Vol. VI, No. 28.--Whole No. 297.
° .J it
Midnight Thoughts.
" What time I am afraid, I will trust in Thee."—
PSALM IVI. 2:
HUSH I hark I 'tis twelve, the midnight hour,
And yet no sleep hath closed mine eyes;
What is it thrills' me with its power
To shake it , off I will arise.
I'll gaze out at the midnight sky,
Perchance the stars will glad mine eyes;
No star I see to comfort me—
The night is dark as dark can be. •
List 1 list I I seem to hear a cry;
Was that a scream wont rushing past ?
Not so 1 the -wind was wailing by—
No scream ! it was the midnight blast
I'll strike a light to banish care,
And to my children three repair
No child I see but comforts me—
They sleep , as sweet as sweet can be.
Dear babes, they froliCked all the'day,.
And now their pillows gladly pres;
And yet, amid their wildest play,
They missed their father's fond caress.
When will papa return ? they cry;
And I repeat it with a sigh.;
I long for Thee to comfort me,
For Pm as sad as sad can be.
Now, dark again ! to rest I'll go—
Ah me, what visions cluster round I
Thoughts of the grave—they haunt me so—
How dark 'twill be beneath the ground!
Dead I dead 1 I shrink from being dead 1
I shudder at that cold, dark bed 1
NI) star I see to comfort me,
Thu grave is lone as lone can be.
Alas 1 deep horror chains my heart;
Where shall I fly fdr peace to-night?
Ha 1 ha I the darkness seems to part,
I surely see a dawning light.
Joy ! joy 1 a cross—a form is near,
My Saviour's loving voice I hear 1
A star I see that comforts me :
Lord, when afraid, I'll trust in Thee.
Lift high the cross I shine on, bright star I
The grave is not so dismal now I
My loved one does not seem so far,
And sleep is settling on my brow,
Lord, Thou art mine till life shall end,
My first, my best, my changeless Friend:
I'll come to Thee to comfort Me ;
And when afraid, Fit trust in Thee.
OUR 'FOREIGN .LETTER.
Ominous Appearances—The Ploughshare of
War—ltaly in a Transition. State—Per
secution of Gavazzi---Inquisition Revived
—Protestantism in Prance--Bible Pedlars
—Prince Albert—The Trent Affair—Ac
cident in a Coal-pit—Movements for. Union
.--4ospel Agencies—Deaths of .Drs. Cun
ningham and Symington -- Brownlow
North—Sir Robert Peel and the Romish
Prieets—Chriattan Activity and Church
Extension.
The new year opened. with unusually omi
nous appearances in the political firmament,
foreboding disastrous storms. By the sove
reign interference of Him who is Governor
among the nations, some of the alarming phe
nomena have been dissipated, so that the
proSpect is a little brighter than it was a few
weeks ago. Yet the sky is anything but
clear • and the most sagacious meteorologists
in Church and State will scarcely venture on
a prediction as to what may occur before
1862 has run its course. The present aspects
of the world constrain the true lover of God
and of his fellow men, to join trembling with
his mirth. It cannot fail to strike the ob
server who looks beneath the surface of
things, how prominent the religious element
is in the national disturbances of the present
day, in both the eastern and western hemis
pheres. To God's remembrancers who are
pleading with Him for, the fulfilment of those
i*rophecies in which He has caused them to
gpe, this is encouraging in a high degree.
t seems as if her Head were conducting the
Church on to her bright destiny in ways she
knows not, and preparing the fallow ground
for the good seed by the ploughshare of war.
Christian reader, let me press on you the, im
portant and pleasing duty of prayer, that all
he events, evolving in Provnlence, may aid
in opening a wide and effectual door for the
Gospel where it is unknown, or contraband,
and may serve to prepare the way for the
universal acknowledgment of our exalted
Mediator, as King of saints and King of na
tions.
THE CONTINENT.
Italy is still in a transition state, to use a
scientific phrase. The progress of affairs
which was, fora time, iinparalelled in its ra
pidity, has been checked, but not entirely
arrested. There: is a strong under-current of
feeling in favor of freedom ; and it is expect
ed that the history of the approaching sum
mer shall contain one chapter on a war be
tween Austria and theltaliin kingdom, and
another on the final separation between the
temporal and spiritual power of the Pope.
At any rate, the latter case is in the court of
divorce, and there cannot be two opinions
among Protestants as to the issue of the,
trial. In Tuscany, Signor Gavazzi has been
dragged into a civil court by the priests under
an old la*. The head and front of his of
fending. is, that be denounced such dogmas
as the immaculate conception and auricular
confession, in a , style that endangered the
craft of the priesthood. As the law stands,
he cannot but be found guilty, and the pun
ishment for the crime ( 7 ) is five years' im
prisonment. We think there is not the sha
de*. of a doubt that Rieasoli, successor of
Cavour, and an aVo*ed friend of religious
liberty will interfere,
and set the condemned
champion ; of truth free _again to open his
mouth boldly for the overthrow of error. In
all likelihood, this case will cause the very
objectionable statute to be repealed, and thus
the wrath of man will, praise the Lord. The
eyes of the Christian:world are turned to
Spain, which has been reviving the cruelties
of the inquisition . ;: . The Word--of
,God had
found its way , into the hands of some Spa
niards who wished to search it. They were
accused, tried and condemned, as malefac
tors, to the galleys for seven years.; and yet
they were guilty of no crime under heaven,
except it be a crime to seek and-find the way
to heaven. The committee of the Evange
lical Alliance" is endeavoring to influence the
Spanish Government in favor of the Bible
readers; and itliagiisemed a cireular; inviting
the co-operation of all Christians in the phi
. . „
ianthropic: undertaking... 0, how . thankful
we' should be to God for the religions - righte
and privileges we enjoy I and how we Ought
to evidence our - gratitude,'hy laboring for the
extension of similar blessings to all l'and's l'
We are under the. painfulnecessity of record.;
ing some. cases ofpersecution in different parts
of Protestant Germany. lt appears that in:
[the states Brunswick,,ofMechlenberg. Stre
. ,the. .
litz, Saxony and HanoVer, civil power is
imprisoning the Baptista because they refnse
to conform to the Established' Church. Thig
is a cage in:Which - the Eirangelical Alliance
should proiriptly 'interfere . ; and -surely there
is good hope that :its ~ remonstrance would
secure the liberation of the prisoners, -and to
leration for them to. worship .God according
to the teaching ot.His Word, v.-they. under-.
stand it. It is.very, gratifying to learn that
Proiestantisni is on the, increase in. France,
and, making itself known and felt as, a great
power.. - The' test .proofOf this is, tht ultra
montane journals' have - , sounded an alar;
andlustily: belabored their party fer indifreri.
once, while the enemy; 'as they regard it; la
coming in like. a flood. ,' The Emperor seems
more determined than ever to teach the:priesta
to keep their own place - and mind their own
businesai and they_appear quite as determined
not to learn any,such lesson..,. Now and, then
they mutter something against the authori
ties, like as refractery schoolboys occasion:-
ally do, when the teacher would ,brighten
their faculties by applying a cane to their
, body. The evidences of religious' awaken
ing in Sweden . still present themselves in se;.
veral parts of - the country.. The. breath of
1 the Lord is breathing on the slain that they
may live. In France, colporteurs and tract
distributors are doing a noble Work, in scat
: tering leaves front, the tree of life for the
healing of the _nation. The latter . class" of
agents is employed extensively in . Paris
the happiest results, as fat as can , be known.
In Italy, the colporteurs of the British and
Foreign Bible Society and the Scottish Ng..
tional Bible Society distributed...during! the
past year 33,361 Bibles and Testaments, and.
41,491 religious books. In accomplishing
' this about forty-five agents are employed.
How eloquently these figures speak, and how
earnestly they plead with Christiane to give
their prayers and contributions for the success
of this cause in Italy; 'which,' physically;' is
one of the 'loveliest, - and morally, one Of the
darkest lands on the face of the earth'! - .We
remember about two years ago, a Popish
prelate in Ireland declared in a:pastoral that
the Italian troubles were caused by the Bible
pedlars, as he styled the colporteurs. Whe
ther he was right or wrong, we stop not to
inquire ' • but we say, all honor to the 'Bible
pedlars!, God speed the 'Bible pedlars
Theirs is .an honorable occupation. Soon'
may they give to every family, in Italy the
heavenly book-which shall lay the .axe to the
Upas tree, beneath whose shade morality has
withered, and crime . grown luxuriantly.,in..
that' classic land i . With a Bible in. every
home read and loved, Italy , France—;the
worldwould present a picture'the 'reVerse
of that the prophet-gives of the devietating'
march of a locust army. Instead- of all being -
an Eden before and a wilderness.behind, all
would be a wilderness before and an Eden
behind, the sacred volume. 'Gavazzi is not
the only person against 'whom a prosecntion
has been instituted, under Tuscan law. ',Gre
gori, a student in the Wildeiasian 'College at'
Florence, is waiting his trial_for publishing a
pamphlet against . the errors of Romanism.'
A colporteur at Florence; and a pastor at
Leghorn, were condemned very recently to
five days' imprisonment—the one for offering
an Evangelical almanac for sale, , and the
other for circulating a printed reply to the '
scurrilous attacks - of Certain monks. The
latest, continental intelligence refers to pa'
pular manifestatione on a gigantic scale, and'
most enthusiastic, in several Of theleailing
towns of Italy. The ' watchword 'of the pa ,
triots is "Rome, the - capital of Italy, with ,
one king—Victor Emmanuel r_, - , ,
Anonymous.
In the present letter it is not necessary, to
do more than refer to the death of the Prine,e,
Consort. Many of his virtues the nation
knew not till after his removal. He seems'
to have been a husband and a father ' in the
tree sense of these words. He was' thefriend
of all that could advance the welfare of the
country, and apparently under the power of
personal religion. In an unobtrusive manner
he earned for himself a name that shall stand
high among the-benefactors of his country,'
showing to posterity.that none is elevated..
above the level of doing-good, and. none de-,
graded by it. His death called forth from
the nation ainioat innutherable expressions
genuine sympathy with the - royal widow and
her fatherless children ; and the solemn tales'
in which God spoke by it, made many ''a
thoughtless one, especially in' the' higher:
ranks, feel that disease and . death are' no re
specters of persons. Sermons, suitable to the
occasion, were preached in metropolitan, and
rural. pulpits, anti in soil dins softened, gos
pel seed was sown abundantly"
giver of the increase may make it productive
of much good to men, and much glory to him- '
self! If the death of Prince Albert threw
the nation into deep mourning, a threatened
war with America threw it into deep anxiety.
Thank God, a dark and distressing calamity
to both countries has been averted, and peace
preserved. In spite of all that was written'
in, the leading. organs of political,Parties, on
the Trent affair, as it has lwri. deSignatefl,
the feeling end influence of file religiouS peo
le of the 'United kingdom were all againativar
with America. If proof of this be dernanded;
we haVe it at hand in thethonsande of pray: ,
ere offered; in private and public, for the •
maintenance of-peace between the:two great
est Christian powers in the world. The
writer knows nothing British. -Christians
would have dreaded and deprecated more,
tha.n war with America. This assertion is
made in opposition to what journals
may have contained, on the subject, and
with the view of corree,ting, as far as the
ter's influence may' 62am:id; the 'erroneous ;-
pressions made on the American mind in the
North. We should , he very sorry al ways' to
take the language of some American papers •
as the expression of the feeling the intelli
gent, right-hearted., God fearing citizens of
the United States,. entertain ownrds 'Eng
land. Slidell and. Mason have arrived, and,
we have heard no more of them than if they'
had been 'ordinary travellers. If they, or
their superiors in the South expected an
oration to' be given them, they were doomed to
chew the cud of bitter disappointment, which •
is as much as they deserved. 0 that Sritain
'IKE UNITED 'KINGDOM.
PHILADELPHIA, TIIURSR XARC, 11 13;i 1862'
S. #
and America may' live at 'peace henceforth,
united in Sentiment' and effortots the Lord's
pioneers in the evangelization of the world I
0 that the defenders of truth and liberty on
American soil may be courageous in the hour
of battle and clement in the hour of victory,
and that the _present war may speedily be
breught to a close. It makes , many of our
countrymen glad to hear of recent victories
by the Northerns; and, I believe, the ma
jority of the citizens of these lands will re
joice -at the subjugation of the South, if it
lead to the abolition of . negro slavery. The
week of special prayer, at .the commence
ment of: the year was well observed, though
in 'some places the attendance was not so
large as formerly.'
A dreadful accident occurred. in 11, coabpit
in Northumberland a few weeks sin* The
great beam that worked the pumpbroke, and
half of it fell - down the'Shaft as a coinpany
of miners were coming up. The falling mass
of iron killed some of the men who were com
ing up, and caused, the sides of 'the shaft to
fall in, filling it up to a considerable : depth.
'efore, the rubbish could be cleared, away by
an- indefatigable band of volunteer laborers,
above two hundred human beings had perish
ed, leaving a large . number of widows and
orphans to weep and wail, beCause of dear
ones suddenly taken from their circle, and
because* of approaching Tenury. From a
scrap of paper found in the' pocket of one of
the lifeless miners, it appears that they had
held a prayer meeting in the pit, and cried
unto God "out of the belly : of hell." A very
large, sum has already, been raised for the
support of the families of the men who lost
theirlife by the catastrophe. . As-the sub
scriptions have not all' been= forwarded, we
cannot tell the amount; but pecuniary ex
pressions of sympathy have been sent- from
all quarters; What a solemn lesson such an
accident teaches us`! . We may go out in the
morning in health and strength, and never
again see the happy home we left. 0, to be
ready to Meet death at any, time and in any
manner he may come to us,
.when we have
filled up out-appointed - time on earth I Great
excitement prevails among the different evan
gelical Presbyterian' churches in London at
present. The 'United Presbyterians • are
building four new churches in the metropolis,,
and are laboring vigorously in other impor
tant towns. A movement is on foot for a.
union between the English Presbyterians and
United Presbyteriansin England. It is ex
pected that should this. union be perfected,
the Welsh Calvinistic Methodists will join
the Amited body, and then England shall
have her own General Assembly. This is a
highly .gratifying prospect -to every true=
hearted Presbyterian.. The . Lord guide and.
encourage our English brethren in the noble
work of union I The various. Gospel ,agen
cies at work to awaken and convert the
masses, and rescue fallen females in London,
continue to' labor with unabated vigor ; and
cases of conversion axe frequently brought
to light in connection with faithful preach
ing and private-appeals. "The-worlemen- eta. 1
ployed in the erection .of the Great Exhibi
tion, building, are every day addressed by
two preachers, who..point, their hearers to the
foundation laid* Zion, and, describe the cha
racter of the stones that fork the superstruc
ture. The stirring evangelist, Brownlew
North, is so far recovered as to be able to
appear again in the field. Of all the evan
gelists we, have heard, we know none so well.
calculated to arrest the attention- of sinners
and make them, think. Long may he he r
spared to labor in the Saviour's work ! "
If our nation was made to mourn over the
death of a Prince, the Presbyterian
,church
throughout the world, suffered a great' loss
in the death of Dr., Cunningham, who per-'
haps understood and expounded the The(dogY
of Calvin, as no other man of the present day'
could. Ilisllectnres; as a professor =in the
New College, Edinburgh, are.to be published;
and, we- are sure, they will be received by
the Presbyterian public at,• least; as standard
works. On the eve of his dissolution he said
to, his colleagues, Drs. Buchanan and Ban
nerman " Ihave been told to-day; at 4 o'clock,'
that I ' hive nearly finished my course. I
could have Wished that a longer time had
been given me `for preparation bgfore the'final
change, to re-examine the 'whole foundation
of my' faith and hope." On it being sug
gested that, he had settled that question long
ago he replied, " Yes ! I was enabled at an
early period of my life to give myself, to
Christ, dedicate my life• to, his service;
and, notwithstanding many infirmities and
many evil tendencies; I have still adhered to:
,
Him." Four hours after uttering, theie
words he fell isleep`in Jesus. Th 6, Reforined
Presbyterian church in Scotland has losta one
of its brightest orrhments, by the 'death of
Dr. Symington of Glasgo*-. He 'was-alio:lend
divine, and a man of most genial disposition,
and liberal principles, Many of the annual,
religious meetings H of -Scotland were held
about ,the commencement of the year, and
reports read contained MoSfgratifying'state
ments, as to the progr6ss - rdaitet i n the differ
ent MO of ' The 'EpiScopal church
is rather in backirater- in' Sco'tlan'd, if We May
judge from the fact that :its clergy—many of
them, hive not more than `,490 a year to live
on.l The contributions of the U. P. ..church!
for religious objects are really exemplary;
and ought-to , provoke others to ;:liberality.
Notwithstanding the depressedstateDf trAfie,
they are larger t'hin in any former year.
Brownlow North and Lord Itadstock have
lately been addressing Jarg,a . , - Meetings in
Edinburgh: Their earnest appeals make
deep impressions which it is hoped ater saving
in many cases. At present ; the chief:Secre
tary for• Ireland, Sir Robert Peel,.is -deter
mined to put a,hook in the nose' of the Ro
raish priests. They are furious,
and , he is
firm. If he, goes on : as lie
,has begun, they,
shall not get many bones . to pick.
•, As, if,
they took a denial for half a grant,ihey per
clamor ou 41 :
A great sensation has been 'caused in Gal
way because the Bishop prohibited Father
Daly from officiating as a priest. Father
Daly is , a , mostunique specimen of the genus
priest. He is a member of at least half a
dozen civil corporations, president of .the.
Society of St. Vincent de Paul, and a plural-,
ist in his church. Hiraziamehas gone where
he has never been, in connection with the
Galway Packet station. Refusing to obey
his superior; he has carried his case to. Rome
for redress. Poor man he will - hardly fare
better than others who
• preceded him on a
similareriand. Rome's stereotyped answer
to such' refractory priests is-Abeatpareatque
4,iscopo suo, the plain English of whiCh is,
let him go home and do what his Bishop bids
him. If Daly have any - cif - the 'tint! Cof'Ohii
niiiuy, we have notheardtha nude this' mat='
ter. Among the various Protestant denomi
nations there is ;:.a great` deitLioff) religions
activity in t : he„formo of t leciures, .prayer!,
meetings, tract distributionivieatationpreach
ing, and periodical. literaturp. 'lt a- very
pleasing feature of the pregresi of`rehgion,
that private Christians are` aPiearing more
dpenly in the Lord's causiPind - taking a
more active part the Ldrd'll*Ork; as if
they heard , and obeyed the (4 Go, work'
to-day in my vineyard." , An 'Belfast, four:
new,Presbyterian congregation's have "been
formed, in Dublin two, in Cork one ; in Bal
lymena and Broughshanetwo ) ,Fe about to be
organized, and in thc peighllrhood of berry
two are' also, about to lie forse4; the
South and West the' Pi'esby4rian Church is
lengthening lini-Cdfdi and si*igthening her
stakeS. View of iliiSkeliut ktertainit,'*4
Ora
ask in "
grateful wonder, :At at , "
ha
wrought ?" - ~„
Dear ~ reader, are Ton.. oneE,..of Lord's'
laborersj youihe, you - ogg i upy tgt tottQr,;.
able position. See tatLyoflerve film in
truth, anti allloyrheart.:7,lf Rob I ask
you, why-not ?- teieeieh you,
that " the wagespf, is death," give
yourself to - Christ - to save to Serve
Rini. That is the sure andOnlY4ay to hap=
piness here and hereafter.
_`, 4 * '; :S M.
WHO WILL HII4P WO J 1
CHRISTIANS patriots and •- f1.4116yal
.4 116yal eand
loyal women thousands -oftlyourwoiluided
countrymen need ybur , ;There are :more
agencies than one alreadyinthe-field,to meet
this need ;but all
.. 43, NvalAtO.IalAdt1.49re IXer.
sides, to meet it conipletely,/- ,
The Christiim, Conuraissith2 is ie 4 as , and,
anxious to do its part of he woik. Thularge.
number wounded in the - recentgaltantaffairs
in the' West, make a tspecia:lemand ''at the
pregent juncture: Theniandl'of IliSbanda,
80118;. and brothers lie-in , theAliilspitalWard%
and, while..their bodies reediVo,t. ha.care they
need.for their, recovery,- minds and soul, are
wide open, to the truth and'prke it with ear= ;
nestness : Shall it be twithhOlfn ?: •
Chaplains from every qUartfrare pressing.
their appeals, not only for
reading,.but for all varietineof sound and
profitable matter. Whit the'Saiirtary COM
mission is so largely and So Ormiently doing'
for the body, the Christkra C+iassion - seeks.
to. do for mind and Soul'. - Theloriportunity is
one too, broad i too happy, and.toaimperative
to be neglected.
Through its several. District:
.Committees at
the several points:of the East and West, and
its local army committees in. abnoit every
town; the " Commissien " is`see ing both to
reach the public ivith the appet ofthe army,
and to reach the artily With that 'Which the
appeal brings in from the public; iPartieu='
larly in the West, there are n*.bers of loyal:
and noble young man, who 'trod'; ready to:
give time AThd. 4 ll , ll9rt't9, th4LmoritaluVileirk ,
hands are empty. - - Th* ;ma e, a, powerful
appeal, to us at the Eastward, whose means.,
are more abundant, to fill theig.
God be thanked for the spirit of liberal
sympathy already displaYed.', ' But dig work,
is not done, and we feel 'assured that the
sources of loyal beneficence witr only expand
the wider to meet;the increased demand; and'
will not stint till it is and well supplied.
The able and aetive Chairman of the Army
Committee, at St. Louis, says in a recent let-
" We prefer to labor in the hospitals,_ as,
offering more permanent and. profitable fields
of labor. - Our work .will be
.1. Placing. permanent Libraries`inider tife
superintendence: of Siewakds;lnur . es, or con
valescents, to be changed - or enlarged; as may
seem best. .
.2. To distribute tracts,religious books and
Papers) •r l *,,gazi4e B , :and !all,' 90.0r,..profitable
reading. To execute this, we__ propose organ
iiing a permanent laaFd-Pf;Thitere) to visit
every soldier, attend „ to, *ants,
by plicin'g his - hinds 'alkielk.pading as may
be suited, kodcimpliityilieiritith - personal
converiiiiii6itf.thusWoCif did incirregporieible
means to throw into - the - •mind of the sick,
weundedlintl- aying; that which.- shall render
thein happy here , andThefind , ... :
3. To held religicius:ineetings•An all auth
apartments atrthe Sanitary tgulAPiSSion may;
grant us, . Our. Beard..-o f. Ylsiters, aided by:
ky,ed ministers, will tkui,ogry„by,such ex i er i
• a . .bapior feeling-tO he. l l#ftde of : the, oil
val'escents. '
IslearlYthrid thoitskini are now
horspitaltilleiettbobia. - : Tiiesse, their fain:
Hier drsw~on .the , St,..bouia kith& leavili;
It is cheerfrilly reoponded toPhoweveri , and
alit are glad• toLgive; to' the' extent.'of their
. • t.,, • ' . .;.
• This eitract, will
the
some idea :both ,of,
tke aPirit) of • the ~method.of ~the.. work,
and'wilt serve to show how elk:lent and;
etrating is . capable of becoinh
tiffl** 4 l4 l ; q-Keft Pend
ann., , ;#`3 Artily CominiWA'nf . hietigo - deptited
a-mvpher. 9f
,young men-Ac i y i elit4pd assist
the Wounded. of both the lo inaithe'rehel
siMies. They 'just liVaittrem at
Paducah: Rdieived l With satififielidd and
delight by4tie sick 4ioulacred•df• our own
forces, their loving • itabr•ilmolietit otifouiid
810r*e among ,the.iWounded:randficisptturild
of tne.entemy, rL . .7(
They had e cted. kind
frpm Pithiege ankee
csolnhirelings,", , Ctrs flbartfiroplimereenar*O .
Nothingseemed so '4:) shake their loyalty iciifie v
rehellion - as this most: Paliable; movnq . .el4.:
deuce that they had 'been made the' isporit'br.
a cruel and dastardly dieePtioik. •
There is a moral, however-,.incsUch
tion greater than the-national might of many_
armies, and - to - the -.subtle •spread. of whieY
throughout Seeiety, :of our) mieguideit
ceßitrYinellritt the Beak , Pe , P. o3 Yer ;oft the:
sword ; can; oppose : tiny / oho*: A - F i ery. man :
approachedby this tender and . oxim service of No rthern m ar a tiribegYinA,
to't46 Oauee ouf
lost' to. 'that of -the iihellion. • :"' . •••
Shall' riot ibis' Service bekineretised 'tenfold 1 4
A little :spent . in , this kiini. of warfare Will go'
farther .than anything' else in flaming. , itp•
our. .national.yietories . withAhat Moral force.
of conviction and ~ repnnoiliatien,..which Must:
succeed the desolating track of armies before
healing unitiancr.fty4tsting
. s e rnifx can rt.
turn, to hind a severed 'nation: Once more
one cordial ‘..
•
must
battle
ruustlie f6lbiwed**by the tender-toned peace
making of torgivefiessofnd •of dove: . Then
our victories will be not only gallant and
gloridus ; fast aelhey Shall be presse
forNvirdi eectiteePabl complete: '
-Tire :nien, - 4116nr, stand :ready a go forth';'
their 'hertslaid theiflips t are.fultuf love and
sympathy, but their handsmust not be empty. ,
They call loudly for an Oundant supply not
only of directly religious r n eading,;
„but„ofrse-,
cu l ar literature Of, a selid_and profitable .sort. ;
,For these objects are needed ; :
The large-bearted contributions of loyal
blis4ers, whether of boOk, 431.'penVtlical
terdifire:
The CollectiOns• pf 'men, women, Or
children; who Zaire iheart, , to go out and'
gather up really valuable . reading matter
from house to house.
And i lasc, but:* frolp °.k?'ey';i B •
needed to'niake -1 l'irge - Pnr'ch'aSeS of the viz
rious valuable and appropriate publications,
which have been issupd specially for distri
hittionle" the army•
Alt, of did,* lass, tiAol4.7ie`icra are opened
Wtivd; earnektik sCiici&d i tii"dp it tath.-1
out TWO; for-the-need is greit,
particularlyilroin 'the West, -urgent.
,dfoneg should ,be-. sent to Hon: R. FAIA-1:
Nr.Ennx, Treasurer—Christian Commiseion, ,
Importers' and Traders'i, Insurance C 0.,.• 21.
Mtall:stre c t, New, York. t..
Send reading matter alioays prepaid to
Rev. A. AL AloßatOok, Office of qtr.istian f
CoMniissibit; No. 4 'Bowling green, NO , :
York, 4henee at once Torwirded;
either to , particular 'addresses; - or" used' for'
gUneral distribution, as directed by the:
donors.
.wend matter which you have ,con--
4z . ed to some dusty corner of your garret,:
as,unfit, or without interest for yourselvss.,-
ussZe.s4 expense. Don't send masses ; of,
eict4etosi3apir' g" or odd ritigions perio4icalsl
: 1 113.411 of the leading religious papers, not
mbre-tlian'one year old,:in -Seed condition,
ninyibe:Sparinglisent. • Magaziriegi literary'
or religions' periodicals ;of the'''snme 'agef'ort
if.:Qu,arterlies, illuStrated periodicals, of
any : sge,•and : properly arranged, are inva
luable, and:will.be thankfully received and.
impediapely distributed.,. t
dno.ll.STirAwr
~ Chairman
A. M. MiannisoN, Secretary.
MIN
A VISIT 10 ,PADUCAIL
„[The following. articles are from the,p,en. of
Rev. Robert Patterson,-, who lately visited.
Paducah” as 'representatiVe of the Young`
Men's Christian Association, of Chicago, for
the icurpose 'Of Ministering to those wounded'
in the taking of Fort Do-nelson:]—BD:
OUR WOUNDED . SOLtiltRS.
MMEIE
Vebiuteryl2d; 1862:
• , -
Paducah" has the look of 'egreat lidSpahr..
first•titittg , iVe saw before , landing
ambulance and a litter-carried by four 561-
diers, Conveying, a wounded - comrade en.
board a, steamboat:< JUst astern of US lay the
- I)lWanciTareftifes . 41 7 (Ter: - Dunelson,f,:with, her.
cabin so full of sick and:wounded that it was,
difficult to find footing. Iler melancholy
freight came down under the care of a chap-,
lain,—Apv. Matthew Biggar late of the V. -
P. Church, of Chicago; no surgeon being'
available. Other''boats came during' the -
dej , , and two' to-day; all freighted with sick
and wounded, for. whom there is no, accomo
dation in ,the little village of Dover, the only
place-for a hospital Fort Donelson. A
cargo of Indianaand . Ohio;patients left.
yesterday, under the care of a committee
from Indianapolis; and Cincinnati; for Eians
vine' and Cincinnati ; and another of Illinois
wounded for Mound city;'af "tlie` request '6l
- Yates. 'lt is difficult to state the
precise number here,' but on, Wednesday
morning the weekly return, shoived 1320 in
hospital. - • •
The Court. House is., used as the. I general.
hospital.. The Churches, the. Academy; and:
private housei to the number f pf:eleveth.ars
used, as hospitals. The public buildings
inake excellent, hospitals baviptlarge,* pons p .
loftY,'"and well 4fitirita. •Ad private
hbusea are not so Bailable; VIA aieitanclibet- r
ter than the hospital tents of the camps, an
ififinitely better than the bare ground , on
whiCh. out poor fellows , latfora; 'Week be
fore the attack. on, the fort. hailstones,
nmas-in Ooshuattpdays,,slew ‘ more than • the.,
bullets: ...Thera are.mors.sickof.pneumonia,
thin ,woUnded, and -1% likely "to recover.,
The Barggons are occupying .
~otherempty,
hoases, iacated'hithe seeessidiats on"the. sp. ;
proaCh of our as they needed.
Padua& is the t medical depot"tblidch the'
wounded who' blit'be retno*ed , are -broUght...
Orders were-received to:Pdayi to prepare 1000
additional' beds,; probably in.-expectation of
another general' engagement about to take
place. -
The supplies. hp the general llospital r are -
excellent, abnndantr,-iron becit4P4ll!,
white ,14rikqts, 40,etl, l eetton .shirts,. for. .taa, ;
it*
patients, w clea n rooms, sisters of Ch arity,
and kindly soldier rairses, under the direction
of Drs. ec t ialswOrth and' •Ownian, late Chi , :`
Sago; from'aihoin ituis rieedleiii Witty; Pre-
ceived 'every courtesy. ''The acting , medical
director;
,Dr. Atietin,‘ is a ' Chiistiaivgentle
man, eIL i There
is not a yard of red tape about hic office.
1;904 ,informed that we had some. supplies
for the wounded,. he came downliimself. with
the wagon, i saw the fruits and jellies, care
fully fouled, and in prenty 'rnifintes,iiad
denies basketi len:Lane and oranges '
to'' iirions hospitals; and - the reinain::
der stored in his 'own office,' where he sena . )
out daily Ipaskete and barrekvandpotir and
bottles, not accolfdifig• to -the need; for , he has
not near enough for.that,hut - a little to.each.,
hospital., Theiv9r.tll ll MVP Oref•Orqadfully!,
frqm thirstc tilf.7 Va6911:4 4PP.n tkis,P l 94*,anc!
shqW !ink tong ue 1 .4. 8 9 1 6117'04. ,
ther beg . for drink of 'clean 'water,"
and there iiaanone; but . 11e'ehborilatif Colored'
stuff which 'Our rawer townsman eivellow;
give bin -Another wed& point to hie perched:.
tips and eityi:AA Oh•thaplain; Lam so thirsty,"
and. then •irould. drink the 'ftill , of :the tin chi)
of!the muddy .watar.t, :It: seems only. a mock-.
ary,to offer. them two glassesiof.,lemena4e a
day, or one slip , e 3 of. an orange.. 4: hundred.,
.of blitiom:l; believe , , would save T its ,
many lit4s. sags` also are greatly needed.
The br,aitCh 'hospitals 'are fitted with
porary 'cots; niade of 'the°uauml Pedstead 8iZ13.:
Some have bed ticks filled with istri*, but eP
great many, ,O i wing i to A deficiency. of ticks
anditiii*, are lying i'pair of the quir
tennaster's'igrey blankete;deriblid.' ' Froni-a
similar deficiency of linen; great rmany :ariyr
without sheets or cotton shirts. Those on
826
• - GENESEE EVANGELIST W hole No
_;L .!;-9
board the boats . are lying in the clothes in
which they Tay . before Fort Mclifenry fora
week; in `the mud and snow, without tents
and in which they fought and fell.' They are
of course satirated with sweat and blood; and
smell badly. I have -telegraphed, and writ
ten,' and iient - Imessag,es to > Cairo, to get, up
our Chicago supplies,' which we sent twb
weeks ago ;. but they have not. yet come up:
When they come this want will be partially
Supplied; but W,e, have not enough, for the
thousand additional beds ordered to-day, and
to lieoCcupied no 'one knows h,ow soon., The
sheets directed Cominisiion
are"quite' too narrow The surgeons want
just - such • blanketwand sheets you wetticl
put 'on your own bed, in your own sick rooni.
Narrow , rsheets ,gather up by the ..tossing of
the poor, feverish, sufferers into-a string; and
areonly,a , nuisance. _Make all; .sheets ',for
qie,hpsp4alAiwp, yfirsisw49., inp,secesiign,
*MW the,ladies 2adlicah 'under
hich'th frequent with
under
;too o supply, an vir , ey
igi4gffuss, is Snot near Clitu. and Collared.:
alma`' as most of 'half a;-'
doteri families would pay any attention to
our sick before the battle; but it seems that
they 'now`think it charitable to succor the
'strongest side. When I was in, the Yresby
terian &MTh which has, seventy-beds seve
,ral ladies who had been known as rabid
secessionists, came in with a few bandages
land kipoi blackberry - Cordial ; which Dr.
Roller accepted, and showed me as. a 'sign of
the. times:,
A, remarkably large proportion of ounmen
are wounded in the head, or top of -the shoul
der. One man had a ball pass throughthe
head, behind the eyes, and is still alive. An
other has a. bullet in the brain, and is quite
rational. Another had 'a bullet 'pass clear
through the body and both armS, through the
top of the lungs, and may recover.
shoWed Me the had been whit
tled?to,inakcjit fit that glin;; and bore the'
marks of three buckshot, which had formed
part of, the cartridge. Few seem to have
suffered, from shells, or cannon balls. , The
me4 fl bear their ,sufferings with ,great
tAde, -.and some are even cheerful, though.
their sufferingsmust, be dreadful. All wel
a'uted, the consolations of 'religion. But I
must reserve the gospel among the wounded
for another paper.
EMEME
`THE 'GOSPEL AMONG THE ' WOUNDED.
'SICKNESS' Makes most, men feel= serions, and
makes all 'men feel lielPless. When, besides,
a sick man feels that,-he is friendless, he 'ea-,
gerly catches at the least appearance of spa=
pathy, and readily listens to words of ,kind
ness..- Our poor sick and wounded soldiers
have all the sympathies and feelings of hu:
in like'other men, and eagerly holdrout
the feveriih. hand to the friendly , visitor.
Yery'sobn -the - presence' of a visitor in the
hospital , attracts every , 'eyb, and if the Ward
is So large that he is not likely , to stop it
every bed, many a hand;will be waved
-tiNC.ihigt---tAgfe4k4to tile4,loeuti t i lwerp,O,ne
poor, boy in the deneral.Hospital, with a. bul
let inhis :brain since Saturday, and yet alive,
'but t unable to speak, when.l came, near his
cot, put out his tongue as far as he could, and
moved it to and fro, with a wistful look more
eloquent than words.' 'When I told him of
Jesus the earnestness of his gaze increased,
andl thought of the words, " Look unto me
and be ye saved." When =,I took his hand,
he grasped mine, and would not, let me go till
I again, repeated the good news , of salvation,
and then followed me with his eyes and ears
as far as lie doUld.
•
Another • man, Whose, skull 'had been tre
phined, but Who cannot' recover; wept like a
child when I' told him he was welcome to
come to Christ now in the hour of his suffer
ing. He had been hroughtup in the fear of
God,, he said r had lived acarap life, and• now
to be made welcome •to come back to his
rather in his dying hours --he could •not
stand it. Some were SO new: the end of their
jOurney that they were out of hearing of
nian'a voice,, and I could only kneel down'
and pray . for thorn." Every night-several die:
It is an awful thing to preach the Gospel un
der •Such •circumbtances—very awful. You
have only five minutes= to speak 'to an uncon
verted man, to introduce :yourself, • gain his
confidence, explain-the way of salvation, and
urge him te,accept,Of Christ. now. You will
never see hini again, there is no other person
likely to come to his bedside, with such a
Message, and he may be in his coffin te-mor
row: An irrelevant word may be the death
of a soul -" I know it all," •said a very in
telligent - and °gentlemanly young man, "I.
believe it all. My father and my mother are
Christians, and I would like to be a Christian
too.; •but• I don't feel as if I Were one. I read
these things in my. Bible, but I don't seem
to feel." I direeted him to the promise, "A
nevi heart will I give you," and made hirri
promise to Pray 'perseveringly for it. He
made me in return - promise to pray for him.
"-What regiment do you - belong to, my
poor fellow ? said Ito a man tossing in
fever, who had'been looking atme as I stood
at his neighbor's cot, ,and had in, some vague
way the notion that ,I might, be.a chaplain.
, •
"To ;the Methodist
,regiment,, sir. , I have
served under the tiord, Jesns for nine •years,
and he don't'gfve no half rationp. •
'There 'area good' many` Chrigtians,. in hos
pital: `met some Whohad heard me' preach
in Chicago,` and .some who -had worshipped
with us -in :Cincinnati; and *hose cordial
graspattested their joy. at seeing toe again.
The,men, of,-the, 55th Illinois,. who had so
many glorions; „prayer-meetings with the
young men of the Association,.werp particu-,
larly glad" to hear that a Chicago man waS
come to look after their wants. I could tell
a 55th' `man by tl4 , light 'in his eye,' when-I
said I was , from'Ohica•go. : •
The Christians, too, were easily discovered.
Their eyes would kindle, and the languid fee,'
tures become animated, when ,I began to
speak pt,,Christ. The Germans, t 0.0,, ;would
wake up when -I showed them a German
beok. Most. of the teen 'had leit their Teat
amenta in. the field `of battle, or'had them in
their kimpaacks in the' - hospital' store-room;
Where they could not' get thein. Some had
little =hymn-books; arid' bOy had
Food,"-:from.which he.refreshed his
soul-with'-the daily verse. -I, met tu trooper,•
Who is a -Methodist preacher, looking fur.*
wouqP l l
04,- 'Captain Hoyber, of the 55th
Illinois,wa.s ministering to the souls cf.the Men
in'theßighth BiVision hospital„as he could
find' time; In the convalescent wards - oit
Sabbath; I held short SerVice,
no regular- Hospital' Chaplain? 'here tn - care
forthe souls of•thirteen hundred and =twenty
dying men. Alas! R. P.
lusna 11.
WORDS OF spitallY FROM ABROAD._
WE are permitted;.thrcugh the kindness of
Mr. Stuart, of. this :city, to present to our,
readers the following extracts from a letter
recently-received by, him from a minister of
the (Irish Presbyterian Church., They will
cOnimepithethsehres for the correct and aro
preciatm. view taken of our presenttroubles.
" Yew' American - troubles have engaged
my most serious anxieties and prayers. Never
has any matter of 4 , public kind taken up my
time, my study, my prayers . to such a degree.
And I am amazed and distressed inexpres
sibly on_ account of-the cold ',Shoulder which ,
some of my acquaintances,.and a large por
tion et British people show toward the noble
strug,gle for independence and freedom which
you Northerners are ,making against the vilest
and most diabolical rebellion. that ever was•
raised in all history, -:l3 . ut should: you be lie:,
sorted' ever so'in the time, of your national
trials, :by-those 'on whose. moral support and,
prayers you might well hay.e calculated, you
will, without their aid, succeed by the help
of the mighty God of Jacob. A goed 'deal'
of my time is spent almost every day in ?nat
ters connected with the American war
writing to editors, and still More to private
friends, to enlist theiraYmpathies and prayers,
and bra:wince them of their guilt in being
supine at such a - Crisis in the world's history.
You will succeed without their sympathy, but
that will not free them from their responsi
bility, .This very day I have_ posted a letter
to lfev. Dr. Guthrie, of Edinburg, of twenty
two pages of small note paper like this, in
reply to a letter which he did me the honor .
o, writing in reply to a former one from me.
In some bases I have not been without success;
for- instance, - - Mr. Atkinson, of Tandragee,
the -coroner lof .connty Armagh, wrote to me
that 'he was much obliged to me . for the
;pains I had taken.to make him acquainted
with the material circumstances of the war,
and that I had greatly altered his views, and
taught him a leSion, that would be of use to
hi m. , . *, . * * * - * *-:
" Great complaints are made here against
the North, on= account' of their injustice up-.
wards the blacks—refusing to sit at. the
Lord's table with them, ride in the same
coach, etc., and on account of your loving
the Union more than the slaves, and making
concessions to the slave only from military
necessity, etc. I tell them they may censure
the North as much as :they like—but I say
to them, why censure the North more than
the South, who are all Behoboams instead
of Solomons, and their little finger thicker
as regards slavery than the loins of the
North. And this would be the time, when
anti-slavery demonstratiens over all Britain,
would tend, to purify public opinien in the
North, and strengthen the 40,7* of the true
friends of the slave, like you, who, I am
.snre, wouldfeckmost thankful for any means.
that would de aWayWith . the base prejudices
which make the blacks a degraded caste.
ATiTtegifilkif . zwe'd far' that' Such. 'nu
christian conduct toward the negroes has
arisen- froth_ the. slemeht&liefs-dyriasty having
been so long the ruling power, iiihieh_ T on_
have at last risen in your might and over
turned ? I believe a great guilt, rests upon
many of the British people for so ungrate
fully withholding their sympathies and their
prayers from you. If it were for nothing
more than the noble stand you have taken
against the bullying dictation of the fierce
and truculent South, you deserve all praise
and 'admiration.. Garibaldi appreciates your
noble conduct—so do the Protestants of the
continent of Europe—so do many tens of
thousands of Christian hearts in Britain and
Ireland, notwithstanding the efforts of the
unprincipled 'Times and. Many other papers
basely following in its wake,
to blind the
people's, eyes and pervert their hearts. While
the religious papers (as they profess) of Bel
fast have sadly disappointed me, yet the
Northern Whig has the sense and manliness
to advocate your cause, saying lately, " it is
a, conflict between they opposingpowers of
good and evil, of light and darkness, between ,
justice and, the foulest wrong and oppres
sion," etc. Oh, sir, how religion suffers when
those who make no profession are far supe
rior in practical morality and integrity of
heart, to those who make a high profession.
I am' to lecture on the subject of the Ame
rican war next Sabbath evening at Kilmore.
Having named the Northern Whig, I may
add-that its religious tone seems changed of
late; or rather, I should say, its tone in re
gard to religion,, for it had formerly no reli
gion at, all. But it appears as if it found.
that deriding all religion was not a paying
speculation,
.and it seems to have ceased
.op
posing revivals and laughing at prayer, and
to have assumed,-if not a religious, yet not
an irreligious tone. And who knows but
even the Whiff may have been reached by
the revival.
" Great talk was here about Britain going
to war against you, but I knew that could
never be, no matter how many secessionist
newspapers here might urgeit. The people
could never have borne it. I shoild think
that as - the
,crisis approached ‘for Lincoln's
reply to Britain'S demand, the British people
began to: feel ashamed of the thought of
going to war in behalf of elavery, ; and glad
I should think they generally were, that a
soft answer came from your Government,
which turneth away wrath, and took away all
excuse from the secessionist papers and the
secessionist party in this land. Lords Pal
, inerston and Russell have had great pressure
I brought against them:by Many capitalists
and 'rich merchants but they have nobly
withitood it, and . ref4 ed to' break the block
ade orrecognikethe"conspiracr against the
rights, of the human race, although urged by
many : professed philanthropists,. ; and holy
Christi/no.And I trust your Government
will be_ careful not to weaken' _ the hands of
onr.Premier and Foreign Secretary by giving
any adVantages to the'rascally secessionists
of this country."
THE MOST !ENORMOUS WiOREDNESS hatb.
commc,m,:ly ! been committed under the, forma
of and jUstice, and varniehed over by
semblance of piety.
LET US ROT EM MET that Jesus still watches
the Areausury, .to observe how much, and
frog). :what mativei, won contribute to it.
We do not believe4n,befriending Christian
ity ,by a kick.,:any,more than betraying its
Author by a kiss.—Beeelter.