puritan Wrtollgteriau
GENESEE EVANGELIST.
THURSDAY, DECEMBER 5, 1862
JOHN W; NEARS,
MAY THANKSGIVING BE FOLLOWED BY
REVIVAL ?
IT is` so customary for us to connect humilia
tion with the prospect of a blessing, that we may
not be prepared to expect a revival in the wake
of 'a thanks-giving service. Our church judica
tortes' generally appoi l lit te, service, of fasting as
preliminary to any special efforts for the reviving
of 'the 'Church and the promotio;' of religion.
Such appointments we do not intend to disparage.
Wherever, in the individual chinch or presby
tery, they seem to be-required, let them be made.
But the point 'here to be noted is, that a thanks
giving need not, in its spirit or in the mode of
its 'observanee, be incompatible with 'true send
'
merits o tunthation. It may be quite clear of
boastfulness it may truly breathe forth the feel
ing 'of sltnille dependence on divine mercy ; it
inky rise Vp'from, souls in affliction like grateful,
odors from (wished flowers and spices. It may
be, as real a bowing orthe 'Soul before God as
abstinence, retirement, penitential si,ghs and con
fessiversackcloth and ashes.
We hope with trembling that such was the pre
vailing temper of the thanksgiving services held
in many o(our States last week: We think the
disposition to,boast, so frequently-exhibited on
former similar. occasions, was almost, if not quite /
universally wanting. There was manifest a dis
position to honor and acknowledge God in out
peculiar circumstances, which woild have been
deepened but little by the observance of a fast,
so called.. ,And the spectacle of ;a lagge part of
the' Xt atioz4 maintaining in the midst of Most
monsttous rebellion and carnage their wonted
thanksgiving festival, going up svith the multi
tude totkeep holyday, crowding; as we might say,
over the bodies'of their slain to the altars of God
whereon to lay their sacrithie of praise, sending
up their incense of prayer the snfoke-wreaths
of battle, this' iWtt sublime kanifestation of coot
sige,4l.o44, It would byre been easy to fast, and
to find.topies for lamentatioi and' denunciation;
it had been less:perhaps of a trial to our religious
feelings. There'was something wonderful in the
thanksgiving of whole commonwealths at such a
time ds this. It was an observance which set
many•to reflecting on the reality and perpetuity
of the divine mercy,amid all outward vicissitudes;
it brought home the reiterated burden of the
Psalmist : "For his mercy endureth forever 1"
It touched many, hearts with a sense of ingrati
tude for the uncounted, urtneticed benefits which
had never ceased to flow ; for..the comforts and
privilegai and blessings, civil and religious, which
still remained untouched, amid general convul
sions. And oh 1 it led many to turn,with iiew
devotion to that great, exhaustless, infinite, feun
tain of mercy which still pours forth itshealing
tide for 'human sorrows; --to. that cross which still
out-shines ail the glories of earth; tothat tsaviour,
in whom all riches, happittess f . inti.vietorir su
premely meet. " banks be ,to. God," exclaimed.
many 'a fervent heart, " for his unspeakable
gift 1 "
Even as a cheerful fereper becomes the Chris
tian tinder crosses, and, in a dungeon or on' a bed
of sickness, honors his master far more than wonlii
a penitential gloom and constant brooding over
his sins ) so may we hope that a thanksgiving ser
vice, at such a time, from these icommonwealths,
was peculiarly acceptable to God. Arid we think
few true Christians have waited , upon God in
these services Without a anneible elevation of their
devotional feelings end an increased preparation
for the Outpouring of the tidy Spirit in a copious
degree. Pray 1 labor ;I fellow-Christian, that this
may be the . dedisive era—the turning of, the tide
in the history of our churches , for the present
TiwritsGlVlNG DISCOURSES.
, .
•
Irrolit.the discourse of Rev. E. E. Adams on
":Samson's Riddle" we give the - following
ex
tract:] •
But what we have specially to .say is—Sin is
a . dtistioyer: It is fierce and strong. It eats
out the tlie ,life of body and 'lt 'fouls on
slain affections—en crushed hopes, and blighted
hearts. But for sin there were no grief, no pain,
no wounds, no poverty, no death. 'the ourre:nt
of existence would flow smoothly, sweetly along,
and land us on, the shores of immortality. Itds
sin that fills *BM with 'fears, with errors, and
disasters.; sin that daikens our view, rends our
bonds of love asunder,
.beclouds our reason,
turns our possessions into burdebs, and converts
our world into a desert. Like a huge Bison
feeding on the growths of the prairie, trampling
its, blossoms, scaring.and scattering its birds of
song,—sin feeds on the life of the soul, wastes
all its affections, treads down its struggling germs
of hope and happiness, and leaves in, it way a
Widerness of moral, death ! Like a huge bear,
dashing into a sacred choir, crushing the tubes
of the organ, and silencing the breath of praise
which had started toward heaven ; —so does sin
break in upO s n the harmonies'of our being, and
hush the voices of' hope, and love which would.
also mingle with the songS of angels. ..It is sin
that causes us to dash against each pther" like
ships in a storm,"— that breaks the son] away
from its natural mooring and drives " it'ottt into
the hurricanes." It is sin that fills our sky
with clouds and the air with hot bolts.
is sin. that maddens the brain, cripples the, body;
wastes us with fevers and corruptions, digs
our graves and kindles the everlasting flame !
It is sin that Minx; from us the complacency of
heaVen, closes' its doors against us,—draws a
frown over the face of_Ged,- and•hangs a black
pall between, us and the light of the blessed
mansions.
And yet such ,is God's economy, such his
glorious purpose and agency ofr love, that even
sin has. food for the soul: Oat of its bitterness
sweet waters flew. tor the highest good of the mo
ral world, God must be knoWn. Until his justice
stOosi before men in contrast with rebellion, his ho
liness against sin; "his "mercy triumphing over
judgment in the sacrifice of his Son, he was not
known. !Even in Eden, ; there was no seise of justice
until the knowledge of sin—no trial of virtue until
the - tetuptation to sin. And 'since the fall in
Paradise, man has learned More of God, and
doubtless angels' have learned' more of him, by
the law which eendemns sin, 'by the penalties
that hive falidn on sinners, try the Gospel, which
proclaims pardon through death, and by the
-A D--
Edi or
discipline whereby the soul grows * strong, and
pure, and hopeful; resisting, and marching up
ward; seeing more clearly the ideal of perfect
life, than they .would have learned were the
whole earth an Eden, and there went perpetual
praise from altars on which a sin-offering was
never laid. '
But for sin" the majesty of Meru" had never
'come to light; but for sin there 'had be less_
sympathy, for there would have been no suffer
ing among men; Jess benevolence, for want had
not counted its victims; less sense and compre
hension' of good, for evil had not put good in
jeopardy.; less virtue on thewhole, for it had
not been buffetted into strength and 'greatness
by temptation; less moral force tire . development,
for the phances which press into action the mo
ral powers of man had not beerr resisted, had
not conquered.,
Then take into View, if Ossigle, , the more won - -
(Irons development of the divineadministrabon
How much'is revealecLin and by Jesus Christ!
What a fact was his holy life!:• What a miracle •
his death! How - far above the loftiest conceß
tions of roan is the system' of moral goad in hinil
What experiments were made with life and depth
by his authority, and by his own - hand ! What
light did he' bast on the' problem of fUturity, the
destiny of the body, the nature of the7orld *to
oohie t .What prospect yet awaits-his Church
redeemed froni sin, and death, happy in the'
sense of : pardon,
: happy in the gratitude that
springs. from rescue ; • happy, through the disci : -
pline of temptation and sorrow ! And who. can
tell how much more happiness, holiness, Spiritual
strength, ttid rapturous 'knowledge shall , fill the
universe for the fact of redemption, which' could
not lac, beet bdt for hini !
"The great salvation brought by, Jesus Christ;
That sank an Adam to reveata God,
Had never come but at the call of ;sib.
Nit) risen Lord could eat the feast of love,
Here on the earth, or yonder in the sky,
Had he potjain within the sepulchre."
There ha.d'hot been 'such intensity of love, but
for sins forgiven ; never such power of faith; but
for the cross in which to trust.—Evil, then, is
an instrument in the hand of God " to make the
most of us," to give largest development and
strongest vigor to life. Sin,—though we are hi:lmA
to hate it 'as God does,. and to resist it even for
the sake of the good thatshill come out of the
trial - is made an instrument, against‘its natural
tenlenCY, of - revealing more of God, and filling
the ag'e's, to come with the trophies of love,
.
crowns, of victory, and.triumphs of:mercy. •
We set before you this view of sin, and of good ,
extorted front it, not to lessen in your soul the
sense of its heinousness; net to persuade you
into the belief that; sin has any tendency to goOd,
not to confuse your minds Concerning the dis
tinction between good and, evil. Wa , admit not
the conclusion at which perverted reason may •
arrive, that because the power of G Nisi? triumphs
over sin as 'to increase the happiness and:holiness
of the universe by its oivii action; therefore sin is
not a reality, not an evil; nothing . to'.:be- feared.
On the contrary, its evil is the Mornintense and
alarminc , and should be' felt to be sO, fr6m - the
verylact that God puts forth his wisdom and
might to defeat it .and tirnitsinjury against
itself It is a• blot on God's. world r -f : a power
that ;interferes with the glory of God ,and the
peace ,cf: man. But we ; may escape it. Christ
has slain it, and sung the triumph. W. triumph
too when its chains falllrom - us' and the doors of
our prison Open into day. , '" . Ont of 'the "eater' •
comes forth meat, and out ofthe Strong conies
forth sweetness." -, , - •
MMMI
THANKSGIVING DAE . IN :OLDEN TIMES
Rev. Mi. March spoke:Of " Thanksgiving" as
memorial, domestic, and patriotic Festival. • The
following extract is from the first division of his ,
discourse : •
Our annual Thanksgiving is a memorial ser
.
vice: Als a festival of grateful redullection; in'
observin. , which-we °situp the jOys and sorrows;
the trials and blessings, of the, past in thank:fu l l
remembrance before God; we go baCk to the
dark and troublous period whechis anniversary
was instititted,. and we join our voices with those
of the e4er afflicted yet ever rejoicing exiles of 'the:
wilderness, who_ sang praises to God amid
the storms and the dim woods of the New
World, and , ,
"Wh"o shook the depths of the desert's gloom
With their hymns of lofty cheer.'?
And now when our own greattrial_is npon.
,
us ; and we. have sad occasion to ask , how much
and how long we can afford to - suffer for our coun
try and how much it may be worth to our poste-.
rity if transmitted to them' in unimpaired
unity, it is especially appropriate for us to go,
back and over.the sceount and see how much'
our country has 'cost Will make it easier for '
us to deny ourselves for . oar'. country's good in
the_ time of its peril if we recur again to the aim.- -
pie habits and severe economy and stern endur
ance which eharacterised,Ourfathers" days., As we,
read again the pages of our ,country's early history;
as we restore the spenes, end events in the midst
of which our fathers passed their heroic and
faithful lives, we shall lengthen the ::catalogue.
of blessings which.-haVe come ,down t to us - -frottiV
their time and for .che continued .posabssfon
which We slipuld, , be <willing to - pay 'again' the -,
original cost in suffering and iheriftee. :Nothing
can he 'better fitted to inspire our hearn3With hope
or strength-for the great contest of to-day, - than
a — „glance at the fife of the early settlers as they:
lived in their rudehomes twohundred, years ago.,
Suppose wet look: in upon:the asseMbly, of 0ur...,
fathers as • they were gathered for, a , Thanks- -
giving service in the year sateen' hundred sixty-,
two: The hoiir of 'worship ha?''been marked by
the Shadows on the dial' plate and proclaimed
abroad by a horn, or a drum. beaten en the
near
est hill. Some of the Wbistiippersl'ih riseen
long before the sun, to be there in season, and, '•
have traveled a distance of ten, miles by foot in
briale paths , through the forest. ,The aged grand
parents, the ;younger or hardier heads of the
family and thedittle children areell there. And.,
as one and another company arrives,lhere is no
sound of 'rushing Wheels, no glitter of polished
or gilded carriages to attract attention 'The track
which they have followed is suet `as iiiv6lf or
the wild bear would make through the wood
The "meeting house" one that has cost them
.wenty years of toil and self denial "mutual con
tributions to build, And yet there are no car
pets on the floors, no cushions-in the seats, no
paint on the pews,-no plaster on he walls, no
colored glass, no curtains or brads to' shut'eut
the sun, no sheathing outside, nes.' - fire from fur=
nice or stove Within. The snOWsiiiihil'of the
previous night sifted its icy ashes.'in beneath
doors and . between the
grave
boards and beams, and . the grave, warship;
Atuttican Vtroligtrriait
pers quietly brush the snow from their seats
with their bear-skin mittens as they enter their
pews. But nobody shivers, nobody complains
that the sexton has not done his duty in hea
ting the house or providing free ventilation, no
body is afraid of taking cold„, They are men
,of
,peace, and they have come thereto thank God
for the blessings of the Gospel of peace, and yet
many of of them enter the sanctuary with loaded
muskets in 'their hands. For they have not yet
ceased to hear tales of , massacre perpetrated in
different settlements beneath the yellow light of
the last October sun, and they knbw that their
own song, of thanksgiving may be be interrupted
by ,the War-whoop of the, savage, lurking in the .
neighboring woad. The c,ongregation were all in ,
their places before' thehour, and when the min.
ister 'appeared at the door* =of the sanctuaryi:all
rose and'StOod with reverent attention till the Man
• .
of 'God' had boived his Courteous acknowledge
ment of their respect and seated hiniself in the ea
cred desk. The service begins, and all the peo:-
,
ple, standup to praise God, and no organ prelude&
or accompanies the • song with its many-voiced
harmony. No intricate and voluptuons strains
borrowed from the hall-room or the scenes 'of
bachanalian • Tiot mingle with the' simple and
solenin notes-'with which' they worship God.
Old Men sing with their crooked and quavering ,
voices, and young men and maidens swell the'
chorus with strong Vehemence, and little chil
dren listen with reverend awe, and they would
think it profanity to suggest that the singing,
is.not such as•becomes the rules of God's house.
The prayer thatifollows the psalm is longer than
the sermons of our day, and yet the aged patri
arch of four r ecore - years, and the - feel le women,
if any such there'-could be our`fathers' days;
and the little children, all stand with reverent
and manumit/Ting fortitude to the close. Again,
the psalm of thanksgiving rolls its rude numbers
through twenty stanzas,
,and the swell of united
voices rises louder with every strain till the beams
in the : wall and the naked rafters in the roof, tremble
in unison with tfie•serviee of song inthe house
of the Lord. Arid then'the sermon through
heads, divisions, and subdivisions, exposition, doc
trine and application winds its slow length an
hour and, a hi& beyond what the languid an--
diences of our day would think
,endurablei and, ,
yet ; those men of iron nerve,,and adimamantine
faith, like it the better for its . length.' - They, go
home to their late 'thanksgiving dinner with
aspepial`gratitude . that here; in this western wil
derness, the word of God is not bound.
And the domeitic life of our fathers' days was
correspondent to the rude and reverent simplicity
with which- they worshipped God in the sanct
uary. There was no a Sabbath school instruction;
nuweekly of monthly gazette," Well Springr or
"Child's Paper" found its way to the family. And
yet the Sabbath , day was kept . holy, 'the 'young
were' made 'fareiliar with the sacred .scriptureS,'
and infant lips learned to lisp the most profound
formulas of, faith and the most , elaborate state- 1
ments of -doctrine. There were no books on do
mestic education; DO juvenile or young men's
associations,lo protect the young against tempta
tiMe. The< p'ath to knowledge was not strewn
with flowera, nor did parents buy the obedience
of their+-.childrenh wit gifts .and many
• • .„
gences. And yet the, young rose up and uncov
ered 'their heeds` to honer
,the aged ; obedience
to parents was the, law of the house., the speech,
the manners, and the daily,conduct of the youth-,
ful,membera• of the farnily,, were characterized by
respect for ,everything sacred,., venerable, and
true.: Whert. the family gathered around the
table for the siMple and substantial meal of morn:'
ing, middaY, or evening,` all steed with reverent
attention, while the head of the household in- -
yoked a blessing upon the bounties of divine
providence. And when the meal was finished,
all rose and stood with equal reverence, while
the same voice " returned thanks" for the bless
ings received. And neither,blessing nor thanks
•
giving failed even wherathe harvests were blighted
atid lean famine looked in at the cabin-doo.r.
Parents did not then work their life long tohring
up ;their children.' in elegant idleness. The
daughters secured "health and strength for all
the trials and respluisibilities'Of woman's 'life, in
the faithful performance of all the labor neeessary,
to feed and`. clothe ' family, anct*eep the rude
house in the neatestland most comfortable order,
They never needed' to read the lying advertise ;
ments :of quacks and pretended professors of the
healing art in, the 'vain hope-• of finding Some ,
physiological, medicini4Or Mechanieal invention,
with.whieh suppert the 'failing power; of life,;
and prolong.a feeble and helfiless existence. The
sons had no ;needOf boat 'or bail` clubs, bawling
alleys et gyinnasinins, with whieh to strengthen
the muscles and give physical tone tothe system.
They swung the axe all day against the thick,
trees of the forest:, They ; tore up the hard soil
with the spade and the plongh They piled up
miles ;of stonewall` to 'fence' their fticts ; with
• •
their own hands they split' and hewed every,
beam, board, and timber 'that went into the eon
struction of their houses.. They bore the heat of
summer, . and the'daropa of night, and the . storms
of, Winter, without suffering as much from the
excess of -F eMperature as we-,do in '.our
hotisest • ' '
(To be.coucluded.)- , =
THE GARDES
This is the title of the regiment Of Free' Color
ed men which Cen. Butler has recently raised, in
New ; Orleans,' They recently, , passed ont ., the.
.m
Opelousas Railroad in the.ovements made
onAhe sugar , regions, in,the.S. W. toast, of Loni
Sian& The . Correspondent rof the, *New> York
Times says': , _
Th - black troop e v xsofatiltie :bdhAvect with
itYmiiatle, -- modeiatiii needed or
a+. an cour
age, and although they haVe no been 1D abtimi,
they have cetirted danger, '4(1."
well., It, is. passing:strange to seefliese men on
the LateuNche, standing sentinel upon : some
hedge, when the once wealthy
.and still prowl:
planter passes . with his.splendid equipage. , The
negro soldier Lids the traveler "Ilalt,!?sexamines
his.pass, and bids him return of . piveeed; as the
case plaYbe;lfia strange and 'wonderful re-:
volution, scarcely to he ;comprehended by,'the
sightUr understood by the reason: *
AS the first negro regiment's ever Mustered' into
service ,was'in this dePartment, and as their ap
pearandeju the field „ytillundpubtedly, inaugurate
a new era in the rebellion, : interesting to
mark the progress of so .great a ,revolution.
Others have talked, but. Gen. Butler has solved
the question and made'what was heretofore' theol
ry :a' practical , thing . ' ; ,
The einiesPendent also gives `some interest!'
inlettera and other Aritiags-of:theSe, soldiers;
( - 17.A.r.; e 2 •tr• r -•-•' :1 t% " I ' •
showing their martial spirty and .• their enthusi,
asm for the cam; in w
We htiv'e space for.,*ut a
Says one : " Onjite a
ing of 'the soldier did o
camp. You can alio. se.
negro ' seldiere, niniVtit '
crossed: in the glittering
bayOnets, , held 114. 1 fla4,k,'
[ln:another place,,the:wr
travagance, bat witkno
suspect, dint the iireate
'are whiter than their di
knots that we, have 1
.
cetve everybody in,-the.cs
of traders in human,' ilex
books of the reainierit wil
rality of par men.,
Another makes the ; .A
to his fellow' Africans'
"Lazarus, Rise .1-=.. : e ,
main deaf to the 'o
are the .- numerous" ba ali
the battle „for the righ f.
the sacred standard 6, ib
let every: one of us tal# h
in the ranks. Let ,uil h.
Progress must crush, *tot
the darkne,ss, so Wittor
this terrible War nifistfspr
of life Or'dehtli; jnsttle or
' Brothers, let iii akarch
the North let tq.joitt the I)
* * 4 * 'To live t thatitlito
is to kie God and'YOtir n•
claim in the face Of*tbe el
tion of all Slavery ;,,blie eri
is to kindle in the ireiirta (
fire, the 7 ardent love of cum
aid of , all, her children. To
the triumph of an idea; th
in posterity i'' ~and mad
Victor Hugo strain. ;,,i
' Another' says', thekiiegiu
Landing, is 800 to 845 stro
"We have not, as'rt, In
changing Shots with he en,
anxioUsi as we have ever
world that the latent can
aroused, and:, thate,i'while
Aitnerican flag, We: can au
and death to, the p,,eneinies
birth-plane. :When. we w.
hooted at in the strpets of i
ble Of pleheinns audpoward
that if any cowardice has
wt left carui) Strong, at
Cour . se, it has ,
Veerifiexhi.
t
TAO have'ketiei dfrOm
,Terrebolire t Stahi" n'f'on the
ed, burning bridki%
Iti i§ in the d;
ry amid :the ba
lands. of With
liberty is appel
rising,;,; It is hi
in the North th:
tho black.olan
air af•the extri
the tiegro and
than is that of
githizers are th.
offerided at the
are,thPY any d
North, deo.oun
LETTER
am(tclecri.
I am sure yo
. :ilearn that our
American and . l' , nion is prose
cuting its work, ~_ tu ~ #
abroad with
much encourageMent, coOdaingte " troublona
times "' on whie*we hare b 1
en- 'ln addition
to sustaining fifiken or twentStniissibnaries in" the
chief ' cities in Zi r ir own costry;i;e now have
*
three,,excellent laborers in anath imerica, and
expect soon to have a fourth", field. We
are on the
,pointiof rendingo' humble and'de
;
voted missionary4o4, labor arno ,` the Hollanders
, ...
in Northern Belgium and So 'E , 4 Holland, under
the direction of the Belgian i 1 tagelical Society:
He is a native lt Amsterdain, ';ut, came to this
country with thq colonos t.. - have settled in'
Michigan, *her e grew up e pursued his
theologi t cOl stud 1 •hi Theo' '; :cal Seminary of
the Reformed ch Church . New Brunswick
Iriltaly, the' rk of
superintendence ct . , the. Bev
erten; is gang 'citr, i 'kit. We
aries in Piedinont in di e t,:
ence, in Sienna ilt Brescia.
Italian ProtestantOnd* , el
.
of the,Wahlensiar6Chureh,
we assist f ,as.we aril able,'
flea, ,besides mai '',' juin;
at Paris, and give
,g some
rnaltiligin behalft f the ,
Alps," in whom iftlix Neff
But now tite a
an of
mittee * beginning to be
ttif
country which fayly co mes
our: society, and Ote m o re sr
Board 'has almos*abandom
2
ing' any longer thia. the
, .
theif labors. Th levolution
on ,sitt ' that conk y
46 wi11,
much to open a &GO , etP .
• - a ,r
the gospel. T,li.e.;,constitai
1 1. 1 444,frOelk tt e ( f',geverh
Ott:O . direetly.,44,indi r ectlY ,
preaching of the lord a nd all;
require public meetin gs of
w
that all that Wilt no be chi
form oi .o the new;'everntnen. ,,
or republican. 1:,
i Itk
On the Ist in 4r. th e B e v. trge Constantine,
a 'naive of Atis a nd for; 1 1 a member of
Dr:: : King's Bibb'el ' aes' but' (resident in this'
,
country foi'seveild y ears for purpose of pros
ecuting his 'claAteal, scientl ) and theological
studies, sailed SO hi s excel t American wife,
in the kangaroo' in the serv e pfour Society. r .
I send you hei*Witit a cop :f the itstruciions
of the Exccutinci7convaittee, ;,,' were given .to
MT. Constantine'''on h - ova ion. The night
previous to his4pa v i a , * us Iv , had a most inter
n
eating farewell-ti e giay in. Asa ,D:= Smith's ,
church, at which ex c ellent a fegslii . werudeliv
-1
ered 'by the • Tt,4, 14. 5 . Eforker and Crosby,. the
latter `a: Professor h; I.l,iitie 4 J B Cnlkgit;aid 76l4
'Of . the best a Greci u ; "li.o': bur Country. And'
now we are called on to help in another enter
prise in Greece, a.boat,wleh however I have not
time to speaklo-day i .
1 ' Y ' 1
, our s i iry' trn Y,
' ...
. ' 4* 'R: BAIRD..
4PV-GE°: W. \V , '
thq.4l;aerican Board ~t,
few' ?days;, by. app o io
Committee, to .mike
0fite' 1 3 4 4 .111 411 6
ournext.-L,
)#,d,... -0titi0.rt,....t.,.,..4'114tti,'0,,.
1 they are enlisted
W extracts.
judge orate well-be
he 0 1,es - 103:less of the
e enth ,-.ias,,tu of the
parade`36u,ean See . ;
a Of, and white
low or -like bands.
says, ~ t la,.,sotne ex
tie t ifulne:ss we
art of «'e . regiment
mers.] Let it be
adices, that We re,
but v at the sight
of ekes 18 ill. The
tisfy of therno-
rring appeal
, - do you're!:
• ral? Where
to march to
myra
nr Ge
read •
their blood
tbers, :rise:!
un an; put himself
faith , the-future.
;.ligh must pierce
ed b , :prod. From
for iti3the question
To the legions of
&oils Of the southi
• bat hijustiee that
ibor ; that is to pro
re *odd' the aholi
f all servitude.; that
heAireid the sacred
y, *hich.ttlairils Ithe
e, that is:to, die foi
is. to ;be, hors again
Wore,;;:same
t i at, Ia Fourche
Re says
the plea Sure of ex
ly But:We are still
en, to show to the
• of the Afrieair is
ightingf under the
ill be alwall;of fire
this country, our
enlis,,d. we were
Orleans as a, rah-
I atn:firoud to say
.n exhibited since
i• e Louisiana . Race
-d by the rebels.
tee Station beyond
;4e welave march
culverts."
iericart Slave
-I.lld the sea-is
stern light of
retribution, is
weit, and not
Aloes against
Ly: Verily the
congenial to
Lis elevatidii,
Rebel sym-
Jouth'who are
egro soldiers;
who,in the
ov. 22; 1862.
6 ,, under the
• 4411}010.t
-.,.
now. 'mission
' Elba, lell.kor;..
liaß!* -4 01
;heel, znenihens
bit. ie., France
psionaryisope
lictan:.Chapel
widlort that is
-the ," High
a in
:cutive • Com,
to -Greece, a
. the scope of
the A.mericate
scarcely, own,
Ite tango of,
is now going
it, contribute
'or" there for .
good enough,
the Bavarian
'
41yhinAemithe
filiereffornvailich
!Joe,. We hope
4, whether the
be monarchical
• •
D; P., Secretary. of
w. York; proceeds in a
t Prudential
.gthenedt•misit to the
• . The Official:‘ papey
2 2 - appear
EAGERNESS OP TIM SOLDIERS rop, RELI.
BEADING.
[ A correspondent, on 'duty as a distributor of
religious reading in the army, volunteers the fol
lowing cogantrealsOns forsending the American .=-
Presbyterian q.n4l,oller religious reading to the
soldiers.] i dt t '
, WASEEINOTON , .I7 C. ) , Nov: 25,4862.
As you are making an .effort, and your readers
doubtless readily responding to the call, to cir
culate your excellent paper among the soldiers,
of the army.,. it may be interesting to learn some
thing more about the wants of the met', from one
who has had conSiderable opportunity of.witnes
sing the facts. •
Good, religious reading be said to he one
of the great wants of the better class of our sol.
;Hers: This want is greatly' increased by the pe
culiar circumstances of many of the men.' They
have long been separated froin thepinaffacili
lies of gratifying a taste for reading, which is one'
of the promin o ent charactwisties of Northern men,
—especially the reading , of the Daily newspaper.
Per Sons at homeywho now , look as-regularly for
the morning, or evening newspaper as they dO `for -
their meals have only to suppose theinselves
separated for a brief 'season 'from that one privi
lege,'ind they can 'to Berne extent imagine hoW
thousands of intelligent' men feel who are for
weeks and months deprived of nearly all reading
facilities. What intellectual craving, howattono
tenons the •daily ineidentsbfthe camp, hew blank
must bethe life of men thus isolated from social and
business intercourse r Add to this, many of these
men when at hoine\Were4ii. 'the habit of reading
warki of a- scientific, 'historical and religious
vharacter,—many tittliem were useful Chriatians
and practised "daily devotional reading. Now the
facilities :for such enjOynients are not within
their reach, and the sights and sounds which dai
ly come before them are frequently of a repulsive
nature. Then affliction and privation often give
a serious turn' to the:thoughts of' many yvho with
excitement—perhaps; dearee of thonghtlessness,
—rushed into military life. In the "A.bsence of
Christian counsel such individuals. turn to; read
.
ing ; or, having a little reading of a religious
character within their reach, they And it adapted
to a present want. This train of ;thought:--need
be pursued but to -a ,•brief' extent to awaken
the minds "Of Christian people at home a most
lively 'to furnish theie men with the
meaus of intellectual enjoyment and the gratift= .
cation of the higher"wants of the soul. And.
how .easily transpoited and ;.how well adapted to
these ends are the rich , columns of the large,
weekly. Christian newspaper:! • '.
As ari illuatiation of this . deem for reading-:
matter of the Itind , alluded to, a short' time'since,.
whilst distributing aemforts among -needy sol
diers in a camp composed of many thousands of
convaleicefitmen, I drew out a bundle of old re
ligious Vieeklies, foilwarded to the Christian Com
mission, and holding up some of the papers, I
remarked, Here are some old thethodist=news
papers : are there, any Methodists here ? " And
immediately- dozena of voices were heard - ex
claiming, " Here ! here I ". , .and many hands were
extended to grasp the'papers. So Was with
various denominational papers, as I 'amibunbed
their titles. And in a few 'minutes large pack
ages were distributed among the eager multitude
and still thndemand was for more.
Butan exclamation which, was particularly im.
preseive to a *Pennsylvanian, was. that which
escaped from the Germans. As I callett , ent 'the
name of the German "American Mesienger "
and other publication's in that language, hundreds
eagerly cried out,
." H4lll heah I". Indeed,
this class of soldiers have Ilan particulirly.,fle-,
prived of religious resdirs: in their own language.
Scarcely any,, , but .
, t.hp Ametfican Tract. pooiety,
issue publicatienti ito;/iliern. l • I A 'fel - days ago,
,upon inquiring of
, a ehailpik of a.laqs hospital
in VraghinoOn::is le the Ugiee
ot~ interest roans
fated by .the trien'Ait'thilistranitiOn otAineri- .
by the 4er=
Mins,he roplted,4lst*lMimiktiOn; .l :' It was . deliglit . ,
fill to ' sge thie:grgilt*de. 6 fihe . men, especiilly9£
the Germans... It. (Ives- geod,,to
anytihing of the kin'd. Indeed;.itAiakst4,;!3* ; .,
dun; laugh all , over his facelo getonich reading •
in his: own langttage.":“... c :. , .
Christians • all over the: country, in Orgthiieti
an'd' nditidual capacities ; are doing nittch . tOWe
arde meeting ithie'Werit for reading ainifug:oui
sOldiers. " presume yeit' have learned y 'tat the
Christian:Commission have contracted for 40,000
of thiimonih's issueof the AMericartNtessenger,
with ,the hope of gieatly. increasing the number
in subsequent months., This ito in • addition; to
the many thousands .of..the regular edition.issued
by the American Tract... Society. Thesii.`papere
are circulated .monthly in the hocrpitahliint Only '
and navy of the country, , ---besides vast qoMi);iiiii
of other publications. ` And yet the want is far
from being, Supplied. ' • Even of this monthly
reading. (ttani: of it, re4der,"gocid reading , only .
once, a month I) only one• copy can be given*
about t fiverecn in . the largest•hospitals, or °pe l t° ;
each 3 tent 14.4rflquently wave I witnessed the
greatest' Anaprioinimento of. the .Men as :they re
ceiVed What ippeared . a very limit:cid' distribution
of what all eitger.lu obtain..
And another fact which' renders supply of
religious Aty i l a ing very : urgent:is, that many of
;tliesoldiern . qe-eo.siiimtedis at times to be to
tallyideprived of the- ministrstions of a chaplain.
• Squads are rietached for special duties; fragments
rdgimentel are in hospital at a distance;
'pit:heti - 4in for days; together 'on on d bat
teries are'ln camps of instinotion; and iden from
V i tiiione4eglnenti!ire in eion4aleseent camps itnA
as paroled ' prisoners, for whom there ls . no ulNir
lain fegally have personal 'ltikosrletigo
of Manytbootamcle of men who are thus sittuktudi•
whir rarely+ hear: ashy . preafhing, sncl whose- ianlj ,
religious initsuCtion: itc.thatrwhicii islnruished
ja th e .forn Of reading by benevolent persene , (
Surely, your readers, do: not need any furtha
aifumente to .induce them to fainOhiheir.own
friends with' the weekly of. the. AMeric . vis
PAlsb:yterian
(For the American Pregby#sEipp)
.ItRAECE BOLDIBISZe•
Plunwr $S sii Housz; PIIILLDBLPari. '
(Jun
,good people are 4 04 % a great deal for
the soldier& Nalurally the, Wants of Ow body
excite ,the warmest sympaihn,atyl callPrOk i the
.
mosintunerons and moat tibei* *espouses;
~Iret,
have not the wants. of .the.sora-been overlooked.
Much has been done here alao. , Suffer us te , :say,
that • our, I?resbytorian QoMmittee:
will he very. happy* aid; esian ? instiurnentality%.
in this good - work...
.of its
being overdone.. ThOuiends:of . ::biir nren—yes,
tens of thousands—both in oamwand•hospital,
most gratefully receive what we long to give,
butsuan only give' ts means axe'pnt at our dis ,
posal for this purpose. Any contributibns sent
to the Presbyterian House, Philadelphia will be
used as the donors indicate.
Some extracts from letters on this-subjectmay
not prove uninteresting.
The following letter from a chaplain in the
field has been forwarded trills. We shall send
him a small supply of the 4. Soldier's Friend,''
and more hereafter, - if we have' the means of so
doing.
C' A- soldier,of the regiment .to'which I am
attached who was on guard before my ; tent
showed me, a .short time. since,,a, copy of the
`Soldier's Friend' which had been presented - to.
him by a pious friend before leaving home. He
seemed , to prise it highly, carrying it in his 'coat,
poCket, and' how and then stopping to read out
Of 'it. On examining it, I found it .so well,
adapted to the soldier'i wants, comprising is it
does within a small compass, meditations and
passages for, each day in the month, and selee,
dolts from I?salrna and ;Hymns ; that I: resolved
to write and see, if you had a few copies to spare .
for my boys. Many books and tracts have beeit
furnished me by the Tract Society ; but .have
seen none of their publications that pleased' me
so much, - or contained in the same space'more of
the'sincere milk of the' Word If you have any
coniei for dietribution, a package directed, tome.
at Washington, D. C., will.come to hand and,be
gratefully acknowledged by mYsell and regiment.
" Our regiment numbers 840 men. Many
are pious, consistent.pllowers of 'MS:Us.. We .
hold prayer-meetings in the
_different tents as'
often as possibll,‘and 'their influence is plainly
perceptible for good:' , I feel that it. is good for
the ministers of. Christ to ga4own into the camps
and mingle , with these men of the musket, and
cheerfully
endure the -privations and hardships
of camp life. since by so 'doing we may be instru
mental in saiing somei and do our part in: stem
ming the tide of evil which llows in an endless
stream through our camps. Let the brethren at
home, pray; for us and give what aid they ' can to,
their brethren who are daily 'going down not
only to temporal but to eternal death:"
Very truly yours,
Mayktiti, 13th N. J: Vols.
A lady, who has devoted herself with. Untiring
zeal and devotion to the comfort and spiritual
instruction, of the sick and wounded. in.the - great
military hospital in-West Philadelphia, writes to
us.
" I woulct have immediately acknowledged the
receipt of the package- .of books received from
you, but I wished to wait until I could give you
some acdount of the way in which they were dis
tributed.
"The two_ •books entitled Martyrs of the
Mutiny were retained for the Library,'—one,
to loan aailibrary stock the other, to loan in-a
private way—by my own hands. I filled 'a bea
k& with the 'tracts'' and, the Soldier'S Friend,'
and went early one morning to the Hospital. I
parted with a good. many, tracts.- in . different
Wards, and then sought put those going to rejoin,
their . regiments, to whom' gave copies .of the
Soldier's-Friend,' reierving that dear little book:
especially , for' them.. - .1 •
"As .I went on to. the knapsack- room,' Where"
the men who were being returned to regimental
service were, for 1-he purpose of putting' on their'
equipments, I stopped at the, door and Said,
• .
'Boys 1 would any' of you like ,tb have one of
the4e little hooka!' The men with one eager
mind stepped forward and reaphedeput fltheir,
hands; and when the supply failed, Ifelt io,sad
at disappointing the rest, that - the tears 'woad
involuntarily come in, my eyes. I then' handed
them the. basket with the remaining tracts. and
told them to` take them They quickly diSpOsed
o'Vthem, as they : could be so easily c.arried.
" If I could tell you how, grateful I felt in,
that, hour to ,be your almoner of the precious
words of Jesus at would more than repay you for
your kindness and trouble. Thereiea sad feel
ing in , my heart. that /had not enough for all;
but I am thankful thht some precious words'have
been carried to the camp. , Poor fellows:1 they
were glad of a : little 'kind remeribranee froiCa
parting friend, forthese . men - who hive lan
guislied in hospitals ".for months are not full of
the flail of, fight as :vliett'they first went forth,
and I think they are more ready to take the
courage the. Gospel supplies.
" I have written you, elonger note than. tin-
tended ; but my heart ;bleeds and mournsr.
/ ove
my countrymen, and I never feel willing' to let
the-subject go!' ' •
A pastor in' a ivestern. city says
• want some of 'yoUr rr i Soldier's "Friend' for
use in our campai—say as Many as you can send
fOr five dollars. By the way, I. had' 'opportunity
,to 'test the - value of that little book the past.sinn
mer., Being a, wretched„ invalid , and travelling
I could not 'well carry a bible and hymn-book—
att,least oonld'„not get at-them -; but this' little
book I could have in m' 'yr pocket end read little
snatches kV a time. ~ My mind was , exceedingly
depressed and disposed to gloom; but I got great
'thoughts of 'comfort out of those pages;; -:=the
psalms , which raise& op ray inind - :to God in praise
and which glory in his kingdom were those which
best met my case. I Went overand over it' day
after day as I had strength, and blessed you for•
putting it-together in - that
A minister in Western Pennsylvania writes :
".In September, .when about fifty'volunte l ers
left' us to fill up .eompany G of . the 83d Regi
ment, .1 handed the only copy of i- TheSoldier's
Friend' whlchl I taa' Punk man not' a .p r ,;_
fossor of religion : In a letter writcen , to me and
-dated - 'Antietam.Ford, .31(1., he , says : ' Arid here
let me thank you. again forthat ngat little book
The Soldier's Friend :7, When. ,"1 -,.Teeeived
did, not know; its T.S.lue., ;But perusal ',found
it a friend indeed to. the F soldier in his lonely
hours. Its reflections teachihini his duty 'to his
God,• its Hymens cheer'hith on to a peA:Ormanee
of that fluty, thougb.reVerSes meet him at every
An excellent and'most labOrioili`ehaplain in
acknowledgement of a package ot% puplications.
writes ; '
WAsirraox
44 kno w
,not how, sufficiently, , to. thank .you
fof your kind remembrance of , xne;ticl , nty, tow&
Espeeialli do • I feel 'graiefulr for:'the, forni d
manner l Of it----the bestowal cif 'these tokens so
invaluable', to, me in the iirpieention'oriny labors
at :the Hospltal
«I have never before so fully appreciated the
value of these little - mesßagtS.,of truth, and love.
,So neees.WY,kavei ihey .flemin#4to , iue, and so
useful - to those tOwlioni,,liieardtheni, ,that I ; Igla
unwillint„ , to • p roe eed ; ':without , arsupplYlfor taeh
day and:foilevery maxits•l The ,Soidivisiptip.o
is indeed such, a friend to him that when pos
se,ssed they never part. lam constantly cheered
by the discovery that one and another has given
his heart to God and consecrated himself to his
Saviour,..
" I beg that rin will express my obligations
a§;welltas gratitude to the Committee for their
great kindness towards , us, and the hope that
fitly will not cease, to remember us in their
prayers.
" I shall be happy, at all times, to be remem.
bered by tokens_ such as those in your package,
which I acknowledge with great thankfulness.
" Very sincerely and truly,
Will our Meuds aid Us'in meeting such calls?
gear ragicationo.
MESSRS. TICKNOR & FIELDS have issued
another (we believe the last) of Theodore Win
throp's posthumous works,'" The Canoe and the
Scfddle" with " Isthmiana," books of travel
among the. Indians of the Maine frontier, and
upon the Central:American isthmus. The scenes
and characters, are fresh; the style free—jaunty,
one might sit:y, the lightness and jocosness of
tone grow wearisome at length; there is an ope
rose trifling kept up frem beginning to ' end
which helps to weary.the reader; yet the entire
novelty of the successive scenes, and the occa
sional bursts of. really fine ;Writing and- whole
some sentiment draw ,the reader on in spite of
himself. Of '-Isthmian," it' is expressly said
that the author has never' reiised it; and allow
ance must, of course, be made for crudeness of
style. The yolume, is got up in a style to cor
respond with the others from the same writer.
lfirno; pp. 345. For sale by J. 8.-lipi4neott
& Co.
THE POET'S JOIIRNAL EY B.I,YARD TAYLOR
is one of the most exquisite in design and exe
cution, of any of the issues of the A merican
Press.. The Pan of the principle portion of the
volume reminds us of Tennyson'i In Memoriam,
being a series of distinct brief poems
some
re
flecting the prevailing sentiment of some era or
event in the poet's life. They all centre , around
the poet's wife—" the mistress of Cedarcroft "
to whom they are dedicated. A marvelous de
licacy of thought and_ expression, a refined and
truly poetic appreciation of nature and human
life and a singular sweetness andAransparency of
languige mark these poems; albeit they are of
the earth, earthy ; there are but stray and un
certain glimpses of any higher light.than that of
natutal affection. and worldly content.
The publishers. Lave put the dainty senti
ments into ,equally dainty-outward shape---tinted
paper, faultless typography And bound with bev
elled edge's. -16 mo; pages 204. Boston : Tick:
nor & Fields. Philadelphia, for 'sale by J. 8., -
Co
Lippincott & C.
MAR9ARET AT ROME, or the Leaven still
working, is a. valuable and timely book, planned
and written with nuJittlesskill. •Its design isle
exhibit the earnest purpose of a , young, mother
les& -girl, with a worldly-minded father, to en
gagein the Work evangelizing the neglected
children , of the city, Her trials ?, her conscien4
iinus * obedieqe - t6 an unsympathizing father,,and
her success are a described in a deeply: interesting
and profitable triOner. ,It will Prove peculiarly
attractive tuall engaged ,in such benevolent la
bors. New York:: A. D., F, Band.olph.. For
sale,atthaPresbyterian Book Storm, ---. •
LETTERS of REV.: CTOHN„, S*ITTI RET.
PETER Smrrn. 'These are plain, direct anti,
hPmely letters on the points in diiph.te between
Arininiana and : Calvinists, the linter 'represent
ing a Presbyterian minister-addressing a Metho
dist. ;Although on some points, extreme views
of. Calvinistic doctrine are advanced; ve have no
hesitation in; .commending the work to those who
seek instruction :on the subjects,- nr ready
weaponS in c'(';ntroveray: .Pnbliahed and for sale.
by J. B. Lippincott & Co., Philadelphia 16mo;
Pr. 188:
MAGAZINES PAMHLETS ETC
t THE? ,ATIOAVTIC -MONTHLY for December is
more interesting and perhaps abler I:hauler a
month or two past. '" Life in the Open Air"
continues Theodore Winthrop's last *ork;since
leaned `entire by Messrs. ticknor & Fields. Dr.
0: W golmeS gives s i n amusing account of the
difficultiel attending a search, . for one's friends
who. may, have suffered ; caushalities in .the :army,
under, the - title,:,ys.My hunt, for the, Captain."
Mr. Brace groups in an effective manner
what he considers the evidence for:the existence
of the Pre-adamic man; " one of those articles
in which - tit& bottiluotoi‘a of the Atlantie, about
twice a - yearAiiiit so often Si formerly)*ron'o• and
insult their eyingelical-thinking readers. who
imagine they are buying a literary organ, but
EA themselves in the binds of a
,clique 'aiming
to ; repreduce the, WA.stm,inster R eview in this
country.
[Commanicaied]
TICE GORPEL' ACCORD 1'04013N, IN GREEK,
to which is appended A - Critical Annotation;
a150,.-The . Anthorised English Version of the
Protestant Qhurch, and A Comparative .View of
the Catholic' Translation fratethe.Vidgate ; to
gether-with lliitorical and Grammtiacal Notes,
by Heilig. Philadelphia : Charles
liesilver i ,l429 Chestnut street. -
Thisihook presents-facilities for reading the
GonPel John to :those who have never made
the "Greek Language study, which are not
foitud elsewhere.. We are sa ! tisted there is no
royal road science nor,' to a thorough
knowledge of the Ancient Languages. But
there . are 'adiatitaats to be derived to those who
have notha& suchopportunity, from those who
itaye. boc4 presents these, in a corkapica
cnis foria-ii.NF..r.Deisilver 'has done good service
to: the comnittnity' by 'publishing th'e classics, in
a similar ?:this brook, We have first
here, an I 9 tterZineal Translation .placed side by
side with the Greelsi In the transla
tion; the Words are transposed so as to suit the
natural' order 'of Construction Then the author
sed English ; `Version is side by side with the
Pxig,inn , ).Greek - unehanged—so that, upon open
i4g t4e.bOOlt,'we haVe before us the Greek in
Orderwith a translati?n,verbatim . under each word,
on the iefti and the Greek, as originally writ.
terk;Nrith 'our common Version, On the right
hat@ 'page. 'We have, alio, critical notes at the
lAttim. As one who has long been, and still
a teaoher Of -the Ancient, Languages, I g i ve here
by a, 'fall rem) "menda.tion to- his book. The
.paper mitrdoing up are fine, thus giving the
, vOlturie a'.' body as well, as a`soul.
' CORNELL, A. ll -, mon*
","teicliev of the 'lnstitute . for Physiol and
Education, 1432 South Penn Spare ,
AttiladelPhia.,
DEC. 5,