—AND— GENESEE EVANGELIST. PHILADELPHIA, AUG. 27, 1883. JOHN W. HEARS, jggP Subscribers who are- in arrears and liable to 50 cents additional charge on their bills, are notified that this charge will be re mitted to such" as pay an additional year, in ad vance of the present. Twenty Copies of the A meelucan Pres byterian-, for six months, are wanted among the Union soldiers at- Fort Delaware by the Chaplain to tho post, Rev. E. J. Way: We have deter mined to take the risk of sending them; who will furnish the whole, or part of the $l5 neces sary to meet the expense ? THE EDINBURGH REVIEW ON THE ANTIQUITY OF MAN. The subject of the Antiquity of Man, as mooted in late geological discussions, particularly those of Sir Charles Lyell, De Perthes, Prest wieh &c., is treated in an interesting manner in the concluding article of the J uly number of the Edinburgh Review. As the Review for the last eighteen months has shown a deoided leaning to the Stanley and Colenso school of Biblical criti cism, we are not surprised to find in the article, a degree of indifference (perhaps even less than usual) to the fate of the Biblical Chronology and the historical character of the Mosaic records, in the hands of the geologist. But this very in* difference! makes' the prevailing conservative character of the article more important. On the question of the discovery of human remains, or rather of half of a single human jaw bone, in connection with the flint hatchets of Abbeville, the evidence is stated by the Reviewer with seeming impartiality, and is in substance the same as quoted in our columns some weeks ago from a contemporary journal. The fragment of the jaw was discovered on the 28th of last March; a single tooth had been discovered some days previously. The tooth was taken to Eng lynd and pronounced recent; some hatchets carried to England at the same time, and re-' puted to be taken from the same locality, were pronounced spurious. A meeting of scientific men, including four from London, was held in Paris to examine more particularly into the facts. All agreed at the time, that no fraud had been practised at least in regard to the jaw; but the writer of the article in the Review says, in a foot-note, that strong doubts as to the genu ineness of some of the hatchets are entertained by scientific men of eminence. He adds: “We are informed that at recent meetings of the Geological Society of London more than one of the English Commissioners has seen reason to retract the opinion he formed at Ab beville. These frequent alterations of judg ment have thrown doubt on the whole transaction. It is certain that many genuine remains have been found at Abbeville; but it is not less cer tain that many spurious objects have beendntro duced into the beds of gravel there.” The italics are our own. We need not pause to remark upon the importance of the state ments here made. The argument from these remains for the Antiquity of Man is seriously, perhaps irrevocably, damaged. When the re cords of geology are found liable to interpolation, when/manufactured relics can be palmed upon those who would have us believe their under standings are too elear to accept the statements of Scripture, When the foundations of their most formidable arguments are discovered to rest upon ground so uncertain, we may at least post pone any serious consideration of the difficulties they would suggest, until stronger evidence, than any yet produced, is forthcoming. But even if multitudes of undoubtedly genu ine human remains in thq same state of preser vation with this fragment, were to be discovered in this famous valley of the Somme, the question of their place in the geological system and con sequently of their age, would still remain to be fettled. We turn to the Reviewer: “The reader must not, however, suppose that vith the admission of'the relics being truly ound as alleged in an undisturbed bed at; the lepth of fifteen feet, coincidence of opinion as to the age of the fossil was thereby attained. , Dr. Falconer and Mr. Busk re-stated the they originally entertained as to the absolute age of the jaw, which was now sawn across and dis played an amount of freshness inconsistent, in their opinion, with its being coeval with the re mains of the extinct quadrupeds. These doubts do not Seem to have been shared by the French members of the Commission; but the eminent physiologists who belonged to it, Especially M. Milnc-Ed wards (who as president, brought the detailed report before the Academy of Sciences on the 18th of May) and' M. de Quartrefages, expressly held themselves uncommitted to any opinion as to the geological age of the Moulin- Quignon beds. This reserve was the more pru dent and necessary, because at the same sitting M. Elie de Beaumont, who, so far as is known to ns, had hitherto studiously avoided any ex pression'of opinion, made a statement so positive and so unexpected, as, to judge by the contem porary reports, produced an unusual and almost electric sensation on the scientific auditory. His opinion or decision was to this effect— that the Moulin-Quignon beds are not 1 diluvium they are not even alluvia deposited by the encroachment of rivers on their banks; hut are simply composed of washed, soil'deposited on the flanks of the valley •by excessive falls of rain, such as may be supposed to occur exceptionally once or twice in a thousand years. A week later this eminent geologist reiterated his opini on in the same illustrious assembly, adding that the age of these formations belonged, in his opinion, to the ‘stone period,’ or is analogous to that of peat mosses and the Swiss ‘lake habitations.’” ‘ Such, says the fleviewer , “is the position of the question as we write." In another part of the article, the Reviewer cautions the reader against accepting Sir Charles Lyell s theory of the enormous age of the great ri ver deltas of the world. Sir Charles supposes that the modern delta of the Mississippi may have required 100,000yearsfor its formation! The Re viewer refers to Dana's recent Manual of Geology for data upon which he bases an estimate oi 5000 or 6000 years as quite sufficient for the formation of the delta. Elie de Beaumont, an authority of the highest character in geology, allows it hut 1300 years! ° ’ We have already, in view of the bearings of this question upon the historical character of the book of Genesis, presented the alternative of a -evision of the prevailing views of geologists as o the great length of time required for the changes whioh have taken place upon the earth’s surface. In our issue of May 7th, in replying to the "New Demand of Science,” for an indefinite extension of the period of man’s existence on earth, we asktfd: ■ “Is it necessary to suppose that such vast ages, were consumed in accomplishing -the geological changes on the surface of the earth and its in habitants. Is the earth itself as old as geologists would teach ? Might not all the phenomena have taken place in the six days of creation and the deluge? It is natural for' us to ask such questions, when we.find whither an implicit reli ance on geology is leading us.” We are pleased to find the Reviewer led to adopt the same general tone of remark, under the pressure of these extraordinary demands, principally from one class of geologists. He, too, evidently feels that, before we grant such ah enormous extension to the human epoch, it will be wise to re-examine the general grounds upon which geologists base their conclusions and rear their structure of aeons upon scons. He says: Editor. “These discussions will necessarily bring to a more distinct issue than hitherto the hypothesis of Geological Uniformity. We have given some reasons in the course of this article for believing that the hypothesis of geological uniformity must ere long be wholly abandoned. We have even shown that Sir Charles Lyell himself is not unfrCquently compelled’ to dissent from his own principles as leading to absurd results. Geolo gical phenomena, so far as they depend on mechanical agencies, require for their manifes tation and accomplishment both force and time, They depend on the combined effect of both. If a large effect is to be accounted for, the time may be supposed short if the force be great; if the forces are small,'the period of their continu ance must be long. In the pregnant language of Dr. Whewell, 1 Time inexhaustible, and ever accumulating his efficacy, can undoubtedly do rnueh for the theorist in geology; but Force, wjiope limits we cannot measure, and whose natufe we cannot fathom, is also a power never to be slighted; and to call in the one to protect us from the other, is equally presumptuous, to whichever of the two our supposition leans.’ In Geology there are certainly many facts which cannot, without extravagant improbability, be supposed to have, been accomplished without.the lapse of immense ' periods of time. Such are the deposition of the coal measures, taking into account the time requisite for the growth and mineralisation of their vegetable contents; and the formation of highly fossiliferous coral line limestones. Generally, the element of or ganic life introduces into geology the necessity ot long periods and occasional catastrophes. On the other hand, the truly gigantic revolutions indicated by the faults, elevations, marvellous plications and contortions, and even complete inversions of the strata which compose the vast est mountain chains of our globe, betoken Sub terranean forces, quite unexampled in history. They also bear evidence to having been effected with considerable rapidity, and towards their accomplishment an eternity of duration allowed to existing forces could make no approximation. Even in the more intelligible field of the denu dation caused by water,‘with its subsequent de position of alluvia, the Coryphaeus of the unifor mitarian ‘school of Geology is himself forced to admit that rivers, such as the Thames for ex ample, ‘ could 1 merer, not even in millions of years, have excavated the valleys through which they flow/ Now all these things are standing evidences that natural causes have, during the vast epochs of geological operations, had fre quent remissions and exacerbations of intensity. Only a little Consideration is necessary to show that the uniformity of the planetary motions of fers ho true analogy to the case of the far differ ent agencies concerned in geological dynamics. With reference to the newest formations which in this article we have chiefly had to consider, there seems little or no ground for maintaining a uniform scale of dynamic energy.” A remarkable parallel to the geological condi tion of the valley of the Somme is found in the valleys of Kent, Sussex, Surrey and Hampshire, .Eng., as treated in the “ Drift of the South-East of England, by Sir Roderick Mutchison.” To this work the Reviewer briefly turns. So close is the parallel between the two regions in other respects that he “ can hardly doubt that on fur ther search it will yield specimens of flint weapons or tools." Yet this region, according to Sir Roderick, has evidently attained its pre sent geological features “by short though turbu lent agencies, performing we may imagine in a few years, the work for which the uniformitarian demands his hundreds or even thousand of cen turies." The language of the»geologist is very positive: “By no imaginable process of the longest continued diurnal action, could any por tion of this detritus have been gradually derived during ages from the low chalk hills.” If this be true of the region described by Sir Roderick, there is' no reason for attributing a period, so vast as is demanded for the parallel formation of the valley of the Somme. The concluding sentences of the article are in weighty language. We put them also at the end of our article. The line of inquiry they in dicate may hereafter.lead to important modifies* tions in prevalent ideas of geology. So far from jeopardizing the historical character of Scrip ture, the discovery of these remains may compel an entire re-construction of the .science of geology far more in accordance with the plain teachings, of the word of God. “Professor Phillips, a writer of singular mode ration, and perhaps even excessive caution with reference to geological controversy, has in one of his addresses from the chair of. the Geological Society expressed the views which we hold with such precision and firmness that we willingly close our artiele by citing his words:— ‘ Do not geologists sometimes speak with need less freedom of the ages that have gone? Such expressions as that “time costs Nature nothing” appear tpi me no better' than the phrase which as cribes to Nature “the horror of a vacuum.” Are we to regard as information of value the as sertion that millions on millions of ages have passed since the epoch of life in some of the earlier strata? Is it not this abuse of arithmetic likely to lead to a low estimate of the evidence, in support of such random conclusions, and of the uncritical judgment which so readily ac cepts them ?’ ” When the war broke out it was universally admitted that there could be but two parties in the country. Between rebels and their oppo nents, there could be no third party admitted as possible. All who did not heartily co-ope rate in putting down the war, must be classed with rebels, however they might deny Ihe im peachment. Various attempts have since been made to galvanize a third party into existence, but they have signally failed. It has been found impos sible practically to draw distinctions, or to frame a platform embracing a cordial adherence to the national cause, which was not already covered by the policy of the Executive and of those, whether called Republican or Democrat, who are acting with it. Those who persisted in the effort to construct a so-called loyal anti- Administration platform; slid off invariably into BBT TWO PARTIES Jtninicint § tfjS&giMian anfl (Smsii dtrattplisit. more or less open disloyalty, or disclosed the fact that their loyalty was a mere cloak, and their anti-Administration meant anti-North and anti-War. There are hut two parties to-day. The mask is fairly thrown off. The New York riots de veloped the true meaning of the anti-Adminis tration feeling, not only among the lower classes, but among editors and politicians of re spectability, including the Governor himself. The South recognizes the friendly nature of these demonstrations. They are too plain to be mistaken. What can a hindrance to con scription mean but favor to the South ? It is a clear, military offence against the North, as plain as the encouragement of desertion from our ranks, or the conveying of stores, arms and information to the rebels. The potent watch word of the rebellion—State Sovereignty—is ac tually upon the tongues of these men. They sympathise fully with the principles at the bot tom of the rebellion; if, from motives of self aggrandizement they desire the Union to be preserved, it is on condition that Southern principles, institutions, and policy become domi nant. ' - We dread the success of these partizans fully as much as we should dread the success of the rebellion. We deem it as much a duty to pray for their discomfiture as for that of rebels in arms. We feel that Christian citizens, now that they are understood, should stSr themselves in ward meetings and primary gat beings, and in every possible way to expose and frustrate their devices, to reveal their true character to the unwary, and to overwhelm them in all their | schemes for obtaining political power. We do not see how. any true Christian can feel differ ently about men who wink at rebellion ifi the South, and anarchy in the North, who would cripple the arm of the Executive in his righteous endeavors to maintain the ordinance of civil government, and who would pervert the just and noble policy of the nation to a cringing ac quiescence in the demands of the slave-masters of the South. Will they succeed ? Remember, they appeal to some of the strongest and most inveterate prejudices of the multitude, who are as nume rous in many parts of the country, as the think ing and file provident The hatred and jealousy of the Irish Catholic towards the negro, the an tipathy of. the cowardly towards the draft, and the hostility of the Covetous towards the taxes,, afford an unparalleled combination of circum stances most inviting to the powers of, perver sion and misrepresentation possessed by the unscrupulous party leader. Upon these topics they ring their ceaseless charges. They hope to make the war with its necessary burdens defeat the war. They will make fair profes sions of loyalty. , They will deceive and mis lead many. The safety of bur country, the security of our homes demands that they he crushed. The friends of rebellion in the North mult be .put down, or the victories of our armies in the South will be of no avail. While our soldiers over whelm them in the South, by force of arms, let’ us do our part and crush them at the ballot-box in the North. It is the same enemy in both sections, let him be treated substantially and alike in hath. FROM OUR ROCHESTER CORRESPOND ENT- Rochester, August 21st, 1863. ■Dear Editor: Your correspondent bap been much interested 1 the present week in attending the meetings of two of our County Sabbath School Teacher’s Associations. One was in Vic tor, Ontario County, and the other was in this place, Monroe County. These associations are a part of the grand sys tem of organizations by which so much is now done in this State to keep alive and increase the interest in the Sabbath School work. First comes the town organization, then the county, Snd then the State; and each has its officers, its work, its meetings from time to time, to gather up statis tics, compare notes, and develop plans for in creased wisdoui and efficiency in this line of use fulness. Tne Town Secretary reports to the County Secretary, the County Secretary reports to the State Secretary, and the State Secretary reports to the State Association at its Annual Meeting, embodying a mass offsets and incidents in regard to the progress and usefulness of Sab batn Schools that is truly interesting and encou raging. And it has been surprising and delight ful to see how generally the teachers and officers of schools take an interest in getting these facts together, how generally they report to their own secretaries, and then the secretaries of the small er associations to the larger; bow much interest ed also teachers and officers of schools are in these reports, as they come in from other schools than their own, and how all seem to be stimulated by them to greater exertion. . The meeting at Victor was held in the Presby terian Church, of which Rev. Job Pierson is the esteemed and worthy pastor, and was largely at tended from all parts of the County, The morn ing session was devoted to hearing reports from the Secretaries of the Town Associations, and r they came in “ good and strong.” Only one town in the county' failed to respond. The facts were given under six different heads-‘-the num ber of schools in the town, the number of teach ers and officers, the whole number of scholars, the average attendance, the number of conversions, and the number who bad gone from the Sabbath Schools into the army of freedom. The whole number of sehools reported for the County of Ontario was 127, number of teaehers and officers 1,843, number of scholars 8,462, average attendance 6,628, number of conversions -295, and number who have joined the Union army 195. These figures all showed a very con ‘ siderable advance on the year 1862, and illustra ted the benefit of these gatherings —this compa ring of notes, and this stirring of each other up to greater diligence in the Sabbath School work. It appeared from the returns that Bristol was, the banner town of the county, four-fifths of all the children of that rural and farming* population being in the Sabbath School. And it also ap peared, in the further, progress of the meeting, that this was mainly owing to the zeal and faith fulness of one old man, who had modestly given in his report without any allusion to his own effi cient ageney in the matter. Though poor and old and siek, he had searched every nook and cor ner in the township, had gone in summer and winter, over,hill and valley, and by love had com pelled the children to come in. His burning zeal had been a constant incitement also to others to work in the good cause. The afternoon session was mainly devoted to a children’s meeting; and the little ones and their friends crammed the church to listen to short ad dresses. All seemed to pass off very pleasantly and with manifest profit. We may add, that the following principal offi cers of the Teachers’ Association, of Ontario County, were elected for'the ensuing year: Sa muel Hough, Esq., of East Bloomfield, President; J. D. Hayes, M. D., of Canandaigua, Recording Secretary; Noah F. Clarke, Ijjsq., of Canandaigua, Corresponding Secretary. ■ A similar meeting —the annual gathering of the Monroe County Sabbath School, Teachers' Asso ciation, was held in this cityyesterday. The whole number of schools reported for this county is 182, teachers 2,478, scholars 17,892. The number of for some reason or other, wag far less than last year, but the number of teachers ; 153 larger, and the increase of scholars 570. But the most cheering aspect of the report was the fact, that within the last year 1000 had been ad ded to the from the schools of this county. This is in part the fruit of the great revival enjoyed in this city and vicinity.! One ; school —that of the Central Church in this city—reported over one hundred as having been received from the Sabbath School into the‘fel lowship of the church on one occasion. The same school has sent None hundred and thirty sol diers into the army of the government since the war commenced. The officers of the Monroe Count? Teachers’ Association, elected for the ensuing year, are as folhws: ■ President—D. R. Barton, Rochester. Vibe Presidents—R. W. Wilson, Henrietta; S. D. Porter, Rochester; Hiram Doty, Greece. Corresponding Secretary—Lewis Chapin, Ro chester... f; Executive Committee.—Harvey Stone. Hen rietta; Horace Ross, Penfield; S. A. Illis, Ro chester; John Withe, Wheatland; Charles Keeler, Ogden. : Town Secretaries.—Charles C. Holton, Brigh ton; Warren D. Pardee, Chili; Edward Wad hams, Clarkson; D. D. Simmons,Gates; William Bullard, Greece ; Geo. H. Lee, Hamlin ; Ash man Beebe, Henrietta ; G. G. McKinster, Iron dequoit; George' Ewer, .Mendou; Milton Brig ham, Ogden; Rev. Geo. Freeman, Parma ;• Win: M. Newman, Periuton; Orestes' Case, Penfield; Joseph Tice, Pittsford ; Isaac Bower, Riga; O. C. Dyer, Rush; G. T. Fry, Sweden; J. W. Evey, Webster; Horace Russell; Wheatland:; Recording Secretary and Treasurer—Sulomon G. Philips, Rochester. OUR STREET rATI/WAY. This is now, at least on one of its routes, in full tide of successful ' operation. The ears are running, every half hour; to Mt. Hope on the South, and Harifrid’s Landing on the North ; a great convenience to those who live in those di rections. This is, as yet, also a new thing in our place, and excites great interest—all must tryit; and the cars go loaded to their utmost ca pacity, almost every hour of the day and evening And, really, it is a pleasant sight. It makes! our streets look almost like New York or Philadel uhia; and as we sit in our quiet little office, writing our weekly letter, and hear every few moments the jingle of the bell uppu ,the horses, we cab very easily fancy ourselves transported again to the great city. Already this is one of the great conveniences of our time, and must. materially enhance the value of property, and the desire ableness of our city as a place of residence. ■ But the resemblance to the great cities is more perfect than we could wish, and tries and morti fies us not a little. To our surprise and sorrow these ears know no Sabbath. Although some at least of the stockholders are known to be reli gious men, and all ought to know enough: to have some respeet for, the feelings of the better portion of our communn'ity, yet these ears are running on the Sabbath as upon other days—only a little more thronged, we are told, and with more noise and confusion. This agreat grief to a very large portion of the community. Their best wishes cannot attend an enterprise so conducted. Al ready a petition, is in circulation for signatures, to see what entreaty can do toward abating the nuisance. ~.... Your correspondent wgs much interested in •wHat was said'ic your columns ot the late Chap lain Wyatt, and much saddened by the tidings of bi@ death. We met only onee,. but that was in circumstances to be remembered. Soon after the sad repulse of our troops Upon James’ Island, near Charleston, in the summer of 1562, in which his regiment bore so gallant and conspicuous a part, the chaplain came North—in attendance, we think—upon some of the sick and wonnded. It was upon David’s Island, near New York, among sick and wounded soldiers, that we met Mr: Wyatt, looking after some of ' bis disabled men. i He was quiet, simple, and earnest in his appearance. . The conversation turned upon the religious wants and prospects of the soldiers; and it was' then he told us the following incident, for which more particularly we called up his name: He held a prayer meeting with his men on the night previous to that fatal assault, a goodly number of soldiers being in attendance; and his heart was moved to speak very tenderly to them, because he knew, that many of them would not see the setting of to-morrow’s sun. He told them plainly it might be their last opportunity —must be with many—and begged them then to receives Christ. He said that afterward, in picking up the wounded and visiting them in their hospitals, he. found some “three or four” who thought they became Christians that night, in that prayer meeting. They could not resist the solemnity of the circumstances and of his earnest entreaty. But he is gone; and Benton and Bun move and. Averill and others with; him —and so. the minis try ha 3 been trying to bear its part in this fear ful struggle of our country to crush this wicked rebellion. , Genesee. DISMISSION OF DR JENKINS. The third Presbytery of Philadelphia, at a pro re mala meeting held at the Presbyterian .House, Monday, August 24ih, aoceded to the request of the Rev. John Jenkins, D. D., for a dissolution of the pastoral relation which has existed between himself and the Calvaxy“‘Chureh for nearly ten years, and dismissed him to the Presbytery of London, England. The’following minute was adopted by Presby- tery: “ Presbytery, in dissolving the pastoral relation which for nearly ten years has existed between Rev. Dr. Jenkins and the Calvary Church, and in granting him a dismission to the Presbytery of London, desire unanimously to record their high estimate of, his Christian and ministerial character, and to bear their testimony to the zeal and faithfulness with which lie has discharged the duties of his office. “ By his constant attendance upon the sessions of Presbytery, by his judicious counsels and ear nest Christian labors, Dr. Jenkins has rendered himself one of its most useful and valued mem bers. ,l By his hearty co-operation in every movement for the extension of the church and the advance ment of religion, he has proved himself a true yoke-fellow in the Gospel. By his truly frater nal spirit, his kindness and his warm piety, he has won the affection as well as the esteem of his brethren in the ministry. By his earnestness and success as a pastor, and his wisdom as a mem ber of our Church Committees* he has advanced' th£ interests of our body and of the truth. “ Commending him to the affectionate regards of those with whom he may hereafter, in the providence of God, he called to labor, we tender, in parting, to our brother these expressions of our esteem and loveTV BETTER prom CHAPLAIN STEWART. White Sulphur Springs, Va., Aug. 19th, 1863, Dear Editor :—Since my last our camp has again been changed a few miles to the south west, and at present is in the immediate vicinity of this old, fashionable, and justly celebrated summer retreat and watering place —The White Sulphur Springs., Here, in years gone by, and up to the breaking out of the present rebellion, assembled annqajly, on the arrival of hot weather, the chivalry, the nobility, and the literati of the South, commingled with our: occa sional copperhead from the North, in, order not only to drink of these waters, but to concoct, arrange and consolidate schemes of treason— here to decide upon and mature plans for ope rating in the next Congress for eajoling, brow beating, leading, driving, or bullying Northern ’ Representatives into their nefarious measures. These Springs are in Fauquier County, several miles south-west from Warrenton and near the main road from that place to Culpepper. In their palmy days the springs and sur roundings must have possessed many attrac tions., Presenting but few apparent natural beauties or attractiveness, yet have large expen-, ditures of money done much; as at Saratoga, which in its original condition must have been a locality devoid of all attractiveness. The spring or springs are near a marshy brook, and at the foot of a gentle declivity. -The waters seem to well up in considerable volume, though their original appearance is not now evident. Around them and sunk six or eight feet below the Surface is a walled enclosure thirty feet in diameter, the- floor of which is reached by a flight of steps. • Within this are two fountains some four feet deep, with sides and bottom from large slabs of white marble! Into these, as well as out from them, the waters flow through leaden pipes beneath the floor. This circular space is covered by a high roof suppor ted by a number of rounded brick columns. In the centre of the floor is a pedestal on which has rested a marble statuary of life size; evi dently a female in drooped costume, but pros trate how sind headless, with various other mu tilations; broken off perhaps and carried away as relics by the soldiers—barbarism, whether perpetrated by Federal or Confederates. These 'waters are so impregnated with sulphu r as to be scented at some distance, mnd the im pression given that their source be far beneath .. To non-invalids and the unpoetic, their smell and taste are anything but agreea ble. Their medicinal qualities are, however, much extolled, and may be beneficial to certain kinds of invalids. Multitudes of officers as well as privates now come daily, even from camps at a considerable distance, to drink copiously of the stinking beverage, and even carryit away in canteens. Though with conditions quite changed, yet had these springs never before Such crowds of nobility to imbibe their over flowing waters. Chivalry all gone, while thou sands of Northern mudsills jocosely quaff the luxury, afid .that too without the additional ex pense of from ten to thirty dollars per week., The ornamental grounds, comprising pfoba bly four acres, rise with a gentle elevation from the springs. Notwithstanding their two years’. desolation, these are still stately and beautiful. Many years since they have been planted by some one having sense and taste in such matters, with our common forest trees, as oak, maple, ash, walnut, cherry, beech and pine; which now entirely overshadow the wind ing walks and promenades; thus forming a truly beautiful’ and grateful; retreat from a scorching August sun, ’ ! The principal hotel, judging from its charred ruins and remaining brick walls, must have ' been a massive, elegant and commodious build-’ ing, furnishing accommodations for several hundred visitors. A year since, and during, the skirmishes pre ceding the second battle of Bull Run, this building was set on fire by the contending for-: ces and entirely consumed. ' A less ambitious, yet tiedt hotel, still remains, together with a large number, of out-buildings forming a half circle around the ornamented . grounds. All these are at present occupied as quarters, offi ces, storehouses, hospitals and barracks. The next move of our army will no doubt leave the place wholly desolate, as ho, Virginia families seem to be here. Every element of society un der the old regime in this Old Dominion ap pears to be thus undermined, and are overturn ing-by this rebellion of their own devising. “The Lord is righteous in all His ways.” Whatever be the future for this sacred soil, we may rest assured that the latter end will be better than the first The affairs of time do not now go backward as the shadow on the di al of Allan. i Ah arrival extraordinary some days since in the shape, of a box about .twenty inches square, and packed with a choice selection of- books, proved a real Godsend, and was to us a source of much rejoicing. They were books —not tracts, or pamphlets, periodicals or IMe vol umes for childrens’ reading ; but books hand somely bound, varying in value from a quarter to a dollar and a quarter. Good friends who make liberal provision for reading matter to the army, seem often to make a mistake with re spect to what is sent. This has generally been small reading matter, so much so that the same matter has onee and again been distributed to the some regiment. : Such have lost their inte rest for power and good. Here may be exeep cepted weekly religious* newspapers, (not old ! numbers,) which are always in place. It should be remembered that we have men in the army educated, reading, thinking men, many of whom have been more than two years de prived from any access to a library. Let indi vidual friends, who may read this and have a book they wpuld, wish a husband, son, brother, or friend in camp to read; yet no box in which to send—wrap the same in a strong paper, leaving one end open, direct, it as-a letter, pay ing‘the postage which will be be but a trifle, and in almost every instance it will reach the soldier safely and speedily. MILITARY execution. Although familiar with scenes of wholesale slaughter, instantaneous death, with all possi ble forms of human mutilation, jret inexpressi bly sad is it, almost even to trembling and sick ness, to Witness calm, quiet, and deliberate pre parations being made, to shoot a soldier—-the grave dug, an empty coffin carried and laid be side it, a whole' division formed in hollow squarearound these; an angle of the square opening to let in an open wagon bringing the doomed man, and os it enters the lines all the bands striking up a solemn dirge—the wagon at the grave, the condemned taken out, tied hand, and foot with eyes bandaged, and seated upon the coffin; a file of ten soldiers within a few paces with aimed rifles, at the word “fire,” riddle the body with bullets and in a moment dismiss the trembling spirit into the presence of its God. The division march past for each soldier to gaze upon the ghastly body,—when all have passed, placed in the coffin, lowered into the earth and covered up. Such is a mili tary execution; such was witnessed in the Sixth Corps on Saturday last ; crime; desertion —a, military offence so grave that unless thus sternly checked our army might soon> ( be dis banded. : A. M. Stewart. . POWER OF MITSIC, Our soldier boys in their marchings through the South often meet with interesting incidents. While the 65th Illinois (Scotch) Regiment was stationed in Eastern Kentucky lately, some of the, officers, when in a stroll from camp, en-, countered an old Scotchman who had lived in Kentucky over a quarter of a century. He soon recognized the officers as fellow-country men, and to his house, near by, they must go, to have a chat and a song. Songs of their na tive land they sung in plenty, and to the infi nite delight of the'old man, who was all aglow with the remembrance of former days; but there was a deeper fountain in his soul that had not been stirred up yet. Major Wood finally proposed, to sing a Psalm, such as they , had been used to sing in the “solemn holy days ” long since. I believe ,he selected the psalm commencing with, “Like as the Hart for water brooks, In thirst doth pant and bray,’’ aid sung it to the good old tune of St.' Paul’s. The Major could do it full justice, as he is an excellent singer of sacred imusic, and for many years led the congregational singing in our church here; All were earnestly engaged in the solemn exercise, and none more so than the old man ; but ere one stanza was sung his voice faltered, and soon the tears were streaming down his rugged countenance. “Man,” said he, “I hae nae heard the Eke o’that these lang thirty years.” ' • What a power there is in music when wedded to words of Holy Scripture I Who knows but by singing that Psalm the Major may have done more for him than by preaching an elo quent sermon? - •- ; . : Parentsf teach your children to Sing; espe cially make : them sing at ; family devotion. You will thus store their minds full of God’s truth, and in after years, if all else fails, it may ' prove to be the good seed that will spring up into eternal life. W. J . H . Chicago, 1863. NEED OE RELIGION IN POLITICS. LETTER PROM TION.' JOHN COVODE. By the courtesy of Rev. Wm. H. Paddock, Chaplain 11. S. A , we are permitted' to pub lish the following-letter from a.statesman well known -for his fearless and successful efforts to unmask corruption in high places, and whose opinion on such a subject may be regarded as excellent authority: Rev. Wm. H: Paddock. — Bear am in receipt of your esteemed favor of the Ist inst., and the assurance it conveys that the ref ligious element of the country should and Would be brought to bear in State and National affairs with a view 1 , to the checking of political corrup tion, by infusing' a wholesome sentiment' and' correct appreciation of public' duties among the people, gives me much satisfaction. : I have been long enough in public life to see the necessity of some power more potent than the press td prevent the influences which cor rupt legislation, and undermine the honesty and integrity of public inen. The best of men, elevated to position and power/find that they are but a light-house in a political sea,' a finger-board upon a highway, subject to be buffetted by the angry surges of the one, or turned to suit the wishes or eaprices of political friends. These men should be made to feel that some other power beside a political one not only sustained them, but would hold accountable for their public acts; and here it is that the pulpit; can, and, I trust, will, as you suggest, i£ power felt. Its task should be not only to inculcate the duties and obligations of men to their God; but the duties and obligations of men to their country and to posterity; that, as they should serve the one with humility, truth and sincerity/they should also serve the other with honesty and in good faith. -r ‘ You are in .error in saying that you believed* I was brought up'in the Presbyterian Church. I bad my early training and was baptized in the Episcopal Church; my father belonging, to it, and his house being the preaching place for a long time in this (Ligenier) valley; my mother belonged to tjje Friends or Quakers, and there being but Few bf either persuasion in this eoun ty, both of them united with' the Methodists together with myself, brother land, sisters. It is Mrs. Covode that belongs, to the Presbyte rian Church. Truly yours, Erratum. I n the article, on the first page of last week s issue, called “ The Race Theory,” the settlers of Virginia are said to Live “brought w.ves from England;” it should havdbeen bought them. ..... * . Lockport Station, 1863, John Covode. Hospital Transports, A Memoir of the Embarka tion of the Sick and Wounded from the Peninsula of Virginia in the Summer of 1862. Compiled and published at the request of the Sanitary Com « "mission; BostonrTicknor & Fields. 16mo, pp 267. ~ "/ This elegantly executed volume gives us a view, from the notes of the Sanitary Commis sion’s agents Written upon the spot, of the great service rendered by this agency to the multi tudes of sick anS-wounded in our army on the Peninsula. That disastrous campaign caused an immense amount of suffering among the sol diers. The prepiarations of the government for the emergencies which arose were were wholly inadequate, and the thoroughly organized, prompt and devoted attentions Of the Sanitary Commission saved thousands of lives besides mitigating,a vast amount of suffering. The volume is limited to the services rendered by the agents of the Commission on Transports, and opens a novel chapter in the history of suffering endured by our brave soldiers, and of the means used to relieve it. One or two pas sages seem to contain a fling at religious mat ters : pp. 19, 24. Philadelphia: J. B. Lippin cott & Co. Government and Administration, A Sermon preached on the Sabbath succeeding the Secession Riots in New York City, July 19th, 1863. By William Aikman, Pastor of Hanover St Church, Wilmington, Delaware. . The doctrines of this 'sermon, set forth with great perspicuity and force of Seriptual argu ment, are precisely thosemdopted by our As sembly in .this City last May. We are glad to see these not only ably expounded, but received with such cordiality by the people of Hanover Street Church. • ; - Austin JBuliott. By Henry Kingsley, au thor of “Ravenshoe.” Boston; Tieknor & Fields, (Republication.) 12mo, pp. 352. Phi ladelphia : J. B. Lippincott & Co. The Edinburgh Review for July contains: Napier’s Memoirs of Claverhouse; Druids and Bards; Modern Styles of Architecture; Louis Blanc’s French Revolution; Sir George C. Lewis on Forms of Government; The Navies of France and England; Sources of the Nile; The Scots in France: the French in Scotland; Lyell on the Antiquity of Man. L. Scott & Go., 38 Wajker St,, New York. W. B. Zieber, 104 South Third St., Philadelphia. ? Littell’s Living Age, No. 1003 for August 22d, contains: The Art of Travel in Europe; Our Female Sensation Novelists; The Sources of the Nile,; TFnited We Stand, Poetry; A Me morial ; All Three; Literary Piracy. Littell, Son & Co., Boston. Sent postage prepaid for $6. per annum, in advance. The- Continental Monthly for September contains: Southern Hate of New England; Waiting for News, Poetry; Early History of Printing nnd the Newspaper Press in Boston and New York; Reconnoisance near Fort Mor gan; Diary of Francis Krasinska; The Isle of Springs; The Great Riot; Japanese Foreign Relations; Was he Successful ? By Kimball. &e. Charles Godfrey Leland and Edmund Kirke have withdrawn from the editorial man agement,of the Continental. New York: John F. Trow ■ The Prophetic Times. Double number for July and'August Philadelphia: W. Z. Har bert, 112 North Tenth Street "Iliwg #f wtr itawhes. Presbyterian. , Home Missions. —-The North Church, Buffalo, Rev; .Henry Smith, D. D. pastor, contributed $lOOO to this cause recently against $471 last year. “A. M. S.” in the Evangelist says ; “ Upon . God’s altar was laid this freewill offering; the gift seemed most cheerful. It is due, that people to say that not a single person was urged to give. In canvassing the.congrega tion, some of the elders assisted; 1 one brother gave his time for three 'successive dags. We shall not forget those days of cheerful toil and Christian intercourse. Dr. Smith was most de.ep}y interested in securing results. He occu pied his own pulpit on Sabbath evening, and gave his people a sermon oh Home Missions that will not be forgotten by those who heard it.” ; Blackburn Theological Seminary.- —The an nual examination of, the school, at Carlinsville, 111., and the meeting of the Trustees (as we learn fmm The Reporter,} took place July 7th. The school has been, during the last year, under the change of R. B. Minton, A. M. The num ber of youth in attendance has been much larger than ever before. The Board of Trustees had barely a quorum in attendance. The President of,the Board, Major-General John M. Palmer, is discharging his military dbties with the army of the Cumberland; Rev. Edward McMillan is also with his regiment, acting as army chaplain. The report of the Secretary shows the sale of some 400 acres of land within the year, at an average of about $lO per acre. The report of the Treasurer shows receipts from land sales, principal and interest, to the amount of nearly §7,500. The expenditures were less than $1,400. Robert' B. Minton continues as Principal of the Academic Department. Rev. J. C. Downer is continued as Secretary and Agent. Churches in, the Lake Superior Region. A correspondent of the Cincinnati Herald speaks of two of our churches in these remote but impor tant portions of our country: “At the Sault Ste. Marie, there is ‘a little Church organization connected with the (N. S.) Presbyterian Church. 1 ' If want to call the atten tion of the Seaman’s Society to this point, as one which they ought to occupy. All the boats which navigate Lake Superior must spend some hours in getting through the canal. A, faithful energetic man could visit every vessel, and sup ply all the. sailors and boatmen with religious reading, ;He ;might also preach for the little Church here. ‘‘ Lt ,Marquette, we find Brm Stevens, of our branch of the Church, with a little band of twenty-five members, who are to be estimated in importance, not by their numbers, but by their zeal and devotion, and sacrifices, for Christ. They have built a comfortable little church, and have paid for it. They have always paid their minister’s salary without any aid from the Home Mission Committee, and are working and pray ing with much success in the good cause.” New Church Edifice.— On Sabbath Aug. 2d, a new church was dedicated at Huntington, Ind. It was built of brick and'is forty by sixty filet. Cost 'sBooo. The amount due at the time, $460, was raised and even executed and the house was declared free from debt before the benediction was prononheed. Eeo. Geo. W. Warner the devoted Home Mis sionary of Colorado writes a very interesting let- AUG. 2?
Significant historical Pennsylvania newspapers