186
—and—
GENESEE EVANGELIST.
PHILADELPHIA, NOV. 10, 1863
JOHN W. HEARS,
gggp Home Missionaries and Theological
Students receive our paper for $1 per annum ;
other clergymen at $1,60 in advance. By car
tiers, 60 cents additional.
THE DEFAMERS OF HU MAH DIGNITY,
It is an old, stereotyped charge against the
doctrines of evangelical Christianity, that they
degrade humanity, and are inconsistent with
tho self-respect which men should cherish.
The opposers of religion took the dignity of
man into their especial charge, and, by playing
upon that most susceptible attribute in man’s
character - pride - succeeded in spreading a
powerful prejudice against the truth through
tho community. No greater cross exists to the
natural mind than the doctrine of the necessity
of regeneration to salvation. But all this is
shearijgggjttdiee. The doctrines taught in the
spiritual origin, sad fall, capa
city fo|||P»ration, .redemption, and free op
portunity to return to God by the aid of the
Holy Spirit, are not only, accordant with the
facts, biit are truly subservient to the real ele
vation of man, and stand as a firm defence
against the degrading tendencies qf merely hu
man speculations.
This was never more apparent! than now.
The tendencies of natural science, as at present
cultivated, are most manifestly to degrade and
materialize our race, to rob it of its dignity, to
cover its origin with shame, to give unworthy
and inadequate motives to its historic move
ments, and to shroud its destiny iu inglorious
obscurity or blank nothingness.
Ist, The doctrine of a diversity of origin is
dishonorable to man. Instead of the noble
conception of the race as a vast, majestic unit,
with a clearly ascertained: and worthy origin,
combining manifold diversities in a higher unity,
and led to one worthy and glorious end, we
have a theory of many separate and obscure
centres, each giving rise, somewhere and some
how, to independent races; some of which are
so devoid of the elements of progress that they"
are set down as hopelessly degraded, and lit,
like beasts, to bo merely chattels of the more
favored races.
2d. Modern science degrades man by tracing
his origin to the lower orders of the creation.
Infinite pains are taken, vast realms of nature
are investigated with laborious accuracy, sister
sciences are brought under contribution to esta
blish the fact of man’s derivation from families
of the mammalia, and those actually least in
esteem among them. Men seem half-crazed
with zeal to prove themselves lineal descend
ants of apes; and, going still further back, they
would derive all animated existence, step by
step, from sources lower in order than tadpoles,
from mere animated particles of matter. Even
tho Greeks and Romans would would have
scorned such accounts qf the origin of tne race
which they ascribed to God. Every school
boy remembers the beautiful passage in Ovid,
in which occurs the fine line, showing the dis
tinction between man and the beast:
OS homini sublime dedit, coelumque tueri.
(He gave man a sublime-countenance, with power
to gaze heavenwards.)
And Paul quotes from the Greek poet Ara
tus, a sentiment far in advance of the filthy
dreamers of the nineteenth century, claiming
for man a filial'relationship with God: “For
we are also his offspring.?’ Cbristfanity justi
fies and elevates these conceptions of the high
origin and relationship of man, nnd comes to
befriend and rescue man’s dignity, thus merci
lessly assailed by the noisy pretenders to all
the philosophy, science, and worth to be found
on this round globe. The opposevs of Chris
tianity are now dragging; man through the
mire of countless geological transformations,
and making him a descendent of chattering
apes, and of all the misshapen monsters of pri
meval ugliness. What an origin 1 What a
gulf for high-sounding philosophy to fiud her
self in 1 Poor, blind leader of the blind, sbe is
sure to come to it if she refuses the guidance of
faith. -
3d, Modern science degrades man -in the
scheme of history which it-presents. It robs
history of all high meaning and.purpose. Dr.
Draper’s ambitions, but very unsuccessiulwork,
On the Intellectml Development of Europe, re
veals to us the tendency of this school of pseu
do philosophers. We are grateful to the edi
tor of the American Presbyterian and Theolo
cal Review for so thoroughly showing up the
fallaciousness and grossnesS 1 of the views of
this book, in the last number of the Quarterly,
Dr. Draper’s theory Is, that all history Is but a
great physiological fact; that the race, past,
present, and future, is to be regarded as one
great animal; bis book is an effort to write
history “in accordance with physiological prin
ciples.’? Whatever he may mean by this, it is
clear that his theory shuts out spiritual and su
pernatural facts, and principles, and aims from
the history of the race. So does Buckle’s; so
' does Comte’s. Man is, to all intents and pur
poses, secularized; his highest aim is to be a
natural philosopher, if he can be such without
a soul and without a God. But Christianity
teaches us to include in history “the develop
ment of man’s whole nature, under a divhie
guidance, towards the highest moral and spi
ritual ends.”
4th. We neen scarcely add that the tend
ency of modern science is ta ignore the immor
tality of the soul, the resurrection of the body,
and the whole idea of a future life. A great
gulf yawns before the perverse followers of this
modern science who will not be restrained by
faith. It is materialism. Man, mind and
body, is bift matter. Death is the end of him.
This is th 6 practical conclusion of positivism,
Darwin ianism, and of the various recent theories
which are in antagonism to the inspired ac
counts of map’s origin, nature, and destiny. In
Christianity alone does the precious doctrine
of man’s spiritual and immortal nature take re
fuge, and the great defender of man against
those who would rob him of his attributes of
superiority over is that orthodoxy
that once was decried a 3 so humbling to the
true dignity of humanity.
Let it be known, then, who are the enemies
of human dignity. Let it be known that he
who accepts and promulgates the evangelical
system of truth, and maintains man’s moral,
accountable, and immortal nature, given in
creation, lost in the fall, and restored in the
Gospel, is the only staunch and effectual friend
of man’s claims to a place in nature but little
lower than tho.angels.
Editor.
HAMILTON COLLEGE i-THE PROPOSED
This flourishing institution, already a credit
to the denomination to which it belongs, is in
every way seeking and gaining enlargement.
The aim of those who have it in charge i%.to
make it a first class educational institution,
clear of sectarianism, yet one where a ministry
suited to the wants of the Presbyterian church
may be trained, and where the sons of Presby
terian families may enjoy the highest opportu
nities for culture, coupled with the most conge
nial moral and spiritual influences. The libe
rality of leading men in the denomination, ! ih
this part of the country, Las already been ap
pealed to with success on its behalf, and the en
ergetic labors in this'department of Rev. Dr.
Goertncr, College Pastor and Profcssorof Rhe- <
tone, are meeting with most'encouTagingE.re-
sponses. •>, , -
It was a happy thought in the work of en
dowment to-conncct two leading names in. the
church, who were also graduates of the College,
with the professorships which it is proposed to
found. Already.the endowment .of the “Rob
inson Professorship” is complete ; and the late
most accomplished, but most retiring Christian
scholar of that name, has a fitting ‘memorial of
his great services to the cause of Biblical learn
ing on the rolls of the very institution which'
under God trained him for the work. “Scarcely”,
says a contemporary-referring to this tribute,
" is he cold in death before the Christian sym
pathies of a great commercial city heartily uni
ted in a memorial of gratitude for his preemi
nent services.” We honor our New York
brethren for their promptness, liberality’and
good judgment in this work.
And now that the church in Philadelphia is
called upon to parallel this noble act, and to
place the name- of her Barnes where New *
York has placed that of Robinson, we are quite
sure the response will not be wanting. The '
name is equally worthy—what Robinson, has
been to Biblical students and scientific men,
Barnes, in his familiar commentaries, is to the
million of Christian readers. Chinese converts
may now read him in their own tongue. To
these labors of Mr. Barnes, are to be added’ the
honored ministrations of a pulpit where candor,
perspicuity, sound sense, wholesome doctrine,
happiness of illustration, depth of analysis, rich- ;
ness and breadth of thought have ever shone
with a quiet and steady lustre, never bewilder
ing, rarely startling, but holding, with a deep
sense of'constant profit and advancement in
evangelical learning, the grateful hearers. r It :
is Philadelphia that has enjoyed this gift in the
ministry, and it was Hamilton College that
aided to form and discipline the habits of think
ing out of which it-rose. Ib is to a revival-in
Hamilton College, instrumentally, that tho de
cisive development of the spiritual character of
Mr. Barnes is due. Wbat leqp can Philadel
phia do for Hamilton and for Mr. Barnes, as ■
an act of graleful recognition, than to place the
name of the one perpetually and honorably
upon the records of the other ?, What more;
unless in giving the $20,000 required, the peo
ple breathe an earnest prayer that, at least with
each, generation, a new Barnes-and a new Ro
binson may be formed within the walls of Ha
milton, for our branch of the Presbyterian
Church.
THE DEAD SOLDIER IDENTIFIED,
The 'intimation' in our last week’s issue' in'
regard to the identification through the'Ameri
can Presbyterian, of the soldier found dead on
the Gettysburg field, with the ambrotype of the
three children in his hands, has been fully con
firmed. The facts of the case are these. A
Miss Shriyer, daughter of the Postmaster at
Gettysburg, came upon the dead soldier soon
after the battle, lying with his hands folded on
his breast, and the ambrotype* just fallen from
his grasp. He had thrown away most of his
accoutrements and could in no way he identi
fied; She took the picture to her father. Dr.
J. F. Bourns of this city, who had been acting
as a volunteer surgeon, became acquainted with
Postmaster Shriver, and thus obtained posses
sion of the relic. With praiseworthy energy
he has, persevered in his-efforts, to discover
some clue to the fallen soldier, who had thus
passed away ini tender contemplation of the
image of his dear children. Meanwhile, he in
duced fhe friends in Gettysburg tojuart Jthe
grave in some; permanent manner. His care
has been amply rewarded.
One of the copies of the American Presby
terian sent to Portvilie, Cattaraugus Co./near
Olean, N. Y., containing Dr. Bourns’ notice,
reached the eye of a soldier’s wife in that place,
wh’o had sent to her husband just such a pic
ture as described; nothing jhad been heard of
the husband since Gettysburg. Correspon
dence was opened with Dr. Bourns; a photo
graph copy of the picture was: sent to Portvilie
by express, and an answer was in due season
returned; it was the identical picture!, The
dread certainly of widowhood and orphanage
Dashed upon the group with this discovery;
yet the severity of the blow was tempered by
the dying affection of the father, by the tender
romance of mystery which enveloped the facts
and by the wide-spread interest the case had
awakened in patriotic minds. The name of
the soldier was A. Humerton. His regimental
position we have not yet learned.
Dr. Bourns proposes to visit Portvilie and
return the ambrotype with his own hands.
He 'is promised an enthusiastic reception by
the people who take a lively interest in the
family. It is hoped that a sufficient sum of.
money will be raised by the sale of the photo
graph or otherwise to give each of the children
a good education. Indeed, the idea has sug
gested itself to some large minds among us,
that the interest .occasioned by this beautiful
event might be turned’ to the account of sol
diers’ orphans generally; and that an effort
might at this time be successfully made to
found and endow in this city a Soldiers’Or
phans’ Asylum on a large scale. We trust
s uch may be the result.
In our next: Notes of a Visit to Washing
toil ; Expository Preaching ; Book Notices, &e.
PROFESSORSHIP.
§tmeri«u §[wsfrgt«i*# and sms*e ftvxngjtlMt
REV, JOHN HUSSY.
This brother, pastor of the Church in Lock
land, 0., belonging to the Presbytery of Hamil
ton, having volunteered as an agent of the
Christian Commission, and being engaged in
kindly labors for the sick in a hospital-at- Craw
ford Springs Ga., was captured after, the-battle
of Cliieamauga, by the rebel-mounted infantry.
The following facts are narrated by a chaplain
captured at the same time, who has since been
released. . .
Hussey was asked if he was a chaplain, and
answered, “ Noif he belonged to the army,
and answered, “No.” Terry, the-'man who
killed Senator Broderick .of California, was
present. He lives near Chicamauga. He said
tcrHussey, “ You are-an abolition preacher then,
are you ?” Hussey answered affirmatively.
Terry then said, “If I had my way with you,
I would take you out and hang you -to-the-first
limb.’’ These surgeons say that when- Hussey
informed his captors that he belonged to.the U.
S. Christian Commission, and they asked if he
had papers to show that fact, he in his confusion
answered, “No,” when, at the same time, his
satchel containing his commission, was not fifty
rods distant from'him.
Some friends of Hussey took his commission
from his satchel, after the capture} and carried it
to Capt. McKinstry, who is Gen. Bragg’s Pro l
vost-Marshal, hoping that he might be held as a
ratharLjAhan. a prisoner of War.
J)lr. McKinstry examined the- comrnissioß'Tnnl
said ■ it-was. a commission 'nominally, but not
technically,-or-words to that effect, , -
■ f We fear it will go hard with our rather' in-‘
cautious brother., His-situation and that of’our
starving soldiers in the prisons of the starving
South, demands our prayers'. , The iollowing
dispatch to'the associate press reveals the horri
ble fact: -
The flag of truce boat which arrived at Anna
polis on Thursday Oct. 29th, brought 181--j>a
roled prisoners from Richmond.. On the voyage
eight of the menj died of starvation^—the whole,
number having been kept without shelter of any,
kind for a, long time, and having had little or,
nothing to eat. The .surgeons say that- about
one-third of the--whole number will die of, ex
haustion. They arc described by an eye wit
ness aslaeing only so many living skeletons.
[Mr. Hussey has since been released.]
THE TEMPERANCE QUESTION -IN THE
' SYNOD OF NEW YORK AND NEW
JERSEY,
There arc signs that, the Temperance question
is about to assume some of its former prominence
in the religious community. Special attention
was called to the progress o£:Tntemperancc in the
narrative of the General Assembly, which met in
this city last May. And the question was called
up and’ mad C-the subject of an animated discus
sion.-at the last meeting of the largest Synod in
connection with the Assembly. The discussion
was -interrupted by recess and resumed in the
evening, the hour of eleven being reached before
a vote was: taken. Dr. Crosby led off against
total'abstinence, and-Dr. W-ilson in its-favor.
The result was the adoption of a paper presented
by Dr. ''ft’ilson, stating the fact of tho alarming
increase of intemperance, and reiterating the
testimony of the highest judicatory of the church
in favor of the total abstinence principle. This
was adopted with- 6 votes in the- negative. .We
copy the remarks of T. L. C. in the Evangelist:
We arc not among those who hold that total
abstinence from all. alcoholic liquors is directly
commanded in the Scriptures, or that a temper--
ance pledge he made a “ term of Church com
munion.” Our creed and that of most sound
temperance advocates is a very simple one, Self
restraint for our own so Ices, and self-denial for the
sake of others. ■. The Bible warrant for this creed
of sobriety and philanthropy too, we find in that
noble.,Heaven-inspired utterance of Paul, “ It is
good not to drink wine whereby tby brother stum
bleth, or is offended, or is made weak.” Here
is. a high and sacred expediency that is firm
enough to base a Christian usage upon; nor need
teetotalism seek a stronger basis.
Of course the oft hammered case of the, mar
riage at Cana of Galilee came, in for a fresh
instalment of blows. It will be a controverted
topic, I doubt not, till the millennium. In that
day of universal light I firmly believe that no
man will insist that our blessed Lord created an
intoxicating alcoholic drink to.madden the brain
or arouse the sensual appetites of those who were
gathered with I-lim at a sacred festivity. It
was no “mixed wine”, but kindred to the pure
unfermented juice of the grape; “against such
there is no law” in any sensible teetotaller’s con
science. -Our sound American commentator,
Dr. Owen, says that “ the wine of Palestine .was
so free from the aleholic element that it pro
duced intoxication only through fermentation or
by being drugged. No plea whatever can justly
be drawn-from it for the use of such adulterated
and poisonous wines as are generally imported
and vended in this country.” He might have
almost said universally, for the alcliolic drinks of
America are thoroughly permeated with poison.
“ Whosoever is deceive?! thereby is not wise.”
But a hurried letter is no place for cxegetical
discussion. There will be enough of that else
where; for we venture to predict, that the spiri-;
ted skirmish in our Synod is one of the Lexiiuj-,
tons that betokens an approaching and salutary
agitation in regard to a growing and enormous
'woe in our nation. By the way, during the pre
sent month a great “Continental Temperance
Congress” has been held at Hanover; it was at
tended by many leading scholars and .philanthro
pists,- by such men a$ Professor Stolz of Baden,
Baron Yon Geld, Lord De Borries the “Minister
of the Interior,” by his Majesty’s Ministers of
State,.and other celebrities. The King of Han
over invited tho Congress to the Palace, and
showed them marked respect. A resolution in
favor of total abstinence from all intoxicating
drinks was advocated by the “Minister of Jus
tice,” and was adopted. The proceedipgs and
“ deliverances” of such a body of man must com
mend much attention throughout Europe.
STATE OP THE EDUCATION CAUSE.
The General Assembly's Permanent Commit
tee. on Education, .have determined to make an
.effort to pay full appropriations to students
placed under its care by Presbyteries, the
present year. The number to be assisted will
not quite rea'ch that of last year, owing to the
effect which the war has produced on our
literary institutions. The good, purpose ,of
the committee will be;attained, if the churches
bear in mind that most important recommen
dation of''the Assembly; “that'a eoiitribuUbn
for this cause shall be takeh annually in each
congregation throughout Hie entire body.” Let
such churches -as contributed last year prove
that ‘ they may be relied on as fast friends of
the cause ; and let such as have not heretofore
contributed, show their appreciation of a most
important work, and their loyalty to their
church, by at once contributing, liberally. A
constant supply of funds is needed to meet the
constant demand. Promptness both in raising
and forwarding contributions, is exceedingly
desirable! J. W. Benedict, Esq., 128 Broad
wav. New York, is the Treasurer.
■ ...... , T.. A. M.
“ Rev. Herrick Johnson’s address on the
“ Risks of Thinking,” is published.
FROM OUR ROCHESTER CORRESPONDENT,
THE SOLDIER’S BURIAL.
Our city'has recently witnessed another of
these funeral pageants, ribw so common in all
the land—the burial of a soldier. We had the
slow funeral dirge, the solemn march, the pla
toons, accompanying the bier, the crowded as
sembly, the tender, touching discourse, and-all
suitable, demonstrations of respect. -And yet
this was not a Major-G eneral, nor even a Colo
nel, nor a flaptain; but only a Lieutenant, whose
remains were thus committed to thoir last rest
ing-place.-. And there was nothing very pecu
liar in the case, to call out any peculiar expres
sion of sympathy. i
It was true, the young Lieutenant had loved
his country; he had volunteered in her defence;
he had bravely done his pari; in battle; ■ but
thousands beside have done ithe same thing.
This one had indeed manifested a noble zeal in
the hour of special need. He was sick; he
was in the hospital 'when the news that the
Army of the Potomac was rubbing northward
to repel the invasion of Pennsylvania, reached
him, and he would not stay in] the hospital any
longer, hut joined his regiment, marched and
fought with them in that awful struggle at
Gettysburg. It was too much! for his enfeebled
frame. Although unscathed*in all that leaden
storm of rebel bullets, yet the imprudent, though'
patriotic effort and excitement, sent him back
to the hospital, and finally to his grave.
But we refer to the case, not because of any
striking peculiarities, but only because it is in
teresting to notice how the people delight to
honor the patriot soldier. Not'unwept, not
“ unhonored and unsung,” cfo" bur heroes fall.
Though it be but'a youth of humble condition,
unknown to fame, yet if he has given his life
for his country in' this her Hour of need; multi
tudes shall' follow him to'hisiast resting-place
with every token-of gratitude and Tespect. So
do we love our'country—so do' we honor those
who give their all for her salvation. - Is there
not hope still for such a people?
OUR SCARE.
Hemote as we are, and expected always to
be from the seat of war, we Jjave almost been
led to-think this week that it might after all
come, even to our doors. our city
was' full of rumors and excjjjjjnent; all the more
absurd and ridiculous at times, from the fact
that ive avc not so much accustomed to such
things as they are in Washington. If one had
believed half the stories flying on the street, he
might ,have been pardoned, by all prudent
people if he had suddenly packed up all his
mpvedhles and started for Philadelphia, or some
other, convenient place of safety. We had a
realizing sense, perhaps, of the feelings predo
minating in many breasts in the city of broth
erly love about the middle of June last, when
that eminent Christian gentleman, of the old
Virginia school, Mr. Kobert E. Lee, was get
ting unnecessarily near, your city gates, and
bringing more company with him than you
wished at that time to entertain. ,
But what was our scare about? Those rebel
prisoners.on Johnson’s Island, near Sandusky;
As the street story i^n,-they Jhad already es
caped ; had seized vessels; had been joined by
an unknown number of Canadian sympathizers;
had attacked Buffalo; were ready to demolish,
one by one, all other town§ or cities on or near
the Lakes. Children looked anxious’ and ask
ed their papas how soon'it was probable the
grand onslaught would reach this city. But
the evening papers, although they contained
the telegram of the Secretary of War, at Wash
ington, to our Mayor, showing that there had
been something brewing, still assured us of
comparative safety—the prisoners were still on
Johnson’s Island; the Governor was on the
alert, and prepared for all their plots—so we
concluded, to take another good night’s sleep,
and hope for a peaceful morrow.
OUR PRISONERS IN RICHMOND.
:. We take a .deep-interjisti in-ihe question,
done-for, their relief?* We feel a
burning mdignatiouatthePaibarity which they
ar.e compelled to suffer, .Some iil
many in this region, must feel a.peculiar, per
sonal, and painful interest in the subject ; J for
their own sons and brothers are there, dying of
the slow , tortures ofstarvation. To mention
no. otheiv a young major, a son of our fellow
townsman, Hon. Starr, is.an inmate,
of that , infamous dungbohj Libby Prison. «
And must these prisoners be leffcito starve'?
Is there.no relief,? v, It "would seem- as though
there should be some. . But we have nd confi
dence in sending food to them. We do not be
lieve the half of it will weaeh them.. A: very
little might-—enough to. : swear upon. And
then we shall be assured that it reaches its des
tination. And letters sfrom prisoners! (which;
mugt he ? Written,iof eouraej to please the keep
ers,. or they will; not benefit) will thankJ dear
friends for, the good things sent. But bowlwill
..they know how much.*is sent? Andlhowwill
jfriepds know what proportion • was ■ received?
Have wp forgotten PlOyd ? Have' those Con
federate thieves grown suddenly honest ? And,
even if the,half; of.alLthe stores sent sby our
Government, should be turned over at once to
their own famishing soldiers, they could still
reply, asmo w, that our soldiers-were'treated as
wpll as ,theirs. ■;< ■
~,,,No;, we firmly believe that the only way to
i relieve -our suffering,- dying mbtt is;: by! retalia-,
lion. It need not, perhaps, come: to 1 that ;r but
; if the rebel authorities were given distinctly to
understand .that,: if, our soldiers, held<;by,them,
are not; well cared for, (or re!cased, by exchange
or parole,) a like number, of their, own will be
at once on starvation diet, we.cannot ! help
thinking that the exchange of prisoners would
be speedily resumed; and thus our brave, suf
fering men would be delivered .from ;that char
nel house, and permitted to return, for a time,
at jeast, to . their kindgqd and friends. Unless
we mistake; the public feeling around, us, the
Government /are expected to deal vigorously
and promptly with this matter;, and,, with such
an excess of prisoners as we have now* in our
hands, who arc. well fed, and only- the more
earnestly plotting our ruin, if would seem as
though the.remedy was within our easy reach.
We hope it will he soon applied. , ?
GENERAL ASSOCIATION OF NEW YORK.
The Minutes of this body for the year 1868,
have just been issued from the press of Berton
& Andrews in this city. , The annual meeting
was held on the 22d of September, in Glovers-
Vilie, and seems to have been, attended,
and its exercises characterised by considerable
spirit and interest. The association embraces
the Congregational churches both of New York
and New Jersey. ! ,
The whole number of churches reported is
20?—ministers, 122—pastors, 45-—stated sup
plies, 80—members, 18,164 —contributions to
all benevolent causes, $44,932,20. The .addi
tions .from the world to these churches for the
year,;; were #2B being an average pf four to
each church. . The jninutes are well arranged
and neatly printed, creditable alike to the firm
from whose presses they issue, and to Rev. J.,
Butler, of Bergen, " Statistical and Publishing!
Secretary.” Only we should prefer to see the!
contributions to the different berievolent causes;
set down separately, so that we might know
how much each church gives to Foreign Mis-!
sions, how much to Hpme, howjnuch to Edu
cation, and the like. In this case, on the con
trary, each church reports only the gross, sum
to all causes. !
The Presbyterian churches ih the same terri
tory, (the States of New York and New Jer
sey,) number 606—ministers, 803—members,
? s,llo—added, on profession, in the year past,
2,618; being an average of 4 to each church—
contributions to benevolence, $168,253,39.
INSTALLATIONS IN THIS CITY.
Rev. E. 1). Yeomans, late of Trenton, New
Jersey,: was installed- pastor. of St. Peter’s
(Presbyterian) iChureh in this city on Monday
evening; the 9th inst. ;The sermon for the oc
casion was preached by Rev. Prof. Green, of
the Theological Seminary: at Princeton,, from
the text, .Tit fe.l; .be not afraid;” .. The.sermon
was .regarded as able and interesting. Rev.
Belville Roberts; phstor of Calvary Church in
this city, presided; and proposed the constitu
tional questions ; . Rev. Dr. 'Hall, of ithevThird
Church ; gaye th'c charge to fthc pastor; Rev.
George Patten, of Seneca, the charge to the
pe.ople. And so . this unique, semi-episcopal,
Presbyterian church (O. S.) is again supplied
with a pastor, in place of the beloved and la
mented Rev. John T. Coit, whose sudden de
cease last winter cast such a gloom,over the
church and over our entire city.
In like manner, and in due time, we'trust a
kiiid Providence Will send the right man for
the First Church, in place of the late Dr. Pease.
Plymouth Church is still looking and waiting
for the right man. None but the best are
wanted at either, of, fbese places, especially
such as are genial, catholic, co-operative and
Christian toward other pastors and fohurches;
for this’too is a city of brotherly ,loye. ~
Non. 13tfi, 1863. / ' G'Ehesee." ..
LETTER FROM CHAPLAII STEWART.
ODD BATTUE FIET.DS. ! >3
Warrentony Va., Nov. sth, 1863!
Dear Editor :—A strong, tendency of our
being is to localise. To desire’one spoi’lfor
ourselves to be more loved, more sacred thari
all others—where shall be congregated'Pur
hopes, our joys, our ‘ Sympathies ; an&; where
may be collected our means for-worldly happi
ness anlP advancement. Especially is this the
case with respect to our religious feeliitgs- ahd
desires. No marvel therefore should ignorance,
superstition or even! more intelligent religious
emotions, cause their possessor to walk softly
when approaching the place which in his imag
ination has- been made holy by some formal
consecration. Ere the idea of -an Omnipresent
became familiar to ! the human mind; both 1 Pa
triarch and believing Hebrew were wont, to
look' upon each place, where God has vouch
safed some special manifestation of His good
ness, as' possessing a peculiar, even awful
sacredness—calling it Bethel, House of God,
Gate of Heaven. Nor were such ! feelings in
the creature discouraged Ijy Him to whom all
places are alike'sacred: “Take thy shoes from
off thy feet for the place whereon thou standest
is Holy grounds l : I;;
Similar feelings at once take possession of
the thoughtful mind when 'approaching to ! aiid
traversing the place where some* great battle
has teen fought. For such visits and niental
exeThises our frequent condition during'tbe'past
season has 1 been strongly propitious. ! Nearly
three years have we been- on our attempted
journey from Washington to Riehihond,'& dis
tance which by railroad we might travel in;
almost as ; many' hours. Had Bunyan’s so
journer made no more rapid progression towards
his desired city he might perchance have been
on his pilgrimage till’now., Had that,marvel
lous dreamer in Bedford, jail accompanied us in
our ever varying efforts to reach; the Confeder
ate Capitol; allegory and similitvide might liav'c
been laid asidej ,add Hie world fumishedwitt’a
huge volume of fact stranger than fiction.;
During our numerous and varied; forwards and
backwards—advances and retreats—rights and
lefts—ups arid downs—stops and starts-—hith
'ers; and thithers, ain opportunity has Been af
forded leisurely to,visit and reyisit nearly every
important battle-field of the Potomac army. ,
Already in this war of mignifieient dimen
sions a dozen fields of slaughter have been left
:td history greater as to the number of comba
tants than Waterloo, and with even more killed
or mutilated on each of them, than upon that
far-famed field of blood. go common, so
fresh, so strangelyfruriiliar have become these
vast'localities ;of slaughter, that'for the present,
much of that wanted reverence and even profit
is '^jutting,wffle. passing, over them. , Fifty
; years hence our grandchildren will come on
pilgrimageand tread with sacred awe and
holy reverence, these places where every sod is
a soldier’s sepulchre. Such feelings are almost
unknown to him whose feet as lie traverses, is
yet defiled with gore, whose nostrils are filled
> with stench, whose eyes are averted from ghastly
corses, and in whose ears the’ tumult of battle
yet rings. V !,
Wc arc now traversing and camping upon
by far the largest battle 1 area ever measured in
the world’s history of carnage. The eastern
part of Yirgjhia, with portions of Maryland and
Pennsylvania, comprising 10,000 miles, widen
ing to. a hundred miles on, eveiy side-r-frohi the
• northwest boundary of the Sbenendoah Valley
to the James River—from the Chesapeake to
the Rapidan, has been converted during the
past, tlireo years into a; grand amphitheatre for
a tournament at anus—a magnifieient. duel, and,
as a result, has become a great charnel house;
a vast Golgotha, a wide-spread Aceldama; a
literal field of blood. Fields, forests, hills, val
leys, meadows, orchards, gardens, over all this
i wide extended region, with scarce an exempted
spot, have .already, teen occupied as a? camping
ground by either friend.or foe.
During our late strategic movements-—our
hide and go seek —our retreating and pursui
ing; the general course led us'"twice over, the
battle scenes of Bull Run. Not,JUs many evi
dences of the Serbs and; bloody struggles ivjhich
there took place, remain, as might be supposed.
A luxuriant growth of grass and weeds, with
out flock .ou-berd Jo graze, thereon, severed all*
that great battle region when traversed by us*..
The debris from the various dashings together
of hosts, scattered ,*qver a.;
wide region in the vicinity of Bull ltun, could
hot generally be discovered until; struck against
by your own, or the foot of your horse. Even
the little mounds, called graves, scattered without
order ovCr hill and dale, generally Hid from
sight by the summer vegatation now becoming
scar by autumn frbsts. So shallow had, been
dug the holes and trenches for the reception of
the slain, that when our artillery wheels cut
aefoss the soft ground, and ponderous trains of
army wagons sunk into it in their; passage,
many, of the mouldering bodies were reached,
when fragments of broken bones and rotting
flesh were dragged up after the wheels. Here
and there also, lay scattered about, the various
bones of the human body, not as seen by the
prophet at the grave’s irihuth, fof the;jr, seemed
never to have been honored with a burial.
These were picked up by our soldiers-while Von
the march and curiously examined; many in
their ignorance of anatomy wandering to what
part 5 of the body subh a one belonged. TBe
whole scene was thug, long since, graphically
described by one of the finest word; painters
who ever wielded pen. ' . >..
“ The knot grass fettered there the hand,
Whieh once'could burst ah iron'bind
Beneath the broad and tonple boneV
That buckled heart-to fear Unknown,
A feeble anda timorous guest !-■ ■
The field hare framed her lowly nest; - ■
There the slow blind worm left.his slime
On the fleet limbs that mocked at time;
And there, too lay the leader’s skull
Still wreathed with chaplet flashed and full,.
For heathbcll with her purple bloom ’
Supplied the bonnet and the’plume.” :
Ere leaving that field of deal li, and ~ while
standing on an elevation overlooking the fentire
battle ground beyond Oentreville, this requiem
froin liill and dale, seemed to well up from a
host of departed heroes, s6me of them loved
Mends ; one,. Capt. Van &order, a near relative
to whom my soul was knit like David’s to
Jonathan. ■
“They have fought thfiir last battles, they sleep, their
last sleep, :
No sound snail awake thejn to glory again.”,
~ - • -ws A.i'JVi. Stewart.
: PEokf mMP OH TpEAPPAHAKtTOCK.^
j De*b Bkotecer :4^lni, connection with the
Rev. JvW. Alvord,-Secretary of American
Tract Society, 5 I left "Washington' 1 some days
since for the Army. . We found our forces en
camped hear Warrenton, Bealton and Catlett’s
Station. ' We passed; two days most pleasantly
in - visiting various regiments, renewing ac
quaintance with officers, chaplains and sur
geons: The. tone . of. the army-,wc found to
be .most hopeful,, and; but Pew sicks except
drafted men, who had recently’entered
vice. We were happy to see that the recent
retreat had not diminished the confid&nce df
the officers and men in the commanding Gene
ral, but nearly all of them spoke of him in terms
of the; warmest praise. ; , q . ;
On Saturday morning, which rose upon lis
one of the brightestdays,warusherered in a
most novd and .wonderful scene; the breaking i
up of a thousand camps, and; the moving out
into the line: of march of eighty thousand men.
The country in' this regiofi being very open
and the fields wide, gave one an opportunity of
seeing a very grand spectacle. With drums
beating and banners waving, one regiment after s
aitother moved out into the’ plainahd fell into
line, an’d in the distance the gleaming guns 'and
the moving column told that- another corps of
the army was hastening to the scCne of conflict.
VThtil near noon of Saturday m orbing, the entire :
‘army moved together along the line of the rail
road towards the' Rappahannock. When we
reached Bealton Station, the 6th,' sth' and Ist
Corps moved to - the right, keeping the line of
the railroad to the river; and the 3d and 2d
Dorpstufned to the left and advanced to'Kelly’s
Ford. Very soon the sound of heavy cannona
ding quickened every pttlse, and with increased
swiftness the'men pressed on."' I'’ 1 '’ iAll hftembph
the cannon thundered on otfr fright, find men
wondered and enquired of each other \vhat all
this meant. 1 -M’ : ■' :
In front of lis was likewise heard very heavy
‘firing ; the men were urged to a qulofeer step
and all things began to wear the soleriii hue of
is, sanguinary contest. The Third of the
army, when they appeared on the heights above
Kelly’s Ford; caught the enemy unawares.
They were smokmg, sleeping, choking and build
ing /houses for" winter tjuarters. When oiir
'giins opened on them, ! fh'erc Was the wildest
eoMstemation and excitement/ To guard the
Ford, there was a force of onfe thousand meii,
and’ again in the hills above it rifle pits an<d
more numerous forces. After" a vigorous shell-:
ittg 1 of a few minutes,; l oAr men" threw, aeross a
pontoon bridge and tliA Berdan" Sharpshooters
flunked the enemy and parried the rifle, pits by
the bayonet. In a fcwiiiomepts the work was
'done;' mbre ijhan five hundred men had thrown;
"down their guns and three hundred and fifty
had surrendered prisoners of warl. ,/
Many bf these were most willing to lay down?
their arras; they were conscripts from North
Carolina. Nearly all were no£f only satisfied
to fall into our hands, but delighted. One took
oil his hat'when he. saw our flag, and “ thanked
God for the sight of the Stars and Stripes
again.” ,
DEATH pE CAPTAIN MAYNARD.
■ In this action, fell one of the most valuable
.men, in our, army—Captain ,Maynard, of the
,68th Pa.; but, at the time, aid ; on the staff of
the brigade /general. He was a man of the
most..sincere .piety; who, during the .more
. than two .years’service, had never brought re
proach on the name of his heavenly Master; and,
in many battles, had shown himself theibravest
of the brave. As the ; 3d Corps was marching
by Kelley’s Mill, there was, lying by the road,
a wounded confederate captain. dCaptain.May
nard alighted, from his horse to render lum as
sistance, He lifted him: up and poured some wa
ter from his canteen-uppn, his lips.: As. he was
discharging this act of mercy, he.was struck by
a stray ball ftuid mortally wounded. He.lived
a few hours, and died, leaning on the bosom of
his Saviour. . . > ..... - :
On the ma,rch of the army was td
ne wed, . .and .-we soon passed through, the en
campments of the enemy. They had made pret
parations for a long sojourn; for houses were
being: were building, anti
booths: for homes. Nothing was more unex
pected than onr descent; and the negroes of
the houses we passed gave ns the most amusing
account of the rapidity and panic of the flight.
After a march of seven hours, we united with
the other Corps, near Rappahannock Station,
«ud*skeie learned of the signal and brilliant
success of Gen. Sedgwick, on the previous day.
Yerj soon, the combined army took up again
the line of march—the 6th Corps, in battle-lino,
advancing to ourgight, and the other Corps, in
tw,o columns, along the line of the railroad.
Every moment there was the expectation of the
opening of a general engagement. There was
cbntMnal skirmishing front, and the thun
der of cannon hastened every movement. All
desired that there should be no general engage
ment on thfe but, if necessary, all were
ready. But,'.with the exception of a severe ca
valry stirifiish on Our right, the day passed
away without any serioup conflict.
We passed the night at Brandy Station, and,
on the following Eppming, the 2d and 3d Corps
marched to the : neighborhood of Culpepper.
Of the country, the inhabitants, the contrabands,
the decayed arilfocracy, more in my next letter.
J. J.
November Ilk, 1863.
HOME MISSIONS.
On applications;received from the churches
they serve, the following ministers were com
missioned by, the Presbyterian Committee of
Home missions, at their last regular meeting:
■ i-'? •. v - •; .
Rev. E. E. Gregory, Corunna, Mich.
“ Alex. Parker, North Madison, Ind.
“- Asa, Martin, Olivet, lowa.
“ Edward Cleveland, Muscatine, lowa.
“ George C.> Wood, Jacksonville, 111.
“ W. H. Adams, Brooklyn, Pa.
“ F. E. Sheldon, Troy, Kansas.
“ J. G. Hamner, Milford, Del.
“ A. G. Beepe, Manitowoc, Wis.
“ T. H. Tatlow, Newark. Mo.
“ Josiah Leonard, Fulton, Dl.
. “ E. C. Haskell, Yevay, Ind. "
“ T. A. Steele, St. Louis Crossing, Mo.
““S. Strong, Raisin, Mihßi^an.
“ Isaac Winans, Mecca, Ohio.
*• W. B. Evans, Washington, D. C.
„ LiTEß’ijsT.—“Was Hk STrcoESSi-ni?” is the
title of a new work by Richard B. Kimball, in
the press of Carleton, New York, for publication
early in December. '.The popularity of Mr.
Kimball, as an author, commenced with the
publication of “ Saint Leger,” which had an
extraordinary sale both here and abroad, being
translated into French and German, and also
printed in Tauchnltz’s Leipsic Edition, which
was alsq the case .with his “ Romance of Student
Life.” 'The sale of “ Undercurrents,” recently
published, has bCen very large, as has also, “In
the Tropics," a charming work, edited by Mr.
Kimball. Mr. Carleton will at the same time
issue an entire new and uniform edition of all of
JJr. Kimball’s works, which are of the higher
order df literature, and should be found in every
library.
* ** ..fir ■
TABOE CHUECH;
We have just been presented with a very fine
lithograph engraving of the substantial, com
modious tasteful structure in process of erec
tion for this church through the liberality of
M. W. Baldwin, Esq. Our readers will re
member that theicomer stone of this building
was laid in the , midst of the anxiety and gloom
of the. week of invasion, on the very day and
hour when the army of Gen.- Meade, unknown
stp ns, was manfully resisting the-first rebel as
saults .upon Jfche heights of Gettysburg. The
jbqildmg is now under roof, and the congrega
tion ~aret . no,w engaged in raising the sum of
|B5O, to fj pu.t’a fine bell, and clock with four
faces, in the jtower.; As it is in the midst of a
working population, this movement is a very
proper, one.. We are happy to add that the
spiritual interests of the church, in charge of
Rev. George Yan Deurs, are flourishing; thir
teen persons having been added on profession
qf faith, and three by letter, ,at the communion
last Sabbath.
Ipfttg W : «"iiSiiwfcs.
Presbyterian.
SecoAd'Chureh, Paterson, N. J— A correspon
dent says, “ it-mfiy be of interest to some of your
readers to know of the prosperity of the Second
Presbyterian Church of Paterson, N, J. We have
just paid off our debt of $1600; we are now nego
tiating, for the erection of a: new and handsome
organ for which we will paycasb, and we have
subscriptions sufficient to warrantthe expectation
of a parsonage, to be built next spring. Our con
gregation has largely increased within the year, and
twelve- have been added to. the communion of the
church. Rev; Ghas, D, Shaw, formerly of Button
woodjpireet church in this city, is pastor.”
ThevChurch of the - corner of 4th
Aveime and. :35th Street, New York, Rev. Dr.
Prentiss pastor, laidthe corner-stone of their new
edifice, Nov. ; sth. Drs. Skinner, Prentiss, Adams,
and Jacob Abbott took part in the exercises. The
church and“chapel. will be 82 by 129 feet; the
church tp accqmpdate 1000 and the chapel 300 per
sons/' The style ‘is a mixture of a Byzantine and
Bombard. The interior'of the church will be di
vided, by richly decorated cast-iron-columns i nto
three aisles, and will be the first church-edifice on
this continent iu which iron has been used for
.decorative purposes,— Emngtlist.
New Church at Darien, Conn.— The town of
Darien borders on the New York and New Haven
railroad beyond Stamford. Here the { 4th Presby
tery of New York organized a church Nov. 4th., of
thirty ipembers. Mr. James W. Coleman is the
present suppjy. A good Sabbath-school and pray*
®r-meeting are in operation, and measures will be
iiiimcdiateiy taken to erect an edifice.
..; Tfcia Chnicli, and Congregation in Placerville,
the PavM, at a vpry frdl meeting held after
the service last Sabbath, gave the Rev.
W. Wv Brier a tihanimibus cajl to become their set
tled pastor/ on {( salary of $l5O a month. It is not
>yet decided whether the call will be accepted or not.
* The. Synod ofCincinnati at its last meeting
passed the following on Some Missions: That in
view of the increased expense of living in all our
bounds, cv;ery church be earnestly recommended to
increasetbeir exertions and contributions, that the
Committee may be ; able to give more
liberal support to their missionaries. On the Pd
[foutim.GimscWhjsbeas, We rbgafa thepublica
tion cause as vital to the best interests of our
branch l of the' church. And whereas, the General
Assembly has resolved to raise the-sum of $50,000
as an endowment for the same; therefore, Bcsoh(<i.
That we earnestly m-ge upon the churches in con-
NOV. 19,