110 a/merit/in Vrtobgtertan •-• D"-- GENESEE EVANGELIST. THURSDAY, MARCH 13, 1862 :mg W. MEARS, 'IIOI I EIiCIESSOW PRAYS& . TRN duty, necessity and utility of prayer for peas& being admitted, how is it with prayer for others? Does not the mind of the Christian sometimes labor here? Is not his faith in prayer more Often or more severely tried in regard to objects and persons outside of himself, than in regard to his own interests and necessities? The pious parent or relative, pleading for a child or kinsman.; the faithful, longing believer wrestling with God for a:long-deferred season of revival; the righteous 'soul, uttering and - handing down unanswered' from ago to age, the weary cry of the palmist: 0 let the wickedness of the wicked come to an end; what are these doing? Do they got; prayalmost, if not altogether in vain? 'word or two to strengthen and encourage us in the high duty of intercessory prayer at this time may not be out of place. I. Observe how much of it there is in the scriptures. From the plea of Abraham for the cities of the plain, to that of the Divine Saviour on the, cross for his enemies, we have one in- Owe° after another from most eminent Charac ters, and received with the most evident marks of Divine favor. , Moses pleads over and over again for the children of ~Israel. Samuel says : "Gad forbid that. I sh6uld sin against the Lord in ceasing to pray for you." Daniel leaves upon record his htnuble confessions and ardent peti: tions for his exiled people. And what'was the priesthood under the old dispensation but a divinely istablishea .order of intercessors; and what their prieAly, functions and ceremonies but the symbols of a higher and. an effectual interces sion yet to come ? The priesthood by no means absorbod.the' office of ititereession—they rather set the example, and presented to Israel a religion o Whidh intercession was (me of the main etc:: "ciente. And the evangelical predietion of the Mkt shapter of Isaiah;4es,reor eistk without de spribing the servant of.jah6 y Xes. making inter- COMM for the tranegreesnier ' ', i; Prominent among the .doties which_the Saviour enjoins and exemplifies, is that , intercession. It is to be practised even in behalf our. enemies: Pray for them that despitefully use you,.and per- , scents you. So- He did, when under circum stances of the severest trial. prayed ear neatly also for his friiinda.,. What is more touch ing or more exalted ln spirit - than the intercessory Foyer recorded in the 17th nf John! :And how be reveals to usli, glimpse oils* Was doubtless his 'habitual practice, when he; tolis . ,gimon that he haa,prayed for him that his faith fail not! And what now is his occupation, exalted .as he id at the right . hand of the Majesty on high, but tO.fulfill, in glorious- perfection, the feeble types of the'ancient priesthood, a priest himself after the order of blelehisodee, unchangeable, come orated with the oath, ever living to: make inter cession. for , us! Taking pattern, from him, the Apostles, as we learn from their writings, prac tised and ineuleateci.4n their converts the duty of intercession— Ho- n-Patis and in the. very spirit atlas master, 'Paul must have wrestled with'God for. thezobjeets.of his ministry! With out ceasing making mention of the Romans al- WUys in his prayers; always ,in every prayer of his 'for the ,beloved Philippians making recineat with joy; praying always for the saints and faith ful brethren at Colosse ; and seeking an interest in their prayers with the eurcestness of one who realised that.there was power and value in intercessory prayer. 2. But is such prayer involved in greater mys tery, and does it require the exercise of stronger faith, than prayer for ourselves ? Then, the abundance and the high authority of the corn; 14446, l and . examples with which it is enforced, lead us to,the suggestion that its difficulties are simply. difeirlinary. We are to ,practice inter cessory prayer, as a higher form of spiritual cul type, 'We, are -to welcome it for its• difficulties, rather than avoid it. We are to learn to exer-. oitie the higher confidence in• God, and the stron ger faith in` the promises it requires. If the answers to these prayers seem hidden arid remote; if the desired object still is withheld; if the evil we seek 'to,have removed seems hut to flourish the, mere:;"if the Unconverted friend seems to grow more hardened as we pray, then, instead, of restraining' our prayers, we should continue in theta, walking more and -more by faith and not bi sight, against hope believing in hope, Waxing strong.in faith, giving glory to God.' 'fi'f'e gain largeness of heart by interces sory prayer. st ti yen, in prayer we may grow set flab ; knee the Saviour teaches us to say . " Our Patlier,"- and dallies the plural all through the, model he gives us'. ;:Often we need to.forget our selveW, and especially when wc think our case at the worst, and have . fallen into a perfect bewil derment of doubt. 'At such a time, to "seek and to dwell upon suitable:objeats of prayer outside of us, Is like' emerging from confined, dark chamber to .the living freshness and glorious prospect of the mountain's brow.Tficlieart ex pands as it 'takes, in its brother Christians and ifs brother man, as it pleads before God the woes of a race of fellow beingsAs it wrestles with him for the 'fulfilment of his great promises to the church, and, breathes forth; ifi'varied forms, the petition 4 ! Thy kingdom come.' Nay, let us not cease our intercession's! We are the salt of the earth in them ae much' as in our teaching and example. Over many a Sodom the prayers of the righteous stay the Uplifted arm of vengeance. To many a prodigal son they are the single tie which restrains him from taking the fatal plunge into perdition. They are inwrought with the Mysterious system of Providence, so that they sway the decisions of legislatures, of courts, and of cabinets ; stamp the policy of governments; direct the course of armies, characterize and give tone to civilization, and control the destiny of the globe. It may be too much to say that if Christians cease praying for the world, it will cease to exist; but we do know that it is'inter- cession that delays the doom of the wicked world; thatif our liketit Advocate should cease his gra cious work in our behalf, justice could not for a moment be deferred, and 'a guilty race would at opi; ji ay the penalty of their sins. And we may belifire thittlitittereamoryprams of Christ's people are. a vital Part of / his dispenatttion of grace and of patience to a sinful world.- ) President Felton of Harvard College is dead • PRINVITN Tun January milnbeftf the'Princeton Review contains an article on " England and America." The article has been issued in a pamphlet form, and has passed telt - second edition. As upam phlet it is ascribed• to, the editor of the Review, the ReV. Dr. Hodge. commonly is it spoken , oeas his, and so constantly-is it, sold: at thcbook stores as his, that there can be no, impropriety, it is presumed, in speaking of it in our columns as his, and in giving to it the importance to which it is entitled as coming from such a source. The paper is written with the clearness of style, the strength of argument, and the consis tency of opinion which characterize the produc tions of its distinguished author. It is an'‘able defence of the Government of this'cOuntry in its endeavor to put down the existing rebellion, and contains views winch every loyal Anierican citizen will beglad to have laid before the British The defence of oar country in the 'recent and present attitude of England towards us, is ,com plete. It -wholly sustains our Gevernment, dicates its policy alike in regard to our enemies, at the South, pays a highund just compliment to Mr: Lincoln—himsetf supposed to be. a man of very 'decided inti.slavery.vievie—ind states very correctly, that the whole dattse.of the rebellion in our country, is slavery;, and. that tte institution of slavery is the very foundation of the so..called Confederacy. , Thus the writer says : " A rebel lion designed to overthrow our Government for Me avowed purpose of conserving, .perpetuating, and extending the system of dolnistie'slavery, has contrived to enlist in its support • nearly_a third part of the People' and resources 'of the Ijnited Statei." (pp. 8.) The article is.prepared especially for the people Of England, and is more particularly designed to enlighten and rebuke British Christians for the attitude which they have 'taken in the contro versy, and in respect to 'their strange Went of sym pathy with the Northern States in attempting to maintain their .oWn government, and to prevent the consummation of a purpose for the establish moist of'a government based avowedly on' African slavery; and the article may beregarded as the manifesto of the Old, School Ohnrch in the United States; or that portion .of the Old School body now. represented by Princeton to their Bri tish brethren. Thus the writer says: (p. 11) "We have some readers in Great Britairt— r it is for them we write. We wish to convince them that they have been and are doing us a grievous wrong, and that ,they have .given the wlkole weight of their influence to an evil cause." In the same spirit, the writersays (p: 7) "We shooltl, not so entirely give tryonr, confidencein the honor and rectitude of, England towards America, if this unfriendly spirit were, confined to the secular press. The, last hope• of justice or kind 'feeling died within 'us - when we found that the leading feligious pipers of Great Britain were equally hostile." Editor. In.partieular, the author 'of the 'article is de - sirens of instructing - the Congregationalists of England and the Church ,of-Scotland: in refer , ence to the real attitude of affairs in this country,' and to convince them, in a spirit: of, true loyalty, of the justice of.the :course of.the.North in the present r war. Thns the writer 'says (p. 7) " Dr.:- Campbell," (iti 'the 'o ban of 'the English Congre gationalists) tells r s that we are fighting for- an abstraCtion and that we ate engaged in a hope less struggle to, sikbjugate the South.- ,The Ilidin huig; Witness, the organ of . the Free Church of Scotland, a body to which we are bound by the most intimate ties of brotherhood, publishes and endorses slanders so atrocious as to be incredible by any mind fromlwhich God had not withdrairn the spirit ofjustice." - • But two things in this article of the Princetoil I?euiete were necessary to complete its force as'an argument,. and to make it impressive on the minds and hearts of our. English and.. Scottish bre:. thren—or, rather, these two things might -be combined into one. The one; relates to the former public position of the author of the article on the-main tdpic in the article; the other to the position of the Old Scheel braneh of the ,Presby teflon Church, and the influence of that Chnich in sustaining , the very institution which; in" the • • article, is declared to be the very, foundation of the confederacy which is sought to bnrcared by. the rebellion. For the former of these : In the last Old School General Assenibly in Philadelphia, the venerable Dr. Spring, or New YorY, intipdneed a series of resolutions on the state. of the - cannery, 4ontain ing, among Other things; the following declara tion "Resolved, ) That this GeneratAssembly,, in the spirit of that. Christian patriotism. which the Scriptures enjoin, and, which las heretofore-cha racterised the Church, do - hereby _acknowledge and , declare our obligations to ,promote 'and per petuate, aster as in us' lier 4 the integrity of these United' States, and to strenathen, nphold'and en courage the Federal Governmentin the exercise of all its functions under our noble bc;nstitntien and lo this Constitution, in allts provisions, re qukements and principles, ;we 'pledge our un abated loyalty."—(Minntes of the General As sembly, pp. 329-30.) - On the adoption of this paper we lila the fel loWing itathes, among. others, in the neunti:ve: Kennedy, Lane, Hall, Itoimix • - On pages 33940-41, of the minutes of the Atiembly, there is recorded a paper entitled "n Protest of Dr. gopui end others," signed CHAS. HODGE, William chdater et al:, in which, for reasons assigned, the protestants say " We regard this action of The 'General Assembly as a grint national calamity, as well as the most• disastrous to the interests of our Church which has marked our' istorY." As contrasted with such a vote and such a protest, it is refreshing to observe the position of Princeton now, As to the other point, it will serve to enlighten the minds of our Anglican and Scottish brethren to remark, that no class of our countrymen-have done more to sustain the systein Which is laid at the foundation of the new confederacy—the eon federacy ,"designed for the overthrow of our Government, and for the avowed purpose of con serving, perpetuating, and extending Filavary," than the Old School Presbyterian Church ; and , of this, Princeton has had its full, share. The subjcet . has been studiouily kept out of the Ge neral Asiembly; the newspaper press of the Old School has been practically in favor . of slavery; the most decided advocates of slavery-as autho rized by the Bible to be found in the "whole country, have been found in the Old School, as in the, ease of Dr. Palmer, Dr. Thornwell, and Mr. Vandyke; and the Southern portion of the Old School Presbyterian Church,- almost to a man, have gone with the secession and the re Amttiran Pcolitterian and, Otte/oft (6rangtliot. hellion. Within the„ limits of the " cotton I States," not one solitary minister of the Old School has lifted up his voice against that rebel lion which is designed to " conserve, perpetuate, and extend the system of domestic slavery," and in all the slaie States, so far as our information extends, but one man' connected with the Old' School Presbyterian Church, has dared to lift hifi'voiee 'against the rebellion, or against the establishment of an -empire in the South, de signed to " subserve, perpetuate and extend the system.", That man is the Rev. Robert J. Breckinridge, D. D., at first, and for years. the ruler of Princeton, and then its bitter antago nist--now in all the Pres. Church South, "found faithful among the'fidthless, faithful only he." Our Scottish brethren from their recollection of him, will be able to appreciate the value of 'Ms testimony on the subject, for they retain some recollection of their own impressions as derived from this visit among them, of the position, of the Old School Presbyterian Church on the subject of American slavery. THE FREEDMEN OF SOUTH CAROLINA AND `ISEORSIA. IN regard to perhaps twenty thousand persons lately held as slaves in these two rebellious , States, the question of , emancipation is practically settled. They are free by the fortunes of • war, and by the acts of their own fugitive ,masters; and only another ,revolution can put them back into their foimer relations. The report of the Government agent at Port RoYal, Mr. Edward L. Pierce, has recently been given to the pUblic; and the facts, views, and plans which it presents upon the past, ,present, and future 'conditiOn of these freedmen, constitute it, the most important document, probably, which has been elicited 1)3, the war. Ina political and religious sense, the district opened up by our armies in these- two States is missionary'grourid, and Mr. Pierce, may he regrrded as the pioneer raissi:mary, who has laid the result of his obServations before Secreta ry Clime, and has thus prepare&the way for or= ganind effort in, the future. These people, : with those at Fortress,Monroe, are the first fruits, of the movement- towards freedom in our land-, which a Greater than Presidents and Cabinets, and Legislators,'-and armies is leading and. 'gni& ing. Our; work opens tip gradually before '-us. In these localities it'iS already made clear; we have to prepare and train these twenty thousand' freedmen' for the full enjoyment and proper use of their new 'privileges. A most interesting, hopeful and noble employment. And the best guide in this work and as yet in our reach, is the very full and valuable report of Mr. Pieree„from Which" we have made lame extracts in another p irt of. our paper. We present his plan of ope rations - beloW. May :the People be guided by more than human wisdom in meeting this novel and important, emergency.. MR. PIERCE 5 S PLAN. The better course would be to appoint superin, temients. for . each large ,plantation, and one for two or three smaller combined,-compensated with a (mod salary say $lOOO per year, selected - with reference to peculiar qualifications, and as care, fully as one would:choose a guardian for his.chil .dr4;nceinthod with , an .:addquate pOwee4o.enforen d paternatdisoiplinevto -require proper amount Of labor, cleanliness, sobriety and better habits of life; ands &eller:illy to promote inso-raVinci intellectual cititurp of the wards with such other _ inducements, if there be any, placed before the superintendent :as shall inspire him to constant efforts to prepare them_ for useful and worthy citizenship. To quicken and insure the, fidelity of the superintende.nts theroahould be a director general, or governor, who shall visitthe planta tions and see that -they arc 'discharging these duties; and if necessary, he should be aid3d - by others in the duty of visitation. This officer should be invested with liberal powers over all persons within his jurisdiction, so as to protect the blacks;from each other.and from white men, being required in most important oases to confer with the military authorities in punishing of fences. Hia prolaosed duties' indicate that he should be a mane of the - best- abillity 'and- diem- ter; better if he have already, by virtue of public services,'a hold , on the`public confidence. Such ; an arrangeutentis submitted ie preferable:for the present, to any eilmttersoine territorial govern- j, The laborers themselves no longer.slaves of their farther masters, or of the government, but as yet in large , numbers unprepared for all full privilegeslA . "citizens; are to be treated with sole reference , t6such preparation. No effort is to he spared to' workuicsa their better nature and the motives which, come from it—thn love of wages, of,offsprinc , and fain:oy. the desire of happiness • and the obligatiens of religion. :And . when these Ail; and fail they will in some: : cases,, we must uothesitate to xesort, tiot to the lash—for as froth the department-.of war bO. also from the depart-, meat of labor, it must be banished—bufte the milder and more effective punishments of depriL vation of privileges ; isolation from family and 80- , ciety, the workhouse or even the prison. The laborers are to be assured'at the outset that par ental and conjugal relations among them" are to' be protected and. enforced} that children. and all others desiring are to be taught; and that they will receive, wages; and that.a certain just mea sure of work, with referenee to the ability to per:, form it; if .not willingly . readered, it is to be re quired of all. Notwithstanding the frequeliesnd severe ehas tieenients which, have been employed here in ex acting labor, they have failed, and naturally enough, of their intended effects. Htiman be ins are made up ,of so much more of spiritthan of muscle, that compulsory labor, enforced by' physical pain, will ,not exceed or -equal in the long run voluntary labor with' just inspirations; and the same law in less degree 'may be Seen in the difference between the value of a whipped and , jaded beast, andorie well disciplined and kindly treated.. Taking into consideration. the cost Of food and, clothing, medical attendance and extras, supposing that the taborer would re quire rations of pork and, beef, meal, coffee, su gar, molasses and tobacco, and that •he would work three,hundred days in the year, he. should receive abont forty cents a day in order to enable him to lay up thirty dollars a year, and each healthy woman could do about equally well. Mr. Pierce thinks the 'Government could .af ford to pay this sum without hnrdening the treasury, though it is not expected to clear any thing by ,the system. . ' RELIGION, EDUCATION, ULTIMATE OBJECT. As a part of the plan, proposed, missionaries will be needed to address 'the zeligions element •of a race so emotional in ,their nature, exhorting to all prectical virtues, and inspiring the laborers with a religious zeal for faithful labor, the good nurture of their children, and for clean and health ful habits. The benevolence of free States, now 'being directed hither, will gladly provide these. The governmerlihoirl, d; however, provide for teachers - iapegiAk.44ilted - to' A. t . gticiiiik k g reading, writing arid iiritlinietie, say some twenty-five; for the territory, now ,occupied by our forces, and pri , ; ' Tate benevolence:might even, be relied ,on for The plan proposed is, of course, not presented as an ultimate result4:--far from it. It content plates a paternal discipline for the time being, intended lor present use only with the prospect of better things in the fixture. As fast is . the laborers show themselVes fitted fei all the eges of citizens, they should be dismissed from the system, and 'allowed' to follow any employ ment they please, and' where they please. - They should bave the power to acquire the fee simple of land, either with 'the proceeds of their labor or as a reward of special merit;' land it would be well to quicken their zeal for good behavior by proper recognitions. I shall not follow these sugges tions as to the future `farther, contenting myself with indieativAhat. is best to be done at once with a class offne* beings now. thiVivn on our protection, entitled to be recognized as freemen . , but for whose condition the former occupants of the territory have diligently labored to unfitthem. " • " THE PRESIDENTE.MESSAGE. IN our isstie of the 23d of januarY, in remark , hag editorially upon the influence which a wise administration could exert for geed, we made the following appeal every; Christian and friend, of humanity should pray that our Government may be led, in the exercise of - its piowerful influence, to culti vate, develop, and, direct the [anti-slavery] Ben= timent, to encOarage 'it all over the country. While warring for theßonstitution, let it be-man fully and 'uncomprotuiSingly on the side of hu manity, Let .it, lead du the hatiorcin in, great opportunity to a high and honorable, pOsition'on the _great Aui.stien of personal liberty!' Neither in thitciaor any other artiele;'have expressed a Wis T -that the wax itself should. be , 'Made.a war of - emancipation. We would .keep distinctly in view the'great.Constitutional object of the war4r-to put down Tehellion—to asi'ert nut.' right and manifest our poifer_to be, as a nation —to punish anarchy and treason;' and to uphold the majesty of the ballot-boX, as, under God; the source `of authority among a.free people.' But we have been anxious that the ,cause of this rebellion—the tuTogance of a defeated slave; power—should-4:e marked and kept clearly before the people; • that they should•learn in all , the in 'tense and•bitter experience of a war for self-pre servation) the infamousnature and tendencies of the system - of slavery= . ; that their just andright eons indignation. : against it should be cherished and cUltivated into a,fixed national sentiment' ready at the proper moment for any constitutional, and rational .measures for its extinction. , And we rejoice in the President's recent message, as ,* proving thatth*g . reat influence of the AdMinis tration—after ti Period of some uncertainty and seetiaing`Va'aillatto'fi-1-:le be -given in thlediree tion. It fulfills the 'wish we expressedin our' forper.'-iirtiele,4hak_th,e Atlinin4ration would' clearly declare, itself on theside of humanity, and thus ceinbine, .sPrengthen, and lead:on the pub lie' mind " to.a high and honorable - position on the great questikn personnl liberty." We be lieve the message is an answer to, prayer, and as it comas' manifeatly froni a heart 'and Conscience in no small degree aliVe to the high claims-of duty, and is solemnly, and in the name of the Most High, urged upon the. people, let - us' all combine our intlnenee, our active exertions, and our prayers, that it may be. made acceptable to the section.forwhich it is intended; that it may be backed by such ;a weight of, ptiblie sentiment as , to ; make. it Morally - irresistible; that it may, under God, be the beginning of the solution of the - perplexing 'qtaeations with which we are sur rounded, issuing at last, and not very far hence, Second and ' , truer proclamation of liberty through,Ont the land to alt the inhabitaniwthereof. The me.ssager found in another column. ORDINATION AND INSTALLATION. MR. ISAAC Itit!Y, son of the Rev. Henry. A.. Riley, of Montro6i, Pa., was ordained and- in stilled - Paster 'of' Porest Church, 'Middletown, Delaware, by the'Presbytery of Wilmington, on the sth instant. Rev. Wm. Ailiman; Moderator of the Presbytery, preached the sermon and pro constitutional questions. Bev: H. J. Qaylord delivered the charge to the candidate, and Rev. F. Heruiricks. the, charge to the people. 4 large and Aleeply interested congregation was in attendance upbn the - services.- s Mr. Riley - is comfortably :settled•jUthe parsonage , adjacent to the church, and has a very fine and promising field'of labor in one of the most fertile and :thriv-. ing agricultriral regions of the State. He has our earnest wishes for success in labors. dONStITVTIOiAL ORUB.OH, BALTImpt. WE are sotrY.W. earn that e plhce of wor ship of this chn T h' . has - recently . Veen Seriously . injured by a- storm of, wind and rain; which car: ried off the entire roof, ands exposed the interior t 3 the.-heavTralivrthen falling. th fixtures of the pulpit, pews and aisles,' together .with the organ, were dewed, and the water soaked through into theltatire The roof, in fall ing by the side 'of the building,_ destroyed the window sashes, and altogether the church was left in a sadly ' dismantled state. We have not heard , ot the prOgress - of the repairs,, hut presume that in the hands of that energetic people they will speedily be made.. • . Tire SECOND' ANNrvEIts.ARY of the North Broad St.; church, was - observed by the pastor Rev. E.-B. Adams, on last Sabbath, by a suitable discourse, in which he stated thatitherihadheen sixty-five accessions to the church during theyear, of which nine ; ere on profession, the entire Mem bership being Ane hundred and fifty : three.. One thomand dollars had; been _ contributed: to. benevo lent objects. putei4e. of the church, and nearly' eight hundred in church:improvements. The annual income of the congregation—is within a fraction of three thbt - sand dollars, and the enter prise is entirely self-sustaining. This it will be remembered is the fact while the congrecration are still occupying a hired hall: They are expecting to =build at, an early date. , The congregations are uniformly large, and the spirit of the church, and people is harmenious and earnest. (For the American Presbyterian.} FLAG PNESENTATION TO-THE WILMING TON OADETS., ON the evening of the 22d, at the Continen- I tal, a flag was presented in behalf of the donor, Mrs. Harrison of this city, by the hands of ex mayor 17412 X to the cadeti Of Colonel Hyatt's MilitarY Academy at Yirilmington Delaware; nor can we think, that artiong the Many 'appropriate tributes.to the day, f any affair-was turned off in a more neat and , satisfactory manner than this. The presentation address was" accompanied• with gallant allusion to the fair doitor, and hen &able mention of the youth; to whose hands the flag was committed, felicitous patriotic reference to the great occasion, whilst the replies, in the speechof young Bradford-and the poem of Cap tain Porter, justly elicited frequent expressions of admiration and approbation. "Noble little Delaware," might be proud of these sentiments, so boldly and heartily outspoken from these young minds, in'which all their companions par ticipatedi nor could any one have been untouched by the 'generous warmth of young Captain Bid dle., . • By the wit and address of the Chairman a warm sPeech was elicited from ex-governor Pol lock, and on all sides no expression wasmanifested but signs of unalloyed gra.tifination. This notice is given bra Delawatisn, who was present, and . Who, from acquaintance with some of the parties, is able to trace the sentiment of freedom and patriotism manifested, to the'secret influence of family piety, which , has always spo ken nohly.for a country in danger. Whilst the address of Bradford .is equally worthy of Publication with the'poem, a few lines of the latter, have more readily been obtained, and are inserted to wind up the notice of •an event, that ought not, tinchroriicled, to pass away. WASHINGTON'S TOME " Where swiftly past, the wild Potomac sweeps, The father of his country calmly sleeps. No sculptued pile, no stately shaft he needs: Enough are his immortal, god-like deeds. Although.the dark and' gloomy cloud,of war Hangs like a pall o'er fair Virginia's shore, Ohl .may the storm of battle ne'er invade The silence of Mount Vernon's holy Shade.. Though with the dead be heap'd the battle-plain, Oh! may the hand Of traitor - never stain-- Although with blood the rolling waters run— • The sacred tombwhere sleeps our Washington!" OUR COUNTRY'S FLAG, "Aye, priceless gift ! Our country's peerless flag! Oh! may that banner in the dust ne'er drsg! Our country's flag! It waves on ev'ry sea, Acknowledg'd ensign of the hrave and free:! Our country's flag! Oh! saered, glorious trust! Though traitors vile have trailed'it In the dust, 'Tis glorious still, and'ever,proud shall wave While e'er there breathes 'a son of freedom brave. Our country's flag! What breast but pulsates high To see that starry banner in the sky ? It ;ever leads to death or victory, And when that flag. Coltimbies freenien see, With kindlini, glory burns each ewer eye As on they press to conquer or to die... The victor shouts to see it, proudly raised Where lurid fires of death arid carnage - blazed, Or plant it where the belching mortars glow Upon the ramp.irts of the vanquish'd foe: The dying soldier, turns his eager eye And' smiles that "neath that banner he may lie." THE NEXT UNION • PRAYER-MEETING: of our Church44rilripelashiLtci;r3uy_ (Thursday), in gie Sout.4.- Trot Ckurchi .corner of . .Tu'entieth aod: Pitzwatei.streeis. ; • ' ' • ' INTEiLIGENOg. .Ifrggress will be remembered that, loud complaints were recently made by Eng lish missionaries, that while French Jesuits were allowed under the recent treaties to enter Pekin and pursue their labors among the natives undis turbed, Protestant missionaries were excluded by the active interposition of the British embassy itself from the capital. A change for the better • has taken place, as will be seen b 3 extracts from a letter of Dr. Lockhart, the well-known medical missionary, Which we find in, the last News of the Churches : • ! s PEKIN,: Sept. 18,1861.-I have arrived, by God's great goodness, at the end of my long journey, and am at Pekin, living in this Tartar city, at - the British legation, as Mr. Bruce's guest. As soon as I got my passport; I started, andiff five carts journeyed the one hundred mile; front Tien-twin to Pekin; it took me two and' a half 'days to, do it Mr. Bruce has been very, kind, and promises tohelp me; at present I am a visitor, but I shall be verY loath, to go away, and shall try all plans to secure my residence here. believe this will be accomplished- and that soon I shall be able- to report that I have entered on my work m this place. The Rev. Joseph Edkins, writing to the Pa- OW, from Tien-tsin, says :—" Dr. Lockhart, by the assistance of Mr. Bruce, has now commenced an hospital in the metropolis itself, but some months , must elapse-before any further; step can be made, So we are infonn3d, in proceeding with misiKonary work in that vast and important city. We have, however, the assurance now given ns that ultimitely Protestant missionaries will be allowed`to reside in Pekin and carry On their la, hors there with'as much liberty as missionaries of the Papacy. Admiral llope - anek.i. Bruce haire both expressed their opinion 'that by the treaty this right cannot be denied to us." Eakins with Dr. ,Lockhart and others are expected to occupy the :city-at• an, early. day, un der. the; auspices of the London Missionary , 60. . Midget of the A. B. G. F. bk. is at Tien-tsin near Pekin. He has recently been. perMitted yrelcome four hOPefui.conierts Christian fellowship- Ceairal Turkey. —Mr. White writes from Ma rash, December 16: "The members of our con gregation have now, returned from the 'villages and vineyards, so that, our Sabbath a Udience is again from six toeight hundred, Happy:am to be able to add, that there are some signs of the presence of God's Spirit. There is a tender ness of feeling, a mourning over the hard heart, and fervent-prayer, which seem to, me, without doubt, to bttoken a reviving of -God's work. The church is in a better state than itlas been in be fore - for months. We, have' recently held exa minations of candidate,s for church membership. Sixty-eight presented themselves, of whom nine teen were approved, and yesterday we received them to the fellowship of the church. REVIVAL. IN LA SALLE, Mlcu.—From a pri vate note to the editor, we extract the following cheering piece of intelligence : "We are in the midst of a gracious outpOuring of the. Spirit of God; twenty-four additions to our little church on the profession of the faith, at the, communion last Sabbath." LATEST NEWS. , The Merri9nac Out—Sad Havoc among Wooden Walls.—On Saturday P. M., March 8, the iron-clad rebel steamer Merrimac moved out of Norfolk, looking like the mere roof of a' house with a smoke-stack peering above it. She moved upWard to Newport News, while the iron-clad boats Jamestown. and. Yorktown came out of the- James river to assist. These boats first engaged the U. S. "sloop-of-war Cumberland, a sailing, vessel, and the iron prow of the Merrimac soon run her down, and she was left , with her crew of several hundred men to sink, while the Merri . niac turned upon the frigate Congress. This vessel having very few men on board, and being a sailing Vessel; and hence unable either to fight or to get out of the way, surrendered and was burned. Other U,S. vessels now eame'up from Fortress Monroe. They appear to have been in a strange condition of unpreparedness at the com mencement of the attack—but night came on, and the battle was suspended. The same evening, at 10 o'clock, most oppor tunely arrived from New York, the iron-plated steam-battery known as the Ericsson battery; and named the Monitor, which went immediately to the assistance of our vessels, and was attacked early ' on Sabbath morning by all three of the 'rebel, vessels. After A.five hours'. contest they were driven off, and the Merrimac towed away, as is, supposed, •in a sinking condition. Daring a part of the fight the Merrimac and the Monitor touched each other. The Monitor is uninjured and ready at any time for action. 1 • The Rebel retreat continues. Leesburg was evacuated on Friday by the rebels and seized on the Bth by our forces. The Cockpit Point rebel battery on the lower Potomac was also evacuated on the 9th, and occupied , by our troops the same day. The rebels burned the steamer Page, which has been hovering about this part of the Pot6mac, and the blockade of the river is re garded as virtually raised. General Hooker also reports that the batteries opposite his divi- Sion have been deserted, the guns being spiked and abandoned. Rebel papers say that the Bowling Green army has fallen back to Decatur, Ala., nearly two hundred miles in an air line behind their position five or six weeks ago. At that rate they will soon be driven 'into the Gulf- We hope they may not be suffered to fortify themselves there.. New Madrid, Mo., where the rebels have a force of five or ten thousand inen, and four gunboats, is completely invested by our forces. Forty cannon were abandoned by the rebels at Columbus. It is ascertained that the rebels have evacuated Winchester and Centreville Va., and it is believed in Waihington that they are evacuating' Manas sas. Soon after the Ist of March, Fernandina, Flo rida, and Brunswick, Georgia, were occupied by Commodore Depont's fleet, the rebels precipi tately retreating before-his terrible gunboats. liy advicesTrom St. Louis, March 9, a battle was believed to be raging at New Madrid, Mo. OffiCial information has been received of a sanguinary conflict between the U. S. and rebel forces near Sugar Creek, Ark, which resulted in - the utter rout of the latter under the combined leadershiii of Van born, McGillloch, Price, and Mclntosh. Our loss is 1000 killed and wound ed.. Munitions of war and provisions in large quantities have been captured, and .the flying enemy pursued. THE SUNDAY SCHOOL TIMES AND 'nlE AME SUNDAY SCHOOL thsTION.--- , Most of the churches in our denomination contribute to the American Sunday Sehpol Union, and have a high' interest in its prosperity. They have sup posed that the Sandy School Times was an ally and friend of the Union, and patronise it as such. But they have been surprised in recent numbers of the Times, to perceive that'the editor seems to give his whole influence, not to the circulation of the Union books, but to push out the publi cations of the various sectarian Boards. If the American Sunday School Union be ncit worthy of confidence we ought to know it, and act ac cordingly. If it be worthy of confidence, 'we are unwilling to see it substituted by a - depository got up on the sole responsibility of the editor of the Sunday School 7Vmes, while our people pa tronise the Times as a Union periodical. 'We Want light;, otherwise we shall fear that using the prestige of an itstitution to undermine it, may be among the " mistakes of educated men." eur Chard ft ito. Revivals at Rockville; Ind. and Delaware, o. Rev. J. Hawks, writes to the Herald, of a great work of grace'in this Church (2nd.) of Bock ville,'under date - of February 25th as follows:-- Revival in Rockville, Ind.—Editors Herald: hss visited us with a powerful effusion of the Holy Spirit, and we feel under obligation to give publicity to a few of the many interesting particulars connected with what we feel to be a remarkable work of grace. It seemed to burst upon us with all its.strength and power, at our regular- communion meeting, with no nitre effort, when the pastor waslalone, and when we hardly dared expect a blessing,. The meeting, Monday night, after our communion, was of deep solem nity, and the Spirit seemed to fix. its convicting power upon the most hardened and sceptical at the :very outset, and a doeFr'solemnity from that time settled. down upon, our whole community, and - religion became the only theme of conversa tion in every circle. Out church'was crowded night after night, and was nearly fiat every morning prayer meet ing, and all who came seemed to feel as Jacob e*pressed himself when he awoke from his dream—" How dreadful is this place ; this is acne other but the house of God, and this is the gate of heaven," Conviction for sin seemed to be in most cases deep and pungent, and I never have seen brighter or happier Conversions. Dur ing the progress of the meeting we have receiv ed fifty-eight, and more than half, of this num ber are heads of families,. and there were ten cases of men and their wives. This new acces sion nearly , doubles, our church, and. nearly all are 'from the permanent, leading characters of the community. We still continue a daily prayer meeting, which is quite fully attended; and the interest is still good, and the work of conversion still goes on. Bro. Ballantine, and Dr. Jewett, of Terre Haute, and our Old Schoa and Metho dist brethren, gave me very efficient aid in preaching during the, meeting, which has now been in rragress over. three weeks. The kind est and most Christian, feeling has existed, among all denominations, and all have participated.with MARCH 13, the utmost cordiality, and - apparent sincerity, which has added greatly to the interest and suc cess of the work. A corresponden tof the same paper also speaks of a revival at _Delaware, Ohio, which resulted in an acceession to the church of • 10 members on profession. In the Church at ca.ssppcolis, there has_been a work of grace in progress for some weeks. Num ber& have beert - conirerted, and the church has been greatly strengthened., - Ordination; Episcopal minititer received.—A. meeting of the Presbytery of Kalamazoo was held at Schooleraft "Mich., February 19th, for the purpose of ordaining Mr. Martin Post, of Logans port, Ind., a recent graduate of. Line Seminary, as an evangelist. Sermon by Rev. Wm. S. Higgins, of Kalamazoo, from 2 Pet. iii : 16. Mr Post is under engagement to supply the pul pit for the present year. He gives promise of usefulness, and is growiiig in the respect and af fections of the people. At the same meeting, Rev. George Willard was received from the Episcopal Church into the Presbytery of Kalamazoo. The Evangelist , says:---" He has held a good position in the Episcopal Church, VII now comes into our connection as a truly evangelical, cultivated, and acceptable minister of the Gos pel•" New fublicationc " GREAT EXPECTATIONS REALIZED, or Civi lizing Mountain Men," is the singular and some what inadequate title of Mrs. Ellen . H. B. Ma son's book, in which her remarkable , and success ful enterprise among the Karens is . detailed. The christianizing of a wild mountain race in Burmah is one of the great wonders of modern missions, and of the progress of Christ's kingdom on earth. - Mrs. Mason was principally instru mental in organizing a regular system of female education among those people after the work of evangelization had made considerable progress. Her narrative of adventures with the natives in the prosecution of this and other , parts of the missionary work is very animated, the style is somewhat dashy and - off-hand, she breaks out into frequent' poetical ventures, many of which have real merit, and the whole makes a very readable, and in some parts, deeply impressive, beautiful and instructive book. 12mo, pp. 4a. Philadelphia: American Baptist Publication So ciety, No. 530 Arch street, B. Griffith, agent. " ETHICAL AND PHYSIOLOGICAL INQUIRIES, chiefly relative to subjects of popular interest; by A. H. Dana," is a pleai , ing and instructive volume of the fragmentary sort ; the discussions tve• generally brief, on such topics as Races of Men, Hereditary Character, Narcotic Stimulants, Theology, War, Reason and Faith, and so on. They are the product of a mind disposed to phi losophizing, calm, clear, 'observing, somewhat subtle in its analyses, and well furnished with literaiy acquirements. They are scarcely pro foun I or startling, yet they contain much that will .repay reading; and their tendency, is good. 12m0..pp. 303: New York : Charles Scribner. Philadelphiw, for sale'by J. B. Lippincott & Co. HENRY HOYT, No. 9 Cornhill, Boston, has published Lessons OM Paul's Lerpiatte -to-the Ro mans, being a question-book for advanded classes, based On the commentaries of Jenks and Olshau- Sen, with regard also paid to Stuart, Chalmers, Hodge and Barnes. Frequently where answers are given they are in the words of the commen tators, Stuart being most largely quoted. PAMPHLETS AND PERIODICALS. THE ATLANTM MONTHLY for March, is crowded with valuable, reading,. and maintains, without the slightest diminution, its eminent po sition in periodical literature: Its spirit towards evangelical religion is more cautious, at least, than when Dr. Holmes' prose effusions burdened its pages—we cannot now recall a line of the Doc ke a poetry which we wished struck ont—and we can with cordiality recommend the numbers of the present volume to the general reader. The number for the current month contains articles on Free Labor in the West Indies; The Use of the Rifle; Methods of Study in Natural History (Agassiz) ; Conceiving the Sorrows of Child hood (by the Country Farson); Russell Lowell's humorous poetry on Current Topics; Mr. Eve rett's paper on Taxation, etc. TEE BOSTON' REVIEW for March contains Christian Tolerance; English and American 'Uni versity Life; The Hymns of Charlotte Elliott, author of " Just As I Am ;" The Recreations of a Country Parson; Two Pictures, Jewish and Christian ;" Pascal's Thoughts and Character ; London : Public Institutions and Social Dangers; Short Sermons; Literary Notices; The Round Table. From the article on London we quoted the very powerful, nay, startling account of the Lon don Tines, which we put on our first page a week ago. By some oversight it was credited to the Boston Monthly, instead of the' Boston Review. We are plmsed to testify to the marked ability with which this New England Old School jour nal is conducted. ME PULPIT AND THE, ROSTRUM for this week, N 0.28, contains Ron, Martin F. Conway's Speech on.,the War, delivered in the House of Representatives December 12, 1861. This series of phonographic reports is already one of great value, and will become every day more so, as a means of preserving memorials of the course of public opinion in our struggle. New. York : E. D. Barker. TDB_ NATIONAL PREACREN AND PRAYER MEETING for March, contains a Sermon by Rev. J. F. Stearns,' D. D.; subject : "The powers of darkness have their Hour;" also, an extended miscellany of brief articles of a devotional cha racter, intended as helps in the conduct of a prayer meeting. New York :W. IL Bidwell, 5 Beekman street. THE STUDENT AND SCHOOLMATE for March, is full of interesting matter, well adapted . to the school folk, lively, shrewd, practical and whole some in tone. A capital aid in training the young, both in, and out of school hours. Galen, James .& Co. 15 Cornhill, Boston. SERMON. Scripture Warrant of the Hope of Eterrialtife. By Rev. Sohn C. Kidd, IL A., Joliet, 111. Received since the above SEQUEL TO TIN, THE SCISSOR'S GRINDER. Henry Hoyt, Beston. Gor.nulv Sabbath School Melodies By W. B. Bradbury. TEES EARL's T. 33. Peterson & Bros.