fiMfcgtMia# —AMD— GENESEE EVANGELIST, THURSDAY, OCTOBER 31,1861 JOHN W. HEARS, With the present Number, we send out a large number of bills to subscribers in Pennsyl vania, and west and north of it, except in the State of New York. We rely upon returns to these bills for means to carry on our paper; and as we are now doing a strictly cash business with printers, paper-makers, &c., we wish to do the same with our subscribers. THE EVANGELICAL ALLIANCE. We have already laid before our readers such an abstract of the lengthened and varied pro ceedings of the late meeting of this body in Geneva, as our space would allow. But we fear that in so doing, we very mueh come short of doing justice to the occasion. Upon rising from the perusal of the detailed account of the pro ceedings, filling over twenty closely printed pages of the News of the Churches, (and that an abbreviated and confessedly imperfect account), we feel that it was a convention worthy, so far as anything human can be, of the kingdom of Christ on earth in its present stage of progress. Earnest, elevated, comprehensive minds engaged in the discussion of the whole series of topics now commanding the attention, or deserving the regard of the Christian world. Protestant Ger many, Italy, Switzerland, and France, were re presented by some of the brightest of their living luminaries, including sneh names as Cor ner, Krummaeher, Tholuck, Herzog, Mazzarella, Geymonat f Revel, D'Aubigne, Malan, Gaussen, Fiseh, St. Hilaire, De Presaense, Grandpierre, Monod; while Sir Culling Eardley, Rev. Wm. Arthur, Baptist Noel, and Prof. Gibson worthily represented the British Islands; M. Tan de Velde, Holland; and Dr. Baird, perfectly at home among Evangelical Christians of all na tions Of Europe, was welcomed as the ambassador of the churches of Christ in onr own land. Rev Dr. Squler, too, of our own branch of the Church, rendered good service in setting our national difficulties in a proper light before tbe convention. Lot us imagine ourselves spending ten conse cutive days in the society of these and other like minds; meeting beneath the dome; that,'three centuries ago, reverberated with the voice pf the preacher Calvin, under the very shadow of his pulpit; with just enough of opposition on the part of the unevangelical In the community, to vivify the thronging reminiscences of perse cution in centuries past, which the place sug gested; listen to essay after essay discussing the great topios in which all Christendom is con cerned, with breadth of view, with floods of light poured forth, with rieh treasures of learn ing, of experience, and of observation; think that here, by no artificial bonds, but by a spon taneous union, the oneness of Protestant Christ endom is represented, its sympathies drawn toge ther in one electric centre, its Ecumenical Coun cil held, with hymns, and prayers, and praises, in all civilized tongues; and we begin to gain some idea of this great convocation. Call it not a beautiful abstraction; it has lived lopg enough and has proved itself tbe focal point of sufficient sanctified intellect, and sufficient interest on tbe part of crowned and uncrowned heads, and civi lized communities, to claim a place among the established agencies of the Evangelical Church; the best and brightest exemplification of Pro testant unity that the world can exhibit. Amid all, however, we must confess disap pointment at the small plaqe which the Great Awakening of ’57, ’6B, seemed to occupy in the discussions. Since the Convocation of's7, no event in the bounds of Protestant Christendom has been nearly so significant, or so hopeful. Yet it was left for discussion to the afternoon of the last day of the Session. This we regard as a great error, as calculated to make a false im pression as to the estimate placed by the Evan gelical Church on the Revival, and will so far have a harmful tendency. Had there been a fuller representation from America, or the north of Ireland, tbe case, we tbiuk, would have been otherwise. It is easy to see where the sympathies of all Evangelical Christians are, in our own troubles. The resolutions of sympathy passed by acclama tion, by this great body, are with the brethren of the “ United States of America;” they can see but one cause of the war-^-slavery; which they wish the Lord to prepare us wisely to suppress; and they join cordially in our Fast of the 26th ult. This is the handwriting on the wall for the Southern Church of our country. Identified by its own act with a political movement which re cognizes slavery as the chief corner-stone, it be holds the Council of the whole of Protestant Christendom pronouncing a virtual ban of exclu sion against it. That Council,| comprising the very flower of God’s elect upon earth, calmly, prayerfully, and with loud acclaim, calls for the suppression of that institution, which they are urging their people to maintain by all the coßts and hazards'"of internecine war. can doubt that in the decision of the Alliance is contained the verdict which impartial history shall place unalterably upon record ?' OUR LEADER. It is a delightful and encouraging thought that Christ does not call the Christian to any self-denial which he ‘has not shown himself ready to endure or to exceed. Herein he proves himself exactly suited to be our leader. The holy war is like other wars. The soldiers can best be brought to face danger when under the lead of one whom they know to be quite ready to share it with them. They execute orders with less alacrity when the officer is suspected of unwillingness to take a part, and to set the ex ample in the work he requires of them. For getfulness of. self and unreserved devotodness to the osusHn the officers, infuses like noble senti montt in the men. True leaders were those gal lant men yjhose loss the- bereaved nation so bit terly deplores,—Lyon and Baker. No prouder epitaph can.be written of them, or of any offi cer, than: They fell at the head of their column. Mindless .of themselves, they were setting their men the example in what they desired them to do. So we .way say of Christ. '“Our glorious Leader claims the praise For ms own pattern given.” He calls us to bear onr cross; but the com- mand is: Come, follow me, in so doing. Come, share with me a load of which I am bear ing a principal part. Come lay hold of the end of the cross, the weighty portion of which is on my shoulders. I call you to a cross, but it is one of whioh I know far more than you ever shall. In this world you shall have tribulation, but was there ever sorrow like unto ray sorrow ? I lead you a rough and thorny road, but is it as steep and painful as was my ascent to Calvary ? Oh, the burdens, the pains, the mysterious ago nies of that hour on the cross, when redemption was consummated. Did tortured martyr ever endure so great a pang? Need any Christian complain, or grow weary, under the self-denials of a service under Him, who resigned the su preme glories of heaven, and became a man, for his salvation ? Away with such unworthy thoughts of our vocation. Let us follow our leader who summons us onward, and goes before. Let ns look unto Jesus, the author and finisher of onr faith, who for the joy that was set before him, endured the cross, despising the shame, and is set down at the right hand of the throne of God. For that sublime seat he toiled and suf fered, that we might be encouraged in toil and suffering for our reward. He became perfect, as the Captain of our salvation, through suffering. Onward then, fellow Christian, through perils and trials, through the toils and ambush of the enemy, in the track of our leader, to victory, to the joys and glories of the saints above. Editor. “They marked the footsteps that he trod, His zeal inspired their breast; And, Mowing their incarnate God, Possess the promised rest.” FUNERAL OP OOL. BAKER. The man of God who is called upon to inter pret the meaning of Providence in a calamity so great and so bitter to the nation as was the fall of Colonel Baker and the destruction of his com mand, and who is expected to relieve the dark ness of the disaster and wreathe it with words of consolation and of hope, has no ordinary task placed before him. Such was the duty of our friend and brother, Rev. Dr. Sunderland, Chap lain of the U. S. Senate, when the body of the late senator, patriot, Christian, and martyr to the cause of order and true liberty was brought into the National Capital for burial, on Thursday of last week. We give below tbe greater portion of his remarks, as reported in the Philadelphia Inquirer , not knowing whether they received his corrections or np. They are appropriate and weH-time'cl; they fully arise to the sorrowful grandeur of the occasion; they guage and guide the feelings of the nation; with mainly candour they lay open the lessons of policy which such disasters are teaching us; and they point out the bow of promise yet hanging on the cloud. Col. Baker is believed to have died a Christian. WQuid to God we could indulge the same hope of the scores of brave fellows who fell on the same field of slaughter! rev. dr. sunderi.and’s address. Our people are divided into two hosts, insur gents and loyalists. We the loyalists did not seek this war, tor we knew what it would cost. They the insurgents forced it upon ns. We had to accept it or stand supinely by and see the Go vernment of our fathers destroyed, and see free dom throttled by despotism. We are fighting for freedom—the. insurgents are fighting in mad ness and hatred for the recognition of human bondage as tbe chief corner-stone of civilization. That is their position in the world to-day. They may call it by what name they will, that is their principle when stripped of all disguise. Can such an enormity finally succeed ? Not if there is a God in heaven who governs the nations upon earth. Not till the distinctions of right and wrong have been wholly blotted from the face of the universe, and God’s divine law graven on the soul of man has been entirely obliterated. Were the whole army and all the munitions of the Go vernment to be consumed to-day—nay, were this generation to be wasted in this conflict, another would immediately rise from its ashes to continue the contest. When Christ says, “ Think not that I am come to send peace on earth, but a sword, and a man’s foes shall be they of his own house hold,” He forewarns us of the struggle between liberty and oppression, between light and dark ness. When Christianity reigns, light and liberty prevail; when Christianity wanes, or is lost in any country, there will be darkness and despo tism. In the South, it does really begin to seem that the light of a pure Christianity is beginning to wane. The whole nation has been involved in its guilt, and therefore the whole nation suffers in its punishment. It is said that the judgments of God are poured upon us for our sins. I acknowledge it. I be lieve it to be fearfully true. But I do not con fess that the punishment of this people, for our transgressions is the only, or even the chief ob ject of the divine purpose in this war. I believe the object is to purify the nation, and to give the death-blow to American Slavery on the Ameri can continent. I believe tbe object is to set more firmly and broadly than ever in this land the everlasting principles of truth and justice— of righteousness and peace—of law and order— of freedom and religion. And as God taught our fathers, in the trials of the. revolution, the value and the cost of good government, so He is now teaching us and our children the same lesson on a grander scale, and upon a higher platform. He is teaching us this lesson in the storms and convulsions of our political heavens. He is writing it for us in our blood. He is spell ing it out letter by letter in our falling stars, j Tbe value and cost of good government, oh! what blood and treasure are demanded to pre-; serve it to the generations. What noble and dear lives must be sacrificed; and yet there is nothing more noble or more sacred, than to die in a just cause for one’s country. To die bravely is far better than to live ignobly. Death is not half. so dreadful to a generous and dauntless spirit as a life of dishonor and degradation. Let us imbue ourselves with this spirit, and may God, the Giver of all good, baptize the mind of the whole nation into the sentiment which has borne martyrs and heroes through fire and flood for the cause of humanity and truth. For once, I say, let us all he willing to die rather than abandon the principle on which we have accepied this war. We cannot draw back; the souls of our fallen heroes would cry out to us from the invi sible air in indignant protest against it, and human nature on the whole face of the earth would mourn over our pusillanimity. We, the loyalists, have met with many sad re verses since the war began. We have lost many of our most heroic and noble spirits. . They are our stars that have faded from the firmament, but they arc not lost nor dead to us. 'Their record gimme*™ ffusifogtm™ anfl (&txu#u #»angeHisit. and example remain, and their mantles will fall on others who succeed them, to bear aloft the standard of our holy cause. We have needed these reverses to steady and to discipline us. But I do not see in them any foreboding of our ulti mate defeat. On the contrary, I see that by them we are preparing for ultimate victory. It re quires the pressure of great calamities to fit thirty millions of people for genuine-success in a cause like that in which we are engaged. This was over the way of Divine Providence. In the early times, the chosen people of Jehovah were again and again repulsed, when they went forth to battle with their enemies, and yet God’s cove nant was with them always to give them the final victory. But whenever they were defeated , it was found that they were not prepared in a moral sense to engage in the contest. Their defeat al ways had the effect to supply this want, and then when they went forwdrd, nothing could stand be fore them . Let us remember in this direful struggle that the covenant of God for truth and righteousness, for civil and religious freedom to all men is with us, and that it will not, it cannot ultimately fail. Whatever temporary reverses may sadden our hearts and depress our spirits, let ns remember that it is from the experience of suffering that all great things are bom! God knows how deeply and how unfeignedly we have wept and do weep over the fall of our soldiers in this fearful battle with rebellion. We knew too, beforehand, that our hearts would come to this. We knew that it must.be so when the war was forced upon us. We knew that every now and then there must be scenes like that which we witness here to-day. We knew that there must he hours devoted to the fond weakness of human nature, when our souls must blend together in the holiest sympathies of ho nored friendship. How can we speak of Mm so lately in the ripeness of life, how lying in the shrouded si lence of a dreamless slumber—Colonel Edward D. Baker! the fond son, brother, husband, father, friend—faithful and gentle, gallant and brave, the successful lawyer, the eloquent orator, the distinguished Senator, the pure patriot, the dauntless soldier, who has now sealed in his death that devotion to his country, which, with the words that burn with the fervid eloquence of his tongue he professed so often in the forums of the people. His chronicle is already in the archives of the nation, and his memory and his form are/treasured in their heart. How bravely he fell, at the head of his colhinn —in the face of his own son—in the sight of his own men, who loved him as a father! borne down by numbers,* and pierced through and through—head, heart and vital members—by rebel balls, is a sad story, that has already flown on the wings of the wind, to fill the national heart with a bitter sorrow. And yetr—and yet, my countrymen, let us not despond. God’s hand is .in this dark dispensa tion, and this death will plead throughout the land for the noble and just cause for which he gave his life. Oh, as we look upon that bloody corpse, and those rent garments, we feel that he and they will plead for us before God and this people in terms more powerful than any speech of man. He will he in his fall more powerful to move the soul of the uation to more determined pur pose, and to greater energy in the struggle, than when, the lation of dead Csesar’s wounds! We shall meed no Marc Antony to speak for him, to hold up his gory vestments in the sight of Americans, and say in the spirit of the immortal language of the English dramatist:— “ You all do know this mantle. I remember The first time Caesar ever put it on. ’Twas on a summer’s evening in his tent; That day he overcame the Nervii. Lookl in this place ran Cassius’ dagger through, See what a rent the envious Casca made! Through this, the well-beloved Brutus stabbed; And as he plucked the cursed steel away, ' Mark how the blood of Csesar followed it! “ And were I Bratus, and Brutus Antony, there were an Antony would ruffle up your spirits, and put a tongue in every wound of Csesar that should move the stones of Rome to rise.” No! no! no! we need nothing hut that divine arid solemn Providence which is to-day afflicting the American people, and that gracious Spirit of God, which we trust is chastening and sanctify ing them for their work, to raise them fully to the stupendous task which lies before them. We shall bury our hero, to-day, in sadness, but not as those who have been dishonored or disgraced in him—nor yet as those who cannot hope for his future happiness, because he was a full believer, and once a preacher, of the faith of that divine itevelation which shows ns the way to heaven. For the comfort, therefore, of these most deeply afflicted relatives, that scattered and smit ten family, and a mourning army and nation, let ns remember that though he has fallen, he has fallen as a Christian hero, patriot, statesman, and soldier; fallen in the face of the rebel foe; fallen for our noble cause—and, therefore, that no inan can die a death more honorable. Let us remem ber this, and then turn to onr stern great duties. The voice of the Almighty summons ns to bear this struggle, and to fight if out in the interests of the future millions on this continent, and of all mankind! May the strength of heaven rest upon us in this conflict! [During the delivery of the sermont here was at times hardly a dry eye in the house. Many an old soldier, who had stood at the cannon’s mouth without flinching, copiously shed tears at the recital of the many virtues of the deceased.] VISITATION OF CHURCHES IN WILMING TON PRESBYTERY, This work, which was contemplrted, and in fact arranged for, at the September meeting of this body, has commenced. Rev. George S. Wis well and Rev. Francis Hendricks, with Elders from the Wilmington and Odessa churches, are announced in the Peninsular News, of last week, as expecting to hold services in the church at Milford, on Wednesday, the 30th inst., by ap pointment of Presbytery. This is an excellent movement, and one in which the Divine blessing may be looked for. We should not be surprised to see the churches of this Presbytery leading the way in a precious revival of God’s word in our Synod, during the present season. May we all be in a spirit ofhumble, prayerful expectancy. It is expected that Rev. Win. W. Taylor, will be installed pastor of the Olivet Church, corner of Twenty-second and Mount Vernon streets, on Sabbath afternoon next, at 3* o’clock. OOEHEE-STOEB LAIJ) DJ TEOtIBLOIJS TIMES. The corner-stone of the B,eeseville Presbyte rian Church -was laid with appropriate ceremo nies, on Tuesday afternoon, Oct. 22. The site upon whiclf tMs edifieefia to' be eredted is a very beautiful one, being the summit of a bill lying about two hundred yards south of the Central Pennsylvania Bailroad,'qiid near the Eeeseville station, seventeen mite from the city. The circumstances fading to the building of this house of worship jure simply these. In the latter part of Jhnej tex tile Rev. John M‘Leod, District Secretary I of* the American Board, re moved with his fsjmily to this place. Immedi ately a request was made by one of the farmers of the neighborhood, that he should conduct di divine worship on the Sabbath in his house, the farmer promising tjo give notice and invite the neighbors. The S rbbath evening came, and the house was crowded. These meetings were con tinued whenever ’Jr. M/s engagements would ig a Sabbath at home. Soon speak of the desirableness of rorship for the little village, ing-house within the distance laudable desire in the people allow of his spendi the people began t having a house of there being no mee of 1J miles. Thii was encouraged br ;Mr. M'Leod. About the middle of Septemb :r a meeting was held, to take the matter of built itig a "church into considera tion. It was resolved to set, about the work im mediately, and a board offtrusteos were appointed to take charge 1 of fund s^snd. arrange for the erec tion. The landmeeded for the building was pre sented by William Clark, Esq-, of the Pine St. Church. The peop eof the neighborhood, of all denominations, entered heartily into the work. Some pledged money; others pledged the labor .of their hands as mjasons, carpenters, laborers, and many farmers tlijeir teams to draw the stone from the Quarry. Enough was thus offered to authorize the trustees to go forward. On the 28th of September, tie ground was broken for the foundation, and, at has been stated, on Tues day afternoon, the services of laying the corner stone took place. 1 The day was overeat and threatened rain, hut in spite of this, about |fty gentlemen and ladies from the city, and a gcpdly attendance from the surrounding country ware present, to give their sympathy to the new enterprise. On the plat form we noticed Rev. Mesqtf- Barnes, Brainerd, Patton, Adams, Dulles, Davis, Pierce, and Hotehkin. j/-*K :j';. After singing, reading the*Scriptures by Rev. Mr. Dunlap, of the Baptist Church, and prayer by Rev. E. E. Adams, Mr. made a statement of facts leading to the ereition of the edifice. After which, he proceeded to the laying of the stone, which consisted of a long block of marble so placed as to enter and to tie together the Iwo walls at the corner, thuslforming a corner-stone not merely in name but to reality. In the box deposited were the Bible. Minutes of the last General Assembly, Presbyterian Almanac, the American Presbyterian, recent East Sermons, Motley’s Causes of the present Rebellion, the Philadelphia and New-York papers, the Ameri can Flag, &c. &c. As-the sttoe was put in the wall, Mr. M'Leod said: “Asia -symbol of the spirit and design of this edificei we lay this stone in the name of the Father, an<j of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost; and drir pWyer this day is, that all who may meet withinahese walls may the foundation of apostles and prophets, Jes 4 Christ himself being the chief corner-stone.” ! He was followed in some appWmte remarks by Messrs. Barnes, Brainerd, - &,d Hotehkin. Rev. Mr. Barnes spoke in his nsuk thoughtful and instructive manner off the ijjps house of worship." Dr: Brainefed expressed sa tisfaction in learning from the pastor’s staUjnents that not only Presbyterians, but Christians of different denominations, were uniting in aiding this enterprise, and stated that itjvas appropriate-, for the grand truths of the gospel in which we are united, should not allow of alienation among Christians, because of minor forms and ceremo nies in which they may differ. He also compli mented the ladies for the hospitab e reception they had given to the company there ssembled. Rev. B. B. Hotehkin tendered the warm sym pathy of himself and his eongjri gation towards those engaged in this qnterpri*l and Rev. Jas. M. Davis pronounced the benes&tion. The edifice, is to by : 58vfeet, built of stone quarried from the viciniiyp a Gothic style; it will be built without debt; fi r if the funds give out the work will be suspenc id, though this is not likely to be the' ease; as 0: ly fifteen hun dred dollars in cash will be reqh \ to work and materials to be donapd We congratulate the people o the auspicious commencement of Reeseville on |his good work:, active and effi g them. They have our cordial wishes for their|uccess. and on the presence of such an cient laborer as Mr. M'Leod amo A CARD. Foreign Missioj To the Churches within th< Philadelphia District of the d those of the Third Presbytery the Fourth Presbytery of I Presbytery of Harrisburg; Wilmington; the Presbytery Columbia; the Presbytery < Presbytery of Meadeville; Dear Brethren and Board :—Having secured to a the co-operation of the pas tori trict in presenting annually tl sions to their churches, and ha\ aid of committees to attend to the funds in many of the congl proposed to the Board to retire field,. and to take charge of asml still giving such superintendence the Board, in the way of corresp visiting of ecclesiastical bodies may yet require. To this plan cordially acceded. By the propoi expenses of the district will be ij one-third the usual amount. |, r As we are thus entering upd so long desired and 'demand* with, the (once needed) machisi conducting the great enterpr: c may we not look with edniider e and elder, and Sunday school u see that, in the absence of u cause shall not be neglected, ir hand, carried on more vigoi i creased contributions shall dc needed funds can now be secur without the coat of an- exp agency. To facilitate the carrying out of this measure, the Synod of Pennsylvania, at its late meeting, appointed a Committee of Foreign Missions, con sisting of one member from each Presbytery, whose duty it will be to see that the cause is an nually brought before all the churches—small as well as large—within the bounds of the Synod, and a contribution taken. It is very desirable tbat, in addition to the Committee in the Pres bytery, there should also he a Committe in each church, consisting of one or more, to be appoint ed by the Session, who will attend to the inte rests .of the cause in the particular congregation, and see that each member is called upon at least one a year for aid in this common work of our Christianity. What we need is system and thoroughness in taking up our contributions, and we shall be sure to obtain the required funds. Many do not give simply because they are not properly called upon. Let this be done, and it will not be again reported to our General Assembly that more than eight hundred churches within our bounds did nothing at all the last year for this cause. The Synodical Committee is as follows:—The Third Presbytery, Philadelphia, Rev. Frank L. Robbins; the Fourth Presbytery of Philadel phia, Rev. John McLeod; the Harrisburg Pres bytery, Rev. Thos. H. Robinson; the Wilming ton Presbytery, Rev. H. J. Gaylord; the Pres bytery of District of Columbia, Rev. H. Dun "ing- ■ , - . .. Contributions to tlie Board may be sent, as heretofore, to James M. Gordon, Esq., Treasurer, Missionary House, Boston; to ,Samnel Work, Esq., the Treasurer of this District, No. 36 S. Third street, Philadelphia, or to the District Secretary, No. 1334 Chestnut street. John McLeod, Presbyterian House, Philadelphia, Oct. 29,1861. The Synod of Peoria met at Chicago, in the Second Presbyterian Church, on Thursday even ing, October 10th, 1861, and was opened with a sermon from the Moderator, Rev. J. Ambrose Wight, Matt- 6 :10. Thy will be done on, earth as it is in heaven. Rev. Newton Barrett, of Mendota, was elected Moderator, and L. P. Crawford, Temporary Clerk; J. A. Wight being Permanent Clerk.' The Synod numbers a complete roll of one hundred and seventy or more members, clerical and lay. Of these there were present at this meeting, sixty in all. Corresponding members swelled the whole attendance to about eighty. Oar Synod is a large one, as to territory, com prising one-half the State of Illinois; a tract 250 by 200 miles. Our ministers are poor, and the churches largely feeble; and poor churches and poor ministers together, conspire to produce want of enterprise and inefficiency. Poverty is a sad eviljto churches, as to people not in churches. Agar’s prayer is good for all time: “ Deliver me from poverty," &c. Besides, our railroads are not generous to. our local ecclesiastical bodies, with very few excep tions. While they will carry, at half fare, to political, agricultural, and military gatherings, and to almost anything else, they are very stiff toward a Presbyterian meeting. These things together, and possibly some others, reduce pur Synodical meetings to a sixth of the numbers who ought to be present. The principal subjects before the Synod were those which are now becoming usual: our Home Missions, Ministerial Education, and Publica tions. The confessedly great cause now on our hands, is the first of these; and though no re presentative from abroad spoke in its behalf, the Synod gave it very emphatic consideration, and enjoined on all its churches and ministers, to be active in its support. It was recommended that we move early in aid of its Treasury. This Synod has need of considerable funds for its own \@ak churches, hut gives, or has given, about as muxjh as it receives. It ought to give more. Rev, T. A. Mills represented Ministerial Edu cation, and made one of his forcible addresses in its behalf.: He was sustained in other addresses, and in suitable resolutions. Publication was sustained by Rev. J. W. Dul les, whose address was very happy, and made a decided impression. Still our Synod, as a whole, has done, but little-for. this cause*, though it has been resolved upon, and addressed about, for some years. It is hoped that it will get a strong er grasp on the pocket of the churches than heretofore. Rev. P. Powers made an address concerning Foreign Missions; and Rev. Yates Hickey said the obsequies of the Presbyterian Recorder, late ly published here, and now married—it is said to the Centred, Herald, at Cincinnati. It is not the first oase of a marriage and a funeral at once. So far as we at Chicago are concerned, the old epitaph fits precisely “And now, I am so quickly done for, I wonder what, I was begun for. ” •ed in addition But the “ Central Herald and Presbyterian Recorder” is a good paper, and my hope is, it will live a thousand years. The Synod has lost two of its most zealous and active members, during the year: Rev. W. H. Spencer, and G. W. Gale, D. I). One ruling el der was also reported deceased. A feeling minute was adopted in regard to them. lounds of the m mean Board ; if Philadelphia; gladelphia; the of the District of i ’Pittsburg ; the 3 Presbytery of Resolutions, strong and good, in sympathy with the Government, and condemnatory of the cause of the war, were unanimously adopted. But a resolution to send them to the President was voted down; it being understood that he would hardly get them, if sent; and possibly would think, if he did get them, that there were plenty of resolutions already. Measures were taken to print the minutes of the Synod, and to revise the church manual in use among ns. . [ENDS OV THE large an extent rithin this dis eause of mis ig obtained the le collection of jgations, I have I part from the [ congregation, lo the wort of idenee and the I its interests Messrs. Peter Page, Yates Hickey, and Rev. W. S. Huggins, of Kalamozoo, Michigan, were confirmed as trustees of Lind University. Permanent committees on Education, Publi cation, and Home Missions, were appointed as usual. Their chairmen are as follows: of Home Missions, Rev. Z. M. Humphrey; Publication, Rev. G. L. Little; of Education, Rev. J. A. Wight. Rockford was made the place of meeting for next year, and a committee chosen to secure, if possible, more of a devotional spirit in the meet ing- e Board have a change, the need to about Hie experiment ibf dispensing of agencies in bf the church, b every pastor, srintendent, to secretary, the The members of the Synod preached in seve ral of the city churches, with acceptance. The South' was demolished in at least one of them, so utterly, that if it do not 1 stay used up, it will be a new proof that it is not-to he destroyed, but is past feeling. Yours, W. at, ou the other i|ly, so that m onstrate that all in our churches isive collecting [*FOR THE AMERICAN PRESBYTERIAN.] SHOD OF PEOBIA. PEOM THE SEAT OF WAR IH THE WEST. NUMBER SIXTH. Warsaw, Benton Comity, Mo., \ October 17, 1861. i The comparatively happy thousands -who re the American Presbyterian in their peaceful and smiling homes can have but a faint idea of the wretchedness and woes which I see here in the heart of secessia, as I follow on the war-trail behind the great Pathfinder. Let me see: X wrote you from Jefferson City, Bth inst. Since then we have advanced about one hundred and twenty-five miles to the southwest, into the very recesses of the enemy’s country, with a great army before and behind us. But for military details readers will look to the secular press and the telegraph. Missouri has reaped as she has sown. Neglect of education, family pride, lawlessness, oppres sion, and crime have at last resulted in anarchy and war. An incident related to me in the capi tal of the-State is to the point. A few years ago, a Congressman, whose daughters had been at the most fashionable schools of' the East, was can vassing the field fot popular favor. He well knew that “whiskey” and “ignorance” were the great staples he had to deal with, and he plied both. “ Down with schools and school taxes,” he said. He was elected triumphantly; and as we 'travelled on through the dreary waste of ig norance, which constituted his district,' from Jefferson City to this out-post, we have not seen a single school house! This land has had two years of drought, and now one year of that which is worse than mildew or caterpillar. Besides the excessive rains, the torrent of war has been poured out again and again the last six months. Most of the men are in the “secesh” army; the women they have fearlessly left to the tender mercies of the “ ra vishers” and “cut-throats” of the “Northern Army,” of whom they talk so much. As this county seat has been peculiarly guilty of late and in times past, and we have some sick, who need careful attention, General Fremont has to-day quartered his staff in vacant houses of secessionists, and in apartments of those families whose male members have gone to the Southern Army. The hypocrisy and hol low-heartedness of this action of the rebels are deplorable. Savages never trust their women to the hands of their enemies. And if the wretches believed what they pretend to, they would never act as they do. Some portions of the “ rolling prairie” through which we have marehed the past seventy-five miles are beautiful. Farmers of wealth have set tled in some parts of the plains; cattle have fed on them; fences have marked boundaries between them. Now all is desolate; the hay has been left in the field; the corn is not har vested ; fences are used for fuel by the soldiers; the men are gone from home. Sometimes we have been obliged to require the inhabitants to furnish teams for transporta tion—or to “ press” them, as it is called. The Government pays liberally for such services done by Union men, and makes good all losses. Fre quently, however, eases of hardship are alleged. But always, so far as I can learn, by families of those whose. “ fathers and brothers” are with the rebels. Often oaths and refined malice, and even impudence, have been used by females to ' the General-commanding himself. The exhibi tion of character in Southern women, as seen in this war, is a matter of amazement! The “ mo thers” and “ sisters” of traitors are quite worthy of their affinities! The “October rains” are on us now, and are quite trying to the troops here. Heavy falls of water occur every few days in this month, while the next month is usually pleasant. Heavy roads, and considerable, though not fatal, illness, abound. The “preachers” in all this portion of the land have generally taken commands in the rebel army ! The pastor of the Presbyterian (O. S.) Church here is the only exception I have known this side of St. Louis, besides the Romish priest in Jefferson City. The main bodies of both armies are now within one day’s march of each other—both moving— each some fifty thousand strong. The one fights for truth, justice, merey, liberty, and right, and uses trained hosts; the other wars for an oli garchy of slave-holders for whim and mad ambi tion, overleaping itself, and uses an armed rab ble. “He that sitteth in the heavens shall laugh; the Lord shall have them in derision.”, A decisive action may take place in a few days. Ido not, however, think so. The enemy will not fight us, if he can avoid it, is my pre diction. And he cannot avoid it long, if he holds together. A word as to the future—not of our cam paign, but of our country. This war is in God’s hands to be made a great school for our people; to teach them what neither commercial prosperi ty, nor art, nor learning, could do; lessons of simply piety, modesty, and faith in God “ Out of the heart are the issues of life;” and the heart and life of this nation are to-day at issue. * * Synod of Miohig^.— This Body met in Hillsdale, Oct. 10. As a novelty in its proceed ings, we notice an official interchange of courte sies, by delegates, to and from the conferences of the Methodists of the M. E. Church, in Michi gan. Dr.: Duffield reported as delegate to the Detroit Conference, and Rev. W. C. Comfort pre sented the greetings of the Michigan Conference. Prom the statistical reports, it appeared that of the 160 churches in the Synod, only 21 have set tled pastors. Some of these are probably minis tering to more than one church. The Presbytery of Monroe has carried on its Home Mission work with success, and has set a noble example for other, Presbyteries in efficiency and liberality. Rev. George Duffield, Jr., was appointed to preach at the next meeting; on the “ Relations of Christians to their Property.” The Synod’s Committee on Education was “empowered to ; Unite their operations” with those of the Assem / bly’s Committee at such period as they shall deem most beneficial to the interests of the cause. Mean while, the Presbyteries were .assessed for the sup port of a number of students under the care of the Synod. A, committee was appointed to con sider the propriety of dividing the Body into two Synods. Loyal resolutions were adopted, from which we take the following:—“ The question of slavery, which has always outstretched the reach of human wisdom, is in the grasp of Providence, and will, as wo believe, soon be settled to the satis faction of Him who is no respecter of persons, and to whom the oppressed never cry in vain.” Rev. C. S. Armstrong, of liansing, to whom we are indebted for the above report, adds, in a note: —“ Our Synod was not as largely attended as some former ones, but in lively interest and deep religious impression, equal to any meeting of the body which I have ever attended, and, per haps, more efficient than formerly, as touching those jnteregta jhat most deeply concern us an a Church. Our Synod is growing into homoge nity with our Church, adopting, with earnest ness, our general church movements, working more efficiently and heartily under the prospect of a healthy denominational organization than we could upon one old co-operative basis. Ereiy Presbytery feels embarrassed by the condition of our domestic missionary work, but all are loyal and try to he hopeful.” Synod op Geneva;— The Synod of Geneva met, pursuant to adjournment, at Geneva N Y Oct. 22d, at 2 o’clock, p. m. Rev. D. 1). Gregory was ehosen Moderator, and Bev. F. g. Horne and Rev. G. R. H. Shumway were chosen Temporary Clerks. * The usual routine of Synodical business re ceived due attention, with nothing, however of special interest in that respect; the judicial com mittee and the committee on bills and overtures having had nothing placed in their hands to pre sent for the consideration of Synod. V The narrative on the itate within the bounds of the Synod, presented) on the whole a favorable aspect. ’ Stirring and patriotic resolutions on the state of the country were heartily adopted. The deep and earnest feeling of the brethren on this sub ject was plainly manifest. The stated clerk was directed to have published the narrative, and the resolutions, in the Evangelist, the American Pres byterian, and the AT. Y. Observer. The Synodieal morning prayer meeting was possessed of much interest and profit. The opening sermon was preached by lev. Wm. N. M‘Harg, from 2 Cor. vi. 16. “And who is sufficient for these things ?” It was a com pact and logical discourse, setting forth as among the main causes of insufficient results in the mi nistry these, the conscious imperfections of the ministry itself; the imperfections of the member ship of the Christian Church; and the imperfec tions of that human nature which it is sought, through t£e preaching of the Gospel, to reform and bless: *" The sacramental sermon was preached by Rev. Geo. C. Curtis, from Gal. v. 6. “For in Jesus Christ neither circumcision availeth anything nor uncircumeision but faith which worketh by love.” The theme was, essentially, Christian activity based upon Christian faith. The ana logy the idea was shown in the fact, that some kind of faith is the spring to all activity among men; the reasonableness of the idea was set forth by an analysis of the nature, aims, and as pirations of the Christian faith; and the reality of the idea was made' evident by reference to the history of the Church of Christ. The sermon was listened to with attentive interest. The sa crament was administered by Revs. D. Torrey and Wm. N. M'Harg. Rev. T. A. Mills and Rev. F. Starr, jr., were heard on the subject of ministerial education; Rev. A. M. Stowe was heard in regard to Home Missions, and Rev. R. S. Crampton on the Ame rican and Foreign Chrisri|n Union., The su&r? jeet of Foreign Missions Was brought clearly be fore the Synod, through the circular of -the Foreign Mission Committee of the General As sembly ; and a strong impression in relation to the same theme was made by the interesting ad dress of Rev. Mr. Lindley, late of th» South African Mission', delivered on Wednesday even, ing. The courteous and cordial hospitality of the brethren and- friends in Geneva, to the members of the Synod, was all that could be desired, and will be long and pleasantly remembered. The next annual meeting of the Synod will be held at Elmira, on the last Tuesday in Septem ber, 1862, at 7 o’clock p.m. |jtew Our space this week will allow us to do no more than simply acknowledge the receipt of Cecil Dreemje, AdjutanfrWinthrop’s posthumous work of fiction, Messrs. TicknoF'& Fields, and for sale in this, city, by Messrs. J. B. Lippincott & Co. Also; Blackwood, for Octo ber, by L. Scott & Co., from W. B._ Zieber’s, South Third street, Philadelphia; the Atlantic Monthly and the Knickerbocker for Novem ber, the October number of, the Journal OF Prison Discipline, (Quarterly); Rev. E. E. Adam’s Fast Day Sermon, the Temple and the Throne; and The Southern Rebellion and War for the Union, No. 10, weekly, (down to February Ist). Of most of these we expect to give a fuller notice next week. The Presbyterian Quarterly Review contains an unusually rich list of topi®.; “ The Nature and Destiny of the English Language;” “Reform in England after the Death of Wic liffe;” “ Melchisedek;” “ The Divine Humanity of Christianity;” (Examination of an Article in the New Englander, 1860.) “ The ; Intermediate State;” “Reminiscences of Rev. J. Addison Alexander,” by Rev. Dr. Coxf “Phenicia and Carthage;” Theological and Litefiefy Intelli gence, and Notices of New Books. MURDER OP A MISSIONARY AMD HIS WIFE BY SAVAGES. By telegram from Sydney, says the Melbourne Age, we have intelligence of the hratal murder of the Rev. Mr. and Mrs. Gordon, of the Nova Scotia Mission, by the natives at Erromanga — the same island in which, it will be remembered, John Williams was killed in 1839. This sad event took place on 20th of May, and was deliberately concocted by a party of eight or nine savages, who, by friendly manifestations, first drew Mr. Gordon away from his associates into an ambush and murdered him, Afterwards, they went to his house and killed his wife. Their in tention had been suspected, hut, alas! the good missionaries were over-confident and incautious. It appears that in consequence of the measles, which had been raging among the islands with fearful mortality, the natives of Erromanga de termined to kill all the white people on that island, looking on them: as the cause of the disease. The brave General Kelly, when serious ly, and as was feared, mortally wounded at Phil ippi, expressed to a friend a wish, whieb it has pleased Providence to gratifo, in a manner which all the country has just heard of. He said, *’ I expeet I shall have to die; J would be glad to live if it might be, that I rmgM do something f° T my country.” OCT. 31,
Significant historical Pennsylvania newspapers