GENESEE EYANGEUST.—WhoIe No. 736
PENTECOST.
When God of old came down from heaven,
In power and wrath He oame;
Before Me feet the olouds were riven,
Half darkness and half Same.
' Around the trembling mountain’s base
The prostrate,people lay;
A day of wrath and not of gtaoe,
A dim and dreadful day.
But when he came the secondtime,
He camein power and love,-
Softer than gate at morning'prime
Hover’d t£e holy .Dove. ,
The fires that rushed on Sinal down
In sudden'torrents dread,
Now gentlylight a gloriousorown
On every sainted head.
ovtlfilsoltbsltts.
For the American Presbyterian.
LETTEaiaOMCHINA.
ANIMALS WORSKEPPED BT THE CHINESE AT ECH
CHAD.
T Dear Editor The notes I send you in this
letter t@n4 to illustrate the nature, or the gemma/
heathenism as existing and as practised by the'
Chinese in this vicinity, who “serve the creature
more than the Creator.” Ido not propose to ex
haust the subjeot, hut merely,give a fertr state
ments by which your renders may perceive perhaps
more clearly than before, how gross, how degrading,
and how senseless is Chinese heathenism in this
city.
The Monkey. —lt is represented as a man, and
in the posture of amen sitting; the faceonly being
like a monkey. The image is uaualiymade of
wood or clay; sometimes a picture is made on paper,
on simply the title: under which the monkeyifl
worshipped ie written on a slip of paper, and used
instead of an image.; There are several large tem*
pies in Fuh Chau erected for the worshipof *.* His
Excellency, the Holy King,” one of the ritfeapften
used in speaking of the monkey. Oftentimes the
niche holding the image Or the written nameis
placed or is made in, a Hollow treo, Or in the wall
at the corners of streets, or at the ,
or lanes. Sueh places in this oifiy ; and : vicinity
where themoqkey is worshipped reckoned together
with small tetopljes or: biiildiuge, dedicated tb''% |
Snwtmt to several iens, td Welun-1
|red. In (fr® o^«la«»'of ¥ pi||K|%
consists principally in the burning: of inoenseaud
caudles, sometimes with tho offering of meats!
vegetables and fririts, additional to the.' ihcehsd and
candles. The monkey was first worshipped in
return for supposed services rendered the Bud-;;
dhist priest who went to India by special command
of a certain Emperor of the Vang dynasty, to
obtain the rooted books of the Buddhist B'eligion.!
This Emperor deified the monkey, or at least he I
conferred the august title, of “ ; Gnei'Evga,
Equal to ~ iupom;*hat qnadr«ped'.. Tlia>
birth-day of “Hfe Eaoelleuoyi the‘Hely' Kingi" is
believed to ooctg out the 23d of the second Chinesb
month, when his monkey majesty is specially wor-
wm from all classes <tf sorifty. ft is
estimated that more than one tenth of the people
habitually worship this animal. The, monkey is
believed to have the general control of hobgoblins,
witches, elVes, M If Is tdso supposed 1 to be able
to bestow heaMti protection and success ou man
kind, ifiiot direofly}lnditeot!y, by keeping away
malicious spirits ot goblins, &e. People often
imagine that sickness or want of success in study,
trade, &0., is caused by witches or hobgoblins, &c.
Hence the sick or the Worship the
monkey, in order to drive away or prOvent the
evil influences of imaginary spirits or : powers.'
The Box.—This animal is worshipped by the
Viceroy, and as some assert, by other high man-*
darins at Euh Chan. The fox is supposed to have
control of the official seals belonging to high offices
of government. In the Viceroy’s establishment
is a room in the second story of a Building Winch
is devoted 1 to the worship of the fox. It has'no
image, nor is there any picture of the animal as
worshipped. The Viceroy soon after arrival at
his official residence after appointment, repairs to
this room, kneels down, bows his head towards
the ground three rimes, and offers threb cups' of
wine and three sticks of incense and two Candles,
in order to propitiate the good will of Reynard, the
keeper of tho seal. llnless the fox should be wor
shipped in some tray; it is believed; of at le&f
asserted, among the common people, thtit it-wbttld
cause the seal to disappear, and otherwise injure
the mandarin, as setting his office on fire, &o.
There are very wonderful stories in connection
with the power of the fox its mandariu establish
ments current in Fuh Chan. The fox is believed
also to have the power of changing at pleasure into
the human form, or of entering the bodies of men
or women. Sometimes diseases are attributed to
this animal, who Is accordingly wdtijhipped'By thp
sick one, or on his acoount by Othefej in ofder to
induce it no longer to molest, vex or injure the
sick individual; Its invisible agen#'ih
ig sucoess in business is very much dreaded
mg the people of this oily* r
Tbe Ti!OBB.-—Thik animat if worshipped . by-tEj?
iffierent classes of people, and foßtWodtff&ref&u&
1. By Qamhhrt. It is tile god of gambling,
letunes an image-is raadeof Wood or clay, or
, picture is delineated on pajtarhr a piOOOof beatdf
of a winged tiger standing. on its hind«! | fbet s and
grasping a large, cash in its mouthj or Sometimes
merely a tltlp' uflshe animal,.“ Htf-E&sd&itiiy, dtf j
Qratping Gdik JBlgeto " is written oh a piece l of
paper. This iwsOnaelbing s4d to be put uuder
the gaming table, between two bunches of moek
paper money whichai®* suspended. At : ’other 1
times it may be plaesdottar table in thegambling
room, or fastened to the wpll behind some table.'
Inoense and candles are burned before this,
image or this inscription'/ On - the. 2d and, 16th
of every Chinese month, ifc js said, offerings of
ineats, fish, &0., are frequently made before it.
Sometimes gambling saloons or are recog
nised from the street by the sigh, placed oyer the
outside door, of a tiger painted on a board' in the
position above mentioned. The tiger is wor
shipped by the., proprietor Of agambling e den>:in
order to bring success. t
2, By mothers in behalf of their sic/tchildren,
not separately and alone, but always in connection
with a certain goddess Of children. TEii goddess
is represented as sitting on the baok of a tiger in
a crouching posture. s?he tiger w supposed to
have the power of absorbing in some way, or of
counteracting the poisonous influences which cause
children to be sick.' When achild,fbrexaOiple,.
has the small pox ia a vitulent fonQ,and fearB are
entertained for the child’s life, some one interested
in bis recovery burns incense and candles; before
an image of the woman and the tiger, befoW
something which represents them, either in some |
teinple pjpj)oising4amake
certain speoified thankofferings in’ caße of the
paper
money and a fresh and raw pig’s tail, of which
the goddess is Believed to be exceedingly fond,
or meats, fmi% wegetables, &oi It% estimated
t>y the Chinese 'that S =yery large«p#ep®rtifln of
this mothers in Fuh Chao,perhapB.more thanhalf,
hrorahip the tiger in connection with the goddess
as above represented. . -
Kbble.
Thss
with several other objects ®f Vfofohip ih'tMeplace;
: li. lioocurs■oH' a* paintingekteiisivefy
married -women as an dßj&t 'ii tßei#
sleeping apartments. It Is called" a-“heavenly
dbg’* or a ‘‘ dog in the heavens.” The pioittre
represents a certain genius, surrounded by several
in the-bet of shhotihg en animal resehi-i
bling a dogwithan arrowor bullet; by means of
a h'oWj- the dog being in- the air much above the
level of theisHooter and children; This T dOg in
the heavens is believed to eat' the -Children of mor
tals, this genius is his skill in shootr
ing ibis-bad dog. A literal lnsh Bas giteii ibe
the following explanation of the use of this paint
ing; Some women are horn on, days , which are
represented by the chronological or horary cha
racter, which means “ dog.’' These after,
majriagft and before they, give birth to a child,
must procure a picture of this genii® shooting the
“heavenly dog,” and worship it by the burning
of incense and candles.- The; child, then, may be.
expected to live. .Children are represented, as
gathered abound the genius in order to insure pro
tection from, thedog, w;hioh;would qertfiinly devour,
them, did not'the shooter defend them, 'Twice
every year; on the 3d day of the second month;
and on the 23d of the eleventh-month, offerings
are presented to this genius, such as incense, can
dies, mocK naopey,. vermicelli jnade.of.wheat.4our,
and 7 balls made of the flour of a glutinous kind
of rice. These ballsrepresent’tb'e balls with
which the hunter shoots the dog.: < * At- other times:
during the .year.'iwheii;4the; household goflS' arC
worshipped,- only incense anducanBles are r burnt
before this picture;* Qfch*e&- say4hat-this picture
a cMldbuly
cot-ding to the,irulesiofhis.*prQfessien, tohe under
op, expased to the influences of-thes^heavenly : dog; ,;
f mall, paafl fe ffen.ias;ifl rasorted’to for the pur
poseof seriuringthe child from thedepredations
ofthedog.
2. One of the, servants of Jdgflong Sabi, a god
of, music,. play-acting, and war,, is represented
BX a. dog.; god is represented, in-bothaa-civil
sad a militeff dresn or atrithde.. When: tepie
lniiitSry costume, oiie
as placed on ti»e,.bao|: r 4^
<pi% digest this servant 3$ represented, as having
%><W* Jeo^ r wj*bdhe,lfodyy ! feefcand haadsiof* a
man;heldingaflag: #h3e
if ; fi'aiid;' had a favbritff'dog, which afferwards
becam'e one of his servants or assistants. when he
, wa¥> ®B4SL*’ IfimicM: thd'a^ : o|p|pn;witK
bere-by-oentain dassefe
•, i&s ImaveryseelebrstedSteiapfo, locitfed outsfde
of the Eastern Qatb bf tbe i hh imagß or a
large - dog. , It- - !■►«(«»((%» reported ’thsfti'ifl* efert
tainosfeesraade of wheat-Mte Th the
dfofifch dnefe ||eh .eaten,. ' efiMreh,
they willpreveator- otprethaeolic. , Such cakes
.are sold, to applicants for thc gridSfpf
hawfuot ibeaa>plaeed,ißi. thfo
, S}B|OUth.s--,r , -v“.'; i ' Vina ■ '
'Jrdhfr .AggfjSt fit
thi, Su£ab ri ,,fbe, ; i^*e*fthet ffgeh and tlie' JSiaefe.
These images are; made in imitatiotf of a ifiany wi th
the ekeeptiotf of their hedds, and are froto
to iten. feetr high. The frame work iS mad#-of
bamboo; which is covered with cloth of silk, These
images undoubtedly number a score or twh They
arehorde thrangh tfieitreetß.itt idWrpiclcescjhnSj
by men who, getinside of tbem, carrying thejg pn
Ihcir, : ihccCi a*e helievedi to
represent tpe assistants or servants -of certain very
pbpulUriidblk' ! The common pebple stand in great
dread of them. They are not worshipped of them
selves alone; but in connection vrith\ibe'principal
deities- .whose servants- they'are supposed- to ; be.
Besides -the portable • images hi idol processions;
vriththoheads of-a httffale,> oriheree; ? or -cock; or*
duck; others of the same general appearance are
made stationary in the temples devoted to the*
godswhdhe servantethey are. Besidesthese images,
paintings oftbese animals on the walls-of-temples
are Very ndmerensi . .
'the Blaeie- libnhey an - tKe WMle Rab Mt .—-
These are represented both By images and by pi'c
tures,and axe ; regarded>‘teihe SeW'fttttS of r a- god
worshipped! oftentiraestby 'Courtesans; '
is; regarafecbasihaving: pbwer'both over 'inemand
women. He is said to have seized- the spirits of
the black iponkey apd whife auftflmde,them
his assistants. In what.manner he, accomplished
thisfeat, and how theseammals aidhiminhis.
evil the Chinese, are notable tot explain
with clearness. They are represented with, a
human body, hut the.head of a, monkey or of a
rabbit. •
- Tpp
q{ rain, r ,
ord,er tp qbtaip element, 'A, temples
located near t&e; eastern gate fi£ this oity is : dedi
qated to the -worship, of; thisfabulous animal. It
4s among those objects or images, celestial or ter- ;
! rfctrjali: whieh are*j , by command of the
Emperor ip apdiauijftmii/Pf each yeap
’bycer|ain mandarins,.; , - - Hw
- Xyfpi only addjurbripging a
that near, tbs SoyernorJa qfficiaL residence ip ,the,
city ;there, an/inrage of a white fmp.l, which is,
worshipped in connection with.a pertain goddess.
Some-say that;this goddess is the deified daughter,
of agovernor of the province, who lived in tha
rpign of Kanghi, who killed himself duping,a local
tumult or rebellion which occurred; . She had a
whitS cock, of which she was very fond, and which
sepined exceadingly attached to her. On hearing!
of the’ deathi of h?? l«thP?j thin girl threw herself
into a wpll and..wap .drown ed. -This epek, seeiDg
-1 intorthe wellj{leaped in,also and/
Iperished;' Shelter wards became, by order of
some Emperor, an object of worship, and an image
PHILADELPHIA TffiJlSßtY, JOT! M, : 0l
of the faithful cock was made and worshipped in
connection with his mistress. She is reckoned
now amongthose objects worshipped twice every
year, in accordance with the mandates of the
Emperor, by some of the local mandarins, ; lew
of the common people, it is believed, actually wor
ship this goddess. When theydo worship at lier
shrine, they always bum incense before or in honor
of the Cock. -7 u Sinim. •" •
Fnh Chau, March 16, 1860. • ; - ;
. For the American Presbyterian.
THE TORWADO IN lOWA AHD ILLINOIS.
Mr. Editor IJt is an appalling word I hasten
to transmit to you. ; Between the hours of 5 and
7j£K. on Sabbath last, (the 3rd inst.) a most
terrible tornado swept through, these parts',
making a track of desolation and death 1 that no
language can adequately describe. Amid por-
tentous thunderings and terrific lightning-flashes,
preceded by a storm of and involved in -the
ragings of contrary winds, the lurid clouds were
driven together in wild , collision, wearing change
fully a black and .fiery-hue, violently compressing
their intermingling conflicting elements till forced
to yield to their vortical shaping and influence,
and become ,a columnar vorfex surcharged with
desolating Airy, a tornado of tremendous power
and terrifior sweep. . It- was thus formed in the
southwest-, of our county, (Linn,) some 18, or 20
miles west of Mount Vernon, 5 yet visible here/ It
took an eastwardly course with bounding whirls,
and at the beginning rose above trees and houses,
and made its- desqent on* a country church of the
Lutheran order, and thus began its “judgment at
the House of God,” tempered there however in
great mercy, as the sanctuary was only unroofedj
and the dwelling-house hard by only hurled away
bodily a little distance,; and then dashed into
shivered, fragments!, while the 1 8 prayvkg souls
witMn were all left unkilled, arid without any
sirfbus djijiifyH Almost,' and perhaps quite at
the very start, the tornado whirled off; a vortical
fraction which made a northwardly bend, of a few
miles, then turned,! barely leaving ,Cedar Rapids
to .•the. south,,and, paralleled its course, with jthe
parent one,.at a varying but averaging distance of
three milesf: till* within some 17 miles of the Mis-
sissippi OEtivei, where it singularly met. and united
therewith, whence with unabated and perhaps
augmented force it swept along more continuously
destructive than ever. It struck Camanche on
the;river, 6 miles below Clinton,? and; our R.. Road
Bridge, and almost utterly demolished that town
of .800, houses and 1500 inhabitants, killing
dreadfully 37 persons, mortally wounding others,
leaving 84 badly, hurt, some thrown- into-the
river, and 10- missing, besides utterly destroying
a 1 large raft, then passirig'there' with 27 persons on'
board} furiously crossed the father of waters, aha
well-nigh destroyed all Albany, situate on, the. op
posite bank. It their; continued with general
eastward .couisein; Illinois' for some 50 miles or
iitorey whenit again partedyTor rathe! spread lati
tudinally/till all its vortical columnar, form and'
capacity became scattered and hst in a widely
sweeping' stormy; which;®rove. onward, bending a
little to the north, till it reached Bake Michigan
mainly above Chicago j tempestuously, but not de
structively, o verswept, that great city of .the North
west,land at length expended itself ;in the waters
Of the great, lake.; • ■ ' ,
! >'EHe : origibMyHße main column/ the parent and
chief tornado, crossed the Cedar River at a point
heavily titnbered, 3i miles due, west of Mount
Vernon. Augmented' in its roaring, crashing
sound by its uptwisted 100.0 trees' of the. forest,
;aM ? other objects inanimatfe>and rational too, it is :
believed, and with apparently fiercer and more
awfully threatening aspect, it made its way di
rectly towards our town- It was at the. hour Of
six^.when. meetings were being lield, and we 1
whre all tit 1 our respective homes, some at tea; and
Otßers at their windows intensely' giving air the
grandly ..aWfo| on-odming tornado, siuenarged of
Grod with, the terrors of a swift destruction. It.
wsaarminei tahe-of-the latter,ran. eye-witness of the
awful wonders of that hour, and the appalling ef
fects around' us. Saw the tornado in all its
furious and terrific approach, witnessed the wild
; distraction : of frightened souls screaming, and j.y
ing from their houses, perchance to find some
safe retreat. Intently gazing on the scone so
awfully sublime/' and feffiemberingthe s.aercd'
truth, “ The Lord hath his way in the whirlwind
and in the, stormy” wo felt .composed. Residing
on the higher ridge and in the central part of.the
city, my standpoint of- view was an advantageous
one. In the very centre of ife force the tornado
seemed' to bo making; its furious way'directly for
the, centre of our town, and with a sweep wide
enough to' demolish the whole. Inr awful ex
pectancy we- gazedy as it. seemed; already to have
entered our borders, and was actually whirling a
dwelling destructively. But Z/icVe it ■paused! not
just within the- town as]it seemed, but alnileoft;
and then and; there, surpming to behold, and
wonderful* to tell, it abruptly steered' 'southward;,
then' presently returned to its eastward course/
destroying in that strange veering, utterly, four
dwellings pith. their- barns and much stock, and
instantly killed ft persons,; (4; in one house), fatally
injured, and- badly hurt' others, making a heart
rettdin'g'Scene of a® ! d and then
passed harmlessly by our town, a mile, to the south!
while- (Q‘l amazing Providence!) its offshoot
branch swept along its wky altabsy'simultaneOusly
one mite north of 'its! ' With' power 'dfestripstiye,
but with leps terrific aspect and force, .tt(is wended,
its parallel way, till it met and merged into its
gtknd'original, this side of the Mississippi Rive! is
above stated. The main one that approached so
terrifically near Blount Vernon, but which a most
merciful God so mysteriously stayed and turned
by us in, ite course, made i desolating track too
marked and appalling soon;or ever to -be forgotten,
—a track strewed, with the mangled corpses of a
hundred souls? besides.'the; drowned,, (to,say no r
thing of the wounded/ and the dire devastation,)
and averaging some 20 rods in width, and 150
miles in length, 100 of, which lies firstly here in,
lowa. Nor is the Otheritrack of 80; miles much
less: appalling ,in effect*S ; soerib of,
shocking injuries, and the corpses of 40 persons;
terribly killed, including two entire families of
15 souls. Rut I must stop. Pen cannot write,
nor volumes tell it all. lam happy to say in con
clusion, that the suffering bereft onop are duly re
ceiving liberal and substantial sympathy all along
tif'the spared'afe-offering de-
,(sbd. V6urs,.,&c., . .
William Pithian.
Mt. Vernon, lowa, June 7, 1860.
ANNUAL :
OE THE STATE '.Ol RELIGION THE BMJfBS
OF THE PRESBYTERIAN CHURCH,IN THE UNITED
STATES WAMERiOA, MAT W6]). .
The Narrative of the State of Religion, within
the bounds of 'whatsoever ecclesiastical body, is an
answer, so far as it goes to Zion’ iquestion: “Watch
man, what of the night ? ” Wljfen it is “thereturn
of.the year ” that suggests tbiS:;&uestion,and when
the answer, is to coven so v ast -field as is repre
sented hj this Assembly, this Miswer becomes one
of peculiar interest, and we await it with great
anxiety, aware that we ourselves, in part, are re
sponsible for it, whatever it miy be. -•
How has, the battle, gone during these twelve
eventful months, amid the multiplied opportuni
ties; and instrumentalities of. this past year, in this
portion of the field and in that} at the‘East, in
the great North-West, on the Vast intervening
field of the Middle States, on.the Pacific shore!
“ Watchman, what of the night;?” . We onght tQ
have an answer to, this great from . every
portion of our field; but we regrgivo say that many
Of thb Presbyteries, ad in are : silent.
While.the number of reportS
than: it was last year, a/actjelohbyouf committee
are glad to be able to report, |he number , being
then sixty-five, and this year |eventy-one—they
yet feel called upon to that every Pres
bytery ought to remember, tb#i the' General* As
sembly, is very desirous to ascertain, from year to
year, what each Presbytery within its bounds has
been: doing, what, its experience., has been, what
its present wants are, and what are its prospects ?
And tbdy would suggest, farther, that every Pres
bytery ought to be equally desirous of coming into
closer sympathy and fellowship,! with the other
portiqns;of the Church, by putlog the Assembly
in possession of. these facts. ,
‘, It is a m'arhed feature in the i'eports which have
come to that they veiy generally, at the outset,
contrast the condition of ! the ;ourdhes with that
which was reported one* or two years ago. Or,
perhaps} it should be said 1 , that what’they indicate
is a difference; mheritbSff a Coblrkst; : Although
nearly all' of .tbemmewtibn 'the'absence of those
special;-manifestations ofrbyival, ;wbidb were so
generally 'prevalent one- andtWo years ago, yet,
in A large; majorityof cases*, thhj«iUrO stiMhanks-l
giving, and;praise; for. the sgtaCions influeb ees of
theiSpirit whjcKjihave -to'pervade the
churches, arid for; *the encourage
ment which are seen; . . 1 ■
REVIVALS, '"1• '
.r Nearly-eveiy Presbytery repfirts one or more
1 revivals,* which, though not s<frmarked in their
features, ,noriBo;large..in'their msnlts,;as;those 'of
.two- years ago, i have'Etill -greltly uheered; and
strengthened the
oial outpouring
condition of. th<
that state of ap;
often the result
vival. While
which was;socoi
done great'thin
there are : many;
churches generi
ioring sath a g<
ing,/and prayin]
The-present
seems.td.be qriii
only in theory, 1
aft4Je,velppme
of the Lord'.”'
been disappinn
years ago to o.
was to continue
to produce feelings of 'dpspbndeucy and discou
ragement. To use the language of one of the Pres
byteries, “The churches seem only to be more fully:
and deeply impressed with the' truth, that the
struggle with sin is a real cotlfliof, is a ceaseless
oneand that it mustbewhged.by faitbas well
as by sight, “and witli un-wavering confidence ahd :
hope in Him who giveth us thb victory.” Al
though walking how ihtbisrespect more by faith,
and less by sight, it is quite manifest, that the
churches are not without such confidence and hope.
And this is based not only upon the promises, and
UpOn the sufficiency of the ordinary means of grace,
but upon tbe indications which are actually seen
in connection with the use of these moans. Spe
cial mentiotois madh, yefy generally, of an in
creased' attendance upon the services of the'
sanctuary; and of an unusual interest' in them.
AUd there 5 seems to bequite a general expectation,
ori the l .part ! pf the re-1
suits: There is grbat encouragement' in this fact;
because while there she ffijubtiesS'Specitf times Of j
refreshing- from the'Lord/ to be prayed'for;
to be lOoked- for; we carinot d6ubt;;that the church;
has only to' put forth specific effort and' expeetk
:tion in‘ connection with, the ordinary meaiis of!
i grace, - to W ; blessid ; With 1 a constant • ingathering
i of'souls: ! lb this connection, Both for what# in
dicates, and for what it suggests, we quotetlW
ifoMfranhwlfrotn tbe^iepbrt^of bhedffour ; larjpst’
iKr«ibftenbst ! “The PresbyteifirfiSve remarked/'.
ithey,sdy, ‘ ft sis* a^WonspibuoUs-feature in the reports'
fife'mviin'e ChUrbSeS, that those , that fear the Eorib
havebeen' speak often one to
siubthbr-bf conberniiig the KingdomV
and; as a'result/they havebe'cbme’moreihterested;
-in the salvarioU 1 bfi'thC''unicbtivt« , tedj ! aud? mbrb*
anxious to devise new ways,-by-which the Gospel
might find l those hitherto out” of the reach of reli
gious instruction, and: thosa-wbo would not volun
tarily seek it. There has been less-waiting-for
opportunities to do good, and more ’ seeking for
them- than in l former'times; 'more pressing senSe'
of obligation to labor appeara -to hayeJresteA'UpOfo
the . elders and the membership,., and less, of the
feeing that fognlay.
attendance' upon‘the sembffiufStheZ sanctuary;,
and" that whatever* else was -tebe dooe devolved
upon the pastorsv*' And tbese’fbelings have been
: practically developed- in various*ways.”’: - b- v ■
-. In. this connection, by way of/illustration, the
fact may be.quoted, from another Presbytery, that,
one of the,elders is accustomed to go.forth, from
time to time, oh longer or shorter circuits', f and
spending from onC to several days; for the purpose of
circulating religious books: and tracts; andhaviog'
personal ;«^veraa|iip%;.t^s. such as he may be
able to reach. A good, and a great.work has thus,
been accomplished/ through a single'individual.
The following is very encouraging language in
the same direction from another ’report 1 : 1 “ Otir
elders-espeeiallyareeD'minguptotheir.trueposi
tion in, their churches,, and in: this Presbytery, are
becoming, a model eldership.” ,/ f t ...' .
Feeling the dependence of our Churcli upon her
Eldership, the-clerical portionof the committee
have- quoted this language and these facts, both'
fori what'they indicate and: for. what they suggest,
j . While the reports, generally, are thus'favorable,
! aAfo thestafo pfithingi among the churches, some
|of them,are in a different,strain,.and men tion.facts
which are fitted to humble Us and make us sad.
One Presbytery, for*instance, numbering sixteen
churches,, and* tkeßc-with'aujpterage membership
ofopphunbyud and, sixty-four, .report,jthe .additions,
on pjofessipu during the year as only twenty-six!
There are oth'er features/however, of this same
report, which ate interesting and full of promise;
the advance, far exBmple; cf a-thousand
in their contributions; the number of teachers en
gaged in the Sabbath-school; tbe multiplication
and prosperity of Sabbath-schools; and the efforts
which are being made to plant one at least in
every, school district in the Presbytery.
Another Presbytery; and this a large one-too;
says: “ There! is, evidently; a laek t>f spirituality
and self-depying.effort^n,lChrist’s, service iu-mpst.
of our ehurobesjjand by sp|rit-of apptliy andwQrld
lineSs -prevails to an alarming extent.” 'Let us
labor aiid fi pray tfe there* be'no occasion for’ such
reports, when the question f hall be raised another
year: “Watchman, what of the night?"
tfHE Bishra GEftERATtON.
• The refibrts gbhetally make" s'jSbdMi mention
•of the Sabbath-school; of increased interest in
it, and increased efforts inthat direction; and
not only in behfilf of the children of the Chnrch
and congregation, but of such as are gathered
in mission schools. There seems to be special
interest in this cause, accompanied With corre
sponding laborsiin every portiph? of our fields
iWhen Zion?s watchmen report;shp A .faot to. us,
we cannot but be greatly cheered., .It is auspi
cious of “ great things,” for the church and for
the World, when our* lord putt if ibto the hearts
of his disciples'to gather IQ the little ones, and
especial!; to go out into; the Janes and hedges,,
and by lovecompel them ;Jo comp: .in,” whose
ordinary associations do not bring them.in. The
instruction of the older youth and ‘of adults' in
Bible classes seems 'to be' fecemng 'very general
atteiitioni : Its importance is . appreciated} and
greater efforts are being made to secure,, it., ; One;
of the mostinterestvng.features of, one of the most
important of our. churches on the Pacific shore ip
its’ Bible' class of'adhlts,; whieli is.larg6ly‘iittended;.
andlJuStaide’d with- oonfftaWl -fendl inefeasitig inte j
rest. As; coming from Galifornik, this.' is, espe-’
eially,.an-interesting fact. ,
' one pf the Presbyteries reports, commending
the plan as oob which it would he ! \relr‘for. all the
churches to adopt, that “gome of'the churches
have introduced classes of catechumens from
amongst the young who are candidates for. .mem-,
bership with the church, and have placed them
under the. direct supervision ,of one or more pem>.
bers of tbesessiem.” The benefits which will be
liSeiy tb flb# frpih u sheh ah' afrangemedkj’ are too’
obvious to; needi toi be; specified'.: Comparatively'
little aHusipn. is.made,tOi .cateehetieal instruction.:
Some of the reports, speak of its importance in.
connection .with its' general neglect, while a,.few,
indicate ah increased; attentioh'to it; It is grbatly 1
to be debirbd}'that an ihefeMOd attention to it?
should beeome.more general: Enrdr.'ih these, days
assumes.scjmany and snch plausible shapes, and
so easily communicates itself to the atmosphere
which we brpathe, and to the food which' pur
diedtal apbetifes hravej• that it is 1 of; espebihi im
portance: *Mt our children shbiiTd be furnished; itf
dtie season, with that well-proved.forms of'sound-.
Wp*dp” which
der that Christian parents are not afraid to sepd.
their bhildren obliTny^
in thebe days; without arming them with some
specific safeguard' against?the sbul-deWoyitigerrors'
which everywhere) prevail. • The Bible they will,
of course, .be. made; familiar withj r b.utit is very.
desirable "that they bp made, familiar,. also, ; (ajjd,
so familiar that memory; pari never let them go,)
With : elteatr and ; definite : ddctnual statement’s of
what the Bible teaehes.iWe would suggest that,
while.the; Church. ip to be ; held responsible for. the
instruetiph.pf.the children yrithin jt?;
/each,agrea let responsibility rests, upon Christian
parents. tJbless the Cateeßism is. hpnbfed, and'
its words made “household words'" in- our ClvrifF
tian families, the, efforts of the Church in; this;
direction, will : h»e of little avail.. : ; J
f ' ; ' J CHTTRCH EiixPld|is.' “
-•A ISrge iiajbritj'df Wife’
building, ot the fe'modellirfg 3 of OD6 or more
bouges of worship. Ia many cases exisfcing debts
hayo been .removed; and, in* a few instances, par
sonages have either been, built or purchased
These are signs of stability and’progress
GHURCH' ORGANIZATION.
In the organization of chttrehes, hoWever, com
parativelylittlehas been dope.; While we regrets
this, as tfe do any jaek.pf progress,'
our regret rather goes back of tfiis to the . already,
inadequate supply of ministers. We certainly’ do
not regret thatehurches l have not been organized
Oia adyapoe -of ali ofhers'""at ‘‘e’Keiy fohr-cor-i
ners” of thp,; iaaid, -wiithvithe. prospect.,that, they?
would soon starye and .dio s heca.use ,pf none. ( to,
break utftd t'Bem' the bread of life. We belieye
that, as a denomination, wd are wisely citi tibbs in 1
this matter ; and that.'a failure to organize churches-’
is not altogether a failure to remember, the desti
tute portions t of our, fields and, so? far .as?
to care for them.;, Our Presbyteries,are evidently
'feeling an'inereaWd' sense of responsibility in this
matter. : ,! ' : -. ' ’ ' ’ -
EDUCATION POUT THE' MINISTRY.
The greater occasion for .regret is, the lack of'
evidbnce ; tßat then will'be found - to minfster' tb the’
churches, when' churches shall' bV oigahitodv In
this, connection, your Committee it Jtei' a'
significant,feqt,;that, so -ggeaj; an : indiffork
eriee on the part ojf Christian to the ordi
nance of infitnfc'haptism/, We do not discover
that this prevails to any greater extent than
'hitherto;! bntiuutii pub Kesbytobies shall 1 report.a
decided change; for . the better -in this respect,
we shall certainly have reason ; tQ ; fear,, that.-
Christian parents .are' still: failing.-to,.give, their
children-hnfesdrvedly'to the'linrd, ahd iraihihem,
up to- preach 'his : wbrd; ; . J : ! ' 1
Hhere. TCould seem to be indrcated,' if your Com
mittee might be permitted-to draw an inference, -
in this connection, a lack of; sufficient preaching-:!
■on the imnorta%e of this ordinance, and on the
vbhUgiitidhs aTnd’priVilfeges cbhnto&d’with it 1 ; and
i adack ‘ofi-what is,< perhaps; still more- nbeded, per
sonal apd priyate conversatiou,: on tbepart of
-ministers and elders, with such, parents as do'not
bring their children forward —a lack .of .specific.;
effort to give bur 'little- ones the benefit of this
Heaven-appointed rite. While, however, we do
nbt-find at tbisjpoint the evidence we should be
glad to find of a prospeetive inerease:in the.minis
try,. it is- s.ee that the, Cause of Edu
cation for the .Ministry. is getting a stronger hold?
npott andlnterest' of the churches.
The reports- of' tHe :soveral Presbyteries sjrow, as
too general reports, and no 'statistics can, that’'this
cansS ria igvadnally takiogi:the* position [.which Tse
longs to. it. , ,
"In, this,'as in other matters which are vital to
dhr growth as a denomination, and to the prospe
rity of the Redeemer’s kingdom in the field which
he has.assigned toi us, tbereia gratifying evidence
s of increased-interest. and decided -progress.
PECUNIARY CONTRIBUTIONS. '
’ In the matter of Christian beneficence, although
the pecuntary - pressure Has been more severe,
during the past' year/- on : some portions of our
Held: than at any previous/time, yetthe indications
aie,,: ; tjjajt <yery;few, jour - churches? have fallen
back' from the ground, previously held, while, in;
some Quarters,' a'pdsitive advance Has keen made;
and yet by no' meins such ati advanceas'is called
churches; and ihr
necessities jo?
tion, God,, in.his. BrovideDcej.eaems at the present
time fo be making a special appeal T fcp .uts- to, enr,
large dur contributions, especially, in .the direction
of JlfonW * iMiksibns,' Foreign WKssidhs, aad r tbe‘
Education of:¥oung;Meh for- the- Ministry.' -We
would venture- the/ hope,; and' whateverof; sug
gestion it may carry, (hat'in view of pur; rerniss
ness;in'the pasiLand of the special’
the'Great' H|a<F of the" church' ibujakibg; ugon" us
just now; the ministry and' the eldership will so
interpret! tQ„the.,churches^hevoice of Gioa-k-plnvi
dence that thp.membership, will! feet it as anindi
vidual respqpsibility, and appreciate,; it, a?;,a, per
sonal privilege' fo give, unto the Lord,'and. .espcn
dally'for these great causes, as God ‘hath given
theta 1 ability..
->>
We-regret-that sb little appears ! tb'ihdicatb;pr6-
gress in the 'cause of Temperance; The reports
from the . Eresbyteries, so far as they allude to
this would seem .to indicate Hhat,vpn, the;
whole, is fearfully oh the increase;
while at the same time it is gratifying to know
that in many places, this great evil is as yigor-
ously opposed as ever, and in some places with
good success.
And the ; good hand pf God
in the prosperity which has attended our Zion
during another year of her history, and especially
inthe. preservation of the lives of so many of his
servants whose, privilegeit still is to serve him,
in these days and in this great field of opportunity
and; of, promise,, ,it .only; remains .sadly to chronicle
the. vacancies in our ranks, which have been
idade by the deaths of the following twenty bre
thren-:- ; ' '
Abraham D;Brinkerhoff, Presbytery of Champlain.
Flavel S. Gaylord); > ; “ Bath.
Jpseph Myere j; , “ Onondago.
William L. Strong, '
Afehißald Bassetty'
Artemas Dean,
Gideon N, Judd, D. D;,
Daniel T, Wood,
Francis G. Woodworth, “ , New York, 3d
Henry A, Howland, DVD., Newark.
George ©handler, i! ;i “ Philada:, 4th.'
. •' ,n .^'JfarsbaH. ; v ‘'
James; M‘Lauren, “ Saginaw:
Ephraim T. Woodmff, “ (irand River
Harley Coe, . *■ Portage.
Franklin Putnam, . '. “ Indianapolis.
Benjamin T. Neale) “ Logansport.
Levi- Collins, 1 " * “ Bel videre.-
Matthew Smith,; <l Keokuk.
Richard.Ecnshaw, ... • “ lowa Valley.
By order of the General Assembly, - . .
; i f ' ? VfHOItNTON A.’MILLS, Moderator.
Eobtrari' F. ; 1 HATSTEnn’,’ Glerk.
P. S. By resolntion of the General Assembly,
req'ueSt'iS made that me above narrative'be read
in all tlieir churches. ; - '
LETTER FROM G. H. SBRRGEON;
TO THE BOSTON WATCHMAN AND REFIEOTOE.
: [ln the annexed interesting; letter, received the present
week, Mr. Spurgeon, in' responding to the request of a
venerable friend.that he would furnish a fuller .account
of his own labors, gives, at. the. same time, the cause of
tfte teiriporary'shspeniieA’of His correspondence td the
Watchman and Reflector.] ■ ■ . ■ : ;
Mr Dear Mr. Editor:— For nearly seven
years I have rushed onward, preaching from
ten to twelve . sermons every week,-'presiding
overman immense feh.urcbj.writing for the press,
instructing young men, giving advice to quarrel
ling churches and unsettled ministers, and,doing
a thousand arid one things, all pleasant enough
when enjoyed in moderation, but unitedly so'
heavy as to crash a man to the very eatth.-’ ; I
have been thoroughly unwell; and quite nnable
to write to. you.. I purpose taking; a long tour
oh me cohlinent, and shall then be able to give
yon a’inbre Constant supply of letters. * *"'*
Your venerable friend has asked me to give
some acconnt of my doings;; Well, we will take
the fortnight beginning ..with;.Sunday, March
18th, and give ahasty diary of engagements.
; in Exeter Hall- to the
usual packed and crowded house, upon the sub
ject of death.. : The sermon is entitled, Mzjrienio
M6?ij'a.n& has had a very large circulation.
While preaching I spent all my strength, and
seemed at the end to be thoroughly used np.
The Holy Spirit had. wrought in me such an
agony for the souls of dying men, that I was
borne beyond myself, and a^'thecQnidnflmiwas.
S rfhadbeen far
ing in the son for a whole day. Nevertheless
in the ’ evening my strength was restored, and
aghih X endeavored to unfurl the banner, and
wield the sword. The Sabbath was* peculiarly
a high day, and we look for very many fruits, to
the; honor and glory of God., O, how delight
ful to sail With the wind; how different from
tpilidg against the stream. Let but the heaven
ly ghle arise, and it is ’a surpassing joy to be
ehrried dn ward by its, breath. s
Monday, \% —Had three hours’reading with
the most advanced of my students, and then re
paired to the chapel to meet depdtatiohs, pre
side at committees, and conduct the prayer
meeting. Onr meetings for prayer, are daily in
the morning at seven; and on. Monday evening,
at seven, the main body of the people come up
to supplicate the Lord. The spirit, of prayer
in our midst has been maintained in a very
i* l
eminent degree of fervency for the last seven
years, and opr success has been as clearly trace
able, to it as aoy .effeet-eould ever be traced to
its cause. The daily prayer-meeting is nearly
three years old, and has been sustained, without
pressure or pushing, by the spontaneous zeal of
the people' of God. f think continual prayer is
much more really the wort of the Spirit than
•those -spasmodic flashes of excitement which
startle for a time, and then die away in lethargy
and forgetfulness, * *
As far as I can gather, there are about
twenty-five prayer-meetings weekly, officially
recognised in connection with the church over
which I preside, besides a very considerable
number of meetings in private houses among,
the members. After prayer-meeting, saw,; se
veral members and inquirers, and reached home
sppnfpjllter.il, -P.: M. . • ■
Tuesday, 20. —Left home at t-30 in the
morning,,,and was on my,way to:Diss, in Nor
folk, a. little journey of about 100. miles, Ar
rived at my, destination at a few; minutes after
one, and,,found .that; rural, town all.aliye with
people. fr ; om . every neighboring,. village. Ho
chapel eould hold half, the. crowd who had ga
thered'together, and the tent, which had been
erected had been dismantled by a high wind.
The aforesaid wind was very riotous* blustering
and noisy, and seemed to have received a special
commission to molest us on that day. After
some debate X determined to -try the open air
in the frame-work pf:,4hej dilapidated tenty; and
the, . following are the ‘remarks-- which I; sent
home. “We'had a wonderful day at" Diss yea-,
terday. The two largest chapels could hdt liayfc
heid'thh' peOplej eVen had tfieybeea crammed
to the - : doors; 1 therefore preached; out of
doors. In a high wind, with your' hair over
y.pnr. face,; or. tpsjslngjwUdly up to heaven* one.
does not,feel very much at ease, especially when
phfehed hn the tip eM of form; with a huge
tent-pole-opposite one’s eyes; ‘Waft; waft,' ye
winds, bis story.’ Indeed, the prayer was liber
rally and literally. answered, yet, the people were
as ; aftpn ( tive and devout as upon the, mosthai
ldwed ahd orderly occasions. During this windji
service I was much' troubled, to' know what'tcf
do with the people in the darfc; in tb'e evteningi
I hoped that many ctfsthe‘couhtry : people would;
go, and only the townsmen remain; but yet no,
place would hold them, .and a service in the
cold, night air, rough wing and darkness would
have beeh impossible.' At last I Kit upon the'
following expedient, which answered admirably;
X gave, out that I- should ; pyea,cli. in .botJv, the
chapels of the town, but did'not tell a soul in
which pulpit I should" first appear; Both places
were fall to ; the 1 skylighik X went to One, and
preached and then requested 1 a brother
minister, to readf pray, and ping, and s,o conduct
the.services which ought tp have'been prelimi
nary, at the end instead df .the beginning. This
Was changiUg the order,' but, it prevented dis
order. Rushing away io- the second 4 house,
Where theyihad been proceeding with thdusnal
service; X arrived at the last verse of the second
hymn,.and,;to.pk np,,th|@germpnfiat once. Thus
two cdngregatioiis.heard the' Wordj and let us
hope double seed whs sbWn. 0, ih'at the Lord
may; crown' the day with gqcbeßSyi and -give a
; threefoldijl!.otQasnfosthjo:thpe;disqoprBes, After’
service rode .a^ig^r.
length of the next day’s journey," and retired to
rest in a quiet farm-house just as midnight had
arrived. ”
TOt If.—M 43.—Whole S«. 208.
MINISTEMAI.. ABILITY.
“ Delaware.
“ •' : Hudson.
it ■ «
Wednesday,2\. —tip at six, and rode aeross
a, cold; bleak country several miles to a railroad
station, and then on to the town of S waff ham.
When I saw the size of the chapel, and remem-;
bered the scene of the‘day before, I prayed very
earnestly for rain in -order that people might
not be.able to leave their homes. Rain it did
in the most pouringstyle, and, hail-storms cams
at.intervala to add, to the effect. Thus we were
able to get into the chapel; for although fear
fully packed within, the rain prevented the ac
cumulation of a crowd at the doors, who would
infallibly have rendered all worship an impossi
bility, by their furious- rushes to get into a place
gorged already. beyopd imagination. It is a
happy thing,to see, the people longing ti> hear
the word, bnt when meii’s 'legs are hrbieii,*Mil.
Wonien injuredi ihh S turned-into mourning. l
This fear continually, haunts me in these des-f
perate rushes, when.: the, oficers are unused to,
masses, and look idly on, nsdf paralyzed,instead
of acting vrith double vigor. 0n this, occasion
all went on well, and the good hahd bf the Lord
was very monifesiJy'with M The storm waS
great blessing, land rwe'Shall never knowhow
many accidentsit ; pr ; eyeiited, ; ; ■
Ihursday, 82.—-Left. inthpr
morning, and had a splendid, though cold. ride,
over a wild country, fall of game’ of all sorts.
HoW refreshingtO the tired and exhausted ihin&
to mark the liberty and enjoyment which still
remains as ; the portion of God’s creatnres,.to:
see the joyous playfulness which, survives; the;
curse, ( and the singular beauty which even {her
fall 1 could hot utterly efface. These quie.t rides
are' ft healthy medicine to the soul,' and when 1
the heart is in fellowship with God, they area
means of grace of Bo meftn order. I reached
\Lqndon after a ride by railway, of about four;
hours, at eleven o’clock, and at once proceeded;
to the vestry of my chapel, where I spent the;
afternoon in seeing; separately and individually,
a large number of inquirers whtf were seeking 1
church-fellowship;. God has been*very gracious
by continuing tousaninerease almost invari-;
able in its number, and constant in its periods.
No spasms of excitement or fits of enthusiasm
have seized upon the I ‘people; the course of the
church has been‘like the rolling of your majestic
rivers; a dailv,and hourly flood, ever gathering
force, not from the fickle fountains of heated
animal fervor, but from the peaseless outflowing,
of the still waters' of the "Holy Spirit. It is not
one remarkable sernioh' which is ‘blessed, but
the Word is ever useful. It is not>
at one prayerr-meeting, or duringra series of
special efforts, that we. have enjoyed the .Divine
presence; but year after year the gracious dew
descends: True revivals may be sadden.in the.ir
arrival, but I cannot bring my mind to believq
that they are hasty, in: their departure; Whetl
a country or district is heaved aloft into the am
of apparent zeal,-for -godlinesSj -anfL in a few.
years subsides again into its ancient lethargy,.
it is tinitf tti question tKte Vitality of'such a tran
sient work. Personal piety, when genuine; re
abiding i and' why the like rule ihoiild not hold*
go od.,with.regardto the entire chnrch, I. am ak
a loss to,. tell At.seyen .1 .preached, the word*
,to our usually fail .house at home, and enjoyed,
the delivery df the message in my oWn sonl.
Friday, ‘23;—J£y young Students came at
9 30 to their usual weekly examination, which”
occupied us until nearly two o’clock. During
we run,.oyer., variety of subjects,,
comprising tbebf6gy;* eioetition, etymology, the
physiPai sciences, and homiletics. Some fifteen'
or sixteen are' thus aided in studies preparatory'
to the; ministry,, which arte pursued during the
week, and' then surveyed and recapitulated at*
its close. .......
I fin'd myself at the end of my paper, awl”
therefore my intention of giving the tfhole fort
night must be fulfilled in brief. During tW'
rest of thisl vveefe, and ’ the next, and srt on ter'
this day, I, have , preached almost every day
for .
’ ' Yoiirs truly, C. JfV'SpipfOEojiV
DENOXI&ATIGFJIL LITESATUEE,
, We should have a denominational literature ;
and what is more, we should read: it, encourage,
it, patronise it. We should do pur best.to im
prove it; we should"'sef that it Is weeded of
everything narrow and offensively sectarian, and'
purified; from, everything: low: and: undignified.
We should ,seek to render it a vehicle of healthy
Christian sentiment and sound Christian doc
trine; of'correct and candid estiinates of oar,
fellow ’Christians of ! other CbmiSaniiong. A.
denbminatihhaf literature 3 thus;
might perform a noble pact, in liberalizing our
own minds, and, enabling others to judge; of us
fairiy and kindly. We shall be wanting in due.
regard’to our own reputation, and shallbe guilty
of throwing away an important mettns of useful
ness, if we alto# 3 oui* lilera6ure ! to* degenerate
into seetarianribigotryi lorr make i it/a vehicle of
scurrilous abase) of i; aH, w.ho differ frpmus
We trust this,magazine is guiltless'of the evil
spirit we thus denounce; at any ratej it is our
honest aim to render it, so far as may be, a true
exponent of' the' practice We deem right. But
this high standard can be realized only as our
friends enable us to be ever approaching nearer
and nearer to it. We desiderate communica
tions of superior literary value, but we never
lose sight of the 1 Christian tone 5 and loving,
Christ-like gentleness which: we expect, to find
in the writings of onr ; brethren There are
occasions when the earnestness. and zeal of a
defender pf truth majrgiye apangeheyand sting
to His words which opponents may dislike, but 3
I which honest and' triibbJbViiig hearts ffihst ap
i prove. lEetiri ordinairycircumstaocesiSoftwords
and hard arguments are pore.effectual than when
heat.of temper: is made to supply the want of
forcible reasoning. .In a word We want the best
possible matter, written in 1 the best possible
spirit.’ ' ■-
Such is the mighty inflnence of the Press,
that the Church or depomipation that neglects
to employ it for the dissemination of its princi
ples, is wanting in one of the most obviSus duties
dictated by self-interest. Few bodies are so
strong as to be< able l to dispense with the Sid
the Press: may yield them; and few are so weak
but that a.wise and judicious use of the Press
may,greatly further, itsprospejdtj. she sept
that is so obscure or so far behind the age as to
bo unaware l of the'advantages of publicity the
Bress may sfecnre, probably deserves tbe obscu
rity it takes norpains.to be delivered from. Tet
there is often to be observed a shprt-sighted
policy and ill-judged economy on the part of
some good people,' whose light may shine to the
edification of mahy; if they Would but remove
the shade from 1 their candlestick.— Scottish
Congregational, Magazine.
liTJTHBUAtf CinmOH.— The Evangelical Lu
tkeran Ohurclvin the United States nownUmberA
160,000 communicants, whilst there are. twelve
other Synbds not connected with the general
Synod, in which are 75,000 communicants. The
average animal increase in the various branches
of thf Church is-30,000; number of ministers,
2,200} churches, 3,100; colleges, 10; seminaries,
9} also several academies,, a book concern, and
two foreign missions.
‘The last year
during which the Dutch Reformed Church prose
cuted foreign missions in connexion with the Ame
rican Board of Commissioners, it gave 112,000.
The-hratyefu-j after, organizing aßeard of itsowpt
it gave $25,000; the second year $30,000; and
it is thought that the present year will show a
farther advance.