GENESF.JE F,VANGELIST,=-Nnole No. 745
-)otivg.
Last week's American Presbyterian announced
the decease, after a long and most useful life, of
the venerable Joanna Bethune,""naother of the
Rev. Dr. Bethune, of New York. Prom that gen.
tleman's volume of poems, We following lines—
written nearly thirty years ., ag6- 7 have been, taken
by the Christian Intelligence; which we copy:
TO MY MOTHER.
My anyrnEal Manhood's anxious brow
And sterner cares have long been mine;
Yet turn I fondlyrto thee now,
As when upon thy bosom's shrine
My infant griefs wore sweetly huebed to rest,
And thy low-whispered prayers my slumbers
bless.
I never call thatgentle name;
bly 'Holm - sal but I am again
Po as a child—the very same
That prnttled at thy knee; and fain
Would I forget, in momentary joy,
That I no more can be thy happy boy--
Thine artless boy, to`whom thy smile
Was sunshine, and thy frown sad night,
Though rare that frown, and brief the while
ItVeiled from me thy lovinglight--
For well-oonded task, ambition 's highestbliss
To win from thine approving lips a kiss.
I've lived through foreign lands to roam,
And gaged on many a classic scene,
But oft the thought:of that dear home
Which once was ours, would intervene,
And bid me close in tears my languid eye,
To think of thee, and those sweet days, gone by.
That pleasant home of fruits and flowers,
Where, by the Hudson's verdant aide,
My sisters wove their jasmine bowers;
And he we loved, at eventide,
Would hastening come from distant toil, to bless
Thine and his children's radiant happiness.
Those scenes are fled. The rattling ear,
O'er flint-paved streets, profanes the spot
Where in the sod we sowed the Star
Of Bethlehem, and Forget•me-not.
Oh I wo to Mammon's desolating reign,
We ne'er shell find on earth a home agaid.
I've pored o'er many a yellow page
Of ancient wisdom, and have won,
Perchance, w•eohalar's name: yet sage
Or poet ne'er has taught thy sou.
Lessons so pure, so fraught with holy truth,
As those his mothees faith ahed•o'er his youth.
If e'er, through grace, my Lord shall own
The offerings of my life and love,
Methinks, when bending low before Ilis throne,
Amid the ransomed hosts above, • •
Thy name on my rejoioing lips shall be,
And I will bless that grace for heaven and thee.
For thee and heaven—for thou didat tread
The way that wins to that bright land—
My often wayward footsteps led -
Ety thy kind words and patient hand,
And when I wandered far, thy faithful call,
Restored my soul from ein'a deceitful thrall.
I have been blest with other ties—
Fond ties,and true—yet never deem
That I the ess thy fondness prize;
No, MOTIIER 1 in the warmest dream
Of answered passion, through this heart of mine
One chord will vibrate to no name but thine. ,
MOTT= l thy name - is *Moir. Well
I know no love of mine can fill
The waste pima of thy heart, or dwell
Within its sacred recess. Still,
Lean on the faithful bosom of thy son.
forvosisottirourt.
' For the American Presbyterian.
LETTNi 'PROM TBE N. Y. WILDERNESS.
, Adirondack iron Works, Aug. 6th, 1860.
VISIT TO BLUE MOUNTAIN; DIMINUTION OF ANI-
MAL LIYN.
The review of another week of wilderness life,
brings into special prominence a delightful visit
to the "Blue Mountain " chain of lakes. Having
reinforced our party by the addition of. Mr. 0.
Blackmor, of Newark, N. Y., who came , to us from
another party, about to leave the woods. We left
the Raquette, on the 31st ult., for the three lakes,
memorable to some of us, not only for their rare
beauty, but as the scene of a successful bear bunt,
and of great transactions in trout. Four years
had passed since our visit, and yet every way
mark seemed as fresh to the mind as if not even
the changes of a single day had intervened. The
scenery along the Marion River, whose sluggish,
winding current of seven miles, connects the Blue
Mountain series with the Raquette, appeared the
same, even to the old Ash. hawk'S nest perched,
like an immense turban, on the top of a decayed
spruce. One thing, however, which was constantly
noticeable, was the great diminution - of animal
life. As these wilds become more and more the
resort of hunters and excursionists, the natural
deniiens of the forest are approaching an utter ex
termination. It is said that not less than three
hundred deer are slain every summer, besides the
far greater number taken in the autumn and win
ter. Perhaps a dozen or twenty panthers are shot
each year, and as many bears. Butthe time must
soon come when these animals will be unknown
in this region. After a vigorous row up . Marion
river, we carried our 'boats and baggage over a
portage of eighty rods, and re-embarkedon Lake
Utowana, two miles in length. From this nar
row and rapid -stream brought us into " Eagle
Lake," a mile •in extent. Another exquisitely
beautiful inlet led us to' the opening of Lake
Emmons, and into full vieir of the noble moun
tain bearing the same name.
NATURE MORE ARTISTrO THAN. ART.
I have seen nothing more enchanting than the
scene that meets the eye as you pass up this inlet.
Before you , stretches the lake for three or four
miles, dotted with little wooded islands, and at
the farther end abruptly rises the mountain, two
and a half miles' in the ascent, and four thousand
feet in perpendicular height. The narrow inlet
walled up on either side with thick foliage, gives
to the view the SAM effect am when you look at a
landscape pfeture through the hand. You have
the mountain and lake shorn of all collateral ob
jects, and presenting a scene so very.rare, that if
faithfully represented on marinas, itwould be pro
nounced unnatural—an excess et a extravagance
of artistic fancy. As the eye 11104 up the moun
tain-side, it meets gradations of for tops, undu
lations or terraces of dark green foliage, crowned
by the darker spruce that caps the - summit, and
the whole softened by the blue haze of distance.
We were glad to find an artist from Albany de
voting his entire summer to The lendable task of
filling his portfolio with faithful sketches of, this
grand scenery. Encamping at the -heard` the
upper lake and directly at tbe.foot of the; main—
tain, we prepared ourselves by a refreshing-nigho
rest on hemlock boughs, for
TEE ASCENT.-NO ROYAL ROAD TO-EMINENCE.
• Eleven in number, including two, guides, ,we
set out at about 8 o'clock, A. M., for the summit.
For two hours all, the muscle that had been gained
by long marches, protracted rowing, and hard beds,
was brought into full requisition, and when at
length thelong line of climbers , had wound their
way to the summit, each ardent beholder must
climb a rough spruce tree, as there was "no royal
road to eminence." Whoever in" boyhood had
doffed his hat and climbed - for hickory nuts or a
bird's nest, must now resort 'to the same old pro
cess. A hug and a stretch; perchanCe a relit in
the clothing, entangled hair, and a bosom full of
bark and dirt,—but at length success was an
nounced from the tops , of several stately trunki, and
a scene of indescribable magnificence was the rich
reward. In every direction, save one, the eye
commanded. a stretch of country forty or fifty miles
in extent; and in the aggrepte,Ubt lesS than three
hundred greater or lesser summits ''or" inotintains,
could be distinctly numbered, With lakes'every
where interspersed. To the lover of nature's sub
limity, this tree-top view is, in itself, well Worth a,
journey to Mt. Emmons.
THE. WILDERNESS-EXTENT AND ELEVATION.
Comparatively few persons have any adequate
coneeption of the grandeur or the extent of this
region of mountains, lakes and - forestai which lies
hidden in the bosom of the great Empire State.
According to the State- Geological survey, pub,
fished by Prof Emmons, the area of this wilder
.
ness tract, is little if any less than 10,000 squat,
miles, embracing nearly the whole of Essex:,. Ha
milton, and Warren. counties, ,the southern and
western parts of Clinton, the southern half. of
Franklin, the southeastern angle of St. Lawrence,
and northern half
_of Herkimet% In Essex county
alone, are about one hundred lakes, and in the
whole region probably,not less than three hundred.
Their average level above tide water is not far
from 1600 feet. The Baguette Is 1731 feet, and
Lake Emmons, which empties into, it with a rapid
current, and which is the highest of the numerous
system of water; to which it belongs, must be .
nearly 1800 feet, while the beautiful Lake•Coldem
nestled in the bosom of the Adirondack group,
lies a thousand feet. igher still, being over 2800
feet above tide water.
To pass from nature's sublimities by a somewhat
abrupt transition, I may here, say that one of the,
noticeable objects that grace the Blue MounMin
or Eckford chain of lakes, is
TUE LO,O CABIN. OF "NED BUNTLINE."
Tired of city life, and disgusted with its vices,
bealipg with him the notoriety of an author and
editor, this lover of romance, has.taken up his abode
in vtllat,he' calls " Eagle's nest," a beautiful site
on Eagle Lake. He has purchased a tract of land,
and occupied it nearly two years. Two log houses
greet the eye as you approach the spot, the one,
occupied by himself and . the other bya brother-in
law .who clears and works hisriarin. "Ned," him
self,
l a short, stout man, with a finely deieloped
head and intelligent face, copiously thatched with
hair and whiskers, and clad in ~a red flannel coat
of perfectly original style, devotes himself to lite
rary pursuits, writing regularly, under pay, for
the N. Y. ilfercury. Near his house, and en
closed by a rude 'fence of cedar poles, are the
graves of his young wife ? aged
, pineteen, and his
infant child of ten days. These graves tell a sad
story of privation and sickness, and maternity and
death, in the wAd dreary forest, in winter, afar
from woman's , sympathy, or medical care. In all
the families that are scattered sparsely over this
region, woman is the chief sufferer; having no
share in: the freedom and adventures of the hun
ter's life,' she is but the patient endurer of the
worst of imprisonment; she has no compensation
for those lost advantages of society which prove so
great a blessing to her sex.
It isbut just tolay that "Ned Buntline, what
ever opinions may be entertained of him, has many
redeeming traits.
,He is apparently a true mourner,
for his wife,. and it is a conclusive ; proof of his
love of nature that he has selected so charming a
spot for his wild retreat. He has a garden, in
which he cultivates with great interest, not only
kitchen vegetables, but choice flowers. <He paid us
every attention, showing us his crops, ice house,
fish pond, Sic., was pecullarlysocial, and spared no,
kindness which could minister to our comfort.
"Ned" has established a regular U. S. Mail route
to Port Edwards, and is hiMself, of course, the
Post Master of " Eagle's Nest."
A NEW . 'ORDER OF AROHITEOTURE-ITS HIGHEST
Having mailed a 'number of" letters, and de,
vonred with astonishing voracity the rare treat of
newspaper i vie bade adieu to Ned and his charm
ing lake, in& after "a day of vigorous rowing, re
gained the Raquetto. Instead`of returning to our
old quarters, we passed on to the " Walton Club
Camp," situated near the foot of the Lake, and
about five miles from our first- encampment, on
Constable's Point. Thanks to the far famed " Club"
for so commodious, and to a woodsman, elegant a
structure, reared for their own good not only, but
that of the public. It is not in Gothic style ex
actly; nor Grecian, brit it certainly represents the
highest type of spruce bark architecture, is about
25 feet in length, by 10 feet in width, and has an
open front broad enough for the highest apprecia
tion of a rousing camp fire or for the study of several
constellations of stars.
Behold, on the night of August 2d, 1860, along
row - of weary men, whose sleep is sweet, stretched
side by side, in this goodly structure. On a bark
table, a few yards distant, are the very scanty debris
of their sumptuous evening meal. The smoke of
the camp fire curls up in thin ghostly clouds
through the shafts of moonlight, and the fitful
blaze is playing all sorts of pranks with the
shadows of the grim old trees. As for the chorus
of deep breathing that resounds in charming
variety from the bark camp, it is simply a compa
ny affair, for which no one is individually respon
sible; none eau 'complain of it-:--not even the owl,
whose rival notes are heard in the distance, and
indeed amid all the din and uproar, there are
various and pleasant dreams of homes and , friends
far away. F. F. E.
LETTER FROX A- TRAVELLING 00R
'
RESPONDENT.
DE4t PRO. 3tatits:— . A.ceording to the' pro
mise made,yon, I seize upon the first suitable mo
ment to jot• down the incidents •and impressions
of stny journey: >1 left Jersey City on Tuesday
morning, at 7.15 A. miand arrived at Elmira. at
PHILADELPHIA,
5.30. r. 14., Up, to this Point,, the New. York' nd
Erie R. R., for the most part, passes through a
grandly romantic !motion-4f country. Pion:CAN,
dletown (67 milesfroin New York) the country
becomes more rugged,, the scenery wild and im
pressively natural, and 'although the soil' appears
to baof little value-for cultiVation, yet - it. exhibits
tops, the truth that nothing,is made in vain, -by
filling the mind ,with emotions of awe and, sttbli- .
and-, enabling. us to:
.recegnise the Great
breitor in his manifold-works. The scenery is
greatly diversified until the traveller reaches
Bitighampton (216 miles 'from New 'York) when
it becemes quite mountainous: ' - -
ELPAIRA,r:SENECA: LAKEi 'GENEVA, CANANDAIGUA;
'Elmira is thriving town, Of about 12,000 in
habitants, .eontaining several -large'hotels, ,fine
stores, artd ~n imexotts churches—of the 'Various
Christian denominations: -- Thezesidennes appear
to hive been bUilt,With a considerable regard to
beauty and a correct taste, and betaken the wealth
and . refinement of their owners. After' a shirt
Stay in Elmira; I took a morning train i to Jefferson,
and connected there with the steamhoat.for Gene
.
va, by, the Way of Seneca Lake. - This was one ofi l
the most delightful rides your cOrresPondent ever
-
„
enjoyed. The freshness of the morning, the pn
ray of the green fluid helow,,the beauty of 1
.the shore; on one . side cultivated .close down to
” the water's edge; on the other lined with ferest
trees; in some pieces attending upward many
feet like a - wall of solid masonry; in
,others
. bordered with thick foliage which gracefully dip
their branches in the cryital streams all-of which
are fitted to fill the mind with meatier's of satis=
faction and delight. TheLaire.ii 40. miles long,
and the ride about 4 hours. Geneva is very besu
tiful both in its situation, and in its tastefully
built dwellings and its richly ornamented grounds.
The Presbyterian Church, wader the pastoral
'care of Rev. A. A. Web, D.,late of~New York
city, has among its mernbers much. of the' wealth
and ,
inflaenee - of the town. After an excellent
.
opportunity of . viewing not `only the town, but
somewhat of the snrrounding country I continued
my journey to Canandaigua, I can say of Elmira
and. Geneva, ye are beautiful, but thou, 'Canandai
gua, "excellent them all."
.The principal street
extends up from Canandaigua Lake
. about two
thilea: the 'portion near . the Lake is occupied by .
business houses; the reuiainder by 'private resi
dentes, whose lawns. and gardens adorned with
evergreensand flowers, and exhibiting an appear
ance of , substantiality and comfort as well , as
beauty, are well 'calculated to Strike a recent deni
zen of thekot and 'dusty city with peculiar plea
mire: There is 'no (N. S.) Presbyterian but 'a
Congregational Church here, which is said to be
well filled on:the Sabbath and efficiently ministered
over by a much beloved pastor.
SECTARIANISM AND DENOMINATIONALISM
' UONTRASyED.
. Your
„correspondent hasbeen impressed . with
some of the ideas of our brethren, in this section,
eipreesed to him in regard to denonainationaliem.
The mingling together of two things very diverge
'in theraselvas,. Sectarianism and 'Denominational
ism, haebeen regarded by'the Writerat least as
singular. ' - Sectarianism . , is wrong :
,Denotnina
tionalistii is right. A love for certain principles,
Of which a denomination is the exponent, a desire
.
to extend` those principles, not to give glory to
a denomination, but to bless the world by the'
present truth, presented in the best mode, is de
, .
narninationalism. Sectarianism regard's only' its .
,
own, is illiberal,,selfiah. Denominationalism does
not necessarily stop after building up its own
hedY; but has : sufficient of the' Spirit of Christ
to overleap all distinctions of names and assist .
Christian workers everywhere. Denominational
ism makes its various organizations strong to do
the' most good, effeetiVe 'to do their own 'proper :
Work Which 'the great Head of the church has
laid . upon'them. - . It is fiery Clear to the writer'
that, as.a 'denemination, we are quite guilty in re
spect to the .lack of a healthy denorninational.
. ,
spirit.::But yt I can"ee a .
growing, better seat.'
ment in western New York,: And believe our
hrethreii, ; the SecreMrieS - of Publication an'd'
.
Church. Extension are assisting to forth:
ROCHESTER : THE CENTRAL CHURCH AND
SUNDAY SCHOOLS—OLDER, sott6LAits,
I arrived at
... Rochester on a Saturday morning
prepared - , to become well acquainted with it
,by.l
spending more . than a week here. On,Sabhath
'morning, I attended the Central Church, Rev.
P. F.-.Ellenwood'S,_ and: listened to a goodjaermon
'from the text Overcome evil." -After the . ,
service '.I . visited the Sabbath school - . connected
with this church, and was very- Agreeably bun,
'pressed; with a peculiar .feature of this schoOkthe
large number of scholars over . 4 years'ofAge -be
longing to,iq the average attendance of this,elass,
of both sexes, * being . over, two
„hnndred. Last
winter as I was informed 'by their,energetic su
perintendent„ a large_ number of these, were, :
during , a season 'of religious - interest, hopefully
converted - to Christ, In the afternoon visited
a Mission. school' presided over by the above
mentioned ',superintendent and taught by the
.members of the Central church.„•,.The number: of
seholers in both schools is upwards . Of 800. This
church has been greatly prospered, and by the
instrumentality of its pregent pastor,.froin a mere
handful, has become a 'strong ' and vigorous
body.
THE BRICK CHURCH- AND SUNDAY SCHOOL-7A
VETERAN SUPERINTENDENT
Last Sabbath I listened to a sermon at the
Brick Church from Prof. Robinson, a very in
structive and entertaining discourse. This orga
nization are erecting a new edifiee'of quite arge
size. At present they are worshipping in an old
building formerly occupied by the Central Church.
The Sabbath school of this church is quite large,
numbering upwards of 600. Their Secretary has
an excellent plan of arriving at the results of
Sabbath school instruction. The records of the
school are very carefully kept, the residence, the
parentage, age, and a short'sketch of the history
of each scholar--are noted when he or she is
admitted to the school, and after leaving it, each
individual's life is traced as fully as is practica
ble. By this means an accurate approach can be
made to a -knowledge of the actual good accom . -
pliehed by this instrumentality. The present
superintendent has been at his post about thirtk
years, truly a veteran in the service. The pastors
of theietwo churches are just now absent enjoying
their
_usual summer vacation, Reniarks hive
piOt ; . -: .. ,,.. 7 4r::,;',.'00V5T.... - 4 .- i.._:OO.QT:,
been frequently made to:yeti*, correspondent since
t
he has been in this section, I -regard to the posi
tion of our church toward ,', Home Missionary
Society. The general feelin seems to be ,sympa
thy with our denominatio, , - and- the opinion
always, expressed that it vOuld. be best for the
two denominations to use teirards each other the
language of. Abraham to. Lot, Gen xiii. 8, p.
,i
-leave• this point to-morrow: the north-western
part of the state. ; M. P: J.
For the Aean Presbyterian.
en
. ' -
MISAPPREHENSIONVORRECTER
t,
1 4` REJOINDER OE*: TO B. , -
, ,
Absence from home has p r evented an earlier
correction, on my part, of u apparent error of
an "unknown" brather, in. t‘ply to H. i in the
Presbyterian of alate 4fia '.t . .
The writer, 8., unkno* gelL4l44ritetieH,-
is evidently.reprimandink k oaten P4 - OrtlT. — .
and lays -on with botk P hands 'and a jump,
though professedly in the'Unknown dark. R
would whisper to this 8.',: "Sting gently, my
good B::" H. is neither Professor H. . . `. , nor
'has he any "cathedra," nor any "German thee
logy." Your undoubtedly strong and honest
heart has, with good intent, leaped astride of
your understanding, and parried -'you up the
wrong lane:- Permit me tpearect R, and say
that the writer, H., is not"in any Theological
Seminary, or otherwise "cathedral" in his ten
dencies; but a plain cot bre - ther, and 'one
who ardently loves even the English version as
the most exCellent translation from any original
in existence. Upon -a careful examination of
the c r iticism of H, you will perceive that there
is nothing `infidel concealed, but a defence of
even the translation, and nothing to do discredit
to St - Pahl: - Only alb& hasty desire on the
part of . thilk,A , ta. stingrould- _have tempted
him to run hii eriticistneOtt upon "the rocks."
B's. should- be careful 'carry 'the honey of a
careful undurstanding akd discriinination, as
well as the sting of ,lawful =criticism, lest when
the sting is gone, - nothing be:left but the wings.
H. teaches that our English translation is, in
Hebrews i. 10,`'the correct meaning of St. Paul.
Whereupon B. leaps to the rescue of the apostle!
We might answer,R,'"Dp thyself no harm,"
the apostle is safe. Par' be it from H. to do
that whereof B. has accused him. If E were
inclined to answer R after his manner, he
might say here, that the chureh should appoint
our good R Defender-in-General of the apos
tles, but we will not; yet, as . B.; has "ventured
to remark," we maybe_ permitted honestly to
think, that, if we had mor e 13s. who, with good
, ~
intents and hearts, coupled clear discriminations
and understandings, We - should certainly have
less scoffers in the charch and world. II
For l theAiiiiii&airsPresb - yteitart.
UNHAPPY.'
"I am not happy," said a child, is he tossed
aside his cap and ball, and threw himself upon,
the meadow grass. «I am not happy, for :I ran
away to play when Ilknew- mother wished me to
do errands for her," and he'looked up at the blue
sky, and wondered if, the angels knew his thoughts,
and if he would ever be good enough• to d - well with
them in their happy home. , •
"All these things do not -make me happy,"
muttered a maiden, as she 'glanced at her rich
attire; and, unclasping'her costly:jewels, laid them
Upon the dressing table; then she turned from
her mirror, for the radiant beauty of her face,'
though often praised, did not satisfy her heart;
that craved 'a. more substantial good, even the love
which Christ bestows upon mankind.
"Even 'though I have toiled hard and amassed
great wealth, yet I am not, as I expected; happy,"
soliloquized the millioa s aire; and he wondered at
the unsatisfie&state of.hialmind,little thinking it'
was because he. had not drank at the fount of living
"This is bitterness indeed," exclaimed the
dying, sinner, as in despair he' glanced back upon
the long list of lost opportnnities: thenturning
his gaze upon the future he murmured, "toolate I"
and died. . .
HAPPY.
" Grandma has come; oh, t am so happy 1" ex
claimed sweet little, Ella, and She fairly clapped
her hands in her glee, as she danced down the gar
den walk to meet her grafidmother, Sure of again
being delighted, with stories of, olden times. "I
am. happy, too," chimedin cousin Mary, as she
brought a. stool,and, placed it at the feet of the
good old lady, " for mamma says,,l. have been good
to-day;" then she twined her -arms -around her:
grandma's neck and looked - very happy. • ,
"I am happy," said a youth, as he looked for
ward into the future, so full of, hope and promise,
for he had conseorated ,bed days to the cause
of. Christ,,And witlFthe.tiiaideit by his side, .was; to
sail on the, morrow, a missionary to foreign lands.,
"Do you'hear that oelestial music?"- asked the
dying Christian. " The time of trial has passed;
I am, soon to, walk the golden streets and-join in
the song of redemption. I am happy, oh, so
happy!" ' U. E. C.
Olivet, Easton county, Illichiyaa.
For the itmerlean 'Presbyterian.
AGED CLERGYMEN AND THEIR LABORS.
Ma. EDITOR:--At the last annual meeting of
the Onondaga Synod, I learned by - the narratives
of the state of religion given by the representatives
of the several churches, that the three most inte
resting revivals of religion were enjoyed in those
places where the three eldest ministers were labor
ing. It was to me an- interesting fact that God
thus honored those veteran soldiers of the'cross,
and gave them such 'Signal victories -over the
enemy, just as they were feeling that. they muSt
soon put. off their armour and put on the crown.
In this.regiont there has been,:to A very...great :ea=
tent,' in the ,, churches, L a.! 'arcing'. desire to .receive
the labors of young ministers,. and, as the. result,
a change of pastors and stated supplies has ,often
occurred. I have , lived nearly: nineteen years in
Central N. Y.; some of ow churches have
changed their clergymen as many as nine times
in this period. One pastel' was installed over four
different churehes, in the course of some ten years,
in this Synod. In the course of three years, and
within the four last past, one Presbytery ordained
and settled
,six young, men direct from the ; tteo
,
'logical Seminary, two of whom have already gone,
and two others are'on the point of being dismissed.
I am nearly certain that the, oldest pastorate, in
this Synod is only;of about nineteen-years' stand
ing., I felt at the time, - and:still feel, that the
revival fact mentioned at the commencement of
this'article is a severe rebuke - to this sPirit, (or I
might say manin) of change. Here we have the
original stamp of Divine-approval of the labors of
our oldest ministers. In this 'fact God seems to
say to his children, "Honor the clerical fathers,
as I have honored them, listen to-tgarinstrriction
and learn heavenfy wisdom frOut,their long years
of experience, employ them as your spiritual guides,
and, do not send them away simply because tete
infirmities of age begin to waste their energies
and compel them te lessen'their labors.' But; stay
up their hands and eneourage their hearts by doing
all in your power to lighten their burdens, and
second and-push onward their "ardwus labor of
love?' '-`• A: A
9~ae;,AitCtet~93tti, 1880
. :
THE SLAVE TRADE.
A SOT/ill SIDE viEw.
•
'Whife vigorous efforts are .being made by poll
ticians and 'zealous upholders of slavery at the
South, to'pervert public sentiment on the mora
lity of the ilave-trade; - and, alas! with a great
and, astonishing degree or success, we are some-
times, cheered to, meet with such clear, and bold
utterances, on the subject from Southern sources,
as the following from the columns of the North
Carolina Presbyterian, "Yet have I left me
seven thousand' &c.
A REMONSTRANCE
' During our recent visit to the South, we were
surprised and pained to find that the number of
persons favoring the re-opening of the Slave-trade'
is greatly on the increase. The number-bas largely.
increased in the last five n years. • The common fin
pression that it is only a reckless politician here
and another there, who approves of the traific, is
erroneous. A change has taken place in the minds
of many who are not politicians, and it has ex
tended to all classes and professions. Ten years
ago, not one man in five hundred, would have.pub
holy advocated the trade, and the whole business
was regarded with repugnance and horror. Now
the advocates are'perhaps , as numerous as the op
ponenti. Planters and - intelligent niechanies are
beginning to favor the system, and it is not deemed
a.reproch or amoral offence. -
The trade itself is largely on the, increase. Five
cargoes, of Africans are now landed on the coast, to`
one, ten years, ago. Some express the opinion that
the proportion is greater thane this. - The impor
tations meet with a ready sale; and the demand
for this species of labor is also increasing. The
Charleston - Courier of last week announces that a
cargo was landed lesS than 200 miles from that
city on Wednesday morning, and many of them
had been immediately transported .into the inte
rior.
It is stoutly asserted that the 'free Angroes in
Africa, citizens of the Republic of Liberia, are
implicated in the business. They are .charged
with collecting the slaves and selling them to the
slavers, and it is alleged in proof, that several of
the negroes lately-detained at Keyl'West- bad-be
lonfied to the'carao'of the "'Wauderer;i' and been
sent back to Liberia. Some' of the "Liberia ne
groes are none' too -good for.such a , trick, .if we
may judge of the people 'by their newspapers.
This question of the African slave-trade forces
itself upon the attention of the Christian people
and press of the South. The discussion cannot
be shunned, and the 'question must be honestly
met. Aside from its political character, it has
moral and'religious bearings which claim our no
tice.
The sanctity of the law is invaded by flume who
are engaged in-this traffic. Christians• ought 'not
to hold their peace when the Constitution of the
country is trampled underfoot. Hitherto it has
been the glory of the South that she honored and
maintained that Constitution and' all its com
promises—shall that glory be taken from her.?
The border and middle States of the South will
not consent to engage with their more Seuthern
neighbors in this shameless violation of - national
law. They cannot approve of such illegal pro
ceedings, but would kindly yet firmly remonstrate.
The traffic cannot be legalized, and conservative
men need no further argument to confirm them in
their opposition: If thg Gulf States wish to re
tain the sympathies of the" border States and to
preserve the unity of the South in-feeling, interest
and action, they must' maintain the' Constitution
as it is, and uphold the majesty of the laws. Mary
land, Virginia, Kentucky, Missouri, North Caro
lina, and Tennessee, with the voice and 'heart of
one MITI,' vow, and always will, protest against the
renewal of the slave-trade.
POSITION OF THE ROMAN. CATHOLIC CHURCH.
O. A. Brownson, in his Review, claims high
ground for the Roman Catholic Church in regard
to the iniquities of this traffic.
",Our Church (the Roman Catholic) eondemns
the importation of negroes from Africa, to be held
as slaves on our plantations, as an infamous traftc,
and interdiets all her children who directly or in
directly engage in it. Here we can make no com
promise; practise no connivance, for the question
is =a qwestion of conscience. No Roman Catholic
can either import negroes from Africa, or buy, to
be held ,as slaves, those imported by others, under
pain of the severest spiritual censures; and we see
not how any Roman Catholic, with a good con
science, can sppliort a party that, is known to favor
or connive at, this infamous truffle. As the Con
stitution gives in Congress fill power to prohibit
the slave-trade, we have a right to insist that it shelf
pass, and enforce, the most stringent laws needed
against it. Here we stand on strong 4round,
for here we stand- on conscience, and 'ask ',what it
is confessed on all hands Congress has the con
stitutional Power to do."
WONDERFUL CAREER °EMINENT PER-
ItARA
THE WEITEFLELD TEL* MIDDLE AGES.
It was near the close ofitayea.rl39B, and at the
,
.age of forty-two yearsOliat Vincent gave himself
ußfully to the work itwhich all the feelings of
his heart were so strongly enlisted. Spurning, as
unworthy bribes, all thrdighities and honors that
invited his ambitimmand were within his reach,
he set forth upon his!mission with a zeal that,
haper
mitted no intermi ion of his labors, and scarcely
the rest of a sin a:day till the close of his won
drous life. Almost every portion of the Christian
world was the scene of his labors, and the most
surprising accotias are given of the effects of his
eloquence. '1 !lame spread from land to land,
and princes , ."people were alike anxious to hear
a man whO ..,.rijoined to all his other qualities the
reputation oft l saint. Wherever he went, invita
tions met him from abroad to visit distant cities
and'villagesi . "iior was the desire to hear him gra
tified by a ogle visit. His, longest abode in any
u
place was • wally but a few weeks, and when his
woik seems '`,completed in one city or neighbor
hood, e hastlned to another. From Aragon, his
native co kry, he went to Barcelona, thence to
r 44,
southern ira ce, in the regions of Savoy and Dan
phiny, thence-to Switzerland, Geneva, and' Lor
raine. The iiuke of Burgundy invited lihn to his
territories; tS , O, i liing of Englaiid besought him to
visit his kingdopi and sent a vessel to bear him,
across the 'strains.:Not in London only, but in
New
Nix,.
various parts of the kingdom, as well as iii Scot
land and Ireland, he gathered wondering throngs
to listen to his words. The closing rabors of his
life had northern France, the regions of Normandy
and Brittany, for their field of successful effort.
At the time of his death there was, not a voice in
Christendom that had been
.listened to by so many
thousands—we might safely , say millions—as his
own. His career has no parallel in these later
ages, unless in the course of Peter the Hermit, or
our own Whitefield. A letter of his to the Gene
ral of his Order 7 the Dominican—oives us some
itigiktif the course Which he usually adopted. "The
incessant claims of 'myduty leave me but little
leisure:to write to you, as I should be glt4 to do.
Crowds follow me wherever I go„ and I cannot
deny to them the bread of life. After having
performed mass, I preach to them two 'or' three
times every day, and, beside this, I am obliged to
journey from place to place, so-that I scarcely find
time to take repose or necessary food. While on
my journey I prepare my sermons."
In the course of his jdurneyines he fell in often
With _thoseWhom he calls Heretic& `; With a wis
_
dom that did not belong to all the members of his
Order, he declined to employ against, them, in
order to their conversion, the weapons of the tem
poral arm. We no where meet with any evidence
that he' invoked against them the terrors of ex
communication. The instruments of his persua
sion. were his own extraordinary eloquence, his
blameless life, and a fervor which was at least the
fruit of genuine devotion. His success was oar-,
respondent to his efforts. One village which 'he 1
visited, and fouild so con.* and vile, that'its
very name bore the stigma expressive of disgrace,
was so , changed by his instrumentality thatit was
henceforth known by an appellation quite reverse.
His indignation at sin did not - quench his pity for
the guilty, and we may safely believe that a true
benevolence was the impulse to labors that are
marked with self-denial, and could expect no tem
poral reward. His language shows how deeply he
felt for the'erring; and how readily he traced the
evil to its true cause in the prevalent corruption
and negligence of the clergy.
,"The principal
source of these errors, so far as I can discover, is
in, the profound ieuorance and the lack of reli
gions instruction which prevail. Many of the peo
ple of this country—he writes from Geneva, 7 --
haVe assured me that for more than thirty years
they have neither seen nor heard any other preach
ers than such of the Vaudois as have visited them
twice each year. I blush and tremble to think of
the fearful account which those ecclesiastical su
periors will - have to render to the - Chief Shepherd
when they neglect their sacred duty of seeking out
and instructing the poor. Some of them are at
careless ease in their splendid palaces , or well-fur
nished houses, others will only labor in large cities,
leaving the poor of the flock, for whom the Sa
viour's blood was shed, to perish uncared for.
For the:want of a faithful ministry that will break
to this people the bread of life, they are forgotten
and neglected; they live in error and die in sin.
Never was it more true than now, that the harvest
is great and the laborers are few.' My constant
prayer is that the Lord of the harvest will send
forth himself laborers into the harvest." . . .
Sometimes be was summoned to visit places
which had been abandoned, or where the vices of
the priesthood had been such that the people had
rejected them as tyrants and impostors. Such in
vitations he never refused, and the men who saw
the.wolf only in their former pastors, recognised
in Vincent a shepherd who Caieikfor their souls.'
Some of his explorations revealed a degree of hea
thenism and 'ignorance prevalent at, that time,
which 'seem' strange even in that age of culmi
nating corruption of the Rornish Church. 'ln the
diocese of Lausanne, he finds still prevalent, what
he does not hesitater to call by the name of Pagan
ism. In the region to the north of this, lying be
tween France and Germany, were those who
publicly professed to worship the sun, and ad
dressed their prayers each morning to this lumi
nary. But the zeal of this apostle of the truth as
he held it, shrunk from contact with no supersti
tion or error. and never turned back from fear of
the people however "rude or fierce, whom it was in
his power to benefit. "The Lord," said he, ." is
my strength, and in his =help I put my trust."
From Flanders his,labors were extended through
the north of France. The King of England met
him at Caen, and urged him to visit Normandy.
Here he toiled till his strength failed. He felt
the grasp of disease upon him in the city of Vannes,
and determined to seek his native air in the hope
of a restoration to health. He set out for Valen
cia, but his sickness increased. He was worn out
by his long and exhausting labors, and was cam-
'gelled' to Cum back to the city he had' left. As
he again approached the walls he was met 'by 'a
glad welcome. Great and small, rich and poor, the
youthful and the agedi hastened forth, enthusiastic
with joy at his return, and from many lips hurst
forth the shout, "Blessed is he that cometh in the
name of the' Lord." But tbe chime of bells, and`
the loud echo of popular joy fell upon -a dying ear.
As he entered the dwelling where be had formerly
abode, he said to those who gathered around him,
tongratulating.themselves upon his return, that be
had come back to'their city, not to continue his
ministry but to find a grave. They soon fonnd
that it was but too true, and lean USA the place
of smiles.'
And thus, at 'the age of fifty-six years, on the
fifth day of April, 1419, his spirit passed from
Presbyterian Quarterly Review.
THE DENOMINATIONAL SPIRIT OF THE
- LAST ASSEMBLY.
The , position taken by the Assembly as to deno
minationalism, was in the line that has been pur
vl
sued for so many years past. The action on home
4nissions was passed by a unanimous vote. Sepa-
Tation , from the American Home MisSonary So
cieti and separate denominational action, in the
work of home missions, are inevitable. Yet all
the steps in this movement were taken with deli
beration and with entire kindness towards our
Congregational brethren. It is no wonder that
our action is commending itself to our brethren of
other denominations, and to the sister brandies of
our own Church.
We have reason to thank God and take courage.
The clouds that'seemed ready to envelop us, have
nearly all passed away. Our Church has never
stood in so steady, so united, and so prosperous a
condition, since the division. It is at once firmly
denominational and truly catholic. Its tendencies
to ultraism in mkperation, have been checked by
the severe lessons of experience. Henceforth our
Church addresses, itself to suitable care of our own
household, while cordially uniting with all other
Christians in those good works which lie properly
beyond the sphere of ecclesiastical action.
While these pages are passing through the
press, we learn that the New England Associations
refuse to appoint . Committees to meet the Commit
tee appointed by our General Assembly. After
so long,and friendly a connection in the home mis
sionary work, our loath to sever hastily
so many ancient and kindly ties, first attempted
to tenter with the American ome Missionary
Society, and was rudely repulsed. It then, in a
manly and Christian spirit, turns to the Congre
gational Associations, makes a last effort, if not to
remain in co-operation with them, at 'least to set
tle some plan of friendly separation. They refuse
even to meet in Committee; refuse to consider the
question whether we have not mutual rights in the
Home Missionary Society, axid whi=ther it is not
due to the cause of religion that this great move
ment of separation should take place with dignity
and mutual kindness. -
When, again and again, in this Review, we have
defended our Church against Conorsoational attacks
and contended that the animus of separation and
VOL. IV.—NO. 52.—Wh010 No. 217.
division was in them and not in us, we were met,
on both sides, with the charge 6f uncharitableness.
We ask our readers, we ask all men, to look at
the position of our Church and that of the Congre
gational Associations, and decide between us and
them. We ask whether facts have not vindicated
the course of this Review and the course of our
Church.
There is, another train of reflection which these
events—no light movements, but lying within the
sphere of history—are forcing upon us. Our bre
thren of atticr branch of our Church, in taking
a position somewhat similar to ours, a quarter of
a century ago, took it in a very different manner.
If they had acted with the calmness and dignity
which has characterized our General Assembly; if
they had .allowed two or three years of patient
waiting and of friendly conference to havepassed
by, we hazard little in saying that there would
have been no: division - of the Preabyterian Church:
It was freely said. then, in every form, and it
has been repeated ten thousand times by our bre
thren, that we were not true Presbyterians; that
we were congrelationaliied; that:We Were willing
to betray the Church of our fathers; that we were
not to be trusted with the solemn charge of the
Ark of the Covenant which has borne so many
trials and ontrode so many furious storms. Our
brethren cut us off; they cast us out of the Pres
byterian Church; they declared us heretics; they
pronounced •us out of sympathy with that grand
Church which has been the bulwark of republican
liberty and of the Calvinistic faith from the begin
ning.
And now we turn to our Presbyterian brethren
and say, Look at., our acts! When this Review
boldly defended our Church as faithful -to the
truth and order of the Westminster Confession, it
was received with a smile of incredulity. We now
say to our brethren, Look for yourselves I We are
not surprised that the organs of our brethren—in
common with every other not Congregational—
have taken our side in the present contest. Good
men, as our Presbyterian biethren are, cannot but
feel a strong sympathy for us in such a contest;
they cannot but feel that they have wronged us;
their hearts cannot but throb with admiration of
the irrepressible power of that Presbyterianism,
which we share in common with them. Fighting
at every , odds; with forebodings from every guar-
Tel; with fearful 'powers` — pressing in umr-ns
everywhere to crush out our very existence as a
Church,; with an untried path before us; with
every possible allurement to leave the rugged but
safe way-of our fathers; with dangers whose fear - -
fulness, even , as we look back at them from a safe
place, makes us shudder—in all, and through all,
and over all, our covenant God bath led us.
Through moist" eyes of gratitude we render our
thanks and praise to His high and holy name!
THE ECLIPSE OF JULY AS SEEN IN
Mr. Leopold March, writing from Santander,
July 18, to the London .News ,
gives the following
highly interesting account of certain phenomena
observed dnrifig the late total eclipse;
"From an early hour of the morning of the
18th, several British savans, whom the enlight
ened liberality of the English 'Government bad
sent to Santandar in the magnificent Himalaya,
might havebeen seen preparing their instruments
for the approaching phenomenontin the.garden of
a much-esteemed couneryinani but the - cloudy
sky was reflected on their brows—thcy feared a
disappointment. The weather for some days pre
viouSly had been gloomy; and not only they, but
the ignorant curiously watched the sun with anxiety
as one moment he struggled forth in splendor
from a rent in the driving vapors, and then suc
cumbed before their obstinate advance. The first
contact took place at lh. 45m. 265. (Greenwich
mean time.) A dark perpendicular riband
ap
peered in the western corner of the sun; it was
the moon, which, more mysterious than. ever,
slowly advanced, dark, and melancholy, as if re
luctant to deprive nature of light. The progress
of the eclipse was not viewed without interruption,
owing to the masses of clouds which chased each
other across the sky; and just before the totality
the phenonienon vanished behind them, to the
intense disappointment of those who watched its
phases."
The totality began at 2h. 58w. 245., and
lasted until 3h. Im. 445. At 3h., most of the
thermometers laid upon the grass had fallen from
71 degrees 1 second to 64 degrees S seconds, and
there was a perceptible chill in the air, increased,
perhaps, by the wind having veered almost due
north at 2h. 9nr. - During the totality the follow
ing, phenomena were also observed: At the
moment in which the darkness began to
.descend rapidly, consternation seemed to seize
Nature—pigeons flew about in clusters, confused
and scared, • poultry sought their roosts, my dog
whined at my feet—small birds fluttered and
twittered excitedly, as if a hawk was in view, a
cow moaned loudly, and the dew gathered lie
sweat on. the flowers as they drooped and closed
their petals. But the most impressive moment
was•yet- to come--as darkness descended, and the
winds and the deep grew hushed, man and beast
were struck dumb with. awe. Such might well
seem-the last day—as indeed, it did to many—but
the prophets of science had foretold the event, and
deprived it of the'-terror of a surprise. Neverthe
less, during those sinister, ghastly, and absorbing
three minutes, enlightened spirits prostrated them
selves before the power of God, and the skeptic
whom the radiance of the sun could not convince,
nor the regularity of the seasons convert, was
forced at that supreme moment to own theinflu
ence of the First Great Cause.
TELE EFFECT , OF THE PHENOMENA ON THE
During ,the totality the bits of blue sky in the
northwest and eastern horizons assumed the same
appearance as they do at dawn on a cloudy morn
ing, with the exception that the former was the
brighter.
The flowers ell:1%0d as follows:
The youngest flowers felt the influence of the
eclipse soonest, the old ones, the everlasting espe
cially, yielding slowly and, stubbornly.
Owing to the cloudy state of the weather, only
Venus and two other stars were seen for a mo
ment.
The Almighty has acted with the souls of men
as he has with the different countries of the earth.
He might have given fruits of all kinds to every
land; but if every land did not require the fruits
of another, there would be no fellowship main
tained with the others. Hence it comes to pass,
that to one he gave a superfluity of wine, to ano
ther of oil, to another of cattle, to another of the
fruits of the field; so that, since one gives what
the other has not, and the latter supplies what the
former wants, the separated lands are united by a
communication of gifts. And, like different coun
tries, the souls of saints are related - to one another,
by reciprocally communicating what has been im
parted to them, as different countries share with
one another their respective productions, they are
all united together in one love."
Presbyterian Quarterly Review
SANTANDAR
SINGULAR EFFECT OF THE ECLIPSE
FLOWERS
'Tiger iris
Everlasting
Blue Saffron
Hibiscus Africanus..
THE GOODNESS OF GOD.
H. M. S.
2 10 0
2 15 4
2 20 0
2 60 0
Gregory