GENESEE EVANGELIST.—WhoIe No. 760.
di' mein
DIVINE LOVE.
0 Love, who formedst me to wear
The image of Thy Godhead here;
Who soughtest me with tender care
Through all thy wanderings wild and drear;
0 Love, I give myself to thee,
Thine ever, only thine to be.
0 Love, who ere life's earliest dawn
Thy choice on me•hast gently laid;
0 Love, who here as man vast born,
.A.nd wholly like to us wast made;
0 Love, I give myself to thee,
Thine ever, only thine to be.
0 Love, who oneein time west slain,
Pieroe . d,through and through with bitter wo,
0 Love, who wrestling thus Bidet gain
That we eternal joy might know;
O Love, I give myself to thee,
Thine ever, only thine to be.
0 Love, of whom is truth and light,
The word.and Spirit, life and power,
Whose heart was bar& to them that smite,
To shield us in our trial hour;
O Love, I give myself to thee,
Thine ever, only thine to be.
Love, who thus haat bound me fast,
Beneath that gentle yoke of thine;
Love, who haat oonckuered me at last,
And rapt away this heart of mine;
0 Love, I give myself to thee,
Thine ever, only thine to be.
Love, who lovest me for aye,
Who for my soul dost ever plead;
0 Love, who didet my ransom pay,
Whose power suflieeth In my stead;
0 Loin), I give myself to thee,.
Thine over, only thine to be.
0 Love, who once shalt hid me rise,
From out this dying life of ours;
0 Love, who once o'er yonder skies
Shalt set me in the fadeless bowers;
0 Love, I give myself to thee, •
Thine ever, only thine to be.
For the American Presbyterian.
"HOW TO, ENJOY LIFE:" OR, PHYSICAL
MID /IFENTAL . HYGIENE.*
ADDITIONAL 0114FTFAS-NO. 1-MIND.
JAY WM. M. CORIVELL S D
What we mean by mind—Mental Physiology—
Proofs of a mind in its thinking, imagination,
Memory, Dreams, Visions—its powers limited—
Presumptive proof of the spirit's future existence
.—Diffironee in the works of God and those of
man--Enjoyment in cultivating, mind.
We use the term, mind, because though not
strictly accurate in describing what we mean, or,
in its derivation from the Latin word mons, it has,'
nevertheless, from being the intelligent potv,er
come.to express the intellectual, in distinction from
the corporeal powers of man. It conceives, under-'
stands, judges, reasons. We- use it, at present,
as the Intellect, Soul, Spirit, or rational and im
mortal part of man, which distinguishes him from
the bretes,
What evidence have we of the existence of a
naiad, fiord, or epirit, in maul -
The Bitle eaye, " There lie spirit in min, and
the'inspiratiOn of the Almighty giveth them nu
deretanding.
This branch of our inquiry, may flitoPerly be
denominated, Mental or Intellectual PAffss'alog4
and it is interesting to exphiin the union of mind
with matter so far as we can be guided , by,true
philosophy. •
What, then,,do we know of the mind of man ?
We are conscious of something within us superior
to this bodily tabernacle. In all the human beings
around us, we see manifestations of this same
pritudple. We see indications of a mind in the
animal tribes. But there it is of a more limited
nature. It appears faintly in the child; but
waxes stronger and stronger.
g , Grows with his growth,
And strengthens with his strength."
Still, it is indefinable, and, like the wind, we know
its existence, only from its effects, By coptem
'plating its effedts, we find it capable of comparing,
combining, reasoning, judging. No sooner is a
subject or an object presented, than the mind im
mediately considers its parts, compares the evidence
for and against it, and reason, or judgment, de
cides as the one or the other preponderates. Here
is proof of a mind, and when rightly directed,
the more there is of it, the greater is the enjoy
meat of life.
You advance another step, and, at the approach
of one you esteem, a thrill of joy is communica
ted to your bosom; and, the more cultivated your
social affections, the greater is that joy. But, it
does not stop here. The,same effect is visible in
your friend. In his countenance, you read the
same rapture and see the same emotions. You
find mind _meets mind: soul mingles with soul;
spirit sympathises with spirit, and enjoyment be
twines-mutual.
But the general laws.of nature prevail over
the physiological, and life becomes extinct.. Your
friend.is removed by death, A gloom' overcasts
every surroundipg object. Nature loses her love
liness. The beauty of spring, the fragrance of
summer, the luxuriance of autumn cease to charm.
You mourn over your departed comforts. Time,
if it does not remove your grief, only settles it in
to melancholy. Whence comes this 'change ?
These emotions? These passions ? There is a
m i n d—,“ there is a spirit in man."
How it controls this animal economy In con
sequence of a volition of mind, your eye, your
hand, your limbs, are all in motion. But, were
there not a mind, ' 4 a spirit" "a living soul," in
man—yea, were man not himself a living soul,
where would be the will to determine or choose ?
When the general laws of nature, or of God,
(another, awl in this case, abetter name for nature)
prevail over the organic, as they always will, and
the spirit itl withdrawn, the body sinks into
the slumber of death. The tenant has left, and
" the house in which he lived" now crumbles like
any other tenantless and dilapidated structure.
Time after time, you lose One and another of
your relations : but, even their removal. does not
dissolve the bond of, friendship. Memory, a corn=
ponent part of mind, follows them to the grave, to
the mansion. of .decay; uncovers the coffin, and
raises afresh the form that once delighted, your
ey4, sweetened your sorrow and doubled your
joy. The room which they occupied; the chair
in which they sat; the garden where they walked,
and the work they performed are all sacred as me
mentoes of those who are now gone. What .but
the spirit that is in rnan follows these loved ones?
*llgetered myortilttir to,Art of &egress, In the year 1880, by Wu.
Ofninrsta., to the Merit's Ottlre of the District &tut of the United
tbr the Idestern MAFIA or ['eeekrireels.] •
Man advances to the decline or life—his phy.
•siological nature•is on the wane—the frosk of age
mantle his brow—"those that look out of the
windows are darkened;" he is afraid of that which
is high, and 'fears are in the way—" the grasshopper
is a burden, and desire fails." But the - scenes•of
his boyhood are fresh in his mind, the honSe in
which he spent his childhood; the field over
whichshe rambled; the brookin which hewaded;
the mild accents of his mother; 'the story 'of his
father, are all reviewed witlypleasure : and often
in the review, does the man of three-seore years
and ten, act over, and live over the scenei of •his
youth. Is there not "a spirit-in man?",
Imagination, too, shows 'this thinking
It astonishes, bewilders, distrusts. The star that
sparkles in the expanse of heaven seems but a
speck in creation. But science informs the mind
that it is a sun, a planet, a' world. Imagination;
•an integral part of this same mind, follows the
ciOneepiani--L-quitit (Mr globe roves the fields `of
space—stretches beyond the. bounds of creation,
and lases itself in the Interested :Eternal. What
but mind gives this expansive, and even Creative
poiver? •
The body reposes—sleep looks the limbs and
closes the eye-lids; but the mind is still active.—
No fetter binds it—no power of earth controls it.
It roves thelabyrinths of fancy—converses with
those in distant climes, and holds communion with
spirits of other worlds. The morning dawns—
aleep departs, And with it the visions of the night
vanish.
But from what proceed all thete operations ?
Prom what fountain flows this understanding,
memory, imagination, visions? Whence come .
they. "There' is a spirit in
_man." There is a
mind.
If such are its operations, then it 'lives, and
acts and thinks. •
But, if, when the general laws of God prevail
over the physiological, andthe body dies, the mind
is still in being, then another question rises.
Whither has it fled ? What is now its 'con-
dition ?
Here, our philosophy stops. We see our Mends
drop into the grave around, and we 3p:tow from
the laws of our being that we must soon follow
them; but as to the what, or where will be our
condition, we know neither from the philosophy
of nature, nor of mind.
We may indeed, infer that the spirit, soul, or
mind will still exist : for, if when the bodily eye
is closed, the inind Sees without its assistance—if
we sometimes see the body emaciated by disease,
or taken away limb by limb, and yet, the thinking
principle remain in full 'rigor, then we have
presumptive t evidence that it can exist without
the body. ,tY far philosophy and reason speak of
the mind. We know it is superior to the body,
though we know not-its essence, any more than we
do the principle of life; and, or ihat we know not
what ;nor AO it)ggins and ends
It is with ns ' en, ititlis
' with eveiy other
substance and haw-r - -we can trace it a certain dis
tance, and then our investigation is stopped. The;
hidden springs of nature we cannot discover. Her
secret fountains wezdarinot uncover. Her depths
we cannot fathom. We must stop and say,
Seeret,things biking unto God."
It is ever so in nature. We can learn some—
everi many things. But we are soon lost in the
works of the unswahable Creator, and led tUex.-
claim, " Who by searching can find out and?"
" Could 'we conceive him; God
He could not be : Or be not God,
Or we could: not be men.'.'
No man can explain the union of mind with
'matter, nor tell hoW soul and body are united; and
yet, upon the proper adjustment of the one to
the other, is suspended no small share of the hap
piness or enjoyment of life.
So it is in vegetation—the plant grows up we
know not holi—visit it daYhy day. It: is an inch
—a hand. " First the blade, then the ear, then
the full corn in the ear." God giveth to every
seed its own body; but why, or how, man knoweth
not. "The sum of human knowledge is but to
know how little can be known."
In our conceited wisdom, we sometimes i mag ine
mind and the Great First cause are the only
beings or things that we cannot comprehend. But,
in this we are much mistaken. Every blade of
grass; every ear of corn; every led on the trees;
every pebble in the brook; every grain of sand on
the sea-shore, comprises the same wonders, has
properties open and known; and, at the same
time, contains secret ones which lie veiled from
human knowledge. However, exalted our powers
may seem to be, when;we come to search out the
bidden works of God, we find they are limited in
their operations.
The minof man can do great things compared
with other imals; but very small things, when i
compared wi :the works e ef..the Supreme. We
d i.,
learn to,. rea a few chttracters—to trace a few
languages—to trace a few effects to theiveau es—
to number a few planets, revolving arou 'the
t
sun—to construct a ship and traverse the oc an—
te fly V i ler the land and over the sea by making
the er of steam, in a measure, subservient to
60,
our ill, or to talk with a friend by the speaking
wire. These are about the sum of the boasted
efforts of man's mind;
"These little things are great
To little man."
and to achieve them, he must undergo labor; sur
mount difficulties; expend time; and, after all,
how little has he accomplished? How vast the
region of God'S dominion which remains unex
plored I And how uncertain ; how erroneous,
perhaps, are our best calculations !
There is, also, another thought connected with
this subject—the works of God are perfect—all
"very good," as they come from his hand; but
all, from man's intellect, powerful as it is—soar
ing as it may, is imperfect; and progresses gradu-
A ally, or grows slowly in improvements.
Let me illustrate :—the bee of the old world
made his comb and his honey , in the same perfec
tion that our modern bee does; the antediluvian
beaver constructed his, dam upon the same geo
metrical principles that the beaver of to-day coo
,structs his. But how different the works of man!
How slowly are they perfected! Take a single
instance :- 7 -compare the canoe of olden time, creep
log along the shore, with the modern steam war
ship, flying- meteor-like over vast ocean, and
pouring ; lightning and thunder upon her enemies!
In.this, also, is seen the wisdom of the Creator.
What a,!timulua to, man to put forth effort!
PHILADELPHIA, Tpkt,
What alpring of action! It, alio, is:a chief source
of lagnan enjoyment.
"Man's is laborious hrippinees at Vest."
How intimately, then, is our enjoyment 'con
nected with our duty :I We should, then; come
to the study of the natural "fences—to the orga
.nization of our compound nature—to the physiology
of our being, with alacrity, because, by the if spirit
in man" God has made us, capable of improvement,
and largely suspended our enjoyment upon, the
cultivation of our powers. ,
"The more our spirits.are enlarged on earth,
The deeper draught shall they receive
Of heaven."
The pleasures•of the mind—ihe . elevation which
its refined studies give to it, and the sources of
enjoymentvhich it opens to a cultivated taste, are
" One star dillereth from another star in glory :
So, also, is the future state."
In, a future chapter we may speak of the im
mortality-4 ,the spirit, as .seen,* the lieir.ofErti.
velatiort.
- For, the American Presbyterian.
IMPORTUNITY IN PRAYER. No, 2.
BY REV. THOMAS WARD WHITE.
IL The conditions of our being should impress
upon our minds the urgent necessity of earnestness
in prayer.
1. We are needy and helpless creatures. Not
an hour passes over our heads without our feeling
the need of something, which, of ourselves, we are
utterly unable to obtain. We must, therefore,
constantly look up to Him who hears the ravens
when they cry, to Him who clothes the lily of the
field, which lives but for a day, to Him who does,
not, permit even the little sparrow to fall to the
' ground without His notice.---Sermon on the Mount..
."Every good gift and - every perfect gift is from
Above, and cometb down from the Father of lights,
with whom there is no variableness, neither shadow
of turning"—(James i. 17.)
2. We are also sinful creatures. Of this truth
both reason and revelation ifurnish abundant evi
dence. In the third chapter of romans we are
plainly taught that the whole man—the throat, the
tongue, the lips, the mouth—is diseased, is corrupt.
Reader, what is that which makes your heart
burn with envy at the success of another? What
is that which awakens feelings of jealousy in your
bosom, when another is praised, and ,you quietly
"passed by on the other side?" What is that
which makes your eye flash, your lips quiver with
anger, when you think your honor has been tram
pled upon? What is that which brings the gray
hairs of the father• in sorrow to the grave, and
makes the hot and bitter tears come down the pale
cheek of the anxious mother, as she bows before
"the throne of the heavenly grace," in behalf of
her wayward, prodigal son? What is that which
makes those bodies of ours the homes of every
aohe, of every pain, of every suffering, to which
.flealt)44eiLL.wily,axt) caateartspO4c9AAWAll-,
ing-places for God's Holy Spirit, now cages of un
clean birds, full of filtickand pollution ? In short,
why is this entire world, once so beautiful, once so
lovely,
4 as it came forth fresh from the hand of its
great designer, now one mighty charnel-house of
putrefying corruption ?
Lunenburg, Va.
For the American Presbyterian
THE OLD CONGRESS BIBLE.
A copy of this rare and interesting volume
having fallen into the hands of ono of the Editors
of the American Presbyterian, we have supposed
that a transcript of the title page and - preface to the
work would prove interesting to our readers. Here
it is..
THE HOLY BIBLE,
Containing the Old and New Testaments, newly translated
out of the Original Tongues, and with the former
translations diligently compared and revised.
PHILADELPHIA
Printed and sold by it. Arrant?, at the Pope's Head,
three doors above the . Coffee House, Market St.
BY THE UNITED STATES IN CONGRESS ASSEM
. BLED, SEPT. 12th, 1782.
The Committee to whom was referred a memo
rial of Robert Aitken, Printer, dated 21st Jan.,
1781, respecting an edition of the Holy Scriptures,
-report, "That Mr. Aitken has, at great expense,
now finished an American edition of the Holy
Scripttires in English; that the Committee have
from time to time,,attended to his progress in the
work; that they also recommended it to the two
Chaplains of Congress, - to examine and give their
opinion of the execution, who have accordingly
reported thereon: the recommendation and report
being as follows:
PHILADMPECIA, t3,ept. Ist, 1782.
Reverend Gentlemen:
Our knewledge of your piety
and public spirit leads us, without apology, to re
' commend to your particular attention the edition
of the Holy Scriptures, published by Mr. Aitken.
He undertook this expensive work at a time when,
from the circumstances of the war, , an English
edition of the Bible could not be imported, nor
any opinion formed how long the obstruction might
continue. On this account he deserves applause
and encouragement. We, therefore, wish you,
Reverend Gentlemen, to examine the execution of
the work, and if approved, to give it the sanction
of your judgment, and the weight of your recom
mendation. We are, with very great respect,
Your most obedient, humble servants,
.(Signed,) JAMES Drum:, Chairman,
In behalf •of a Committee of Congress, pm
Aillcen's Memorial.
Rev. Dr. White, and Rev. Mr. Duffield, Chap
lains of the - United States, in Congress assembled:
Report--
Gentlemen:
Agreeably to your desire, we have paid
attention to Mr. Robert Aitken's impression of the
Holy Scriptures of the Old and New Testaments.
Having selected and examined a variety of passages
throughout the work, we are of opinion that it is
executed with great accuracy as to the sense, and
with as few grammatical and typographical errors
as could be expected in an undertaking of such
magnitude. Being ourselves witnesses of the de
mand for this invaluable book, we rejoice in present
prospect of, a supply; hoping that it will prove as
advantageous as it is honorable to the gentleman
wile has exerted himself to' furnish it, at the evi
.
MIMS
!
dent risk•of private fort#4,,ZWe are, gentletien,
Yourvery,respectful anifdiumble servants, '
(Signed,,) rWmx,rim wirrm
• - rtttilzo. Durvimn.
Philadelphifz, Sept. 10th,.
Hon. jaws Priane,, Cl4Man, and the, other
Honorable Gentlemen of the Comnqttee of Con
gress, on Mr. Aitken's memorial
WHEREUPON, :kesoked, That the United
States, in Congress assemiti6d, highly approve the
pious and "laudable undertaking of Mr. Aitken, as
subservient to the interests religion, as well as
an instance of, the progress fkf arts in this country,
and being satisfied, from: tt.te , above report, of his
care and accura'ey bottle , execution of the wOrk,
n
lo
they rrecommend'thiS 'edit (;,f the Bible to the
. .
inhabitants of the :United, 4 totes, and hereby au
thorize him to publish thiqecommendatiou in the
manner he shall think proper.,
(Signed,) 0' 4 ,iTilozisox, Sec'y. .
THE RELIGIOUS WORLD ABROAD.
o
The encouraging tokt , 4,.. ' which we have re
peatedly brought to ihe r ,
Tice of our readers are
still abundant in the diffe pt parts of the Protes
tant world. The work of ctis going forward, the
zeal, of Christ's people is 4khated and Providence
is working in the racietlnirellons manner to re
move obstacles and to prepare the way, of the Lord
,for still greater manifestations of'his power and
grace. Commencing with -
We find there is much less drunkenness—as ta
ken cognizance of by th 3 .police—either on the
Sabbath or week-day, in louden than formerly.
A close observer will findi .that in a number of
public-houses, for the greater part of Lord's-day
evening, there is but a. limited number of custo
mers. Besides this, ;the "open air services in the
summer and autumn, atP well as those held in
halls and Theatres during othe winter and spring
months, have directly and indirectly tended to
empty the public housesl : such an extent,., that
the publicans have. atte, •d to counteract this
by employing bands ini 14 a6red
music" on the Sabbatlie* g.
Preaching in the Standard,tVictoria, :and Sad
lers' Wells Theatres, on theafternoons andevenings
of the Lord's day, is now in full operation, as
also in St. James' Ball. The attendance is im
mense, and the behaviou4f the people most or
derly. ' Mr. Carter, a m4er chimney-sweep, du
ring October preached in- the Victoria: Theatre ;
and Richard Weaver, aftei-temporary absence in
Scotland, for several evenings addressed the people
in the same theatre, with marked results. St. Paul's
Cathedral has for some months 'been undergoing
extended alterations. Atnple provision is being
made for the accommodation of the masses during
the winter, in a space specially appropriated under
the great dome. •
Tice Open air llissianlas visited since the let
of July, thirty-five fairs ai-races and distributed
over 125,00:0 tracts. Adresses are delivered to
the multitudes, and prayer-meetings are hold in
private houses ap'd.schoel-roorns durinc , the con-
Bethnal Green, one of the localities in London
in which open air servicr have been held:
As the last named plakmay not be known to all
your readers, we may simply describe it as one of
the worst localities in Laden as - regards. Sabbath
desecration; every Sunday morning the place being
crowded by vendors anchpurcha.sersOf live:rabbits,
fowls, dogs, pigeons, rate, mice, canaries, larks,
and many other living animals, so that a• complete
fair for the purchase and sale of small live stock
is held"; this the police are endeavoring to' stop
by hindering the traffic as much as possible, but
so far as we could observe their efforts were utter
ly unavailing. At this place, then, we commenced
preaching, and continued without any interrup
tion,for some three or foF months, until the side
street where we Stood Was rendered impassable
through the number of those who listened.
The signs are that a revival resembling that.
A,/
which swept the north o q leland is about to be
inaugurated..amofig - T& , -lively but even more
fervid Scotcl. At Glasgow on the, evening of
Oct. 25th, a prayer-meeting numbering four thou
sand persons was held at the City Hall, of which
a Glasgow paper, quoted in the N. Y. gvangelist,
says : .
"The proceedings were not far gone when
many indications of uneasiness of soul were palpa
ble, and before ten o'clock scores of both sexes
were removed: out to the side rooms, and there
attended to by the promoters and sympathizers of
the meeting who whispered peace into the ears of
the agonized. The cries for mercy were frequent
and heart-rending, and strong men and able-bodied
women were to'be seen shaking like aspen-leaves,
their countenance. and behaviour evincing the
most intense agony."
' On the next evening similar phenomena ap
peared. In the Island of Islay, which we believe is
t
on t e west coast of Scotland, and where the peo
ple eve been notorious for their general disre
gard of the ordinances, -tie has been an awaken
ing whilh, according' to the Correspondent of the
News of the Churches, has been ,more extraordi
nary even than the mostoOtable oases-in Ireland.
Their distress and despair under conviction of sin
is represented as something awful to witness. The
movement has spread, over the whole island, and
the churches, hitherto almost deserted, often can
not contain the multitudes'who fleck to them on
every day of the week,
At Perth,, , prayer-meetings of perhaps never
fewer than twelve or fourteen hundred, have been
held for fifty-seven nights in succession.
•
The correspondent of the Evangelist says :
" The Revival in Ireland is now .characterized by
the accession of numberti . to the churches, under
deep and solemn impressions of eternal realities,
but without t extraordinary outward manifestations,
and by the serious devotqdness to religiuos duties
of those who have declared themselves on the
Lord's side."
We learn that the Metropolitan Hall, Dublin,
once used as a circus, is now - the property of a
company who have secured it for religious meetings
of a very broad and catlieltetaracter. There is
a regular afternoon service' on the Lord's •day, a
union prayer-meeting on Monday evening, and a
stated service on WednesAay evening. The con
duct of these services is open to clergymen of all
evangelical denortnations. They have so far
succeeded that they are commonly well attended
and popular.
Mr. Benjamin Scott, the City Chamberlain of
London, having visited. Ireland for the purpose of
informing himself about the revival, under date of
Oet. 23, writes- a most interesting letter to the
London Record, in which he thas speaks, of a
Tuesday meeting in the Metropolitan Hall.
"Ten hours from London will now place one in
the Metropolitan'Hall at the Tuesday meetings held
Y, DECENIBER 6, 1860.
ENciL'kii)
SCOTLAND
IRELAND
at noon and '-8 P. ix.: and 'to a , Christiart pastor
`seeking to inform himself "to the edification 'of his
flock, I' now of no means by which a few hours
can be more profitably bestowed. Conversion
invariably attends these services; as few as one
and Is' many as sixty-nine 'have been 'reported as
the result of a single meeting; and on the anni
versary of the outbreak of the work, held on the
15th ultimo, it was announced that some, three thou
sand known conversions had resulted in the space
of twelve-months. Individually, I can speak with
the deepest gratitude of blessings bestowed at
these meetings and so can other fathers and naothers
and friends known to myself. 'Many of these
conversions have been of a , remarkable kind.—
Roman Catholics of all , classes, including the
highest,—ladies and - gentlemen moving in, the
best circles in Dublin, young men and women
froth the Shops and warehouses, Sailors, 'soldiers,
and children of tender age,-;--have alike professed a
change of heart, and have manifested that change
in life." -
He also quotes from a letter he had,. just re
ceived from, a Dublin;minister:,
" We are having wonderful times here just now;
meetings more crowded than ever, and conversions
continually. The work of aWakenina has gene
into all places,—into one of the prisons, where
the prisoners have a prayer-meeting,—into a
Magdalen Asylum, where twenty-eight have been
converted. Their cries for mercy were heard out
side at midnight, they burnt their trinkets and
garments, the badges of their sins,—' hating,' as
the Apostle says, the garment spotted with the
flesh: while, such isj 4 the sPirit of prayer awing
the soldiers, that no room can 'hold their meetings,
and they go in by turns to pray. All classes are
finding Christ at the Tuesday meetings."
Fifty public prayer-meetings, open to all deno
minations, are now held in Dublin and Kingstown
weekly, in addition to ordinary and special meetings
in churches and chapels.
FRANCE,
"1.1 C . • :A
This synod assembled on the 6th of September,
at. St. Etienne, near _Lyons. The usual author
ization hitherto granted was this year refused,
and the meeting of the synod interdicted by the
Minister of Public Instruction:. After some delay,
however, the brethren met; but the public and
reporters were not admitted, except to the evening
meetings ' whichwere only ordinary diets of wor
ship. At the meetings of the brethren in Synod,
there was much exhibited and recorded fitted to en
courage these devoted laborers, and to draw out the
sympathy and secure the succor of other Christian
churches. Important questions as to doctrine,
government, discipline, and further church ex
tension were,taken up and, after full consideration
and full discussion, were, disposed of in a most
satisfactory manner. A most important change
in the " Confession" of the Union, by which the
true nature of the death of. Christ as an atoning
sacrifice was declared more fully and
. explicitly
than before, was, after a long and admirably sus
tained discussion unanimously adopted. A full
and most interesting account was given by the
" Commission for evangelization," which through
out showed the present remarkable openings in
France for the preaching, of the gospel. The re
ports of the Evangelistic labors of individual
Churches were most encouraging, and show what
may,be_ vaecmplicated by a very aniall -body, if
there is only light"and love in it, and - if the meta
hers as well as the minister are animated by a
missionary,spirit.
The Scottish Guardian says :- "T,ew, churches
have had greater difficulties to struggle with than
this rree Church of. France, or have met them in
a more'Christian and devoted spirit. The pastors,
as a bOdy, are men of deep and earnest piety, and
animated with a-true missionary spirit. They are
called to a great work in France, and the Lord is
manifestly blessing their labors. Nor are the
elders and congregations behind the ministers
in the duties which lie upon them. The state
ments o 1 the colporteurs—men of strong faith,
marked visakte, and vigorous frames—the prayers
and pointed rema'rks of the elders, the intelligent
and deep interest of the people, prove this, and
show what a hold the truth has taken'on the minds
of those who constitute this Church."
ITALY
We have s already chronicled Garibaldi's very
liberal response to the request of the English
residents in Naples for permission to build a church
there. It was not. only granted, but the ground
necessary for the purpose was also donated. This
was one of the last of Garibaldi's public acts, and
forms a noble conclusion to his recent career of
conquest. The work of Bible distribution issapid
ly carried on in various parts of Italy. Mr. Bruce,
the new agent for the Bible. Society, has managed
to introduce several cases of Bibles into Naples;
and the eaporteur of the Edinburgh Bible Society
has been very successful in selling them through
the streets—a fact recorded with apprbbation by
the Times' correspondent. The Waldenses are
sending two colporteurs into Sicily, whose head
quarters for the present will be Palermo; and
others, I understand, will be sent by other parties
to Messina, and along the eastern coast of the
One of the eolporteurs of the Edinburgh Bible
Society baslbeen already ;despatched into Umbria
and the Marches, to take advantage of the openings
, •
there. The British and Foreic , il Bible 'Society
has twenty-four eolporteurs employed in Italy.
Signor Mazzarella, recently pastor of the Wal
densian congregation at Genoa, has accepted the
appointment to the chair of Moral Philosophy in
the University of Bologna, tendered him by Gari
baldi, and Dr. De Sanctis occupies his place at
Genoa.
In Bologna, which is described as one of
of the stroggest fortresses of the Roman faith, a
Protestant lin purchased the palace of Sixtus the
Fifth; and has arranged the chapel of the pontiff
for the celebration of worship under the Protes
tant form. A pastor from Geneva his held service
there for four orftve months, and has already ga
thered around him quite a flourishing little society.
The Val d'Aosta, leading up to the southern
base of Mont Blanc, is occupied by the "Waldensian
Church. She has a devoted and able missionary
—M. Curie—stationed at Courmayeur, who has
also kept-up service 'for a year past in the city of
Aosta. In this latter station the work has ob
tained a magnitude which renders it necessary for
M. Curie to transfer his residence thither, and
another Waldensian minister will supply his place
at Courmayeur. There is a spirit of inquiry
awakened in many other villages of that valley,
the population of which mountain allfto 100,000
souls.- The priests are exited to a high degree of
fury. They made an auto cla, fe lately'of a copy
of a controversial work written by M.'Curie, and
by their bravos they all but murdered a young
colporteur in the suburbs of Aosta. The father
of young Mortara, who was clandestinely baptized
and then stolen y the Romish Church, applied
to Count Cavour for aid in recovering his boy,
and has -received a promise of all the.assistance
which it is in the power of that statesman to render
him.
- SWEDEN.
The town of Gottonburg has recently prohibi
ted all sale of spirits in taverns, or othgrwise,
itsjimits on the.Sahbatl. In conseuenee of
this, * tihe sun]: realized from the spirit lidenses for
the ensuing twelvethonths has been diminished by
fully one-third.
Last" year Sabbath-Schools, for religious in
struction, were commenced in Gotteriburg. This
year, after a short recess in summer, as most of
the teachers were then out of town, they have
been resumed with good promise.
The question of legislation to secures Sabbath
observance is begiving to be agitated in this
country and Norway. , The subject las been •laid
before the .TheologiCal Faculty' of the Norwegian
Univeriity,' who have responded most decisively
to the effect that itilik'the duty of the State to
protect the Sabbath and the church holidays.
DEACONESS INSTITUTIONS OP EUROPE.
There is a larger sphere o •
f usefulness for
woman in the Protestant Church than has yet'
been fully opened and cultivated. The various
sisterhoods of the Romish Church are an ele
ment of organized power worthy the serious at
tention of Protestants, and the degree to which
it is receiving the attention or some of the most
thorougli-going Protestants. of Europe, will be
found set forth in, the following extract from the
interesting article on Deaconesses, in the last
number, of the London Quarterly Review.
The first place and the fullest description are
due to KAISERS wARTIEL The Deaconess' Insti
tution in this Rhenish town was the earliest in
point of time, and in most respects, though not
in all, it has been the type and pattern of the
rest. Here it is, that, under Da. Fliedneris
auspices, the modest but convenient buildings
have gradually risen, which now embrace a hos
pital, a penitentiary, an orphan-house, an in
fant-school, a training-school for mistresses, an
asylum for insane women, and a home for
aged deaconesses; here it is that a remarkable
scene is'presented of Christian love, cheerfulness,
simplicity, courtesy, wisdom and work.
The progress of the work itself was as fol
lows :—ln 1822 he was appointed pastor of the
small Protestant congregation at Kaiserswerth.
The bankruptcy of the manufacturing firm, upon
which nearly the whole of this congregation de
pended, led him to make a journey to England
for the purpose of obtaining funds. There he
met Mrs. Fry, and became interested in the
subject of prisons. On his return he established
a society 'in Rhenish Prussia, for the improve
ment of prison discipline. Thus he came in
contact with the serious subject of discharged
female prisoners. He began with one of this
class, with a single lady to help him, in a, small
summer-house, with One table, two beds, and
two -chairs. This summer-house, which still
stands in the parochial minister's garden at '
Kaiserswerth, is the true parent-house of all the
deaconess institutions of Germany. From the
female prisoner the sympathizing heart and
organizing mind turned to the destitute child,
and from the destitute child to the sick and the
dying, The obstacles were many; but the en
couragements came gradually and often unex
pectedly. So the tree grew from the smallest
of seeds. From the last Report, we find, that,
besides the thirty-one sisters attached to the in
stitutions on the spot; there are sixty in va
, ,rio us
,puts.. the„ POitier,Proainee„thirty-th rte.
in, the Westphalian, forty-eight in the other pro
vinces of Prussia, and fourteen in other parts o
Germany; and besides these, twenty-seven others,
who are distributed far beyond the limits of Grer 7 ,
many, atConstantinople ' Bucharest, Smyrna,
Jerusalem, Alexandria, and Pittsburgh in Penn
sylvania; It may be truly said of pastor Flied
ner that, "with his staff," he crossed the Jordan
of his first difficulties, and that now he is be
come "two bands." (Gen. xxxii. 10.) His is a
rare and happy lot. His hands "laid the foun
dation" of this house. "His hands also" have
finished it. (Zech. iv. 9.)
The prevailing spirit and internal organiza
tion of this Deaconess-Institution •are of a
strongly-marked religious character. Thus,
while the inmates are trained in all that relates
to teaching and nursing, they have a very
minute and systematic course of religious in
struction, and careful provision is made for
maintaining and fostering an earnest personal
devotion. -
We might adduce the beautiful intercessory
Litany at the end of the Kaiserswerth Hymn
Book, the solemn: appeal at the end of the Re
gulations, the sensible and searching rules for
self-examination, the meditations preparatory
to the sacrament of the Lord's Supper, and
the answers which have been given on various
occasions to different classes of opponents.
As to the internal govenment, it is altogether
in the hands of Fliedner and his wife, who,
herself, wears the costume of the deaconesses,
and is their mother as he is their father. In
character Fliedner is a calm, strong, devout
man, thoroughly sensible, quite above the folly
of running risks by imitating Popery, and
equally above the folly of rejecting a really
good thing because it may be cali. Popery.
He purposely avoided such terms as "novice"
and "superior." When Mrs. Pry proposed an
institution in London of "Protestant Sisters of
Charity," he warned her that -the designation
would be dangerous. The dress worn by Ro
-1 man Catholic "Sisters," being commonly black,
he chose another color. And no one who has
seen the blue gown, plain white collar, and neat
cap of the Kaiserswerth deaconesses will hesi
tate to say that, they-are in harmony with the
happy faces and quiet self-possession of those
Who wear them. - • I
It must not, however, be imagined' that the
discipline of the institution is loose or irregular.
The conditions under which a probationer is re
ceived are extremely strict. The time of pro
bation itself is a considerable interval, involving
various duties, and often .ending in rejection.
The consecration is most solemn, with the laying
on of hands at a special service in the chapel,
in presence of the whole community. Though
there are no vows, obedience to those who have
the direction of departments is expected and
strictly required. Two ideas seem to have pre
sided over all the working life of Dr. Fliedner
first, that a female diaconate is required by the
Church of modern times; and secondly, that this
diaconate, to be effieient, must be trained. In
the case, for instance, of grievous sickness,
"Hoti," he said to us, "unless she is instructed
and prepared, can the deaconess administer, at
'night, those spiritual drops which are often
worth more than a whole sermon ?" Though
there are beautiful liturgical elements in the
public services of the community, the prayers
. used by the Sisters with those among whom
they minister are extemporaneous; and for these
prayers they are taught that they must prepare •
themselves, in , order that the words may be suit
able to each special case. Hence the impor
tance of the early years 'of residence, involving,
as they do, both a training of the • character
through methodical habits and opportunities of
devotion, and a training of the mind by- a me
thodical course' of religious . teaching. In con
nection with these parts of, the Kaiserswerth
discipline, we must particularly mention the ad
mirable manual of Scripture reading (Bibellese
tafel,) one of the best we have ever seen, in
which the sacred text is classified and arranged
into two methods, to the order of the ecclesias
tical year, and accoiding to the spiritual needs
of various kinds of characters. In fact, if we
were to single out one religious peculiarity of
the place, as conspicuous above the rest, it
VOL V.—NO. 15.—Whole k 232.
would be the close and discriminating study of
the Bible.
There exists a remarkable esprit de corps
among the members of this community, wherever
scattered. "We have no vows," said pastor
Fliedner to us, "and I *ill have no vows; but
a bond of anion we must have: and the best
bond is the Word of God." This principle is
practically realized by means of the above
mentioned Bible Manual, which is not only a
companion to his course of instruction, and a
classified arrangement of Scripture passages
with a view to edification, but is used daily and
simultaneously by the deaconesses at all their
stations. "And our second bond," he added,
"is singing." The former link would be appli
cable to any association of Christian fellow
laborers in England. The latter would per
haps, in our case, hardly be strong enough to
be really useful. But the stores of the Hymn
Book and the habit of - Vocal Music are power
ful religious forces in Germany; and Kaisers
werth, as we have Seen, has its own book of sa
cred song, to aid in binding together those
whose fields of labor may be widely separated.
Nor are these the only provisions for maintain
ing a loyal and affectionate feeling among the
members of the community. •Frequent confe
rences take place of the chaplains and sisters
together, for discussing new plans, for ascer
taining the success which has been attained,
and for hearing tidings of the distant sta
tions. The sisters themselves have a veto upon
the election of each new deaconess. Every
birthday is carefully commemorated.
The total number of stations, all subordinate
to the central goverment at Kaiserswerth, all
animated by the same spirit, is now seventy
four. If we combine these into one view, and
remember further the great variety of work
which goes on at the central. institution, we see
at a glance how great a provision is made for a
widely-extended and penetrating Christian in
fluence. We might, at first sight, be inclined
to doubt the wisdom of associating so many
different operations with the mother-house.
Brit they have grown up rather from circum
stances than from any preconceived plan; and
they are found to be sources of mutual strength.
Thus, the orphan-school is a soil from which
deaconesses may be
.expected to spring; and
this expectation is often realized. If the desti
nation of the trained deaconess is a hospital,
she is none the worse for knowing something of
children; if it is an infant-school, she is none
the worse for knowing something of medicine.
Each individual goes forth to her duties with a
considerable variety of experience. Bat, what
is still more important, these opportunities of
diversified training enable the directors of the
establishment to turn the energies of the sisters
into channels for which their dispositions are
most suitable. One may have the vivacity
which gives and receives continual happiness in
the midst of young children, and yet may be
wanting in the sustained patience which is re
quisite in watching the, sick-bed. One may
have the tact which enables her to exercise in
fluence over the diseased in mind, and yet may
have no strength to support the heavy labor of
other employments: Meantime the same reli
gious spirit runs through all this variety; the
same discipline gives coherence to the whole.
There is much machinery, but one moving
1 power; one fountain, but many streams. This
'unity in variety results in - a ramified diffusion of
good, with strength to spread into all parts of
social life . in European countries, and power
fully to aid. the work of missionaries in the
East.
It is, however, in connection with the Stras
burg Institution that we have actually seen the
parochial deaconess in the midst of her work—
not, indeed, at Strasburg itself, but at Mulha.u
sen, a large town full of manufactures.
'ln this :place are twelve Strasburg Deacon
esses—seven working in the large hospital,
and five in the parochial subdivisions of the
town. Mulhausen is, no doubt, the only town
in France where a public hospital is conducted
by Protestant Sisters. Among the lower
orders the Roman Catholic population is large
ly increasing. But the wealth and influence
are with the Protestants. Thus the traveller
finds the deaconess with her Bible, established
in a safe and busy home in the midst of the
patients for whom her life is spent. All around
is the garden, which seems a constant feature of
all deaconess-hospitals. Within is the phar
made, well provided with all medical appli
ances; and here some of the sisters are con
stantly to be seen, making up medicines or pre
paring bandages. But it is the other, the pa
rochial group of deaconesses at Mulhausen,
concerning which we. desire especially to say
a word. A new building is in preparation for
their home, but at present they live together in
a house contiguous to the residence of one of
the pastors of the town. There they have
prayers morning and evening. At noon they
meet for dinner and a short rest. All the re
mainder of the day they are out at work in
their several quarters. The town is divided
into five districts, and in each one of those the
deaconess of the district has a couple of rooms
which are the centre of her operations. She
has here a small collection of medicines, with
linen and flannel, and whatever else is likely to
be needed by the sick and suffering poor.
Here, too, is a kitchen, where her servant pre
pares soup and meat for the aged and the con
valescent. Here, at fixed intervals, the deaco
ness meets the physician to receive instructions
regarding those invalids who are able to come
for advice. The more serious cases are visited
at home. All the ordinary cases she is compe
tent, from her medical training, to deal with
herself. With the general wants of the poor
and degraded in her district, she is busied
throughout the day. Sometimes she passes the
night by the bed of those who are dangerously
ill. It is evident that this system inspires the
inmost confidence at Mulhausen. The Roman
Catholic Sisters of Charity are adopting some
plans of the same kind; but we are told the poor
prefer the deaconesses because of their high opi
nion of their training and experience. There
is evidently no lack of funds. The municipality
allows, to each deaconess the services of the
iledecin du Quarlier; and the Bureau du
Bienfaisance supplies the medicine. What is,
perhaps, more important still, there are local
committees, and a general superintending com
mittee, of those who voluntarily give their time
and contributions in aid of this well-organized
work. Ladies come forward willingly to co
operate in this way, and the accounts are pub
lished quarterly. Above all, these exertions
have throughout a distinctly religious aim.
The end is to do good to the soul while caring
for the body. While we heard and saw the de
tails of - this excellent system, it seemed like the
realization of a long-cherished dream of a fe
male parochial diaconate.
London Quarterly Review.
PREAeruNo.—A writer in the London Patriot,
who had heard four sermons by four ministers of
as many denominations, gives his opinions of their
styles. One was quite extempore, another was
repeated from memory, the third was read, and
the fourth was evidently well studied, and was
founded on notes frequently referred to. He says :
"My speculation on the practical results of each
would be, that the effect of the first, though lively,
was evanescent; that of the second, to leave a hivh
opinion of the preacher's ability; that of the third,
to create a desire to see the discourse in print;
that of the fourth, like bread cast upon the waters,
to be seen after many days."