. . . , .. . . 4 , 4.. . . . .. . „,....,... i gs c ..., ..••.,. , .., ~.... .. ~ . , • . , , • . " , • O r' . . . • • . . . GENESEE EVANGELIST.—WhoIe No. 773. rigottvg. -THE OTHER WORLD, BY lIARRIZT DUMB STOWZ. rt lies around us like a cloud— A world we do not see; Yet the sweet closing of an eye May bring us there to be. Its gentle breezes fan our cheek; Amid our worldly cares, Its gentle voices whisper love, And mingle with our• prayers. Sweet hearts around us throb and beat, Sweet helping ,hands are stirred, And palpitates the veil between With breathings almost beard. Thelilenee—awful, meek and calm— They have no power to break; For mond worth; are not for them To utter or partake. So thin, so soft, so sweet they glide, So near to press they scorn— They Beam to lull or to our reek And melt into our dream. And in the hush of rest they bring, 'Tie easy now to see, How lovely and how sweet a pass The hour of death may be: To dose the eye and dm the ear,. Wrapped in a trance of blies, And gently laid, in loving arms, To swoon to that—from this:; Seam knowing if we walla or sleep, Soares askingwhere we are, To feel all evil sink away, All sorrow and all oars. Sweet souls around us! watch us still, Prise nearer to our side, Into our thoughts, into our prayers f With gentle helpings glide. Let death between us be as naught, A dried and vanished stream: Your joy be the reality, Our surering life the dream. HOW TOVENIOT LITE-OR PHYSICAL AND MENTAL HYGIENE. ADDITIONAL CHAPTERS.-CHAPTER vr. IT WM* K. CORNELL, K. D. Ought ministers to Disclose Confessions—The vase of Rev. Dr. Patterson stated—His Le gal Adviser—His Client—Hippocrates' Oath The Medical Profession—Dr. Abernethy —Chancellor Sent—The Common Late— Secular Press in the Bight—Argument from the Roman Confessional Untenable .among Protestants—Divulging Professional Se crets Tending to Im,morality—A Proper SulOect for Mental and Clerical Hygiene— Public Scandal only could Justify it. In an article, with the above. title, glinted in a recent issue of the AMERICAN' PRESBYTERIAN, from the Episcopal Recorder, I find some state ments which seem very untenable. It is said— "Not many months since, Rev. Dr. Patterson, a Presbyterian clergyman of Chicago; received, from a lady connected with his congregation, a vorun tary, wrttten confession of guilt. A trial was about to come on, and Dr. Patterson consulted counsel as to the course proper for him to take. He was advised that such a confession was not privileged, and that, on the trial, he would be compelled to produce it. Under this advice, he permitted its contents to be , disclosed to the party who was to call for it on trial. By a large portion of the se- War press, this conduct of Dr. Patterson has been visited with bitter denunciation." The writer knows no more of this case than is here quoted from the Recorder. But, from this, be is led to believe the " large portion of the se cular press," in the right, abating the bitterness of the " denunciation," and the Recorder's justifica tion of Dr. Patterson, as lame and untenable. It is possible, there may have been reasons for the course of the Rev. Dr., not here named; but it must have been an extreme ease to justify such a procedure. In the first place, the legal adviser ought to have known better than to give such counsel. Suppose he had made the ease his own. Sup pose his client had, confidentially, confessed his guilt, in a given case, in order that his attorney might have had a better understanding of his case, and he had gone upon the witness atawi and testified against the client. Is there a respecta ble Bar, in any State of the Union that wouldhave hesitated a moment to have , expelled him from their number? Would not any lawyer in the land have said, he was unfit for a "counsellor?" But, if such a breach of confidence, and such an un heard of course would have subjected an attorney to ditigrace, and have cut him off from being an honorable member of the legal fraternity, Gould a similar delinquency in a clergyman be justifiable? If a lady made .a confession of guilt to her "spiritual adviser," the primis jade evidence is, that she did it tbr her apiritind welfare: Now, it would seem that, he who would justify the course of a clergyman who divulged such a confession, and condemn an attorney, who should divulge a con fession of ma client, must believe that one's spirit ual welfare is of far less importance than one's temporal; and, also, that a clergyman holds a po sition far less important and sacred than that of a legal counsellor I Neither of which has a shadow of foundation. Or, take the medical profession. The writer once bad occasion, as a Professor of medical ju risprudence, in a medical college, to answer the question, "Is a medical man bound to disclose, in a court of justice, a secret, confided to him by his patient, which secret. might have been necessary to the better understanding and treatment of the case of his patient." He then had no hesitation in answering this question in the negative; nor, has he yet seen any reason for changing his mind. Certain be is, that as a medical practitioner, in which profession he was actively engaged for nearly a fifth of a century, be would not make a disclosure. He would ra ther take the position of the celebrated Dr. Aber nethy, who said to an inferior magistrate, "No power on earth shall make me divulge a secret professionally communicated to me." if I rightly remember, (the record is not at hand) Dr. Aber nethy was justified in his course before the chief justice of King's Beech. Certain it is, he was never compelled to disclose. Hippocrates, the father of medicine, was ao (miaowed to administer the following oath to all whom he admitted to - prectise medicine: " What- ever, in the course of my practide, I may isee of hear, even when not invited; whateveiT may _ob tain knowledge of, if it be not prOper to,repeakit; I will keep sacred and secret within myrivraleart. If I faithfully observe this oath, may I prosper and thrive in my profession, and live in the esti mation of posterity; or, on breach thereof; may the reverse be my fate." Dr.lLee, the American editor of" Dry Guy's Me dical Jurisprudence," consulted' Chancellor Kent,' of world-wide celebrity for legal science, respect ing physicians divulging secrets, professionally communicated 'to them. The following is the Chancellor's reply : ' Union &pate, New York, Nov. 3d,,1843. DEAR SIR :—Tbe question you state to me can be satisfactorily answered, so far as relates to this state. By the "blew York Revised. Statutes, no person, duly , authorized to practise physic or sur gery, shall be allowed to disclose any information which he may have acquired in, attending any pa r , tient, in a professional character, and.which infor mation was necessary to enable, him to prescribe, for such patient as physician, 0r,t,0 do any act for, him as a surgeon." The , protection , is complete„ The physician : is not allowed to disclose:.such in formation, whether willing or not willing. Yours respectfully, jAmEs KENT.. DR. CHARLES A. LEE. The same statute :existit in :: Missouri: Nor, is the reasoning of the Recorder, respecting: common low, any more tenable than itth 'opinion respecting divulging secrets, as expressed•in the article above referred to. The commowlaw of -the whole civil- ized world requires no man to implicate himself. So far from it, that the Judge, instead of requiring him, though, arraigned, to say word that would inculpate himself, often - cautions him against doing it. Is this privilege to be allowed to every man, and shall a voluntary confession, made to a apirit- . nal adviser, which the confessor believed to be ne cessary for his spiritual good, be-brought as evi dence to amnia Mute. 114 Afiekarnennworr, well as all other law, is arrayed against such a procedure. No justice of anycourt,dare demand the guilty person even, tolthplicate himself. Now, in view of all :that has been ask if the legal adviser would be , considered a disgrace to his profession, if he were to bring his client's confession, made to 'him as his attorney, to con- detnn hien; if the physician or surgeon is not . al lowed to discloSe an 'Secret, Profesisionelly "cOin- n3unicated, that he may the better treat his pa tient—and, if common•law and common justice everywhere shield even' the criminal against say- ing a word that would prejudice his own case, shall a clergyinan, holding the 'most important, and as we believe, sacred, Of all human offices, be re quired, or allowed 6 , 611; to divulge a confession which one of his people felt to be necessary to his or - her spiritual and eternal welfare? Again, we My t h is bpi eved "the secular presS," Which the' reasoning of the article in question, is a mere fallacy. Nor is there any argument in the 'follow ing, from the Recorder, among Ili -Protestants— " Let a than have a confessional into Which he can ease himself itnmediately after comtnitting a crime, and he will at 'once be fresh and light to commit another; none of tiieliffie pangs of remorse will disturb him." That,such might be the case, if the person con fessing had been taught, and believed that hitt spiritual guide could forgive sins, is admitted but it is not believed 4 that the Rev. Dr. Patterson, or any other Protestant clergyman ever taught such a doctrine; or that any of their people be _ lieved it. ' On the`contrary, under'any Protestant ministry, such is to be presumed, from the very na. ture of their preaching, to wit, that they have no power to forgive sins,, and that there is a day of retribution to come, that the confession is made in good faith, and, consequently, accompanied by " fruits meet for repentance." The course of any Protestant minister, therefore, in divulging a se.: cret confession, made by a repenting member of his tlnek, instead of promoting morality and tend. ing to secure the community igainst crime, pro duces directly the contrary effect. This is a proper subject for mental and clerical hygiene. Believing, as we do, that the office of him, to whom is committed the care of souls is higher and more important than that of him who is called to defend their temporal interests; or, than that of him, who administers to the welfare of the body; and, as the two last named are I shielded from divulging professional secrets, it is of vast moment that, he who is called to look af ter the spiritual condition and eternal welfare of his flock, should be equally, yea, more abundantly protected; and that he should know his rights and privileges, it seemed to the writer that this was an appropriate theme to occupy a niche in these additional chapters, upon mental hygiene. Un doubtedly, there are good men, who, like the Eel corder, in all sincerity and charity, will take a different view of such a case. They have the same liberty to do so, that the writer has to espouse his side of the question. But, it is believed; that they are mistaken, and that the honor and stand ing of the Protestant clergy; the good of the church; the exhortation of the apostle—" If a man be overtaken in a fault, ye which are spiritual restore such an one;" the encouragement which should be granted to returning penitents, and the general morality of the community, all demand that a confession of a returning penitent, to a spiritual guide, should be held sacred, and that to divulge such a confession, tends to injure such penitent, and can do no good to the community. It is further believed that, if the great Head of the church, when on earth, - had had as much evidence of repentance as would be contained in such a Wu fession, (if the one making it had Epreviously been properly instructed by her spiritual guide,) He would have said, as He then did to one, "Go, and • e , ma no more. • I know it has been the uniform custom, in some, perhaps; in Most, Protestant chttiches, that a con fession of guilt should be as widely circulated, 1M the notoriety of the offence. This is right,"and necessary to - vindicate the honor of Christ's house. But, if there was, in this case, public scandal, or, " common fame," (which has generally had 'the credit of being a common liar,) it does not ap pear, from this notice of the Recorder. Tpx least controverted points (says Baxter) are nindily`most weighty, and'of most necessary Ire- Ilan use to two's. For ple AmencsT.PresbyteOtri. LETTER FROM.. NORTHERN VERMONT. MESSREaDrrowI :—Although your paper makes its hebdomadal appearance amongst us, and its contents afford good puritan reading, on the Sab bath, which some - so-called religious journals do not, yet nova voice speaks, in its columns from this quarter of our (dis) union. Surely, the good and donstitutional people of these grand hills, and pure atmosphere are, not an infinitesimal in space on the map ; of our great country. No! wherever the stars and stripes, and other fiags, wage in these States, they have, gone, and their industry and ta.' lent with them. That you-.may 310t,', therefore, think ,your readers in this vicinity entirely lost iro sleep or forgetfulness, I assume the pen,onee more, for the ,Ameristra ,Presioterian aftera long rest.' wk HER. Next'to the extreme warnitA in' ° some'`of the Southern States, the intense coldness of the past feW days among us, has been an object of thought Since the 25th of Noieniber we have lad uninter.: rupted sleighing, inßurlington, and hot one day of rain. As all familiar with the scenery of Northern ' 4 Vermont are aware;le live in view of noble pros pects the .year round; but the Summer months impart a peculiar antl rich charm to our perpetual panoraina. then, from ourliterary hill,top, where the University is located, a magnificent unboruided view is presented. 'hie numberless peaks of the Adirondacks of New York, are in plainer view, and among _them the lofty crown of Mt. Marcy. Below, from north to south, the 'beautiful:Waters of the Champlain extend, and add their presence to the master, painting. But the eye, turning, be., holds oar I own picturesque and enduring hills, clothed in perpetual verdure, save the highest awn mita, and. ranging from north to south; they are the pride of the State, and the delight of beauty. loving 'Buskins. But now in the midst of winter they are all 'white and; hunt ind took Akio sages of antiquity venerable and steadfast. If our people fail in - physique, it is their fault, for hypo ehondria, and the like, have no sympathy with pure atmosphere and healthy climate. Just one ill flesh is heir here to, and that is, diphtheria, Which iii prevalent everywhere. Msi;f;ifSt2U.Al VERSITY. Burlington has a population of nine thousand, and is the , most important place in Vermont. Many literary and philosophical men have their home with us. Among them Geo. P. Marsh, John G. Saxe, and Prof. Joseph Young, may be men tioned. A little out of town the " Winslow House" , stands, where the eminent clergymen of that name passed their youth, and begun the work in Which thq have so well succeeded. Dr. Hubbard Wins low" makes a summer-rest at the old place, and ramblea over - the old . thnilliai 'Woods .- ttnd . fields. The main feature of Burlington is the Universi ty of Vermont,, located on a hill one mile from the lake, and eierleoking the town - and surrounding country. From his window, the student enjoys scenery hardly equalled elsewhere in New Eng land. The Institution is admirably sustained' under the presidency of Rev. Calvin Pease, D. D. The course is extremely thorough in all departments, and the examinations 'frequen6 and severe. The libraries for their, size are not equalled in their adaptation. to the collegian; by those of any other Collegej this fact is admitted by comPetent judges, and among them Mr. Marsh. " The number of vo lumes is 13,000. The medical college is, a prosperous institution, and already numbers seventy-two students. A. number of distinguished men haie gone forth from the walls of our University. Amen. , them we may mention the names of Raymond and Spalding, known wherever the New York Times and World have gone. They were classmates, and with them there was another familiar to your readers. I re fer to the Rev. Daniel C. Houghton, D. D., alate editor of the American Preskyterfan. In college, as through life, he showed himself an active and efficient man. As an editor he wielded the pen with great power, and I shall long remember its impressions in that piper. -CHURCHES AND MINISTERS-STATE OF THE COIII4I Religious matters thfive with us. A new con greptional Society has been formed, and the Rev. George 13. Suffers; of Boston, made pastor. Many influential members are engaged in the new en terprise. Before long it is expected that a fine edifice will, be erected. Some of the individual subscriptions are as high as five and ten thousand dollars. The old Society have an excellent house, a large congregation, and only await a pastor. Rev. Dr. Bushnell, late of Ilartford, it is hoped may be able to supply fora. time. A-large new bell, costing over eight hundred dollars, has been placed in the cupola. The church at Williston has been thoroughly re paired, and a new organ will• soon be added. The pastor, Item. J. W. Hough, was settled last sum mer. The exercises of installation were inte resting, from the fact that Rev. President Pease preached the sermon, and Rev. Dr. Hubbard Wins low, after an absence from his, native placeof forty eight years, as a resident, was called- to preside. Mr. Hough enters on his field with every pros pect of a long and successful ministry. Vermont is, of course, interested in the great convulsions which threaten to rend asunder our nation. But she will nail the flag to the mast, and bravely meet every danger. In these times it seems as if the bones of Ethan Allen, which lie in yonder grave-yard, beneath thonew,monument erected to his memory, .would start from their rest ing place, and join battle for the Uoion which he labored to establish. Ay! and not thou only, but of ten thousand patriots who felkin the same cause! "Ohl for an hour "of them now I W. IT IS THE CROSS. It is the Cross that telikus mast of the evil of sin; for it shows us the Son of God punished for our sin. - It is the cross that tells us of the free grace of God to sinners; for it shows us that rather than let us die God gave his Son to die for us. It is the cross that tells us the sin. that is in man's heart, and how man hates God; there we see man killing the Son of. God. : , • It is the cross that tells us the love of Jesua; for it shoWs Jesus dying for*these - upo hated and .killed - • :Burlington, Feb. 16th, 1861 • ' For the ericitvPreibytensin. CATHOLICS VENTS. ' Mr. Editor:-.-In the 'aside:l,6o'of jour-eiteellent' paper, I have just read an inteiesting article; un der the caption of "Catholsc Servants;" from the pen, I think, of some piou mistress, The Chris tian concern - manifested in iifor domestics truly commendable. tio'ofeentervents,lespeeibllT Ca tholic :Sertanti, seem .toldsll i girtleii ;evekL Northern 'Christian familiequiortias chattels than: as fellow-heings=felloW-tritrellers to the bar of God; fOr•whiise, religions isibigiutition•thejr - 41111i' held iniponiible. .The' artlele referred seems` to ice, mainly, in the right, aiteetien," aka' sr' et'it‘ appears to'ootintehande On* ithicit,. if true, is 'surely to'he'depreitifecl , most...deeply:. It: lies expression 'lke' sentence: they' i.'entholiVSetvtinti3)(doolitie,,Teeidedly, teed family :woratipr'mid!tiinia not tvhereit' itwx=reqUired , of:theni.": it is4iftften, that Ser.' vants—eVen Catholic own decision, brvotherwist‘ t litieltided-fitaerthc! precious Net, 41A - ell! die liallewed df; tinnily, *mai ip Tait' their abeeiee 4lay siOnally arise fromia necetWitv must, iseihafts,•tte' admitted; but that ibis; oitat least; ehireid herthe general title, I •do - notradriait. l -: , dgivOttielieve. My own experience in relatiorutai fhts:matter 'is not' large, but, so farws it gdokit is htitireljrin the opposite: dire'ctioe. ,' . .Within a feti , yeaiethertrt :had leen , 'employed' in my fatally tlitee•Oitholl4 Seitsfiti, bantinuing. each4ront eiglt; to eightetinlinenathstln fetich case they were habitually prileitt'at 9'444 worshiip read intarn with other members of theiMusnhold; the word of God, mid. - joined ib ,our morning and' evening song of praise; ~ Ttia..firstle*; days, it zis true; brought a struggle,,witioli led them each 'to whityourcorrespondentadMiMinates gtheir strong I hold; blind submission the , priest!.' , I3nt in' exteh, ease. a little deciston; m ingletti with `much .kindieeic soon triumphed; The . servip.; insteadotbeing irk some, soon became a pleit4s . l; indeed, decided re- , •Idotancoilwas aftleali*ifOiroinlbeing absent; Among the happy rea l e& May be named, veil , ' commendable, to:them if 7 alitaMe, advance meet in the 1 art of reading' a familiar ; acquaint -7 anee with many. 4.410 i mornaimple, but pet . lcss. important , precepts,. and- lirtrbies of the gospel: _ a decided relish for the rnttling, - and eyen for the careful study of the -Bible-' a great Weakening ,of prejudices ,• and impreasious s receiyed,in the right direction, which, it is belimted, will never on, earth' be eiktirely,effaeed., That 4rue piety. has in any, case heen yet realized, lam not, able .to affirm. I By one of the three a beautiful Bible was grate fully received, as a rewlrii * for committing to me mory-the Assembly's BlorV r t,Qatgehiso. , '.: With this experience y4t - will not wonder that I lien ur 'to ‘ the; .idea, that - *Mil Oathnliel Set 'tilts must be deprived - of thw intalitable advantakes'tc; be expected ,from An babitual, attendance upcin thisk , divinc institution: - .:' Thati . O. - irtaCrriaPii4 r 4-- eilescleiviiitiiiif What sil i t '- r*Pleiiiiinatinot lie convinced , that.tote present, , •4ind7to iji3in in family. worshipi :is' bothl it 'duty and . a,tpriviltgel-1; am' re- luetant .to believe. Mbat effect future i experience may have to Modify presentreonvictionsmnafds to be seen. ." , -1' ' '. - ' 4 . .` Now, my' strong -persuaatottAs thatlthey and shoaid be Induced; to - joip in thishalloiVed find , delightful service; thatAhey hindly but decidedly required' to be present: With this should =be combined the use of allotlietuppropri-s ate3searts 'constrained.hyChrintiai leve;`, "-by the love of Christ," to lead` all"thus providentiallY placed under our immediate care, and responsibi lity, to the knowledge of the truth, and, if possi ble, into tlie:Way of life und.Peace. T. DELAY- OF cormamit An accurate examinatiotOtrtia the periods of-life in which those r whose , ,lirafrigodliness give evia deuce - of true religion , , ‘ first began to be followers of Christ, furnishes amazing demonstration of the folly and dhnger of delay ' The probability of conversion -diminishes rapidly as years roll on. Make up a congregation of la thousand Chris tians. Divide them into , five classes, according to the ages at which they became Christians. 'Place in the Ist class all those converted' under 20 years of age; '2dclass, all those` converted betsfeen 20 and 30; 3d class, all those Converted between 30 and 40; 4th class, all those ,converted - between 40 and 50; sth class, all those converted between 50 and 60. 'Then count - each of the live classes se parately. Of your thousand Christians, there - were hopefully converted : ' Under 20 years , of age, 518 Between 20. and 30 years of age, 887 Between 80 and 40 " " Between 40 and 50 " " 15 Between 50 and 60 " Here you have five classes I But you corriplain of me: you ask, "Why stop lat 60 years old?" Ah well, then! if you will have a' sixth dess, and call it a class—converted, Between 60 and 70 yeargef age, Just one out of a thouotni 'Christians converted over -sixty years ttill ,444 fit a lesson out delay What an awful lesson I I once made an examiniition *a this sort in re spect to two hundred and andd fifty-threelnipeful Con verts to Christ, who came - under iny observation at a particular period. Of this two hundred and fifty-three, there were converted, — - Under 20.years,of age, 138 - Between 20 and 30 years of age, ,85 Between 30 and 40 " " '22 - Between 40 and 50 ", " ' 4 Between 50 and 60 " "•, 8 - Between 60 and 70 " " • , Beyond seventy, not one! What .a lesson on the delay of conversion! what an awful lesson! How rapidly it cuts off the hopes of the delaying, as they continue on in life, making darker and darker the prospect as they are ;nearing the tomb! How rapidly the prospect of conversion diminiihes! far more rapidly than the prospect of life! Let the sinner delay till he is twenty years old, and he has lost more than half the probabi lity of salvation he had' at , tWelvel Let him delay till he is thirty: years, old, and he bat lost three-fourths of the probability of salvation which he had at twenty. -Let him delay till he has reached forty years, an .only twenty-nine pro -babilities' out of 'a thousand4einain to him. Let hint &lay' till he Inirrirgached fifty years, 'ad beyond fifty there remainstivhinr - only lourteen out of a thousand! What a lesson upon delaYil what an emphatic lesson! As an unconverted man treads on into the vale of years, scarcely - a Single ray of hope remains to him! His prospect of conversion: diminishes a great deal faster than his prespect of life I The nightfall, has come=— its shades- thicken fast--trutti .trenables. for him when his feet shall stumble on the dark mountains of death. How light the trials of a Christian will ATM - the day after the final judgment. DEMON "WOBBNIP 'AMONG :THE' BAIIBO - : TAMS. Mr.'Carver xelates a strange ceremony, the performance of which he witnessed when with them) the object of which he tells us, was to obtain an interview with the Great : Spirit.. But this as sertion-only:pin:4es that he assumed to know, what' he did not for le have learned certainly,. that in the 'performance of that .same ceremony, there is no reference whatever to. such a being, but that the object of it is to propitiate the favor of mother 'of their imavinary Oda, which they term 15 Terk-koo-shkan-shkan, a god .which :"is -by far . the. most wantonly Wicked, and outrageously cruel,; anal ; -capricious,'and. deceitful, and, false, of their numerous demons; so.tbat if there is one of their gOdswho is-more contiletelye devil than the others, this Is the one. le is belieied to dwell in stones,' and imidenients 'of 'war, and is conatantly served . by them through fear. To him belong the armour feast.,..tentaikicay feehanpe, and: the vapor-bath, enepe. ,is trne,t.bat the D,ahkotelisdo sometimes. appeal to the Gyeat Spirit, when in council with ,white :Mehl - bit not :war so'often as interpreters itr‘iitilbitthgbenl6ll.g ldrace tti(the' TeihkoiP wahkan, ,, nat. sto , Great%Wahkatt—to Zhe gods, not to a .0 . 4 . 41 2 .4 God.; When theY do 'oPpeld lo the Great Spirit, it isrdone froui respect to the , white, man's _religion, and 'Chiiitian worship is by them, often distinguished from heathen worship, by this term, the• worship of the :Great Spiiit. , They kno* not God. There is no idea-of the true God to be feund in ,thsir whole system, except , as;Europeans have introduced it. Even the idea of , eternal ex— iStepte, the mind of the, indian does not seem to have 'Coneeived, and all their- gods are Mortal. They'ate - continued by succession: They are male and feniale like, the ; gods of the_ , GFeeks, and , sub-. ject to the same physicallaws of propagation generally, as mere animals are. The representatives of the Dahkotali gods on earth, are whit we call mediehie-men, but in their own dialect they are more appropriately termed wahka,n men, vechaslaah walikaa. These men, are gods with diminished propoetions, and, differ from other men, in -that they, o not come into,ex.- istence, in 'human forte, itr the same order Of !nature. According to the account which these' ; men and women too, for females are sometimes wahkan, give of. themselves, they first wake into conscious existence myiterionsly floating in ether. As the winged seed of the thistle or of the cotton .wood is floated in the air, so they are gently wafted bythe intelligent influence of the "Femr-winds,'! or by tahkes-shkan-shkan, through the regions of the'air, until they are eventually conducted to the abode of some one of the superior gods, by whom they , are received into the most intimate communion. Here they remain until` they become familiar with the abilities, desires, caprices and employMents. of that particular class of the Tah lobo wahkan... In particular, they are invested with the irre sistible powers of the geds, to do good or evil,, their knowledge and cunning, and with their every- where present influence over mind, instinct and passion: -They are taught -how to inflict diseases and to heal them, to discover things which are concealed from those who are merely, human,• to manufacture implements of •war, and ipf l use into. them' the missive power,lh w e tonon the,divini ties,Tand to perform till' sorts of winders.' 'This proc-ss of inspiration iilermed, Tahkoo.iodsktiu eitahmacitipe dreaming ,of the gods. aims qualifiecifor his mission, this germ of.the, futwe melin:4 te : ruart,iffAtgaln, ecninit44l direction cir the Finds of - lielVen, and rides forth' ow their' wings in silent -majesty. From this vored position he surveys' he condition of 'men; and deliberately selecting a place in which to •ex hibit himself to mortals, humbly, enters the body, , of ~an unborn infant, and 'in due time, thus con sealed, effects his entrance into this world, to serve the my'steriou's' purposes :for Which the demobs have designed: him. These medicine-men are sueh, generally, as are born with an uncommon-share of, shrewdness and impudence, and they combine whatever of talent they possess, for the benefit of the craft. While this is the case; the blind savage generally feels that'he is in a world of mysteries, whether he has thoughts or not, and is oppressed with a conscious ness that while all around him is heyond his con trol, and he comprehends nothing, he inconstantly exposed to all evil. The very earth' on which he treads teems with life incomprehensible. •It is wahkan, and excites, by turns, all his superstitious hopes and fears, thrilling him with such joy as a saysge,can feel, or chilling him with tormenting anxiety and dread. ,The vegetahle covering of the, earth, the forests, the streams, the lakes, the springs, the hills, the raki, are to him all full of awful• mystery. He looks up to the sun, the moon and the stars, and sees so many gods and goddess es gazing- down upon him in silent dreadfulness. 1 A thousand queries concerning these matters arise in his mind, but he hears no response except that a dreadful thrill runs through him.' . As,,i therefore, the tinder is susceptible of gnt. tion,se the savage mind is ready for deception, and hails with joy one who claims to comprehend and control these mysteries, explain these occurrences, and successfully contend with all these intolerable evils; it waits for the wahkanman just as 'a suf fering, dying son of misery, waits for relief. . TO' establish their claims to inspiration, these men and 'women, artfully lay hold of all that is strange and mysterious, and, if possible, turn it to their advantage. To do this is the one object and ' effort 'of tlieir lives. It their study, day and night, in all - circumstances, at all times, and on all occasions: They follow Fit as Death follows his victim, never turning or slackening their pace. 'For this they use all means whiCh are at their command, in season and out of season, like an ear: nest and unprineipled aspirant for political-4:6:0e. They live cpdlie for ;this. All, are ; not, of-course equally suikenetial;. but 011 try, suds do what they can accomplish their object: They assume' familiarity' with whatever asto nishes other people, rith a degree of self-compla cency, and: an- air of impudence and assurance, which; at • the beginning, strike their people with amazement. They foretell future events with •a degree of accuracy, or of ambiguity, sufficient for their purpose; thole at, one village affect to be fathiliar with whit is transpiring at another villaee leagues distant; persons Who are ahnoSt reduced to skeletons by wasting disease, are Sometiines, in a clay or two, restored to ease and health, appa renay by, their supernatural agency, and without the use of any natural means. When game is scarce, and the chase is unfruitful, when famine pinches the helpless infant, and its disconsolate mother, and; even the proud hunter sits over his lodge,fire, in silent gloom,' relief, often-comes sud denly, in an unlooked-for, and even improbable Manner, apparently through the influence of these demi-gods; or if their efforts-to obtain relief are not successful, and the suffering is protracted, their 'want of success is attributed >to the unexpiated sins of the-people. By the mental_ illumination of the wahkats fires, obtained by the almost super human watchings, &stings, self-tOrtures, and efforts of these men, the position and movements of an enemy are diseovered, which is triumphantly proved when the little- band l.of murderers return to. the village bearing the .bloody scalp torn by them" from a surprised and.fallen foe. When oe , caseate, requtres, theY appear to calm the tempest, 'or tUraise the storm, to converse with the thunder and the lightning as with a-familiar friend and equal; and if one of them is killed by the electric fluid, as sometimes happens, it,only proves to the living the truth of all he - taught them concerning the 'gods` of thunder, and' that they killed him - for his Mil against themselves. , These men arenot only in intimate and constant communion with the superior gods who are out of them, but they alio fiava inferior gods difellint in br. 'Opineer. Ell them, to 'satisfy whose cravings they frequently, with great parade; and in• the most public manner, tear off with their teeth, and, eat the raw, quiver ing, and bleeding flesh of newly-slaughtered ani mals, like starving beasts or birds of prey, thus devouring parts of dogs and fish entire, not ex cepting bones and scales; and we have been told that•with apparent zest, they quaff human blood, which we believe to be true. They can eat raw, the heart of a murdered foe. By the performance of thousands and tens of thousands of wonders, like those we have specified, these pretenders triumphantly substantiate their claims to divine inspiration, and they are fully be lieved to be the great power of the gods. Presbyterian Quarterly Review. T v RAMKORE AND HER MOTHER. In the early years of the mission there appeared at Ahmedriugg.,ur a lone woman, of good caste, leading by the hand a little girl. Her counte nance was sorrowful: She was a widow, and the cAihtfritherleal., ; beft4Natitute in the.distat# . lag,e where her, husband died, she 'had travelled' ,on . foot seventy iniles,'Slternately leading and carry- • ing this little girl, her only child, till she reached the: city of Ahtnednuggur. Wherefore . did She come? She had ,been told that in this city she had a wealthy uncle, and she hoped he might be friend her and her orphan child. But he received her coldly, and, after subsisting a few days on the Charity of strangers, her troubled thoughts revert ed to the stinted-kindness of some poor neighbors in:her distant village at the time of her bereave ment, and taking her little girl by, the hand, she turned her back uptin the city, and started on her weary journey to the village where had been her htune. She could illy conceal her sorrow, and as she was passing through the city gate, a Hindu who had seen her at her uncle's door, and learned her sadstory, felt some movings.of,pity, and thus ad dressed her: " Good woman where are yotigoing?" Choking with grief, , she replied: "Back to my vil lage, Maharaj; we cannot live here." But you'll die by the wayl where will you get bread?" Burst ing into tears, she confessed her only resource was., in the charity Of those who might feel compassion for her. "Yonder," said the Hindu, pointing to a' part of- the city where lived the missionaries— "yonder live sorne white people,whom wenall Pa .,dre sahib.' They are not like. the English who come here and rule over us. They are white like - them, and talk like them. But they say their country is still-fartheraway, beyond a nother great sea, And really they are Avery good sort of peo ple. They take no money ffom us, but show great kindnekrs. They establish schools for our children, and teach them to: read, and many useful things. In one of their schools they, even give the little girls food to eat and clothes to, wear. The only trOuhle is, their religion is different from ours, and ;some of our people have become defiled ( Christians) like them, and that makes us afraid , of them , . ' But really, they are very kind people, andif . you are not afraid your little, girl will become defiled, you. might take her there, and they would take. care of her." :The poor woman listened with conflicting feel ings. She 'cast a glance at her child, and then looked in the direction, the Hindu had pointed. The act was repeated again and again, and still she hesitated. The, thought of ,her little daugh ter's becoming defiled was terrible. But after a Rate, taking, the -C h M. by the band;' , she-tmmed , back through the lanai of - the city, and they soon' appeared at the door of the missionary. ' Little Ramkore was welcomed to the school, and maternal affection kept the mother, too, within reach of daily Christian instruction. Our next notice of thii interesting girl is in the language of the missionaries. They say: "Ram kore is now about ten years old, and has long seemed to love the truth. She is naturally of a very mild disposition, and one of the most lovely girls in the school. Some months 'ago a neighbor - came to her mother,, and begged this little girl in marriage for her son. The mother consulted the daughter. Ramkore's first question was, 'ls he a Christian ?' and when told thtt he was not, she replied that she would never marry any one that was nova Christian. Her mother reminded ber that she would probably never find a Chris tian husband, when she at once repeated her re solute purpose never to marry an idolater." . A little further on in the reports of this mis sion, we find an interesting account of this mother's conversion and baptism. Brought thus inciden tally undenthe influence of the Gospel, coming at .first with hesitation and trembling, lest her child should become a Christian, that mother's heart is touched and converted; an& instead of fearing her little girl will become a Christian, she begins to pray that she may—brings her forward and con secrates her to the true God in baptism. What agency did God employ for bringing this heathen mother to a saving knowledge of the truth? Does the question admit of any doubt? Is not the agency of the school clear and unmistakable? But let us return to Ramkore. The mission aries soon say of her: "We do hope this little girl is already a child of God. She has long seemed to love the society of Christians, the reading of the word of God, and the exercise of prayer and praise. Still, as she is so young , being only about ten years old, we thought it best that she should be baptized on the faith of her mother. Her inflnence upon- two or three of her compa nions has been very good, and our hopes have been strongly excited in regard to them." The very next year we have an account of the admission of this dear girl, and her three com panions, to the fellowship of the Church,' as the fir it fruits of the -girls' boarding-school. Reta ken still lives to adorn' her Christian profession. - She presents in that dark land the pattern of a frugal, industrious, intelligent, lovely, Christian wife and mother, training her children in the fear of God, a true helpmeet for her worthy husband— s native pastor, while her winning and elevating influence upon all around - her is precious as oint ment poured forth. Her aged mother, too; lives with her, and pleasant musthe their remembrance of all the way by which the Lord has led them. Rev. R. G. Wilder's Mission School. STATISTICS OF PRESBYTERIANISM. Taking all branches of the Presbyterian Church together, there are now in the United States 6,606 ministers, 7,840 churches and 673,932 members. There were last year about 30,000 infant bap tisms; and the contributions for benevolent pur poses exceeded. $5,000,000. This is a gain over the previous year of 352 ministers, 184 churches, 26,618 members, 600 infant baptisms and $250,- 000 in the contributions of ear churches.) Taking the, whole Presbyterian family, we are the third Church in onr country. The Methodists have 9,300 ministers, 1,696,- 000 members; Baptists, 8,000 ministers, 1,200,- 000 .members; 'Presbyterians, 6,606 ministers, Q 73,932 members ; Congregationalists, 2,908 mi nisters 257,634 mem 7 bers Lutherans, 2,494 mi- lusters, 245,746 members. These are the, five strongest ChurcheS in the United States'. Taking the statistics of :the whole Presbyterian family of churches in the world, and we: find re ported:-to our: different Assemblies anclo' Synods in May, 1860, 10,464 ministers, 12,132 churches, 1,523,214 members, 76,000 infant baptisns, and' $9,054,584 contributed for supporting the Gospel at home and among tlib heathen. These figtrEa4 lo : 4- a gala since Mal; 1859; of 321 mi nistegm,,26l churches, 79,790 Members,l.,733 fent baptisms and $429,000 in the benevolent contributions of our. Church. VOL. V.—NO. 28:-.4-Whok) k 245. MESSRS. EDITORS:—WiII you be kind enough to accord me a plaCe in your paper to correct a gross error, into which the "Presbyterian Elder," following a commonly received opinion, with per sons not well informed on the subject, has fallen, in his " Reply to Dr. Hodge on the State of the Country,'' contained in your issue of the 31st ult.; an error which vitiates his whole argument, as being based almoit entirely upon it. The error is one of fact. 'lt is,' that the Constitution of the United States recognises slaves as property. In confirmation of this, he quotes the language of the Supreme Court in the 'Dred Scott decision; that 'the right of properq in a slave is distinctly and expressly affirmed iii.the Constitution." It would have been well if the. Elder and his worthy com peers of the Supreme Bench instead of mere naked assertion,liad pointed us to the precise article and section, Where tliat right is so distinctly and ex pressly affirmed,and given ID3 ipsissima verba, of the affirmation. ITO. truth is, that these Men ought to know it, as itAi known to all intelligent persons who are at , t imiliar with the history of the case, and with-tle debates in the Convention which formed our Federal Constitution, that directly the reverse of their allegation is the fact. While the Conven tion, it is candidly and freely confessed, avoided, with great delicacy and caution any thing that might appear to be an interference with the rights of property, as designated by State laws and insti tution, and left slavery within the States to their own local legislation, they 'as cautiously and stu diously guarded against giving any recognition or sanction to it; or even admitting the term slave, or the idea that man can bold property in his fel low-man, into that sacred document. Hence, all that euphemism and circumlocution about "per sons held to service or labor,"—"such persons," --4‘ all other, persons," &c., with which the other wise terse language of the noble instrument is lumbered and marred, and in one case, (Art. IV., Sec. 2, Subsect. 3,) rendered absolutely ungram matical and self-contradicting. In proof of this, it is but necessary to refer to the document itself, and to the debates in the Con vention which formed it; as reported by - Mr. Ma dison, who was a member and a participant in the discussions. In the rule for the appointment of representation and direct tax, as contained in Art. 1., Sec. 2, Subsect. 3, slaves are reckoned and de nominated as persons, and not as properly. And in the course of discussion on that Article, Mr. Governeur Morris showed the utter incompati bility of the idea of their being property, with their being computed in the enumeration of per sons as a basis of representation. "Are they pro perty?" says he. " Why then is no other pro perty included ?" (See Madison Papers, Vol. 111., page 1264.) In Art. 1., Sec. 9, Subseet. 1, on the permission to import slaves till the year 1808, which was yielded only to satisfy, the pertinacious and .clamorous demands of South Carolina and Georoia, they are spoken of as persons. And in the debates upon it, Al". Sherman said in refer ence to the clause imposing a tax upon the im portation, (so cautious were they not to give the least favor or allowance to the idea that they were property or merchandise,) that he was "opposed to the tax on slaves imported, as making the mat ter worse, because it implied they were property." Mr. Gordon said-in answer, that the duty should be considered "not as .implying that slaves are property, but as a discouragement to the importa tion of them." , Mr. Madison "thought it wrong to admit - in the Constitution the idea that there eoUld be property in men." (See Madison Papers, Vol. 111., pages 1428-9. Such were the views of the noble men of that day, the framers of the instrument itself, whatever may be the glosses of men high in seats of jus tice in these days, of modern degeneracy. It is truly lamentable that such men should suffer their minds to be so warped by prejudice or party spirit, or interest, or whatever other cause; as thus (un wittingly, we would fain hope,) to falsify history. It would seem, in the language and figure of the Latin maxim, which the "Elder" so courteously applies to Dr. Hodge, that cobblers sometimes make rather bungling and poor work, even on their own lasts, especially if the material be bad. These men were within the appropriate limits of their own craft. SUTOR ULTRA CREPIDAM. Hanover, Ind., Feb. 14th, 1861. hest,. Herald: THE CONSTITUTION AND SLAVERY, (FROM ME NEW YORK OBSERVER.) WHO TALKS OF WAR? On his way to assume the duties of his office as President of the newly "Confederated States of America," Mr. Jefferson Davis in addressing his countrymen said: "The time for compromise is past, and we are now determined to maintain our position, and make all who oppose us smell Southern gunpowder and feel Southern steel." We suppose every Chiistian gentleman, North and. South, regretted to read such language from Mr. Davis, under such circumstances. When the South is earnest in its desires to settle the con. troversy without war, it is in the highest degree unfavorable to peace for the chosen leader to threaten gunpowder and steel, in language such as Presidents, statesmen, or even kings, are not accustomed to employ. On his way to assume the duties of his office as President of the United States of America, Mr. Abraham Lincoln, in addressing his countrymen, said: "Now, in my view of the present aspect of affairs there need be no bloodshed or war. There is no necessity for it. lam not in favor of such a course, and I may say in advance that there will be no bloodshed unless it be forced upon the government, and then it will be compelled to act in self-defence." That language is worthy of the day on which it'was spoken, of the spot on which it was said, and of the man who is going to the office which WaShington was the first to fill. In behalf of the Christian people of this country, in behalf of civi lization,,religion, commerce, humanity, and free dom, we thank Mr. Lincoln for those noble words. We send them out in contrast with the words of Mr. Jefferson Davis, and we wish to write them distinctly and hold them up in the sight of hea ven and earth, that all men may know on whom the responsibility rests if the country is plunged into the horrors of civil war. NATURAL LENGTH OF LIFE. It is found in France, from the report of deaths that the average / length of life, prior to 1800, was only twenty-seven years; but since the commence ment of the present century, up to the present time, it will reach thirty-seven years. N. de La passe, the most distinguished writer upon this subr jeet, asserts that if the cohabitants of France lived in accordance with the great laws of life and health, their average age at death would reach one hun dred and fifty or two hundred years! One ground 9f this opinion is the following: The life of warm blooded animals is subject to an invariable law— the duration of their existence appears to be equal to ten times the period of their growth. It is thus with the elephant, the dog, the cat, the ox, and many other animals. • Two mamtniferos are the only exceptions—the horse and the man. And why? It is because they are slaves—the one to the dire conditions of work, and the other to his passions and the necessities of his social condition. Congregationalist. To be preserved in health is as great a mercy as to be raised up from sickness; yet, men are seldom thankful for it. N. Y. Obsezver.
Significant historical Pennsylvania newspapers