206
THURSDAY, AUGUST »9, 1881.
JOHNW. HEARS, EDITOR.
associated with
ALBERT BARNES. i GEORGE DTJFFIELD, J».
THOMAS BRAINERD, JOHN JENKINS,
HENRY DARLING, I THOMAS J. SHEPHERD.
EXTRACTS FROM CORRESPONDENTS.
PROM A THEOLOGICAL STUDENT.
Bev. J. W. Hears, Dear Sir-The Ame
rican Presbyterian being in a " tight place,”
I contribute for its benefit, as I do not
wish it to go down. I have something to give
for good papers, though poor enough, and
trying to prepare for the ministry. But we
can all trust in God, who will lead' 1 ns out of
every difficulty. (
*ROM A PENNSYLVANIA PASTOR.
Yon have taken a noble stand. Xam proud
of the American Presbyterian on account of
the bold ground it occupies. It is “ American ’’
to the back-bone; in keeping with our past his
tory as a denomination; true to the church
whose sentiments it represents, and true to the
nation in its hour of peril. Had the other re
ligious papers taken the same stand, our present
national troubles would not have come upon
us. The tone of the religions press in the
Horth has had much to do in encouraging the
spirit of rebellion at the South. But in this
truckling to slavery the American Presbyte
rian has not participated. Its course has been
manly, and kind, and eminently Christian. I
trust it will be sustained, for our church cannot
afford to do without it; it is doing i good work
for our denomination.
I was very sorry to find yon compelled to
BUSpend its publication even for once or twice.
But I hope you will be enabled to go on regu
larly soon, and that the American Presbyte
rian will continue to live and flourish even m
these “ troublous times.”
SUBORDINATION
We have recently learned that a volunteer
rfficet, high in command at one of opr principal
posts, and conspicuous before the country, has been
superseded by an offioer in the regular army. The
volunteer general is understood to have acquiesced
io the arrangement, and to have accepted a sub
ordinate position at tbe same post. This is a
gratifying piece of intelligence. Professed devo
tion to our country in time of peace, has not been
nocompanied very often with a willingness to ex
cbange a high position for a subordinate one.
That men can he more useful in a humbler, than
iu a higher rank, too seldom reconciles them to
such a change. If this time of trial has brought
out such a genuine Bpirit of devotion to the coun
try, as to make men willing to serve it in any,
even the humblest station, and as to more than
reconcile leading men to a change which robs
them of their former ohanoes for notoriety, it has
effected already no ordinary amount of good.
There can be no efficiency where men look down
upon all the humbler opportunities of action, and
become tbe prey of an uneasy craving for elevated
and conspicuous places.
This is true in like manner in the ministry and
in the Church. We, too, constitute an army. We
are soldiers, who like our volunteers are not
machines, but thinking men, who have a reason
for our enlistment. Our efficiency depends upon
the degree of our devotion to the cause we have
espoused, Our grand aim should be, each to ac
complish the greatest amount of good we are ca
pable of. It is utterly inconsistent with this aim,
that we should strive for the pre-eminence, or that
we should cherish an uneasy discontent in regard
to the field we providentially occupy, or vex our
selves with the thought that we have not attained
the breadth and height of opportunity we are
fitted to fill. While we hold ourselves in readi
ness for every indication of Providence which
seems to oall us to a higher position, our present
duty is contentedly and faithfully to labor to oc
cupy our present Bphere. Here, even if it be in
a comparatively humble field, our powers can be
well taxed in. laboring for the salvation of im
mortal souls, and the moral and spiritual awaken
ing of the community. Here, and m ten thousand
other snob places, tbe most important work is to be
done. And tbe better men we and all tbe su
bordinate workers are, the better will this vast
work be done, and the more rapidly and effectu
ally will the character of a country and a peo
ple be elevated. Soundness and health will per
vade the body of tbe Church, so that to its re
motest extremities it will vigorously respond to
tbe calls of Providence, or array itself for solid op
position to its foes. Good subordinate officers and
privates are of vital importance to the best of
armies. Men who will not serve in the ranks,
or in the subordinate positions, because they con
sider themselves fit for a high command, should
remember that their fitness for a high office will
only render them more valuable in a lower. Surely
that would be a mighty army whose privates were
fit to he captains, and its captains fit to be colo
nels, and its colonels equal to the duties of bri
gadiers and major generals. If such material
could ba reduoed to proper subordination, what
a splendid army it would make! How perfectly
would all the plans of its leaders be carried out!
How irresistibly would it move forward upon the
foe I To a patriotic mind, it cannot be other than
consolatory to think, that the highest attainments
and capacities fit one all the better for the hum
blest duty be may find opportunity to perform to
his country.
Thus should every minister and layman endea
vor to feel in the church. What if, good brother,
away off in yonder obscure village, you apply the
talents which you and your friends believe to be
neither few nor small, and which have been cul
tivated by the most complete education, to a
field seemingly narrow and beneath you; think
that these very talents, if they be anything above
mere smartness, and this education if it be any
thing but mere varnish, qualify you all the
better thoroughly to fill the station you occupy.
The duties and responsibilities of a minister of
the gospel, and a pastor of a congregation, are
never trivial or unworthy the application of the
loftiest powers. Go! labor in the spirit of Paul’s
injunction to Timothy: make full proof of the
ministry. Imitate Baxter in Kidderminster, Jona
than Edwards in Northampton, Dr. Emmons in
Eranklin. Let every corner of your little field
glow with evidence of your careful tillage. Plow
deep if you have not much land to plow. Spread
your fertilizers of doctrine and pastoral labor, the
thicker in the narrow space. The occupants of
small farms, if they are wise and capable husband
meo, grow rich, while others on large estates are
impoverished year by year.
We cannot all hold high positions. If the
whole body were an eye, where were the hearing?
There must be hands and feet, or the body is de
formed and its usefulness cut short. Every mem
ber, every joint and finger is needed to be of the
soundest materials, so that the whole body may
be an efficient organ. Let us rejoice if we, as the
hands or the feet of Christ’s body, can, by the faith
ful use of powers capable of higher duty, in those
humble positions, contribute to the efficiency of
the whole.
Our system in church and State is voluntary.
Hence we can give freer play to our ambitious
strivings. Hence, too, our acquiescence in arrange
ments which leave us in important, yet compara
tively obscure positions, may be more graceful, and
the virtues of contentment and fidelity, which in
those stations we exercise, more sincere and
valuable. But we do need greatly an esprit de
corps, a patriotic and a spiritual dovotedness to
our work in church and State, which will make
such acquiescence more prompt, more of a habit,
less marked by querulousoess and disposition to
change. ' What the member of a Popish order
does from a blind fanaticism, we Should be equally;
willing to do from an intelligent ehoice, and a
self-sacrificing devotion to our dying Redeemer s
cause. We do greatly need in the church the op
posite of spiritual ambition, —subordination for
Christ’s sake —a readiness to undertake the hum
blest, the remotest work of the church, as equally
necessary with the most conspicuous, for the wel
fare of the whole.
August 16th, 1861.
Simply because the weaker sex cannot bear
arms and endure the stern realities of conflict, it
is idle to regard them as exerting no influence,
and having no duty to perform in a crisis like the
present. On the contrary, woman holds in her
hands tbe reins which may eventually decide the
struggle. She, at the bead of our homes, with
such a powerful hold upon the hearts of the hus
bands, sons, brothers, and friends within those
charmed circles, may decide the numerical strength
of our armies, and the moral character of their
materials. When our President says go! she,
with a far more potent voice, may say, stay!
When our afflicted country pleads for our services,
her tearful eyes may make a far more powerful
plea. When our hearts burn with patriotic zeal
to hasten to join our brethren in arms, she may
make the struggle with home affections too hard
for us. She may persistently cultivate only the
narrower range of affections which centre about
her own home, and refuse to enlarge her heart to
comprehend the circle of our country —the na
tion’s home. She may refuse to share the nobler
aspirations of a son, a husband, a lover. She may
refuse to imperil her delightful prospect of a life
of tranquil happiness in the society of the beings
whom it is her nature to love and cling to with
the tenacity of life. She may dwell upon vivid
imaginings of her loneliness and helplessness if
bereaved of these objects. Or, on the contrary,
her quick instinct, outrunning that of the man,
may catch an early sense of the importance, the
dignity, the holiness of the contest in which we
1 are engaged; her fine moral perception may com
prehend at once the enormity of the crime which
I meditates the destruction of the government on
which our whole social structure rests, may im
part a glow of irrepressible indignation and eager
anxiety for its punishment to all her thoughts.
She may rise in angelic self-forgetfulness and in
patriotic ardor to he a light and guide to her
more grovelling husband, or son, or lover. She
may stimulate him to the noble undertaking,
bless and applaud him when he goes, hold up his
example to sons and neighbors, hope cheerfully
for his return, and weep, but not in the sadness
of dishonor, at his untimely fall.
Those who go and risk all perils of the battle
field, have much less of a trial than those dear ones
who have consented to their departure, and who
remain behind in loneliness and apprehension of
what may befall. Woman’s portion of this cup is
the bitterest of the two. Her consent and her
farewell, are wrnng from deeper places in the heart
thau are the decision and the farewell of the sol
dier. She would scarcely be woman if she did
not hesitate, when called to yield the treasures of
her heart and home to the fearful chances of war.
We do not ask her to unsex herself. We do not
ask her to unchristianize herself, and become a
Spartan woman.
But we do ask her, and our country asks her,
without abating one jot of her natural affection,
to consent to yield these treasures, in all their
richness, to the higher claims of the hour. We
can scarcely expect to have them in any abundant
measure without her consent and her encourage
ment. The responsibility, in a vast multitude of
instances, perhaps in enough to turn the scale of
battle, rests with her. The question as to the
spirit with which our soldier enters into conflict,
rests, too, in a great measure, with her. If he
can feel that the women of America—of the North
—as a body, are following him to the field with a
patriotic interest) that Christian mothers, sisters,
wives, have sent him forth with a blessing, and
are following him to battle with their daily prayers;
that in any mishap that may befal him, they will
mingle with their grief a most comforting sense
of the holiness and the glory of the canse in which
he fell, or, on his return, will welcome him with
an affection transported and exalted by honorable
pride in the loved one who has faced death for
duty's sake—if he can feel this, he will be moie
or less than human if it does not nerve him for
the thickest of the fight, and console him in the
darkest day.
Woman! it rests greatly with you whether the
country shall be saved or lost. You may dampen,
or you may fan the flame of patriotism at the
North to a degree that will prove decisive. You
may contribute your part now to the education of
a race of brave men, whose bosoms are susceptible
to every noble and patriotic impulse, who shall!
cast a long and lustrous line upon our country’s
history, and shall show that the blessings of free
dom were transmitted to generations that knew
how to estimate them, seeing that they counted
their own lives of less value. Or you may act
with enervating influence upon your children, and
may find, when it is too late, that you have helped
to rear a degenerate race, unable to defend the
purity and tranquility of those firesides for the
sake of which you kept them from the fray.
We thank God for those noble mothers who
have already freely given up their sons—-those
wives who have parted with their husbands—those
daughters of New England, of the Middle States,
and of the West, who have bidden brothers and
lovers God-speed. It was of such noble women
that the volunteer who was asked whether he did
not dread to go to battle, answered, “We fought
our battle when we parted with our wives and
WOMAN’S DUTY.
SmnifM and (Suatiplisrt.
families.” Another such, in far away Minneso >
is spoken of in the last Home Missionary. e
writer, Rev. L. Armsby, of Fairbault, spea mg
of the better effects of the war, says: .
It will tend to lift us above the selfish l° v ® °
our kindred. It will now he seen that -men
love their country even more than they ’ ov ®,,
dearest friends. A case occurred m a neig
ing town, illustrating this. A young man a
consulting with his wife whether he should en
as a volunteer. He came up to, Minnesota from
Illinois last autumn, with his wife, scarcely more
than eighteen years of age, who has now a young
child if her arms. He did not like to leave her
there alone, among strangers, to take care of the
child. But she rose from her , B ® at , "“J*
“David, do you go and enlist and fight for your
country. I can take care of the child.
Noble young wife 1 She would be degraded by
comparison with the women of Sparta, who knew
nothing of the sweet ties and endearments of the
Christian homes of America! Many such have
arisen, we doubt not, in this contest. God will
strengthen feeble woman among us to as many
such acts of self-denial as he sees his cause de
mands. i
CORRIGENDA—THINGS TO BE COR-
RECTED.
1. Deferring to the London Times as the
“ leading journal of the world,” anxiously in
quiring for its opinions and the opinions of its
correspondent in America, as if they really de
served our regard and truly represented the
attitude of the people ofi England towards this
country. The people and press of this couhtry
have gone to a ridiculous excess in this matter,
and it is full time that a change were made.
Those who condense the foreign news for our
papers ought no longer to be encouraged to
give the first place on the list to extracts from
this venal and unprincipled journal, which gave
currency to the Arrowsmith lioax, and de
nounced the straggle of the Italians for liberty
and unity, until it was clear they were about
to be crowned with success. Is the New York
Herald a sincere and reliable exponent of the
public opinion of this country? Do we feel
complimented when we learn that it is so quoted
in England, and persistently held np by many
English journals as the representative of the
character and spirit of the American press?
It is jnst such a blunder that we are guilty of,
in deferring to the opinions of the Times on
any subject where the lowest British prejudices
can come into play. It is very nearly the Bri
tish counterpart of our New York Herald-
Let us hear rather the opinions, and let us
have telegraphic extracts from the leaders of
the London News, which is the respectable
popular paper of the metropolis, with an im
mense circulation and under an editorial ma
nagement which has an eye to truth and princi
ple. The tone of this journal since the begin
ning of our troubles has been manly, intelligent,
and sympathizing. Even the first and worst
news of the Manassas disaster has not abated
a jot from its friendly tone. In spite of Mr.
Bussell’s malicious and contemptuous descrip
tion of a flight in which he outran the fleetest,
we learn that the News “defends the Northern
army.’’ '
And why should our press serve us with a
rehash of the most exaggerated accounts of the
flight of our volunteer army, with all the unfa
vorable embellishments which the skilful pen
of this prejudiced correspondent of the Times
could add? Are we to be taught to take a
morbid pleasure in the repeated contemplation
of our disasters and disgraces ? Have not such
multiplied rehearsals of a single defeat mueh
the same effect upon the spirit of the people as
multiplied defeats themselves? And while we
would scorn to reprint from the Journal of
Commerce, the New York Day Book, or the
Philadelphia Christian Observer, such a de
scription of the defeat as they would wish to
publish or have published, even though com
mended by manifold excellences of rhetoric,
shall we eagerly catch up and spread broadcast
among the people a narrative equally hostile
in its spirit to tho government, simply because
it appeared in a foreign journal—and a journal
whose fictitious reputation is kept up among us
by jnst such toadyism as this ?
2. Lenient dealing with traitorous men in the
North. Many complaints against the government
have doubtless arisen from the most mistaken
opinions or the most mercenary motives; but we
sympathize deeply and entirely in the complaint
made of its excessive leniency towards the nurses
of treasonable opinions and plots in our midst.
There has been loud talk of generosity and mag
nanimity and the conscious strength of a great
government; hut we are fearful that the very
timidity and want of nerve which brought this
awful condition of things upon us, has not been
utterly banished from the councils of the Execu
tive. It is criminal trifling at such a. crisis to
prate of liberty of speech, and of the press, and
of the freeman’s right oi%abeas corpus, when all
these privileges are abused for the very purpose
of destroying the ' government which alone can
guaranty their existence. “lean be tolerant,”
says Coleridge, “of everything but every other
man’s intolerance." That government which is
so free, and so infatuated with the idea of re
specting the liberties of its people, that it dare
not interfere with those who openly and in its
very presence declare their sympathy with rebels
in arms, knows nothing of the restraints of true
liberty, and cannot expect, as it does not deserve
to live. We rejoice at every indication that we
are to have an end of this sham tolerance; we are
grieved to think that Fo the midst of much that
is encouraging and honorable, stay degree of it
still remains. No government is worth anything
which is not a real terror to evil doers, and which
does not become a greater terror to the greater
evil, which is not, in fine, most terrible of all
when the highest of all crimes cognizable by hu
man government is to be dealt with. In this
just, wholesome, and Scriptural sense, we go for
A REIGN OF TERROR AT THE NORTH. Not the
reign of the mob, but of the government—the
stern and awful presence of the aroused ministers
of God, bearing not the sword in vain, face to face
with those deeply-dyed offenders among us who
have struck hands with the foes of the highest
and saeredest of all institutions in heaven and
earth, but one. We believe that the people would
more than sustain the government in putting forth
such unmistakable tokens of earnestness, —nay
many of them are burning with mingled impa
tience and shame at the absence of all terror from
its aspect towards open traitors at home. The
people would more than sustain it, if it had taken
such an attitude towards Breckenridge, and Bur
nett and.Vallandigham, in tlie recent Congress;
or if it had put those judges who have interfered
with the discreet and proper suspension of the
habeas corpus b ct beyond the reach of that act
themselves; or if before the mob does it, it by
due course of law puts a gtwetusupon every North-
crn journal in sympathy with its armed oppbnents.
We confess our heart leaped to our throat when
we read, —not that the very city which is the seat of
our threatened government, and for the defence
of which vast armies are gathered, and the lives
of hundreds of onr people have been, and will be
sacrificed, is governed by a man in sympathy with
those who seek its overthrow —not that the oath of
allegiance recently administered to him acted as
Ithuriel’s spes* did upon tbe disguised emissary of
the pit in the garden of Eden, but that for the
space of a single half hour after the fact became
known, an unmasked sympathizer with treason
was permitted to hold the office of Mayor of Wash
ington City. At this writing we know not what
disposition, if any, ha? been made of his case, but
let it be as severe as it may, the prestige of prompt
ness, that grand element of terror in an assailed
government, is,in this instance, irrecoverably gone.
We are inclined to believe that onr honest
President, with his eminent clearness, shrewdness
and common sense, has a very tender heart, and
that Secretary Seward is aiming to be very politic.
But such tenderness to individuals is rank cruelty
to the people, and such policy will avail nothing
for the conciliation of? enemies, while it'bewilders
the friends of the government. We have waited
long, trying meanwhile to feel tender with the
President, and to seethe wisdom of the Secretary
of State. But wts ohn do so no longer; with Mr.
Everett, we must Regard it as romancing in the
midst of fearful aitd Unparalleled realities. There
will be an end of itlnay we believe the end has
already come.',
[Subsequent events require us to say that the
above article was written and put into the hands
of the printer before the multiplied evidences of a
revived energy of the government in its dealings
with traitors, had transpired. Mayor Berrett is
now a prisoner of state in Fort Lafayette, N. Y.,
and scores of .other persons have been arrested,
both male and female; in Washington and other
parts of the country, on good and sufficient grounds
of suspicion as to their disloyalty. It is a course
of conduct which is elevating the government in
the eyes of all faithful citizens, and diffusing a
healthful sentiment through the country.j
THE SPIRITUAL WANTS OF OUR
SOLDIERS.
A large audience assembled in Rev. Dr.
Wylie’s church last. Sunday evening, at the call
of the Young Men’s Christian Association of
this city, to hear addresses and take action in
regard to the spiritual wants of onr volunteer
soldiers. Rev. C; who is employed
by the Association cp; New York, to labor for
this,object in Washington, was expected to be
present, bnt was detained in that city, it was
said, at the express wish of the President. The
exercises, consisting of prayer, singing, reading
the Scriptures, and addresses by several in
dividuals, were very interesting and well-calcu
lated to strengthen patriotic feelings, and to
promote the object of the meeting.
Mr. Geo. H. Sttffirt explained that it was
the wish of the Association to awaken an inte
rest in behalf of the spiritual wants of the sol
diers ; it was their desire that every regiment
should have a chaplain, and every soldier carry
with him a Bible and short sketches, such as
our publishing societies were now issuing for
the purpose. They needed money and devoted
young men to go and carry the tidings of salva
tion to our camps.
Rev. Mr. Faris was here, introduced, and.
made an argent and appeal for. soldiers of
a right moral and religions character to carry
on this war. - ■>.. .
He was followed in a very interesting and
effective address by Rev. W. J. R. Taylor, of
the Reformed Dutch Church in this city. . He
said that great crises in the history of the na
tion and the developed the noblest
principles. The Indian mutiny brought out
the martyr spirit both in native converts and in
missionaries, including some noble spirits from
onr own country. The recent famine in that
country has called forth the noblest munificence.
So when the cry of distress rang out from the
Syrian plains, how Britain and America re
sponded. lam much mistaken, said he? if
when the annals of onr times are written, it
shall not appear that a Christian heroism was
developed among, ps, paralleled only by the
magnitude of the interests involved. Onr Chris
tian people will come rip to the occasion. I
conscientiously beliejb that we may quote the
inspired “ The battle is not yours,
it is God’s.” Government is of God, and we
war for that. Ours is a war of pure defence,
restitution, and upbuilding.
Onr object to-night is one of mercy. It is to
go to scenes of suffering and the direst wicked
ness. If our Saviour were in Washington at
this time, where would he go? Not to the
Presidential mansion—not to the palatial struc
tures which our go vernment has there erected—
bnt to the hospitals. We need men for this
work. He referred to a letter which he had
received from a chaplain of one of the three
months’ Pennsylvania regiments, who said that
Brig. Gen. Williams remarked that “the most
needful men in our Pennsylvania regiments now
were chaplains.” j
There is work, said Mr, Taylor, for the
ladies in this cause. A depot for supplies, spi
ritual and otherwise, had been secured in Wash
ington. Devoted young men, ministers, and
noble women, had already engaged in the work.
He bad a papert|e hand of a lady in his
congregation who bad paid two visits of mercy,
of several days eacjV to the wounded in the
hospitals of Washington. From it he read
some statements of ah exceedingly touching
character, that left? few dry eyes in the vast
assembly. One was of a wounded soldier who
took his situation so patiently, although his arm
had been removed to the elbow by an operation
on the battle-field. Upon hearing an exclama
tion of sympathy from the lady, he quietly re
plied: “It is only my left arm—that is not
much to give for my country.” Another was a
mere youth—a gentle lad who was evidently
soon to depart. The name of Jesns, he- said,
was not new, and it was sweet to hear it again.
He was the son of a pions mother, who at first
would not listen to his enlisting; “but,” said
the youth, “we both prayed over it, and then
she said, I gave you to Christ when y.on were
an infant, and this is Christ’s cause; you can
go.” /The lady placed her hand on his brow,
and he slept: when she removed it, he started
and said: “Qh I t dreamed it was Annie’s
hand.” “ And whi ’li 1 Ahnie?” "said the kind
visitor. “ Annie alhd I are twins. We were
seventeen since I enlisted.” In a day or two
the spirit bad fled. '
There is in some" of our regiments a very de
cided religions interest. . X Pennsylvania regi
ment has been visited by the speeial influences
of the Spirit, and three have professed a change
of heart. The sacrament of the Lord’s Supper
would shortly be administered, and three hun
dred of the regiment are expected to partake.
Their colonel is a pious man.
Ex-Governor Pollock was now introduced,
and with much earnestness advocated the object
of the meeting. He spoke of the apparent con
tradiction between the peaceful nature of our
religion, and the warlike burden of the meeting.
But war, said he, is Christ’s instrument in
accomplishing his purposes. Amid the battle
sits the Prince of Peace, and we can hear him
say: “Be still, and know that lam God 1 ” Not
a bullet flies on the battle-field but is directed
by the unerring wisdom of God. We, as a na
tion, will come out of this conflict purified.
There is a harmony between patriotism and re
ligion. Christian and coward never go together.
There is nothing more magnanimous and noble
in the soldier than the avowal of Jesus. From
the time of the Roman centurion who exclaimed;
‘Truly this was the Son of God,’ down to Yi
cars and Havelock, such an avowal has been
honorable to the soldier. He rejoiced to know
that we have a Christian general at the head
of onr army, and he earnestly called for prayer
for onr rulers.
A collection was at this point taken np to
furnish the Association with means for procuring
books, and sustaining such as may offer them
selves for the work of distribution.
Rev. Dr. Brainerd was introduced, who in a
very brief but pointed manner characterized
'the present struggle as the most important ever
waged. Humanity itself is to be tried whether
it is capable of self-government or not. "I re
gard the soldier;” said he, “as my volunteer—
as going to face death as the agent of humanity.
I desire to go with him in my deep sympathy
and earnest prayers. War nourishes great vir
tues, and exposes to great temptations. Our
soldiers are frequently idle; they are far from
homeland away from its gentle influences, and
from the enjoyment of Christian institutions.
There was never an influence more benevolent
than that which aids to sanctify our soldiers.”
Rev. S. H- Tyng, Jr., of the N. Y. Young
Men’s Association, here appeared upon the
stage, and spoke very highly of the work ac
complished by the body he represented. One
hundred of the members of this association had
volunteered; hence the interest felt in #ie spi
ritual welfare of our army by the association.
It is thus, too, enabled to work in the army.
Mr. Tyng was very severe upon incompetent
chaplains, and upon the venal considerations
that sometimes led to the choice of exceedingly
unworthy men for this high position. He spoke
of the facility with which prayer-meetings had
been organized in some regiments. In the T9th
New York Regiment two hundred had been as
sembled; There were eighteen or twenty such
prayer-meetings in various encampments in and
around New York city, and the young men who
go to hold them are received with great enthu
siasm by the soldiers. Recurring to the subject
of chaplains, he said that the Government had
assured the society, that, upon pointing out
unworthy chaplains, their case would be in
quired into. Mr. Tyng charged the nurses and
young surgeons generally with culpable neglect
of the wants of the soldiers, particularly as re
gards the distribution of the little comforts pro
vided by the friends of the soldiers, When he
sat down,.Dr. Brainerd rose to say that his ob
servation of several days in the Washington
hospitals impressed him with the fact that the
mem were well taken care of, kindly nursed, and
in good hands generally. He believed the sur
geons did their duty faithfully—he had a son
among them. As to the chaplains, unless minis
ters were disposed to be as attentive to the wants
of the men as he and his Brother Taylor, for i
instance, were to their own flocks at home, the )
duties of the station would not be properly <
performed. Such men were needed—men who ?
would make themselves familiar with the indi-'
vidual soldiers, and yet be able to reach and in- ;
fluence the highest officers. !
The meeting was now brought to a close;
after having extended to past 10 o’clock; the j
benediction being pronounced by Dr. Brainerd.
For the American Presbyterian.
ISTGHAM UNIVERSITY, lEROY, E. Y.
It seems proper, Messrs. Editors, that, con
nected as we all are, and rejoice to be, with the
Presbyterian Church, we should now and then
report progress to your readers and the public,
to keep all of them posted, in respect to the in
terest of our noble University. With your con
currence and assistance, we are encouraged to at
tempt it.
Ournext term, anticipating our Twenty-eighth
Commencement, occurs next month; September
18,1861; third Wednesday of the month.
Our past year has been a happy one. Our
Faculty did well; faithful, noble, coßperative, able,
united. As to our Students, they were uncom
monly regular, harmonious, assiduous, subordinate,
progressive; and, as Christians, devout: with com
paratively few exceptions.
In one relation we are unique. We belong,
“by donation in fee simple, as entire property, to
the Presbyterian Church; the Synod of Geneva,
representing our total denomination, formally and
morally owning the Institution, in trust, for the
whole body, and virtually for the nation and pos
terity. That body of about 125 ministers and as
many Ruling Elders, elect all our Council, in
spect our operations, and receive annually our Re
port at their table.
With wisdom honored and mature as the best,
and education as truly elevated and extensive, to
say the least, we glory in keeping the expenses
LOW, AND PRACTICABLE TO ALL THE WORTHIER
classes OF society. Our food is wholesome,
adapted, various, good; and our board and tuition
is only -—— 150 dollars per annum !or 875 per
Term.
If we had the means, we would say to all, espe
cially to ministers of the Gospel, it is not your
limited income that shall prevent your beloved
daughters from an education of the highest and
best description! To this end is our aspiration:
when will our wealthy brethren remember us in
their Wills; or will it, and be their own execu
tors; so that the places Bhall be Teady, and the
pledges be all redeemed, in the culture, excellent
and mature, of their then truly accomplished
daughters?
Our plan is to raise, rather than to lower, the
standard of attainment; to engage a Faculty ever
worthy of public confidence, for health, learning,
manners, and every attribute that may evolve and
form excellence of character; to expand our ca
pabilities of education in every practicable way,
according to the best models and- the most worthy
improvements.
For all this, however, we must ask gome exte-j
rior and auxiliary support. Our legislature are
always going to go to help us; and as yet,there is
always something occurrent, there was before the
war—and always will be, we fear, why our im
partial and enlightened conscript fathers, that
know so much themselves, and are such rare ex
amples of learning themselves—what blessed mo
thers had they! why they must, just now, when
ever importuned to it, decline all help to our Uni
.versity 1 .So it is. *
We need assistanee-r-none the less, because, so
little clamorous for it. The founders, the donors,
the constant observers of its progress, these worthy
sisters feel with us, that, if others had equally
done their part, our'lnstitution might now have
been amplified, self-supporting, tbree-fold'greater
than it is, a glory to our Imperial State, and so
more a blessing to our country, our
a ge, our species, our world! It is well situHed,
accessible, and so retired from the din of war and
the infection of vicious example, that we commend
it to the consideration of parents and guardians,
who care for the best, the temporal, the eternal
interests of their beloved daughters.
Samuel Hanson Cox, Chancellor.
Leroy, M T. Aug. 24, 1861.
P. S.—A synopsis or catalogue sent by mail,
whenever desired.
“ SLAVERY RUINS OUR CHILDREN.”
The late Thomas L. Hammer, a few months be
fore his death' in 1854, was assigned the State of
Georgia as the field of his operations for the Sun
day School Union. He urged the circumstances
of his family as a reason for refusing to. accept
this field; his wife at the time being prostrated
i by severe and long continued illness. Her dis
ease was pulmonary, and it was suggested to him
that a winter’s residence in the South would pro
bably he of decided benefit to her. In discussing
the question with a friend, Mr. Hamner remarked,
that his chief objection to going was on account'
of his children. “I will not bring up my chil
dren in a slave state!” said he. It will be re
membered that Mr. Hamner was a Virginian;
ever ready to take up the gauntlet for the South;
and quick to resent the slightest rebuke of its pe
culiar institutions. “ Slavery ruins our children,”
continued he, “it makes them helpless, indolent,
inefficient, selfish, arbitrary, overbearing and
tyrannical. In short, it ruins them! I will
give up my connection with the Sunday School
Union, before 1 will take my children South'.”
We have seldom beard a better anti-slavery lec
ture than was delivered on this occasion by this
Virginia clergyman, under the promptings of his
parental impulses.
' The conversation after this becoming more dif
fusive, embraced the evils of slavery in general to
the master, the slave, to young men, and to the
country. A gentleman present, who had passed
some dozen winters in Washington,, and took the
ground of these evils being greatly magnified by
abolitionists, said: “Although I have been so
many years in Washington, I never yet saw a
slave either whipped or sold.”
“Is it possible?” replied Mr. Hamner, “ You
may see both, every morning of your life , if you
will get up early enough, and go to the right place”
He said private families did not like to whip
their servants; and when a misdemeanor had been
committed by one of either sex; he or .she was
sent under the poliee of another slave, with the
number of lashes to he. administered, to the .pro
per place of exeoution.
REV. DBS. GEO. JUNKIN AND ROBT. J.
BRECKINRIDGE.
The Presbyterian Quarterly Review hgs an ar
ticle commenting with great and just severity on
the authors of excision in our church. But we beg
our readers to believe that, while our disapprobation
of those measures, and the men who promoted them
is unchanged, we cannot be insensible to the true he
roism and martyr patriotism of Rev. Geo. Junkin
and Rev. Robt. J. Breckinridge. In our admira
tion of the qualities which they have recently ex
hibited, we feel disposed to forgive the wrongs
which they have inflicted on our church, and to
bless them in the name of the Lord. We know
this represents the spirit of the conductors of the
Review.
From the Independeut.
PROGRESS OE RATIONALISM IN GER
MANY.
In our last article on Germany, we spoke of
the great agitation which pervades the Protest
ant churches in a part of Sonth-westem Ger
many, and which threatens to pave the way for
a new inroad of Rationalism into a number of
German state churches.' The contest hat since:
waxed warmer, and is already beginning to as
sume dimensions which will soon claim for it
the attention of the entire Protestant world.
The reconstruction of the State Church in
the Grand Duchy of Baden is rapidly progress
ing. As we explained in a former article, there
are two parties in the field ; the one conserva
tive and orthodox; the other progressive in the
question of church organization, but at the same
time containing the entire Rationalistic element
of the Church. The latter party have held the
reins of the church government in their hands
since the close of last year. A draft of a new
constitution was issued by it in April, and soon
after elections were ordered for a new General
Synod, which was to decide on its adoption or
rejection. The main features of the new con
stitution are that the influence of the secular
government on the government of the Church
is,nearly annihilated; the principle of ecclesias
tical self-government is, in the main, acknow
ledged; the General Synod, which is the most
influential body of the Church, is to consist no
longer of two-thirds of clerical and one-third
of lay members, but of an equal number of mi
nisters and of lay deputies, who are to be chosen
by a direct vote of the evangelical inhabitants
in an electoral district.
It is characteristic of the Evangelical party
in Germany, that these principles, which in the
main differ but little from the common rule of
Presbyterianism, filled them with the utmost
fear for a speedy defeat of the evangelical ele
. ment in the Church. At a conference which the
leading ministers, and the laymen of the party
held at Brucbsal, most of the speakers admitted
the belief, that at the election of lay represen
tatives the Rationalistic party would almost al
ways come off victorious, and- they avowed to
have a greater confidence in the appointment
of the high officers of the Church by the Go
vernment than in their election by the churches.
The reason of this fear has been frequently
pointed out by ns in onr articles on the Euro
pean churches, and it is, in itself, the strongest
condemnation of the principle of state-chnrch
ism. The Evangelical party are fully aware that
the majority of the people, neither in their be
lief nor in their lives, conform with the doctrines
of the Church, that it is impossible to enforce
church discipline, and that their only hope for
securing a controlling influence on the rising
generation is the aid of the princes. And,
nevertheless, they prefer putting their confi
dence in the support of the secular govern
ments to a separation from a church in which
they all know the majority of the nominal
members hold Rationalistic views.
The history of the Church of Baden during
the last months will be a severe lesson to the
Evangelical party in all the European state
churches. The election of a General Synod
has given to the progressive party an over-
whelming majority. The clergy was about
equally divided between the two parties; but
the lay deputies, without a single exception,
are all progressives, and, we believe, identified
with the Rationalistic party. And yet, they
have this time been chosen, not’directly by the
congregations, but by presbyteries in whose
composition the congregations have had no
part. It is, therefore, impossible to conceal
any-longer the fact, that so soon as direct elec
tions by the congregations will be established
the orthodox party have no chance of securing
a single lay deputy. b
The proceedings of the General Synod re
sulted, as was to he expected, in the adoption
of the new chnrch constitution, which was in
particular advocated by Hr. Rothe and Dr.
Sebenkel. A remarkable incident was a speech
of the Grand Duke, who had determined to
make use of his right as Supreme Bishop of
the National Church, to open the Synod in
person. He strongly recommended the pro
posed democratic change in the constitution of
the Chnrch, in order to educate the congrega
tions for ecclesiastical self-government, and ex
pressed the hope, that, by making this change,
they would at the same time lay a stone for the
reconstruction of the Evangelical Church of
Germany, of which the Chnrch of Baden
claimed only tq.be a part.
ThS final, result of this struggle, we believe,
can.be but little doubtful. The churches of
Germany, like the states, are longing for a na
tional union. The congregations protest from
year to year, louder and more generally, against
being ruled- against their will; they demand a
decisive voice in the government of the National
Chureh. The masses are still largely under the
influence of Rationalism, and, as most of the
leaders of the free chnrch movement happen to
be Rationalists; that influence is likely to be
strengthened. We consider it probable that
the development of the Rationalistic element
will soon force a large portion of the Evan
gelical party out of the state churches and into
separate free chnrch organizations.
THE RATIONALISTS IN BAVARIA.
In the Bavarian Palatinate the prospects of
the Evangelical party are even worse than in
Baden. The most influential men of the Church,
among them Dr. Ebrard, have resigned. The
choice between the old Rationalistic and the
new orthodox hymn book having been left to
the decision of every individual congregation,
nearly all the congregations have decided in
favor of the former; and the number of clergy
men who have been able to retain the latter is
said to be less than ten. The clergymen who
sympathize with the Rationalistic majority of
the congregations have formed a society, which
already counts forty members, and is constantly
increasing. Among the people the Rationalistic
party is not only more numerous than in Baden,
but also more daring, and it can be but little
doubted that they will soon get the control of
the Church. , :
EDWARD EVERETT ON SECESSION
PAPERS TN THE NORTH:
There are presses,.for the most part in- £he Bor
der States, though some of them are, found in
citiesmore remote from the scene of action, which
are daily pleading the cause of the euemy, mis
representing and villifying the Government of
the United States, exaggerating; every article of
unfavorable intelligence, and exertrog themselves
to the utmost to dishearten the friends and de
fenders of the Constitution and the Union. But
such is the all hut superstitious devotion of the
people to the libertyroflthe ipress, that'these per
nicious journals have, with the exception of a
single instance in St. Louis, never been interfered
with. It seems to have been thought better by
those in authority to tolerate the mischief of these
unpatriotic presses, than to elevate them to greater
importance by proscription, or to encroach in the
slightest degree upon the freedom of public dis
cussion, which in ordinary times is justly regarded
as one of the greatest safeguards of liberty. JSid
it is preposterous to sacrifice the end to the means.
We should in this respect learn wisdom from
.the enemies of the Union.- While: we regard as
.unbecoming our Christian civilization that resort
to Lynch law, by which every expression of opi
nion adverse to the popular sentiment Is suppressed
is the Seceding States, we ought to remember in
tolerating a traitorous press among ourselves, we
practise a liberality which awakens no gratitude
at home, and is never reciprocated by the opposing
party. It is in fact an absurdity in terms, under
the venerable name of the liberty of the press, to
permit the systematic and licentious abuse of a
Government which is tasked to the utmost in de
fending; the country from general disintegration
and political chaos.-*—The Governor of Malta was
once censured in Parliament for some alleged
severity toward the editor of a journal in that
island, and the liberty of the press was declared
to be in danger. The JDnke of Wellington said
he was as favorable as anybody to the liberty of the
press in London, hut a free press in the Island
of Malta was as much out of place as it would hs
on the quarter deck of a man-of-war. We suppose
the most enthusiastic champion of the liberty of
the press would hardly think it right to publish
a journal within the walls of Fort MeHemy, in
which the officers of that garrison should he daily
advised to desert, and the men be constantly ex
horted to mutiny; and whose columns should be
filled with pesistent abuse of the Government and
all engaged in its defence. Why should journals
of . that description be allowed to diffuse their
poison beneath its walls amidst the excitable po
pulation of a large city?
EDITOR'S TABLE.
We have on our table no very extended show
of literature—-the issues of the periodical pres
constituting its principal portion.
Rev. W. H. Bidwell is out with his Septem
ber issue of the Eclectic, which contains a rich
selection from the current old world literature.
Such names-as Qavonr, Mrs; Browning and Thor
waidsen,. attract the eye and give promise of a
great feast in the contents of the number. A fip e
large portrait of the scnlptor forms the frontis
piece.
The Atlantic Monthly, for September, is
also a capital number. We can scarcely venture
to specify where all are good; but the artiele os
Mrs. Browning* the deceased poetess of Italy, h* s
been attracting deserved attention.
•We have received the first number of The
Southern Rebellion, which is designed to give,
in consecutive form, a history of the rise and pM'
gress of our present struggle. It promises to sup
ply a want of the times. A valuable feature oi
the work, is a historical suthmary, giving, 'with
telegraphic brevity, the events of each day from
the election, Nov. 6, and' onward. As only 3-
pages of the History itself has appeared, it ssll5 s11
scarcely be judged of with critical accuracy, h' l ’*
York: James D. Torres’. Sold by all book
sellers and dealers. Ten cents a number.
Littell’s Living'Age, for this week, cp eo!
with an article on the private character of Thorn 85
Jefferson, from the New Englander.
New Volumes op the roun Reviews as®
Blackwood commence july 1861.
Per any-
For any one of the four Reviews, ....
For any two of the four Reviews, ....
For any three of the four Reviews,. . • * J!:J
For all four of the Reviews, ®
For Blackwood’S Magazine,
For Blackwood and one Review, . .. • f
For Blackwood and two Reviews, . .• • '
For Blackwood and three Reviews, ••* *
For Blackwood and the four Reviews, . ■
Money -Current in the State where issued wl “
received at par.
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