ctrizan Victobritrizit
AND-- ,
GENESEE EVANGELIST.
THURSDAY, FEBRUARY 26, 1863
.70IEN W. MEARS,
DAY OF PRAYER FOR COLLEGES &o.—Will
be observed by our churches IBIS DAY; by Union
meetings in CLINTON ST. CHURCH at 1O A.M.,
and at GREEN HILL Crum= at 4 P.M.
THE CONTRIBUTIONS TO THE AMERICAN
BOARD, for January amount to $31,683,68; Le
gaciesp6,B32,o2. Total $37,515,70. Since Sept.
Ist. $127,867, 28 . The largest contribution re
ported from any church during the month is
.at from the First Church in this city, reach
- very nearly $l9OO.
ROCHESTER CORRESPONDENT.—That import-
Nit portion of our church and of the field of this
newspaper, Central and Western New York, will,
by leave of Providence, be hereafter regularly
represented in our columns, by a competent and
experienced writer, familiar with our church,
and admirably situated to obtain information of
value and interest, in that region. Our readers
will not fail to notice his fresh and entertaining
letter in another column, and will, doubtless
agree with us in the opinion that he has struck
the right key note in his " Introductory."
PRAYER FOR THE NATION.
WHILE the troubles of the nation multiply;
while faction threatens to extend the civil war,
in which we are engaged, to the loyal States;
while Northern secessionists are plying every
secret device to consummate the dismemberment
of the Union, on a scale even more disastrous
than that menaced by the South; and - while
foreign nations eagerly anticipate the utter ruin
of the nation, American Christians, should give
themselves to prayer. There ought to be an in
crease of specific, united prayer for the nation,
in proportion to the increase of our 'perils. It is
undoubtedly one of God's purposes, in alloiring
these tronbie.s to be prolonged, "te" bring us to a
deeper, fuller sense of dependence upon Him for
deliverance. He would have us wait upon Him
for the salvation of our country from dismember.
ment and ruin. He would have us expect from
Him the success of every military movement and
every expedition for the suppression of the re
bellion. He would have us recognize in Him
the Author, Friend and Supporter of every good
Government, and the just Judge of every trans
gressor against his Ordinance. He it is, who
stilled' the noise of the seas and the tumult of the
people, who delivered David from the strivings
of his rebellious subjects and subdued them un
der him. If we are truly God's people, the dan
gers which are thickening around us, must
drive us to his throne of grace, and must incline
Christian hearts to manifestations of sympathy
and to united prayer.
There ought to be a union prayer-meeting of
loyal Christians—which would embrace pretty
much all Christians in our community—held at
regular specified times, for the express purpose
of praying for the nation, for the Government,
for the army and navy, and for the final triumph
of the national authority over the rebellion.
Or some specified portion, say the last half-hour,
of the prayer-meetings of a public character now
held, should be formally given to this object.
Night not such an understanding prevail in the
conduct of the union prayer-meeting of our
churches in this city ? We are persuaded it
would add greatly to the interest and value of the
meeting, and would secure a fuller attendance,
if it was known that a certain portion of every
meeting would be devoted to the interests of the
nation.
We observe by a late number of the Buffalo
Advocate, that a movement has been made to re-
alize this laudable design in that city. A letter
to Rev. Dr. Haaeook, from Rev. Claudius B.
Lord and others of Seneca Mission, is published
in the columns of the Advocate, strongly urging
Dr. Heacock and the Buffalo pastors to take the
initiative in stirring np the Christian people of
the country to the observance of a stated season
of prayer in its behalf. We earnestly hope the
plan will be put into operation. Once begun, it
will we believe, be extensively and profitably
carried out. May God cause it to go through
every city, town, and hamlet in the North.
THE IRON FURNAOE ; OR, SLAVERY AND
SEQESSION.
FOR the past few months, a plain, unpretend
ing person of small stature has been going in and
out among us, named John H. Aughey. Mr.
Aughey is a minister of the gospel, of respecta
ble standing in the other branch of the Presby
terian Church. Until the outbreak of the re
bellion, be had been discharging the duties of
his sacred calling in various parts of the South
west, latterly in Central Mississippi. Judging
from mere appearances, and from his ecclesias
tical connections, one would have thought this
modest Old School clergyman would, in spite of
his Northern birth, have at least silently acquie
isoed in the rebellion, whose leading spirit came
from the State of his abode at that time. It was not
surprising that a man of the vehement temper of
Parson Brownlow should make himself conspi
cuous by his patriotism; but here is an indivi
dual whom we feel satisfied nothing but con
scientious convictions, and the pressure of a tre
mendous necessity, could have forced into the
remarkable and prominent position which he
holds. It is possible to doubt what a noisy and
boisterous, though true, patriot reports of the re
bellinn. Only the most bitterly prejudiced
Southern sympathizer can doubt the unvarnished,
straight-forward, yet thrilling, story of this fugi
tive from a felon's death, for the sole crime of
adhering to the Union.
Mr. Aughey's book, with the above title, has
just been issued from the press of the Martiens.
We will not attempt an analysis of its contents.
It is brief, and we hope every reader will pro
cure a copy and judge for himself. But we say
freely that, considering the locality from which
the writer escaped—Central Mississippi, the very
heart of the rebellion—considering his eccle
siastical antecedents; considering the testimony
the book furnishes of the state of opinion among
large classes of the people in that section of coun
try, and of the savage intolerance and murder
ous spite actuating all proceedings in the South
against those who would peacably cherish their
attachment to the National Union ; considering
its emphatic testimony to the character and
workings of the system of slavery among masters,
slaves, and poor whites; to say nothing of the
incidents of his hairbreadth escape from a rebel
prison when under sentence of speedy death ;
it is the most remarkable volume of a personal
character which the rebellion has occasioned in
the North.
The appearance of the book is timely. It i
calculated to open the eyes of persons, inclined
either to palliate the atrocious character of tilt.
rebellion, or to regard the entire population ever
of some of the worst districts of the South a:
irreconcileably hostile to the Union. It is calcu'
lated to steady wavering minds disposed t'
compromise, by exhibiting the necessity"we arc
under, of thoroughly subjugating the elements of
anarchy and barbarism now rampant in tilt
South.
Editor,
Mr. Aughey's opinions of slavery are moat des,
tided. His chapter (Vn) on " Southern Classeiz
and Cruelty to Slaves" is as effective an attacl;
upon the system as has ever appeared in so brie
a compass. He says, ".If slavery is not sinful, in
itself, I must have , always seen it out of itself."
A whole chapter of argument is contained in,
this terse sentence.
The book is embellished with a good, likeness ,
and with two engravings.
THE SCOTTISH INTRUSION CASE AaAIN.
Rum the Weekly Review of the 24th ult.,
we learn that this case, described in our last, ha..
presented no new development except to brie,
the crown and the parish into more open antag ,
°nista, and to introduce some new elements c,r
bitterness into the strife. It is charged the F.
Dr. Robert Lee of Edinburg, has the disposals
the patronage of the crown, and that Mr. Edgar,
the presentee to the parish of Dunbog is a fa
vorite of his, having been at one time his assis.
taut. Dr. Lee is out in a letter to the Scotsman,
in which he says : "I never was spoken to o.t
the subject till after the Secretary of State ha
made up his mind not to comply with the petitios
of the parishioners; and any opinion 1 then eal•
pressed was in favor of that petition being` grant,.
ed."
He says be has been striving for years to ob ;
tarn for the people in the church of Scotlanci,,
some well-lieffned Tegal power iirthialipoi tin en t
of their ministers.' The general policy of th
Crown, according to Dr. Lee, and which h
thinks " just, expedient, and even necessary is ; ;
when there is not a substantial agreeemeta
among the parties interested in the appOintmen
of a clergyman—to take the matter into the'
own hands, and to appoint a presentee whom ni
party in the parish either favors or opposes."
The Presbytery of Cnpar held an adjortrne*:
meeting at Dunbog, January 17th, when O.
parish church was again crowded, and a solicitci
appeared in behalf of the presentee, as well a;
one in behalf of the people. No new names ha!
been appended, (" adhibited " is the technicti
term - employed,) to the call, and no one cam 4
forward in response to the invitation of Presby,
tery addressed to the Congregation present,
The solicitor for the people said, that a respect ,
ful petition had been addressed to the Govern.
ment, setting forth the facts in the case, and hat.
been presented to Sir George Grey by the mem :
ber of parliament from the county ; but nu
answer had as yet been-received. • ) 1:7 '
The solicitor for - the'Preientee then addiiised
the Presbytery. He denied that any letter had
been written by the officers of the Crown to the
people, except in the usual form; "that, if the
people were unanimous, the Crown would pay
great attention to their choice. But this was
not deferring the right of patronage ; and the
consequence was that—a difference of opinion
existing among the people—the Crown presented
a gentleman who had no connection with either
of the parties in the parish."
In reply to the suggestion that Mr. Edgar
should relieve the Congregation of the .difficulty
by withdrawing, he made the remarkable state.
meat " if he were to withdraw, another gentle
man, not Mr. Webster, might be presentee, and
another, and another, till the patience of the
people was worn out, and the parish would find
that the last presentee was a great deal worse
than the first." He admitted that " the pros-
M , „
pect would be a very unenviable one to r. Ed.
gar, inasmuch as he was happy where he is, and
his prospects in the Church of a kind that was
by no means common,—but what was thuinse of
Mr. Edgar sacrificing
,his presentation and sac
rificing his prospects ? It would do him a great
'deal of harm. The Crown could not be expected .
to offer him another presentation if he was to
give up this without reason, but simply froin
fear, and probably cowardice."
The Crown then, according to this solicitor,`
considers it a merit in a clergyman to force him
self upon a people to whom he is obnoxioria, in
obedience to its appointment. Such determina
tion will form a ground for future favor from
the Government! That must have grated upon
the ears of Christ's freemen, not only in that
humble parish, but all over Scotland. Froin
another part of this solicitor's speech, we learn
that the people of Dunbog utterly refused to
come out and hear Mr. Edgar when he preached
in their church.
Mr. Jamison, solicitor for the people, claimed
that a reasonable, not absolute unanimity, was
all the Government could have intended in its
communication promising to listen to the voice
of the Congregation. Tlin single dissentient
in this matter is an heritor—one of the three
herittirs of the parish—who, as far as I am aware,
has never worshipped in this church at all.
Certainly, he is not upon the communion roll,
and he has no spiritual interest in the matter."
The Moderator having , called for objections
against the settlement of the presentee, Mr. Jam
ison, in behalf of 161 communicants and 36 ad
herents, 116 of whom were present, read a paper
embodying ten reasons for objecting to Mr. Ed
gar. These reasons (I)denounce the settlement of
Mr. Edgar, when the choice of the people had
fallen upon another, as tyrannical and unjust.(2)
Mr. Edgar would become a party to the inj us
, tice. (3)He cannot promote the spiritual welfare
of the people by thus intruding himself upon
them, and his persistency, under the circum
stances, should be regarded by Presbytery as a
disqualification for the pastoral office. (4) Hence,
ho is unsuitable, under the ferms of Lord Aber
deen'snot. (5 ) Any induction of a minister, with
out due evidence of the consent of the congregation
is not recognised by the principles of the Church
courts. No due evidence of the consent of the
I congregation exists in this case. (6) On the con
trary, the " call" is utterly inadequate. Only
one heritor (non-resident), twelve members of
the . congregation, and six other persons, have
signed it. While, if the dependent position of.
Aturrirait 'l'rtfilvtterian Alta Coritegitt 617,angtliot.
these individuals, and the undue influence which
has been brought to bear on them, are taken into
view, the single subscribing heritor will be, found
to be the only voluntary agent in the matter.
On the other hand, the other two heritors, and
nine-tenths of the whole congregation, have sub
mitted to the Presbytery the strongest reasons, on
conscientinus grounds, for their refusal to sign it;
and the only elder of the congregation has also de
clined to sign it. (9) The interests of the Church
at large are opposed to this settlement; and the af
fections and respect, not only of the congregation of
Dunbog, but a large portion of the attached an
herents of the Church of Scotland, in neighbor
ing parishes, and throughout the country, will be
weakened and repelled if the lairs of the Church
are held to sanction a case of so violent intrusion
on the rights and feelings of the people.
It was remarked by a member of Pres
bytery that the objections were not personal to
the presentee, and he suggested that,Presbytery
should adjourn the consideration of them to a
future day. Whereupon, Presbytery adjourned
to February 10th.
(For the American Presbyterian.)
THE AMERICAN PRESBYTERIAN FOR SOL-
DIES.
As a considerable number of copies of your
valuable paper have doubtless been sent to the
soldiers, in accordance with your proposition, it
may be satisfactory to hear some of the good ao
complished thereby. Several weeks since, Rev.
Mr. Adams, of the North Broad Street Church,
kindly donated six copies for young men in the
army from my congregation., I, have.received'
letters of acknowledgement from some of them.
One in the 114th Regt. Pennsylvania Volunteers,
says : " I receive the AMERICAN PRESBYTERIAN
every week, and a welcome visitor it is, as it af
fords us (that is, our tent and my comrades); a
great deal of good religious instruction; and I
am very much obliged to you for sending it."
Another in the 68th Regt. says " Reading is
scarce here. We have no chaplain. Our chap
lain left us about two months ago, and we have
had no one since, nor since have we had word of
any. I receive the AMERICAN PRESBYTERIAN
every week. I am very much indebted to you
for it, for I could not get better reading." Re
cently, an intelligent soldier, a member of my
church, and a Sabbath school teacher, who
served during most of the war, but who is now
at home, sick, expressed a strong desire for your
paper, and his intention of subscribing for it at
a favorable future period. A seventh copy has
been added for him. I would here also express
my thanks to Mr. Adams and his congregation
for the benefit conferred upon my friends in the
army. A. C.
MANATUNK, Feb. 16, 1863
HON. CHESTER HAYDEN,
Tars gentleman, eminent as a jurist and a
Christian, died recently in Ohio. For some years
he officiated as first Judge of Oswego County,
N. Y., and for a long period held the sable office
in the county of Oneida.
After this he became Professor in the Law
Schools of Ralston and Poughkeepsie, N. Y.,
and more recently ie. Poland, Ohio. His nature
'was-too gentle for the rough ionfliett - of the Bar,
but he was quite at, home on the Bench or in the
professional chair.
But that which chiefly distinguished him was.
the Christiandelicacy of his moral sentiments and
the spotless purity of his life. lie was a well
read Theologian, a 'zealous defender of the faith
of the Church, a true Presbyterian, and always
ready for every good work. Unable to adopt
doubtful modes of acquiring wealth, and gener
ous to a fault, he never 'amassed property. In
the judgement of many of his brethren he was
too scrupulous for eminent success in the world.
With a warm heart, retiring modesty, gentle
manners, ripe legal learning, perfect sincerity,
and unbending integrity, he attached a circle of
devoted friends, while his resolute and active
piety made him a pillar in the Church of God.
The writer was one year in his Law Office as
a Student, and for a time a pupil in his Bible
class, and has alWays regarded him with profound
reverence and affection.
The , Rev. William James of Albany said of
him : "Chester Hayden 1 why he is like crystal,
—like transment glass with an light inside."
We distinctly remember sitting with him in
the office one morning, when a:client came in to
employ Judge Hayden to defend a suit. The
Judge, pen in hand, took down'his client's state
ments. At the close, the Judge after pondering the
matter said, "why I dont see but this man has an
equitable claim on you for this money." "But"
says the client "the law wont give it to him."
" What do you wish me to. do 7" said the Judge.
Help me keep him out of it " responded the
client. The Judge's eye flashed. " Our busi
ness " said he, " is to make men pay their debts,
not help them to evade payment." The client
made for the door in haste. Judge Hayden wail
a conscientious lawyer. " si sic amnes."
He has now reached a world where he had gar
nered up his best treasures. May his example
find imitators. T. B.
MISREPRESENTATION CIONTINUED.
One enemies in England still persist in circu
lating the most monstrous falsehoods upon Ameri
can affairs. The leading article in Blackwood
for January, written some time in December, if
not earlier, says the debt of the rebel government
amounts to four hundred millions, " little ifany
thing more than one fifth of the sum now owed
by the Northeners." Those in England who
credit the statements of so respectable a journal
as Blackwood, believe, therefore, that at some
time before the close of last year, the National
Debt was two billions of dollars. The simple
truth of the matter as told by Secretary Chase, is
that our debt, at the time referred to, was, little
more than one third of the sum stated by the
veracious correspondent of Blackwood—seven
hundred millions; and accumulating at a rate,
which if not accelerated, would bring it to but
seventeen hundred millions (V 1,744,685,586) in
one year from the Ist of next July'! Thafis, ac
cording to Mr. Chase, it would not reach the
amount coolly suggested in Blackwood as already
realized, 'until' after nearly two years' more of*
equally expensive warfare. By such enormous
falsehoods is public opinion among the better
classes of England kept up to its present pitch
of hostility towards our government. Surely
they are given over to believe a lie.
Since writing thee above, we notice that the
rebel Treasurer, Mr. Memminger, placed the debt
a i t n o p v over enminbeimatndsrsesd6m, l'ilt0n0s01: and
y the
ext. Our own war expenses up to
o e l s e f t t t i m h o e f a t j S e
y i t t h n
that time are estimated at but two hundred mil
lions above this sum. So that with but one half
of our population; theilebt is within a fraction
of ours.
PREACHING—No.B
BY REV. E 4 B. ADAJS.
aOYOUSNESS IN,THE PREACHER
A SINGLE column, to which in each paper we
endeavor, for the comfort of our readers, to limit
our pen, is far too littlejor the worthy notice of
this—as indeed of almost every theme: It can
not be denied that the life of the gospel minister
is in some of :it features trying and severe.
There is in every honest mind 'a feeling of re
sponsibility which ca be sustained only by
earnest, sincere, complete devotion to duty. The
life of the preacher is a, conflict, sometimes with
his own natural indoltince, with temptation to
intellectual devotion ;, yith suggestions of expe
diency; with low andlklse prejudice in his con
gregation ; with the itof tyranny:in the self
constituted, eensorsr ' the pulpit; with the
proud and ignorant mien - of money—the sheep
with the golden fleece ":"with the political dema
gogue and devotee ; with his high and unattained
ideal; with questions of duty beyond the speci
fic' sphere of ministerial and pastoral life;
with
misconceptions of his sentiments on the part of
those who listen to him; and with the imperfec
tion of his own Christi.* character. And he is a
wretched man who enters the sacred office with a
conseienCe, but without religion--with merely ro-'
mantic views of its peacefulness, its respectability,
its opportunities for ,t,udy, and of its social
standing. We have reqd to guard against such
instincts, in, the work of/the ministry. It has its
cares, its distresses, hours of misgiving, as
every calling must have in an imperfect world,
among men of only partial goodness at the best.
But the preacher haahis joys—tindeed, aside
from the social status, :the literary fellowship
and privilege; the quietude and refining culture
which he shares, and thelrtiluence he may exert'
ya
over men in a seculAiew, his w o rk and its
great end 'are enough to preserve . in his soul a
lively, deep perpetual flaw of happy emotions.
The pleasure derived from the accidents of min
isterial life is legitimate, and may be conscien
tiously enjoyed, but above that, are delights
which arise from the substantial elements of the
preacher's calling and condition.
There is often among the hearers an impression
that the preacher assumes an unusual serious
ness when standing in the sacred place; that he
seems as if under oath to utter only those truths
which strike. sadly at the youthful imagination
and natural buoyancy, as if he must deal mostly
with the awful and denunciatory, clothing his
brow with terror and his neck with thunder.
He may be' so impressed with the solemnity of
his office, so restrained by its sanctions and its
memories, that a look of cheer,of comfort, of self
poised naturalness and' ease dares not steal
. over
his elongated and-ascetic countenance.
We would not have the preacher divest him
self, if he could, of te sense of sacredness which
belongs to his, office.. nris work. We would.
li 4
not have him indulg 4h *it inenient iioa spirit
not consistent with lie' deepest reverence for
truth, and the - severest 'view of responsibility ;
yet we would - have him avail himself of those
rich and abundant sources of joy which his call
ing, his theme and his relations afford, and then
let that joy shine on his face and utter itself in
his tones and action, when he speaks of the
" great salvation."
It is no stinted source of happiness in the
preacher that he has such opportunity to fami
liarize his mind with the:most exalted, purifying
and exciting truths; that he can specially and
habithally hold communion with the best thoughts
in the universe. He is brought into frequent
fellowship with prophets and apostles, with the
. best biographies, and the purest, noblest senti
ments, of the Wisest and most holy men. He may
liVe with departed saints and moral heroes, may
have in his library the living brains and hearts
of . dead men, trAich are nerally better than the
dead brain's and "teary' b' , living Men. He may
. 7
inform himielf in hi for
. philosophy, poetry,
and the arts. He may , riSe'ivith David. on the
wings of praise; soar with the prophets in sub
lime, impassioned thought; and enter with John
into the depths - and heights of the Apocalypse.
He may run through the ages past and go doWn
the line of predictive utterance into the near
and distant 'future. He may see all nature, all
history, all life, revolving about the cross, and
following the lines
. of light which center there,
go out to an unbounded divergency into all na
tions and all time. . ' .
A. joy oftimes attends the utterance of truth.
It is pleasant to talk—to tell what we feel, hope,
believe, and know.; and often in the hour of
worship, in the presence of a rapt congregation,
does the' preacher experience true joy in the
birth of thought, and in its free out-flow to the
minds and hearts of men; Sometimes in such
moments he reaches a height of emotion, a
breadth of view, and a clearness of perception
which are not granted in the ordinary hour and
level of his ,contemplations. No doubt, such
men as Paul, Augustirae, slid Luther, Calvin and
Knox, Robert Chaltners and Wesley en
joyed unspeakable happiness in the glow and
scope and fulness of their minds when uttering
their earnest thoughts to " the great congrega
tion." We of humbler mould may, have our
Measure of such blessed eXperience. The con
viction that . we speak the words of God, that
they have a purpose, and will fly to the accom
plishment of their Divine'mission; that we are
pleasing, winning, convincing and reforming
men, that we are throwingjout lines of influence
which shall rim round the earth, through the
ages, into eternity ; that we shall see the results
of,such labor, such utterance; that we build up
the church ; comfort sorrowing hearts ; vindicate
justice, holiness and law; ' proclaim the divine
benevolence and mercy.; that we are speaking
for our God, our Saviour, our best friend; that
we shall meet in eternity those whom we per
suade to repentance, and sing with them, and
live with them, and talk :Stith' themforever—
a
all these considerations , n many beside, which
we have not
~
room to record, may well clothe our
faces with light, and smiles, while they fill our
hearts with glad emotion when we stand to speak
in the house of God. .And how can the godly
man fail to exult; how shall not " his heart
dance in his bosom "'in in the prospect of that
blessing Which God shall'pronounce on the faith
ful servant who havint , dime his work, shall
enter into the joy of his Lord. In the day of
coronation he shall share his Redeemers beati
tude.
When, in the hour of solemn jubilee
The massive gates of Paradise are thrown
Wide open ; and forth come in fragments wild,
Sweet echoes of immortal melodies,
And odors snatched from beds of Amaranth,
And such as from the crystal river of life
Spring up on freshened wings—celestial gales."
ROME MISSIONS.
Presbyterian Rooms, 150 Nassau St.
ON applications received from the churches,
they serve, the following ministers were commis
sioned by the Presbyterian Committee of Home
Missions at their last meeting. Ten of them
were in Commission last year.—
Rev. I. I. St. John, Portland, N. Y.
" T. Sherrard, Centralia, 111.
" W. F. Millikin, Farmington, 0.
" John V. Downs, Thornton Station, 111.
Charles S. Adams, Quincy, Mich.
" Elisha B. Sherwood, Cassapolis, Mich.
" Levi R. Booth, Seymour. Lid.
" D. C. Tyler, Hermon, N. Y.
" F. L. Nash, Council Grove, Kansas.
" George F. Davis, Newtown, 111. $
L. R. Janes, Shortsville, N. Y.
" H. Johnston, Pontiac, 111.
" Henry Van Houten, Hawley, Pa.
" Victor M. King, Cherry Fork, 0.
" Alvah Day, Morris,
" Aaron Thompson, New Waverly, Ind.
" A. T. Wood, Winslow, 111.
Chauncey Osborn, Dearbornville Ind.
" Calvin Waterbury, Cedar Falls, lowa.
G. D. Miller. Tuscola, 111.
Blair Shaw, Roland, Mich.
FROM OUR ROCHESTER CORRESPONDENT.
INTICODTJCTORY
ROCHESTER, N. Y.,
February 20th, 1863.
Dear'El. Am. P24sbyterian & Genesee Evangelist.
So you put me down as your" Rochester Cor
respondent ;" by which, I suppose, the wide
world is to understand, that I am to keep you in
formed of all matters of interest in this region,
such as are ordinarily reported in a religious
journal. Ido not understand you to restrict
your correspondent to this one city, or to any
narrow limits; for facts pd incidents ; but all
that may be gathered from Central and Western
New York, we shall regard as within our pro
vince; a field, rich in every national production;
rich in its noble men, and "honorable women ;"
peculiarly rich in its educational and religious
institutions; rich in manly enterprise, and al-
ways fruitful of stirring events.
TILE TASK
And you expect me to watch the ebb and flow
of all this religious and social life ; and to make
to you, as you sit in your easy, editorial chair,
down there in the city of Brotherly Love," a
prompt, stated, honest report of all 'ray ob
servations ; to set down naught in malice, and
nothing extenuate; to malign nobody, to white
wash nobody; but to tell you an unvarnished
tale every time—of ministers and churches,
schools and academies, colleges and seminaries;
'not omitting "frightful accidents," "hair-breadth
napes," and the like.
THE FIELD
I think' you mutt ncrnfelS - , --- disdrEdircir,lhicrie
is no trifling task Whict you thus impose upon
your correspondent. And yet you could not have
given him a better field to cultivate; and that is
no unmeaning part of the flag which you still
fling to the breeze, " The Genesee Evangelist."
These words are rich in association, in memories
of a glorious past. This field, of Western New
York, is what it is to day, partly because that
paper was once a " power" in this part of the
land. The very mention of it recalls a troop of
noble laborers in the Master's vineyard; such as
Bissell, and Chipman, and Ely and Champion ;
some still among the living, and some gathered
with the honored dead. How they planned and
toiled long ago to convert this wilderness into a
very garden, as it is this day, it would be easy
and pleasant to tell, if that were our theme; but
you will expect me to dwell more particularly up.
on the events of the passing hours. I will not
promise, however, but that some time I may
crave your indulgence for some reminiscences
of the past.
OUR CHURCHES
Central and Western New York are the natu
ral home, perhaps we may say, of (N. S.) Pres
byterianism. Taking Utica for an eastern
boundary, and we have in this region
5 Synods,
22 Presbyteries,
363 .Churches;
434 Ministers,
39.969 Church Members.
And'we do not believe that there is to be found
in any other part of the land an equal number
of chnrches, in a more healthy condition, with
anfabler ministry, a larger number of self-sup
porting congregations, or settled pastors; or
with more of the elements, in any respect, of a
healthy growth and a true:prosperity. We know
that it was once alleged that fanaticism had
crept into these churches; and we do not deny
that, with a great deal of good, there was some
admixture of evil"; or that, as in all great excite
ments, there were some irregularities, the full
import and tendency of which are not seen at
once, even by some good and wise men ; but
that -the cry of fanaticism raised against the
churches of Western New York was in the main
a prodigious slander, is-•now so generally con
ceded, that they need, no vindication of ours.
They have nobly outliVed the.defamation; and
they stand to-day in some qualified sense, " fair
as the moon, clear as the sun, and terrible as an
army with banners."
it is these churches, these pastors, these tran
scendent interests of Christ's kingdom,which we
would gladly represent, in all fairness and faith
fulness, in your worthy columns. After all, we
enter upon the task with great pleasure; glad of
an opportunity to say a word now and then foi
our brethren; the faithful watchmen on these
walls, and glad to send out from our watch tower.
Uword of cheer, when we can, to all the rest of
our beloved Zion.
A OAUTION
We trust no reader will suppose that we intend
to write with the animus of a zealot or bigot, as
though we supposed there were no other church
y on the face of the earth but our own best be
loved; or as though we would gladly see all the
rest scattered in ruins, that ours might rise in
greater grandeur on the wreck. We recognize
the fact that there are other communions, just as
dear to others as ours is to us, noble brother
loodi of the same general faith with' us, toiling
hoping for the same grand results, " peace on
earth, good will to men." It shall be our aim
to do injustice to none of these; but fairly4o
represent, as we have occasion, their growth and
prosperity, while we rejoice in all their true
welfare.' "Ile baptist Church in this region'' IS
particularly strong. Its flourishing University,
its large corps of able professors and teachers,
give it a prominence and character in this region,
which its members must. - contemplate with real
pleasure. This may be said, not in disparage
ment of others, but only as an incident of the
times.
T DI El
A. Daily Union Prayer-meeting has been held
with much interest in this place ever since the
week., of prayer commenced. The Brick and
Central (Presbyterian) Churches, together with
the Plymouth (Congregational) Church, are
united in the service. The meeting is held at
four o'clock in the afternoon, for one hour pre
cisely, one week in one church, and the next
week in the next, and so passing around. It
has thus far been well attended, two hundred in
many afternoons being assembled together. The
prayers are importunate and fervent, to allap
pearance, and Chri t stianhearts, we cannot doubt,
are feeling some quickening influences from
above ; but we cannot, as yet, report any very
promising indications of a revival in connection
with this meeting, except a manifest strong de
sire for one.
There is some special interest, in the Baptist.
Churches of this city; some seven or eight re
cent converts having been received into the
First, and great tenderness, with some, inquirers,
already in the Second. We hope for more glo
rious things ere long in all these churches. And
why may we not hope It is a city that God
has always seemed ready to bless.
A DEDICATION
A neat new church edifice has recently been
completed and dedicated to the worship of
Almighty God, by the Presbyterian Church, in
the village of Pittsford, seven miles from Ro
chester. Rev. Mr. Wilkins is preachiug for this
people at the present time, a good brother, who
has recently come into our church from the
Methodist' connection. He has long been a
Calvinist, and at the last meeting of the Pres
bytery of Rochester made application, and was
received as a member of this body. His exami-'
nation was satisfactory, and he appeared like a
sound, able man, qualified to teach and to preach
the great doctrines of grace and salvation, in
their purity and power. Long may he stand as
a vigilant watchman on the walls of our beloved
Zion.
THY, CHRISTIAN COMMISSION.
This community was deeply interested (in
recent evening by a meeting in the Central
Presbyterian. Church in behalf of, the Christian
Commission. A special interest was expressed
in the thrilling address. of Rev: Robert Patten
son, of Chicago. Other meetings_ have been
held, and a' Committee appointed to co-operate in
the' blessed work of sending ministrations, for
mind'and body, to our sick and wounded soldier&
Rochester has not been behind in furnishing her
quota of men to suffer, and die for our, country,
and she will not now be backward in sending all
possible relief for her brat" sufferins. : sons.-
D.. drosvenor; Esq., is Treisiiret of the:Commit
tee, to whom' funds and supplies may be sent,
assured that all that can be sent is needed, and
all will reach its proper destination'.
ittisult :1 04
Bxv. HOWARD CROSBY, formerly Professor
iR Itutger's College at New Brunswick, has ac
cepted a call to the 4th Ave. Presbyterian' Church
New York, and will early begin his professional
duties there. He is a man of power and even of
eloquence and as a Pastor, is genial and attrac
tive. No doubt the Parish will expand and. grow
under his guidance. Prof. Crosby has hitherto
been connected, with the - Dutch Church, but the
change is not distasteful,' as the Presbyterians
and Dutch are daily becoming more closely
allied in' doctrine, and practice.
REV. DR. PRENTISS' congregation worshipping
in Dodworth's Hall on Fifth Avenue, have just
purchased 'ground for a new church, on Fourth
Avenue, near the summit of Murray Hill. The
expense will, be .large, .as: it is understood the
ground costs over $50.000.
.ItavivALs.—The church of Coshoaton,O., com
menced daily services with the week. of, prayer...
The correspondent of the Herald and Recorder
writes: "The Lord was with us from the beginning,
as was evident from the deep solemnity and ear
nest prayerfulness characterizing our meetings.
The Church was awakened, and the truth gained
a ready access to the hearts of sinners. . A
,good
number of persons were brought to a state of
hopeful inquiry in regard to the concerns of
of their soul's salvation. Fifteen were re-.
ceived into the •Church on profession and. three
by letter." The children of the: Sabbath Scheel,
but 75 in number, have committedl4,ooo verses
of Scripture during the year. The writer adds a
not unexpected sentence Much of the inter
est in our meetings was
.manifestly the fruit of
faithful Sabbath school instruction."--=-Itei.
IL Carroll writes : to the Evangelist, ,Y For a
week or two past I have been assisting Bro:
Mills in carrying on some meetings at Clarence
(Iowa), a few miles South of Wyoming, in Jones
county. The spirit of the Lord was poured out,
and a goodly number have been hopefully born
again.'
THE THIRD CHURCH CINCINNATI, having no
pastor and finding its location unfavorable, and
seeing the Eighth Church to bein a weak condi
tion, with a good pastor (Rev. Geo. M. Maxwell)'
and in a better location, xnade up their minds to
go into the Eighth Church and form one strong
and vigorous body in place of two feeble ones.
The Reread and Recorder says : Thus far, as We
learn, the results of the union have been all that
was anticipated. The Eighth Church is'fdled
with a congregation. larger . than those of both
Churches together last year. The pews are rent
ed for enough to pay all expenses. The Sabbath
school has an attendance of over'4oo. ;The mar
riage bids fair to he a most hsrmoniont and pros
perous one. Many wise and good brethren say
they are satisfied that our denominations stron
ger in the city since this union than before."
There remain, of ournonneetion, in this city,
the. Second; Church, Dr. Thompson pastor ; Pop
lar St., Rev.',Toseph Chester paster ; First Ger
man and First Hollaiidnh churches, with stated
supple& - ' -
Rev. 3. P. E. KIIMLEIt of Oxford, 0., re
ceived $l5O in donations from his people on a
recent visit. Rev. Wm. Drummond of Portland,
Wis., received $5O, in a similar manner.
Rxv. J. F. BEAD, M.D., has been released
troUiiiirciiiiie' of the First Church, Birming
ham, Pa.
BEY. L. P. ORA.W-FORD has been compelled by
severe and protracted illness to resign the chap
laincy of the 105th aegiment of Illinois Volun
teers. He has returned to his home in Sand
wich, Dl.
COMMISSIONERS TO.GEN. ASSEMBLY. Presby
tery of Pittsburg; Bev. Herrick Johnson and R. P.
Bakewell. Caguga; Rev. Charles Anderson and
Rev. Amos Croaker, with Elders Daniel Hew
son and Daniel Bennett. Onondetifa 1,7 Rev. E.
H. Davis and Dr. A. Ford.
OUR CHURCH IN WISCONSIN."" V' in the
Euangdise, — gives an account of the ordination
and installation at Baraboo, Sauk county, Wis
consin, February,4th, of Mr. Edward B. Miner,
a graduate of Hamilton. College and Auburn Se
minary, as pastor of the church in that place.
He continues as.follows :
" At its last statedmeeting, January 20th, this
Presbytery, containing - then but fieveihninisters,
of whom but four are actively engaged in the
duties of the ministry:within its bounds, received
an accession of four—two ordained ministers and
two licentiates--all of.whom are fully engaged in
Gospel labors.. One of these licentiates has now
been ordained and installed, and we have reason
to expect the other will be soon. This installa
tion is the first which has ever taken place in
this Presbytery.
" Notwithstanding the...immense- .draft which
this war makes upon the men and means of our
country congregations` in the Northwest, the cause
of Christ, as indicated by increased means of
grace, and their more efficient support, is on
ward in our ecclesiastical connection.
" There has never been a time within my ob
servation, when _Christians exerted themselves to
a like extent, to remove stumbling blocks, pay up
past indebtedness, and prepare the way for fu
ture unembarrassed labors. This . Church at
Baraboo, before calling the Presbytery together
to instal their chosen pastor, removed a debt which
had been accumulating for years. And before
the next meeting of"our General Assembly, I
doubt not a like success will crown the efforts
which I knew are now being made in several of
our Churches."
fat lublications,
DR. CUMMING, of the Scottish National Church
in London, needs no introduction to American
readere. They are"ready to welcozne each new
volume of his discourses, - as it issues from the
press. The"last one, just published in this coun
try by Carletpn New York, entitled the GREAT
CONSUMMATION, willbe found equal in point of
style and -Evengelicalspirit to the others, while
its grand and bispiring theme :, " The Millenial
Rest, or the world: as> it; will be" throws around
it unusual attractions. A just measure of atten
tion' we are in duty bound to give to those," last
things" which occupy no inconsiderable portion
of Holy Writ, and Dr. Cumming's treatment of
iicein,7itiVirgi not cliireifirtzs:be - relcifitid - ,Ti ex
ceedingly edifying, instructive, delightful and
for,,the°most,,par,t entirely reasonable and safe.
Dr. C's list, of authorities embraces Barnes, Bush,
Hitchcock, and perhaps others iii America.
Though the Volume comprises the "First Series "
on the subject, it is complete in itself. 12mo.
GENESEE
have
BARNES AND BURR, of New York,
have sent DEIJAVIES 7 PRACTICAL ARITHMETIC,
a newwork by the distinguished and indefatiga
ble worker in , this branch of education. It is
prepared on simple and. philosophical principles,
and is eminently calculated to convey clear ideas
of "the science of numbers to the pupil's mind
and so to train him in the process of reasoning.
Its practical feature consists in explaining and
illustrating the •various applications of Arithme
tic in the transactions of business. We cordially
recommend, it to teachers and business men.
Per sale by S. 8.. Lippincott & Co.
"MESSRS. HARPERS & BROS. have sent us the
"Chronicles ot. CARLINGFORD," Mrs. Oliphant's
work'last of fiction: Mr. T. 0. H. P. 'Burnham,
BOstan, 'has also '`sent its A TANGLED SKEIN"
(which we 132 : Ve 3to 'COBS busy persons than editors
to unravel) byAlbany,Fonblanque Jr.
THE SUNDAY EVENING BOOK is a small vol
ume containing, select papers for Family reading
from such well known authors as Dr. James
Hamilton, Dr Badie, W. M. Pnnshon, Rev.
J. R. kacDafF. New York, R.. Carter & Bros.
For Sale at the Presbyterian Book Store.
DIVINE BREATHINGS, a small pocket volume
from, the Press of the P. B. Book 5t0re,1224
Chesnut Street, composed of very brief medita
tions en:various devotional topics.
MAGAZINES, PA.MPITLETS, ETC.
Mxssus.L SCOTT sr. Co. the enterprising pub
lisheri„of the American Edition of the Four
Quarterlies andßlackwood having lost, by fire,
their entire stock .of the back numbers of the
Reprints, request persons , who are not in the ha
'bit of preserving their. files, to return them, by
0 1=11,, as many numbers of "the last quarter of
1862, as possible. 'Addreii : "Blackwood's
,Magazine, New York."
Tam SeraNrro Arniiexx. We are glad to
replace upon 'our file of-exchanges, this most in
teresting, valuable , and., ahly conducted Journal.
Each number contains information important to
almost every class o society, but especially to
Inventors, Mechanics Manufacturers, Chemists
A.reltitect.e; Mill Wrights and Farmers. Like all
other journals 'of.'espectability in the North, itS
tone is loyal without qualification. Terms $3•
Per Tatum. Ten copies $23. Munn & Co., Park
Row, N.
Tai ATLANTIC MONTHLY for MAILCII, Con
tains : Christhpher North ; " Choose you this
Day whom ye, will serve," (Poetry for the Times )
The Horrors of San Domingo; A London Su
burb; The Vagabond, (touching, life-like and
, original poetry,;} Willie Wharton; Last Cruise
of the Monitor; America and the Old World,
ete The "True Church,", (Poetry,) with much
that is`good'and true, 13 tainted with the miser
able nm.creed heresy of the Boston sentimental-
REV. G. L. FOSTZIi, Of. Coldwater, 3,4fichigall,
truly said in his Thanksgiving sermon, last No
vember, that if we failed in this struggle, " Our
jiatiOn' al miblem would better be a whipped 5 P 3-
hiel than a triumphing eagle."
FEB. 26,