putrican
AND
GENESEE EVANGELIST.
THURSDAY, SEPTEMBER 4, 1864
akir - W, mEmts,
SE 4 I2ITH VOLUME.
THE present unmet. is the opening one of a
new volume,—the Seventh—of the AMERICAN
PREsnymn* Considering: the difficulties
generally attendant upon such an enterprise as is
the establishment of a religious newspaper, ag
gravated in our case by peculiar circumstances,
we think it Just gibund for thankfulnes4 to God,
and for congratulation to the friends of the pa 7,
per especially, that we have reached such an
age, with a fair prospect of .00ntinuance. We
ask their sympathies and their prayers. None
can be 'more conscious of the defects and short
comings of the AMERICAN PRESBYTERIAN than,
are we: Our firm purpose is to labor steadily
to make it in every respect a truly evangelical
paper, worthy the patronage of our own people,
and of the good and the, loyal everywhere.
Our God—our church- 7 -our country
OITININATION OF TIM' STRUGGLE,
For the last ten
,days, the fate of the nation
seems t) have been hidden. in Awful :Clouds of
battle. Behind a veil, which could' only from:
time to time be uplifted, our friends and brothera,.
our whole army, have disappeared,' arid mingled
with scenes, of which we could learn little more
than that death was holding high earitiWl there.
Borne over the heavy. smoke wreaths/ came the
booming efcarknon once more heard in the avenues
of the nation's capital, and the progress:of victery,
and of defeat—for we have' had both—had to
be divined from the rising and falling of , those
artillery eadences. And' 'When the din:mess has
been withdrawn, we have just been able to catch
glimpses 'of lines of battle swaying to and fro,
•
of brigades swept down now on Tie
,hand and
now on the other, otadvantnes gained, and lost,
of strategy met.by' itrategy, of victory snatched
away by reinforcements, of charges and counter
chargel ) of hostile divisions interlocked with, and
mutually intercepting each other, of multitudes
of captures which were but •annoyances in the
ertgeneies,of the oocasioni—an unparalleled se
ries of conflicts , in which all the fearful splendors
of war are etincentrated, whOse story iw strangely
inwoven again and again with the sad names and
painful recollections 'of the first great hattle
ground ; while over all the smoke of.conflict,
thank God, we can yet descry 'the glorious ban
ner of freedom, unsullied, undimmed, full hi,..1 1 1-
atjvaneed,the ,ensign of valor, the beacon of hope.
" There's proot -through the night that •our flag is
still there."
Here, rebellion has at last gathered, for•one
intense and agonizing strife and one desperate
blow, almost the absolute total of ber organized
strength, skill, abd resources. Here With frantic
effortramt-at vzbeAver dost, - ehe seeks to humble
the power that fostered her into all - her great
,
nem Here she bows herself upon the pillars, of
the national 'temple, heedless if she rerwhelme
herself and all things in the stupendous. rain.
Here she wrestles with the very spirit of the age,
and seeks to turn him back on his bentfieent and
Christian course towards freedom and equality for
all that are made in the image of God. Here, by
these battle-fields pauses the muse of history,wait
ing and Wondering whether, with inverted sty
las, she , ie to erase the grand records of the cen
tury past, and once mote write upon man's no
blest strivings and aspirations in lines , of dust and
ashes---vanity of vanities, all is vanity and vexa.
tion of spirit l
In.this tremendous conflict between the wa
ning and waxing forms of - civilization', the disor
ganizing tenancies of slavery and the conserva
tive tandem:Abs.& true freedom, be sure God is
near at. hand. Men are his party instruments.
Their wrath is made to praise, him. His foolish-,
ishness is wiser than, they; his weakness is
strong'er,than they. rWhile we do our part in
labor, in sacrifice, and in prayer, let us firmly
and calmly believe that the issue will be exactly
as he wills, and that the advancement of Christ's
kingdnin wll4e infallibly promoted 'thereby.
'" No* unto the Kinedternal, immortal, invi
sible, the only wise GOA be honor and glory for
eirer, Amen!'
Mi. BARNES AND THE LONDON RECORD.
Alwyn , two, months ago, a communication of
an extraordinary character touching,the orthot
dory of 10v. Mr. Batites.of this city` appeared'
the' London 'RecoOd, was asserted by the
w4r that Mr. Barnes had changed his vieers, on
the essential points of the Evangelical systeta of
decttines—the Trinity,' atonement, and 'so on,
The Edjtot. the Record did not en
dorm the statement of his correspondent, but
spoke 'of it as a matter of regret, if true, while
the works of Mr. Barnes, having all been written
before the supposed change, would lose,none of
their value to Christians. -
The paper anntain;ing- the article was sent to
Mr. Barnes, who treated It as too absurd to need
attention. Subsequently he received a commit
nicatlon from a person in, England unknown to
4114,, who represented himself as taking an inter
est in the circulation of Mr. Barnes' works in
tliat Country, and as desirous of knowing the
truth of the charges in question. If Mr:Barnes
had really changed his views which he would
greatly'regiet,'l he would like to know his reasons
fbr so doing, if .not,.it would gratify him to be
informed of the fact. The letter was courteous
- raid kind, and Mr. Barnes replied to it in such
ternis saltight be expected, declaring the false
hood of the statement, reiterating his convictions
of the truthrof the views expressed every where
in his writings, recording his firm expectation to
die, as he has lived, in the belief of the doctrines
which he avowed at his ordination, and hai
sought to defend for nearly forty years in the
pulpit and through the press.
The letter was published, with expressions of
satirisation in the Record, and there the matter
rests.
The origin of the slanderous rumor is cer
tainly mysterious. If it should turn out to be a
" Yankee° trick " a some 'cute English pub
lisher;-who wished to advertise Mr. Baynes
books we should not be greatly surprised.
.. _
Our subscrib/rs poking for good
schools for t air children will find tt number of
the right sort ative4tised in our columns.
That of RA I. M''Ainni . s,,A.Mv at Pottstown, ,
had by some acids t been omitted, but will now
be found in its prop r place. It is for boys, and
under the care pf e accomplished and expe- 4 ,
rieneecl principal an lady, gives great satisfac
tion to all who iry it
Mr. Wm. F. - sv-3-, , s, elder in the church at
West Chester, also a acherjof long oxperience,
with a full corps of as tants, is cordially recom
mended to our friends,
Rev. Dn. Staves 1
Young Ladies 1530 Ai
been spoien of in-our cc)
,the patronage it enjoys.
Edito
There is no situation )
Seminary more deairablel
, ,
ness, and right religious
mington, foel., where: our
well•conducted Seminary
A.M., in new buildings an,
bor of students admitted.
Rev. J. ADDISON Whits er's ,Be lviere-Sem-,
.
.
mary, is still advertisedtin ur column and we
presume is carried on by\ eo *eat pens du
ring his temporary absence. BelVidere .J. is
one of the most delightful . slip in the country.
Dn. CORNELL'S Boarding an' Day School No,
1432 S. Penn Square, is 'counlenaed to public
regard by the ability and expetAencii, of the prin
cipal arid by a strong array of &Wirtislie;d ref
ii
erences.
Other equally good Institutio s
wil #
ifi r the advertisinc , columns of oqr Thi
CHRISTIAN CIVILIZATION ,ON
TIIE conflict in Which we are engage for they.
Union is assuming . still 'greater proporti...s. Ite:..
duration, has been prolonged. It t reatens
more sweeping consequences. There is othing
in this to alter "our' original convictions of the
justness and necessity of the conflict on ti e part
of our government. Yet this very justne.- and
necessity make us pause and inquire in w at age
of the world are weliving witat stage t ofthe
world's progress—at what point the ad.4,fance—
meat of Christ's kingdom—that we arecornpelled
to engage in a conflict so vast, so liestrue.tire,lso
desperate, so extraordinary ? How has' }t come'
to pass that in a country do / phristian in its rigin,
in the spirit of its laws, In the professi' n and
practice of : millions of its inhabitants, the la d of
free Bibles and free pulpits, of reiiVals, of evan
gelical efforts and beneficent, chat4ies for ate
ignorant and the needy, a land enjoying
blessings of peace,, prosperity, and freedom
that in such a countryirreconcilable'antagonism
should spring up t sedition .anctrebellion of the
most desperate character_develop4telnselves,. and
the government be driven , those4Violent mea
sures, for its preservatien, which woke& thought
to be falling into disuse in the _rapid progress of
ChriStianity. In one word : why could not our
Christian' civilization, save ms'Anierioans from
war in 'its worst form ? ‘`.
Christian civilization is on trial in our country.
We have taught that. Christianity diffused amol,
and accepted,by, a people was the surest fourid -
tion of national prosperity. The intelligent. and
faithful proclamation of the gospel is the tree
means of preparing the people- for the legitimate
exercise of their rights and the perfermanee of
their duties as citizens of 'a free relinblic.
distributing Bibles ? establishing'evangelical'
pulpits and diffusing the issues of the, religious
press,threugh the length and.breadthof our land,,
we have believed ems)lves. to be providing most
effectually and certainly for our national peace
and perpetuity, and for exemption from the dis-'
turbance, rand anarchy,' ,and Overthiow, which
history shows us tole the lot of the unevangelizd
nations of the earth. Let us confess it; this
war to those who held, such opinions is a deep
and bitter disappointment. The insertion a this
blood-red page in the midst of the history of,
perhaps, the most favoured and the most advert?,
cod in true . Christian , civilization of ,the nations
of Alm world, ,makes :us weep no common tears.
That the soil of such a land should be drenched
with the blood of brethren; that a`:million and
a -half of its population
. should forsake the tirts
of peace and tax all the resources of the country
to marshall them against each other and provide
them with the means of mutual destructiOn on
land and on water, that, we should, witness all
the horrors of the 'battle-field, the hospital, the
,
military arrest and , .captivity, , the devastation:4)f
vast regions of country, the burning of towns,
of bridges and of steamboats, the destruction 'of
cotton crops, cruel outrages and persVentions
highway, assassinations, Indian scalpings and clis
embowelling,s and - even therifling of graves and
shameless' boa,stings over the mutilated remains
of the . dead;—to say nothing of the enormous=
guilt of perjury and false witness, bitter alien
stion of friends and near kindred,'schism in the
churches,' coldness. of •Cliristians arid the dry
ing ,up of .the resources :of good enterprises--
that we should come to witness , these things, may
well cause untold grief and perplexity to the sin-"
core Christian ' philanthropist in every land.
Vast 'bodies of Christian peoplein this land are
praying against each other, and Christian men
and ministers of the Gospel of the same denom
ination are arrayed against each other in mortal
strife.,
There are some things which need to le said
just here, `both admonitory and explanatory, dis
couraging perhaps to hopeful'enthusiasts, yet on
the otherhand, encouraging'and not a little mit
igating the first hard aspects of the case.
1. Let us frankly admit that there is much
yet to gain in Christian civilization even by this
evangelized and intelligent pepple. .What we
have attained is not to be boasted uf,,bUt -forgot
ten in view of what is before. The gospel leaven
has gone but a little ways through the `.lump.
We are moving forward hopefully iViS true, but
we carry along a great mass not aisimilatpd in
character to the Christian elements which ani
mate and guide the onward "movements of the
age. What frightful masses of our population in
the cities and in remote districts of country are
unevangelized! What regard has been paid by
party leaders to the rude prejudices of these
masses in the nominations they have made
How little have many of our public men deserved
the name of Chrjstian; and how ready have they
shown themselves to, sacrifice Christian , princi
ple to narrow views of expediency, to party
prejudice, and to personal interest ! Many a
heathen statesman has acquitted himself more
nobly, more wisely, and pore, honorably than
these representatives ofa Christian nation. Nay!,
ollegiate Institution for
b Street, has recently
mns; and well deserves
or a Young Livlies'
for health, accessible
influences, than Wil
friend,s will find the:,
If Rev. T. M.
with a limited num-,
be fAnd
American Vccolltterian and 6entort Coirangeliot
it is the absence of ' the needed degree of' Chris
tianity in our civilization which has involved us
in these calamities ; it is because so much yet
remains to be, done in evangelizing our populace,
it is because our efforts have fallen below the un
exampled exigency of our circumstances as a
nation of self-governed freeinen, that the' exper
iment of our republic is in danger of failure and
that Warin this frightful form is upon us. How
idle to dream of enjoying anon the'halcyon days
of prophecy ; ; how 'presumptuous to be suprised
at the obstinacy with.-which swords remain swords,
and. spears ; spears; they'will not• become anything
else' spontaneously, or in the`hands of men and
nations so extensively Under the influence of oor
,
ruption Oki age still is. •
2. But let us iiut the chief blame of this ,war
,
Where it really _belongs. " I detest, war, ",says
De Gasparin, "•as much as it is possible for any
one to do, but I am accustomed to lay the blame
on thosCWho'nrake it, and not on those ,upon
whom it is made." It is not Christian civiliza
tion in general, nor yet chiefly the Christian
civilization of the North, but that of i. the'Sonth
that is to be made responsible for the war. And,'
is not . the' South Christian and civilized ? Aas
it not a most able and orthodox pulpit? Has it
not been the scene of extensive missionary;labors,
colportage,.and revivals? If Christianity 'tends
to introduce such elements into civilization- as
respect for government, and charity to one's fel
low-man, should we not expect to find them • in
the civilization of the','SoUth? Why are they
absent? 'r •
Again we reply
,If thelesVan. of the gospel
is abiolutely victorious in no form of society, not
.
even. the best; if Northern society is but imper
,
featly Christianized and guilty of many offences
against the divine laws and therefore subjeet to
many evils, much more is this true'of the South::
It is not the Christian elements. of Southern' civ
ilization which hive prompted this rebellion, but
those .unforennate eleinents of Southern character,:
and those unfavorable. social eircemstances, end
those strong: impulses, of selfishness, which the
gospel leaNien had as yet, scarcely reached and
lut sliglitly affeeted. It was the irascible tem-,
per and reluctance tow labor of people near the
tropics, the pride and sense of power in.dominion
over a servile rate, the, beWildering prospect of
commercial empire= y the cotton-culture held up
to the cupidity and ambition of individuals and
of a whole people, which- have proved, `: . for the
time being, too strong for the leaven of the gos
pel,arid suspended . the progress of the leavening n
process, if it did not actually 'repress and coun
teract it. These were the forces of corruption
which-checked the growth "of Christian gentle
ness;placability and charity, which loosened the
tie of civil - obligation and rowered the sanctity of
the oath, which tiirew areund the "necessary
evil" of slavery, the hue of a divine, and benefi
cent ordinance, hich muzzled and perverted the
pulpit, the professors .chair and the religious
press, which created a party-demori so "outrage
ins, so unscrupulous, so grasping that it had
egun to extend-its horrid sway over the North,
tat had begun to muzzle and pervert the or
b. ns of Christian morality and free speech there
a • , had got a sweeping verdict in its favor
fr, .1 the
,SapremeJudiciary of the nation, and was
~,nt subsidizing us .all to its passion, to its_am
bitioni anl l to its organized. injustice. The car
:rapt eleniel i which Christianity as yet had not
.ucceeded_in bringing , under control, suddenly
, *heart an threatened to establish-themselieS
i
the policy of our country in the very face of
i lt
e forwardmovements of true Christian civili
z tion whic maintained themselves, with at least
- 1 1,
ft -er corrupelements, at the North.
. And no would , the maintenance A cf peace by
1
authoritiei in the face' of this Outrage of our
-
~, nitizens'against right, and good goVernment,
a , liberty, leading'' 'elements of civililation,
a , - proved t e North to' be any better, or the
it . to be an further adianted in civilization,
an -ould app ar from the existing state, of war?
.18
on ,; peace h : been a surer mark of progress,
It e'fragme of a dismembered, humiliated,
c`..m - dered ,r
; public, once the hope of the
.1, t 4 the one side; and a—haughty empire,
ide, on the corner stonea . „‘of treason and of
;tel • n very, rising tritinipfiintly from its ruins
he o, , er? We make bold to say that the
fac of w r proves us to be on. higher
tof I 4 ristia civilization• than, that • that if
:Halle ge of w from the, South proved the
!tive, 'BS of h civilization,lhe refusal ;to
)t it o i , the pa of :'the North would have
tally or
I :till mor proved her ,civilization de
fective; and, that e , zeE,d,-,patriotism, energy,
steadfastness, and If-sacrifice, with which. the
North pursues ,the war,' each, illustrates more
clearly the.genumeess of her civilization; that
every battle-field is a new vindication of her
claim to ad that • her triumph will
be the confirmation or all ages of some of the,
most essential piaci es of Christian civilization,
and is more a necessity fOr the
. restoration of
the 'South as a Christian countrypartially apes
s
tatized thin it is for, the North itself.
on .
very
scale
tlie
de e i
acre;
Our grief then, which still remains, is.,not
primarily for the war, butfor the. comparatively
low grade of civilization which'welave reached;
iii which' war is still a necessary= instrument'
in the hand of a Christian government, against
other Christian crovernments or individual&
A.h ! W,e.must lay, aside our boasting—not
in• Christ, or in what he is accomPlishingin his
church and in the; World—but in that mixed
phenomenon which we call our Christian civil
.
ization ! Who knows what .depths and' what
powers of corrtption, yet untouched by grace,
may lie concealed in the fairest and most advanced
forms of society? And at what juncture of
„affairs they may spring, into sudden activity—
may seduce the church of Christ* into temporay
accord with their doctrines and devices, and may
compel the less perverted and more traly advanced
in Christian civilization to ..meet them with the
carnal weapons and, the physical restraint which
our Savior evidently expected would come into
play in the leaVening , process of I his Gospel ?
He said : I came not to send peace but a sword.
Hence "Christian civilization proves itself by
war to be indeed sadly imperfect, but not so
much so as if, under the circumstances, there were
noFar at all.
REV. SAMUEL JEssuP, of Montrose, Penn
sylvania, has resigned the chaplaincy or the 6th
Regiment Pennsylvania Reserves,rand has been
honorably discharged from the service of the
United States; for the purpose of going as a mis
sionary to, Syria. Mr. Jessup was under, ap-
Ointment by the American Board for. Syria
when the rebellion broke out, hut,has been a
chaplain in Ahe army from;that time -until now. ,
DR. HICKOK'S PHILOSOPHY.
THE opening article of the July number of the
Princeton Review contains a clear and succinct
statement of the essential points and outlines of
Dr. Hickok ,philosophy.. In such .a brief space.
'as an ,eighteen page articleoneWould scarcely ex
pect that justice could bedOneitio a sYstem reputed
so. abstruse and difficult Of, mastery. And it is
certainly with no expectation of adequately re
presenting the distinguisted thinker's views,
that we attempt.' to bring the substance of the
above essay within the meagre limits of a news
paper article, biit simply, to call the attention of
our readers to Dr. H: ; s system, and to stimulate
them to inquiry in so rich a field of thought.
It is ; a cardinal principle in Dr. Hickok's phil
osophy that-the human spirit asserts its own ex
istence' absolutely—not as a matter needing proof
or testimony from anY quarter, nor as allowing
doubt or question. "It belongs to the very
tieing of spirit that it - Should know itself." This
.faculty of
_self-knowledge he calls " reasoii.".
" Reason is spirit so 'far. as it is self-knowing."
But " in knowing itself, itl:knows what reason is
and • can thus ,detect reasen whenever it passes
before its eye. It is the 'original function of
reason 'to' knoi not simply what is; -- but what
must be.. * By its ovenimmediate insight it
knows eternal princiPles and necessary truths."'
The function of "reason may be regarded as
widened beyond the range of mere abstiactions,
from the fact, as claiined-byTr. H., that there
is Which we truly knova iii`Whieli some
contribution of the reason is not an essential ele
ment. The reason furnhilies an, idea for every
fact of knowledge, mid only in the light 9 iF this
idea' can any fact be truly known." True science
is attainable" only in the disclosures which
rea
son makes 'of herself in the facts. ' ,
The functions of• the reason in perception are
of the highest importattep. First,qt;overlooks
the process and determineS that such and such
things are' essential' to i4as the distinguishing
and defining of the object Next, as "the eye
of the mind," it " clearly 'beholds the reality of
an objective world," as it one., suggests the, in
quiry respecting this reali y. Next, it assures
us that, unless ther*be something behind the
phenomena, .which cannotibe perceived, (sub
stance) then there is • nothing which ',cannot be
perceived. `"it would bS,Most unreasonable to
say that thqre can be quantity or quality without
some ground for these." :'.Again : " The reason
sees that if we ever assign one phenomenon a
place and period in a whole of space and time,
different from that of another phenomenon, and
with determined relation to this, then there must
be some permanent substanee by vlhich this May
be effected. Oar knowledge of substance is thus
es clear as these determined relatiens are 'evi-
dent." . _
Poising now to the reoion covered by Dr `H.'s
Rational Cosmology we inquire can anything be
known—in the strict sense—of this substantial
world, ;besides its 'bare existence ? •
_Dr. H. as.
Berta that many and impoitant principles are
within immediate sight of, the reason on this
field. The first one'whichi he lays' down is that
nicater is force. This helrclares to be'" imme
diately beheld by the:realn, and as necessarily
and unchangeably _true as - that matter 'Occupies
space',"'etc. Net thateyery eye at once beholds
it; no more than it ,doeS,xnathematical truths,
which often require;long, and arduous processes,
before they can be brought within the mind's
range of view. Once within this range " they
need no further proof, for they Prove themselves.
They stand reVealed in -their own light, and de
dare their truth with thiir own 'voice beyond a
contradiction!' .Thus reason Sees matter to be
force according to Dr. H.
• "Force," continues our author, "is action and
reaction." This, he . will fill its whole
conception.,. It points, too,. to its, origin,, which
mist of necessity be spirit, to which activity
purely and'essentially belongs. Spirit therefore
is the author of Matter. And creation is the
work of the Absolute Spirit making " his act
react upon itself" Creation is limited, i. e. it is
"'the activity of the Creator restraining itself at
the point where creation began. '* * This self
imposed' restraint is exactly what we mean by
creation." • „
The reader cannot butt perceive,in this " ra
tional ". theory :0 .matter; l a walling Away of mat
ter itself out of the universe, and the : substitution
of spirit-activity in its plaee. The: world is spir
itualized and we approach Pantheism by a new,
but as-it seems - to us, a sure and short road. It
must also appear to many minds as unreasonable
to represent the Deity as restraining hii activity
in creation, orthat it is the puttinc , a cheek upon
4 •
his activity, that gives usA world
Having reached the region of theology, we'find
Dr..H. admitting human reason , to, be finite,. yet
with the knowledge of God. The reason "knows
God, not because -it doe&or can coinprehend him,
but because the truth of being is mirrored in
its own being; i. e.,' in.-its self-knowledge it
finds that'which would ,be contradicted by the
denial of God." In %Dr. H.'s own language
" The cenception of the non-being of the
Absolute Reason involves the. ahsev . lity of
conceiving 'reason to lie unreasonable." Be
sides this simple primary, truth of the divine ei
istence, we have almost an entire system of the
ology which our, author claims to be involved in
it as known to the reason. Moreover, the same
faculty is `competent to declare that God is and
must be eternally under the control' of principle&
" It is only, he claims, r in the clear insight which
our reasons possess, of the truth that the Abso
lute One, the Supreme and Perfect Spirit will
ever act worthy of himself, controlled alone by
the unchanging behestsof his eternal glory, that
we feel any obligation f tei reverence, or any in
citement to adoration. !‘ It is only;," says the
Rational Psychology, a ,whep I see all these [ores-
Ones] standing in the presence of that absolute
sovereignty and pure- moral personality„ who
searches them all in the light . of his own dignity,
and' judges them by claims of, is ow n exce lle nc y,
and estimates their work solely in reference to
his own worthiness; and when also I see that
thus it behoved they Should have **made to
be fit creatures of his ordering -.and. accepting,
and that he made them after ythe behest of his
own uncreated reason, and in the light his
ethical truth• and. righteousness, and governs
them and holds them ever subordinate to his own
moral glory and Authority if is in nuch a pres
ence only that I reverently cov e t my face, and
fall prostrate, and cry from my-inward spirit,
Holy, holy, holy, Lord God Alminghty.,' Thoti
art 'Worthy, 0 Lord, to receive glory, and honor
and power, for thou hest created all things, and
for thy pleasure , they are` and were created.'
The functions of the Reason' underlie every
portion of Dr. , .Hickok's System.' His Rational
Psychology, his System of Moral Science, his Em
pirical Psychology, and his Rational Cosmology
are so many different applications or exhibitions
of this wonderful, self-conscious, self-asserting
faculty. " The Rational Psychology furnishes
his statement of whatthis power is, and his proof
that it is. *‘* The System,
,of Moral Science
takes the rational rule of right as grounded in
worthiness of spiritual approbation, and 'system
, atically applies this to the whole course of hu
man conduct. The Empirical Psychology gath
ers the facts of the human mind 'as .given in con
sciousness, and contemplates these in the light
of that rational insight which detects their true
and organic-relations. The Rational Cosmology
skews that the reason possesses ideas to which
the' universe conforms, and that no science of
nature is possible unless the actual facts of the
world around us are seen in living accord with
the principles within." ,
It is claimed for. Dr. Hickok's system that its
fundamental,doctrine of the self,asserting reason
completely demolishes philoiophical scepticism:
The." common sense" propositions of Reid and
the Scottish School'are inadequate. The" com
mon sense," says the reviewer, "`utters what it
universally believes, but for which ikknows no
ground. The reason declares what it beholds
and' knows in. its own ground. *.* T 6 demand
a prootiwould be the abiurdity of requiring a
reason for reason. Reason declares, affirms, sup
ports itself. * * It is not simply because our
powers are'so weak that we cannot, go beyond
this; rather are they, so ; lofty that they, see in
this the true ultimate, the self-supporting ground
of all the rest. It is becauSe we are reason, that
we rest in what is reasonable, 'and it would`be to
deny that self-knowledge that is our crown and
rpyalty, could we. look for anything beyond. A
Mind,deeply imbued with this order of thought
could be no more skeptical thin it could be un
thinking." ,
In conclusion, as. Dr. Hickok's system is not
skeptical, neither is -it mystical, nor ideal, nor
material. Nor does it accord with any of those
systems which, while admitting matter and mind
to' be distinct, seek to explain their union • by
some third thing. With Plato—as the review
er asserts, Dr. H. teaches that while they
are intrinsically diverse they have that in com
mon by which they are related. Spirit is es
sentially self 7 activity ; matter is essentially/ac
tion and reaction, e. force.
Having thus given the outline of the article
by an adherent of the system, we reserve remarks
upon it and "tither articles on the snbjeet to
another occasion:
(For the American Presbyterian l )
lIINSBYTERIAN HYMNOLOGY.
THE Presbyterian Publication Committee hope
soon to complete a system`of Vocal Praise; Amp
proached in excellence by any that the Christian
world has ever seen Isolated works there are
and have - been, worthy of all commendation, but
the church needs no single hook but a system of
them. Such a system requires Tour books a
fifth is as unnecessary as a fifth wheel to a coach.
The P. P. C., has issued three of the four, and
we easily see what the suite will he when
completed and perfected.
Isay completed and perfected, It will be
completed when the .future - volume - shall be is
sued : its perfeetion may, require . numerous im
provements in all the four.. Their adaptation to
each other will not be' perfect at first. For in
stance the, tune for ',Come _thou Fount " ete., is
for eight lines : in both hymn=books the hymn
consists of five half-stanzas, and there is no ref:
erence •in either book - to the place in- the Other
two. In coming time we may hope that these
adaptations shall be complete.
But let, us look a moment at each of the four
books., First, and • highest in importance, and
oldest in the series, • is the CHTIR.CH. PsALSK T,.
- admitted by good judges to be, decidedly , the
best collection of hymns in the English language ;
and unless surpassed in the German s - probably
the •best that ever yet has existed. When per
fected it will Contain Fall hymns .desirable fOr a -
selection for public, social, family and secret
worship of every description; excCpting juvenile
pieces. As it is, tha book is above my prOse and
above my criticism, except as to, the numbering
of the hymns. At some distant time, I hope the
various "parts " of Psalms, will -be, numbered
consecutively without- regard to the Metre : and
that the, first• hyi nn' that is not 'a version or, intl.
tation Of a Psalm, shall bear the,"'number 151.
Next in ,
affe and importance is the ECLECTIC
TUNE-EOOK. , With, choirs that are chiefly actu
ated by a love for display, this book is not des-,
tined to be popular., But the, book was con
structed so as- to meet the demanda of a large
number of good judges of what pieces ought to be
used in worship. Persons whO have remarked .
an improvement in their Choir as to the efficiency
of their niusie for devotional purpoees, 'have
sometimes found that this improvement was en
tirely due to the introduction of the Eclectic. Not
that all the tunes are there that we need. Wood
stock is missing. So is Melmore., .So are a few
others that many Christians feel that they can
not' do withbut: So. is every - antham" and
"set-piece" that ever moved, our' hearts in times
of old. But there are tunes enough `that can be
spared to make room forall these. • While I never
yet knew a book ,befoie in which fully one-half
the tunes "were tot useless, or worse ; I think,
only one-third of those in the Eclectic (mostly
experimentS of the 'author) -should be set down
as faiinres.,. But they are' enough o place
to all omitted piOces that will beektensively de
manded. •
The third book bears the name pf. SABBATH
SCHOOL HYMN-BOOK, but contains, beside juven
ile pieces, ample
. selections from
,the
These sufficient are sucient for funerals, prayer meetings,
the family, and the closet. If ever improved it
will be by the reduction Of the number (369) or
by substitutions. .No juvenile music, book is
needed. Children who can read music cannot
read that style. TO them the notes are all a loss
of paper and a waste of ink. All adults who sing
with them, and are able to read such music,
ought to own theEclectie and there ought to be
able to find the precise pieces , required for these
juvenile hymns. And the fewer such tunes you
can content the children with- the better : they
take - a place that sacred music might better 0c...
°ivy.
Of the fourth and future book I cannot speak
from auth;rity. I do not even know whether it
has a name. I hope its sponsors will give it a
short and pretty one, and for my part I should
like,a,suggestion from him who first, thought of
the name for the,,Eclectic. I imagine the book
will fit our pockets in - size and price, i. 0.:16 iuo
and 25 cents. It may, contain about 100 tnnes,
all from the Eclectic without alteration, andithe
205 hymns that' the smaller' hymn-book has
taken from the Church Psalmist and with pre
cisely the same verses omitted. To each tune .
let there be at least one hymn suitable to - ordinary
family worship. And shall we not have those
same hymns inserted in some future Eclectic?
Then; as we gather to the 'house' of mourning,
with the four books of the system as chance or
convenience may mingle. them, the same music
will be found in two, and the same woids
in all the four. So too around the family-altar,
each book bfought from the Place of worship will
be ready for' daily use. From no
.other source
than the P. P. C., can we hope a convenience
like this, and from no other source' would it be
more acceptable to - I. F. H.
(For the American Presbyterian.)
THEE - SABBATH IN SARATOGA.
SARATOGA SPRINGS, Aug. 10.
To, the ..Witor of the American Presbyterians
Can this be a war-time ? Every hotel and
boarding-house is thronged. Houses. - are filled
that were never full - before. In the absence of
" the Chivalry" there is an air of quiet self-res
pact and good.breeding pervading all circles, for
which Saratoga was not noted in the palmy days
of " King Cotton." I have heard many attempts
to explain the philosophy of crowded watering
places in
,this apparently unpropitious - season;
none of them were satisfactory. One thing• is
clear the burdens of the war are not general or
heavy enough to affect the resources of multitudes'
of families whom health or pleasure have invited
hither.
The Sabbath here has assumed somewhat chang
ed aspects this year. It has ceased to be the day for
the display of equipages. The churches are all
filled. Passing the "Union". or "Clarendon"
of a Sabbath evening, you will find a group in the
parlor engaged in singing familiar hymns; and
a-general air of quietness pervades the place. On
the' afternoon of the last two or three Sabbaths,
the Rev Mr. Milburn—" the Blind Preacher,"
•
—has preached in, the beautiful grove, near the
Indian encampment, to thousands of attentive
hearers. Last Sabbath, the Rev Drs. Hodge,
Hawks, Milburn, and Phelps, preached in .the
Presbyterian, Episcopal, Methodist, and Baptist
pulpits, and.'" Father Walworth " lectured in the
Roman Catholic church for an admission fee
to the great disgust, I doubt not, of his "father,
Chancellor W
•
An important meeting was held in the Presby
terianthurch; on Sabbath evening, to promote
the Sabbath Reform. Governor Bradish, of New-
York presided, and no one can perform such a:
service .with more grace and dignity. After
prayer by Dr. Fowler, of Utica, the Rev. Mr.
Cook, of the Sabbath ' Committee, the Rev. Dr.
Hodge, of Princeton, and the Rev. Dr Durbin,
of the Methodist Missionary Society, delivered
brief and effective addresses. The large church
was, filled, and a noble cause gained new impetus.
The meeting was adjourned till Monday morning,
in the Methodist church, when David' Headley,
Esq., (the President of the Panama Bflread
Company, and a member of the Sabbath Commit
tee) was called to. the chair, and the . Rev. Dr.
Phelps, of New Haven, appointed secretary. ' A
conference was entered. upon as to the condition
of Sabbath observance in different parts of the
country, and in the army, and the measures best
suited to effect wise and permanent reforms. The
subject was referred tos a committee, consisting
of T. P. •Handy, of Cleveland, Ohio; the, lon:
Peter Parker, of `Washington, D.C.; and the'Rev.
Di. Yowler, of Utica, who rep6rted this morning
,
a series of resolutions, urging our National and.
State authorities to preserve the Sabbath from all
avoidable 'movements of troops and needless en-.
gagements ;,.and referring the subject, to the
New York Committee, to receive due attention in
the new circumstances created by the marshaling
of 600,000 additional troops. Resolutions 'were
also' adopted, requesting the Sabbath COmmittee
to consider the propriety of attempting to secure
" thetruce of God" between contending armies,
by the mutual understanding of the authorities;
and, inviting that Committee to extend their la
bors ,beyond the limits of New York city.
While these topics were under consideration,.
the Rev. Mr. Tully, chaplain of the' 77th
Volunteers, bore noble testimony to the fidelity of
the Commander of the Army of the Potomac to
theprinciples of his famous General Order for
the protection of the Sabbath, and to the popu
larity, in the Army and. Navy, of all officers who
respected the right of the soldier and the sailor
to hiS day - of rest. An animated: discussion
arose as to the policy of the Sabbath Committee
in devoting five Years to local s reforms,—gentle
men from the-West claiming their co-operation,
and the Rev. Dr Holdich, Messrs. Bishop and
Hoidley, and others, of New York, vindicating
the thoroughness of the local movement as the
most effective to general efforts in this
delicate and difficult reform. The universal sa
tisfaction expressed by gentlemen from all - parts
of the country with the principles and measures
of the Sabbath Committee must have been cheer
ing to the members of that organization present
in these meetings.
How soon will these thousands of sojourners
be scattered again ; and. be absorbed in their sev
eral pursuits 1 Scores of clergyman are recupe
rating for their arduous duties. Men of business
of every branch, are enjoying their brief respite
from care and toil, sharing more, it' may- be, of
the Moiety of their families in the hurried visit
fa the Springs, than during months of city life.
Some who are whirling in the dance at these ho
tels will, ere long,.be whirling in the dance of
death on the Rapidan, or , at Richmond. And
what a saoplace, this village, must be when its
streets are deserted , by the crewd of temporary
visitors, and it relapses into its normal condition
of quietude. - Like "some banquet hall deserted,"
its excess of life must contrast strangely with the
comparative solitude into which it, subsides. •
THE ALMANAC.
t THE^ AMERICAN. PRESBYTERIAN ALMANAC.
for 1863, has just made its appearance. It is
gotten up with the usual care and good taste, and
abounds in valuable inforMation,upon Denomina
tional matters. Its statistical-tables are also val.
liable. We earnestly recommend, the pamphlet
for general distribution among our churches.
Sessions. should see to it.. that every family is
provided with a copy To be had at thelPresbi
terian H01i5ai.N0. , 1334 Obestnnt.street.,
Nulnizationo.
MAGAZINES & PAMPHLETS
THE September issues of the periodical press
are droPPing on our table like autumn leaves, nu
merous and premonitory. THE ATLANTIC con
tains a better list than that of sleepy August, in
cluding- Agasili's 14th paper on Natural' His-'
tory and some good ,poetry. The CONTINENTAL
condemns itself in the opening piece on Henry
Thomas Buckle, by failing to -condemn, while it
coolly describes the : ideous and tmgodly fatalism
of its Subject. -We wish the reviewer had ex
erted his "refutory powers," as he 'styles them,
upon dogmas ad worthy of universal reprobation.
Tu AMERICAN TRACT SOCIETY has issued
its Christian Almanae.for 1863. • •
REV. ALFRED TAYLOR has published in neat
style his first pastoral sermon, in his new -charge
at Bristol, Pennsylvania, entitled : " Much Peo
ple'. It is vigorous, earnest, and calculated to
do good.
REPORT OF THE A:MERIOAN MISSION AMONG
THE MAHRATTAS, forlB6l. Bombay; printed
at the " Exchange Press," E0rt,1862. This in
teresting issue of the mission press in India, is
neatly executed, and contains a very full report
of the progress of the missionary Work on that
important field. The Ahmednuggur Eti,strict'is
very flourishing, showing a net increase 4
churches . and F 72 members during the year.
Bombay and Satara simply:hold their own..
BLACKWOOD'S MAGAZINE for August con
tains a remarkable article on Sermons in which
it is claimed that a weariness almost universal pre
veils in England under the preaching of the word,
and it is coolly proposed to dhense with this
part of the service as generally a hindrance to
worship. "Unfortunately he is no preacher"
is said to be the popular verdict in one out of
every three parishes in. England. It is also as
serted that "there is no record that this weekly
ordinance of inevitable preaching is any how or
dained of God. It was," continues the writer,
" the Refortuers and Puritans - who bound us un
der this thrall." The Romish church according
to him " with that rare perception of human
nature which characterises her," has done much
better, and, he wishes to know - whether there is
any reason against returning to her methods in
this respect. He strengthens his position by
reference to certain movements towards a liturgy
in the pale of the Established Church of Soot ,
land ; which are pretty clearly traceable to un
easiness:atr the rapid progress of 'dissenting bodies
in that country, contrasted with her own tardy
. pace. And the Witt& article is probably dicta
ted by the conviction that the power is passing
from the cold formal Establishments of both
countries, into the Ilan& of the more active and
evangelical - dissenters; with their :popular preach
ers, and that something must be done to turn
the,tide..
Fitpm . L. 'Semi. a Co., New - York (W B.
Zieber Philadelphia) we have regeived the July
number of the EDINBURGH ' ERVILE.W. It con
tains-articles on the Explorers of Australia—
Wellington's Supplementary Despatches; Sir G.
C. Lewis' Astronomy of the Ancients; Stanhope's
;Life of Pitt; Troyon's Lacustrine Abodes of
Mau ; Weber's Gleanings from German Archives;
Iron—its 'Uses and > Manufacture; Remains of
Mrs. 'Richard Trench; Dollinger on the Tem
floral Power.
In the article on Lewis' Astronomy of the An
cients we see and welcome a disposition to con
test the `Wild chronological vagaries of Bunsen,
and his school of unbelieving antiquarians, which
'we regret to-say does not appear in the article on
- the Lacustrine abodes of Man, where, similar in
.
admissablndeniands of geologists and naturalists
arntreated , with a tolerance-more fitting the pa
ges ofthe , Westminister. The last .;artiele on
Dollinger written, in a most friendly mood
towards Catholics art argues against-the Pope's
temporal power, on the ground that'it is'a real
injury to the church of RoMe. It discourages
attempts at Protestantizing Italy. - As if there
nunciation of.temporal power.would net be a
great Step towards. Protestantism.
TRAIN'S UNION SPEECHES, Second Series,
Philadelphia, W. B. 'Peterson & 'Brothers.
TEE EYAI,IGELICAT: REPOSITORY and ;United
Presbyterian It'evieW (Monthly), for August is a
good number. Careful attention is bestowed
upon Sabbath School matters. The " Ecelesias.:
tical Record" is a valuable feature, The Edito
rial record of ,_the last U. P. General Assembly
contains the, following : " We do - not hesitate to
give it as our deliberate t opinion, that there is not
a morecompact and united Church in the land,"
i. e.' than the United Presbyterian. We rejoice
at this testimony to the success of one of the
most irriportant of the recent union movements
among Presbyterians.
THE NATIONAL PREACHER. AND PRAYER
MEETING for September, contains the two ser
mons of Rev. J . : R.. Page, of Perry, New York,
which have gained much notoriety as matters of
litigation. Their subject is : " Laws for the Bes
towinent of Divine Mercy." New York : W. H.
Bidwell.
Wm:Quarr has, we are gratified to
say, given to the public in pamphlet form, his
able, philosophical, and .Christian paper on the
"Future of the. Colored Race in \ Ameriea," first
published in the July number of the PRESTO/TR
RIAN QUARTERLY REVIEW. Philadelphia : W
S. 'Young, Printer.
THE FREEDMEN OR SOUTR CAROLINA. Ad
dresses of Rey. J. M., McKim; chairman of the
Port. Royal Relief Committee, and letter of the
same to Stephen Colviell - Esq. Philadelphia:
Willis P.' hazard:: .
FOR TAR* COUNTRIR GOOD.----Rev. Stuart
Rolobisort - and Rev. Mr. Hoyt, of the 0.5.,
Presbyterian:Church irrKentucky, heAre expatri
ated themselves, and are now . in'; Canada. 'The
former went out voluntarily, the latter had to
ehooSe between Canadi and the rebel lines.
VIATOR.
AT THE RECENT commencement of Jefferson
College, the degree of D.D., was conferred upon
Rev. Ge t orge Sheldon, -for , many years : agent of
the American Bible Society for New'Jersey and
Dela Ware.
Oml. holiness causeth not God's love, but
God's love causeth our holiness.
Pleasure is grief when. God is • displeased; but,
grief is pleasure when God is pleased.
Ic. : nowledge may be . without-grace, but grace
cannot be without knowledge..
BEPT.