months ago several ladies sent us quite a number of girls’ dresses—thus contributing so much to heljs fillup found a bottom and has filled up a great space. We had, in pursuit of our daily visiting, entered a yard by the back way and< was abont:to ; visit one of the residents when we met a ragged -girl’; her hair uncombed floated upon the-breeze; and wbife WO talked with her, her baked footrdrew marks ‘Upon, the ground.—and her body was' covered as we thought but by one; and winter was come; ■.Sbe’dMnot'wisbtoigb’to Sabbath school nor have any connection with ns —but in a pleasant way sbb "gave :us her namft and we passed on. Again we met and entered into conversation* Now she was willing to goito school only her clothes were not such as the rest wore; this was soon remedied—sheeameand we feared that she was too wild for usG—she would spoil the school. Months passed and with them passe d ? away much of her boisterous* laugh and disobedieUeef and our hopeless case gradwaHy assuming a new character. But at home she'sqw naught : but evil; and it was with tffimblißgiW* looked forth' to her future life—with her parents’ consent we got her into one of the neighboring homes; and promised to bring her tmt bncb m month to see them. Since she has beeh: there (Kbt a few weeks) she has knitted for us three very useful 'little artieleßj ahtHs fast learning to sew, read, write and do general boupeWork. A home, awby from evil associates; is preparing for her, and bar hearts fill with joy ias we hear her old neighbors say— a how Well she looks/'’ “how well behavedshe is.” • Look to the future now see -bur wfid gfri joarßey of life With entering rh at the wicket gate!'-' ■ ‘ -is. ii !.- S. B 3 Our ttlissioto M licwin 'deWibr jh-ovishms to the-amount of jfl&J (our rent is paid by the teachers) Ire would ‘ like that you* dear reader, would “feed the' hungry” by assisting us to pay 'this bill. • Send us word where we may call upon you, add we will do so to t'alk ahout our iinibsibn*; or tb receive any donation you inpy dontribtite in money' or clothing. . > COLLEGIATE AND THEOLOGICAL EBUCA mm- >- - iHON*S®eiEI¥; -m;. ; . -The atten tionof thefriendsnf;Hbe*al ; education intdted to the important! facts and reasonings of the lastisfntiuai report of this Society-. Attention is thus solicited in the.full belief that it will he amply repaid, .and’ the interests of an iifi portant worlc he promoted,; .copy is not #* hand,;>your address sent to -Bev» -IP. Baldwin,, oor see*, sSci,B(l yorkjjwallsfiaßurcsojgsi, ; At? the brte<meeiSHg:;of the General Assembly of : the Presbyterian Church, .at' Pittsbuigb,tibe foliowing resolutions were viz.:’ ■ -m ' ReMvedj -iS' That thegreatgoodalready accom plished bythe Society forpromotingCollegiate and Theological Education at the ?Weat, in -sUBtaining and encouraging waluabie, institutiooßin times of commercial embaiaaißßmentTint.il .nnnld be placed on permanent? is,*Utitled to th# grateful acknowledgments of this*Assembly.} syihpathy andi geherousVaidshf all the friends of Sound learning andeulightened piety—especially in' regard to: the endowment, of ; ;? the institutions now nnd«cSts;pStronag©; '3 5 ’ BesoluedyZ. on th e Pacific boast to establish the institutions of education and rpgihn <among themj aad specially to endow aro‘ worthy of the confidence and patronage! of our bhurchbs. ■■ - J. Spaui.dingj ' ' ■ -Bee., Secretary, i , WHO SHaIL BO ITT " . A minister in western New York, in a business letter says' ’* '"' v *"’ t -•* 'v “By this time some of oiir peoplfe most bb awakmg t to the consciousness that we are eertaihlv not fytrnished by, our. branch of: the church at part,, the osieiv, braneli; of the chureh wUI only haye the |* to.do, and .reap; results It rs certainly best for us to do our fe; The actum at P.ttshurgh was & the right direction. erSw Ymb l " glV ® satisfaction in west- v We will onlyu-emark tKatif'tbe*^actionatPitts burgh "£the resolution to raise $25,000 this-year Me peopfei 'itiwill giverigreatnatisfactionvtto '-^ievimenfibei^^^ that the stream has conimencedifo -flow into the Treasury for this important enterprise. It cer tamJy is time firte basis' an.d enable it to dothe work- designed If we d ’ ??°^ e B, 'l^ o®o 0 ® om * Bat io®^l-Biterature/ o era wi . Not onlybur;(DldiEohbok friends, -but Baptists, Episcopalians, and some are generously bestowing- their tracts upon them. .reported increase to 1 IISS 8 ' 14e “° fflination ’ durinß the ' **? "*>lo/005 i.r EDH?OB r S TABLE. THE BOBBIN BOY; or How Nat got h« Lcarnm. An Example for Youths: B r w “- **. Thayer, A«. thor of the “Poor BOjT and Merchant Prince. > e!r etc. Boston: J. E. Tilton & Co. For sale by w. & A. MaEtien^Philadelphip- J Tilton fe Co-, of Boston, are issuing sni,,-. Cahfebfe Tfeohs {lom the a ® e of ten *° Os teen’written in *n interesting and entertain!., to excite a laud*, ambition in the young reader, and to exhibit: him the great value of truthfulness, industry a .) integrity. This Volume is one of that charaef r , and in which Nat & described and Lis success growing out of his nalfem virtuous character : ij ; industry. Ifeistsopposed tbat ihe present Gove., nor of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts is rL; personage, whose boyhood is portrayed here With incidents more true than fictitious. Let the h 0 ;: read,' remember and practise. The motto will - ways prove trim, that there is no great excellence without gieatlaborand a virfcuouscharacter. THE' LITTLE BEAUTY. By Mrt. Grey. Three t„. Inmes In one* Philaddptda: T. B. IMatton & Bros. Mre. Grey has for twenty years been before tin,. public, as a writer of fiction. Her books are by no means uniform in character; but in the main, are popular both in Europe and* America. Tliis s her last issue, is published simultaneously by Pe terson of this city, and the London publishers. It is said to he one of M*s. Grey’s brat novels, and is put np in the best style of the American pub lishers. It cohfaius 626 pagea, and is sold for $1.25. - '-,vV 7•' 7 -7.;,;/; ’ THE HOME BOOK OF HE ALTH AND MEDICINE; " br the Laws and Means of Physical Cultnre, Adapted to Fractibal'ijse,einbracing Laws ofDigestion, Breath in g> Ventilation, Use of toe Lungs,Circulation and R«. novation, Laws and. Diseases of the Skin, Bathing, Bow to Prevent Consumption, Clothing and Tempe rature, Food and'Cooking, Poisons, Exercise and Rest, The Bight-Use Of! Physicians,_&a., &c., &c. By IV. 48,. T>. With thirfv-one Illustrations. Phi l?nPipbitt.: C. C r Evans. No. 439 Chestnut Street. ' Thisdsi a vuluable:treatise- oh thfe preservation and. culture of health:: It confeha the substance of the course of popular lectures, prepared by Dr. W. A. fAlcotl “ It iff ftee from all hobbies and extravagances; It teaehes us how we may avoid the too eonstaot use of medicines and nostrums) and wbeß'ii may be proper to con sult: aad emptoy *'physician: If * contains very many? valuable' and' practical' suggestions bn the VarioußlsubjßSfe spoken of and TOay prove & vmy usfefiil bobh'in' allifrtmilies, not sd urueb tor teach how to caret diseases, as to pre vent. their eccnrrencu. - A MOTHER’S TRIALS. Jgy, the Author of “My \ Lady.” New York: Harper For sale by Kadsay & Blakistori: Philadelphia: ‘ We like’ an author who writes with a purpose. One who has a thought or" principle in his mind Which, he desires, to. express ' or illustrate. For stories merely as such, wie liave htrt Kttle relish. But when a story is so told as to illustrate a prin ciple, or is made the ’ medium through which to cdnfey'sdme great.’thought, then we at once be come' interested’ in it.. *Tt is this feature of his writings, that gives to. Bfewthorne his wondrous popularity and power as an author! In them selves; his Stories possess but Uttle interest. They are; fer the most part,’ extravagant and unnatural. But behind or beneath the_ story, lies ever some great or beautiful thought, which the piffed writer desires to impress upon the reader. The book be fore Us is of l:his class. It is not a loVe hS exceKteidf illnsiration of .the retri- after Sfe Sir the follies and wrong doinv m the outset. The delineafibri ofreharacter is very good' indeed’, and the inorul unexceptionable. We haVe read it with increasing Interest to the end. POBTY YBARS’. FAM3EIAR MSCTEBB OF JAMES , ,W. ALEXABmER, H- L-j Con»titnting with the Notes ■ a Memoir of hU Life. Edited by the.surviving corre spondent, Join Ball, B. !D. Ih two Volunies. New .y. ' W present a of tfie, character of a man,'than hjf .pubfishifag fis private correspondence with an personal friend. ’ : itfWfi two handsomely bound volumes flfe S'™ l ® eight hundred Jettera, written by sr. tp his friend,. Dr. Hall, of Trenton. Tite correspondence commenced when the author of these letters was. but fifteeh ,ycara old. They embrace an almost endless variety of'snbjects, an-I P enn ed in a gr^bvariety.of. circumstances. But friom. first, to, lasb ibey miirpr forth a puriiy and loveliness of hpt j rarely met. He speaks in. the, meat unconstrained manner of all %JPPS* eymits in the his- Mm at the time,, giving to these incidents a very pleasing freshness. These letters show too, ,that while be vras educated a, Presbyterian, and,ever remained feue to the faith of his church, he yet had a heart too large, and. views of Christian life too expansive, to ;l epnfinUihis.,sympathies to any one branch of the church of Christ, M e have ourselves perused t 1 pleasure, and we .will, elicit the grateful achnowledgment of a very circle of readers *be, 'WQyb> auiong.the personal admi rera .of the man. ' v■ - r - GiffiEßO-dif Miti-oftir asd orators. Translated Editedby J. :f& Wilson. ; aratper & Brothers: New - YMfc For sale bykintlgayfe Blgtiston: Philadelphia This is another new addition to Harpers’ clas shM libraory. : The translation fffroin those who >5 . have JOng heeuApproved for accuracy. The ver- g £fafiß*Sf>GeOrgea Barnes m adoptedwith s*e R amendineßtsi' Thetranslation of Chcero’s is I aremiany valuable foot coles fetbOlh' Englkh and 'Latin. : These valuable cri &OisißiB areaiiadeiacce9sible to the Eng- t Kbaiwell as-tbe classical scholal. | ByßiraainryWood. Harper j£ & Brother"l9 by Lindsay & »»- ; kiston: Philadelphia; • * This is’ a pme talV on the subject of temp** ranee, designed id explain the injurious effect iutoxica ,drinks, the advantages of total ab=d' nence, and demoralizing operations of * #e lujuoi.iraffie. ;/The authoress received a prize of one hundred poundsj awarded By a committee of distinguish clergymen and others appointed for that purpose , abounds with graphic and thrilling descripti- l!h of ffie effects of in&ipdrance. Wc commend 1 - to general circulation, as a preventive to this ww i ' spread evil. ’ . ' ’ SEL¥-sxiis¥oKTftiQ Missions.— Rev. Ja«. Jy 1 ?’ who. left Canada last year for Natal, South Ai' * 1 * 1 ’ mentions the interesting fact, that all the of theXiondon Missionary Society in South A*>r lu > are now self-supporting. ~,Jlis,,l D E.;C43iPßEil i ,,,'wiio, with her chi;* % returnedyrom.the Reformed Presbyterian 'l l *'. 5 ’' in Nortlifer.n India, two years ago, and h* s fl ‘“ resided in Philadelphia, proposes to return to mission field duripgdtlie ensuing summer. . June 1
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