atlirrif.SU Nvitioligtieriau
I=l
GENESEI IYANGILIST.
THURSDAY,' PRDUARY 6, 1862
/On Vf. MEARS,
QUARTER CENTURY CELEBRATION. —.The
congregation of. Pine Street Church propose to
celebrate the Twenty-fifth Anniversary of Dr.
Brainerd's pastorate, on Tuesday evening, Feb.
rnary lith, at Sansom Street Hall. Tickets may
be had of the following persons;
' John Wallace, oth st., belo* Coates.
Samuel Work, No. 36 South 3d street,
W. J. P. White, sth and Chestnut street.
George Young, No. 48 South 8d street,
Robert G. Mercer, No. 404 South 9th street.
MATTI or THE ARMY.
IfAVI'Y adverse statements having gone abroad
on this subject, some of them of a very painful
character, we are happy to be able to say upon the
authority of an eminent physician of this city,
now a azigade-Sargeon in one of the least active
of the divisions of the army, that not only is the
health of his own brigade and division remarka
bly good, bat that the army as a whole, is in a
most gratifying sanitary condition. He avers
that when the statistics of sickness and mortality
are - made - publie, it will appear that our army is
the healthiest ever known. The deaths in his
brigade of four thousand men, during the past
five months, have been TEN
REV. DR, SCOTT.
WE have learned by a recent communication
from England, that. Rev. Dr. Scott, of San Fran
cisco, has joined_the Presbytery of London, Eng
land) a body in sympathy with the Free Church
of Scotland, of which,' we believe, Dr. James
Hamilton is a member.
SOOIAL HYMN BO X.
ME Committee 'charged with the preparation
(fOlthe Presbyterian Publication Committee) of
a 'Social 'Hymn Book, namely, for use in the lee
ture room and Prayer•meeting, are desirous of
obtaining a few good hymns, general speeci
fie, on Christian activity, or personal engagement
in the work of. Christ. While the Christian
warfare and the future life are largely represen
ted in our English Hymnology, the present actual
home work of the Christian, and of the particu
lar ,Churoh, is referred to in only two or three
hymns. As this personal work is becoming bet ,
ter appreciated, and more widely assumed by our
churches, there is' a call for its proportionate ex
hihition in our Hymn Books.
The Committee would-therefore invite contri
butions upon the general topic of Christian activ
ity, as also upon the special subjects of Bible and
Traeedistribution, and other ministries connected
with household visitation of the poor and une
vangelized. If possible, they desire to obtain,
what thus far they have failed to find, a good
hymn an Christian labors for the removal of In
temperance. • . •
suoli contributions, with any others, or sug
gestions with regard to the Book, may be sent to
the care of John W. Dulles, Philadelphia, Pa.
"ttf rinios AND YZ CAMP, 101 TO WO
'Ti new Secretary of War scarcely reached
his pleee'before be performed one of the kindli
est and , most Christian acts in the history of the
war ire called upon a high official in , one of
our evangelical churches, Bishop Ames, and a
distinguished* civilian, Hatnilton Fish ; _ of New
York, and appointed them to visit those gallant
defenders of our assailed constitution who have
perhaps the`saddest'fate of all—to pine in dreary
captivity in the hands and under the absolute
poyer of the enraged rebels. We know well that
the horrors of this captiVity,—bad enough at , the
best have, in , many instances, been shamefully
aggravated by the brutality of the captors. And
the general destitution which prevails in the
South, it is not to be expected that our captured
soldiers will enjoy Many comforts. The deputa
tion started 'from Washington; via Fortress Mon
roe, January 81st. If it be allowed to proceed
upon its most Christian errand, there is little
doubt that it will greatly promote the comforts of
our , ` in exile.
.We hope some special regard will be paid to
the - case of such chaplains as are still retained
prisoners, in strange disregard of the laws of ci
vilized warfare. Rev. John F. Mines, of Grace
eiltdch, Portland, Me., chaplain to the Second.
Regiment of that State,.-was exchanged, after
suffering a confinement, of five months in Rich
mond, and is now again with his regiment. Rev.
Hiram Eddy,, of the three months' Connecticut
Voltinteers, reported as taken prisoner at the
saute lime,lg we , believe still' in durance. Rev.
John Baton, Jr., retently ordained by the' Mau
mee Presbytery, to serve as chaplain of the 27th
Ohio, was captured soon after in an engagement'
in Missouri. We have not heard of his releese.
Rev, S. Herbert iancey, chaplain of the Three
Years' ConneetiontYolunteers l was reported killed
in -the battle of Bull Bun, We have never ,
learned whether the report was true or not.
ORDINATION.
.1. Iraiviy Bode, lieentiate,of the Third
Presbytery of Philadelphia, was ordained as
Chaplain by the Presbytery, - on Wednesday,
29th, in the Calvary 'Church. Rev.
B. 4. Wallace, D. the Moderator, presided,
anFt ,prrt the constitutional questions ; Rev. R.
Mak preached a • very admirable sermon from
2 Tim, "Preach the Word, f i the ordain
ing, prayer was: offered by the Rev. Dr. Jenkins;
any affentionate and appropriate charge ,to the
Chaplain Wee given by Rev. 8.8. iletchkin. Mr.
Bine its Chaplain of the 14th Regiment of the
PerilityfOrtis Diiiition under General McCall,
ot*eitis'lite known as the Ist .regiment of Cavalry
of the Pennsylvania Reserve corps.
iiNION,TUOtp,GRIAL sminukity.
The catalogue for 1861-62, shows -, a total of
100 students, 10 of whom wo believe arejrom
the bounds of the Synod of Pennsylvania, 40 are
from .New York State, and city, and 26. from New
England. Virginia, North. Clarolina and Tennessee,
each supplies one. 15 of the students were never .
graduated; 16 r are from Yale; as , many from
Wirrl'iliial3, and 14 froim Amherst.
t. acuity is composed of - the Same able and
u ; tl ,74l l ` . ta mcu as heretofore, an'cl the affairs
ni‘utlry 1110Ve, MI without change.
THE QUESTION OP UNION
Under this heading , the' Preitytericni of this
city thus discourses upon the recent action of the
Ogdensburgh and St. Lawrence Presbyteries
" We ordinarily publish Presbyterial proceed
ings without special comment, leaving our rea
ders to exercise their own discretion in judging
oftheir force. From this, rule we deviate, _for
special reasons, in reference to the action of the
Presbytery of Okdensburgh, which appears ' in
our columns to day. Recently we have' noticed
in the journals of the New-school Presbyterians,
and one or two of the Old-school, something re
sembling overtures for the re-union of the two
bodies of Presbyterians which they represent.'
We, did not feel called to interpose any opinion
on the suggested topic, as thus presented. '. Now,
however, one of the Presbyteries within our
bounds has held a . formal conventionwith a Pres
bytery of the other body, and a resolution, mu
tually* adopted, recommending re-union, his bebn
referred for consideration to their respective
General Assemblies. This presents the subject
in a tangible form, and may probably lead to its
discussion in the higher judicatories. In the
Presbyteries referred to, whatever may have been
the nature and extent of the discussion, no further
hint of the manner in Which the re-union is to
be effected, [is given] than the intimation that,
as the Southern Presbyterians have been separated
tr`om the Church on the one side, and the Plan
of Unionists on the other;everY'obstacle has been
removed to such an amalgamation ! Whatever
this may mean, we cannot perceive that, it really
touches the core of the difficulty. Had we ever
credited what some, at the time, were loud in as
serting, that the separation was effected-on mere
grounds of policy, we should have had no agency
in it. There may arise many, annoyingdifficul :
ties in a Church, as in a State,'-which may' cause
controversy, without justifying disruption. In
the present case, however, it was honestly be
lieved by us, and we are very, sure by the great
mass of Presbyterians with whom we acted, that
a much more vital question was involved—a
question which related to radical differences on
cardinal doctrines, and particularly in reference
to human depravity and Christ's atonement ,We
are not called on here to recite these differences
in detail. They were, developed in a' pintracted
controversy, and the result was separation. The
principal papers adopted at that time, and made:
the' ground of the ASseifibly'is final action, may
readily be referred to by those who have forgot
ten• them, of may have appeared on the stage
since. It is sufficiently manifest that it was doc
trinal disagreemeni between two great parties
which led to the sundering of their friendly rela
tions.
Editor
"The question, preliminary to all others, newts,
is the difference . obliterated? If it.be, we, will ,
hail, with all our heart; a re-union. If it be not,
of what avail would a nominal union: be ? It
would have at least one effect, and that would be
the revival of belligerent parties, the renewal of
old controversies, the agitation of our Presby
teries and Synods, the upheavings of our Gene
ml Assembly, and, in short,. a painful interrup
tion of the peace of the religious world. Are
these things desirable t Will men of God look
so superficially on this question, as to rush hedd - -
lessly into such dangers? And yet, as we think,
a wholesale amalgamation would produce just
such unhappy strifes. Now we live in comity
with our New School brethren; we have 110,0011-
troversy with them while ,they abide in their lot ;.
and we cordially extend to them the right hand
of fellowship when they come among us, a.cCoro:l
- to the method prescribed by the • General
Assembly. They may think they- have been un
justly dealt with; but do they.themselves sup
pose that a re-association would - mend the mat
ter ? We do not think that they 'do. They
have a highly respectable organization, a talented
ministry, a prosperous scheme , of benevolent en
terprisei, peaceful counsels; and why 'should
they seek any other union than that which is
based on affinity of doctrinal news? Why should
our respective pulpits alternately ring with vari
ant conflicting statements of doctrine? Would
it not be discreditable to both sides ? We are
sorely miarepresented, if we be charged with one
bitter feeling to-our New School brethren; or if
we are regarded as opposed 'to union on right
grounds. It is not at - all our temper. We covet
unity and peace, and are only afraid, that by any
precipitate movement, whatof these we already,
have may be jeoparded. This is as much as we
wish to say in reference to the action of, the
Presbyteries of Ogdensburg and St. Lawrence."
We give the article it full. The position of
the Presbyterian is thus 'taken at the outset - of a
'movement likely to continue, and perhapWto pre-:
duce important results. Thus early, it hastens to
throw cold water upon it. , It sees in the proposed
union only " such an amalgaination;" " a, whole
sale amalgamation." It uses a term which shows
that it revolts from union at heart. Its compli
mentary language to our denomination—rare as
such language is in its columns—must he judged
in the light of that odious phraseology, and could
have been spoken with about as much truth if'
High Church Epi:scopalians, or any other 'active
non-Evangelical body, with - whom union would
indeed be nothing -but " amalgamation." •
If, indeed, the ease as to doctrinal differences
be as the Presbyterian- asserts; if therehe "ra-,
died differences on carthno/ doetrines,'? then it '
must be Conceded union would be nothing'but a
misfortune, and Would end in further alienation.
Does the Presbyterian suppose that any large
portion of either denomination is So blind as not
to see this ? That Vie, or the Ogdensburgh Pres
.
bytery, desire the external combination, for, the
sake of empty appearance, of elements without
inward affinities and true spiritual sympathies ?
Na I we do not wish to be joined with bodies ra
dically diffeting from us on cardinal doctrines.
For ourselves, we - stand fairly upon the West
minster Confession and the well known Standards
of the Presbyterian church; we believe' our
church, as made up 'of men of at, least ordinary
intelligence •and honesty; has abundantly vindica
ted_her claim to this - position ; and if the Presby
terian and its constituents " radically " differ
from us on "cardinal doctrines," they must be
away off from these standards, in the very tran
scendentalism of Turretin and the fogs of Me
dieval scholasticism. With "those, indeed, the
fresh, elastic spirit of
. christianized modern ,in
quiry, would have little sympathy ;. a union of
the tyro
_might well, be called, ainalgamatien"
(the'lViord is not to our taste), would be as incon
gruous as the union of the senile Tithonus with
the immortal goddess' of the dawn. The Presby
terian may' rest issured,',that, in such a case, the
union shall net be of our seeking.
But its correspondent from Ogdensburgh takes
ak t ur t irint Trtolltttrian and 6rittort 6vaitgriiot
a very different view of the' case. His commu
nication on the subject is worthy of a place in
our columns. He says :--- _
" Circumstances occurred to render the meet
ing of Presbytery interesting and memorable in
a very Marked degree. I will not anticipate" in
formation which you will receive , officially, ro
specting a paper submitted by Judge Fine, and
which, after a full and frank discussion: by the'
conjoined meetings of the Presbyteries of Og
densburgh '(Old-school) and St. Lawrence (New
school), was unanimously passed, looking to a
re-union of the two General Assemblies. What
ever view may be taken of the
,measure by the
C.hurel, throtigh her judicatories,. all honor is
due, add will be accorded to the heart of its ve
newlilswoppser, and the Presbyteries that gave
it endorsement. The two great ' obstacles of
d i s , .wd 'Slavery are rapidly passing away,
and' it believed that the proposal will not be
laid upon.the table' whim* free.discusSion, and
a statement of reasons which commend - themselves
to the common reason and conscience, why the
measure is impracticable and impossible. Let the
paper of Judge. Fine and the two Presbyteries be
carefully considered before being condemned as
visionary and vain. The ball is in motion, let
no one oppose its onward progress without
thoughtfulness and much prayer!!
Here is nothing of "radical differences on car
dinal doctrinei "—nothing about doctrines at all.
If such differences exist,
,they are not worthy to
be mentioned in connection 'with" Boards " and
"slavery," points on which we are rapidly ap
proaching an understanding. For ourselves, we
arc content to place these views of the editor and
correspondent in the same paper over against
each other, and to, wait for other developments
to show which of them represents the prevailing
feelincr as to obstacles to union, in his denomi
nation. ,
THE MOB--WHERE IS. IT?
THE innate good sense and the regard for law
and order which incorporate themselves into the
being of every civilized and thoroughly Christian
ized people, are, exhibiting themselves among us
at this crisis;in a manner which should make us
truly thankful to God. Not the least among .the
perils of, such a period are the temptations and
opportunities it offers to bad men to create new
disorders, and thus pave the way to - a general
confision- and- overthrow of alt. The American
people hithei to have shoWn 'themselves a lei
abiding peeple, and up to the-timeof the
Of this rebellion, the simple measures.and
the small armynecessary to sustain our Govern
ment, were in marked contrast;with the necessa
ry policy of the •remainining eiviliied nations of
the world. -It is the anti-Republican, pro-Slav
ery interest, which has ever been most in sympa
thy with the mob in this country, which has now
taken the form of 'open rebellion. And the truly
republican part of the nation, even in the exci
ting and fearful trials through whichit is passing,
has' never once given evidence of being swayed
by the violence of a lawless passion, or• of being
in the hands of a mob whom it dare "not resist.
With all our imperfections, we Are yet, in the
great features of our political character, ,as truly
and thoroughl3r a Christian people, and as much
under the influence ,of Christian principles, in
our policy at home and abroad, as any nation of
the globe. 'lf the public has a strong and nearly
unanimous opinion about the management of the
mest serious business it has ever entrusted to its
representatives. in. council and in the fleld-r-the
suppression of this rebellion—!and if that-opinion
is-seemingly. disregarded, it; indeed chafes impa
tiently, it .speaks without restraint, and criticises
and denounces unsparingly; init in what way hi%
it shown itself inclined to Mob violence, and when
have - proper_ explanations made to its representa
tives failed to curb its demonstrations of impa
tience ? If the Tribune's cry.---" On to Rich
mond 1" hadnot been followed by a pronature
movement of our army, it would never have
raised this people to the pitch of revolutionary
violence. The calm self-restraint even of our
border poplation, our scarcely settled emigrants
of the North, with their large infusion. of foreign
elements, was never more clearly seen than in the
cirewnetances attending the removal of General
Frenont, who - was pe'culiarly the . idol of these
border' and foreign populations: - 'Though we
hive great , faitli in' our people, we confess we
looked with some anxiety for the results of that
removal, difficult as it appeared to give a suffi
cient reason for the step. Yet the excitement
which it.occasioned never took the shapeof re
eistanze to law, and - the numbers wlao were es
tranged' from the , service by thisopolicy of the
Governmentto.their favorite, were too trifling to
be , noticed.-- `Therna,grranirnity of Fremont him-.
self, who nobly repressed any demonstrations of
the air% doubtless aided inbringing about this'
most Satisfactory result; yet we are inclined to
believe that the material tor a revolutionary de
monstration was not there. It,was not in the
thronged - eities,,and. prairie towns,. and river and
railroad,emporiums of the Great West,--in the
vast, populations. who saw and admired in the
" Pathfinder, of the Reeky Mountains " the em
bodiment of their own . enterprise, and felt them-'
selves cast down in his removal. A disappointed
people powerful, restless,—till lately dinners in
the rade wilderness, acquiesced, like ,the Chris;
tiara people they were, in the decision of the
Government; without a seditious movement, and
the army accepted its- new. leaders "without, we
believe, one court-martial for insubordination.
The people were :thrilled with.linicommon ex
ultation at the. boarding of the •" Trent," and
the capture•off Mason and Slidell. 'Eveneminent ,
civilians, like Edward . Everett, aided and SUS •
-
tained the general 'sentiment by"their published
opinions. The House of Representativei Passed
a vote' of thanks toCaptain Wilkes, and Secrete,-
ry Welles made 'honorable mention of the act.
The first
intimations of English anger were met
by the most
,determined and apparently unani
mous resolve on the part of the people, to stand
by the act, and accept its utmost consequences;
and much wonder and indignation began to ap
pear es our Government cautiously withheld its
counsel from the public. But all is over and dis
posed- of in a manner the very . reverse of what
was expected, by an excited people. And has
there been a ruffle an the even and orderly course-,
of things indicating that, the people had been
crossed in their darling
_purposes ? In a word,
where in all • our disorders, is the. mob ? There
is indeed, but one answer -to this question—it is
not in the North; it exist% but it is that against
which the North is fighting. The mob and law-.
ful Government are arrayed against each other.
It is many-headed ; it is 'organized; it hasbor
redgotvheer externals ,
en Behold a e nd o is
it a a pi t ng M t a h n e as m sas a" , a e t rs C o o- f
true
iumbus, at Memphis. The North is shedding
her blood, and pouring out her treasure for the
maintenance of order, for the-upholding of the
only principles that can save us from endless
anarchy. Her attitude, and her sacrifices for
these principles 'are writing Diem deeply on the
. hearts of the people, and
,it any wonder that
she acquiesces with - her -wanted- readiness and
calm dignity in her self-imposed code of laws, and
adheres to the Constitution which is the most
sacred watchword Of her cause ?
The contemners ,of Republicanism in Europe,
who long to create the opinion that all Govern
ments not kingly is of the mob, hive loudly and
confidently proclaimed that the North was at its
mercy in the settlement of the " Trent affair."
The journals of Great Bataitt—the, Examiner,
the ,Spectator, the Economist, the Press, the Sa
turday Review, the Leon' Review, the 'corres
pondent of the Times, have unitedly and simul
taneously thrown the insult into the face of this
Christian nation, that it was utterly at the mercy
of the mob, and that mob-violence would render
the adjustment of the " Trent affair" impessible.
The dignified attitude of "the American people
during the whole discussion, is now becoming
known to them, and exactly in proportion to the
error, the folly, and the indignity of their predic
tions will America and the honor of true Repub
licanism be exalted. Theal' ob is enlisted in the
cause of the slave-masters..and- would-be-aristo
crats of our country. Reason, forbearance,= and
loyalty to just principles of civil and international
law, are with the adherents of freedom .in the
thoroughly Republican North.
BAD FAITH,
WHAT apology or explanation there may be,
which, if known, might change the appearance
,of
the act, we, of course know not, but we greatly
fear it will be impossible to give 'a favorable con
struction to the recent swiapressio veri of which
the Palmeaton , government and its• organs have
been guilty 'in regard to the Trent affair. It
seems scarcely credible, yet it is true, that (lur
ing that whole month of wild war excitement
through which England has just passed,-- 7 - -while
immense armaments were being prepared, twenty.
millions of money expended, and the, two great
Christian nations of rthe earth brought to ,the.
verge of war, on the suptsition that our Gov
ernment had wantord,rinollted the British flag,
all this time (since Dec. 19th), Earl Russell'was
aware of the disav6wal, by our Government, of
the act of Oaptitin Wilkes. The following letter
from our minister, Mr. Adams, to Secretary
Seward, dated London, Dee. 20th, is -sufficient
proof of the fact: _
Sir .—Although nothing remains to be done
here to modify the respectiie positions 6f the
two countries in regard tolhe.affair of the trent,.
I decided to ask a conference with Earl Russell.
I then remarked that my despatches enabled me
now to assure: him that the act of CaPt. Wilkes
had not been authorized •by the Government,;
and further, that they would reserve themselves
perfectly free - to act, upon it until they,should,
hear from this side of the water, butif her Ma--
.
jesty!s Ministers were disposed to enter.upon the
subject with a view to an amicable adjustment,
they would, be met in,an. equally friendly spirit.
His Lordahip expresserthis gratification on re
ceiving this inforination. 'He had himself little
doubtity-regard-4O thiliF-firt point, ever since
hearing from me the instructions given to the
Commander of the Janus Adger. The
, other
point was likewise inipcAtilt, inasmuch as it re
moved the danger of committal, -prior to the mo-,
ment when the views, of to Government should
be presented' on the -part of. Great Britain. I
then proposed, as .a means: of fully. bringing to
his Lordship's knowledge the real spirit of the
Government of the United States, that he should
let me read to him a despatch exactly'as I bad
received it. A* judgment' might' be fully formed
of it in this way-,-Litmetnuelraeihe paper had re
capitulated the various rounds of misunder
standing and complaint. ,:.His Lordship paid he
should be glad to hear it; so rread all the de
spat& No. 'MG, of Nov. 30th, I.B6l i rexcept the
first paragraph, personal to myself..
I have the honor, etc. ' '
CIIMCLES FRANCI§ .ItDAMS
Had this disavewal been 'announced to the
Eiritish people, it is in!iiossible tnbelieva - that
they would have sa ; the extraordinary
attitude in which ielhitve just seen them.
They have apparently been deliberately cheated
into regarding us' as ; wanton and wilful, viola
tors of their most sacred prerogative.' And
for, what? iFormo other ;and : ou the,part of the
authors of, the Inischief,tm for that so nearly
4p
`'
abou&—for war.: ''
=The British neWspapeis not in the interest of
the ministry, are inquiring why this first import
ant despatch had been ivithheld, and why the .
English people had been so shamefully`deceiied?
The London Post came Out first with a denial
but caught infir falsehood it offered the miser
able apology that the "cornrounication. was not,
an official paper;" and in the same article went
to abusing the United Statet'Grovernmentas one
" which- reSpedted no law `as against theinstinets
of filibustering,"' and other insolent lingia'ge' of
the same sort. But this fir ftoin Satisfactory
to independent journala.
The London Standard ptys : " There could be
no war after 4 T . Sewlid t s despatch - of the 80th
of November was wr4tpn. .Lord:' Palmerston
knew this. His Cabinet knew The, people.
only were hoodwinked and made - tools - of. We
rise as one man tn resent the insult of a bucca
neering American Comdtodore to our flag. Is'
there •no ,voice to impeich an affront of - an
most` eqUally . malignant pharacter committed,
against the .nation •by the Mildsters* of the
Crown ?", ,
The London Star, says_: When has thetNew
York Herald written anything,so coarse, so slan
derous, so vulgar, so: ik 418 the Times and the
Morning Post have written of the American Gov
ernment and people, -day after day, during the
recent crisis, with -a aye:tilde:tie infamy of lin:
guage and 'baseness of Purpose ?' Had all this
.
been done to intimidate - the U. S. Government,
to force it into yielding to our demand, it would
haie been sufficiently mean and cowardly, :hut
riot, perhaps, wholly inexcusable. It might have
seemed a sort of brutal'!extravagance of zeal on
behalf of our nationaridterest. But it' had not
this"excuse. It was notibln&teindiiee the Arne
ricans to concede. It' wits done with thedelite
ci a
rate purpose of , reading o e prou an sensitive
people of the Northern States into time passion_
ate defiane - of England, 'in order that England,
being the stronger, might crush and trample her
free offspring.,"
The French J journals also - express atitoriiShment
at the course pursued by tbe ministerial organ,
and the insufficiency of its explanation. The
Patric says : " This explanation is scarcely one at
all, and evidently calls for another." The pm q:
opinion is, that " this pitiful excus
comment, but we doubt much whethe - -:iii-14 ,se
of Commons, before whom the affair;
sarily be brought; will be satisfied with it."
ENGLISH CORRESPONDENCE.
England, January 14th. 1861.
•TaaE year 1861, now that its doings are counted
up, has a balance to show in favor of liberty.
In its second month, the first Parliament of the
Kingdom of Italy was opened at Turin. A few
days before, -Gaeta had capitulated to the Sardi
nians, and " Boruba" and his Queen left it for
Rome. A free Parliament in Turin ! Suck a
phenomenpn Italy has'not seen Tor ages ;., but it
his its drawbacks in the shape of an Italy with•
-
out its capital, and in the sudden removal from
the scene, of the illustrious .statesman, Cdunt
Cavour. "
Whatever man has done, it is affecting to think
that the great actor on - the stage of 1861 has"
been Death. The mortality among our great
men has been unusually heavy. Not a few were
eminent in . the various departments of states
manship, of law, of theology, of literature, of
science, of war, and of , social improyenient. : A
large amount of ptawer has gone down to the
tomb during the year now closed; and it seenas
that the world is much poorer, morally andintel
lectually, at the end of 1861, than it was at its
beginning.
Running . the eye over the more prominent
names of, the obituary roll, the good 'King_ of
Prussia heads the list. Then, among other royal
personages, have; he Emperor of China, the
Sultan. of Turkey. : _ The King of, „Portugal, and_
both the mother and the husband of the Queen
of England. •
In statesmanship, there IS the loss of Cavour—
the first statesman Italy has 'produced in recent
times, and called away, too, when' the day seemed
to open on a land where the'night had long rested.
Other statesmen, smitten, downiby the destroyer,
are Adam Czartoriski, the distinguished Pole;
Sir James Graham, .and John 'Campbell; Chad
cellor of - England;
In literature and< science, there has to he la
mented -the loss of Laird, the African 'explorer;
of Donaldson, - the learned philologist; Mrs.
,
Browning, the poetess; Corbitt, the engineer;
Sehlosser, the historian • _Necker, the Minerale. - -
. 2 .7 3
gist; and others not a few. But there are two
eminent deaths which have signalized the close
of the year, and, shed. a gleom over the whole
empire,—Dr. . Cunningham, . and the
Prince Consort. ;Both of these_men died in one
day: and on. that-day what intellectual power,
what theological accomplishment, what. manly
worth, and 'what wise, prudeni, and patriotic
counsel, did the nation lose 1
The first week of the new year has been set
apart very generallyi'or -united, special, daily
_ . .
prayer, both in London-and in the provinces.
At, FreemasoWs
„Hill, London, two meetings
were held each day of the week- The first,
_,
fore
noon meeting was presided over by Sir Culling
Eardley.' There was an immense gathering,
chiefly of the upper ,and middle classei. ``The
solemn feeling which pervaded the meeting from
first to last was remarkable, and had, its appro
priate, outward expression in. the habiliments of
mourning ~ for the 'Priike,consort, Nprn ,by all
Present. . _ „
_An address was. delivered by the Bev. Pre
benda,ry Burgess, of - the Church , of Englaad.
His subject"was, .the grounds which exist{ for
humiliation before' God at this time. He ob
served: that all outpourings of the Spin't had
been preceded 'by confession* and self-abasement
of the phurch. He' gave a series of reasons why
we, as individuals families and a. nation, should
sorrowfully acknowledge , and deeply deplore our
short-comings.
The prayers on this occasion were offered by
the Rev. B. W. Noel (Baptist), the Rev. T.
FiSher ` (Presbyterian), the Rev. E. Bickersteth
(Episcopal); and the Rev. P. Latrobe (Moravian.)
An immense number of
,requests for prayer were
sent in, and the Rei:W. Roberts in the closing
prayer, made appropriate reference to them;
Another• characteristic of thiS. meeting was, that
it was opened by silent prayer; which*Was 'ob
served a second time between two voctil utter
ances of supplication in . the course of the service.
The meetings of the subsequent days , were
equally good, at one of whiCh - a Most powerful
address was delivered by the ReV. John , Rotten
bury, President -of.„„theWesleyan Conference.
In this eountry,,there.ts a spirit abroad mus
tering its forees - for the destruction of the Old
and New Testament.Seripturea. The authors of
that book—Essays nnd:l?eviews—are laboring in
.this direction. . So, also,:are Maurice, Kingsley;
and Macnaught. These Men seek by inferences
alike-forced and false to. bring the reielations of.
the "Bible and Of conscience into aritagoirtsM;
and this to destroy faith in M6Ses and the
PrOphets, or in the jnsrared Apostles and Evan
But th,re is a bright side to this dark
_picture
ofabounding infidelity. Never since the Refor
mation has the Gospel been so widely.preached.
Never has there been a more • determined effort
tobring all classes of the eommunity,'from the
lowest depths of Society, up to, its highest pinna
ales, within the joyful sound. The special -ser
vices in the ,metropolli, and the ReviVal Meet:.
ings all over the land, are singularly
,blessed,
and there can be no, doubt that Chriat,has been
,
Literature is =undoubtedly looking up in; this
country. For authors; the good time that has
been so long coming; has surely arrived:
Sir.E.: L. BulWer 'gets £lOO a week for 'his
story in "All the Tear Rtrand," Mr Thacke4y .
gets £5,000"a year for editing the Comb:ill
..Ara
gaz e, and Mr. Wilkie Collins has been en
gaged.by Messrs. Smith & Elder to write la novel,
for which he is te bp paid £.5,000. ;
..Since.the multiplication -of cheap;= newspapers,-
writers of inferior name--sonie_ of them of no
name at allf--have been earning as much as £l5
and .f. 2.0 a week, simply by leadin'g writing„
what is called ii.pieturesque
.reporting." A
"seedy author - ' l- is,'now a ghost of other days--a
tradition of Grab; Strept r .totig since numbered
among the things that were.
The course of lectures' to the Young Men's
Christian Association in Exeter Hall, is now in
progress. The mostpopular and striking deny:
ered up to the present time have been those by
Rev. H. Allon, and Edward 'Corderoy, Esq. ; but
the one delivered last Tuesday eclipsed them all.
Mr. Spurgeon's subject was -Counterfeits. He
began with an apology that lectUring was nofin
his line, which was the pulpitl but no one r wno
heard Mr. Spurgeow.would admit the plea, forte
is capable of equal excellence in either.
No doubt the terms lecture and sermon are
often interiliarigeible: AiaffeetiveieCtifelinin
a Christian orator must have something in it
ar
kin to the sermon ; and a sermon that has rela
tion .to marr.in'his entirety, - Will have in it many
of the features of a lecture.
Mr. Spurgeon's lecture wanted only a,.text to,
have made it a i noble, a : -powerful, and a most
useful sermon. Or, it Wanted only the elimina
tion of all its best, .that is to. say its spiritual
parts; to have' made it an admirable lecture in
the common tieceptation of the term.
- The next le6ture, by Mr. Boyd, on Truth,
may be framed On the same -principle as that of
Mr. Spurgeon; and so may the succeeding lec
tures of ,Mr. M'Gee, on Prophecy; "Dr. Candlish,
on Miracles, and Dr. Miller, on the NeW Testa
ment Narrative..: All these may he constructed
on the mixed principle : with a text they may
be sermons; and without text, appeal, or appli
cation, they May be leCtures. The closing lee
tune, by the Methodist orator, Punshon, on Lord
Macauly; can only be a lecture, no power can
turn it into a sermon.
The death of Dr.. Cunningham.,
,has made a
vacancy in the Principalship of the Free Church
College, which will have to be filled by the next
Assembly: The opinion prevails that Dr. James
Buchanan will be made Ilbrincipal,'and,that the
Rev. IL Rainy, of the Free Ifigh.Church will be
appointed to Dr. Buchanan's Chair of Theology.
THE SUPPLY OF MINISTERS.
Ona readers will : find this topic discussed in
an extract on our first page, taken froin an able
article in the PrincetOn Review. the writer of
that article regards the plan of the Scotch Free
dhurch, called * , the Sustentation Fund, as supe
rior to th * at in vogue in this ,country. That fund,
gathered from every:part - of the Church; is used
to make, up deficiencies in the salaries of minis
ters, and to keep the minimum salary at such a
point.as to insure an adequate support in every
case. Pince the article was in type we have re
,.
cerved - the following from a correspondent in Ge
neva, N. Y., which shows that the subject of an
apparent over-supply of ministers is attractingAt
tention in our Church, ,In such a time of gene
ral prostration, the cry, of an over-supply in- every
department of activity that cannot be brought
directly within the scope of the war, is anything
but surprising. It would be ill advised to at
tempt now to judge of the relation of demand and
supply . in the Ministry, or .in any other branch
of intellectual effort, but we
, a i t•e pleased to see
attention drawn, to the sUbjeet, and hope good
Will arise from the discussion.. Our New York
correspondent says
" Several vacancies in pulpits occurred in this
region during the past year, but there were very
promptly many- applications to' fill -thgm ; and
now nearly or quite all of them are supplied.
Quite" a number of ministerial brethren remain
still unemployed, ;however, and the prospect for
them, and also for graduating theological students--
as to,spee,dily' finding fields of ministerial 'labor,
is certainly not very ,encouraging.
" This excess of supplY beyond ;the demand for
pulpit and pastoral labor is manifestly a present
fact, with the probability of an increase to •that
excess yowls-4o cow. - It seems a strange re
salt, however, for - Often, in times past, in our
churches and religious fournals;"the need of more
Ministers has been urgently set forth. But now,
instead of churches (able to support a pastor, with
or without, Home Miss'y aid,) seeking in:vain for
ministers, unemployed ministers seek in main for
churches. ft is a thoughtful questioning that
arises—ought, must this apparently surplus mi
nisterial talent be turned to methods of secular
activity ?"
(For .the .American.Presbytexian.)
DELAWARE LADI•ES AND DIE SOLDIERS
• St. Georges, Jamiary 27, 1862.
ME ladies of the Presbyterian church in this
place, last week completed and sent away to the
sick and wounded, among our soldiers ; two large
and well-filled boxes, valued at $175. _These
boxes contained garments, bed-Clothing, and de
licacies for our poor fellows, who are now absent
from their homes, among which are $3O worth of
wrappers for the sick ; $l2 worth of loose, warm
slippers ;. $lO worth of woolen socks ; $22 worth
of opnifortables ; $55 worth of flannel undercle 7
thino: and $2O worth of jellies preserved fruits
etc., besides very many other niceties which will
materially aid and comfort the soldier in the dark
hour of.his need. , •
It may be.well to notice also the fact, that the
children in:, the Sabbath School of the above
. mentioned elinrch; have recently'Subscribed for
thirty copies of the American Messenger, to be
sent to the Rey. Mr. Condron,, the indefatigable
chaplain of the Second Delaware regiment, that
theY frecontly send papers and books to Rev. Mr:
Murphy, the excellent`chaplain of the First Del
aware regiment; and that, sometime ago, when
the United States soldiers were here, as a - guard
to„the -Delaware and 'Chesapeake Canal, which
passes through this place, the - Sabbath School
children presented to each soldier =a copy of the
""Soldiee&Friend," with their best prayers- and
H.' E.
WILL THE' SOITTIL EMANOIPATE
..N67)z eat the:;;following • from , one of our ex
changes But the South itself may take the
matter of emancipation intwits Own hands. There
is reason to believe that the so-called Confeder
ate Government pnbliah a decree of emanci
pation; if found necessary, as alas't resort to gain
the acknowledgement, of the poWers of Europe,
and a permanent Separationfrom' the. North. It
,
is reported, how much, reason we know not,
that there,,are,agentat, the,-Southern Confede
racy now Europe,-who are-secretly laboring to
purchase the favor of Foreign powers, by 'making
propesitions of the gradual emancipation of sle
very: 'lt is aid that three prominent newspapers
heve SPread' the report that the South is ready
to:grant freedom to the slaves, provided the Eu
ropean Governments, would recognize its inde
pendence.'
Mr. Toombs, if ire mistake not, has intimated
that if worst: comes • to , sworst, .the South - would
emancipate the slaves' as a measure of s strength
against the. North, and to prevent them fiord fall
ing into our' hands; and thus of increasing our
facilities for conquering the` Soitth."
OONGREGATIOILILISIt 3N CHARLESTON,
. 7- SOUTH CAROLINA.
• I out article on the conflagration of Charles
ton, we spoke of the ; Circular church, burned at
,the time,Affresbyterian The „Presbyterian, of
this city, corrected us by saying that the church- :
'Was .Congregatibnal.: The CongregationaZist, re
marking upon the correction, and confirming it
at - the sarne'iiiiWcoifAriedall that we said of the
sentiments of its New Ettgland pastor. It says :
—" The Presbyterian, we iagre:ti_to say, is right.
The Circular church is Congregational, and the
Rev. Drs. Adams and Blagda; Of this city, as
sisted in the installation of *I% Rice, who is still
a member of the Saba South Aasociation. He
was formerly settled at West Killing - Iy, Connec
.i3ut, acted as stated supply of the Chestnut street
church in Chelsea, through the ; Summer of 1857,
and was subsequently settled in Brighton, from
whence he went to . Charlestoia. When in Con
necticut, he was nnderstood to be strongly con
servative, but while in = Chelsea, he repeatedly
expressed earnest anti-slivery sentiments, and
especially in his prayers evinced a warm sy m p a .
thy for the oppressed. Oa last visit here,
which was several, months previous to Mr. Lin
coln's election, he seemed to have become tho
roughly Southernized, and even persistently
argued the rightfulness of slavery on Bible
grounds. In the last letter which we saw from
him L he mentioned with apparent gratification,
the fact that, as 'he wrote, 'his ear was saluted
with the click of the hammer used in preparing
the floating battery to operate against Fort Sum
ter."
ALPIIA
TURNING THE OTHER CHEEK.—A few weeks
ago, we expressed our strong disapproval of the
New York Observer's misapplication of this Gos
pel precept to national affairs, and to the conduct
of our own nation in yielding up Slidell and Mason.
The Observer, of last week, admits a lengthy and
able communication into its columns, reproving
it for the same egregious blunder. The writer
approves of General Jackson's-celebrated maxim
of Governmental 'action, " Ask nothing but what
is clearly right, and submit to nothing that is
wrong." We quote the main point , in the wri
ter's argument :--
" The principle of the atonement, wrought out
in suffering, and ..self-sacrifice for the good of
others,_ even enemies, is the true law of the indi
vidual Christian life. But nations have no atone
ment; Governments have no Saviour. They
are, like God, absolute ministers of justice, and
failing in its enforcement, under the inflexible
rule of his absolute equity, they, in due time, and
infallibly,' become its victims.
" This Gospel law, therefore, is not their law
tbese Gospel rules are all plainly and by their terms,
directions and principles for the regulation of
the Private individual spirit and conduct of Chris
tians, having no possible proper application or
relation to public, official, governmental action.
The notion that they have Rich relation or appli
cation is a bold - and fallacious assumption, the
proton ptgledos of a series by which every tho
roughly consistent man who adopts it becomes of
necessity an anarchist."
AGENTS IN THE STATE OE NEW YOWL
S t oßsounialts in New York State, indebted to
this paper, and residing in the following places, are
requested to makepayment to the individuals named,
who have kindly consented to act as Agents for us.
Bills for all amounts due in these places, have been
planed in their hands for collection.
Attica;-4Mnes Barker.
Auburn—S. M. Keeler.
AlbUnt—Ray. - O Beardsley.
Buffalo—Rev. 1), L. Nunn.
Batavia—L. McFarland.
Corning—W. P. Haven. . .
Dunkirk—Rev. W: L. Hyde.
Danville—H. C. Sedgwick.
Elmira—Rev. :j H. Close.
East Btoomizeid-7Samnel Hough. .
East Avon—Rev. A. Elmer.
.East Pembroke—J. Ingram.
Geneva—Rev. T. M. Hopkins.
liimeage Asa Pride..
Leroy—B. R. Crane.
Leariston—Dr. S. E. Hackley.
Livonia—Rev. A. H. Parmalee.
.Lyons—Rev. G. R. Rudd. ,
Xt. Morris—Rev. L. Parsons, Jr.
North Chili—R. Fulton.
Newark-LRev. G. R. H. Shumway.
Nevi York City—M. P. Jones.
/Wanda—Earl S. Paine_
Palnigga—A. B. Clemons.
fituaron—Rev. R. H. Deiter.
Forry—H. E. 'Ramon; '
Pike—A. R.
Phelps—J. C. Stevens:
• Roehester—T. S. Thum.
SpeneerpOrt—Alva Clia in:
Shier Creek--Jas. R. Semple.
&sp. Bride Abel Wilder.
Westfield—Rev: L. A. Skinner.
Walkins—H. M. Hilleman.
YOrk--T. F. Baldwin.
Youngstown--Jos. Holden.
0) no flinch ftwo.
Revivels.—We are cheered by news from vari
mis quarters of the outpouring of the spirit in
greater or less degree upon our Churehes. The
Herald and Recorder of the 23d .of January
furnishes a number of interesting instances which
wo;quote part. t,
The chnrchin Shelby imder the care
of J. B. Sheldon, hawrecently enjoyed a season
of refreshing from on high Of a far *re marked
character than has ever been seen theib since the
organization of the church. The brethren for
some time have been hoping for such a visitation,
and On Decernber 12th, special services were
commenced. Deep solemnity pervaded all minds,
manifest emotion was apparent, but everything
was orderly and harmonious. The reiults thus
far have been the addition of twenty-nine to the
church, while others are hoping, and others stilt
deeply interested and anxious. Quite a number
of these are adults, -several headsi of families.
Among those, added 'to the cbuick,Aere were
three d
husbans and their wives , and, two hue
bands, .
whose wives were already members of the
church. There were six family altars erected, in
one week.'
>The brethren "already feel that, their house of
worship is too strait for them, and kno*.that
the, necessity ,. for a mew one is already:upon: them.
How they,are secure one is not:yet apparent;
but when God blesses his people and enlarges
their'lmarts, all the needed aid is not`far off.
Much interest reported b.rfor4 Ohio- It:
is seen 'says the correspondent, "'in the crowded
assemblies that meet every evening' in. our union'
service. This interest . haS'been on the ineleaie
since' the eommencerrient -of the -' , Week of
Prayer.' There has never before been siicliaspirit
of union between the different .churchesi n thi t s,
place as now. Public confessions have been
made by prominent Christians, certain indivi
dualar have requested the prayers_of the Church
in.their behalf. Others have requested prayers :
for their, friends and relatives. The IChurch.iaL
being quickened. The exhortations and prayers
have been characterized by
-an nnusuaV.clegref
earnestness.. The Oxford Female College, and
the. Western Female Seminary, are sharing in
this blessing:"'
FEB. 6,