JUttmcnn HMSkjJtmaii smm THD USD AY i'SIFTRUBER 13, 1861. JaWW-MEARS, EDITOR .. associated with ALBERT BARNES, . OKORGB DUFFIELD, JR. THOMAS BRAINeRD, | JOHN JENKINS, HENRY DARLING, I THOMAS J. SHEPHERD. HOUSE AGAIN. The scattered multitudes who have been abroad seeking, pleasure and refreshment among distant scones, are flocking back to their original places of abode. Deserted dwellings are thrown open, and dark chambers are gladdened by the presence of their former oeoupants. The home circle is again gathered in its wonted privacy; the dear old objects of domestic use are gladly recognised; the ordinances of household piety are re-established; the hymn of praise once more is raised from the grateful and happy group, and the settled and convenient routine of domestic and public duty is gladly exchanged for the irregularity and inter ruptions of a life among strangers, and almost without an aim. After all, there is no place like home. And how delightful is the return to our spirit ual home—oar chosen place of worship I What tender, overflowing emotions crowd upon us as we cross the threshold; and with what deep feelings pf satisfaction do we once more take our seat in the house of God, from which we have been long absent! How welcome the sight of its familiar walls and occupants 1 Likely enough we have vi sited more magnificent temples in our absence, but what were their richest adornments compared with the indescribable charm wbiw we feel be longs to our spiritual home? It draws our hearts with a sweet and unseen force. Its most trivial peculiarities, perhaps, are the foundations of its strongest ties and associations. How subduing are the first notes of the many-toned instrument of praise, which swell as of old upon the ear! What thronging memories oome back on their fami liar tones 1 They seem to weave together all the rich Christian experiences vouchsafed us, in time past, by the gracious Spirit in that house of prayer — all our acts of penitence and humble faith, our thrills of holy love and rapture mounting to “ hea ven-gate." And with what a heart-welcome do we greet our pastor as he ascends the pulpit stairs, and rises to lead us once more in worship 1 How easily our souls ascend, with the'aid of that fami liar voice, to the heights of communion with God: how he seems to understand our wants, and to be preying for ns: how accessible our minds to his counsels and admonitions—he has learned the road to our hearts long ago. May-be, we have heard many a famous preacher in our absence; onr pastor may not rank among the titled and dis tinguished names in the ministry, who have at tracted our curiosity as we have travelled from place to place. They have astonished, they have charmed, they have profited us; but we have come back to our pastor with a home feeling which we would not exchange for the most extraor dinary sensationscreafed in our breasts by strangers. They have not stood by us in the brightest and the darkest hours of life—the critical moments of our existence. They have not been tbe mes sengers of peace, of consolation, and of salvation to our bereaved and sin-Btricken souls. They have not gone in and out before us, until their image has been fixed indellibly on onr spiritual natures. None of them was our pastor; and now we sit, with unspeakable satisfaction, onoe more beneath the sound of bis voice, and the kind glance of his eye, and feel like Noah's dove, come back, after vain wanderings over a restless sea, to the dear old ark again. We have grown older since we last sat in this bouse: we have lived somewhat; we come back with that feeling which the thoughtful man not un frcquently detects, with lapse of time, in his heart, —a feeling of change as from larger and riper expe rience. We aro the same, and yet not the same as when we last sat within these walls. The world has moved. In fact, we revisit the scenes which have not altered, only to realize that the experiences of some lifetimes have swept through us and by us, in the few weeks of this unparalleled summer. How have we been agitated with fearful tidings of battle—of fields ensanguined with the blood of oivil strife; how have we been stunned with swift news of defeat and disgrace; how have we been humbled and amazed at the lowering of our flag, and the flag of justice at Manassas; how again have we been elated at the complete and triumphant vindication of that flag on the sandy beach of Hatteras! We return to our homes, feeling indeed that we have lived since we saw them last; wa almost wonder that they should be able to retain their familiar look, when we, and the world Without us, have changed at such a rapid rate. We settle into our pews, feeling that we are witnesses of God's latter day judgments. God is very near; we are glad to be in his courts. The strength of his favor is more needful to us than in former days. We look to him to send us help from Iris sanctuary. Solemn issues are before us. Life and death have a new mean ing now. We wish to place ourselves, our fa milies and our country wholly in God’s hands. Wo wish to be prepared for the high duties likely to be laid upon us. We wait with new interest upon the ordinances of God’s house, and expect pecu liar counsel and encouragement from his minister- ing servants. THE NATIONAL FAST. It would be a great speotacle, and a great fact if tbis nation should respond to the call of tbe President, and of both Houses of Congress in re ference to a day of fasting and prayer, as they have already,responded to the calls for men and money. A call to humiliation and prayer, an swered by the'bonding of twenty millions of peo ple before* an offended and a frowning God, would bo a better omen for their future, even than was their uprising aftey Fort Sumter and Bull Run. We would like to see cities and States, responding to this pious invitation. We would like to have Governor Curtin and Mayor Henry, by special proclamation, call the attention of the citizens to this solemn duty, and, so far as practicable, pro mote a Sabbath-like observance of it in our streets and dwellings, on our farms and public highways. And whatever may be said of literal fasting as a Jewish custom, and therefore obsolete among Christians, who would question tho impressiveness of the spectacle of a whole nation bowed in real lusting, taking no bread, or at most, no pleasant food, from sunrise to sunset: closing their stores and places of amusement, and frequenting in crowds tho places of prayer? We do hope tho ‘t/ nation will give this new proof ofv’earnestne'ss, of an aroused moral nature, dependence on God, jusl as they, have’givbn proof of loyalty and patriotism existing when we'"feared it was dead. We have had the days of '76 over again in,respect to the one quality of the. American people, and have almost felt it was worth the en tire-cost of the war to behold it; now, if we can see a revival of the public and welt-nigh universal sense ~of»dependence .on >&odwhieh«>our»fathera exhibited in that era, we shall confess that the curse of civil war was a blessing, and even while we fast and pray, we shall rejoice. We may here announce that the brethren of our denomination will enter with all their souls into this appointment, and are making arrangements tor a celebration of the day in every way suited to its high, and unusual character, the particulars of which we expect to give in our next. HOME MISSIONS IN OUB CHURCH, Under the above heading, a series of able and interesting articles has been appearing in the Evangelist. We cannot but express our gratifica tion that the attention of the brethren in New York is thus called to a subject which has been, committed, in a great degree, to their care. We earnestly hope they will give them good heed, and that we shall soon have abundant evidence of the aroused purpose of tbe brethren in that quarter, to bear their full part in the missionary work of the Church. But the articles of “H. K." are cal culated for no particular latitude—they will be found instructive wherever they may be read. In the one which appeared August 29th, he pre sents a startling view of the field of missionary labor in the older regions of the country, such as the western part of New York. The feebleness of old churches he ascribes not merely to emigra tion ; he suggests that as it was in Israel in tbe days of the Judges, so with us, “The sons have proved themselves unequal to the fathers in sup porting the institutions of the Gospel." Another cause of weakness is disclosed in the shifting of the population within a limited dis trict, as the great routes of travel are changed. He says: “Hew thoroughfares have been opened successively, creating new centres of population and business, weakening villages and churches that had been prosperous before. In the first place, churches sprang up along the water courses, which were the first highways ; then along the turnpikes; afterwards along the canals, as they were built; and finally along the railways. Each of these have created new centres in their turn, where churches must be built, Home Mission churches perhaps, or if they grew rapidly and be came great cities, they reduced without removing, and enfeebled without destroying, a large number of surrounding churches.” In regard to such cases, he proposes that Pres- j . bytery take the matter in hand, and, so far as [ practicable, persuade two neighboring oongrega- - tions to unite under one pastorate. This would * furnish a good field, and ensure a reasonable sup- jj port for a good pastor. He here enlarges oh the | interposition of the Presbytery in such cases. I He says: “The work cannot be done by agents of !• the American Home Missionary Society, or of ; our Committee. They are top few, too little ac-1 quainted with the field of operations. Neighbor- j ing pastors and elders can do it if they will. And onee let it become the subject of earnest prayer and consultation in the meetings of Pres bytery, and the people would flock in to’hear; the members of feeble churches would begin to love Presbyterianism, not as a form, of government , a form of discipline merely, but an effective organi zation for extending the Kedeemer’s kingdom, and of giving the Gospel to the destitute. When the Presbyteries and Synods will give sufficient attention to these things, their stated meetings will be occasions of great spiritual refreshment to the churched; and whatever money will be needed for Home Missionary purposes will be generously, because intelligently, contributed.'’ It cannot be denied, that in our branch of the Church, too many Presbyteries are derelict in the matter of a personal Watch over their weak and va-, cant churches; while on the other band, an unseem ly disregard of the authority of the Presbytery pre vails in many such churches. And we are glad to see, that the turn our Home Missionary affairs have taken, is bringing Presbyteries and churches to realize their mutual dependence and responsibili ties, as they never could have done when an in dependent, unpresbyterial, third party came be tween them. A Presbytery or Synod could in no other way . more profitably dispose of three-fourths of the time of its sessions than in hearing, dis cussing, and planning concerning the fields of -missionary effort within its bounds. -In a subsequent paper, “H. K.” proceeds to unfold the greatness of the work to be done in our Church. He learns from the minutes of 1861, that we have 600 churches containing less than 50 members, and 866 with less than 75. He inclines to the opinion that the latter number indicates the cbnrches among us needing mission ary aid. We think it very doubtful whether so many are receiving aid. But here we begin to gain a view of the actual needs off our Church, leaving out of view the fields which are to be occupied beyond. This number includes many" churches destined in the future to he Btrong and flourishing if sustained, but now depending for their very existence upon some measure of sup port from without. They must-be aided and fos tered. They do grow. Says the writer: “It is encouraging to notice the growing strength of onr churches-as the States grow older. In Ohio and Michigan just one-third of the churches have over 75 .members each ; in Indiana and Illinois a trifle over one-fifth, and of the two, Indiana has a little the largest ratio. But in all the] newer States— Wisconsin, Minnesota, lowa, Missouri, Kansas, and California—but one thirteenth part reach the given rate. The four older of the Western States just alluded to, having 159 churches that go be yond, is full of encouragement to missionary labor in the six newer or most Western, which have now but IS.” Hence, if we desire the continu ance of such progress in the Church we must susi tain , our weak churches. They are the seeds of our progress in new regions, and earnests of the! ability of the Church to keep abreast of the age | and the race in which it is living. Can we do j this? Have we the men; have we the money ? j Here, by an interesting calculation, the writer shows, that allowing to every pastor the cafe, on an average, of 112 members, oar Church needs a pastoral force of 1250 men; more, probably, by 100, than can actually be brought, into the field from the ranks of our existing ministry. And he breaks out in the following: “WE WANT MORE MEN. “At every turn we make, our eyes meet in i flaming capitals such notices as these: ‘ Wanted , able-bodied men for the Army.’ Notwithstand ing ours is the only Church in the country in which the list of clergymen is > greater than that of the churches, we muni have more men to preach \*fj rue ferS . * ' -■ ** •. *«v '* ** *1 » *» * • < =v- - ! k* / --> —Ssfc*- £ « - A - * * * ■' — v *'■< ■-. L. .y 3 ‘ 11 1::Z ? " : •" ■ a i '■ ? _ •%, the Gospel. They aA greatly needed in som®' parts ;of our fields Even if we do not exten fl i lines, 'we need more ministers to supply Churah.” ’•••• We must by no means adopt the policy of wait ing until the wants of our existing pulpits » fully to evangelize the" multitudesfheyOnd. Such a policy would be in compatible with foreign and home missions alike, But what a truly great work have wo beforejr? “%ben~ at the" very threshold, we meet with a cry for more men, within the boundaries and estab lished congregations of the Church we aim to en large! And events are now occurring, accord ing to the writer, which will greatly increase the demands made upon our Church for Home Mis sionary effort. The war must, he thinks, give a great impetus to the West by the demand it will create for its products; and when the rebellion is crushed, a free population will pour into Virginia, Kentucky and. Missouri, “which will need such churches as can only be found in our denomina tion.” “We can now see more clearly than ever that what the South has needed, has been churches with such views on slavery as we have main tained.” The rebellion, too, will impress upon the people the folly and peril of individualism, inde pendency and State Bights, and so prepare their minds for an orderly constitutional church go vernment, such as Presbyterianism. “Every thing seems to look forward to the growing im portance and greater labor of bur Home Mission ary work." * Admitting the financial ability of our churches and congregations to furnish the means for this work, the question of so arranging our machinery, and so reaching.the sympathies of the people, as to secure the needed amount, arises. The writer gives striking instances of large increase in the gifts, of Presbyteries consequent upon their assuming a more direct interest in the management of their Home Missionary affairs; and draws conclusions somewhat adverse to the exercise of the functions of any general committee within the bounds of the Presbytery. If, indeed, pastors, churches, and Presbytery could be held to “a lively sense of their responsibility-to God for the cause of Christ around them” there might be little need of a general agency upon their field. But we know too well how short-lived this newly-awakened zeal of'a Presbytery just cut loose from its old de pendencies, is likely to prove. Just as a fly-wheel is needed to equalize the unsteady impulses given and received by the machine, so a central agency is necessary to store up power and diffuse it equably over the missionary fields of the Chu-rch. And it is not the individual Presbyteries, or those occupying missionary ground par excellence, that we should strive to convince of their responsibili ties, but rather should we rouse the whole Church to a vivid perception of the fact, that we, as a body, have cut loose from outside dependencies, and that, as a denomination, we stand, for the first time in half a century, alone in the work. No society or organization, but the divinely organized Church through its committee, undertakes the work. We must do it; we are responsible for it, and from us must the funds be forthcoming. Surely as a Church we need “a lively sense of our responsi bility to God for the cause of Christ ” in our midst. H. K. proposes to ascertain about how much is necessary per anmem, for the Home Missionary work id our Church, and then to apportion the amount among our Synods and Presbyteries. Our pastors, he thinks, fail in boldness before only to do, but also to be forward a year ago” in this cause, often when the pastor has shrunk from asking. With the following strong words he closes his article. One sentence we have put in capitals, and we wish the whole were written indelibly on our peoples’ hearts. “If we cannot raise-the money, let us hide our heads for shame, and make room for some other and better people to come in and take our plaee, and do our work! For the cause of home mis sions IS THE CAUSE OF GOD, AND MUST PREVAIL. The Church that will not prosecute it with all the heart, is not in harmony with God or his great plans, and cannot hope to prosper or succeed.” THE “STANDARD” ON REUNION; The Standard of this city has a communica tion, signed R. S. G., and an editorial, on the sub ject of a reunion of the two branches of the Pres byterian Church. They were occasioned by the articles in the Presbyterian Quarterly, the Pitts burgh Banner, and this paper. It gives us much pleasure to express our gratification of the spirit in which, in general, both the communication and editorial are written. An extract from the former will be fqund on our fourth page. If these writers have a constituency, if any thing like what R. 8; G. thinks to be true is really so —that “ tens of thousands of Christ’s hidden ones are devoutly praying” for a reunion of the two branches of our Church, then are these the most hopeful utterances we have seen for many a day. We call these utterances hopeful because of the spirit, they manifest. The difficulty in speaking of the question of reunion has been, that it has been hitherto received in si spirit that has at once chilled the flow of brotherly kindness. It has been, therefore, practically impossible to discuss it. Self-respect has required silence _ Hut here are men who come forward m the spi rit of brethren. A Philadelphia “Old School'' paper speaks as such a one has never spoken for a quarter of a century. The editorial “desires to see • the merits of the question examined and evolved.” The .consideration of the subject, it thinks,'is providentially forced upon both bodies. It thinks, too, that there has been a hopeful growth in fraternal feeling, and that if the discus sion be conducted in the right spirit, good will grow out of it whatever may be the result. R. S. G.’s “sincere hopes and prayers are for reunion.” Nay, he feels that the “day of the re union is certainly coming.” Very many kind ex pressions, which we believe to be entirely honest, are interspersed in the communication, in regard to the substantial oneness of the two bodies. This is remarkable language from such a source. There have been, too, some things which have appeared hopeful in the Presbyterof Cincinnati, and the Banner of Pittsburgh, though the latter, misunderstanding the Quarterly and the Ameri can Presbyterian, has not looked quite so plea santly towards us for a week or two. - Our Church, while it has protested against wrong in strong, and sometimes in stern language, has never borne malice. Its heart has ever opened towards any manifestation of kind feeling in our brethren. ; But we take occasion to say, now that the public attention is turned to this subject, that it is not merely a kind spirit that is needed, but more attention to the facts and principles involved in the question. Let us ask our brethren of the Standard how they think we ought to feel-in our position. There are two sets of feelings whieh are appropriate in different* circumstances. One is in : : i . 4 -•> . '-IK.-. , oases where j there is mere' separation, as, tor ex ample, in tile division ofejiletliodists 'and Presby terians, ■without vany original sense of injury. Here, brethreri'may njeet ..each other “ungloved.” .. ButaiWO-will askwtho.-.&fajirifiM'ii-.just-rbow- we.. ought.to feel if based on faith, as Sup poses wC believe that there was‘an extreme viola tion of the-GonstitiUtion' of»aur Ghurch-in the unjust excision of a vast body of ministers and people. That we offered a reunion of, the Church several times, and that it was rejected with something like scorn. That we attempted a friendly correspondence, which was rejected. That we attempted a joint which was re jected. Yet that now, notwithstanding all,these, things, there arc words of kindness addressed to us. What is tlie duty of charity to believe? Is it, that our brethren, who doubted at first, have gradually changed their views of us, believe now that we are orthodox Presbyterians in doctrine and government, and that their changed faith in us has produced a changed feeling? In connection with this, has time removed asperities, and a. fraternal feeling grown up from the cessation of active strife? The Standard blames our state , of feeling. If it is right, and represents its Church, wo should be glad to have ah answer to our ques tion : How ought we to feel ? This rests upon the answer to the previous question: What is the feeling towards ns ?, Is there a substantial change, so that onr brethren, instead of desiring to exscind us, desire to hqiKfnriected ecclesiasti cally with ns? We can have no possible mo tive for standing aloof from our brethren, if we could work kindly in union with them. But the Standard will see, we think, that we must have some kind of guarantee that both sides agree,suf ficiently in principle and, ‘.feeling to move on happily together. Suppose we could forgive the past, is (hat past.ever to be carried into the future? ‘' Are the lessons pf Providence wMcti would produce harmony, sufficiently learned ? While we say these tjbings, we say them for the honor of religion and for the sake of a lost world which is injured by schism, and not because our Church is in any special need of strengthening. Oqr difficulties, which have been many and grievous, are overcome by the mercy of God, and we are just ready, if we are humble and diligent, to set off on a noble ca reer of growth by the natural expansion of a liberal Presbyterianism. ; • .But still, if Provi dence should indicate tlmt-by union with our brethren, the force of the' united Church should be vastly increased, who, If principle and feel ing stood together on that path, would dare to forbid that union ? No one has the right to say that such a feeling as- the Standard mani fests ought not to be met to any extent and to any issue. chaplain robie, of buffalo Rev. John E. Robie, of the Methodist Chuireb, and editor of the Buffalo Advocate, at an early date accepted the ebaplainey of athree.years’ re giment, (the 21st N.'Y.) which was mainly re cruited from Buffalo. It was originally understood that if the reg iment should offer for three months, one of our pastors, in that city, would occupy the position of chaplain; but when the regiment de cided to go for three years, this brother did not see his way clear to go with' them; and Mr. Robie was called from his editorial chair jo: take his place, xne vacancy in ttte~offibe oPthej4d®oca<c was filled by W. H. Be Puy. Mr. Robie was; of course, an nounced as a contributor to the columns'of his old paper, and a number. of brief, but excellent communications have, from time to time, appeared •>, appi in its columns from the pen of the chaplain of the 21st, though they have been much fewer, and less has been made of them in the paper, by far, than we had expected. Oat of this trifling fact a grave story has grown, which Rev. S. H. Tyng, Jr., has taken'up and made, the basis of a .very general attack upon chaplains in the army.; Mr. Tyng’s version of the abofe, as given in the In quirer’s report of the recent army meeting in Dr. "Wylie’s Church, is as follows: He cited a case where the Buffalo newspaper editor could not, find in a regiment from that city a person to act as army correspondent, and there fore. procured in it a ch|pl incy for a dissolute literary individual who might write them letters. In listening to th Tetharrk of Mr, Tyng’s, we were not particularly startled, as we did not know, at the time, that Buffalo had but one regiment in the field, and that the reference was, therefore, quite personal and direet. As it is, we feel very much surprised that such an audacious and absurd story as this should have been fabricated,- much more, that it should have,been palmed off upon the Army Committee of New York, and reiterated in this public manner by Mr. Tyng.' We know nothings personally, of Chaplain Robie; but pre viously to his appointment, he was editor of a re spectable and well-condudted religious journal—a regular and welcome visitant at this office—and since then, we have heard of him as faithfully and fearlessly performing his duty as a man of God amid the various scenes of the camp. A correspondent of the Inquirer, of this city, who, we learn from the Advocate, belongs to a different denomination, thus writes of the gentle man in question. : Hs is well known in Western New Totk as an earnest, devoted Christian minister; 1 ■ beloved by 'Christians of every'-deirpimnMtiqn, Mr. Robie was urged to accept the ippoititment oFChapiain of the Twenty-first Regiment, by those who had the deepest interest in : the spiritual welfare of those belonging to the Rbgiment; and he accepted the position as a religious duty, and at great per sonal sacrifice.. ; While tbire are, doubtless, not a few unworthy men in the Chaplain's office,.that very fact should make us careful to discriminate, and bring no needless reproach' upon those men who are faith fully and devotedly performing its self-denying duties. They should be gratefully recognised by the public as accomplishing a great work for the army. We are happy to aid in rendering this service to one who so well deserves it as chaplain Robie of the New York 21st. Slay,Qod Jriess and reward him, and every other servant of the Lord who is ministering to i the spiritual ne cessities of our friends and brethren avoid the perils of the camp, the hospital'and the battle-field. SUNDAY PAPERS. Through some sections of our city, the cry of the newsboy, may be Jieard -from early Sabbath morning until church time, recommending various issues of the Sunday 'press to the public ear, He goes by. the dwellings of judges and the pre cints of policemen, disturbing the peace of the day with impunity. By what privilege does he hold the right of thus filling the air with his.cries, above the venders of fish and vegetables? These last deal in articles of. real use and value; the other in a noxious compound of ribaldry and sensuality hurtful to the mind, and. heart. If therefore either is to be tolerated in a plain infraction of the Jaws, let ns havi thesfishwoman 4ith/ber tray, an<| tie 'truckman|wltlipiis of 5 the disseihina tor of literary p’oisdn. ’WsbexeTS pur good'MayofJ where are our judges and justly commended po -1 ice, that amid their many excellent reforms, this jppgu.andi cry ing abuse is ; still ? ;'i iHobEe jmssiail&sy jDpatMErTEE. Dear Brother : —-Please announce to your readers that oar Home Missionary Committee have unanimously elected s the Kevri'flENßY Kendall, D. D., of Pittsburgh; theirs General Secretary to reside at New York. It is ear hestlyhoped that ‘Dr.' Kendall may see*;it to be his duty to accept this appointment,. LF,rpm In formation in, possession, of ; the Committee, as well as from theiknownichafacter ;of Dr. EL; it is believed that the appointment ,wilF be gene rally aeeeptishle to'the’Church.'.' 1 ‘ ’ V Applications to- the Committee are:rapidly multiplying. It is feared that the churches do not feel their Responsibility in this'matter as they ought. The Committee;receive piles of letters urging f/iem to meet the present crisis. Missionaries and-their friends seem to feel that thp Committee can ,do:this, when it is plain that they can only disburse tha funds' which they re ceive. It would be of no-advantage to mission aries to have a commission -voted them, if the Committee could not pay their salaries. It would lead to nothing but discomfort and re crimination,; as experience shows. And in re gard to' the idea that a debt would increase the pressnrenpon the churches, the truth, is, that that-pressure is as great as it can be. Tour own brethren are suffering everything; almost hunger and nakedness. The Committee will gladly help them, if you will give us the means. We are quite sure that all the money needed would be gi ven if the churches could only read our correspondence. The appeals are most pressing and saddening. We hope the ehurches will not Wait for ainy supposed perfecting of machinery but send, at once whatever, they can raise: We rejoice in the noble response to our national loan; our*Church should come forward in a similar way to the great work of Home Mis sions. ' Commnnications and donations are to be sent to the undersigned until further notice. Please publish the following documents for general information'. Benj. J. Wallace. RULES FOR CONGREGATIONS APPLYING FOR AID TO THE PRESBYTERIAN COMMITTEE OF HOME MISSIONS. : I.- Every exertion should be made by each congregation, by effort wi thin itself, or by union with one or more neighboring congregations, to support itself before,asking for aid; and the smallest sum, when aid is necessary, should be asked for, that 1 will support the congregation. 11. The following particulars should be in cluded in thO application I. The name and post office address of the congregation and the minister to be commis sioned, with a statement as to whether he is en gaged in any Other calling than that of the ministry. ‘ ; , -2. The number of communicants, and the average attendance on public ,worship. , ; 3. The denomination and, size of. congrega tions immediately .contiguous, with the distance to their places of worship. ' , ■ 4. The state. :of business in the community and the character of the, population, with its condition, whether advancing, stationary, or retrograding. 5. The total amount of salary which “the applicants propose to make up, the portion of salary which they pledge, the arrangements made for securing it, whether aid. is expected from any other source, and the least amount that will suffice from the Committee, ', 6 The ecelesiastial relations of the congre gation and their proposed minister, as none can be aided' by the Committee who are ;not in connection with the General Assembly of the Presbyterian Chnrch which held its sessions in the year >lB6l at -Syracuse, N. Y. , j. The. application should be signed by the elders, deacons, and trustees of the congrega tion, so far as,there are such officers. 8, The application, by special direction of the Assembly, is, in all cases, to be approved by the Presbytery to which the church belongs, or by the Committee on Home Missions of the Presbytery. ; 9. Applications must be renewed before any new appointment can be made, and with the new application must .be. furnished a certificate of the minister that the congregation has ful filled its former pledge for his support. 111. Congregations Bhonld steadily aim - at self-support as soon as possible. IV. Each congregation is aided on condition of its taking up a collection for the Committee, during the year for which aid is granted. V. Commissions will not, except In extraor dinary cases, be dated back beyond either the time,of making the appointment, or the time of application, according to the state of funds of the Committee. INSTRUCTIONS FOR MISSIONARIES OF THE PRES- BYTERIAN COMMITTEE OE HOME MISSIONS. I. The grand object of the missionary should be to build up the kingdom of Christ, by; con stant and prayerfnl labor for the conversion of the unregenerate,; the-edification of Christians, and the training up of the children of the Church. 2.' As soon as may be, the missionary is to organize in every suitable locality on his field, where one does not exist, a church,, which is to be placed at once under the watch and care of the Presbytery to which it naturally belongs, in connection with the:General Assembly which held its sessions in the year 1861 in Syracuse, NV Y. In this he will be careful not to inter fere improperly with existing church organiza tions, nor to multiply them unnecessarily, nor to be governed by merely sectarian considera tions. 3. As soon as possible, the missionary will endeavor to secure the erection of a suitable house of worship for each congregation where one does not exist. : 5. He will organize a Sabbath School in each suitable locality, and cultivate the benevolence of his people by inducing them to contribute to religious and benevolent purposes as 'they may have ability, seeing also that each congregation takesup an annual collection for the Committee. 5. He will make a quarterly report of his operations to the Committee, the last one of •his year being an annual report. On the recep tion of these’ reports respectively, a draft for his quarter’s salary will be sent. Missionaries are not authorized to draw upon the treasury. 6. The missionary will carry out the instruc tions of the Committee as they may be given him from time to time. SABBATH OBSERVANCE IN THE ARMY. The following order has been promulgated in the Army of the Potomac: Headquarters Army of the Potomac, ? Washington, September 6, 1361. $ General Orders No. 7: —The major-general commanding desires and requests that in future there may be a more perfect respect for the Sab bath on the part of his command. We are-fight ing in a holy cause, and should endeavor to de serve the benign favor of the Creator. Unless in the case of an attack by the enemy, or some other extreme military necessity, it is -commended to commanding 1 officers that all work shall be-sus pended on the Sabbath; that no unnecessary move merits shall he made bn that day;, that thegmen .shall, as far as .possible, b'e pgrmitpid to rgstifrom - their labors; tbiifc'they shall atterfd diyine'service after the customary morning inspection, anlMhat officers and men alike use their influence to insure the utmost decorum and quiet on that day. The general commanding regards this~as.no idle form-. One day’s rest, is necessary for man and animals. More than this, the observance of the holy day;of tho God of mercy and of battles, is our sacred duty. George B. McCrellan, ••• ; - Major-Genei-al Commanding; • S.,.WrLMAMs,-Asst, Adjutant-General. • THE NATIONAL LOAN;' The correspondent of a Savannah paper, writing from Rich mond,expresses himself thus confi dently in regard to the financial difficulties of the North. “ I stated also, that the Federal Congress would vote all, the; men and money.that.Mr. .Lincoln might call for, but that the people themselves would never furnish the money, nor would the government ever he able to : borrow it. I see no cause to change this opinion. On the con trary, every day’s revelations demonstrate the utter bankruptcy of the Northern Government. The wealth of the North is a sham and a hum bug. * * * Where then is the North to get its money, to pay its army ? The people have it not; and if they had, recent: developments show tha t they would be slow to lend it to a rickety con cern like the Federal Government.” That such an opinion was as false and absurd as it was derogatory to the country, might have been known long ago; but it is only in the present attitude of the people toward, the National Loan, that we can estimate the utter emptiness of such expectations as are cherished at the South on this subject. Nearly a month ago, directly after the unfortunate flight from Manassas, the banks of the North came nobly forth and promptly tendered the government all, and more than, all, the aid it sought. In the darkest moment of this most trying period of our history, they manifested their confidence in our government and institutions by making it the largest loans by far, which it ever asked for. And now the people, encouraged by their patriotic and confident attitude, are coming forward in crowds and relieving them of the loan, and making the cause of the government financial ly their own; an act unprecedented in our history. Persons of all ranks and means are offering their hard earnings cheerfully to the treasury of the United States. We have just heard of a body of workingmen in ODe of our iron factories, who had saved in a few months some §450 by a kind of mutual beneficial society among themselves, and who deposited the entire amount' in the bauds of the government. This is. but a single instance among many. And the whole movement is cheer ing, not onlyf as an indication of wide-spread pa triotism and confidence, but as forming a new link between the government and the people, a new ground of loyalty, and a fresh security against civil disturbances in time to come. KENTUCKY PRESBYTERIANS. •The 1 Presbytery of Louisville (of the other branch of the Church,) however its members may be affected politically, has it, very slight indeed, with the patriotic, brethren of the Assembly, judging from the attitude it has-recently assumed in regard to 'the loyal action of the body in Philadelphia, last May. Here is the substance of the Presbytery’s action —reached after very embarrassing efforts. The Presbytery of Louisville, after duly con sidering the act of the late General Assembly touching the political allegiance of its minis ters and members of the Church, as found on p. 329, and In answer to protests pp. 341 and 344, feels called upon in this solemn manner to testify against the dangerous errors in doctrine involved in that action, and to repudiate the same as of tid binding effect upon our ministers and churches. 1 , The Presbytery believing that the kingdom of Christ is not to be limited by civil bounds, will cordially unite with all true and conserva tive men in onr beloved Church, North or South, In defending and preserving the purity, unity and prosperity; of the Presbyterian Church' in the United States of America. .- The latter clause hints at a third organiza tion, which may possibly arise, within the limits of the former “Presbyterian Church in; the United States of America.” And, indeed, we do not well see how Dr; Hodge and his eo-!Pro tcstants can be accommodated in any of the two greater portions into which the body is falling. Kentucky politicians, of a certain class/ hare long straggled to exempt their State from the unpleasant necessity of taking a stand on the rital question of the day, and have affected a reverence for the “Sovereign State of Ken tucky,” which might well become a Virginian 5 and now it is reserved to "Old School” Pres byterians in this State, to attempt to create a sort of Mahomet’s coffin in their Church; We pity men who seem to think it an honor and a grace to be enabled to be neutral between loyalty and treason—between anarchy and God’s ordi nance of government. We woiider they do not go distraught in the attempt to maintain such a position. WHAT DOES IT MEAN? We clip the following sentences from the con clusion of an otherwise admirable article in the last New York Observer, on the proper subjects for meditation and fasting on the approaching. Na tional Past Day.- The main part of the article is intelligible and to edification. The idea intended to be conveyed by these sentences, we are unable to interpret consistently with the loyalty, the pa triotism: arid the manliness which of; late have characterized the columns of the Observer, to the joy of all good men. Others, and particularly the Observer itself, may be able so to interpret it. We hope they will. V “We cannot better close this article than by a reference to that most solemn and instructive por tion of Holy Scriptures' in which King David, when the nadon of Israel had been for three years afflicted with a sore famine,"inquired of the Al mighty the cause, knowing that it must be for some national sin that had been committed. The Lord condescended to inform the royal suppliant that it was because of the violation of a treaty made many years, before, between the nation of Israel and the Gibeonitcs. This violation was committed by King Saul, and the party offended —the Gibeonites—were immediately called upon to indicate the atonement which they required to be made. They did so, that atonement was made and the famine ceased in the land.” RUSSELL’S LETTERS I have, read Mr. Russell’s letter and the edi torial of the Times founded on the letter. It is clear from Mr. Russell’s own account, that he was among the first to: run away. An English noble man, high in the service of the Queen, remarked yesterday that Russell’s letter from the field of battle showed so very vulgar a nature, that it wouid disgust the better class of English readers He alluded especially to Russell’s picking up the wayside remarks of common soldiers, and putting them into an elaborate letter; adding that an who might chance to give the talk of " M V SI coni mbn soldiers under such circumstances as characteristic, would be hooted as a slanderer, j 3 l Sept. 12, The fijitQriaLof the Tpwefxisjn the worst possible ‘spirit! All %isis be regretted. Yet the jjding every berve'\p irritate^Ainer to'fill the English mind with false impassions as to the Ahnerican Government and peoplei.irlfT.Jve are not at war yrith HaglancL before winter,...it .will.,,not4)e the, fault of the Tiroes. In , mendacity and bitterness, the beyond the- Times. I'am-happy to bhlieve thht’the influential clashes of England understand, to a certain extent at least, the aims'and inspi ration of these two journals. - Dr. M‘C3intock in the Methoilist. J. . , ?■ ' ' Mr. Yizetellyfkdfi the London Illustrated News, Mr. Bay, Of the Chicago Tribune, and Mr. Geo. P. Pntnam, of this city, well known in L'dndoii- as a publisihhtvantl.ill three men of the highest integrity^aadintelligence, had the op portunity of seeing Mr. Bussell, and of passing some hours iu his immediate vicinity; and all three, as nrell as hundreds more,, state positively that the occurrences he narrates never happened. His statements in regard to masked batteries, charges of cavalry, bayonet charges, the cap ture of horses from the Black Cavalry, etc., etc., are proved to be entirely false; by the state ments of men whose veracity is unimpeachable, •and Whose observations, made from different points, yet concur. Mr. Putnam, in what he calls the Bull Bun number of his Rebellion Re cord, has shown this np admirably and thorough ly. LETTERS FROM THE SEAT OF WAR nr THE WEST. NO. 11. St. Louis, Mo., Sept. 6th, 1861 “All days seem pretty much alike.” But it is only seeming, for in reality there is here a con stant progress to events. Yet the movements are not very obvious. Vast numbers of troops arrive and depart in the night, or in the “wee sroa’ hours,” and in out of the way places, where few are astir to observe them. A master-mind, how ever, controls the hidden springs of action; and plan, purpose, order and unity, exist; to eveiy there is a place and a season. “ Martial Law” works to a charm.: For years this city has not been so quiet and orderly as now. Perfect, safety to life and property exists by day and night, and this leads one to inquire whether all our cities that are not well administered, might not take a lesson from this. , There is too much freedom, in American cities generally ; a perfect license to do as is right in one’s own eyes! And this is. what is ; palled; Democracy. Where on earth did that sortof liberty ever work well ? In what land and age of. civilized men was it ever seen as in ours? The ignorant and vicious mi nority always'have .the rule in such: cases. My mind was very painfully impressed with a sense of our situation the other day as I saw seven ox-teams* transporting, as many families from the interior, awaiting a passage over the Mississippi river into Illinois,-a land of the truly free'.' They had been driven from their homes in Cooper, Dade,'and other counties of the south-western part of this State, and they had their little'all with them. It was not much’.''; Women !half clad, and children still-more forlorn; “ They wandered about in sheep-skins, and goat-skins; being _ destitute, afflicted, tormented.” It was, a most sad sight! They had come hundred of .mijesin that condi tion, hooted at, and hunted:out by the ruthless savages who despoiled them. I felt deeply grieved, and tried to comfort them as well as I could. “And will not God,” thought I, “avenge His own elect, which cry unto Him night and ?” Aye! “He will, avenge_them speedily!” The angels of His justice slumber not. Every- day, secretly, men are sent forth armed with Divine vengeance, “ to execute wrath upon the children of disobedience ” in the joterior of this State. The weather has been, a little cooler since a heavy shower*of , 'rain‘?on the 2d 4 inst. Still, it is, what friends at the East would call “hot.” Yet this is a remarkably , healthy No epide mics prevail, and scarcely sickness of any kind. Fruits of all sorts, are, most abundant. Apples and : peaches were never more .so. Potatoes are eight cents a bushel! The city pastors are now mostly haek to their homes and. work, which is abupdaut also. The public and private schools have opened the pre sent week as usual; the number of pupils being diminished scarcely one-third. The public owe a lasting .debt of gratitude for closing fhe dram shops, to Major M‘Kinstry, U. S. A., the efficient Provost' Marshal, who controls affairs in the city now, as‘ has iieVer been done be fore. lam sorry to add that measures are in pro gress to open again the more loyal and decent of the dram-shops. “Papers” are required of all who leave the city now; in accepting which, the bearer signs a solemn declaration of his loyalty to the United States, and agrees that’if ever found in arms against her, or aiding and abetting her enemies, the penalty shall he death ! -This regulation is having tW’ bappdestr effects,-though no doubt a few obtain “passes” by perjury. The’ “ route to New Orleans ” lies down the river from here, and it will hot be strange if many travellers pass over it before six months roll around. Of this/and more, anon. * * EDITOR’S TABLE. The third number of the Southern REBEitros, has been issued, and the" character of the work ■may how he spoken of with some degree of cer tainty. It is not a mere . collection of dry dis connected facts and documents, but a simple con tinuous account of events as they occurred to help us to realize how our times will appear to those who shall come after us. It can hardly rank as history." st The unknown author is rather the chronicler, than the philosophical critic. He in terweaves rather than masters, the important documents, arid speeches which he refers to ; and at this early date, it may be that this is the truly wise course. The materials Rre thus 'accumulated for the iuture historian, who will stand at a dis tance more favorable for surveying the whole scene that now seems so astounding to our senses. Nevertheless Mr.' Torrye’s issues have enough of the historic tone about them to render them ac ceptable even-now, arid; we would commend them cordially to all who- would preserve a careful statement of the surprising events through which we are passing. No. 3 reaches to the Declaration of Causes, by South Carolina-, December 24th. Price 10 cents a number. Frederick Gerhard, 81 Nassau .Street, N. Y., 4001 Post Office, is the general agent. The Boston,Bleview for September, contains: God’s Archers, Tennyson’s Loeksley Hall, Im mortality and Annihilation, The Place of Romance in Literature, .Uzzeri-Sherab and Israel’s Right to Canaan, Creeds, Gibeah, —a Lesson for the Times, Literary Notices; Short Sermons, The Round Table. The American Presbyterian Almanac fob 1862. This is a valuable and creditable issue. Besides the calendar, calculated for all pa rts the Union, it contains statistics of our Church, list of our committees, with explanation of their objects, various interesting information on Astro nomical topics, descriptions of chnreh edifices with handsome cuts, list of clergymen deceased i® our body, statistics of population in.our own, a* l " other countries &c., We bespeak for it a cordial Welcome from our churches. Price single, 6 cts; ten tofiffcy copies, 5 cents each ; fifty to one hun dred copies, 4 cents each; postage one cent. Examiner.
Significant historical Pennsylvania newspapers