111
liatviran Nvegcbgterian
0, am vanstliot.
TftiquitiiA.V.;#iltint 14. 1941.
TORN W. MEM EDITOR.
AitiOCIATED WITH
ALBERT EAREFA. GEOBGE DUFFIELD, Fs.
THUUAS, BRAINERD, JOHN JENEMS,
EIDEEt .riABLING, THOMAS J. SHEPHERD
HOPEFULNESS.
The poet Montgomery said of a promising Chris
tian, who died young:—" He carried victory in
his face." Rev. David Sandman, missionary of
the Free "Church of Scotland in Amoy, China,
whose biography by Boner, is one of the choice
religious books of the season, is described as
14 cheerful, happy, full of hope, abounding in prayer,
busy in preparation for future usefulness."
Hopefulness, and therefore, of course, happy
cheerfulness lightened up his soul, so that he never
dwelt on the dark side of the cloud, but fixed on the
silver lining; so much so, that one of his friends
used to be reminded by his character, of Bunyan's
Hopeful, and used to think that he was one whom
of all others, he should like to have with him when
fording the cold waters of death."
Companionship with a hopeful person—a hope
ful Christian—who would not desire it? Who
does not feel that the presence of such a person is
a ray of sunshine through every cloud? To whom
does not his word, his look, his tone impart cou
rage; on what desponding soul does it not act as
a reviving cordial; to what imperilled interest of
the church does it not come to the rescue? The
hopefulness of the prisoner Paul, inspired confi
dence and restored order to the desponding, de
moralized crew of the vessel driven up and down
in Adria many days, in which neither sun nor
stars appeared, and at last saved every soul on
board. He was doubtless one who carried victory
in his face, in his tone, in his mode of action. It
is such men that we need at the council boards
of the Aura:, and of the nation, as well as in the
private walks of the Christian life. We want the
uentagion of such noble natures pervading all de
partments of action in the church and the world.
The cloudy brow, the down-cast look and omi
nous tones of the desponding, are also sontagious,
sometimes creating a panic of mistrust. Who de
sires, or who is benefited by the companionship
of such? Who would court their influence in the
management of any high enterprise? Who desires
to see the ship of State in the hands of those who
are ready to cry out, "All is lost" at the first se
rious shook of the storm, or the first approach of
real peril? Men who are ready, under one or
another pretext, to let down the boat into the sea
and flee out of the ship, instead of boldly and pro
perly using the means in their bands of securing
the salvation and prosperity of the whole.
Christian hopefulness is the sign of a healthy
nature. It is not the outgrowth of a crude and
baseless enthusiasm. Nil desperandum, is the
appropriate motto of every follower of Christ, every
laborer in his vineyard, every participant in those
enterprises by which his kingdom is to be extend
ed over the world. Hopefulness is the temper
which results from simply taking the God of the
Bible at his word. Despondency is the result of
unbelief. Hopefulness is, as we may say, in the
very line of . prophecy; it is the anticipation—the
seizing before-hand—of the fulfilment. Despon
dency puts the day of fulfilment far off, and is not
ready for it when it comes, if indeed, it does not
help to defer it.
As despair can properly result from one cala
mity only, the wrath of God against unpardoned
Fin; so, the atoning work of Christ, which pro
vides completely for the assuaging of that wrath,
and the forgiveness of that sin, and which opens
up a perfect way of reconciliation with God, brings
in a dispensation which is pre-eminently one of
hope. To hope is Christian—to despair is hea
then.
it is true, that hope is a grace which needs to be
disciplined as well as encouraged; but desponden
eyis no grace at all, and it needs simply to be
conquered and expelled. There is, doubtless, a
hope which is immature, and which would impel
the Christian to unwise and impracticable under
takings for his Master. Tribulation, patience,
and experience, go before the " hope which
milked' not ashamed." Hence we should rather
trust in the hopeful counsels of mature Christians.
But those characters whose outgrowth is despon
deney, and fear, are neither desirable as compa
nions, nor profitable as counsellors.
THE MACHINERY OP HOME MISSIONS.
We have been interested in a couple of ar
ticles of a suggestive character, upon this sub
ject, which have lately appeared in the Chris
tian Herald. We think the Herald can per
ceive from our own'article of last week, on the
subject, that a plan "in which there shall be no
central power to excite jealousy," is what would
commend itself to our judgments also. Per
haps we would prefer to say, a plan reached
by a process most certain to set aside all causes
of jealousy. We mean one which, in all its
stages of development, shall leave abundant
room for the play of independent action on the
part of presbyteries who prefer it, and which,
in its matured and settled form, shall be the re
sult,' as far as possible, of `Providential indica
tions throughout the whole Church. In a word,
just such a plan as the presbyteries are even
now, without any concert of action, or word of
command, spontaneously and gradually adopt
ing.
As to the details of the Herald's plan; dis
pensing, as it seems to do, with the work of a
committee, and leaving all the work of a general
character, which it contemplates, in the hands
of a secretary alone; what is it but taking away
from the Church all power to act upon the
Mine Missionary field as a whole? All that
the secretary is to do, according to this plan, is
that rather indefinite work of "stirring up" the
presbyteries; travelling to and fro with his ate
tisticO, and seeking to equalize the pecuniary
burdens of the separate presbyterial enterprises.
We submit that the Church, as a whole, should
be recognised as a Home Missionary organism,
a single, sympathizing, aggressive force, that
can extend itself into regions beyond all presby
terial stpervision, and have a close connection,
as such, with all the missionary laborers in
every part of its field. We submit that a com
prehensiveness of view, such as no single pres
bytery can ever attain, but only the experienced
minds in the great centres of the Church's ac
tivity, organized into a committee, and aided
by theadvice of the separate presbyteries, is
indispensable to a wise and efficient prosecution
of the missionary work.
DEFENCE OF SLAVERY.
That the anti-slavery sentiment Of our nation
has been spreading , with great rapidity - within the
last feir years, is a palpable and unquestioned fact.
That the opposition to slavery has been assuming
a more ultra character in .the same time, or that
"abolitionism," so called, has been on the increase,
we are persuaded is not the fact. But a fair, scrip
tural, and just anti-slavery sentiment has been
diffusing itself everywhere, and is now the declared
sentiment of the nation before the world. Chiefly
on grounds of expediency, as we belibie, and with
a view—a selfish view, perhaps—to the interests
of the white race, aided and enforced by a grow
ing conviction of the inherent wrong of the sys
tem, the popular will has decided against the fur
ther extension of slavery within the limits of these
United States. There is no disposition to inter
fere with it where it now exists. No such a whirl
wind of public sentiment has been aroused, as to
sweep away, or to assert the justice of an attempt
to sweep away, the system, in opposition to the
will of the sovereign States. Whether or not it
would be asirable to have the conscience of the
North brought to that degree of sensitiveness
which would make any prolonged connexion with
a slaveholding section intolerable, it is very far in
deed from having reached such a state. Never
theless, the times have called out a swarm of apo
logists for slavery, most of whom go upon the er
roneous supposition that the conscience of the
Northern people is niqibidly alive to the inherent
wrong of slavery; and they find, in this state of
things, the comprehensive solution of our present
national difficulties, and believe that what is now
necessary to restore peace is, to set the Northern
conscience right on this subject. Whereupon,
they proceed to frame and elaborate articles in de
fence of the inherent rightfulness, preferableness,
scripturalness, and constitutionality of slavery, and
push their scheme of morals and of social economy,
until light and darkness are confounded; until one
fairly begins to questitin whether life, liberty, and
the pursuit of happiness are anything more than
vanity and vexation of spirit, and whether it is not
a positive misfortune that a white man, who has
a hard lot in life, cannot bargain away his liberty
and "service for life" to some capitalist, or at
least sell his sons and daughters as chattels to
some one who will be bound to keep them from
starving. While we read these apologies, we al
most begin to wonder whether the cry "Give me
liberty, or give me death!" is not an insane and
idle burst of enthusiasm, and whether a man had
not better weigh a little more carefully the emi
nent advantages of being housed and fed quite as
well as his owner's geese and cattle, before he gives
way to the aspirations of his immortal nature for
that vague and dubious, though somewhat in
spiring, object, called liberty!
Not long ago, we read the elaborate attempt of
a writer in the New American Encyclopaedia- to
prove that St. Bartholomew's massacre, (which
the Pope called "strayes Ugonottoruns,") was a
very trifling affair, in fact was no massacre at all;
-and we believe ardent Catholic lecturers still ex
pect to satisfy the people that the Papacy is not
responsible for the horrors of the Inquisition, and
that Rome is not a persecuting church. The Mor
mons argue for polygamy, as an institution of the
God of Jacob. Certainly, we shall hold ourselves ,
in readiness to accept one and all of these extraor
dinary opinions, so soon as we are convinced that
the American slavery, which our Presbyterian fa
thers in 1818 denounced as a "blot on our holy
religion," is inherently just, accordant with the
benign precepts of Scripture, and sanctioned by
those universal and instinctive principles which
we call the Laws of Nature.
We have said that Northern sentiment has not
deepened, but only expanded, in opposition to
slivery. We cannotbut believe that the effect of
such pleas, apologies, and justifications of Ameri
can slavery as are now current, will be, to bring
about a feeling of profound antagonism to the sys
tem, even more rapidly than Uncle Tom's Cabins,
or than Southern secessions, frauds, and treasons,
could do. The Northern conscience, being sum
moned to such an extraordinary reversal of some
of its clearest and most settled convictions, not to
say intuitions, involving the very essence of na
tural right, will rebound indignantly towards the
very position of uncompromising hostility-now er
roneously charged upon it by these apologists.
For instance, it is claimed that American slavery
is jn entire accordance with the law of nature.
The relation is as normal as that of husband and
wife, parent and child, master and apprentice, ruler
and subject. Aside from the anachronism, Ame
rican slavery, it is alleged, mieht have been a part
of the Paradisaical economy, without any incon
gruity. It is of the nature of a contract, it is said,
in which one party bargains away his :labor for
life to another party, who is bound to support him
in return. The slave is not property, the master
merely owns his service for life. He cannot sell
the slave, he can ally transfer his own right, to the
slave's service for life. Under these smooth phrases,
the huge system of oppression embodied in the
slave-code of the South is studiously draped and
palliated. The State law which expressly de
scribes and classifies the slave as "property" is
ignored. The right of the master to buy and sell
the slave without reference to his own wishes; to
separate husband and wife, parent and child—in a
word, to make the family relation virtually impos
sible among the slaves; the• right to the children
of his female slaves, to sell them, and will them
and* their progeny away forever;—how are we to
distinguish it from the right of property in man?
The relation of master and slave, it is main
tained, is an implied contract; and it is claimed
that slavery originated in a regular mercantile
transaction, in which one party bound himself to
another as a servant for life, on condition of re
ceiving bodily sustenance, clothing, and habita
tion for that period. It is admitted, also, that
captives taken in war were made slaves under the
laws of ancient warfare, and the p?edatory excur
sions of modern barbarians, which give the con
queror absolute right to his captives. But Ame
rican slavery has glided over, from -the bitterness
and absoluteness of this latter type, to that of the
contract. It originated in violence, but has
changed imperceptibly into a just and positively
beneficent contract. So argue its recent defend
ers.
How the children of captives taken in unlawful
and unprovoked warfare, or rather kidnapped for
the express purpose of enslaving them, can be re
garded as parties to an implied contract, it is cer
tainly difficult to see. The simple fact is, that by
the express laws of the State to which their •pa
rents were forcibly c`onveyed, the children are com
pelled to remain in the status unjustly forced upon
the parents. The State declares that the children
of kidnapped parents shall be slaves; if a contract
on the part of the slave is implied in this naked
fact, we cannot discern it.
But as to the contract itself, supposing such a
thing had ever taken place, or that the idea is ap
plicable to American slavery, would it bring tbe
Auttrirait rrtoltgterjan 6,entott irotangtliot,
institution into conformity with the, Law of Ha
turef In other words, would the Law of Nature
justify a man in surrendering his polities! rig'hts i
his status as a citizen, -his domestic relationships,
and probably the rights of his children after him;
or Would it justify another in receiving such a
surrender on any consideration; and is not such a
bargain, on the' contrary, nut! and vciid? nCer
tainly, there is such a thing as possessiiag a right,
which we have no right to surrender. A man has
no right to barter away his life, or a woman her
chastity; neither has any one a right to traffic
away absolutely and forever his power over his own
actions, his liberty to do as be pleases within the
limits of good citizeriship, his capacity to occupy
the place of head of a family, and to- consign all
his posterity to a similar doom; nor has any one
a right to become a party to such a transaction.
All laws sanctioning and perpetuating such a bar
gain are- wrong and against nature—contra natu
ram, as Justinian says.
If any one should interpose that the Old Testa
ment Scriptures contain laws which sanction such
bargains, we answer: just as they contain laws
which seem to sanction divorce. We also,answer,
that the servitude they contemplate is by no means
so absolute, nor is there any evidence that it was
incompatible with the existence of the family re
lation and again, that the prophets of the Old
Testament inveighed earnestly against Hebrew
slavery, and would be called anti-alavery preach
ers; if they lived and spoke in our day.
That in communities where such laws have icing
existed, and Where generatiopspad minivan of Jiti
man beings have been and are associated in the rela
tions of master and slave, no violent, sudden,, or
sweeping change should be made, we readily ad
mit; that individuals may, by inheritance, be in
volved 'in the system through no fault of their
own, and that slaveholding is not, per se, inconi
patible with true piety, we cheerfully allow; but
we do maintain, that the holding of slaves in the
spirit of the slave code, as property, with no valid
claims, present or prospective, to liberty; with no
indefeasible domestic rights; bolding them, with
the expectation of 'being a party to the enslaving
of their , children and children's children forever,
and advocating the indefinite extension and per
petuation of such a system, is a sin against the
Law of the Old and New Testaments, and against
the Law of Nature.
Augustine- traces the origin of slavery to sin;
God and' nature are complicated with it only as
they are with sin in general. "For justly," says
he, "was the burden of servitude laid upon the
back of transgression. And therefore in all the
Scriptures, we never read servant, until such a
time as that just man Noah laid it, as a curse, upon
his offending son. So that it was guilt and not
nature that gave origin to that name. .
therefore, is the mother of servitude, and first
cause of man's - subjugation to man. . .. But
take a man as God created him at first, and so he
is neither Slave to man nor to sin."
We quote this passage from a more extended
citation which we find -fir Dr. Seabury's late at
tempt to justify American slavery, and which he,
singularly enough, regards as confirming his own
views. He proceeds to give the sense of it, in the
following language: "The relation of master and
servant grows out of the wants of man, and is part
of nature's order." But we submit that Augus
tine would be much more correctly represented,
and the truth more exactly told, if weshoulksay
that the relation of master. and servant (slave)
grows out, of the sins of man, and is part of na
ture's disorder.
The character and multiplicity of the eftorts - nt - ri
making to' uphold the inherent rightfulness of
American slai , ery, will justify us in alluding to
the subject again.
HOME MISSIONS.
RECEIPTS AT PHILADELPHIA,--NEW • APPOINT-
RI NTS
MEssns. EDITORS:--.A member of the- Com
mittee of the General Assembly, who are con
sidering the question of Home Missions, acting
officially, as I understood, requested to know
the amount contributed to the Church Exten
sion Committee from the- field occupied by . the
Philadelphia Home Missionary Society. The
following statement has been carefully prepared
from the Treasurer's book. It includes the five
years that are complete since the establishment
of the Committee. The current year is not in
cluded. -
Year. Whole azo'ne r r: Outside of field. Per tont.
1856, $3429.39 $2010.67 $1418.72 58+
1857, 2908.19 1244 99 1663.20 42-1-
1858, 4494.22 1860.72 2633.50 41+
1859, 9214.58'.2883.31 6331.27 31+
1860, 13,865.52 4416.60 9448.92 31+
Average per 'cent. five years on*/
Philadelphia field, I
This, of course, was given for destitution be
yond the'Philadelphia field. The Philadelphia
Home Missionary Society supplieS the destitn
tions within that field. For this purpose the
following donations have been given during the
same time, as shOwn by the reports of the So=
ciety :
1856, $13,885.64 .
1857, 11,206.67
1858, 9,625. 39
1859, 8,917 15
1860, 10,5 ' 40.20
This includes all given for Hoine Missions on
the, field 3 all that is reported girougla the P.•
H. M. S. Some portion of it was sent direct
to the A. R. M. S., to which the P. H. M.. S.
is auxiliary.
Some remarks were made in the last Assem
bly as to the claims of the Philadelphia Home
Missionary Society so absorbing the attention
of the Philadelphia field as to lead brethren
there not to be so efficient in Church Extension.
But it appears from the figures that they con
tributed enough to supply all their own destitu
tions, and in addition, ever since the Church
Extension Committee was established, an ave
rage of upwards of 40 per cent. of all that has
been raised for it, counting every thing-that has
been received, not only in all other parts of the
Church, but in the West also for itself.
The contributions this year to Church Exten
sion will, as far as we can estimate them, be
about $20;000.
The following new appointments have been
made by the Committee:
Rev. W. T. Bartle, Canip Point, 111.
" Joseph Lowry, Flushing, Mich.
" Thomas Wright, Holley, Mich.
E. B. Sherwood, Bhchanan, Mich.
G. H. Miles, Cassopons, Mich.
" Wm. Fithian, Oskaloosa, lowa.
" E. W. Brown, West Dresden, N. Y.
Our missionaries are all paid up in full.
More appointments will , be made before the
Assembly. Brethren intending collections will
please' send them at once, As we hope to, meet
every suitabWaOropriation befoie the meeting
of the Aslemiily.' B. J. W.
PUBLIC INSTRUCTION IN 314:INNESOTA.
We have received from Rev. Edward D.
Neill 111S—FIRST'ANNUAL REPORT as State Su
,purintendent. of Instruction to the Le
giifature,ofi .14Inkeots, for 461. This dcien
ment presents a careful review of the preSent
'Obtdition'Ortlie4.stittatiottßl interests of that in
fant Stateso. fat,* .provided for by law. We
should judge,froin 4 the report, that the Superin
tendent found his department in a sadly chaotic
condition when he entered upon its duties, as
he recommends an immediate and thorough re
vision of the school laws, and has procured a
full statistical report from but a single county.
Every-topic, however, of importance: connected
with the subject, is brought to the notice of the
Legislature, accompanied with the sagacious
and practical suggestions of the author. While
we sympathize;with our friend in dUploring the
hasty legislative aUtion which resulted in "graft
ing. a m utilated fraginent of the Wisconsin School.
Code on thoveld Territorial statutes, a process
akin to that 'oetlib man who putteth a piece
of new cloth into an oici,garinent,";we are quite
Bare thatlis sh're4ness and' tact, together with
the ample provisiet for school purposes made
by histadopted State, will resultin the removal
of difficulties and it the advanceinent of sound
Christian ethical:l%On this nascent Umpire of
the $9: 1 14 - 1114 •
alltilitp COLLEGE.
The thirteenth, annual report of this benevolent
institution, is an interesting document, and shows
clearly that it is acComplishing a great 'degree of
good, to the berened Class ter whose benefit it
Was desioned.
The number of orphans now in the establish
ment, is three hundred and sixty-one. During
the year, the department of instruction,bas been
reorganized, so as to increase the number of pupils
who receive instruction from the male teachers,
and to give those libo may be bound out before
reaching the mosadvaneed "form," the opportu
nity to acquire wine knowledge of the higher
branches, before they leave college. The system
of rewards is suchlias insures a premium to every
pupil who will make" reasonable efforts to, obtain
it. Only ten pupil's failed to receive such a pre
mium—a fact creditable to pupils and officers alike.
A gymnasium 'has h been fitted up in one of the
buildings, Which.. *favorably not only as pro
moting the• Physteal 'development of the boys, but
as enhancing the One of their hours of recrea
tion, and rendering them careful to avoid being
"kept in., TperejJ have been no changes in the
corps of officers tinting the year.
It is a rare instance of economy in the use of
public funds, that sitthonsand dollars of the ap-.
propriated fund for the year, have been returned to'
the Councils unexpunded. The Directors express'
the earnest and praiieworthy desire, that this
amount be re- appropriated during the present year,
to enable them to increase the number of orphans
in the institution to, to t s four. hundred. They press
the claim of this unfortunate class of youth, and.
urge that f' the entire: machinery fora complicated
institution has to be provided, whether its inmates
are three hundred or six hundred, and the latter
number vvonlpactmpire a ,material increase in,
many, impOrtant expenditures over that demanded
for the former!' " . •
It iti-a-pleasine* that the discharged and in
dentured pupils, so generally, maintain an excel
lent character, and reflect credit on the institution,
in which they were educated: A large part of
the Report-before-us is occupied with testimonials
from masters' and eniployers offormer pupils, who
speak in the most giatifying terms of the Morals,
the, application, the domestic and church-going
habits of the youthin their charge. In running
over the list of employments in which they are en
gaged, we are led to conclude that the directors
have aimed to securethe most honorable and use
ful positions fpr their proteges which the various
pursuits of,metz afford, This is a guarantee to the
dying parent, thathis'orphaned child, if it passes
from his care to that of this institution, will not
only be trained and educated with care inside its
walls, but will have its interests in after life pro
vided for with something of the same diligence
which he himself won*l have exercised, if he hack
been permitted to kip * ,
Nothing is -,sai&Not the religions. instructiop
communicated; _ but,,awhile we deplore the sup
posed necessity of exelnding clergymen from the
college, and. so debarring the youth from ell pas
toral- care; we , see in the, names of the twogen,
tlemen who. are severally the Head ,of the Board
of Directors, and President of the- institution,
abundant guaranteefor the Christian pu.rityisound
neskand thoroughness, ,the influences brought
to bear upon tliehearts,and consciences of the or
phans. • Samuel ErPeikins, Es'q., is President of
the Board, and Allen, LL.D., Presiding
officer of the college.
LETTER 'FB.OIMI NT. LEBANON.
Bhamdun, Mount I.ebitildii, Friday,' .Tan. IS, 1861.
I
DEAR EDITOR :—T t b Syrian question has
made little or no pro resi toirardi a-satisfac
tory settlement dulling' The past dix mOnths.
The request of the Turkish government for the
recall of the F,Oicitti.p does not find an ad-,
vocate in theNthola'Yttxed -world. Bat.Rus,-
sia says, as wit hear, tat if the French leave
the Rrissian armies , arepady to come.
H. E. Fuad Pasha came up into the moun
tain a fortnight since ; i llie Druses are still fu
gitives from their vili,diei, reluctant to come
into the hands of the government Thersay
that the government, on the representations of
the so-called Christians, bas written 4,500 names
of the Druses implicated in the massacre, at
Deir el Komr. The liberation ,of the Druse
Sheikhs from -solitary ~confinement at - Beirut is
a question of time. lt! is not probable, how
ever many perions are aftprehended, that many
will be, executed. But the capital punishment
of a limited number would no doubt make a s sa
lutary impression upon the .pnblic sentiment of
all parties in Syria and Europe. - If those who
killed their fellow men Liter they had surren
dered to the Turkish goiernment in cruel reta
liation, are put to deatVthers, in similar, cir
cumstances, hereafter' w d fear to do so wick
edly. And I have no dobbi some of the Chris :
tians deserve to be Madeliartilers with, them in
the severest punishmenti It is, however, im
possible to say what the epd will be. .
I remain as ever, it i
4
Yours in - Christian love,
w 0.1 4 ,1,14 A. BENTON.
We call the attention of FAEmnns, GARDENERS
&c. to the advortisment of he LODI MANUFACTU
RING CO'S Fertilizer io another column
For the Amerteartyresbyterian.
EPITOXE Or . A TWENTY` 'OARS, 42 -
'SiDEN6E EAST.
•CONCLI7Dia)
Russia possesses the telling advantage of being
more resolutely governed than Turkey. Certain
ly, the affectation of a more than mere surface
,civilization is far: better! cOunteifeited. The dis
gifi'se of the one is too transparent.to be successful;
while the Argus-eye of even statesmen is skilfully
dazzled by the glittering tinsel of the other. The
former, with classic refinement, conceals behind
the scenes, the murder of an Agamemnim, or the
cruel end of Medea's offspring; . whilst the Turk,
with brutal fidelity, would represent on the open
stage every harrowing detail. But, that a deep
under-current of barbarism pervades Bingen in
stitutions, witness the Knout; Siberia; a grossly
licentious aristocracy; the humiliating restrictions
of the middle classes, and the unutterable abuses
of serfdom.
-What reader of De Quincy could believe that
the cruelties, so vividly delineated in the "Flight
of 'a'Tartar- Tribe," would be repeated Amino Do
mini 1859? Yet not two years ago, the entire.
Tartar population of the Crimea—becwing ob
noxious to their masters, for haVing supplied the
allies with provisions during' the late war—re
ceived the cruel 'summons to prepare for banish
ment from the land of their fathers'. CorruPt
officiala=for it is incredible` to supttose a= l umane
government so lost to pity,--Aelayedprotnulgating
the order,- untilAhe fields of , their victims were
tilled and planted; and then -restricted time of
this corniitilsOry exodus to a season . when• the har
vests werelunripe, and consequently °Mild not be
gathered.. Like birds of prey, - Russian specula
tors swooped doyen on these devoted exiles; and:as
the lionr of, departure drew near, purchased fields,
hamlets and vast estates for• a. mere song. Ren
dering it 'a penal offence to transport the herds,
on i'vhich this nomadicAribe almost entirely sub
sisted,' they. gave" but nominal prises for cattle,
which couldno longer be of any use to the owners.
Finally; to consumniate their villany, they forced
these persecuted wretches. to accept, at an unmar
ketable value, governnaent notes, which are out
lawed and worthless when once taken out of the
empire.
Mark the result—the last and crowning act of
this hidden drama. The fable of Cimmerian dark
ness seems no longer mythical: Forty thousand
Tartars—driven by a relentless despotism to en
dure the rigors of winter on the pitiless coasts of
the Black Sea—deprived of food, of ClOthing and
of shelter, suffered horrors-which language fails
to depict. Famine and exposure decimated their
ranks, and thousands perished from a nialignant
pestilence, which despair hailed as a welcome
friend. Cruel iiangs of hunger obliterated every
semblance of humanity; and regardless of endear
ingties, parents and children fought like demons
for the most loathsome offal. Even after their
arrival in Constantinople, where every means was
adopted for their relief, we have seen them, like
Welves, tearing to piecei diseased horses; and
have known them literally dispute'the possession'
of putrid carrion with the feathered scavengers of
the Bosphorus.
Although sectaries—cordially hated by the
Turks as idolaters and unacknowledged even by
Oircaisians as co-religionists—the Sultan was too
humane to view with indifference the sufferings
.
of the victims of a Christian government. itt a
great expense
,and the penalty of a fearful epide
mic. at the capital, he chartered vessels to give
them- a free passage, to fertile hinds, which were
assigned to Omni houses were constructed and
government buildings vacated for their accommo
dation. Liberal subscriptions were raised among
all communities; wagons were hired to transport
their families, and the scant remnant supplied with
cattle and agricultural implements. An impartial
verdict must consider this Crimean tragedy as a
fair offset to the recent horrors in Lebanon; but
the sympathy`of an enlightened pUblic, cheerfully
responsive to the sufferings of pseudo-Christian
Maronites, withholds its crumbs from an obscure,
semi-idolatrous Tartar tribe;
, •
The insinuating affectation of liberality is that
which renders Russia so daigerous an enemy of
Protestantisrn. The cool subtle Jesuitical .
in
triguer is far more to be feared, than the brute
force of a more impetuous adversary. Russian
subjects, not members of the established church,
have ostensibly, a certain latitude in making con
verts from one another; but techniCal difEculties
and ingenious obstacles are thrown in the way of
all proselytism to any religion, but the Greek.
Thui; when a Protestant College was successfullY
educating the Armenian youth of the Georgian
provinces, this liberal government could
not re
fuee its sanction to, so philanthropic. a measure:
Outwardly prodigal of encomium, the governor
was secretly plotting how to thwart the usefulness
of this, institution; without at the same time nom
.
promising the liberal character of hisgovernment.
With flattering regrets, the site of this College
Was suddenly found necessary for strategical pur
poses; and an equally valuable piece of 140 given
in exchange, but attended with the trifling incon
venience of being some hundred of ver.sta distant
from tins Armenian population, with impassable
stcppes intervening.
Wo betide ; that unhappy Russian, who should
stray ,from the bosom, of the mother-church
True : his headless trunk would not encumber the
streets of St. Petersburglk or Moscow; nor would
the olfactories xof a Philo-Russian be offended by
the poisonous exhalations of a body, to which a
sepulchre had been denied. The erring sheep
will either languish in a confinement too secluded
to tell any tales—be forced an urtwilling.conscript
into the army; or wander, as a marked exile, on
the wilds, of Siberia, until he recants his errors, or
death terminates his secret sufferings.
No Catholio priest, no Protestant clergyman,
can enter South. Russia, without a special permit
frowthe court; which is.obtained, not only.with
great difficulty, but.places the•a.pplioant tinder the
odious restriction of. foregoing. all actions indica
tive of his,clerical character. The LevautHerald
—a secular paper, published in Constantinople—,
in one of, its last numbers, seve '
rely> declaims
against this narrow-minded policy. The indig
nation of .the editor was- aroused by the recent
case of an English.clergyman, who, being an in
valid, was advised by his physicians to take.a trip
t 6 Odessa, but was unable to obtain the requisite
permission. . Sir. Henry. Bulwer,.becoming inte
rested-in- the.matter, offered-to be responsible for
the good cond.uct of the applicant, and' begged the
exception to be made as a personal favor: This
was at last nngraeiouSly ^accorded, but under the
above restrictions; the Russian ambassador ig
noring the gentleman's profession, by prefixing a
plain Mr. to his name in, thUpassport.
We know of another clergyman, who received a
telegram, from a Russian sea-port urging him to
hasten to the bedside ofa dying sister. The am
bassador although a personal friend was unable
of his own authority to grant a. passport to any
clergyman, and there vies no time to apply t4nSt.,
INeershergh. Reluctant to disoblige a friend,
buts-still more unwilling to compromise bin:l4of
with his own government, that functionary was at
a loss how to act, until recollecting that the gen-
Mittel had been apprenticed" to_a trade, befer , Y
studying theology, he was enabled to pass the lat
ter over the frontier, under the designation of -an
artisan. Several American missionaries, within
the past year, have endeavored to visit Russcl-
Armenian provinces, and in each instance failed
to obtain the permission,,althougli our very, able
minister, Mr. Williams, not only used everyrargii
meet in his power, but strongly protested against
the illiberality of the refusal.
If our memory is not' in •error, during the'reign
of Nicholas, most----if not all—of the Bible Sod
sties, established in the empire under the patron
age of Alexander, were abolished, and a stringent
ukase promulgated against the introduction of the
Scriptures. The'present monarch, who has signw-
lized his humanity by advocating the emancipation
of forty millions of serfs, now exhibits in unexpected
liberality by annulling -the restrictions upon all
Bibles in a foreign* language. The prohibition
still extends to those in rthe nindern Buss; and
Turkey thus becoMes the only inlet by whieh,the
Word of God in the - vernacular can be introduced
into the vast empire of its' near neighbor. l'or
the agents of the Bible Society ins Constantittckple
take praiseworthy pains in distributing their works
Rissian sailors, of whoni vast number's pass
through the Bosphorus every year, and to those
traders who annually cross the frontiers' for iota=
poses of traffic.
Among the older missionaries and foreign resi
dents. at the Turkish nietrepcilis, who have "per
fect understanding of (these) things . from the very
first," the following opinion is general. That'the
insolent demands of Russia, which broUght about
the Crimean war, were instigated, not less by the
ambition of wielding the enormous political power,
resulting from the championship of the Christians
in Turkey, than by the desire of utterly extin
gnishing.all missionary effort, whose success had
rendered her uneasy for her schemes of future
aggrandizement. A hereditary ambition, whose
vitality depends upon the support of an established
church, and whose antecedents are inseparably
linked to an unscrupulous despotism, must neces
sarily maintain an attitude of bitter hostility
towards the more liberal tendencies of a reformed
faith.
Should the millions of Christians in the East—
hitherto tauglit by zealous agents to look up to
Russia as a protector—embrace the truths of the
gospel, what barrier could be more formidable
against the steady, aggressive growth of that power,
which has sworn to plant its standard on the walls
of Constantinople, re-open the gates of St. Sophia
to its ancient rites, and crush a traditionary enemy
in its Monstrous folds? The Bulgarians are even
now shaking themselvesfree from the trammels of a
superstition which has long tyrannized over them,
and other Greek cominunities, in city:and hamlet,
are throwing off their allegiance to a proud, re
lentless hierarchy. Such gleams of religious in
dependence—not yet incandescent, but enkind
ling—could never light up the gloom of those
degenerate churches, should . Russia succeed hi
assuming their protectorate. England, if true to:
her policy as well as her principles, May perchance
thwart the menaces - of .her 'dreaded- Asiatic rival,
by steadily supporting all . Protestant missionary
enterprise in the East. With enlightened' Turks
and Bulgarians, and re-Christianized Greeks and:
Armenians as allies, she would require neither the
impiegnable passes of the Balkan, nor the natural
rampart of the Himalayas to stem the. tide of a
colossal diplomacy.'
In cOnelusion, so far from upholding the corrupt
government of Turkey, we are willing to concede
that much of this toleration is thie, rather to her
weakness And political degeneracy; than 'to any
expanded ideas of religious freedom: That pride
Which haughtily keeps aloof from the religions
disputes of Christian dissidents, if unfettered;
would' ruthlessly drench the cithetar in the blood
of that Aluisulnlin who abjures the religiorrof the
false prophet. It is the "outside pressure" 'of
foreign- governments, not intrinsic Culture, Which
keeps this dominant passion check; for the
precepts of' the Koran are explicit .on this point,
sternly inculcating death" to theipestate.
In one ofhis fa \ bles, Lucian humorously intro
duces a troop of motskeys, schooled by the disci
pline, .
of the rod to performa ,soleirm "'Denton:time.
The gravity of demeanor, 'so unnatural to those
animals, as they strutted in 'the purple bu:skiii;
elicited great applause from the i s udience; until
some nuts, showered on the stage by a waggish
spectator, induced a very nntragical but instinc
tive. emulation on the'part of the aetorsN ‘ ln like
manner, should the temptation present itsnl`f,' we
are not prepared to deny that the Meharaniedan
fanatic, now `forced to play a false character "by
the unflinching surveillance - of the five rowers,
might rehearse the vindictive cruelties, so natural
to him when his religious passions are aroused.
But the sublime Porte knows that its integrity
depends upon a prompt recognition of religions
rights, and its policy must be ever directed to
wards curbing the fanatic iintitilses of its Tiring,-
hood. There is, moreover, a great 'religious
awakening among the followers of •Moliammed,
whose infallibility is beginning to be questioned;
and we have reason' to bope for better: things;
even were this-wholesome "outside pressure" re
laxed, and the Sultan not a Russian vassal.
The Christian public cannot plead ignorance;
it has especially been cautioned against this fatal
sympathy for Russia.; but the prejudice against
Islamism is too deeply rooted to be easily eradica
ted, even by those able missionaries whose truth
ful warnings, like time of Cassandra, seem doomed
to' e disregarded. Can the American Christian
when his heart bounds at the cheering tidings
firm his Eastern missions; when he hears that
ancient superstitions are crumbling, and strong"-
•.
holds of Satan sapped; that Bulgarian and Greek,
Mohammedan and Armenian call eagerly for the
SCriptures; that the wild nomadic Kurd, and his
Nestorian victim alike demand, the one a religion,
the other a refOrmation; finally, when he knows
that his missionaries are not only tolerated, but
even protected in this vast field of Promise—can
the Christian desire Turkey to become a Musco
vite'provinee?
In the event of the. Ottoman Empire falling
into the hands of a liberal Christian power, we
should heartily rejoice; but when the alternative
seems to lie between the Czar and the Sultan, of
the two evils we incline to the less. In the forther,
there will ever be the uncompromising 'hostility tility of
a primelyting despotism. In the lattertoo insig
nificant to be intolerant,were it so inclined; whose
religious aspirations are limited to the preservation
of an effete nationality—We can foresee "'irony
thinfts ower bad' for blessing and ower gude for
ban " W. G.
larch 14,
CITY,CHURCHES.
1 4 he'LverurtE Ittioxt l a the S. W. Church, w .,,
)
dedicated with artimopriate services last Sabbath,
itiS a very conitoodiood'.,atiaitnaent, and is ski;_ ,
fully arranged for the conieniencnof the Sabbath
School, as well as for congregational purp oses ,
Abotit - eighty dollars were realited in the collet.
-Rev. Dr. Wallace will preach in this church
next Sabbath evening.
The NORTH Bnoan ST. CtruncEt celebrated i t ,
communion season last Sabbath morning, va di
was also the first anniversary of its existence a; 4
church; seventeen persons were added by lette r;
and five on profession. The total of additions duri ,
the year is eighty-two: sixty-nine by letter, and
thirteen by profession: On Wednesday evenin , , t a
meeting of the congregation was held with a v:.ety
to take. immediate steps for building.
SPECIAL SEnvicEs of an interesting character are
now being held in the Kensington Church. Thcre
is a very large number of cases of deep feeling i
the congregation, and the pastor, Rev. W. T.
Era, is greatly encouraged.
THE PHILADELPHIA CITY TRACT SO-
The Thirty-third Annual Report of this So-
ciety shows that it has pursued its arduous and
important labors with its wonted diligence and
fidelity. The report complains of a degree of
apathy on the subject of city tract distribution
Among Christians, and looks forward to the ditty
"when the people of God will feel the impor
tance of missions to the destitute of our large
cities, just as much as to the same class in hea
then lands."
"In several instances, whole churches have
gone into the work of visitation in their imme.
diate neighborhood With astonishing success.
In this way hundreds'of children have been ga
thered into Sabbath Schools, and many whole
families induced to attend the house of God,
who, bat for such efforts, would never have
gone there."
The sunimary of labors in the Tract vineyard''
shows that, during ten months, 581 visitors and
3 missionaries distributed nearly a million and
a half of pages of tracts; over 11,000 visits were
made; 684 prayer-meetings held; 410 persons
persuaded to attend public-worship; 814 chil
dren gathered, into Sabbath Schools; and 173
persons reported as hopefully converted.
S. H. Perkins, Esq, is President; Thomas
A. Robinson, Secretary; 13., W. Prescott, Trea
surer; and Rev. T. E. Danhili, General Super-
intendent, 929 Chestnut Street.
"ALMOST
This is the title of a real " Tract for the Times,"
just issued by mfr. Committee, from the pen of
Rev. Dr. Jenkins: It is a searching and practical
analysis of what constituted a true Christian, and
a faithful and urgent, commendation of this clia.
meter to the people. There are few who will not
be stirred up 911dprofited by its appeals.
EDITOR'S' - TABLE.
Messrs. Carters have just published EvErtccos
WITH JOHN i3uNvAN, by James Large, being the
record of a. series of family conversations and dis
cussions on that endless 'source of entertainment
and instruction, the Pilgrim's Progress. The re
marks and expanations of the parents,. the shrewd
inquiries of the children, and the effect upon dif
ferent members of the' group, of the truths pre
sented and expressetin this pleasing manner, al
togntliOt fortivan-intetnithig and profitable volume.
For sale Presbyterian Book Store, 1334
Chestnut street.
:KITTY'S VICTORY AND OTHER. STORIES, by the
anther of Costno's Visit to his Grandfather, from
theJsaide publishers, is a very treasure of choice,
Stories for children `of seven, and there
abouts; : on fine paper, and well illustrated. Sumo.
pp., 355. For sale as above.
MAGAZINES ANp PAMPHLETS
THE ANN.UAL CATALOGUE OF THE WESTERN'
THAK,ogiom.. SootKIT, at Allegheny city, Pa,
for 1 - 80-61,,sbows this institution to be enjoying
a degree of prosperity second;to none in the coun
try. The total number of students reported, is
165.
TRE NEw Youx TEACHER, for March, 1861.
This is.,an able. periodical. The present number
•
contains the State Superintendent's Annual Re
port, besides a valuable and interesting miscellany.
Published at Albany, James Ginikshank, Resi
dent Editorsand publisher. Price $1 per annum.
We have. received a pamphlet of 6 pages, con
taining PAPERS. PRO . AND CON upon the merits
Of PRESCOi . T . S AND WILSON'S HISTORIES OE
MEXICO. The most interesting portion of the
pamphlet are the three generous letters of Mr.
Prescott-to Mr. Wilson, oouplimenting him upon
researches, the tendency of which was to under
mine the whole.fabric of his own work in the same
de'partment,
We pereeive that Dr: Morris, the Philadelphia
Separatist, wielding the pen somewhat indus
trionsly.for his peculiar 'views of doctrine in theo
logy, metaphysics andinedicine. One of his tracts
which has the external appearance of one of the
bulkier issues of the orthodox Nassau street esta
blishment; but with the abstruse title of Pst:Kl-
Ko's, is designed to recommend a certain specific
of the Dr.'s invention, drawn from the newly dis :
covered resources of " Composite Homeeopathy.
The others we have received are, A.NasrA.
sie; SACRED 'SCIENCE, and LAW AND GRACE.
Eckel, Esq., WO have received a
copy of liid:AnnnEss, delivered on the occasion of
the DEDICATIQN OF THE .NEW ODD-FELLOWS'
Ilar.r ! ,Mrtronn, which took place Dec.
'3lth, 1860. We Very : much admire the frank and
Christian lone of this address, which explicitly
diaaVoWS for odd-f6llotiship, any position ad ve ve
rorthe supreme claims of the Christian church, and
whichtteaches, what we fear some members of the
order need to know ' that no memfidelity to their
principles as Odd-fellows, is sufficient to carry the
meinbers to' heaven. The mechanical execution
otthe pamphlet is uncommonly fine.
THE FREE CHURCH PonTiouo has:re-appeared
after a brief suspension, in the form, of a monthly
: pamphlet,. at $1 per annum, in advance. It is
edited by Rev. J. C—Bigham.
The sale of :Metiers " HISTORY OF nrs
THERLANDS is soinething 'remarkable. Before
the day of publication , the Harpers had on their
books crdersfer,more than 5,000 copies. In one
day ,000 copies were subscribed for by booksellers
and libraries in New York and Brooklyn. the
New York IVlcreaptile Library purchased for cif . -
culatitni 250 copies. Ten years ago two or three
.copies of anyneir standard work, would have fully
supplied the demands of the members. rile
Brooklyn Mercantile took 30 copies. These facts
k tr
are strikin evidence of the growing taste 't
so l id reading among oar young, men.
ARTHUR'S HOME MAGAZINE . fOr March, by r.
S. Arthur and Virginia. F. Townsend, contains its
usual interestiug in which all tastes,
ages an relationships are accommodated.
' Tab EvANG.Era:cAI 'REPOSITORY for March. is
a good number. Its' principal articles are the Wni•
denses and Plenary inspiration.
MOSE LooKING for CARPETS Will do well to
give 'our Mend; Eldridge, in Strawberry St. a call. 1
We are' sure they *ill' find him satisfactory both
in the quality , and prices of his goods.
CHAPPED 41AilDS, &c. Those who suffer in tail'
way frorn the' keen winds of March, will do well
to try Steven's Olycerine Wash.
CIE Y.
.<OGETHER 3"