Vol. VII, No. 42.---Whole No. 354.
OtitoriaL
REMARKS OF MR. BARNES ON SABBATH
OBSERVANCE,
IN TIM ASSEMBLY AT PIYITLADLPHIA.
The Assembly having Under considera
tion the report of the Committee on the Poli
ty of the Ohurch,.upon an overture relative
to a revision of the Directory for Worship;
Rev. Albert Barnes said:
It seems to me that it would be very de
sirable tnconsider this matter a little farther
than it has been considered by the commit
tee. Indeed I hardly know of any one sub
ject that is of more importance, actually and
increasingly, than the subject suggested in
that paper. Though I hlive no suggestion
to make as to the arrangements contemplat
ed, yet I think it becomes this body in its
wisdom to refer this matter to a committee to
take it into serious consideration and mike
a report on the subject to the-next General.
Assembly.
It is very true, undoubtedly, as the com
mittee say, that this matter is left entirely
optional in our book of discipline; that there
are principles laid down - there which are of
easy application by the church ; but it may
also be true that there are tendencies in the
churches and existing things in the churches
which are very difficult to adjust so as to
carry out the views entertained by the fra
mers of that form of government.
- For instance it is defined in our form of
worship that the evening of the Lord's day
shall be devoted to family instruction. No
wiser suggestions, could come from any body
Of men, But while acknowledging the wis
dom of that suggestion; I wish to call the at
tention of the Assembly to certain tendencies
bearing on this subject.
Now, sir, if I were to liver my life over
again as a pastor, I would have no evening
service whatever on the Sabbath, unless in a
great city like this, it might be desirable,, to
have service once a month in the evening so
that some one church of several in the same
neighborhood my always be Open. But as a
general rule, I would remain with my family;
J would make it a point of conscience to be
at home and carry out the spirit of that
direction contained in our form of worship.
Now, what ig the prevailing tendency?
I have no extensive knowledge in regard to
the churches abroad; but, I know that, in,
this part of the country the tendency direct
ly and almost irresistibly is to have worship
in the morning and evening. When I came
to this city thirty-three years ago,
there
were scarcely any churches open on Sabbath
evening. We in this part of the town made
an arrangement that some one out of four
churches should be open every Sabbath even
ing. At the present time, if lam not mis
taken, by far more than half our churches
are open in.the evening, and not in the after
noon. It is so extensively in the other
churches—among our brethren of the other
branch and , the Baptists, Methodists, etc.
West of Broad
• St., in this city, there is I be
lieve not a single church of our denomina
tion open on Sabbath afternoon. In the
portion of the city were I reside—the 24th
Ward, west of the Sohuylkill-=There are in
the summer 'but two churches open on Sab
bath afternoon, and they are both Episcopal.
Every church in that section is closed in the
afternoon and open in the evening. If lam
not mistaken, judging. from the one of the
press on this subject and the indications of
public sentiment, the feeling is growing ex
tensively throughout our country that the
morning service is to be retained, Sabbath
afternoon is to be given up'to sleeping and
to teaching children in the Sabbath school,
and that in the evening church is to be open
for public service. Then what becomes of
the wise: arrangement in our form of worship,
about devoting the evening, of the Lord's day
to family instruction ? It is entirely ob
literated, with all its influence for good.
You cannot get families together as families
in the evening; you Cannot to any great ex-`1
tent take the children to church in the even-.
ing ; and the fact is that but a small portion,
of the adults belonging to the congregation
attend worship, while those not connected
with the church, permanently, fill it, making
a larger congregation than there would be
in the afternoon. This 'I say is the tendency
Of things ; and I think it most disastrous in
reference to proper family instruction of
ohildren, for which purpose there can be de
vised nothing better than the arrangement
suggested in our form of worship. Sabbath
evening, in my view, should be devoted to
the religious interests of the family, with
music and such other exercises as might
make the matter interesting to children.
Now, what are the existing tendencies
with regard to afternoon church? Thereis
through the r country a growing demand—
I -was about to say a clamorous • demand—
that the afternoon should be devoted to Sab
bath schools, and that the afternoon Ser4ice
of the church should be given up. The
effect is that the youth of the congregation
are not in the Sabbath schools. There is a
point beyond which you Cannot get young
men to attend Sabbath school or Bible class.
The temptation, therefore, islo,devote Sab
bath afternoon to idleness—to , 'Wandering
from place to place ; and in reference to
adults, to sleeping, etc. •
The Sabbath school is an institution which
was not known at all at the time our Directory
for worship was formed. The framers of
that.book had their ideas of catechetical in
struction at proper times in the family and
the church. The Sabbath school has come
in among us as an outside institution. The
ichuroh has taken hold of it to ,some extent ;
but it is not under the regulation, or control
of the church. I may say that very gene
rally, it is, so far as regards the pastor and
the session of the church, entirely at loose
ends. The pastor visits the Sabbath school
us.any otherTerson might visit it, He has
no hand in the appointment of teachers—no
_control of it whatever., lam simply point
ing out the, fact. I say that the Sabbath
school, gradually adjusting itself to the
church, is taking-hold - of the children of the
church and in point of fact, its instruction is
becoming very generally a substitute for the
instruction, which . formerly parents them
selves gave to their children. Parents to a
very great extent feel themselves relieved
from the obligation to teach their children,
on the ground that they d'an phice theM in
the Sabbath school for instruction.
I have said that the afternoon is demand
ed for the instruction of children in the Sab-
bath* school. It has been recently said from,
pretty high "sources that " the gabliath•
school is the ehildrens' church"---eniphaSiz
lag; I sup Pose the wol.d " church"—imply
ing that the Sabbath school is the place
where children, are to worship nod—where
they are to be brought' under that religious
instruction and influence which is to form
„theii opinions and feelings and conduct in
all time to come. The use of such language
implies that the children are not to be very
much in the church—that they are not- to
be placed to any great extent under the di
rection and instruction. of the pastor, but
that: they are to: look to the Sabbath school
primarily, and net.to the church, its minis
try and organization, for that kind of, in-,
struction and influence which is to train
them up in the way in'which they ought to
go.
In .our system as set down in the boek of.
worship, there is no provision for the Sab
bath school whatever. It comes in here and
there as the teachers and chnrches may
choose. In some places there are two ses
sions of the Sabbath:school every Sabbath,
which I have always thought a very great
disadvantage. Yet in very many churches
in this city and elsewhere, this matter can
not be controlled. The teachers feel it
necessary, and they will have two sessions
morning and afternoon. Thus thehive *ex
tensively this demand that tke afternoon
service of the church shall be given up for
the Sabbath school.
Now, sir,l am not expressing any opinion
on any hese points ;I am merely saying
that in our days there has grown up an in
saint:ion not contemplated when our book of
worship was formed—an institution which is
of the highest importance in relation to the
church' , and which deniands its utmost care
and attention', so that there may be no' in
fringement upon the proper arrangements
of the church, and that the Sabbath school
may be so adjusted as, to serve the best in
terests of the church.,
Contopontlence.
FROM OUR LONDON CORRESPONDENT.
LONDON, May.l4th, IS6B
THIS is the season of the Anniversaries, add
this Year they have been characterized by mo i re
than ordinary spirit, and more than ordinary
number. Indeed, one can mark the progress of
civilization by the increase of these societies,
which as they exhibit the closer watchfulness
which the community exercises over its evils and
necessities, also show an artificiality in benevo
lence—if I may so speak—that proves the growth
of refinement. I could almost forgive the Uto
pian dreamer who should predict that, as now
every disease in every member of the body-poli
tic is the immediate subject of diagnosis, so in,
some future day, the expansion of artificial-cha
rity shall reach even to special parts of the body
individual : " The Injured Hand Association ";
" The Society for the Amelioration of Poor Feet,"
etc., etc. Nor let this be taken as an unseemly
joke. Any one watching such 'a country as
England, reveling in a luxurious civilization
Which is fostered by Peace, and" preserved from
apathy by Religion, is stinek with the analogy
that exists betwden the division of labor ill civil,
mercantile, and mechanical affairs, and the min
ute discriiiiination in the efforts of charity. The
active hirman intellect cannot rest satisfied with
present good : and if no strange or monstrous un
dertaking attract its energies or expand its fields
of enterprise, it turns inward to the existing
conditions and exercises itself in their elabora
tion and improvement. I find then, in : the
aspect of English benevolence this year, the
proof that Religion and PeaCe are enlivening and
encouraging the growth of Civilization.
WORKING MEN'S CLUBS
Of the many institutions which have lately
sprung up for thenmelioration of the. working
classes, I think the most importantjs the , "Work-,
ing Mena'. Club and Institute Union," under:
the auspices of the veteran philanthropist, Lord ,
Broughatu r and many of the nobility. Its object,.
as the name indicates, is,to prOmote the formation
of clubs by working men,: where, by the payment
of a penny a week, they may meet and read•pa
pers, play quiet games, drink , coffee, and, listen, to
lectures or discussions. The plan, is not dijectly
religious, but it aims, by teaching these men to
respect themselves, to make them anxious 'to
savelhemselves : for it is to be doubtectwhether
a.rnan who has no respect fan himself will ever
care about own salvation, find, however,
that as most of•these clubs are organizedby
Christian people, there is .generally a: provision
that in some way the men shaltbe brought under
a Christian • influence. A. most 'important and
imperative proviso I= We,are too apt, in,the pre
sent day / to derogate from the intrinsic power of
Gdd's truth, pres9n ted. plainly and: forcibly, and
to imagine that the wisdom of the/serpent enjoins
us to slide it into , mensi minds , by some pions
legerdemain. As :t listened the-other night---at
a brilliant convereazione- given, by, thinAssocia-,
tion—to a young minister, who seemed as, earn
est in his' religion as he was in his philanthropy
—and heard himiin describing his way of,mana
ging one of these institutions, say that he had
carefully abstained;in his intercourse With the
men at the Club from' speaking on:religious sub
jects, least he should induce a disgust that would
alienate them from the institution, I could not
help wondering whether Paul. Would have acted
thus—and whether that 'is the right System
which postpones a religious to a moral influence.
Yet there is on the other side, the conSideration
mentioned shove, that until men care for them
selves they will "not be eager to save themselves.
The first thing' they: nine , learn, is their own
value. But lam digetissing where I should be
narrating. The prospects of the association are
very'encouragin g , and you will have seen accounts
of extraordinary success in the formation of the
clubs : as at Scarborough, where there are nearly
twelve hundred members, and where the men fit
ted out their own hall by night-work. These
institutions will inflict more heavy and deeisive
blows on the gin-shops than any legislative eflact
,
mint however severe.
ROUSH PRISON-CHAPLAINS
I doubt not that our fellow-protestants iu
America will be surprised at the passage of a
'.,.',. KTTLApanux.: T,MIRSpA.L., JVNE. is, 1863.
bill in a•Parliament which arose to its' present
liberties through sanguine waves in spite of the
hearty efforts'of that Papacy it is now fostering;--1-
to allow the Maintenance in' such Englishprisons
as require it, of Roritan Catholic Chaplains to be
paid with Protestant money. One wouldthink that
the lessons of the past, standing outas th'eydo in
letters of horror, were sufficient warning to our le
gislators never to afford to these scheming pseudo!
Christians the slightest-stand-point for their in
fernal machinery. Who can easily forget the'
true words of flume—" The great dignitariee of
the Catholic Church, while they pretended to
have nothing in view butthe salvation.of seals,
had bent all their attention to the acqUisitiew of
riches, and were restrained by no sense ofjustice ,
or of honor in the pursuit of that, great object?'
And will any one say that because it is now hid
den under the veil of sanctity, and' exposes not
its pretensions so grossly before the world, that
it has improved in spiriyor in conscience, 'or
would A be any more' restrained by a sense ofjus,
tice and honor than it was then ? There is just
now a spasmodic energyin Roman Catholic effort.
It can be seen in the debate in Parliament; it is
assisted by the political compact which the Con
servatives are endeavoring to consummate. With
the Roman Catholic party. I trust, however,
that the Protestant spirit of, England . will repel
this rising spirit, and refuse to be led into spa-
Pathy with Papal policy abroad, or submission to
Papal intrigues at home. 'Just as this special
boon has been conceded to'these people in' . Eng : .
landl learn that our countrymen in Hayti, with
their fellow-protestants to the number of twelve
hundred, from'all parts of he world, haVe been
deprived in Puerto Plata and' Ciimana of every
religious privileger—cannot marry or he huried,
with any PrOtestant rite, by the intolerant order
of the Spanish , goyeinitent ; tho'n,ghlrhen they
.settled in the country they were guaranteed their
religious liberty by the Dominican Republic, all
of whose acts were adopted by Spain at the time
of annexation. It is to be hoped that her Ma-
jesty's government, with, whom a treaty confer
ring these liberties was made by . the Dominican
government, will demand their restoration. The,
time seems to be approaching when the civiliza
tion of the world will demand the extension of
international tolerance to all acts of religion
which are-not opposed to public morality and de
cency. Now that religious and civil liberty have
become so intimately ; associated as two 'rights
which must go hand in hand, since each is
,
im
perfect without the other—the anomaly of an
international comity which only recognized, the,
one and utterly ignores the 'other cannot, in'the,
present free and freq,uent intercourhe between
nations, long be allowed to exist. I hope that
the AMerican, government, viewing this princi
ple as one which the progress of civilization and
the necessities of national concourse, has fully,
evolved, will be among the earliest to assert and
Maintain. it. It will be t a strong sign, should it
be affirmed, that the world was approaching the
condition of one great community. -
PROFESSOR JOWETT-DTFFIOULTFES U THE WAY
OF CHlpi.oll REFORM.
The prosecution of Prof. Jewett has dropped,
through some technical informality, which Puse3r,
and his friends seem to have been glad to' vail
themselves of. Any one attempting to reform: .
the Church just now gets little synapathy.-=.-and
a conservatism which is obstrudtioit is extending
in the Anglican ranks. The - Church Party are
afraid that if a s brick be taken out of the build
ing it will all come down: This extraordinary
and defensive timidity,is the strongest proof 'of
the Church's weakne;s, and the plainest premo.
nition of a catastrophe. '
The Liberation Society—Whose whole' course'
and action ho fdr as'l hive understood' them-!---
rthormighly depreate, has had a mbst unani
mous and enthusiastic meeting;and exhibits a'
most ferniidable energy in its attacks on the Es.;
tablishment. The throwing 'out of ' the Burial
Bill, in fact of every bill, however jtiSt, which fa
vors disSenters only' irritates them the more and
makes them. more dangerous enemies. It will
net' do tO ruse the power of a majority too arbi
,
trarily, as the history of the past and the eXpe:
rience of the present shciiv that it may lead to
the direst resttlt,s. AnaLimOs:
SCHOOLS ~ON iLEBANON.
ME Lebanon Schools, under a Committee of
Manarminent in Great Britain during the past
quarter, have been, twenty-one in number, scat
tered in nineteen villages, and, have contained
upwards of a thousand pupils, and given employ
ment totwenty-ktve teachers and assistants. In
this mission, one native superintendent is em
ployed,assistedby a colporteur, also a native, and
the, missionary at 1141m1.1(11m. There is a training
schOol at Sook el Ghurb, lately held as a station,
of the• Syria mission, by Mr. Bliss, (who is now
acting as a Secretary of the Americanßoard in
New. York city,) containing fourteen pupils un
der the care of a youno. man educated in the
Abeii, Seminary. The, success of this mission,
designed chiefly to promote Christian education
on these mountains, therefore depends :under the
blessings of Providence, on native egents,,at a
monthly expenditure of about $250.
The duty of the missionary, in. compPance
with `therequest of the superintendent and .com
mittee, is to visit all the schools once at least
durint , each quarter and report their condition
and'presPects to the coniMittee. >lntlie dii;charie
of this duty, it is- necessary to travel two hun
dred miles, examine theschbols, and make them
as. Much as possible subserve the interests and
commands of the Gospel, and preach the. Gospel
to every , creature on the , goodly mountain, even
Lebanon. The system of instruction and,snper
intendence in these schools is substantially the
same'as that in the schools of the Syria mission.
The peculiar
,feature in them, is,
,that greater
prominence and responsibility are given, the na
tive agency, on whiCh the success of,all 'Foreign
Missions to the heathen ultimately must rest.
The territory occupied by these schools ex
tends froth us ten miles westward, twenty-five
Miles. eastward, thirty miles northward, and
twenty miles southward, and the villages occu
pied contain a population of thirty thousand
souls.. For all , these myriads,,these a,chools l are
the principle sources of religious instruction.
About one half of the children in the schools,
and perhaps 'a thirdof the population are Druids.
Some are of the llfalanimedati sects liere and'
there a few ;', and Ai rest,` Whiphtliegr'eater
part of these naked' ilopulations; are nominal
ChriStians, area., p-ioek :Cath g lie and Mare-
niter, and one in, twenty may
~be 'Protestants.
Oh, thatwe had the!needful funds to open twice
the nurober of the 'Abu= ganef's. 13itt alas !
Sitlee 1'859' welave received t fundefrotn the
United States for thieihigh-andliiible purpcise,
The superintendent, colportenr, and Several'of
the teachers of thiit mission, are members of the
Evangelical community at Bhamdun. Since the
first visit, of the Missionary . to this point in 1848,
we have not seen so . fr much reason for huge and
prayer, and the outpouring of : the ' Holy:Spirit,'
Ana for the earnest,; entreaty Brethren and sis
ters pray for us, thit.all'Mount Lebanon May be
converted to the I?Uring,de,peried
reported, we haVe itirnitted teachers te,
privileges of Christian and have sev
eral candidates for `the next` communion. Of
these, ene'is the father of our oolpOrtenr, form
erly of the Greek Church, and upWards of silty
year of age, who lids taken nithe cross, and' set:
up the family altar.
The administration or the Christian govern
ment, introduced in IMO, for Mount Lebanon,
iei t the'
_8 eminently succ_sa is e rst attempt ;
• ,
in the forty provinces of the Ottoman Empire to
conduct the ' affairs of Government by a Christian
Pasha; it will not`lie the last `
THE'XISSIONJUIIES' VOME
But the friends , of ,, Allissions to Syria will be
interested , to , knoWhowithe iniesionaries, >ltvi3 ?-
what 110113E4 they bite? Whatineighbors ? what
privations, etc:;'etcjr. As We 'have had. occasion
'to: remove this weeklfrom our , residenoe to'a new ,
bouie, I aur , hapitito give a:picture; of our Pais
siOu'llome. 'lt is tlituated on the upper":(south)
side of 13haindun.;14s tbitilt , by four brothers.in
1458; is . one liMidiedl feetiong from - east to west;
and , has'eis Jarge l aithOs , :in' front opening to the ,
north, with two wings. , The breadth of the,hottne*
withlthewings;-is thirty-eight feet. We have-a
rangenfisirnroomsAen the south side, and one , in ,
each Wing , in the *upper , story, In the lower
lstory,`thil arrangement is the same, •containing
three.native familietl i the Owners of the honsev
who also allow us four rooms-below,:an& the
,
rooms above. ,— The :names of the owners , are,
Joseph, Stephen, Nadir, and Mohattum
When it WeS'knoin Mondaylast; that we
were to move hithei; the' people,' with'' onecOn
sent, came by scOrekand took our trunks,iibles,
chairs;books;ete., and in'three or four hours'we
'lentil' ourselves and . Our , effects in our Missieli
lionie, taken for two i ' Years'it the Lord will, and"
three-fifths of the Ant paid in advancee `the'
annual rent is fifteen htindred piastres, or $6O.
The "balineeinust . h . paid at the beg,ifining of
the second year.
SUch is the elevation of our new residAnce,
that we can see 'above the steeple of the Greek
church, only a few feet belOW the Damaseut road,
across a 'deep valley on the opposite mountain.
Beirut and the Mediterranean are , seen beyond,
and Cypuss in the summer 'siinset, when the sun
Sinks behind its mountains. Beantiful for' situ
add!) en the sides towards the Mirth; the lot is
cast for us in our Mission Home. Sanim, drovin
eil'uoith Billow', stands at the right, so resplendent'
that in the Scriptures it is written of Him,'who'
is the Head over - all' - things f - " His face is like
Lebanoi.r BUt in tliniisions Of Patines, we
have the sublime description of Hiin " clothed
with a garment doWn to the feet, 'and girt about,
:the paps" With a golden girdle. His head and
'his hairs are white like wool* as white as stinw";
and his .eyeslare as wflame of -fire, and his feet
like unto final:mass, as if they burned, in ,a fur
nace c, and his voice assthe sound of many waters..
,And he hadinhis•might hand seven starss: . snd
out:of his,mouth went a sharp two-edged sword,
and hisnonntenance,is as the sunshineth in his
strength." To preach and,uxemplify Him emu-,
eified,we ! have left our nativeland, and chosen.
this field, and taken up our residenee,,where,we,
are deprived almest entirely of Qhristian
- course,-and need the generous support of those
who are willing. to think; and pray, , and' defy,
•
themselves,' for the promised evangelization 'of
these ,clark,let beautifnl- mountains: • ,
.Wi;rmartt,A. BENToN, Miss,'y.
Bhamdun;Uft. Lebangn; ~tlprz7 17th, '6B.
:.ANNAPOLIS.
TILE GeneraillospitaloatArma.polis is located
in the:beautiful buildings ;formerly Occupied by
the Naval School.. In .front, ; , the; blue ;waters of
the pbesap,ea.kegently wash_the shore,and threugh
the o open,windows4breezes oft:the sea fleet ooftly,
in,-,to with ; airy. touch the fevered brow, of
the sick. Behind,,the quaint old city, finished;
long ago, and propd.in itsmemories of Washing-.
ton, raises its-ancient , roofs-and ; spires. As one
walks .through; the narrow streets, and gazes, at :
the. old,fashione.l houses, bpilt with imported ,
bricks.in colonial days, and unprofaned by the
slightest suggestion of paint ever- since, the Fon
der insensibly arises, "Cap:this be an American
%.ity Are these, slow ,people, who takslife ,so.
easily and. deliberately, the brothers, and-sisters
of - our hurrying, driving,,commerciel people , uf
the North
There are several old houses, in, Annapolis,
which, -the ,citizens point out to the eufnerous
strangers, whom the wer has brought within its
gates. On the banks of tne Severn, half hidden
by L ernbnweriug . . feliage, , and ,already crumbling
to decay, stands the residence of the glerious
Charles Carroll, of Carrolton. In the city, in
the midst .of old but beautifully cultivated
grounds, one is Shown. the mansion of Simnel
Chase, another Signer of 'the Declaration. Be.
neath a spreading willow, Whose gracefal branbh
es droop over another old garden, Washington is
said to hain first Met kra. Custii In a promf=
nent part of the` city the attention is arrested.by
a 'spacious church edifice, massive andnew, ei
„
CePting, a 'very small portion of the steePle,which
forma a striping contrast to the rest, as it is of
wood, old and unpainted. This church, the
Episcopal, waii erected in Queen Anne's time,
under her benevolent auspices. Three years
~ago
it was destroyed by .fire, the portion attudect to
hetiii air that Wnti prenersied from'► the -de,iroarii*
element, and with a rare devotion to the antique,
the people bailt r this nevr,chureh, without alter-
,
ing or touching — the relic of the Old.
The buildings occupied
,by the Naval School
in the.days' of peace, are spacious, and ,beautiful,
and their well.ventilated rocms and lofty ceil
ings, render them very suitable for, hospital fan.
poses.. Autlficient corps of physicians and nurses
watch faithfully own' the bodily.comforts, of the.
wounded and sick ; 01 the, earnest; chaplain ;
Rey. Mr.,llenry of Maine, whose,work is a labor,
of love, ministers with' the 111013 t untiri nzpatiencte l
and the tonderestsyrnpathy,-,beside,the bedsides
of, the
,sick , and 'the ,dying•
Cimp Parole, two miles from the,,eity,,is the
campappointed , ,,for the rece,ption of onr,invalid
prisoners,, as. gaunt, feeble, emaciated; forlorn, ;
and l well nigh spiritbroken,. they come from •tbe
iptisonsiof the•koth.. As von, as tbey,remb, the,
'Wharfl at AnParegjfiogig.fltrerMai.4..ter, feqPvi.g.,
;therpre : ulomoingain.Y- „Food,felotlfirw,andAel
terare provided ffor ; ihera, and, when excikaoged,
they ; mar c h forth , ,with renewed vigor, tbAght for,
Tho sentiments of,,the, people. here are yell.
much inall , the border*Statps,,sp
here, there may ;be found; in the samPs,familr
sons
,fighting on both.;, sides, ,the father ; against
the, son,' and the on against, the faither—„seces
sionisis;hetray,their- feelings however, only by
bitter looks and suppreasedcomplainte'; even :the
women having found, jt,safvr ; to treat our soldiers
with civility. The mercantile :portion of the
community have reaped axich hat;vest from the
Presence of soldiers Ifere.- E ,They have ave
raged, sinee;theeetablishment of (lamp Parole,,
last; August, about.eight th_ousand Men4he
est l number at ';‘one• time. being-twenty thousand,
and the:lowest two - thousand— As a rule a man
in , uniform, whether oftter.or,,private, is charged
higher prites -for ; . every; article ; of ; merchandise
than ;citizen , wonld be. o
'young , man, one , lof the paroled; prisoners,
was % converted ,this winter, stud at, once, applied
for admission:into the Presbyterian, Church. :He
said, .‘,‘ Imnst shortly leave here, anda roarnever
have aeotber opportunity'of profsssing Cbrist. I
wish to do it now." He at once began to hold
family worsitiprihhis tent, with six companions,
and became fervent, in every good work and l work.
June, 24, 1.863. . , ,
--;atitchoto,
CREDiInITY NEMO&
MMEN
assert, M.
.says, elvill, in spite of the
tauntings of those most thorough. of all bonds
m en,:tree thinkers, that the faith'required
from deniers of 'revelation is far larger than
thatdernanded'frona its adVoCateS.' • He Who
thinks that the setting up of 'Christianity
may -be satisfactotily; acchunted for on.the;
suppositien of its falsehood, ...taxes 'credulity
a vast deal-more than he who. believes all the ,
prodigies and all, the miracles recorded in
Scripture. The most marvellous of all pro
digies,
,and the most surpassing of all tnira
cles, would bethe progress of the Christian
religion supposing it untrue. And, assured
ly, he ;holes Wrought himself into the be
lief that such a wonder' has been exhibited,
can have' no right to boast himself shrewder
and more cautious than he who holds that, at
human bidding, the sun stood. still, or that
tempests were hushed, and.groves.rifled, at.
the, command ,f,-:one, "found in fashion" as
ourselves. The fact tat Christianity strode
onward with . i .aresistleas march, making many
tingtiphis against Pandect power, and the
learning 'and . prejudibes of' the world—thiS
fact, we say, requires to be accounted for;'
andinasmuch as there is no roomier ques
tioning its accuracy, we ask, in all justice,
to be furnished with its explanation.. We turn
naturally from the result to the engines by :
which,, to all human appearance, the result,
was brpught round; ftein, the system preach-,
ed to the , preachers themselves.
Were those who first propounded Christi
anity men whO, from station in 'Society
,and
influence over their fellows, were likely to
isucceed in .palming a falsehood on the world
Werethey possessed of such machinery ;of'
intelligence,. and wealth, and. might,,,and
science, that every allowance being madefor,
human credulity „and human, infatuation,
there would then appear the very .lowest
prObability that, haVing 'fprged a lie, they,
could have caused it ipeedily to be venerated
as truth, - arid" carried along to the , earth'S
!diameter amid the worshippings of thousands
orthe.earth'stpopulation ? We .have
,iii iii
tention on.the present occasion, of-pursuing
the argument. But we are . persuaded,that
; no- candid t raind can,„pbserve, the speed with
which Christianity. overran ,the civilized,
world compelling the homage of kings and,
casting down the altars of long-cherished
superstitions, and then . compare the means
with 'the effect.:--the - spoatles': men' of Jew
birth and poor -educatibia, backed by' no
authorityi; and possessedof none of those
high-wrought endowments which work out
the, achievement oft difficult- enterprise--we
are, persuaded, wo say, that no candid ; mind
can set, what. is-done side! by. side ;with, the
-apparatus throngh which. it was effeeted, and
not confess, that of all incredible things, the
'thoatiriere,dible would' be, „that a feW fisher
men Of `Galilee Vanqiiished the wOrld,WiJheal
sing its idblatried; arid mastering its: preju
dices; and yetthat , their only-weapon Was a
lie, their only mechanism jugglery and-de
And this it is ,that the sceptic believes.
Yea,, on , his, belief this,he grounds
,claims
to,e..soeeder, and shreider„ and less.fettered
understanding than-belongs to the mass of
fello*S. •He deems it/the, mark - 'of a
weak' and ill-disciplined intellect to - admit
the truth of Christ's taierrig the 'dead; 'but
appeals, in proof of staunch and well-in
formed mind, to his belief that! this Whole
planet was. convulsed by.the blow. of .an
infant. lie. scorns_ the< narrow-mindedness
of submission. to ,whe , t -he. calls priesterafq
but counts himself .large-minded, because
admits that a priesteraft; only worthy his
contempt, ground into powder every system
which 'he thinks worthy admiratiori.---L
He laughs 'at the credulity'Of supposing that
God had to: do with the instittition'or-Chria
tianity, and then , applauds the sobriety Of.
referring sto chance, what bears all . the ,
marks of design—proving hiniselfrationa‘
by, holding,that causes are not necessary .to :
effects...•-t , , .
Most Hikti rutet7 m the' kin - idioms . .6f
men.
THE REPUTED FOSSIt MAL OF ABBE-
VILLE.
English paper's have recently been
&rig details' nn reference t'd the diSeovety
in the gra.4etbeds near. Abbeville of '1, 0 80 4,
called fosSil" -human Saw. was extract''
ed' by M. Bonclier de Perthes,
"'black-seam 'flinty 'gravel," and, if girenine,
indicated, (i. g. t , on geological hypotheses).'"a
perind 'of extremely remote antiquity." , Dr.
Falcone'. of Park:•:crescolt, ltas been to Ab
beville to. inspect this "discovery," and
gives tlie.resUltsin a letter to Itlie 'London'
Times.
' The 'Appearance, of the jaw Was entirely in
keepiUg with the matrix--/:, e. dark colored,
and faifly coVeredf, with a layer :of it. A
single detached humeri inclar ' , Ara, found at
the'same" timd, correeponding° exactly in.
appearance , and matrix; andrto - Complete`
the case, a flint hatchet, covered with black
matrix, was extracted from, the• same. spot
by M. gswetd. Dunpro, who accompanied M.
de Perthes.
-'The practiced experts; ;Mr John. Evans
and. Mr. Prestwieh, preceded me on-the Ilth,
Abbeville; and their suspicions were
instantly'arouse',,.. They pronounced the
flint ;hatchets to be modery fabrications. I
folleVred on:the 14th, and got three of their
out' of. the :" black seam gravel,',' 'covered
with math; and hiving every . external
.appearanee; of reliability; but; =on severely:
testing them' on return to London,: they,
all; ;proved to be spurious. . The;
number which turned -out wa's. Finarvellous,
but the terrapiers were4handsornely .paid
for their findingS ; ' and *he crop ;of ;flint
hatchets beeanie in: like degree lutiiiianw
NoW for the jaw. itself. a'What comPlexion
of intrinsic, evidence did it yieldl? The
craniological matevials available .at Abbe-.
ville for comparison Were,, , of , cotirse,; ;very
; but the specirrien presented a series
of peculiarities which are rarely seen irrcon
junction in till, jaws of European =races,
an ient or recent.. [We ;;here, omit some.
technical ;details, the most Iremarkible being
that "the posterior angle presented what I
may call amosrsupial amount of inversion,'-'
suggesting= the recollection of the jaw- of an
Australian- savage:3 M. ;Quatrefages; de
parted for Paris,-taking the , jaw with him,
while I returned tcr Landon, hringing ;draw
ings slid':-a- careful•description; with mea
surements of the principal , specimen;; and-M-.
de' Pertbew •confided to une the ;detached:
molor Ituay add that the jaw > specimen,
although professing 40 have been yielded:
from; helow a heavy ldadt of coarse flints,
presented ,no -appearance ..of having .lieen .
crushed Of rolled; and that; making , above
anc,e for the crust of matrix enveloping it;
the bone was light,; and not; infiltrated with,
metallic niatter. l The condyle washed yielded
acdirty white &dor. .
Asia the result,= rhave as3yet- - to lauthen. ,
tic ihformation of the final conclusions which
have been:arrived at ;.My friends;
Mr 4 Buck, F. R. S., and Mr.; Somes, F. R.
S., both practiced; anthropologists; , ,gave me
their assistance in my part of the inquiry.
The former, like M. Quatrefages and myself,
was' struck with theiodd;conjurictiOn - .of -unu
sual characters -presented hy the jaw, and;
speedily produced :a` lower jaw ofihe Austra.:
Tian type,' brought'-by Prefessor 1-lAley
from'Darnley Island; :which yieldelithe same.
kind; of marsupial inversion; se.to speak;
with. a nearly corresponding, form ;in the re
clinate posterior - margin, ascending ratims;
and sigitioid. note,b.• But Mr. Somes' -shun
dant collection brought the , matter speedily
to >a point. From the pick of a sackful of
human lower jaws, yielded. by an old London
Churchyard,he produced 'a certain number
which severally furnished all the: peculiari
ties of the Abbeville specimen, marsupial in
clusiie, although not one of them showed
them'altin conjunction. Wethen proceeded
to ;saw up' the 'detached molar found' atMou
linAniquon. It-proved to be quite' recent ;
the section was - white,' glistening, full of
gelatine, and fresh-looking. There was r
end to the case. First, 'the flint hatchets
were ;pronounced by 'highly competent ex
perts (Evans and ,Prestwichy to:be spurious ;
secondly, the reputed= fossil molar was proven
to be recent ; thirdly, the: reputedlosail jaw
showed:: no -character different' from those
that may; be met with in the contents of a
Londotiohurchyard. ; The inference whicla
draw:from these ;facts is, that .a very clever
iluposiiion'has been praeticed by the terrassi
ers of the Abbeville.gravel pits—so cunning
ly cleier that itcould.not liaireheen surpass
ed by .alcoirunittee, of anthropologists' enact
ing:a practical joke: c The selection Of. the
specimen' was -proliably accidental.; . but it is
not a littl‘, singular that a jaw combining so
many pecullaritieS;should.,have been hit upon
by ,uniristructed
Narrntive,of,the,Stnte of Religion within
thellOunlis of the Presbyterian Church
the United Stites of Atliericap for
the; year ending May, 1863.
A.bonttB4irresbYterial harratives,fep,resenting nearly
all 4he Synods'. have come into the,hunds of the Assem
bly,a Cominittee. A careful peruial and cVmparison of
theit'brine to vie* several facts * of "great importance,
which . are ;desariptive of the condition of morals and
religion around and within our.churches.
1 The is of a gloomy sorrowful Aureate'',
and'so far inrit extends is wit ott -compensation or re
lief.... The:dark'esti clouds which tloa',/ejudgments bring•
over.the lautl.jare full of blessing as Well as sorrow, lot%
they pour awn, fertilizing floods even while, the light
nings from Wein blast and rive. the blickness' to
which:we: iiiivevrefer is the 8 trieke of the pit, diffusing
whereyerat .spt:ead, curses without; blessing, death,
without life. And it is now spreading (as,we mourn to
lent.%) every where over ,our land to the very thresh
olds eflour`tilluiches, tuitili , into the sanctuaries of our
hoMes t , . : • ,
.
Need we say plat' it is the curse of TNTEXITAILANCE
which all theee narratives declare, after, ]living been
driviiiliadk, sift! sometimes ; awe had hoped: well nigh
destroyed, is low making•head again, through our bor
ders, east j and 'Weitt, north,and Each
p resty,terY,
without concert with anyiptler, pours forth its leinen•i
tntionr proclaims : lw warnmg, And-sounds.aloud its cell'
for a renewed onset of the sacramental host against this
accursett ettemy of God and
. And now it is for - us as a General Assembly, in this
our meiisagetii the ciiiircheit to unite the lamentations,
warnings, andcaihriof 'a hUndied, Presbyteries
into :a
trumpet bias!, summoning the whole church to war
against a foe'Ofterrelefearedloftas prostrated, but which
will onlyby, annihilating, die. •• • • •
11. The second fact descriptive of the state of religion
among us IV bilgth and
,joyens contriist with thefiret,
es 'the morning of the prophotpromisia in close prox ,
imity• with the,night, and as the light of the Gospel ]
springing pp Slde by side with the shadow of death.
A large quirt of these narratives that the
past - year hatrbeen one of t' s vivals among them, or ; that,
even non, there ere revivals enjoyed by the churches of
whioh tlfey, speak.' • ' • ' '•i •
in amens' baoll:%ell,PPst9Ts were prevented
tending the recent meetings of Preslaytery„because
gaged in the delightful work; and-ini one cline even iift(o
the narrative had been prepared, it was necessary to
add a postscript, announcing the sudden and simultb
.
GENESEPs IVAiIAT:i,tBT-fhole No. 891.
nedus effusion 'of God's Spirit titan the chnrehes around.
and in` a signal manner npeit arehenored and cherished
seminary of learning, the glad tidings from which have
alleady,heeopraclaimeti on this floor,
'This' general •staiement, yotir committee feel is not
milheient i even to 'call attention to a state of things
whiCh Cm language could 'adequately. deseribe., We
world,therefe're, ne the best means of bringing to view
the wide diffusion of the blessing, recite the names of
the rietbyteriee; 4hose narratives announce some de
ghe bf speCial retivieg influence enjoyed by some of
their churehea darn* the year. The statements made
differ widely as toihe Measure of revival which they
relate, and, as to Die nitniberof churches to which they
refer. Some of Wein only of a gentle refreshing,
others of a 'poiverfal *irk Of grace. some of only a sin
church4visitad, other's of nearly all the churches in
their ',amide. 'The leett and thit greater, the few and
the Many inast:here,.Of necessity, be grouped togetber.
FPOm"some Preatiytetieato narratives- have been re
ceived;„ some speak less definitely than others., Our
afateiitents Jan therelOPelre 'only an apPreaiin a tion to
wards st . full and accurate account. yet, imp e rfect as
in,'Wet it, nOi r te the prairie of men bet to the
gichey of God. The invites of theie Pr'esbyteriee are as
follows: Watertown, Utica, - Wellaboro,
L ens,`Csyggit, oneitilaga,'Cheasego; Otsego, Oswego,
Buffalo' Ontarni„'H ' oeheiter Niagara, -- liudsan, Nardi
ICler,..,:lititiell3land, - Now York 3d, New York 4th,
Brooklyn, NOvisif,lthelaWay, Montrose, WilMington,
Phila . : l 2cl; Phila. 4th,
r . : lTarrielitirg, Dist:
~ of Columbia,
Pxle, Meadville; MOnrao, Wasfitehate,'Marsball, Kula
maiao, Coldwater, Saginaw, Giand River Villey, Lake .
Sitperior,* ' Huron, Trumbull, Cleaveland, rataskala,
Franklin, Cincinnati, Dayton, Madison', Indiana Polis,
Fort Wayne, Alton, Illinois., Galena, Belvidere, Coltuxt
bus, lowa City, St. Louis, Kansas, San Jose.
Besides these more special and marked revival ,in
fluences in many; and Indeed nearly alt the Presbyteries,
the churches' are rejmrted to he - in - a healthy and pros=
peroui "'condition. The attendance on the means, Of
grace is good; meetingafor prayer are sustained in'
many places with increasing; interest; harmony prevails;
the emanate contributed to benevolent operations have
been enlarged;, to
,growing zeal is manifested in
advancing the plane of our awn branch of the church
for promoting the kingdmi of Christ; many new houses
of worship have been erected; and many burdensome
church debts been paid.
All these things arathe results of God's grace be
stowed upon: His people. They should be recorded
with gratitude to Him and for the encouragement and
joy'of the whole Church.
lIL We are now prepared to mention another de
lightful feature in the : state of religion among our
churches.
With scarcely an exceptioni.tbe Presbyterial narra
tives report that the Sabbath Schools are enjoying an
unprecedentedmeasure of 'prosperity and ef f iciency.
The churches that have experienced a revival, speak
of the Sabbath School as the sphere of its greatest
power: while :those that have had no revival, point to
them as the centre of their brightest hopes.
but upon the prairie/' in small villages, and in
large cities, neglected children gathered into the mis
sion schools, are instructed in the truths of the Gospel.
In well established churches, Sabbath Schools are de
scribed us brightest among the bright.
The COmmittee wish they could.traitsfer to the As
*The blessing of God upon this Presbytery has been
manifested in enabling his servants to ; be faithful and
persevering amidst unusual disconragements.
sembly and*, the Church the impression made upon'
their minds by the. reading of the narratives one after
another, as. withobt concert with each other, and in
widely separated localitiee, they speak in joyous and
almost identical terms, 'concerning their Schools.
A few-sPeCiinees , theicannot withhold.
"brie church reports a revival of religion springing
rip in the Sabbath School." 4, Sabbath Schools are
flourishing mote than usual, and are more cared for
than ever h3f ministers and churches." "In one church,
ttiree-foniths 'eV elf belonging to' the Sabbath School
are rejoicieg; "Sabbath Schools are made
prominent among the agencies for the salvation of men.
In some schools adult classes are
. fermed, in which fa
thers,jrnOtheri and' Offiders 'Of the 'church Meet at the
same.' time .with the children ,and .study. the same
losePu:"!Theeubjeets of. the.reviyal have been chief
lytbose Connected with ihe Sabbath Schools, either as
teachers or scholars." "The most interesting feature
in 'the condition of strength- which .we are permitted
to report...is foluaelin the high degree of lively interest
among the SabbathSohools, and youth generally. Nu
merous additions•to the'eturcheis are made from them."
"There is iticieasedlprosPerity in the Sabbath Schools.
Without any .. ,cencert of action,elhis important depart
ment of effort has been. prosecuted , with unusual vigor
and success:" '"Thi ;marked feature in our report is
the inereaseTinteresVin our Sabbath Schools, sustained
at our churches and in remote localitibs." In the Sab
bath Schools the greatest interest has been felt, and
tliey are' ciinsiderel as the , greatest hope of the church.'
"Oar Sabbath Schools are flourishing, and are the
must token] departzcient of our church."' "In each
retiort, the Sabbath Schools are
,represented as the
brightest, most Inipefid 'feature." "The Sabbath
SChools 'are increasing' lerturbbers, interest and use
fulnes's. As a Presbytery,. mei& attention is given to
this department Af .Citrittian effort,.and with the most
cheering and evident , results. The activity of our
churches in' mission school enterprides is most encou
raging. Hundreds of neglected children are thus
reached and instructed."
Many similar statements might be quoted, but these
are sufficient to show that throughout oar church the
blessing 'or God is deficending more abundantly than
ever before upon the efforts of His people to instruct
the children and bring them to Jesus.
In the light which they afford we may see most
clearly the indispensable:necessity for giving the fullest
and most careful consideration to the overtures which
are doming up to the Aisenibly from various quarters,
urging us to assign to . the Sabbath School a more
clearly defined:position in our organized plans and to
consecrate' to it more of thb care; time, and power of
the pastor; the -elders ; lad the membership of the
church.
I V.
A fourth characteristic leature of our narrative
remains to . be 'xriention'ed
The state of religion which we have attempted to de
!Scrips, is that which has been witnessed in a year of
civil war, ,amidst its , fearful strifes, its most intense
struggles', its most dark and critical hours.
,Out of the depths , of such a year, these,, narratives
bring to us from ; pastors; and people. the irrepressible
declaration of loyalty, uncompromising and uncondi
tional, to the lanfully eleeted and appointed adminis
tration of our Government; and of the consecration
of their intellect• and their religion, of their fortunes
and their lives to the dmkitiction of ' the wicked rebel
lion `llrhich has 'hurled its power against all we prize
for ourselves, and All that we hold in trust for other
lands
'Mit t en - this year Committee need not dwell. All
that we'woidd have been glad-to report concerning it
bas been anticipated and aurpasied by the unanimous,
heartfelt, and determined action of the Assembly,
which, dining thollaSt fek days has stimulated and
rejoiced , uit all. `.
' The remark which we would now make is, that these
narratives .of. the Presbyteries Answer for us the in
quiry (Whibh hie been on so Many lips, and, has given
anxiety to so man,y, hearts,) concerning the permanent
intlueneetliyont religions of. this mournful, yet on our part
ttecessury : ond righteous, war.
The answer' td title inqufry is decided and cheering
in its tones.
The Presbyteries, and our t churches tell us indeed, of
thoughts engrossed; of heart's' dritreised, of wealth
poured uut,uf 'energies.given up to the prosecution of
the war. i They,monrn over. the moral evils produced
and aggravaticl by such a state of things; over church
ea. Wiinkined,!liVai sacrificed,lginilies bereaved, suffe
rings endutea, and desolation. 'witnessed. Yet they
tells a150,,,0f hrighter Altitugs., •They manifest their
joy
,as well as sprrow.. Especially do they show us
the that while first effects' of Iftewar were in some re-
Spects thifaVorable to religiim;ixinch of its continued
-inflOence has, .by the ,blessing - of God, reached and af
fected mightily,, for good, the, deepest fountains of the
soul.
FOY' from , the camp and hattle-teld and hospital, 11:
dings reach us ofithe; attention of many gained to the
truths pf,thp 9ospel, of blacksliders restored, of the im
penitent converted, of pieiy 'developed, of usefulness
increased.'
-:The!religtenti life. of our church members has been
diverts& froth some of its. old:Channels, but has poured
into new ones with augmented streams ; and soon the
old have been filled again, and nburnierflow their former
banks. .Iris fromthe Christian Women who have boun
tifully and constantly cupplled 'camps and hospitals, that
Boma Missionsries also have received even more than
the'nsual tokens - Of symPatbY and love. It is from our
entire church, whose wealth had been devoted spontane
ously and athindantly ,to the support of our Govern
ment and the effi ciency of our , armies, that the reports
educe of'Sa.iciitai t ieserected, of debts paid, of benevolent
operatiens , thistaltied with enlargedliherality and zeal.
isfroM4abbath Schools which bad first been weak
ened ü by, the, voluntary enlistment of superintendents,
teachers and schaars; that the joyous tidings are pro
claimed' oViinprecedented prosperity, usefulness and
.It;is in thousands of homes, bereaved and darkened,
thnizrateful 'acknowledgments ere beard of consolation
efijdyerl; Of 2 spirittud profit ob(ained, of piety deepened,
of,trustinrGod made strong. ;it is ip,)citurelitts first.atattled, paralyzed and * *.
perinea the,eiteck: of war, that the influence of the
Spirit has' been` poured out; the guilt of rebellion against
God brought home to the conscience, and the power of
Christ displayed.