VoL TI, 10. 7.—Whole So. 276.
§«f9f.
[from the banneb of the covenant,]
a LITTLE WHILE.
A little while to toil along,
This weary winding way,
And we shall join the ransomed throng,
And we shall sing love’s choral song,
In yonder land of day.
A little while, for doubt and gloom,
And feeble trust In God,
A»nd faith shall spread her eagle plume,
The soul her palm and crown assume,
Forever with the Lord,
A little while to poor our love,
On. fading forms of clay,
To weep with tears of bitter grief,
With anguish that hath no relief,
And death shall pass away.
A little while to scatter smiles,
lake sunshine on our way.
With willing heart and kindly hand,
To help each trembling outcast band,
To hope, to watch and pray.
A little while to do the work,
. Our Master 1 s hand hath given,
Past fleet away theshours of grace,
Night falls upon our dwelling place,
Short space to work for heaven.
A little while to face the storm,
And breast the angry billow,
And Christ shall whisper, “Peace, be still,”
And ransomed by our Lord’s sweet will,
His .breast shall be our pillow.
A little while! Take heed my soul,
These words of love and warning,
That ere thou reach the appointed goal,
Thou go to Christ, and be made whole,
Ana enter heaven’s bright morninp
THE EVANGELICAL CONFERENCE AT
GENEVA.
Opposition to It.
According to Dr. Weir,in the Presbyterian
Banner , there was some opposition in Gene
va to the holding of the Conference. This,
he says, was from two quarters. First, the
Arian and Sooiaian members of the Genevese
Consistory (Presbytery,) and secondly, those
few, who hold high Lutheran and Conserva
tive views, similar to those of the late Doctor
Stahl, of Berlin. *
The latter opposed it on the ground that
its basis virtually shuts out the Church of
Rome, the Church, and the Oriental
Church, who all hold the cardinal verities of
the faith, even though mixed with error. It
also reiterates Stahl’s deprecation Of Sir Cul
ling Eardley's approval of Garibaldi’s move
ments.
The chief opposition, however, at Geneva,
has been from the minority of the Consistory,
who find their exponents in several writers,
who declaim, just as Dr. Montgomery and
the Arians of Ulster used to So when. Dr.
Cooke threw out the old blue banner 6f Or
thodoxy, against creeds and confessions,
against “speculative” doctrines such as the
Trinity 5 and the Alliance is thus charged
with making itself exclusive.
FURTHER PROCEEDINGS.
We condense from the Methodist the fol
lowing account of the proceedings of the Con
ference :
Tuesday, Sept. Bd. —The Q-ospel in France
—Bagged Schools. —The sitting on this day
was divided into two portions:—the first being
in French and the second in English. At
the first sitting, an elaborate essay was read
by Prof. R. St. Hilaire, of Paris, on the con
dition of the laboring classes in France, and
the best means of improving it. Referring
to the deficiency of the means of education
for the poor, and the necessity of increased
efforts for their evangelization, he remarked
that the gospel had only to be fairly present
ed to the French poorer classes to*be gladly
welcomed.
In the English sitting, Dr.’ Gmthrie, of
Edinburgh, delivered an address on the sub
ject of ragged schools, stating what had been
accomplished in Edinburgh through this
agency in rescuing abandoned children from
ruin, and transforming them into good and
useful citizens of the state, and reoommended
it for adoption in ether countries. He was
followed by the Rev. Baptist Noel, who ad
dressed himself especially to the subject of
out-door preaching as the only effectual agency
for carrying the gospel to the working classes.
The effect produced by these addresses was
so great that, on the motion of Prof. Merle
d’Aubigne, it was resolved to recommend to
the Executive Committee to print them in
various languages, and distribute them in
Belgium, France, Holland, French Switzer
land, Germany, and Italy.
W ednesday, September 4th. —Foreign me \
Home Missions—Separation -of Church and
Stated The Conference was occupied with
the consideration of Christian missions to the
heathen, Scepticism in France and the con
version of the Jews.
Thursday, Sept. 6th. —An Englishman's
Notion on Republicanism and Religious Lib
erty.—The sth of September being a fast
day, in the Genevese Church, (instituted upon
the arrival in Geneva of the Protestant re
fugees escaping from the Bartholomew mas
sacre,) the places of worship were occupied
hy their regular ministers, and the sittings of
the Conference’store accordingly suspended
for the day. The British section, however,
met in the Salle de la Rive Droit, with a
view of bringing'about some practical results
from thc series of meetings being held in Ge
neva. The meeting was addressed, among
others, by the- Rev. George Smith, Secretary
of the Congregational Union, who*, in the
outset of his observations,, paid a tribute to
the Republic of Geneva for the successful
struggle it had made in behalf of freedom in
times past. This mention of “republican
ism!’ 1 called up Sir Culling Eardley to re
mark that it was not republicanism, but the
remains of piety, in Geneve which secured
to the people freedom of thought and freedom
of speeeh. In the neighboring Canton of
Vaud, which pridecj itself upon its democratic
spirit, a law had been passed within the last
few days disentitling certain men from hold
ing high official positions on account of their
religious opinions. “Let no one,” added Sir
Culling Eardley, “go away with the idea
that republicanism is favorable to liberty.”
Friday, Sept; oth.*—C'«Mn’s Labors. —
Prospects of the MtomgeMcal Alliance. — Pro
gress of Sabbath Schools. —Avast crowd was
attracted by the announcement that M. Merle
d’Aubigne would read a paper on the “Cha
racter of the Reformation and Of the Reform
er of Geneva,” M. d’Aubigne reviewed Cal
vin’s labors in Switzerland, France and
Germany, and specially alluded to . his cor
respondence with Cranmer, with a view to
bring about harmony of thought and action
among Christians of different persuasions.
These letters passing between London and
Geneva, he said; were the true foundation of
the Evangelical Alliance. Alluding more
particularly to this body, he hoped that it
would continue its sittings, Carrying them to
Amsterdam, Frankfort, Edinburgh, Stock
holm, Hew York, Hungary, and at last to
Rome.
In the afternoon, the origin, progress, and
advantages of Sabbath schools were discussed
by Pastor Cook, of Calais. He urged the
pastors present to give them their sanction
and support, and recommended all who had
the needful leisure to become teachers.
Saturday, Sept. 7th.-~Jteligious Liberty.
—Address to the Spanish Legislature. —The
sitting was devoted to the subject of religious
liberty. M. E. de Pressense, of Paris, read
an admirable paper on “Religious Liberty,-
considered as the Guarantee of the Order and
Peace of States. He advocated the princi
ple of complete religious liberty, not as a
mere utilitarianism,-but as a sacred right,
with which no state could legitimately inter
fere, except to proclaim and to protect it.
Mr. Merle d’Aubigne proposed that an ad
dress should be sent by the Alliance to the
Congress of deputies .in Spain, respectfully
requesting them to recommend to the Queen
to set those men, who had been, imprisoned
for their religions opinions, at liberty, and to
pass a law establishing freedom of religious
worship. Information, he added, had been
received from Spain that such an address, if
well prepared, -would produce a powerful im
pression in that country, where there was a
party in existence strongly in favor, of reli
gious liberty. To show that this kind of in
tercession with the supreme authority in the
state, on behalf of persecuted Christians,
was not without success, M. Merle d’Aubigne
referred to the case of M. Chapidt, who, this
morning, opened- the sitting with prayer.
This gentleman . was imprisoned for four
months, for having simply preached.the word
of God with three others in a way not autho
rized by tiie* Church of France, and be would
have remained a much longer period in prison
hut for the intervention of two persons, one
of whom had aii audience with the Emperor
of the; French. The President of the Con
ference, M. Adrien *Naville, then submitted
a resolution expressing the lively sympathy
of the Conference with the Christians impris
oned in Spain, and protesting, ‘tin the face
of Christian Europe,” against their seizure,
“so contrary to the spirit of the age and of
the gospel.” The resolution Went on to re
commend the assembly to pray for their
Spanish brethren; and to suggest that active
demands should be made for thbir restoration
to liberty. .The resolution was then-put,
when the entire meeting arose from ,their
seats to express their assent. Prayer was
then offered up for the Spanish brethren by
Pastor Malin.
Saturday, Sept. 7th.-—Afternoon Sitting.
—The subject of consMeration Tipas the influ
ence of religious libertywpon Roman Catho
licism in America, which .was opened by Dr.
Baird, of New York. The purport of Dr.
Baird’s paper was, that Roman Catholicism
gradually lost its influence on its adherents
bn their arrival in America, where religious
liberty was universally recognized, and that
but for the. continual tide of emigration from
Catholic countries, it would be entirely ex
tinguished.
The next speaker, Dr. Squier, was intro
duced as from Geneva, in the State of New
York; he confined his paper to a considera
tion of the present aspect of political affairs
in America, which he attributed to the insti
tution of slavery. A paper, speaking out
still more strongly against slavery, was read
by Rev. Mr. Kerr, of Illinois, and gratifica
tion was expressed by some speakers from
England with the decided tone of American
divines on this subject. A meeting of Eng
lish and Americans was arranged for Mon
day, to consult upon the form of a resolution
on the American question, to be submitted to
the consideration of the General Committee.
Monday, Sept. 9th.— Anglo-Saxon Colo
nics.—American Destiny.—The American
Question.—The morning sitting was devoted
to the future of the Anglo-Saxon colonies,
with a view to the dissemination of Evange
lical Christianity throughout the world. Lord
Roden in the chair. A letter of salutation
from the churches at the Cape of Good Hope,
was first read by the Rev. Mr. Poeock, who
gave a brief and interesting account of the
progress of revivalism in that colony. The
question of the day was opened by the Rev.
M. Thomas, of London, in a paper of great
clearness and force. He stated that Britain
rules over more Mohammedans than the Sul
tap of Turkey, more heathens than there
were in Africa, and more Roman Catholics
than the Pope could lay claim to. What an
awful responsibility was this.
Dr* Gibson, of Ireland,; in a survey of the
instrumentalities available.for the spread of
evangelical Christianity, singled out the An
glo-Saxon nations of England and America
as evidently destined by God for . this great
work, and in eloquent terms, which called
forth the applause of the audience, described
the distinguished part which America is qua
lified to fulfil in the progress of liberty anc.
religion throughout the world. The other
speakers were the Hon. A. Kinnaird, M. P.,
the Rev. T. R. Birks, and the Rev. D. Wil
son.
Immediately upon the termination of this,
there was a general move to the Salle de la
Rive Droite, for the purpose of holding a
kind of international Conference between the
Americans and English on the present condi
tion of affairs in the States. The highly in
teresting proceedings of this meeting will be
described in a future number.
The 'English, meetings terminated at the
end of the first week, when many of them
took their departure; but their places were
to some extent supplied by contingents ar
riving from Lyons and the Canton de Vaud.
In the afternoon the attention of the Con
ference was engaged by Professor Dorner,
of Gottingen, who read a paper on “Indivi
duality, its rights and limits in evangelical
theology, and its history in the principal
Protestant countries.” In the evening there
,was a meeting at the Salle de la Rive Droite,
to receive information respecting the pro
ceedings of the Irish Church Missions; an
PHILADELPHIA, THMDiT OCTOBER 17, 1861.
assembly at Calabri in favor of the abolition
of slavery; fourthly, a “ reunion theologique"
under the presidency of Dr. Tholuck; and
sermons by Mr. Denham Smith, Pastor Cook
of Calais, and Messrs. Hocart and Le Lievre.
. Tuesday, September 10th. — Rationalism
m German Switzerland.—The Mortar a Case.
of Special Prayer.—Religious Liberty.
Ihe sitting of this morning was devoted to
German Switzerland; a paper being read by
Dr. Riggenbaeh, of Basle, entitled, “ What
are the principal points in which existing
nationalism, particularly that of German
Switzerland, is in opposition to evangelical
Christianity?” The proceedings were con
ducted in German,
A resolution was proposed by Sir Culling
Eardley, declaring that there is reason to
presume that an intervention of the Evange
lical Alliance, in behalf of the child Mortara,
might be employed with success.
The next resolution submitted to the meet
ing was a proposal to set apart the second
week in January for united prayer, by evan
gelical Christians in all countries,, and this
was also unanimously adopted.
A third resolution expressed the opinion,
that the existing laws, “gravely restrictive
of religious liberty” in various Protestant
countries, including Wurtemburg, Mecklen
burg, and Hanover, t should be abrogated
“alike for the honor of the gospels and for
the interests of the cause of the Reforma
tion;” .and that the Committee should he
charged to take such steps as might be con
sidered desirable to communicate the senti
ments of .the Conference to the governments
of these respective countries. The resolution
was, after a long debate, recommitted to the
General Committee.
Wednesday, September 11th. — Progress
of the Grospel in Murope. — The, Christians in
Syria. — Revivals. r— Conclusion of the (gene
ral Conference.—TM morning’s fitting was
presided over by Dr. Krummaeher, and the
topic for discussion was, “ The Progress of
the Gospel in Europe since the Conference
at Berlin,” which was opened by Pastor
Bonnet, of Frankfort. M, Adrian Naville
stated that a request had been made on the
part of the English members of the Confe
rence, that some resolution should be submit
ted for adoption respecting the progress-of
Christianity in Syria; accordingly a resolu
tion was adopted proposing the appointment
of a committee to act in concert with that
established in London in behalf of Protestant
Christians in that country, and expressing a
hope that their united efforts might be influ
ential in promoting the spread of evangelical
Christianity, and the progress of . true civili
zation.
The afternoon sitting was devoted to the
question of Revivals. It was opened by Pa
stor Anet. Some other meetings for friendly
conversation, for prayer, and for general
leave-taking, were held in the evening, and
then terminated the Fourth General Confe
rence of the .Evangelical Alliance.
HEART AND LIFE.
It sometimes happens m a great system of
machinery, that some break in the gearing
cuts off the connection between the central
power and the remoter parts. In that event
the. main wheel,, with its shaft, will be seen
revolving as regularly as: ever, while the far
distant belts, add wheels, and bars, are silent
and motionless. Now, there is often a break
in the gearing between a Christian’s heart
and his outward life. Let us offer an exam
ple or two.
Two Christian women sit chatting together
with their sewing. Presently the conversa
tion turns On the character of some neighbor.
They mean no -harm; but here and there
among their random censure and insinuations,
are many that might utterly ruin the good
name of an innocent man. They are not at
heart so unchristian, so inhuman rather, as
to design such a result. But their words
have played truant from the control of their
religious principle. It has never occurred to
them that their religion ought to govern every
utterance of the lips, as truly as every affec
tion of the soul. Heart and life, which God
would.have ever to be joined together, they
have put asunder.
Again, it is the Christian theory, that all
believers are lifted up to a common exalta
tion, as kings and priests unto God; that
they are one in Christ Jesus, united in a bond
enduring as eternity. This is the theory.
But how often, in practice, they are found con
niving at a miserable exclusiveness in social
life, their “set” and their
tion” in society, and their “ peculiar affini
nities,” —as if. : an interest in atoning blood'
were a groundwork of friendship too common,
too low for their taste. This exaggeration
of the natural and necessary inequalities of
life into artificial walls of 'distinction, is sim
ply an encouragement of the earth-horn sel
fishness that would gladly bury from view the
one, grand, eternal distinction between the
friends and the enemies of God. .And yet,
he would sadly err who should reason back
over-confidently from this poor folly in the
lives of many Christian to infer
from it their heart's condition. There is a
break in the gearing. They have never drawn
out their-religion to reach their social usages
as truly as their church-worship.
Others break loose, in another direction,
from the. control of their inward Christian
principle. They bother and fret at their so
cial position, are incessantly on the outlook
for a slight,- and construe into an affront the
most innocent oversight. Discontent is their
chronic disease. They do not feel at home
in the church. They have been members of
it three or six months, and nobody has called
on them, except three or four humble folks
who ought to have had less presumption.
So, continually talking of and emphasizing
the very social distinctions of which they
complain, they grumble at all below and ? all
above them, nursing their pet grudge as a
silly woman nurses a whining poodle. Xpt
they may be, on the whole, true believers.
They have never brought their religion into
contact with this peevishness; for an electric
shock to the latter would have awakened
them to serious reflection.
‘There are, in short, more practical sins
than we have time to- enumerate, committed
by genuine believers; sins wkieh too clearly
showthat the spiritual life-blood at the heart
has not yet been driven out to the extremi
ties. What is wanted is not so much more
religion, desirable as that may be, as the equal
diffusion of the religion already possessed
i over all the affairsof life.—— Family Treasury.
[for THE AMERICAN PRESBYTERIAN.]
RELIGION AMONG THE CONTRABANDS.
LETTER EROM CJJAPLAIN LOCKWOOD.
Seminary neasPpAtreSs Monroe, Va.', \
H r October 3, 1861. j
I came to this 1 iiiteesting field of labor
irnder the auspices: bfFthe American Mission
ary Association, whbseExecutive Committee
consists, of Messrs.yWhipple, Jocelyn and
Tappan. Rooms 6lMqlm street, New York.
I,received.sanction encouragement from
the authorities atWashington, and from Gen.
Wool at Portress M6jffb‘e.' I found the number
of the people about eighteen hundred. About
seven hundred and,* fifty men, four hundred
and fifty women, ante six hundred children,
or persons under There was, con
siderable religious ftf tfcesa,;
mostly Baptist—somrMpEodist. ’ There had
been quite a large Baptist .Ohurph in Hamp
ton near here, consisting of white and colored.
They had had some ferayer meetings among
themselves in. and near the Portress. I was
very heartily and they have be
come very much attached- to me, and I to
them. I have established three jregular Sab
bath preaching appointments: one at the fort,
one at the Seminaryj about two and a half
miles west, and one nearer Hampton. Be
sides these, there aiie a .number of. prayer
meetings on the Sabbath and on week eve
nings. Three Sabbath schools have been
started with great promise of success, em
bracing juvenile and; adult classes, taught by
whites tod the fdwleolored that : can read.
I have also established two.day schools; one
near the Seminary-bird one near the Port ;
and several private daßses. . The school near
the Seminary is taugM hy Mrs. Peake, (free
colored,) who did something at teaching in a
private way, in in spite of the ef
forts of the YigilaMe, Committee to molest
heri She iis a gdod^ea e ber, and has a school,
numbering between (forty and fifty, already
remarkable for order and improvement. She
teaches reading, Spelling, writing and arith
metic. The school' at the Protress is of
about the same dumber, and is taught by
Mrs. Bailey (free colored) who has had less
experience, but will in time make a good
teacher. We need I ,a good teacher to take
charge of a school, near Hampton. There is
a free colored man fit for the post, but he has
to work for his family. These teachers
should he supported by the charities of the
North, for we are’here‘initiating a good
work that will tell upon the -present and fu
ture.
A novel duty has also been thrown upon
my hands.' Slavery has discouraged mar
riage, and encouraged instead the “taking up
with each other,” by mutual consent, that it
might separate the parti.es at pleasure, with
out jarring upon conscientious scruples about
the law of marriage; tod hence a large num
ber of Christian slaves have been living to
gether in concubinage But with increased
light and liberty they are willing and even
anxious to .do. what ,is right and proper. I
. have already solemnized thirty-two marriages;
and expect a number of others; perhaps from
fifty to one. hundred in all. Is not here
enough to make the devotees of the “pecu
liar institution” blush, if they have any sense
of shame?
But it is not enough to attend to the moral
and religious wants, and social condition of
these people, they need substantial charities.
If we do not care for the body, our care for
the soul will seem hypocritical. To explain
the demand for these charities, Twill state
that about three hundred and fifty men are in
the employ of government, and receive ra
tions and expect clothing from that source.
About three hundred and fifty men draw no
rations, being entirely thrown upon their
own resources for support for themselves and
families, where they have them. The rest —
infirm or aged men, women and children—
receive rations from government, but expect
no clothing from that quarter. You see then
what a field there >isii®r~'the‘benevolence of
friends of humanity. Some have had all
their clothing and bedding burnt up in
Hampton, except what they had on. and
could barry with them'in hurried flight; and
here they are crowded together in circum
stances unfavorable to efforts for a livelihood.
Is not a word to the charitable sufficient in
this regard? Are there not many who could
give soiled clothing and bed clothes ? Will
not some friend • see that a depository is
opened in Philadelphia; Those whose sou
briquet is “Friends,” would, ! am sure, like
to act in this matter; and .will not the city of
Brotherly Love be foremost in so good a
work ? ’
There is the more call for this charity, be
cause, hitherto, those in employ of govern
ment have received nothing but rations, and
■some in authority have , told me they are to
get nothing else,but clothing, at present;
though I have been informed that General
Wool favors the,additional payment of money.
If wages were paid, as to the soldiers, they
could do something toward providing cloth
ing and other necessaries for their families..
Why is not the laborer' worthy of his hire?
Some are doing engineering work, for which
$1.50 a day would otherwise have to be paid.
The engineer views; the matter in the right
light; and I hope that wise counsels will ul
timately prevail in those at the head of au
thority.
I have found these people fondly true to
the Union, identifying with it, as they do,
their dearest hopes and interests. But is it
not good policy, not to speak of principle, to
bind them as fast to the Union as possible?
Will they not thus be more proof against se
cession bribes ? And will not the tidings of
their good, treatment, going hack to where
they came from,, cause others to flock over in
increasing, numbers ? They are already coming
almost daily, singly and in companies of half
dozens and dozens; but it is in our power to
greatly swell the tide of exodus from bond
age, that is weakening the foe arid strength
ening us; for those who are now coming, by
their own exertions, generally able-bodied
men.
This is but the beginning of a process that
is to expand into great magnitude in the pro
gress of the war. And who does ■- not covet
a part and lot in the initial work'of mercy?
Contributions, in clothing or bedding, can
be sent to me, care of Captain Burleigh.
The Owner of the Battle-Field of
Bull Bun. —lt is said that George Leary,
of Staten Island, son of the famous hatter of
that name, is the owner of the extensive
tract of land upon which the battle of Bull
Bun was fought.
[FOR THE AMERICAN FRF.SBYTMRTAN.]
HAS THE WAR DONE IT?
I am weary of hearing the low state of re
ligion in our churches laid to the account of
the war. I fear it is an attempt to use a Pro
vidential occurrence, which has no necessary
relation to the matter, as a defence against
the attacks of our own consciences, and the
public, reproach which spiritual .coldness
always expects. ,
In worldly affairs, I have noticed bow bu
siness sihs rally around the pretext of a great
commercial revulsion. While thousands who
are really honest, and generally successful,
are, from causes beyond their control, en
gulphed in train, there are other thousands who
rejoice in the panic as a shield from the dis
grace of repudiation. These last are men
rwbq ;i neyer ~pay,fthfiir .de|itei or who.se
affairs were before an4 with whom
bankruptcy was only a question of time. The
public distress has Ub fair relation tb their
delinqency; but they, of all others, make the
heaviest rush to it for excuse, and send out
the loudest wail over the times:
I am afraid it is becoming so with us, when
we speak of the absence of converting grace
from our and the wicked cold
ness of our churches. It comes into the dis
cussions of the Sessions respecting the spirit
ual state of the Church; I hear it in the
answers which brethren from different parts
of the country return to each other, when
asked respecting the state of religion at home,
and in the reports which pastors tod elders
-bring up for the Presbyterial Narrative;
alias one and the same story, stereotyped,
got by heart—“ The war engrosses the whole
attention of our people; there is little ;spirit
ual interest; there are few or no conversions,
and it seems impossible to make any impres
sion while the public excitement takes this
direction.”
We have bad enough of this. The alleged
cause, if it eould be fairly fastened upon as
a cause, is insufficient. But lam beginning
to doubt whether, in honesty and truth, it
has much of the relation of cause to the sup
posed effect: at least, I am sure it does not
stand out so singly and alone among the occa
sions which have led.to our spiritual coldness,
as to give us any right to make the war a
pack-horse for short-comings, which our con
sciences ought to accept as our own shame.
I would like to know whether at any of the
Autumnal agricultural meetings, any reports
have come up that the farmers have been so
absorbed in the war excitement, that they
have forgotten their seeding, their harvest,
their marketing, or anything that pertains to
the order, beauty, or prosperity of their farms.
I would like to know if any one has heard
(except where the immediate presence of war
has made the thing physically inevitable,) of
whole regions of country where men have for
gotten all that relates to their outward pros- >
perity, losing- all their ambition for material
wealth, and Suffering the fruitful fields to be
come deserts. Whenever I gain any evidence
that the war spirit is so absorbing that it ne
cessarily supersedes the interest of people
in laboring: for the supports of earth, then I
shall feel more charity for the conclusion,
that it is fair to fasten upon it as the reason
why so little anxiety is felt for the harvest of
souls.
.There have, been other seasons of j,ust such
wide-spread spiritual apathy, when there was
no war on hand. Alas, that we must say it!
this is not the first, nor second, nor third
time, within the recollection of us all, when
the Church, with the bands of captivity upon
her neck, has sat down in the dust. And
there is some comfort in saying that this is
far from being the darkest time within our
remembrance. Our sky is not all overcast,
and it is not just toward the Holy Spirit, to
make our. case any worse than it is. The out
ward machineries of the Church were never
working more pleasantly than at this moment.
Congregations are, numerically, fully up‘to
their average; Sabbath School labor is ener
getic; Church extension is going forward;
fellowship is cordial ; and we hear of some
revivals, arid other spasmodic cases of con
version, We have seen it worse in time of
peace.
True, there was*always then some special
cause assigned for spiritual declension —gen-
erally some public cause, outside of the Church,
and for which the Church was riot thought
responsible. At one time a presidential elec
tion was going forward, attended with the.
wildest political excitement ever known in the
Bepublie. At another time, there was great
business Suffering. At still another, the coun
try was: mad with speculation, arid every man
thought , his chance for becoming rich in a
..day had arrived. Spiritual coldness -then, as
now, sought to comport itself with some rea
son apart from the individual wrong of the
delinquent. In other, words, the feeling—
not always outspoken, it'is true, but never
theless nourished as a 'quietus for conscience
—was that Providential events deadened the
spiritual life. In plainer words, fhe respon
sibility, was transferred, from the: Church to
things and movings without, and through
those things and movings, to Cod.; The world
. was. too lively, or too inactive. Times were
too prosperous, or too severe. Wealth was
too accessible, or poverty too imminent. As
it is nowj so it. was then ; and* the alleged
cause, was then just as far from the real cause
as it is now.
I want no better evidence of the shabbiness
of our habit of charging our coldness to the
war, than the, fact that the Spirit of God
seems really at work, where the war is most
felt as a present reality. Faithful chaplains
send up their reports from the camps, of sol
emn meetings, special seriousness, and hope
ful conversions, on the ground where the roll
of the drum, the daily inspections, arid the
constant bringing in of the wounded and the
dead from the skinnishes, keep the mind ever
upon war. Anxious sinners send up from
thence requests to the daily prayer-meetings
or to their friends at home—“ Pray that God
would have mercy on ,mv soul! ”. . From all
information before us, it would appear that,
taking the relative numbers and the material
to be wrought upon. into ,the account, there
is more of God’s great work going on in the
army than at our homes. Let me hear of a
little more of those Divine influences accom
panying the circulation of bibles and religious
reading, the, tent prayer meetings, and the
.labors of colporteurs and chaplains of the
right stripe, among our soldiers, and I shall
■begin to wonder if enlistment is not the best
thing for , a young man, with special refer
ence to the most promising means of grace.
But, without hearing one word more; T am
now only , too well satisfied, from what we
already know of God’s hand in our army, that
it is an unmanly shift to thrust the war for
ward to bear the responsibility of our cold
ness in the cabse of Christ: it is ah evasioij
more shameful than that coldness itself.
Away with this everlasting plea of War, wah!
and let us 'cry from the dust, Lord', 'is it I ? :
the first Presbyterian church of
tEWBCRTPORT. 1
The first Presbyterian Church of Hewbu
ryport was formed as one of the results 6f
Mr. Whitefield’s labors during one of bis
early visits-to this country; and their meet-
a large structure which is
standing, was erected in 1756. He had so
often enjoyed such glorious divine manifesta
tions while preaching, in that house* that se
veral before his *fBf u ot m’
friends that if he should die in that part of
the world he wished to be buried under its
pulpit; His friends in that place remember
ing his request, so agreeable; to their own
feelings, now providentially and strangely
had it in their power to grant it. Hence, al
though the people of Boston, where he had
preached to overflowing audiences, and among
whom he was immensely poptilar, requested
the privilege of having his honored dust rest
with them, it was refused. A vault Was ac
cordingly prepared under the pulpit of this
church, where they laid him. The Rev. Mr.
Parsons, at whose house he died, and who
followed him six years after, and also a sub
sequent pastor of the church, the Rev. Mr.
Prince, who was a blind preacher, when dying
requested to he laid at his side, which was
done, and the three now sleep together in
peace. The Rev. Jesse Lee, who visited the'
tomb when first in this region, in 1790, says
that his flesh, after the lapse of twenty years,
was’then quite firm and hard, and that the
process of putrefaction had then scarcely com
menced. This is now no longer the ease,
however. When the writer visited it, ih
1833, it was quite decayed, and one of the
arm hones had been abstracted by some sac
rilegious relic hunter. It is said that this
relic has since been clandestinely returned.
This venerable church, thus identified with
the history ,of a name so distinguished in ec
clesiastical annals, stands on the corner of
Federal and School streets, and the parson
age from which he took his departure to the
“rest that remaineth for the people of God,”
is also yet standing, and hut a few rods dis
tant. A few years since it was thoroughly
remodeled inside, and the pulpit, together
with the vault beneath, were removed from
the side where they formerly stood,* after the
fashion of the old Hew England meeting
houses, to the end of the church. A beauti
ful marble cenotaph, at an expense of $1,200,
was erected at the right of the pulpit by Wil
liam Bartlett, Esq., a cotemporary of White
field, a wealthy merchant t b| Hewburyport,
andupdn'whicb is inscribed’a suitable epi
taph to the memory of this great and good
man. Mr. Bartlett was one of the earliest
and greatest benefactors of the Andover
Theological School, where one of the profess
orships bears 'his name. Thus this opulent
gentleman,, while liberally honoring,the me
mory. of the illustrious dead of the churches,
has munificently provided for the training of
the coming r generations of her ministry. Two
Methodist’Episcopal churches stand in the
immediate' 1 vicinity, and the Hew England
Conferencei'held its annual session in that
place in 1851. Thus the voices of the two
Oxford friends are yet heard in conjunction.
—Christian Advocate.
AMERICAN BIBLE SOCIETY.
The stated meeting of the Managers was
Held at the Bible House, Astor Place, on
Thursday, the sth instant, at half past three
o-cloek, P. M.; William B. Crosby, Esq., in
the chair, assisted by FraneisdEEall, Esq.
Rev. Dr. M £ Leod read the 72d Psalm, and
offered prayer.
One new auxiliary was recognized, which
is in Indiana.
Communications were received from Rev.
David Trumbull, Valparaiso, acknowledging
the receipt of books granted by'the Board,
and giving an account df their distribution;
from Rev. Thomas Hurlbut, Port Sarnia, 1 C.
W., returning thanks for a grant of Ojibwa
Testaments, with an account of their distri
bution; from Rev. P. E. Ryding, Copenha
gen, returning thanks for.. Danish Bibles and
Testaments,, and,stating, his purpose as to the
mode .of distributing them; from agents.;in
Kentucky, Missouri, California and Oregon,
giving'reports in regard to their labors, and
froth several agents in different States, in
regard to the supply of the army; from Rev.
Pastor Eiseh, Paris, asking Spanish Bibles,
stating the demand for them in Spain, and
the manner_in..which.they,will be. distributed
in that country; from, Rev. S. 8.-Bergne,
Secretary British.and Foreign Bible Society,
asking permission to print* an edition of the
Pentateuch and Epistle to the Hebrews in
Arabic, .from the version of Dr. Eli Smith
and Dr. Van’ Dyck, for circulation in Egypt;
from Rev. Isaac G. Bliss, Constantinople, in
regard to the support of the Bible depository
at Smyrna.
• Grants of books were made: of Bibles and
Testaments .for emigrants to Hayti; to Rev.
R. ,G. Wilder, hftoks for, Kolapoor, India,. —
294 volumes were granted for twenty-four
United States vessels; hooks in various lan
guages for captains of vessels sailing to fo
reign ports; 3,850 volumes to supply soldiers
at encampments; books in Spanish, for dis
tribution in Spain; with several grants of
smaller amount, and four volumes in raised
letters for the blind. Authority was given
to, print a new edition of the Reval-Esthonian
Testament and Psalms, in Russia.
The receipts for August were $17,705.20;
the issues, 78,008. r
Four Arguments for Truth op the
Bible.— l. Miracles; 2. Prophecy; 8. Good
ness of doctrine; 4. Moral character of pen
men. Miracles are from Divinei power..
Prophecy from; Divine understanding. Ex
cellence of doctrine from Divine .goodness.
Character of penmen from Divine purity.
It must he the inventions of good men or
angels, had men or devils. * Good men or
angels could not make a book of lies, and
write, “ Thus saith the Lord,” when it was
their own invention. Bad men or devils
would not make a , book which commands all
uuty, forbids sip, and, condemns ; their souls
to all eternity. .
Tkotble is one of the lessons of life’s school.
GENESEE EYINGELIST.—WhoIe No. 804.
The following wery interesting incident in
of a'Trolunteer chaplain, Rev.
Joseph Cotton, of the Thirteenth Indiana
Western Vir
ginia, 'was, recently narrated to the editor of
the Cincinnati Christian Advocate, by the
chaplain himself::— •
“ After one of the severest battles recently
had there, and while the men of his regiment
were exulting over their victory, a young
man, a private, who had participated in the
fight, came to him, and said that he wished
to talk with him on a subject the most im
portant to him ih the world—that concerning
hisisoul smbiits salvation. ‘ The tears,’ said
brother Cptton, ‘werein his .eyes, and trem
bliog iin I.knew he was in earnest.
:We immediately to- ; » secluded valley
in the woods, and ! prayed with and for him,
and he prayed for himself most agonizingly.’
Shortly afterward, while at prayer in a simi
lar manner, the young soldier was converted
and asked to be baptized by immersion. ‘I
told his captain,” said brother Cotton, “and
he, though a wicked fellow, assented to my
request of having us pass the lines to a con
venient place in a river close at hand, where
the ordinance could he attended to.”
“And may not I and my men go along? ’’
inquired the captain.
“Certainly,” said chaplain Cotton, and at
a short notice they went. The scene was a
most solemn one, and as the baptism was
completed, there was not a dry eye among
all the men of the company. “That man
has courage to go any where or do any thing
that is right,” said a bystander, “and a regi
ment composed of men like him would be like
Havelock’s Highlanders, invincible to all
opposition.”
James Renwick, the Covenanter, and the
last of Scotland’s great cloud of Christian
martyrs, says, in a letter written on the morn
ing of his execution, “Death to me is as a
bed to the weary.” A young women whom
the writer knew, and who was subject to
fainting fits in the latter stages of a fatal
disease, said, in a tone of disappointment as
she opened her eyes after a swoon, and saw
her mother still bending over the bed, “Am
I here yet?” She had hoped when she felt
the fainting coming over her heart, that this
time the Lord would lead her out on the other
side. A young mother, also to the writer
well known, had so completely gained the
victory during her life, that when death was
evidently drawing near, she threw hack, with
a playful smile, the sympathizing expressions
of her friends, saying, “I have the best of
it, —-I have the advantage of you all, in get
ting over first.” In that particular case, the
soul in departing left its joy so distinctly im
printed on the body, that the countenance of
the dead, instead of being repulsive, attract
ed by its angel-like loveliness even a little
child. “Mother,” said an infant of six
years, after gazing on the face of the dead,
still radiant with joy,—“Mother, will there
be room for a little girl in Aunt W ’s
grave?” “Why do you ask, child?” “Be
cause I would like to be laid beside her when.
I die.”
The progress of this distinguished lawyer
General in right views, upon the question of
slavery, will be followed by the country with
deep interest. "We commend his latest pub
lished utterance to the attention, especially,
of such as sympathized with him in his politi
cal principles as a “Breckinridge Demo
crat.”
General Butler addressed the citizens of
Augusta, Me., on the evening of East-Day,
in the open air—the Winthrop Hall, where
the meeting was called, being far too narrow
for the crowd. He spoke freely of. slavery,
characterizing it as the root of the war, hut
believed that a higher power had that great
evil in hand; We cbuld not touch it, hut
must support the Constitution, fight for the
Union; and leave God to work, as He cer
tainly would, whether we are for or against
it. “Meanwhile,” he said, “I will.mention,
a fact —more than coincidence.” He went
on to say, that the spot where, under the
force of circumstances, he was obliged to de
cide the fate of several slaves, and pro
nounced. them “contraband,” was the same
sppt where the first slave was sold in Ameri
ca, adding: “Who shall deny, hut that in
God’s providence, where the evil began in the
little, the eradication may home begun in the
little" He concluded this part of his re
marks by saying: “If this war shall abolish
slavery, let them beware who sowed the
wind,, lest, they reap the whirlwind.”
“Give me a Motive.”— “Give me a
motive,” said a young and enthusiastic girl
to a minister of Christ, “and I can do
anything;” Here is the true secret of suc
cess in all enterprises. Motive power has
con quered the world. It is the motive
which inspires the heart .with courage; which
infuses the will with energy; which nerves
the hand to action, The motive which each
sets before him when he goes forth upon the
jdurney. of life, usually decides his future
course. The miser heaping up his shining
piles; the pains-taking student who sees honor
and fame inthe distant future with shadowy
fingers beckoning him on, these have both a
motive. So a coqueror marching through a
crimson tide ,to reach the laurel crown of
martial glory, has a motive. Selfish, no
doubt! But most.of the world’s toilers have
tHe taint of selfishness upon their motives.
American Mechanics wanted in Liver
pool.—A singular ahd unprecedented occur
rence, so far at least as regards Liverpool,
has now taken place in the building trades of
this town. The European Times contains an
advertisement, offering employment to brick
layers, house carpenters, and plasterers, who
may leave the Western continent for this
place. Some of the New York journals will
also publish the same announcement, which
contains the scale of wages offered.
. Back your thoughts closely together, and
though your article may be brief, it will have
more weight, and will he more likely to make
an impression.
BAPTISM OF A SOLDIER IN WESTERN
VIRGINIA.
DEATH MADE SWEET.
GENERAL BUTLER ON EMANCIPATION.