138 i atutv tun theollgtuimi :411tAtt ' vangetiot. THATRADAY, APRIL NM, iSei• JOHN W. I - EARS. EDITOR. ASIOCIATND WITH ALBERT BARNES. GEORGE DUFFIELD, 311. THOMAS BRAINERD, j JOHN JENKINS, HENRY DARLING, I THOMAS J. SHEPHERD BETTER - THAN PEACE. As humane men, as Christians and as ministers of the Gospel, we prefer peace, and hair(' so .de elated in these columns; but there are times when humanity, Christianity and the Gospel of Christ join to impel us to war. For the support of a government like ours; for the maintenance of the majesty of a Constitution and laws the freest and most bendeent the world ever saw; for the per petuity of the American nation against the plots of traitors, at any and every cost,.we have felt it our duty to plead with all our power from the very beginning of our troubles. Next to our duty to God, has been this duty to our country, in our estimation. And now that our plea and that of' others have been regarded, and' the whole grave question taken up for practical solution by those in authority, we have no empty regrets to offer; no tears to shed; no scruples to be removed. We are solemnly persuaded, that this most righteous war is indescribably better than the peace which traitors were expecting to exact from us. A war for the maintenance of the government is salva tion from the anarchy which was threatening us in the North, and the manifestations of which were too sadly exhibited in our neighbour city of Baltimore on last Friday. It is salvation from anarchy in the future, which is thus forever prevented from pointing to "peaceable secession" in our day as a precedent. It will prove our sal vation from twenty wars, the seeds of which al ready were being sown in the irresolution and to leration with which treason hitherto has been treated. It is better than peace; for concealed traitors and half-hearted men must show their colors and perform their deeds in sight of day. It is better than peace, for peace could not have been preserved at any rate; sooner or later the de mands of the South for territory; for the rendi tion of fugitive slaves; for a share of , public pro perty, would have grown presumptuous and id 'compatible with the safety and the 'honor of the country. Even had they been suffered to go out at ,Brat in peace, war would have come. Better now, before the proposed Confederacy is recognised as a nation, and its power consolidated for more suc cessful aggression. Better now, when the loyal part of the country is full of bread, and the domain of treason suffering from want; when our bank vaults overflow with treasure, and the balances of trade are all In our favor. Yes! since the slave-power must needs rear its horrid crest aloft, and claim recognition and de ference, and the management of our entire na tional policy as the price of peace; since it can only exist as the aggressive and grasping power which must sway a continent to its base ends; since it will not submit to the limitations which advancing civilization on this continent, as in Eastern Europe, would place around it; then wd accept with infinite preference the arbitrament of the sword, and in even a higher sense than our fathers fought, we too will signalize the 19th century by fighting for liberty. We repeat, we have no lamentations to offer. We hope the war will be decisive and brief, as we "cannot doubt its ultimate result. We hope and pray that every step of the government may be marked 'with energy. We know it cannot make a draft upon the loyalty of its supporters too ex tensive for them freely and promptly to honor. For ourselves, there is no duty which the crisis may bring upon order-loving citizens, who desire to transmit the priceless blessing of a good govern ment to their posterity, from which we would shrink. DEATH OF REV. WM. BRADFORD. The Evangelist of week before last chronicles the death of a "beloved friend and brother, and former associate," Rev. Wm. Bradford, who expired in Homer, N. Y., on Monday of last week, the first day of the month, aged 46 years. Born at Cooperstown, N. Y., graduated at Hamilton College and Auburn Seminary, he settled in Berkshire, Massachusetts, as pastor of the Congregational church; but after a stay of only two years in that place, he was called to take part in conducting the Evangelist. This connection commenced in 1840. He remained with it as editor, and part of the time as proprietor, for sixteen years. 11 For the duties of an editor he bad many qualifications. He had a quick mind and a ready pen, together with that which is a first necessity in a journalist—a great power of work. Whatever subject he undertook, he dis cussed with clearness and force. He was a fine scholar, and well read not only in Theology, but in all departments of literature and criticism. Not an article of importance in the British Quarterlies escaped him. He was especially fond of meta physics, and read with avidity every fresh work of Cousin, or Sir William Hamilton, or of his revered friend and teacher, Prof. Hickok. In his eccle siastical preferences he was a decided Presbyte rian, though liberal and catholic towards all evan gelical Christians, and he entered with earnestness into every measure proposed to develop and or the power of the New School Presbyterian Church. In his position as connected with THE Ev.iwarnsT,he rendered it very great service. It was in connection with this paper that he per formed his greatest life-work, and here he wore himself out. The life of a journalist is very ex hausting. It is a labor always beginning and never ending. For many years almost the whole bur den rested upon him. With his ardent tempera ment, he gave himself no rest, until at last he felt the need of a change of labor. When he retired from this paper, his health was broken." Shortly before his death he retired to the hos pitable home of his brother, Hon. George W. Bradford . , of Homer, where, amid scenes of his boyhood and ichool days, he closed his life. In his last illness he found . that Gospel which he had preached to others an unfailing support. "Thus has our brother passed away in the midst of his years. Yet not in vain has be lived. 'That life is long which answers life's great end.' Though he had reached but its meridian, he had accom plished more than most who live to threescore years and ten. The labors of the journalist, rapid and incessant, act swiftly. They.,go abroad on the wings of the wind. They pethetr to ten thousand homes, and leave their imprint, y a where the writer is never seen nor known. "ell is it when, as with him, an influence so potent for good or evil, is used only to disseminate Christian truth 1" THE NEWSPILIIIE IN THE PARISH• If we understand the objects of the religions press, they are principally three in number: First, to furnish information of the State and progress of religion in its various forms and modes of activity in the denominationi end'the world gene rally; including, of course, the various phases of error, irreligion, and vice. Second, to supplement the work of the preacher in the presentation of truth, in the exposition of scripture, and in seek ing the salvation of the reader. In this respect, it pays especial regard to the family circle. Third, and chiefly, to express, to develop, and train the public life of the church; to act as the reflective consciousness of the church; to form and to mould its public opinion; to select the best of the thoughts which it is thinking, and give them cur rency; to discover and report its real belief and its true conscience on disputed questions, and to bring these convictions to the recognition of the church, in spite of misconception and misrepre- sentation; to utter the real wants of the church, and to propose the remedies they require; in short, to be its organ, its means of united thought, and its guide to united action. These, indeed, constitute an important and re sponsible calling. The newspaper press, accord ing to the North British. Review, has become a " prodigious force." dreat results may be, and have been accomplished by it: "Not one grain," says the same authority, " which the age is reap ing, can be altogether separated" from it. Lord Palmerston lately celebrated the press . as "one of the wonders of civilization; an institution to which the progress of all civilization, and the interests of our own country, are boundlessly indebted." Such are the capacities of 'the press in general, and they are surely not lost in• the particular sphere of the religious press. In the unexampled onward movements of the Church in our age, who can doubt that they have performed a vital part, and that they are now a most potent means of the progress of Christianity? Who can doubt that the pastor who overlooks their import ance as accessories to his own work, and who takes no pains to discriminate among them, .and by. all means to secure the wide circulation of those of a proper character among his people, is guilty of a great oversight, and will put himself and his people at a tremendous disadvantage ? On the contrary, in what condition may we expect to find the. congretation -in.. which. the. right reli gious paper isfaithlully and extensively circulated ? Let us try to answer the question. It will be a well-informed congregation; an in telligent company of believers: Taught by the preacher the work of God in the past, they have learned from the weekly paper the progress of that work in the present. They enjoy an exalted pleasure in the evidences of prosperity in Christ's kingdom which are thus periodically spread be fore them; their Christian sympathies flow forth for such as in other places meet with hinderances in that work; they rise readily to that compre hensive interest in the spread of the gospel which should characterize the Christian; they realize that the field is the world; they lose narrowness of view and partisan prejudice; their liberality is stimulated; they gain an elevating consciousness of responsibility in a cause whose various and world-wide developments are thus regularly spread before- them; in the tone of their thinking, and in general religious intelligence they are abreast 'of the age; they', will appreciate - their - pig 1 - teaching,:and respond 'readily to lie m join in. every worthy enterprise of the Church. Such a congregation will be familiar with the position, wants, movements, and spirit of its own denomination. It will feel the beating of the denominational heart, and be incorporated in its living system. It will form part of a self-con scious, intelligent body, aware of its special call ing in the evangelical field, and co-operating effectively and heartily to accomplish it. It will learn to disentangle itself from combinations which divert and scatter its energies, in order to concentrate them in directions more accordant with its innate principles and convictions, which, by the aid of the press, have now been transformed into public opinion. As the music of the band gives precision, unity, and'Aciency, to the move ments of a whole regiment, so the onward move ment of the whole Church is equalized, and made vastly more effective, by the regular signals of the journals which are in sympathy with it. No agency exists which can take the place of the weekly religious journal, as au effective auxiliary to the pastor, in all attempts at awakening and promoting the interest of his people in the denomi nation with which they are connected. In pro portion as he himself is interested in, and faithful to bis church, must he desire and labor for the extensive circulation of this agency among his people. It will be a people, again, whose best thoughts have found public expression and recognition; the real decisions and noblest impulses of their consciences on each subject of public importance have been eliminated, explained, vindicated and urged, and framed into public opinion. - Thus, these views acquire clearness and dignity in their eyes; they understand , them better, and cleave to them more firmly. They know that they have the sympathy of multitudes in them; they have more at stake in them than if they were personal convictions only. Thus nourished by pure, health ful, and ennobling . .-principles, which as public opinion surround tem — like a wholesome atmos phere, the people thrive; their views enlarge; their energies are quickened; they are alive to their own duties, responsibilities, powers; they are gg men that have understanding of the times, 1 1 to know what Israel ought to do." The subject has special importance at present. It is impossible for any agency, not of divine appointment, to have a grander field than the press in these days. Public opinion in, as well as est of the Church, waits, and needs to be formed and to be confirmed in - the right, as has never before been the case in the history of our country.'' There is nothing more important than that the people should now be brought under the influence of healthful guides of opinion. In this critical hour they need to have circulating among them an agency that shall aid in discriminating between truth and error; that shall be true to the inmost decisions of the enlightened Christian conscience; that shall develop high and manly Christian chitracteristierf; that shall guard against the spread 'of wrong and , demoralizing views, lowering the standards of right and duty, and weakening the restraints of law, human and divine. We need trumpets which give no uncertain sound. We need a standard boldly inscribed, and flung out in the gaze of all, to rally the thoughts and settle the wavering judgments of men, not in bc half of novelties, but of the tried scriptural prin ciples of the fathers, now threatened alike in Church and State, which if once renounced would entomb the hopes of the fathers, the usefulness of the Church, and the prospects of humanity, as deep as Erebus. Aintrir lit tt rt # i/ g it - tl - 41t ' and 6 t ,gungtli°i4 Pastors! You will do yourselves and your work" a far greater service than yon will do the editors of religious journals, in urging the multiplied and universal circulation among your people, rich and poor alike, of suoh of these journals as diffuse knowledge, uphold the truth, and represent the spirit and life of your denomination, and in ex cluding.such as fail in these respects. We would gladly be the humble instruments of rousing you to this work. AMERICAN COLONIZATION SOCIETY. The Forty-fourth Annual Report of this So ciety, presented January 15th, has been laid on our table. Among the deceased members and officers of the Society for 1860, were Joseph Gales, of the National inielligencer, Rev. Dr. Van Rensselaer, Rev. Dr. Ellingwood, of Bath, Me., and others. Two expeditions, the eighth and ninth, have been made by the Society's emi grant ship, the _ . Stevens, during the year, in which 301 colonists, more than half free-born, were carried from this country to Liberia. Among these was a company of 73 emancipated slaves, liberated by A. Cuthbert, of Jasper Co., Georgia, son of a former U. S.-Senator from that State. The most important topic which has engaged the attention of the Society in this period, is the disposal of the unusually large number of re-captured Africans, which have fallen into the hands of the cruisers, and either brought to this country or landed directly on the Liberian shores. A general act of Congress, to hold good for five years, was passed, authorizing the Presi dent to contract for the reception, by agents on the coast of Africa, of re-captured Africans, and appropriating not more than $lOO for -the support of each African for a year from the date of landing; also authorizing the issue of instruc tions to the officers of the cruising squadron to land the cargoes of captured slaves immediately on the coast of Africa, and deliver them to the agents there located, without reporting to this country first. Under these arrangements nearly four thousand savages were poured upon Libe ria in the short space of two months, creating great alarm on the part of the government, and giving rise to an animated correspondence be tween President Benson and the Society. The Society took such action as virtually to trans fer their own contracts with the United-States to the entire control of the Liberian govern ment. An increasing disposition to emigrate to Li beria is observed among the free blacks in many parts of the country, Oar own government having never recognised the independence of this nation, its shipping suffers disadvantages in our ports to which it is not subject in other parts of the world. No wonder, then, that the nascent commerce of Liberia is tending. towards England, and is likely to forsake our shores. The receipts of the Society from donations and legacies during the year were about sixteen thou sand dollars. The ship Mary C. Stevens very nearly if not quite pays her own way. Over $'15,000 of government funds were expended in providing for re-captured Africans. At the annual meeting interesting addresses were made by Hon. J. H. B. Latrobe, the President of the Society, and by Rev. Byron Sunderland, D.P. VISIT OP bB.. NOTT TO PINE STEER CHURCH. The venerable Dr. Nott, who has passed the winter in Philadelphia, and for the last few weeks been suffering from a renewed attack of illness, expressed a strong desire to visit the grave of the Rev. JOHN BLAIR. Smx.rtr, his predecessor in the Presidency of Union College, and see the church of which Dr. Smith was the Pastor at the time of his death in 1799. Prevented by feeble health from being present at the recent Communion in March, he appointed an hour to visit Old Pine Street Church, the day before leaving the city. He was accompanied by Mrs. Nott, and the faith ful attendant who is ever the support of his feeble footsteps... After visiting the tomb of his prede cessor, and laying his hand upon the time-worn monument, he rested in the pastor's study. Be fore leaving, he requested Dr. Brainerd to read Luther's Psalm—the 46th; "God is our refuge and strength, a very present help in trouble," &c.• He then bowed' his head and offered up a most feeling and impressive prayer, invoking the bless ing of God upon the people and the pastor, who now worshipped in those consecrated walls; re joicing in the fulness of the support and consola tions of the gospel—for life and death—concluding with the assurance that, though we meet no more on earth, we shall realize fulness of joy in the re newed communion of the upper sanctuary. Dr. Brainerd followed him in a short prayer, for the safety and protection of the venerable man during his journey, and that the consolations which he bad so long administered to others, might be his solace and support in the dark hours of his age and feebleness, and that his life work might be perpetuated in the burnished intellects and sanctified hearts of coming generations. REV. R. G. WILDER. We clip from the Frontier Falladiunt, a se,. cular paper of Malone, N. Y., the following pa ragraph, in reference to the attempts recently made to disparage the character of a minister in good standing in our church, by the execu tive officers of an extra-ecclesiastical body. It is signed by A. Parmelee, Moses Thacher, and 3. R. Young, in behalf of the Champlain Pres bytery : "Our brother Wilder, who may safely chal lenge the world to point to a real stain in his Christian or- ministerial character, now stands before us as the victim of a publication ema nating from a source to which the Christian pub lic well nigh ascribes infallibility, and which has been prenounced by the judgment of distin guished lawyers clearly slanderous, even in the eye of the civil law, and which tends to destroy his missionary character, impair his usefulness, crash his hopes, and prevent the object of his life. He comes for shelter to the brethren of his Presbytery, and we, impelled by a. sense of duty, as well as by the promptings of humanity and brotherly love, have endeavored to inter pose our voice, and our influence, and raise a shield for his protection." We do not know what Presbyteries are for, if not this very work of fraternal vindication of the assailed chaiacter of their members. When any outside organization, even the most power ful and deservedly revered in the land, can da mage the character or hinder the usefulness of a Presbyterian minister in any quarter of the world, against whom his Presbytery have never entertained a charge, then it is time to give up ,Presbyteries, and throw away our book, and go for illimitable subjection to the outside organi zation. DEPARTURE OF ."THE SEVENTH" FROM - NEW YORK. EDITOR : OP AMERICAN PRESBYTERIAN: — The letter froni which I send you this extract, was written with no thought of publication; but it describes so ac ettrately and graphically the scenes we batre,sii4ecently witnessed here, that I thought, it irenld'inierest pou'r readers.' New York, April 221,, 186 J. DEAR M—: What a day is thisi I hardly recognise myself in this terrible time. I seem to be some one from an age long pect . of whom I have read and thought, but who I never ex pected to be. Hourly we are living history. Each day is freighted with events which shall tell on all coming/time. Never, never did I see such a demonstration as that of Friday! They tell me here that, (probably, in all the world, ne ver was seen a grander. It was not the pomp of showy specta le, but the unspoken declara tion of sorest p ople to do and die for liberty and country. ur hours we stood upon a bal cony in 13roadw y, and watched the gathering thousands upon thousands, and tens of thou sands upon to 4 of thousands. of men,—dark, surging massesof men, : --no women, or only a handful, .and we read upon all faces a fixed purpose, an earnestness of devotion, which ab sorbed everp4mthought in itself. As that densely packed. 111118121 waited, with a patient quietness timely/its most expressive, the coming of "the Seventh,'" we saw no hilarity, we heard I I not an oath, w saw not one drunken man; but we did see me grasp each other by the hand, and with strop and steady gaze into each other's eyes, read the C "Our country: our beloved country I" Al vehicles were turned out of, Broadway, and ')in the two miles of route over; which "the Sev nth" marched, were gathered a hundred and i emy-five thousand men! All the balconies atli windows were filled with wo men, and when ;We word was. given "They are coming !" and /we strained our gaze up the i l crowded, ani i ted street, we could mark the' progress of th egiment by the waving of hand kerchiefs and nners, which seemed almost to obscure the st e-fronts. As the crowd parted, and that body ' one thousand noble men, young, refined, thou yul, many of them only sons, many of thetalieaving the brightest scenes and sundering the 'tenderest ties of life, there were eyes that lookeron them through blinding tears, and prayers.ivent np for them from thousands of -heart& ko, holiday scene was that. Yon read upon thoi strong, calm'faces that they felt it was fot Wei or death. Such hurras ! I did not think emotion could so change the tone of our national shout All mirth, all jollity, was gone from it( and as it rote and fell in great surging waver of sound, the very souls of men seemed poured into it, and it went up even as the throes of anation in its death-struggle, pray ing to Almighty- God for deliverance. When you stand side - by side with those whose best-: loved are gone and are going to the fearful chances of the , battle and the march, you have to feel how'terrible is this war. But no one hesitate& This is the marvel. We meet the weepers . on every side. Men with white heads, their eyes swen with tears, because their sons, their hearts' yops, are gone, and you hear them . say, "I am glad Ilhave a boy to give. When he falls, if ne'a be, I will takc his place." One they are till Yesterday, ,1 r. S. being unable to preach, twent into Trinity dhureh in the morning, and heard Dr. L. Neve'r were quieter words spoken than those in which he affirmed that this is a holy struggle; but they stirred the depths of his soul, and at last his heart closed his lips. Several of his young men are gone,—more are to go.' Rev. Mr. Robinson in the afternoon, and Rev. Mr. N. in the evening, commended in sermon and prayer, the brave men, and our distracted country to God, who alone can right the wrong. I suppose every pulpit in the city did the same. This perfect un animity astonishes and delights me. I: hear from the stiffest "Breckenridge men" the - sternest ana themas on the South.. "They have deceived us They were traitors from the first 1" . "That ac cursed states-right principle of Calhoun"—sueh words fall flout the lips of life-long demoorats. There are no demo'crat's now. No , republicans. All are Ai4ricans. —That first gun against Sum ter shot away all party differences, and men stand as brothers, who all their lives have opposed each other. You. know Mr. ("anything but, a republican ")--yet he says he and his shall live on potatoes, but this question of the supremacy of government shall be settled. He said, "I will give my boys, my money, and I will fight myself. This issue must be seated. We will see if the best government in the world is to be at the-mer cy of every cabal of disappointed men. Not in my day, nor in your's, perhaps, will this be. de cided, but it must be done, then, by our grand children." Men talk as if they had made up their minds that- this was to be the direst struggle the world has ever seen,—for the stakes are life and death to a great people. OUR OWN COUNTRY IN EUROPE. Dr. Leiturn writes as follows in one of his last letterg thifiePresbyterian in this city: Let mesay a• few words in regard to our own country, ai it now appears in the eyes of Eu ropeans. We have been watching them—be: as eared, they are also watching us. The secession movement is every where, talked about among in telligent people. Since I first heard of it, I have travelled from Egypt, by way of Malta and Mes sina, and from Naples all the way up through Italy to this place, and always as aeon as I was known . to be American this has been the therne. Inseme instances but little regret has been expressed, and perhaps none is felt; but most frequently there has been' apparently a sincere - desire that the breach should be healed, and that the "United, States ; " in their unity and:integrity, should be pre served. As for myself, I was coming back;from my tour' through the old worn out countries of the East, with a sense of the grandeur and ins-. HENRY HOYT, 'Publisher, - of Boston, is almost portance of our own young gigantic Christian noun- constantly furnishing Sabbath-school teachers. and try such as I never had before. America and parents with facilities in the work of imparting England seemed to me, both as to well-regulated Scriptural instruction to the young. A well-con liberty and evangelical religion, the only hope for structed Scripture Question Book involves the the world. That this hope should, in part at least, exercise of high gifts; such a book should be the be now sb sadly dashed, is lamentable indeed. It counterpart of a good commentary. We are much is'impossible that any one in our own land can see pleased with the QUESTIONS ON THE ACTS OF THE the force of this as it is observed and felt by those APOSTLES, by. H. ,Handin, just issued by Mr. who are , Aravelling amidst the effete institutions Hoyt. The questions .:are concisely and,,, clearly and ideas of this old world. A most intelligent put, and are calculated to exercise the ,mind of Protestant hallow said to -me - at Florence a few the learner on all the chief• aspects, theoretical days singe, and in tones of real pathos-1 2 0 how and practical; of the:inspired book • • Sad it is that your country is so divided, and fall Messrs. Taylor -& Brothers, 818 Chestnut St., ing to pieces! What a splendid career was before have commenced the publication of weekly phono you! And now, just as your influence was begin- graphic reports of recent sermons, orations, and ning to be felt as'a great power in the, world, all lectures, called the'AMERTOAN PULPIT. It is to is to be ruined." Iknow it maybe said that the be confined to Pretestant ministers; and will avoid influence of the two Republics may, in the aggre- denominational issues, confining itself to what may gate, be quite equal to that of the united whole. be termed strietly, gospel sermons. The number But that is not so. The mere fact of 'our . division for April 6th, contaies.:the report of an Easter. annihilates American moral power-here, It is the'. Sermon — by Rev. Franklin Moore, of the M. E. most powerful argument 'against "Republics that Church, It is in smiilll2mo. 'lBpp. Si per could be put into the-mouths of the despots ef - old world: God's and graoious providence, , however, ion bring good Oien, out of such a dis aster. . : THE CHURCHES AND THE CRISIS. The young men of our churches—may God bless them—are freely offering themselves for the defence of their country.. From Pine Street Church, that ancient 'and renowned nurse of no ble and self-sacrificing impulses, eleven had gi'vT2 their names on Saturday last. Mr. Barnes read in the pulpit of the Ist Church on Sabbath morn ing, requests for prayer from, or in , reference to, four from his own congregation - who had enlisted, and added that heknew of several others who ought to be remembered at the same time. His prayer was full of tender interest and patriotic zeal. Young men from some of the leading circles in. Calvary church, including the grandson of one of its wealth iest members, who has the full consent of his rela tives, are going. In the North Broad street Church, one ofthe congregation offered the meansfor sup plying a regiment with Testaments. The Pagers' Association adopted - and signed a petition to Gevernor Curtin, in reference to sup plying each Pennsylvania regiment . with a chap lain) and ive believe any one of the Association would volunteer on such a service, if Providence indicated it as •his duty. In other denominations similar zeal- prevails. ,The pulpiti and the Choir were usetl,,,almost.universally, on Sabbath last, as a means of stirring np the patriotism , f "the' ped ple. Rev. Dr. Boardman, on. Sabbath afternook put himself right on the record in iniponae to many inquiries. Rev., Mr.. Carden .spoke on Sabbath evening of the sons-,of members of his congrega- tion who were going, and hoped for their safe. re turn, "but," said he, "if we are called .to look -upon. their mangled bodies, we shall still he Proud to feel that this congregation furnished such as were willing to die in. this noble cerise." The Roman, Catholics have hoisted the national colors on their churches, and the priests have urged, their people to enlist in the most earnest and vehement manner. , G. A. 11 THE PRESBYTERY OF WILMINGTON. - This .body held, its - semi-annual, session in the new : edificp of Drawyer's church in Odessa, Dela ware, lastrweek. The, weather was very unfavor able to a general ; attendance, yet a goodly number of - delegates were present, and much interest was manifested by the people of Odessa : in- the; public services and, discussions. . R.ev, Wm. Aikman was elected Modera*„and .Rev. J. G. Helmer temporary clerk., Rev.' D. H. Emerson was chosen Commissioner, and. Elder J. T. Ash, of Delaware City, lay delegate ,to the Assembly. Action upon the revised plan of Education was had as follows: "Whereas, The Philadelphia Education. Society has long been cherished as a favorite organization by many in our churches, and is prosecuting its educational labors with increasing success;—and " Whereas, The Society has always worked in harmony with the General Assembly ; and annu ally reports its proceedings to the Permanent Com mittee --therefore I ItisoLvED, That Presbitery will co-operate with the Assembly's - Permanent Committee on dueation throtigh the Philadelphia Society, con sidered as an auxiliary to said*Committee. , PresbytCry a - djourned_te ink a 3 ]fiele-warelai-t7 on Wednesday, May 2d, at 3 P. M., to install• Rev. H. tr. Gaylord as pastor of the chinch in that 77,e---noyer was drily caused to preach the Gisspel: nu PRESBYTERY OP LYONS. The Presbytery of Lyons met at Palmyra, on the ,9th inst. Rev. A. H. Lillie was chosen Modcrator. The opening sermon was preached by Rev. W. Megie;the last Moderator. Mr. Edmund B. Miner and Mr. John S. Ba con, students of the Auburn Theological Semi nary, were licensed to preach the gospel. Rev. Horace Eaton and Elder Williams were appointed'Commissioners to. the General Assembly; and Rev. L. M. Shepard and Elder G. M. Sayles,.Alternatea. The following Resolutions were adopted, and directed to be signed by the Moderator, and published in the AMERICAN PRESBYTERIAN : .Resolved, 1. That the distracted and perilous state of our country creates an imperative de mand upon our churches for special and most earnest prayer, and upon our ministers to urge the duties which citizens owe to the powers that 2. That as Slavery is one chief cause of this unhappy emergency, it becomes ns solemnly to review our sentiments, testimony, and practice in regard to that evil, that we may judge whe ther they . correspond with its magnitude. 3. That when the advocates of slavery appeal to the Bible, as countenancing and' sustaining it, we are logically required to maintain that the Word of God condemns it, and not merely forbids the abuses of that system. A. IL Limas, Moderator.. Palmyra, April 10, 1861. • On Sabbath night, the I.4th inst., Mr. JOSEPH P. ENGLES, of this city, died, of heart disease, in the 68th year of his age. Long an able teacher of young men, -an Elder of the Scots' Presbyte rian. Church in this city, and the learned and faithful agent of the Presbyterian Board of Pub lication, he was widely and most, deservedly known. On the following Tuesday, the 16th inst., Mr. Wrmaerst S. MAMIE; also of this city, died, in the 63d year of his age. He was long known -as the publisher of .27Le Presbyterian and of Many valuable books, a Ruling Elder of the Se venth Presbyterian Church, and a member of the.Boardsof Publication and of Domestic Mis sions, and as such Occupied a useful andlionoar able position in society and in the Church of God. . A pastor, ,who sends a collection for Publica tion, writes : "I regret to send so small a sum, but war has just come'in opportunely to people who don't like to give." GOOD MEN FALLEN. EFFECT OF WAR. MIINIMIIM!! RECENT REVIEWS. . r 'S.rirorm 17ND KRIVIKEN, First Heft for 1861 The death of timbreit,;one of the "responsible edi-' fors of this journal; ddring the last jeer, oc casioned sonic change in its management. The, place of Umbreit has been filled by Dr. R. Rothe, well known as a commentator en the ,Igew Testa ment, and as a frequent contributor of valuable articles to the journal; while Dr. C. B. Hundes , shagen, of Heidelberg, has been associated with Drs. Nitzsch and eTiiiins Milner, as, a special con - tributor. These', Viined with Dr. Ullmann, con stitute an editorial corps, which for theological and scholarly acquirements, for literary ability, and for influence and renown in their own country, and among thinkers of their class everywhere, is perhaps unrivalled in our generation. And, al though these men hold opinions which are far from satisfactory to orthodox theologians, particu larly on the inspiration. and authority -of the Scrip tures, yet they can scarcely be regarded as in-spirit hostile to evangelical religion; and their criticism is far removed from the destructive tendencies of the Tiibirmen school. . Dr. Ullmann, in his introduction to this num ber, states that it is the purpose of the editors to bestow'more attention upon such matters of Chris tian and Church .life as are of immediate interest and importance, not omitting biographical and characteristic sketches', among which, one of the departed Umbreit will find an early place. The first treatise in this number is by Hnpfeld: "A word more upon the idea of the so-called introduction to the Scriptures." It is designed as a defence of the writer's own views, heretofore expressed on- the subject, as against objections; both from the side Of• the Tubingen school and the Orthothm An introduction, according to Hup fedi while allowing a divine character in Scrip ture, appreciable' by faith; alone, should not be planned with an eye to the requirements, either Of the defenders or the - opponents of Scripture: i. e., should be historieal and not dogmatical, as both Baur and the orthodox and, wish, each in his own 'interest. The article, while advancing opinions as to the human element in Scripture, which 'militate against our cherished views of the all perfectness of the word of God, yet closes with a noble appeal for the independence of science in its investigations, deprecating crude attempts at reconciliation between it and faith;, and encou raging all to hope, that in proportion as scientific investigations are complete and untrammelled, the cause of truth will be best_promckted, and God will disclose to us a far better mode of-reconcilia tion than - our exeogitations usually:produce. The second article is long and labored, covering 70 pages. The object of the writer, Prof. Weiss, of Konigsberg, is to furnish a contribution towards solving that which has been the great puzzle of New Testament investigation in 'Germany; the origin of the first three (called the synoptical) gospels, with the explanation of their mutual re lations. The =writer thinks we ought not to aban don the attempt at a _sohition, and that science is at least advancing tower& such a result, though it be , slowly. He imagines the _existence of< an original authority, not, now extant, containing little more than the discourses of Christ, from which first Mark drew his gospel, while Matthew had - Mark and this original both before him, in preparing his. Luke and Matthew he considers to have been ignorant of each other's work, though he confesses there are some, agteements between them which he cannot explain on this supposition. On the whole, it semis to us that among the objects of those vast and unwearied investigations for which German.scholarship bears the palm, this one into the relations of the synoptical gos pels has produced results least proportioned to the labor bestowed upon it; and we much doubt whether the inspiring agent with whom the secret lies, will ever be induced to communicate it to these insatiable questioners. In the remaining articles, Dr. Prof. Ritschl briefly - ethisider,s the Antinornians of the Epistle of Testament criticism and exegesis, have frequently enriched the pages of the journal, discusses the Ist, 24th verses of the 4th chapter of Gene tucks of :his' 'departed 'teacher,Lficke's cornmezMl • ry john's•gospet,,and his kind. and genial method of - ItnAtuctiot; Kling reviews Goss' History of the dogmatic I.haollo_y_ of Protestantism, which he f praises, not only or Vhc..zich results of evangelical scholarship which it contain; imak,for the service it is calculated to do in the cause Of evangelical -union iniGermany which the Studien told Kriti, ken always labors to promote. • THE CONGREGATIONAL QUARTERLY FOR APRIL, opens With a very entertaining and valuable pa per on the great hero of Coogregationalism, in both Bestons, if not both hemispheres<:---.Tohn Cot ton; with a fine engraved portrait prefixed. In describing the conversion of the subject, great-em phasis is laid upon the three, years' "hard work," which he underwent, and the "easy_conversions" of non-Puritanic countries and times, are . dispa raged by the writer in a style of genuine Puritanic Intolerance. Lydia and the jailer of Philippi, would be suspicious eases judged by this ultra- Puritan standard of Dr. Clark"s. < Two engravings admirably picture to the eye the self-denying spi rit of Cotton, in abandoning, for conscience' sake, his elevated. position as rector of a church whose edifice co'uld boast of arehitectUral glory and; cmi nenee amid the' splendors of 'English church-ar chitecture, and taking refuge in the village of the pew- world, named in honor of the one he had abandoned, which could offer= him nothing but a mud 'hovel with a thatched roof in whiCh to un fold the treasures of a richly stored mind and heart to the congregation. ; A small ". treatise of his comprised in 88 12,m0.. pages, entitled " The _ Keyes of the Kingdom of Heaven," may be said to have given the keynote of Congregationalism, as distinguishedSrein Independency; and even had great weight <with Dr. Owen, the champion of :Independency" in England, who, by to Dr. Clark, was, actually convinced by its arguments. In the remarkable modern phenomenon presented by • New England, of a State growing out of the Church, Cotton's influence was great if not pain < Mena. 'He "was the first man in Christendom to run & boundary line' between" the two. He was, a.prolific and infloential writer, though his books - and pamphlets (of which morejhan thirty are still extant) were not large. A cortiplete eata logue Of those - which haire been printed, is given; also a letter. of Cottonls <to Cromwell, folly sus. ._taining the beat-views of the latter's character. for sincere piety, and the Lord Proteetor's answer to the' same. Cotton'was a faithful student of Cal vin's writings; which he prized above those of all the fathers and schoolmen together; in his own -quaint phrase ; .he was accustomed "to sweeten his mouth -with. them every, night before going to sleep." "'Where do scholars and great men'come frontr' "- is a question suggested by the somewhat arrogant claims of Prof Holmes, in behalf of what he calls, in his last work, "The Brahmin Caste of New _England," and, which he describes as,made up of races of scholars in Which aptitude for learn ing is congenital and hereditary. Very few of the <ceittinon country-boy class, he says, ever become great scholars. _Rev. I. N. Tarbox, Secretary of the American Education Society, puts the above question in a following article, and answers it with great= spirit. He. regards the ,passage of Dr. Holmes, in which the claim is asserted as a "kind of public insult to the thousands of New England men who, starting from humble life, and strug gling through their college course amid great pe cuniary difficulties, are now to be found in every part of the land and world, bearing great trusts, and not a few of them eminent for their learn ing." '<<tle refers especially to that< class of stu .dents with which hie office has made him,familiar, Beneficiaries These are, commonly from.the corm . ry towns, have spent their early life, for the most part, on farms, and entered college late. These are the: specimens which < the writer--sup poses Dr. Holmes would choose to ,stand over against the scholarly caste-whom he has so deli cately described; yet the Secretary''s facts sternly refuse to square with the Doctor's theory; nay, rather contribute to establish the contrary, or the democratic.theory.of success in letters. In. Yale .:0 01 1ege l an observation of forty years, shows that BenefielarieApok just about double their proper tiOnal share of Inners.' rtlr. TarboX takes thelen k 'rind& which /de generally consideka Piditingust and kingly on the rolls. of human greatness : Moses, Homer, Socrates, Plato, Luther, Shak s . peare, Bacon, Milton, Webster. Of these, Bacon and Milton are the only ones known to have had highly 'cultivated parents, with some doubts as to the case of Plato. The article is an ir:terestin g defence of the poorer class of students, so mim e _ rons in our'northern colleges. As to proficien c y in scholarship, specifically so called, and the de velopprent of a class of elegant litterateurs, Dr. Holmes may be very nearly-right in referrinr, to hereditary influences and in tracing lineages; b ut when we come to speak of broadly educated men, whose scholarship is no less real in its great fun damental requirements, but has been merged in their executive qualities—men whose education has fitted them for action in the higher. spheresof life, we think the boys out of the woods and from the farms, like Daniel Webster, will be found d e ., cidedly in the foreground. "Our institution s here," says the Secretary, "are so shaped as to give the largest stimulus and facility for poor boys to rise, and we expect them to rise." The °id Covenant and Confession of the Northampto n Church, are documents of great interest and va lue; showing, among other things, the mistake of those who hold that subscribing to_ a creed as a condition of admission to a Congregational church is a modern innovation. A candid and able arti- cle on Agents and Benevolent Societies follows. This difficult, yet well-nigh supremely important subject, needs to be thoroughly argued; our peo ple have hardly begun to wake up to it. The American Systematic Beneficence Society, aimed at a reform in this respect, which in some shape must be brought about if our great religious en terprises are to advance. We admire the high Christian tone of this article. The writer holds that.pastors are not yet ready to take the place of agents, if they should be discarded; and that un til they are ready, the change dare not be made. Possibly, pastors never will feel the responsibility of training their own people, while a class of men is ready, professedly, to take this work from their hands. But we confess we are not prepared to discusi the question; we can only commend the article to those who are. The article on George Miller, is a noble vindication of the great princi ples of that remarkable man's life, and substan tially agrees with the views Wren of it in this pa per, upon the first appearance of the volume in which it is described. The preponderating truth which Mr. Miller's life illustrates is this: "That we have a prayer-hearing God, as truly as Abra harn,lsaac, and Jacob, or any of the prophets and apostles had, and maypake known our requests to him by prayer and supplication IN EVERY Tifirio. as they did; and with equal assurance of receiving whatever we, It is a mistake to suppose that Muller relied 'Upon prayer to the ex clusion of means; the contrary is abufidantly ma nifest in his life. The experience of Muller may be expected'to be realized by every Christian who acts upon the same principles. For these prinei plea are not unscriptural; "the Lord's dealings" with him are in striking conformity with the Lord's, teachings in his word. Through all ages, the same power with-God in prayer brought forth Similar striking results. What child of God is there, it is asked, who cannot verify the theory of Mr. Muller; so far at least as relates to some par ticular passage in his life-history? Why may not a poor mechanic, with a family to support, ask God to feed them by sending hint work?' - And if he should get a return which he gratefully , thinks of and speaks of as an answer from liiro,.shall we call him a " pietist," and his notions of prayer a "superstition?"' If so„ then George Muller and his theory of prayer dpserve these names; but not else. We agree with the'reviewer in regard ing this as an eminently practical matter, and in believing that.the book deserves criticism only in non-essential points, and that it will, contribute to hasten the day when the life 'of every' saint shall witness the fulfilment of the 'promise': "If ye abide in me and ray words abide jiLe 0; I you. ...IitITELL'S budget for last week, opens, with a letter from the venerable editor, E. 'Attell, to Hon: AndrevrJehnson, of Ten nessae, urging him to take the forming. a new - party, to be " Ttevr..1.14%..v... PP T# thelfolloiving non e appe the Senate sounded- like -a - truppet.,of defiance to treason, and it was paralyzed before yonl Let us hear it again, brave and faithful Senator ! Mar shall the patriot -hosts, and lead us to the rescue, of our insulted nationality!"- DITOWS- NtrINTHRGE ; SARGENT who dates his pre. face, "Adatns County, Mississippi," has given U 5, through kessrs. Ticknor &t Fields, a valuable and, in many,respects, entertaining volume, upon the most painfully -interesting character that figured in our 'Revolution: Tars LIVE AND CAREER or MAJORJOHN ANDRE. There is a photographic minuteness-in presenting the details of every scene connected with the capture and execution of this accomplished spy, even to the - manner in which the• hangman perforated his office, that at length revolts the reader's, mind;. but the variety of opi. nion, British and American, on the justness of the sentence, and the extensive correspondence and negotiation to which the event gave rise, carefully gathered by the author, are of great interest and value. After all this serutiny, it is remarkable that nothing is brought to light which would prove the unhappy man prepared to meet his end, or in deed concerned about any thing but the disgrace attached to - the manner of it. Major Andre's pre vious career is carefully sketched, and every Phi ladelphian will read with interest the account of the condition of the City in L 777, when the Major made one of the victorious British army which oc cupied it. We do not admire the tone of the book. For an American book, it has a send-tory twang. Lee's conduct ,at the •battle of Monmouth is efended , and Sir Henry. Clinton's view of that action is sustained. A very free quotation of profane ,lan guage is indulged in, and no serious purpose ap pears to'have animated the writer. For sale by J. B. Lippincott, Phila. We can, onlynotice the fact of several ether books received—our absence from, home for several day's having delayed a fuller notice which will shortly appear. MISSION SCHOOLS IN INDIA, by Hey_lt G. WILDER THESSALONICA, OR THE MODEL CHURCH, by 1 1 . 'L. Ham - tics. ' 4 • ROUGHING IT WITH AMOR BAILEY. SILAS MARNER, by THE AUTHOR ow-ADA;siBEDE. THE SEMI-ATTACHED • PAMPI3LETS AND MAGAZINES THE NEW YORK l'Eacatat for April contains its usual rich variety ftif the important class of readers to whom it istdapted. The claims VP . tory in the common school are pleasingly set forth, but we _looked through 'the _headings in vain for the grand reason in our view: that history teaches us to act; - whereas our with of studies in all places of 'education is with a view of teaching is mainly *to `think. We are likely, in this genera tion, to learn.the importance of giving proper place to.ph.y.sica/ training in our system of educatiou , The Teacher, like almost every other work o f its class, has taken up the. topic, and gives us a stir ring article on this topic in the present number. The Fifth Annual Commencement of the Bri° l ' lyn ISTOrrizal School is fully reported, with the hart of, patriotic enthusiasm at the singing of the Star Spangled Banner, and .the excellent fifteen-ni l. mute addresses of Dr. - Vinton and others. .TRE AT.LANTIC MONTHLY FOR MAY The PRESBYTERIAN QUARTERLY REVIEW' — ' The contents of the April number of this periodi - , cal are unusually varied, and relate to subjects ' I prevailing interest. We'design bestowing ur n the articles a critical - examination, and will d o ~,° more at present „, than indicate their titles. Tire Galilean .Chureh—City Churches—The Impress, tory Psalms--Teeiah vi. 9-10—The Sceptre (Pt .j_udah --- 7-The Relation of the Church to Reforms -7 '-Kbe‘‘Arrow-headed Inseriptions—Motley's 'Nettierlitids—Literary and• Theological We' li genhe•Bbok Notices:: April 25,
Significant historical Pennsylvania newspapers