GINESEI EVANGELIST. THURSDAY, DECEMBER 19, IS6I JOHN W. MEARS, TO PASTORS AND SESSIONS OF CHURCHES IN THE SYNOD OF PENNSYLVANIA. Dear Brethren : —Allow ns again to call your attention to the late action of the Synod in regal'd to supporting the American Presbyterian. Encouraging progress has been made in carrying out this action, and a few Churches have quite fulfilled the portion of the work expected of them. Others are diligently at work, and will oto long reach the same result. Others, still may he at work, though as yet having reported nothing. Let it be borne in mind that the pre sent season of early winter is, on the whole, the most favorable of the year for such efforts, and it is earnestly hoped that it will not be suffered to pass by without a thorough canvass of every con gregation in our bounds. It may safely be as serted that the prosperity of the American Presbyterian will be largely affected by the action of the Ohurehcs during the ensuing four or five weeks. With a general co-operation, the work of raising the one thousand subscribers, of which seven hundred are still wanting, will be anything but difficult. Specimen copies of the paper will be furnished at 2J cents each, including postage. PARENT, CHILD AND OHUROH, It is the divine purpose that these three re lations shall be interdependent. The parent will not do his full duty to his child, nor the child enjoy full opportunity for moral and spiritual culture, separated from the Church. Nor will the Church fulfil her mission and prosper without a close, solemn and authoritative relation to the Christian family. As journalists we can scarcely do more important service than to draw attention to these truths and the duties they involve, We have already endeavored to state the rela tionship of the baptized children of pious pa rents to the Church. We asserted that rela tionship to be real and important, though not amounting to full membership, or a right to full membership: nor as involving regeneration or the certainty of regeneration, as a matter of course, at a subsequent period. We nsed the term probationer, to assist in expressing our view, and we compared the child’s position to that of an academy student in an institution opening up into a college. The relation is one not easy to define without either stripping it of all moaning, or pushing it to the extreme- of birthright-membership and baptitmal regenera tion. We may seem to be illogical in rejecting cither of these extremes, and yet in adhering to the relation as real; be it so. We have already said all that we cared to, on this point. Let us now contemplate: 1. The great encouragement to pious parents in laboring for their childrens’ conversion,which this view affords. We utterly reject the view that the children of truly pious families have no advantage over the seed of the ungodly in the fact of their birth. They are all horn in original sin, doubtless. And it may be that the idea of an heirloom of pious influences, counterworking and weakening the transmitted power of corrup tion, is fanciful. Yet while we know of a surety that the tendency to special sins and aggravated forms of sin is transmitted by natural generation, why hesitate to admit that ancestral prepossession in favor of piety may descend from father to son, and operate in refining the moral sensibilities, and in checking the full sway of tendencies still radically and totally wrong? Can we forget how Paul links together the faith of Timothy and that of his mother and grand mother : “ When I call to remembrance the un feigned faith that is in thee, which dwelt first in thy grandmother Lois, and thy mother Eunice, and I am persuaded that in thee also ?” And why under the Gospel should an inheritance of corruption be move sure than an inheritance ■ not of regeneration—but of some degree of coun teractive and favorable tendencies ? But leav ing this aside, as more speculation, we consider it eminently unjust, cruel and disastrous to the child of Christian parents to he reckoned as among the godless children of the World, as just as truly and fully without the Church, as in the same condition of forlorn exclusion from its privileges, and as rigidly to be kept aloof un til every trait of conversion which we require in the children of the world, is clearly exhibited in his conduct. If the Christian parent feels com pelled, in the training jof his shild, to start from such a position of disadvantage, he must needs be greatly discouraged. Yet we fear this is the case with'not a few. It is needless, it is wrong. The parent may and ought to feel that the child is given to him in the covenant. 11 The promise is to you aTd your children.’’ By birth the child is “federally holy;” that is, as we would interpret it, reck oned as of a sanctified stock, —is, indeed, provi sionally accepted as holy, until such time as, by its own aet, the Christian constitution is ratified or rejected, and it stands out as a distinct indi vidual. The invisible Church throws its arms around the child in infancy, and lays claim to it. Christ himself says: “ Of such is the kingdom of heaven.” Gladly recognizing these claims and these prospects, the Christian parent brings liis child to the baptismal font, to have them signified and sealed upon him there. By that act the Church visible accepts the child as its own, repeats the happy omens of its Christian birth, and lays itself under obligations to assist in training the child for its own service on earth and for heaven at last. The Christian parent, therefore, may and should commence the training of his child as a work in which he has vast advantages, and the issues of which .may be confidently expected to be most happy. Subtle influences are co-operat ing with him from the beginning. It may, in a sense, be said that his work is not so much to bring back the child from remote wanderings as to keep him from wandering at all; not so much to implant utterly new principles, as to develop the germs of those which exist in the very cir cumstances of his birth; not so much to rescue a victim from tho grasp of siu and the devil, as —AND — Editor. to complete the initiation of one already recog nized as a regular candidate for adoption to the family of God. Ihis is an encouraging view we say. And we would hold it as such before Christian parents. We believe that the unbelieving views held or acted upon by many, have the effect of frustrat ing the happy results, which Christian parents are otherwise expected to realize in their house holds. The want of faith in the covenant leads to an unfavorable view of the moral condition of the child, diminishes the zeal and faithfulness as well as the hope of the parent, paves the way for neglect or for harsh measures of training, and gives ns a family in a disjointed, unhappy condition, loosely connected with riie Church, and unlikely to prove any great source of strength to it. 2. The Christian parents’ duty is responsible, serious and yet beautiful. God has given him Ms children in trust for the Church. They be long to God and to the Church, as truly as they belong to him, and In a higher sense, and he is to see to it that they are not lost from these higher relations by any fault of his. If the Church is not largely replenished from her Christian families, there is serious fault some where—it may be with the church, it may be with the parent; it can scarcely fail to be with one or the other. Our children are born candi dates for the Church and for heaven in our charge; onr chief business with them is to lead them, by our example,- prayer and admonition, to full enjoyment of the spiritual estate to which they may be said to be born heirs. Can any sight be sadder than that of a pro fessedly Christian household, in which these aims are sacrificed to those of worldly pleasure and preferment? in which the parent oblivious of this high Christian purpose, has suffered the reins of authority and influence to be grievously relaxed, or to fall from his hands; has ceased to command that respect and obedience which even instinct and expediency prescribe before Chris tianity is revealed? in which the daughters are encouraged in extravagant display, and the sons in a precocious aping of a spurious manhood, as the chief end of life ? in which worldly engage ments are so numerous and pressing that family devotion is neglected, or made a hurried, formal and uninteresting task? in which the Church of the fathers is allowed to be forsaken to gratify the whim of a mere child, and is robbed of its justly expected increase, without opposition or a sense of disappointment on the part of the parent? There is a beauty in the relation between a Christian parent and his child in this view, worthy of separate remark. To the natural in timacy of the relation, there is added a peculiar tenderness, a spiritual sympathy and a rich tone of affection. As the parent recognizes the cove nant relations of the child to himself; as he feels that the same amis of covenant mercy en circle them both; that the new lamb of his fold is not outside of the spiritual flock, nor has escaped tlio tender recognition of the Good Shepherd; that he, and the children which God has given him are in the same sacred enclo sure; that he need not eontempkte them as in their moral condition pi rely and solely under the wrath and curse of the law, but as catching some rays from the recon ciled glance of the Father, and that he may, with good hope,, expect them to grow up in spi ritual fellowship with himself, —he cannot help but feel for them a very distinct and exalted rela tionship, and a very powerful tie of spiritual sympathy. In every punishment he administers this hope will enter, not always as a mitigating, but as a modifying element. He will understand the injunction : Fathers provoke not your children to anger, lest they he discouraged; but bring them up in the nurture .and admonition of the Lord. He will proceed upon no supposition of a necessary postponement of conversion to what he considers mature years; he will not shut his eyes to all but violent indications of a great moral change; he will not content himself to let the moral character of the child run its own way ward career until, as he trusts, some “revival" arrests its course and undoes the wrong work of years, On the contrary, he will be watchful to detect and encourage the first signs of the divine presence in its decisive movings on the heart, and will be competent joyfully to recognize and ac cept those early fragrant openings of true piety, which, are none the less genuine because over looked or ignored by some, or even repressed by their uncongenial unsympathizing attitude to wards the child. The truly believing parent will be in such kindly relations to the child as to encourage the earliest developments of piety, and to enjoy the earliest realization of his hopes under the covenant. LETTEB PBOMBEY. H, G. 0. DWIGHT, D. D. The communication below, which it gives us pleasure to insert, is in response to an article in our issue of November 14, in which we spoke of dissension and schism in the mission of the Ame rican Board at Constantinople, Frequent inti mations of such a state of things in that mission had reached us through foreign journals, and we were surprised that no attempt at explanation had been made in the organs of the American Board. Naturally enough we attempted an ex planation ourselves, based upon the notices of the troubles found in foreign journals, and upon what we supposed to be the prevailing policy of the Board. We conjectured that a proper par ticipation in the management of ecclesiastical affairs had been withheld from the Armenian converts, in accordance with what we had sup posed, and still suppose, to be the policy of the Board in dealing with converts from the hea then. The letter below declares our views to be erroneous, and assigns quite a different reason for the separation of the church at Pera from the mission in Constantinople. To the Editor of the Am. Presbyterian ; Delaware, Ohio, Nov. 25, 1861.—Dear Sir: My attention has been called to an editorial article in your paper of Nov. 14, on the “ Dissent among the Armenian Converts” in Turkey, upon which I beg leave to make a few remarks. You say in your introductory sentences: “ We have always inclined to the Opinion that the proper method of dealing with converts from heathenism, and native helpers, in regard to ec clesiastical matters, is to introduce them at an early day, to the responsibilities of church go vernment, and to a full ecclesiastical standing. It is well known that the American Board has hitherto, to a very large extent, ,pursued a different policy.” The italics are mine. I confess that I was greatly surprised at an editorial statement so totally at variance with the facts in the case; amn'intn IHeftbutmun and #vanpliot. and, encouraged by the friendly feeling you ex press towards the missionaries in Turkey, I ven ture to ask that you will insert in your paper the following remarks: 1. Neither the American Board nor any of its officers, have ever had anything to do with fixing the form of our native church organization in Turkey, either directly or indirectly. That mat ter, being strictly ecclesiastical, has been left wholly with the missionaries. The existing form of church government in the native Protestant churches in Turkey connected with our Board, was originally drawn up by my own hand, as one of a committee of the mission on the subject; and it was agreed upon first by the mission on the ground, and then by the native brethren, without one dissenting voice. This took place in the year 1840, and not the slightest alteration has since been made, nor has there ever been, to iny knowledge, a single line of correspondence be tween the mission and the Secretaries of the Board as to what should be the form of church organization ia Turkey. The Board is not an ecclesiastical body, that it should meddle in such matters. ■ If any one wishes to See what is the aetual form of government existing in those churches, I would refer them to the appendix of a volume entitled “ Christianity Revived in the East,” published by Scribner & Co., New York. 2. The native Protestant churches in Turkey have been, from the beginning, what you inti mate you would be glad to see them “ at an early day”—independent of the mission “in all the responsibilities of ehureh government.” : In the admission and exclusion of members; in questions of doetrine, order and discipline; and, in short, in everything that properly belongs to ecclesiastical action, the churches alone decide. No missionary has ever voted, or, according to the constitution, can vote, in any church or other ecclesiastical meeting. It might reasonably be doubted whether we have not given them too much independence; but surely, no one acquainted with the facts, can feel that we have given them too little. 3. From the beginning we have aimed to have each church supplied at the earliest, possible day with its own pastor—a native and not a mis sionary—and with a church committee or session for the transaction of all ecclesiastical business; and wo bave always taught the churches that the responsibility of the pastor’s support rests pro perly upon them. ; 4. When the first ehureh was organized in 1846, we expressly provided for an association or Synod of ministers and delegates from the different churches, to go into effect just as soon as a sufficient number of contiguous churches should be formed. This idea we have. kept steadily in view, and last year some steps were taken for carrying it out. Tim only reason why it was not sooner done, is the paucity and the poverty of the churches, and their being so far separated from each other. Yon will, of course, naturally wish to know what the ground of complaint of the Pera church in Constantinople is ? I answer, and lam pre pared to show by the strongest documentary evi dence, that the real and sole cause of their dissa tisfaction is, th.Sbi .they are not permitted to have an official vote in ih,e administration of the mis sionary funds collected in America, and England for the work among the Armenians. i I am happy to say that out of the more than fifty native churches in Turkey, not one, as yet, lias shown the least sympathy with the Pora church and its pastor in their most unreasonable demand. I remain very, truly, yours, Upon the above letter we remark (1), we do not see the pertinency of the esteemed author’s remark upon the non-interference of the Board with the form of church organization adopted by the mission. Upon thatpoint we did not intend to say a single word or syllable in our article. Our objection was to what we termed the quasi-opis eopal authority exercised by the Board through the mission, over the native churches, whatever might be their character as separate organiza tions. - - (2) Dr. Dwight is wrong in describing’us as desiring the nativechurehes to be ’ “ inde pendent of the mission.” We did not use the word “ independent,” nor imply it. What we wished was that converts or nativt helpers might be introduced “ at an early day to the responsibilites of church government and to a full ecclesiastical standing.” This ob ject, we submit, is not gained by the most com plete ecclesiastical organizations among the con verts, when a separate body exists among them, outside of and over these organizations; the prin ciple of ministerial parity is necessarily denied when these missionaries, refuse to be associated ecclesiastically with the natives, and when, as a separate body, and as representing the Board, they undertake to direct the affaire of the churches. (For the opinion of Dr. Anderson, adverse to the ecclesiastical association of .mis sionnries’yrith native helpers, see Memorial Yo. lume/page 283.) A different, and, as we be lieve, a juster policy prevails in the Sandwich Islands. At least in theJPresbytery of Maui and Molokai, a native pastor has been ordained and enrolled on an equality (so far as we can learn) With the American missronaries originally consti tuting the mission. (4) We cheerfully admit the great difficulty which might arise, in submitting the financial affairs of the mission to the judgment of a body in which the inexperienced native helpers were in the majority. Yti, on the other hand, we should net forget what various considerations may be involved ii» a question, which, from a certain point of view, appears to be purely a financial one. We are glad to have the Us ti ro* n y of Dr. Dwight as to the character of the troubles at Pera, and regard it as the most va luable that we have seen. Disposed as we are to accept it, we will not dwell longer on the subject than to express first, our regret that the difficulty should wear such a widely different aspect to respectable foreign journals; and nexi, our wish that some one could be found in Constantinople capable of putting the true aspects of the ease clearly and convincingly before them. The num bers of these journals received since “our first article was written, show that such a person had not appeared there at a very recent date. : We need scarcely say that v e have no wish to espouse the cause of these separatists, of whom we know almost nothing, as against the Board which we do know, and against Mr. Dwight’s emphatic testimony. Our aim is simply to urge the importance of an early and full recognition of all the ecclesiastical rights of the native Chris tians and hypers in the missions of the Board. H. G. 0. Dwight, HOME MISSIONARY COMMITTEE. Mr. Editor: —The following are the names of ministers to whom commissions were granted at the late meeting of the Home Missionary Com mittee, on the application of the churches which they serve : Rev C S Halsey, Warsaw, 'Wis. “ AD Moore, Dauphin, Penna. “ C W Gardner, Harrisburg,.Penna. “ Courtney Smith, Grand Rapids, Mich. “ Joseph Wilson, Charleston, 111. “ George H. Miles, Cassapolis, Mich. “ J B Sheldon, Shelbyvillo, 111. “ Asa Martin, Olivet, lowa. “ John Glass, Janesville, lowa. “ George E W Leonard, Centre Point, lowa. “ E D Holt, Chatfield, Minn. “ Alexander Fairley, Scott, lowa. “ J E Baker, Arkport, New York. “ Israel C Holmes, Maple Grove, Wis. “ Samuel Ward, Unity, 111; “ Huntington Lyman, Marathon, N York. “ It. H Dexter, Pavilion, New York “ J Jerome Ward, Yellow Springs, Ohio. “ George R Carroll, Wyoming, lowa. “ E R Johnson, Osborn, Ohio. “ Daniel Higbie, Washingtonville, N York “ Fisk Harmon, Swede Point, lowa. “ Win M Kain, Unionville, lowa. Alanson Schofield, Freemont, Mich. Charles R French, 'Clermont, Ohio. C S Le Due, Hastings, Minn'. D H Taylor, Saginaw’ City, Midi. Marcus Hicks; St Cloud, Minn. Charles W Wallace. Coshocton, Ohio. Asa Johnson, Adel, lo^a. A D Chapman, Brooklyn, lowa. B G Riley, Lodi,-Wis. This large number did not exhaust the list of applicants. There are other feeble churches pleading for aid, and other needy servants of Christwho must have hdlp. “The laborer is worthy of his hire.” Our church has solemnly resolved to be responsible for the Home Miss, operations within our own bounds. Who should be Responsible for them if ,not ourselves? B.ut while the applications forbid have been coming in, the ohurehcs have been withholding their contributions till the Committee should become fully organized. Let contributions be forwarded now without delay. They arc all needed. Let the pastors and other officers in the churches make arrangements immediately tp take up their annual collections for this'ft'aute, with the assur ance that all they contribute shall be sent with out delay to the needy and the suffering. And let all the persons named above send their Quar terly Reports to the rooms of the H. M. Com mittee, 150 Nassau Street, New York. Henry Kendall, General Sec’y. H, M. Committee. [prom the American Presbyterian.] THE SMITTEN HOUSEHOLD. “ Arise my love, my fair one, and come away.” So said “The Beloved” when;! a-few weeks since, he entered the house of brother, and then we read in the morning paper— Died, on the 4th instant', (November) Sophie H.» daughter of Rev. Robert and Catharine Adair, aged 18 years and 10 months.” Less than twenty-four,hours afterward, beneath the same roof, the same.eall-was heard, and in the next morning’s paper, crash upon, crash, we read— “ Died, on the sth instant, Annie H., daughter of Rev. Robert and Catharine Adair, aged 21 years and 10 months. ” Died ! Why cannot our papers give us some less gloomy word, when they tell us of such trans lations from what we call life, to the real life? I mean never to think of the parents of Annie and Sophie; as having any dead child. It is true there are graves, more than two, over which they may plant flowers and keep vigils of love; but those who are the objects of this love were never before thrilled with such life, never before so out of reach of death, as- now. It would be unjust to their own and their children’s Redeemer, to say that the ! dismal note of death was heard in their household. It was the sum mons to immortality— ' !>' “The voice that Jesus sends To call us fo his arms.'’’' Their friends say-.vHoijh ean’tfcey:; spare those daughters— such daughters too—almost a neces sity to the cheerfulness of the family circle ! But we can always spare any whom Christ wants, and rejoice in the sorrow of any personal loss which goes to place a new star in the Redeemer’s diadem. There is no breach: of affection, not even any suspension. of Jove in the; case. We love .our dear ones who have-died in, Christ, hone the less, because they have become immeasurably worthier of love. And I; will’; not believe that they have lost one gleam of their affection for us, by their translation to{ that world where “ Kept by a Father’s hand Love cannot die,” Unquestionably, the personal sacrifice in yield ing them is great—so great as to forbid coinfort, except from that faith which hears the call of Christ, sweeter than iEojian melodies, in what we eall the summons of |eath. The Triends of this smitten household hive all felt that it must be such.the sympathy of friends from without the city, hear and r,emote. There are many such, for it is a household whose hospitality is wide and cheerful. I refer to this in special remembrance of the de parted daughters; who, shone, brightly in this virtue, often turning from .young company of their own, to speak such pleasant words to some occasional guest from a/distance, as would make him feel that he had foufid a home in that wil derness of men, which a great cfty always is. Many of these friends have inquired anxiously for some particulars respecting- the character and death of those young ladies, and wondered why some fuller account has not appeared. It will afford such satisfaction to learn, if they are not already informed, that both were open professors of religion, enjoying as such the confidence and affection of their Christian friends. Their par ticukr membership was in.the Western Presby terian Church—Rev. Dr. Smith’s. Annie was admitted to the communion in September, lgjsi ; Sopbie, in June, J.856,.e»h being, at the time of her admission, in the fifteenth year of her age. Anniehad been, from early childhood, thought ful on the subject of religion, and became, in the judgment of her friends, (a subject - of renewing grace, some years previously to her public pro fession of Christ. I believe no doubt exists but that her case affords an eiample of what is now alanningly rare, but which would be one of the common blessings of the church, if the provi sions of the Abrahamie covenant were [well , un derstood and faithfully carried- ouh—a : child Christian. A few hooks, besides the Bible, were the companions of her daily devotions, and these mark her character—particularly Baxter’s Saint’.' Best, Hannah More's Private Devotions, and Doddridge’s Family Expositor. The last she had read through in course, several years before her death. As a member of the church, she was punctual to her duties, and consistent in the Christian life. As an intelligent, amiable, gentle, and interesting young lady, she was what fond and well-judging parents might wish a daughter to be before the world; while as a ehild and sister at home, where the .heart most expresses itself, her faithfulness, and affection was most felt. Sophie was more vivacious. The free flow of spirit seemed, iu'her case, to be set over against the superior blandness and winsome graces of her sister.' From such traits her character took its east. If she had an opinion, it came out frankly. If she saw any around her deprived of what she thought their just rights, she became their champion. Young as she was, she was often known as the friend of the friendless, de lighting, both in word and to .mitigate j the sufferings of the poor, and earnest in enlist ing the sympathies of others iu their behalf. In such labors she was often successful, and success both rejoicedher own heart, and carried blessings to tli.e objects of her solicitude. A mission of this character was almost her last earthly work, having been performed only the day before she . was .eonflned to her„room. Like, her sister, she was regarded'as an early fruit of the covenant, her conversion having, in the judgment of her friends, occurred some time previous to her public religious profession, . I am able to give but an outline of the infor mation desired respecting the last sickness and decease of these young friends. The approach of disease was nearly simultaneous in the two eases, and was felt about four weeks before its fatal termination. Its character, (which in the end proved typhoid fever;) was slowly devel oped, and until near the last moment of life, it was, in both cakes, regarded as very light. No special alarm was felt, either by their skilful physician, their watchful friends, or themselves. All looked for their recovery—all, hut God. ‘He alone saw that the hireling’s day was accom plished. The Sabbath before their death, the symptoms of improvement in both appeared strongly marked. The morning following, at 3 o’clock, Sophie was; attacked by a hemorrhage which, in a few hours, removed her from the world. The' event was concealed from Annie, for whose nerves, in her then weak state; the worst results from the shock were feared. She however, soon exhibited, an excitement of the brain which showed some mysterious communi cation with the, scenes of the other apprehension of a serious occurrence; if notthe exact state of things. Under this excitement, she at once began to sink. Life yielded rapidly, and at 3 o’clock, P. M., of the following day, her mortal nature slept in ffekiis, awaiting only his next call for its awaking. J : Thus almost hand in hand, they sprang for their upward flight. Ye who mourned ‘ ‘When loved ones slept, in brighter homes to waken, Where their pale brows with spirit wreaths are crowned. ’ ’ — . ye who once gave them to Christ, meaning to do it in covenant truth, hark to the celestial in troit. It is hut the consummation of your faith. They are Christ’s now. “ Thotj hast the dew op thy youth.” Oak. REMARKABLY TAKEN IN. The Christian Intelligencer of last; week gravely inserts the' following; under, the. head ofi-“ A Re markable Prophecy,” in utter unconsciousness of the gross imposition it has swallowed. We leave it for any reader Of the Scriptures to de tect : ' - " ■ - One of the most striking instances of the ful fillment of prophecy, says the Boston Christian Advertiser , was pointed out to ns lately by an eminent Baptist divine. It oecurs in the Bth, 10th, and 21st verses of Haggai, Chap, iv.: . “ Behold, there'shall be a rebellion in the South, a rebellion-of strong men and archers, of chariots and bright shields-; and the blast of the trumpet shall awaken the land, and the nations shall be astonished thereat. “And 10, behold, because of the sin of the South, her mighty men shall be as, babes, her gates shall fie destroyed utterly, saith the Lord; yea, utterly destroyed shall be her gates; and her , rice-fields shall be wasted, and her slaves set free.: • “ And behold, great ships from the North shall devour her pride, and a storm from the. West shall lay waste her habitations. . Yea, saith Lord, and her dominion shall be broken.” RUMORS OF A WAR WITH ENGLAND -I. By-the Europa and the City of Washington steamers, with dates from England, to the 6th, we have news of a high state of excitement over the Capture of Mason and Slidell by Captain Wilkes, Cabinet meetings were bold in great haste, the Europa was detained a day to receive tbe Queen’s special messenger, and rumors were afloat that- au -ultimatum bad been sent to our Government requiring an apology, and : the res toration of Mason and, Slidell to the deck of a British; vessel. Materialsilike, saltpetre were em bargoed by Government order. ; -Official- news has-not yet transpired; hut we do-not 1 believe Providence will lead this nation into an emergency to which we shall not be found equal. * ’ 1 Soldiers’ Mittens. —Mr. E. W. Carryl, 715 .Chestnut, Street, Masonic Building, has-got up in very handsome style on the finest paper, an outline pattern, of mittens for the soldiers , very complete. He will be glad to furnish it gratis to all who may desire a guide in this benevolent work for the comfort of our brave army daring the cold weather. Arrangements have been made by which the material (cloth), can be procured gratis, in tbe basement of the Tenth Presbyte rian Church, corner of Twelfth and Walnut. Cloth mittens are, by all odds, the best, the warmest, and the most durable; besides that a ‘dozen pair of them can be made in the usual time of knitting one. The Union Prayer Meeting of our Churches Will be held this (Thursday) afternoon, at the Walnut Street Church, West Philadelphia, at 4 o’clock. • Ou next Thursday, the meeting will be held at Rev. John Chambers’ church, Broad street. The First Church, Rev.' Mr.- Barnes, will he open for service on Christmas morning, at 101 o’clock, when the pastor will prbafeh. The Presbytery of St. Louis met in the First Presbyterian Church, in St. Louis, Decem ber 2d, 1861. The resolutions of the General Assembly on the state of the country-were considered, and the following minute was unanimously adopted : The Presbytery having under consideration the mi nutes of our General Assembly; convened at Sy racuse, N. Y., in May last, do hereby express our cordial approbation of the emphatic declaration of loyalty to our national Government, passed by that Assembly, and our gratitude toGod for the entire unanimity of that aetion. We rejoice that. the General Assembly of the other branch of the Presbyterian. Church, con vened at the same time, in Philadelphia, did, by the vote of a large majority of its members, place itself clearlj on the side of our national,Govern ment, in condemnation of the existing- rebellion. We regard these testimonies'of the Assemblies aforesaid, as suitable to the'character and history of the Presbyterian Church in the United States, and agreeable to the instructions of Holy Scrip ture, wherein it is specially enjoined upon the religious instructors of the people to “ put them inmind to be subject to principalities and pow ers, and to obey magistrates/’ On the subject of Home Missions, the Presby tery express our gratification at the action cf the Assembly in assuming the supervision of the Home Missionary work of our church, and our peculiar Satisfaction with the appointment of the Rev. H. Kendall, D. D., as Secretary of Home Missions. ... With great confidence in the Committee and the Secretary, we earnestly commend our afflict ed and desolated Missouri to their kind eare, begging them to do all that is possible to “ strengthen the things which remain,” and he watchful for the earliest opportunity for advance ment in this prospectively most important field. We cordially welcome Bev. A. T. Norton, the Secretary of Home Missions for the West, to our portion of the field, and invite him to visit our churches for the purpose of presenting to them the Home Missionary cause, as now conducted by our church, at such times as may be conve nient to him and them. , A true copy from the minutes. E. Wright, Stated Clerk. The First Church and Congregation ofßa eine, Wis., through the exertions of Rev. C. J. Hutchins, their pastor, raised and paid off, in about three weeks, a church debt of three thou sand dollars. The announcement of the auspi cious result was made ou Thanksgiving day, and was rightly deemed additional cause for thank fulness. This speaks well for both pastor and people, and we trust that God’s blessing will attend them. They are in a position to become one of the most influential of Western churches. —Evangelist. . Clerical Changes.—Rev. G. D. A. Heb ard, of Clinton, lowa, has been called to the First Church of lowa City. . Rev. C. B. Dye has accepted a unanimous call of the church in Romulus, N. Y,, to become its pastor. Rev. N. E. Pierson, of Horseheads, has been chosen chaplain of the Dickinson Guards. This is a most excellent appointment, though we regret the vacancy that occurs in the pulpit.—- Evangelist. DIRECTORY OF PRESBYTERIAN MINIS TERS AND OBUROEES OF PHILADELPHIA; PRESBYTERIAN HOUSE, 1834 CHESTNUT STREET. NAMES OF MINISTERS AND RESIDENCES AND CHURCHES. LOCATIONS. Adams, E. E.. ■ . - ’ N. Broad street Church, Adair, Robert . . .. . See. Phila. H. Mis. Soc. Barnes, Albert. . . . Ist .Church . . . . Brainerd, T., D.D. . . 3d Church . . . . Brown, Charles . . . See. Phila.. Ed. Soc . Brush, Edward B. . ; Burdeti, M. . . . .■ . 2d Church, Darby. . Butler, James G. . , , - Walnut st,Church,W.P; Culver, Andrew . . . Manayunk Church . . Barling, Henry, D.D. Clinton street Church Davis, James M. . . . Ist Church, Darby. . Dulles, John IF. . . Sec. Pres. Pub. Com., Eva, Wm. T. . . . . Ist Church, Kensington Helffemtein, Jh.,D.D. j Mkt House Sq. Church. Jmhins, John, D.D.. . Calvary Church . '. Johnston, Thos. S. . . Mantua Church, W.P. Malm, David, D. D. . Me Caskie, James . . Southwestern Church McLeod, John . Sec. A. B. 0. F. M. Mears, John W. , , . Ed. Am. Presbyterian. Miller, Jeremiah . . . Phila; Sab. Asso. Morris Wm. R.... * Central Church, N. L, Patton, John, D.D. . Bogan Square Church, Pierce, E.J. . ... . Reese, J. B. . . . . . Lombard st. Central Ch. Robbins , Frank L. . . : Green Hill Church. . ’Shepherd j Thomas J. Ist Church, N. L. . . Smith, Charles A., D. D. . Western Church. . . Smith, H. Augustus, . . Twelfth Church. . Taylor,-W. W. . . . . Olivet Church. . . . Van Dears, George . . Tabor Mission. . , . Wallace, Beni. J., J). D. Ed. Pres. Quar. Kev., ) : and Sec. H. Missions, j Southwark First Church, : Vacant, . . . . . Walker, Richard . . . Konderton Church. Mutter’s Cough Syrup.—We call the at tention of our readers to the advertisement of this excellent remedy for coughs, which are so prevalent at this season. The source from, which it is introduced entitles it to great confidence! - The Edinburgh Review for October, and the Knickerbocker for December, are on our table. 1682 Mt. Vernon st. Sp. Garden & 13th sts. 1708 Filbert street. Presbyterian House. 255 S. Eighth street. Wash. Sq., cor. 7th. 634 Pine street. Fourth & Pine streets. Spruce, ab 40th, W.P. Presbyterian House. 1531 Chestnut street. Darby. Darby. - Chestnut ah 40th,WP. Walnut, ab 39 th. Green lane, Manayunk Manaynnk. Germantown. 10th below Spruce. 20 North Tenth. Darby. Chestnut ab 40th, WP. Presbyterian House. 1116 Columbia avenue Gir’d av. near Han. st Market House Square. Germantown. Germantown. 1814 Pine street. Locust ab 15th. Sycamore & 36th,WP 6th & Bridge, W. P. 1614 Chestnut street 425 South Twentieth. Fitzwater & 20th sts. Reeseville. Presbyterian House. 2136 Mt. Vernon st. Presbyterian House. 1106 Gallowhill street, Vine & Franklin sts. Coates ab Third. 1621 Summer street. 20th and Vine. 718 Sansom street. 11th and Race sts. Lombard ab Bth st. Girard av. & 16th st. Girard Av. ab 16th. 507 Brown street. Buttonwood below 6th 1530 Arch street. 17th and Filbert. 1530 Arch street. South above 11th. 2021 Wallace street. 22d and Mt. Vernon. 250 S. Juniper st. 17tb & Fitzwater sts. 1481 Girard Avenue. Presbyterian House. German ab Third. Tioga st, above 17th. Timothy Titcomb, (Dr. Holland) has become a standard name in American popular literature. Any book which he publishes will be sure to be 'called-for. His last series of Familiar Essays— Lessons in Life—will sustain his reputation as a clear, vigorous and striking writer upon topies of every day interest and importance. His sub jects are just such as one wishes to converse upon with a companion of shrewdness, good sense, ani good taste; (such-as: “ Moods and Frames of Mind,” “The Rights of Woman,” “American Public Education,” “Men of One Idea,”) and such a companion is Dr. Holland, writing as if in a frank and genial conversation with his readers. Nor does he spare their foibles, or fail seriously and emphatically to point out great public errors and perils in the prevailing usages of society. Dr. Holland is a preacher in a subordinate sphere of truth and duty, whose aid we recognize as, in the main, valuable and seasonable. With a great deal of real excellence of style there is some times a sacrificing of good taste to vigour of ex pression j we do not believe beauty needs to be sacrificed to strength, Even Yulcan may have Venus for his wife. The book is handsomely got up by C. Scribner, New York, and is for sale by Smith, English & Co.; Philadelphia. Dean Trench's Commentary on the Epis tles to the Seven Churches, will he wel comed, as are all his exegetical works by biblical students. It is marked by the prevalent charac teristics of the writer, who joins with Anglo- Saxon strength and good sense, and with true piety, a great range of learning, and skill in em ploying it, to throw light upon the sacred page. We learn from the candid and regretful admis sion of the' writer, that “under no circumstances whatever can the second and third - chapters (of the apocalypse) ever be. heard in the Congrega tion of the Episcopal Church.” Dr.. Trench would hence admit the necessity of a revision of the Episcopal rubric. We heartily commend the volume to all students and preachers of the word. 12mo. pp. 812. C. Scribner publisher, New York. For sale by Smith, English & Co., Phila delphia.. . The same publisher has sent us, Elijah and other Poems by Rev. Robt. Davidson, D. D. a dainty volume in tinted paper, and containing many scintillations of poetic feeling,'much accu rate and polished writing, stores of learning in the shape of explanatory notes,- —all in a truly devotional tone. There Is frequent approach to real poetry, and some of the' pieces have had a deserved popularity, :12mo. 184 pp. Historical Lectures on the Life of our Lord Jesus Christ.—These are the Hulsean Lectures for 1859, delivered by Prof. Ellieott, of King’s College, London, already most favorably known by his Commentaries. This truly devout scholar and most aeute exegete, will be still more welcome in. this more comprehensive and funda mental work; The Life of Christ is a theme, in the treatment of. which, some of the boldest ex hibitions of modern unbelief have been made. Emboldened by imagined successes in lower de partments of criticism, the enemies of truth have essayed the desperate undertaking of throwing discredit upon the Gospel narrative itself, and of involving the life' and deeds of the Saviour in the mists of historical incertitude. The palm of wicked boldness .in these efforts belongs to Strauss, who is facile princeps ; after him follow Hase and Von Ammon. Neander ani others in Germany have written on the same theme in the the interest of faith; but .theix- concessions have still been greatjto.jthe critical tendency of their age and country. Prof. Ellieott’s work is, we be lieve, the very first Life of Christ, written in full view of the innumerable criticisms of scien tific unbelievers, and yet in a truly devout and evangelical spirit. As such, it is a work of un usual value to the theological student and the minister of the word. Especially in the copious and learned notes which accompany the text, exceeding it in quantity and outweighing it in value, there may he found a concise and clear Statement and an effective refutation of almost every serious objection that has been started by the modern school of critics against the histori cal credibility and consistency of the Four Gos pels. We have no hesitation in pronouncing Ellieott s Lectures on the Life of Christ (he theological Book of the season, thus far. And we hope congregations or friends designing to make presents to their pastors at this season of the year, will not overlook this most valuable pro duct of devout and evangelical scholarship. Bos ton : Gould & Lincoln. For sale by Smith, En glish & Co., Philadelphia. Large 12mo. pp. 882. PAMPHLETS AMD PERIODICALS The North British Review for November, from L. Scott & Co., N. York, and W, B. Zieber’ Philadelphia, contains a fine list of articles; as, Pascal as a Philosopher; What is Money? Plato and Christianity; Spain; Poets and Poe* try of Young Ireland; Edmund Burke; Scot tish Humor; Comets; Mr. Mill on Representa tive Government (with a severe introductory on the c< failure” of our form of Government). The Old Franklin Almanac is a handsome and valuable work, comprising a vast mass of statistical information, as to our own and other countries, with a full daily chronicle of the Re bellion to Nov. 11. A. Winch, 320 Chestnut. Street. Price, 10 cents, worth twice the money. War and Emancipation; Henry Ward Beecher’s Thanksgiving Sermon. Philadelphia, T. B. Peterson & Brother. BOOKS FOR THE YOUNG. There is less of lavish profusion in the out pouring of hooks for the young (as indeed of those for any class) than we are accustomed to see at this season, and less display in binding and embellishments characterizes those which do appear. Old Margie’s Flower Stall and Other Stories ; 18mo, pp. 118. Wee Davie, by Norman McLeod, D. B.; 18mo, pp. 96. These hooks form a part of Carter’s Fireside Libraiy; a series of books selected with great care for the young, and which should by no means be overlooked by those who are making up family or Sunday School Libraries. Messrs. W. S. & A. Martien have sent us Melodies for Childhood, a handsomely bound and illustrated 16mo, with a tasteful selection of religious and miscellaneous poetry for children: pp. 309. Buy a Orange, Sir ?—A touching story of struggling poverty and widowhood, relieved by a happy issue : 18mo. pp. 108. DEC. 19,
Significant historical Pennsylvania newspapers