LETTER EEOM OOXYILLE.
Knoxville, Tenn., February 16.
Bro. Mears :—I closed my last -with
an appeal for fruit and vegetables —,
food for the body; I commence this
with a cry for reading matter — food
for the mind. It is sometimes more
important to give a sick or wounded
man a religious paper or book than
some delicacy. With nothing like this
to occupy the mind, the patient is left
too much to thoughts of himself—
dwells on his ills—becomes bo depressed
and despondent as to retard and often
indeed entirely prevent recovery. It
is very important “to keep up spirits.”
I have seen men for lack of cheerfulness
becoming disheartened and giving up
too soon, while men in the same ward,
tenacious of life and hopeful, though in
& much more dangerous condition from
the start, w®uld recover. Then let all
that have a will to please the soldier
and do him good, help furnish aliment
for his mind and its diversion from
himself. Said a soldier in hospital to
me the other day, “I'm glad to see
you; I got right smart of courage in
reading that little book you gave me
the other day. I’m very thankful for
it.” Yes, it does give them courage
and moral strength, cheerfulness and
patience in their hours of loneliness
and suffering. And how glad have I
found the soldiers hero to read papers 1
no matter of what date, There was a
perfect dearth here; no papers came
into tße place Only as now aTTd then
some one came through from Chatta
nooga and Nashville. Secular weeklies
and dailies 0f1857 and 1858 were hunted
Up,distributed and read with the avidity
of new papers at home, when I first
came.
There have been but comparatively
few religious papers as yet distributed
in this army; we have received but
two or three meagre consignments, and
mostly of old dates. This is, a reading
army, and what we need and must ask
for is about 10.000 copies weekly of
gOOd religious papers ;to distribute
broadcast in- this army. The soldiers
here are from all parts of the North,
New England, New York, Pennsyl
vania and the West—l presume nearly
. equally divided between the two sec
tions, East and West. Therefore
don’t fall behind the Western churches
in supplying this great and at pre
sent so needy field, with their good
papers, May your excellent paper be,
well represented in those charities of
patriotic Christians. Many, many
thanks in behalf of the grateful sol
diers receiving them, for the generous
gift of Benedict Stew art, Esq., in placing
such a goodly number of them into our
hands for distribution. May we have
many such handsome receipts to ac
knowledge. Remember that ,at Chat
tanooga and at other points in the Army
of the Cumberland, religious papers and
hooks have been supplied for months,
but here the opportunity is just open
ing to furnish these mentally' starved
soldiers. Be assured, everything sent
them is received with much gratitude,
and read with great relish. And just
here, readers, allow me to suggest, that
some one of the family at home, after
they have read their religious and se
cular paper, neatly fold both up to
gether and mailjthem to that soldier
hoy, father dr husband of yours, far
’ away, whose camp-life is dull and mo
notonous, or whose hospital hours may
he gloomy and cheerless, and yon
could give.him no greater gratification.
But you must get in the way of doing
it, not only occasionally, but set out
with the determination of attending
to this duty at a certain day, punctual
ly or it will not he regularly done.
While the too popular expression is
current, that our army is rapidly be
coming demoralized in its morals, which
admits of much question, it is certainly
true that it is a school and discipline for
the improvement of men’s minds. The
majority read and write more in one
month than they did at home in a year.
Said a man to me in our rodm, who had
just written a letter there, (which is al
most constantly crowded with soldiers
writing “to the dear ones at home”); “I
could scarcely write when I came into
the service, but writing to my wife so
often, I can write pretty well now. I
Can read writing and printing too, much
better.” This is the language and ex
perience of multitudes. There must be
as many as seventy-five letters written
per day at our office, judging by the
paper we have given.them at the coun
ter.
Ours is an intelligent ai*my. There
jure none like it in the world. They are
an army of scholars—not only soldiers
trained their whole life to walk erectly
and be thoroughly drilled into the art
of fighting; but trained to think—
brought up under the influence and dis
cipline of higher ideas and principles, to
develop by a far nobler education, into
a more glorious life of action. Many of
tbe ablest and best of all the depart
ments of learning and of all the profes
sions of life are in the army. We have
purely intelligent patriotism brought to
bear on our cause; And with a jealous
apprehension of the integrity and honor
of that cause, they have in the most
terrible conflicts evinced the sublimest
heroism, and under all their trials borne
themselves with the utmost patience.
Never have any soldiers in history been
more unmurmuring and self-sacrificing
than the present soldiers of our country.
They know and feel that there .never
was such a cause—with such mighty,
far reaching interests to the human
race, bound up in the result of our
great struggle. They regard it as de
cisive for or against the wellfare and
well-being of mankind everywhere, and
are willing to render all service and sac
rifice they can, to accomplish the peace
and freedom of our land from rebellion,
and the proclamation of the triumph of
Democratic principles throughout the
earth.
In view of all this voluntary patriotic
self-denial and sacrifice of our noble fel
low countrymen, may we not be found
wanting in doing all we can from our
peaceful, quiet and prosperous homes
where the comforts of life overflow, to
provide for the comfort of these soldiers
who are warding off poverty, war and
death from us. J. L. L.
OUR WASHINGTON LETTEE.
The Great Fair in the Rooms of the Patent
Office.
The great fair for the benefit of the
Sanitary and Christian Commissions, is
now in its full tide.
The most distinguished citizens and
congressmen, are deeply interested in
its success, The. receipts are large—
said to be many thousands a night. All
measures, even those most questionable,
are taken to secure money. Every arti
cle offered for sale is raffled off. And in
this way articles of- small value obtain
fabulous prices; a cake worth two dol
lars is disposed of in twenty shares at fif
ty cents a share.. A pipture, which
bought in Borne for ten dollars, or: New
York for twenty, is raffled for three
hundred. A set of china worth Sixty
dollars is disposed of in the same man
ner, for two hundred and fifty. Every
thing that smiles/ flattery and wheed
ling can do to wring from one his mdney
is done.
And yet they call this charity ? Hav e
we become so utterly destitute of all
pity that we have to be cheated into
-benevolence?. _ j .
This system for obtaining money has
in it all the worst features of gambling.
Thousands of dollars must pass from
the hands of the visitors for which they
receive nothing in return; and others
bear away valuable articles which have
cost them not one-fiftieth part of their
value. It iB true there is not the in
tense excitement, the passion, and frenzy
of the gambling board; but the principle
is flfie same. And the fact that the good,
the pious, the beautiful have loaned their
influence and example to such measures
for replenishing the treasures of charity,
gives aid and comfort to those who rush
into all the excesses of the worst gam
bling saloon. We all know, when
tempted to do wrong, how eagerly we
seize every argument that can bind, as
with cords, the conscience, or induce it
to come over to the defence of the sin.
At such an hour, the force of the temp
tation is greatly increased by the weak
nesses and inconsistencies of those who
profess better things. There always
has been a jubilee in the haunts of
wickedness when the righteous have
fallen into sin. How can those mothers
and fathers who have countenanced and
sustained the raffling at Fairs, warn
their sons against the faro-table and
the lottery ? But all this, we are told,
is for the good of the country, and to
clothe, nourish and comfort the suffer
ing and wounded soldiers. I doubt the
healing power of a balm that flows from
such a tree. It is no charity, it is the
mockery of truth and virtue, to dignify
the lowest selfishness, by that name.
I should like to see the Christian Com
mission reject all such doubtful gains.
Let this kind of appeal be made in every
city and village in the land, and more
will be done to demoralize, to under
mine principle, to confuse the bounds of
right and wrong, than can be repaired
by a half century of faithful teaching.
Principle, like modesty, blooms but
once, and rudely tampered with will lose
all its fragrance forever.
This whole matter assumes a special
importance, at this time, in this city.
For never, in the history of any city,
was there such necessity for the virtu
ous and good being on their guard.
The haunts of dissipation have multi
plied almost by hundreds. Gambling
saloons fitted up with the greatest ele
gance, are almost as much thronged as
in San Francisco. Everything to min
ister to senualism and prodigality is
multiplied. Where every form of swin
dling and fraud finds advocates, and
the mantle of success covers as with a
garment of beauty, the most atrocious
PHILADELPHIA, THURSDAY, MARCH 10, 1864.
peculations; where all society is threat
ened with that sorest of all calamities,
being left with nothing but the shell of
virtue and religion : when the night is
dark and the storm raging, it is no time
to put out our signal lights. When the
enemy is near ns, it is no time to draw
in our guard, and order our pickets to
sleep. If there ever was a time in the
history of our country when we should
keep our garments unspotted from the
world, this is the hour we ought to rise
to the dignity of the time, aqd the sacri
fice of the citizen ought ,to equal that of
the soldier.
REPORTS OP. COMMITTEES AND DEBATES
The most remarkable thing that has
appeared this week, is report of
Senator Sumner in regard to Slavery
and the Freedmen. The report displays
the most remarkable reseacb, and is of
great value as an historic document.
The Hon. Senator takes the strongest
ground against the constitutionality of
the Fugitive Slave Act, and endeavors to
show that the words of thp Constitu
tion which demand the rendition “of
persons held to service,” cannot mean
slaves, because by all slave-laws they
are held as chattels and property, and
so declared in the laws of all the slave
States. But the most noticiable feature
of the report is that in which he reviews
the history of our legislation in re
gard to negro testimony before courts
of justioe. On this point, I subjoin an ex
tract from the Chronicle of jhiacity.
South Carolina, it appears, has never had
a law expressly excluding
yet practices exclusion, IneSpdijKline this'
review’he says: “It is difficult; to read the
provisions in a single. Stato.without impa
tience, but this recurrence of ibis injustice;
expressed with such particularity, in no less
than fifteen States, makes impatience swell
into indignation, especially when it is con
sidered that in every state this injustice is
adopted and enforced by the courts of the
United States.” In no State can a slave
testify-against a white person, except that
in Maryland he may testify against a “white,
person who iB not a Christian:?' Only (un
der certain circumstances) in Delaware and
Louisiana, can a free negro testify against a
white person.
The eccentricities of judicial decisions,
illustrating such exclusion; are cited numer
ously. ' , .
Among the consequences of exclusion are
mentioned the maltreatment or murder of
slaves, or even free negroes, with impunity;
and the perpetration of crime against white
men, in the presence of colored persons,
with the same immunity from punishment.
The report. traces this proscription. to the
barbaric ages, and makes it the offspring of
slavery, originating in ignorance and preju
dice. Among : the ancient Greeks a slave's
testimony was not ’ believed upon his oath,
but was admissable under torthre. ’ Tfie Ro
mans adopted a similar legal practice. In
England, under the common law, this pro
scription was never recognised. . ..
The grounds' for 'such
ined at length; And the report concludes as
follows: “ It- is for Congress- now to deter
mine whether the proscription shall continue
to be maintained in the courts of the United
States; or, in other words, if a local rule,
irrational, barbarous, and unjußt, shall be
allowed to exist any longer with the national
sanction.”
Accompanying the report is a letter from
Chief Justice Appleton,- of Maine, which de
clares exclusion of testimony incompatible
with uniformity in ministration of law, and
an unmistakable proof of deficient civiliza
tion; and produces arguments to show that
exclusion is not on account of falsehood of
the excluded witness, his incapacity, or
servile condition, but upon his color alone,
“ as if mendacity was the result of having a
great amount of pigment cells; and a greater
number of cutaneous glands.” J. J. M. .
Washington, March 5, 1864.
[We understand that the Christian
Commission had nothing to do with
the organization or management of the
Fair referred to in the above letter.
They have been offered part of the pro
ceeds, but we are sure they do not ap
prove of raffling or any othej question
able means of We
hope they will be in
their good work by a generous Chris
tian public without resorting to such
measures.— Ed.]
RELIGION AT HOME AND IN THE
ARMY.
In our immediate vicinity, especially
in the churches of this city • the state
of religion .cannot, to human eye, be
considered flattering. Hot one of our
churches, or of those of sister de
nominations, is known to be enjoying
a considerable ingathering from the
world. Such a fact should not be hid
den ; nor should it exert a {dishearten
ing effect upon us. It should not blind
our eyes to the many outward marks
of divine favor which we, as churches,
are enjoying; or to the fact that in
many other places, God is revealing
his converting power in a remarkable
manner. So near as Wilmington, a
great though quiet revival has already
vouchsafed to two. of oiir'churches, re
sulting in the hopefuldonversion of se
venty or eighty souls. We had the
privilege of chronicling, in our last
week’s issue, some pai-ticulairs of a pow
erful work of grace in Haverhill, Mass.,
in connection with the lal-ors of Mr.
Hammond; and our Roel|oster corre
spondent was privileged t| report se
veral blessed seasons of revival in lo
calities in Hew York State, with over
two hundred and fifty case* of hopeful
conversion: two hundred |f them be
longing to one small town alone, and
over one hundred being infeonnection
with our own churches. | Under our
IN OONGReM.).
Religious Intelligence many cheering
items of revival intelligence are col
lected from week to week.
Nevertheless, the spiritual condition
of the church generally, must be ad
mitted to he far from cheering. As a
transforming power in the immediately
surrounding community, the church is
not doing her appropriate work. Con
verting power does not attend the
preaching of the Word to any great ex
tent. The instances in which it does
so are exceptional.
Yet there is one field of effort to
wards which the sympathies, prayers,
labors and liberality of the churches
have been especially directed, where
fruit has appealed, in an encouraging
degree. The spiritual condition of the
army is, we believe, the chief burden
of the church at this time. There are
many of her members, her elders, dea
cons, and Sabbath school teachers, chil
dren, and not a small proportion of the
material for her future growth. There
are souls in great jeopardy for this
world and the next; there are instances
°f appaling destitution of religious pri
vileges. These men and their chap
lains have been made the subjects of
earnest, unceasing prayer; and the,
life of the church has flowed forth in
decided manifestations in their behalf.
The work has not been in vain. Nu
merous and precious revivals have
taken place in the tented field; In
some instances, the power of God has
been so solemnly exhibited as to fill
his people with awe., More than a
thousand conversions, with ©very sign
of genuineness, nay, with rather deeper
indications than usual of the Word of
the Spirit, are reported at a station in
the Army of the Potomac. A thousand
others are reported at various centres
of effort in the same army. A state of
feeling has been observed among the
soldiers highly favorable to such effortß.
The. soil in many places is open to the
seed, and only waits for the patient
and prayerful laborer. And he is going
forth as far as Knoxville, Huntsville,
Ala., and other remote places, rejoicing
to suffqr inconvenience and hardship in
so important a field of the Master’s ser
vice.
While, therefore, we find much to
humble us as we glance around at the
state of religion in the land, we have
abundant cause for thanksgiving also.
God has not forgotten to be gracious.
He gives us many a token for good.
We should employ them as arguments
Snore. '
MORE ACKNOWLEDGMENTS OF LIBE
RALITY TO PASTORS.
We continue to give place to such
items of intelligence with great plea
sure, and for three reasons:
1. It is due to the congregations that
some public acknowledgement of their
kind, and in many instances, noble and
generous acts should be made. To pass
them over in silence would be disheart
ening. Paul, with his consummate
knowledge if human nature, and under
the guidance of inspiration, makes am
ple acknowledgment of the gifts of the
Philippians to himself, calling them “an
odor of a sweet smell, a sacrifice well
pleasing and acceptable to God,” thus
giving them a reputation as wide and
imperishable as the Scripture itself.
2. To stir up the congregations, who
as yet have not communicated, in giving
and receiving, with their pastors. We.
have every reason to believe that pas
tors who have exerted themselves iD
circulating religious papers among their
people have speedily had their reward,
in the stimulus given to the liberality
of their people by the good example of
other congregations, recorded in our
columns, which otherwise would never
have come under the notice of their own.
3. To remind all concerned how much
can be done, with a little trouble, by a
united effort of the people, to make their
ministers comfortable, and to tide them
over this season of temporary, and, we
trust, extraordinary financial pressure.
It is a very easy, a very delightful and a
very profitable work to all parties; it is
a tolerably sure way of harmonizing
congregations and of drawing closer the
ties between pastor and people. Rural
congregations, especially, will find it
very easy to load up a “ big wagon ”
with articles of the utmost value to the
minister, and thus relieve his family of
many a season of anxiety.
4. We have no intention, however, to
soothe the consciences of those'congre
gations who, with abundant means, pay
their ministers an inadequate salary
in the best of times, and who think to
discharge their duty by a spasm of lib
erality as fleeting as the "deceitful
brooks" of Job’s neighborhood. We
hope that they are learning in these
times of large ant generous effort to
be ashamed of themselves; and that, as
a result of this Donation spirit, we shall
cease to hear complaints of large, weal
thy and intelligent congregations with
such low conceptions of the value of the
ordinances of God’s house as to throw
serious doubts upon the practical value
and the reality of their piety. We are
encouraged to believe that a higher
standard of liberality is being introduced
into our churches.
PAPEES FOE THE AEMT ACOOWL
EDGID.
Part of a recent donation for sending
onr papers to the army was applied to
the use of the Post Chaplain at Port
Delaware, Rev. B. J. Way. His letter
was published in last weeks' issue,
and we hope it will not be overlooked.
We commend this excellent chaplain’s
appeal for reading matter especially
to our numerous readers in Wilmington,
and other parts of Delaware.
Acknowledgment of a second pack
age, sent to the Army of the Cumber
land, will be found in the letter of our
Knoxville correspondent.
Another parcel is sent weekly to
Rev. John C. Smith, D. D., as chaplain
to the Judiciary Square Hospital in
Washington. Dr. Smith writes as
follows:
Washington City, Feb. 15, 1864.
Bbo. Mears, —The papers came to
hand and were placed ip the hands of
patients the same day. Many thanks
to B. D. Stewart, Esq., for the meanß,
and to you for your kind words inform
ing mu thereof.
We have ten wards, with anxious
readers. The number sent of course
will not be too many. We have nearly
3(10 men.
I congratulate you, upon the enter
prise you display in the American Pres
byterian, as well as all your readers on
the large and valuable amount of read
ing you so regularly furnish us every
week. I am your debtor in all these
things; and hope to do more, much more ,
for the paper. Fraternally,
soldiers’ papers.
Prom a lady, . . . $5.50
DEATH OF PBESIBEPT fIITOHOOOE.
Rev. Edward Hitchcock, D. D., LB.
D.j from 1845 to 1854 President of Am
herst College, and both before and after
Professor at that institution, died of
consumption at Amherst, Mass., on Sa
turday morning, at the age of 70. For
two or three years his health has been
gradually failing. Dr. Hitchcock was
born in Old Deerfield, Mass., May 24th,
1793. In 1825 he accepted the profes
sorship of natural history and chemis
try in Amherst College. From 1845 to
1854 he was ’President of the College,
and also gave instruction in natttral
theology and geology; and it was
through his exertions that a professor
ship of natural theology and geology
was permanently founded, the chair of
which he filled to the day of his death.
Dr. Hitchcock suggested and executed
the geological survey of Massachusetts,
the first scientific survey of an entire
State under the authority of the go
vernment in the world. He was the
first to scientifically examine and clas
sify the fossil footprints in the Connec
ticut Valley, and his ichnological cabi
net at Amherst contains specimens of
all those known remains. He was the
originator and the first President of the
American Scientific Association, and the
last Congress very properly named him
as one of the fifty corporators and
members of the American Academy of
Arts and Sciences.
Dr. Hitchcock will be lamented, es
pecially by all Christian Btudents of na
ture who desire to see God acknowl-.
edged in alleoientificrp'arßuits, and-whtr
believe that there is nothing in science,
properly 80-called, at variance with the
doctrine of the plenary inspiration of
the Scriptures.
The class of scientific men and the
modes of thought fostered by American
institutions of learning, have, thus far,
been, on the whole, friendly to Evange
lical Christianity. Dr. H. was promi
nent among the Christian men of sci
ence, whose names and works have been
an honor to ’America. He is named
with a Dana, a Silliman, a Henry, and
a Kirkwood. ’ His “ Religion of Geolo
gy" was a noble effort to prove, not
only the compatibility of the teachings
of science with. Revelation, but to show
what brilliant, conclusive, and instruc
tive confirmation, of the one, were to be
found in every department of the other.
An eager and inquiring mind, that
found in human knowledge but stepping
stones for a nearer approach to the Dei
ty, and that ranged boldly, so far as
mortal wing could carry him, through
'thesublimer regionsand relations of this
lower world, will enter with peculiar
joy into that nearer communion with
the Deity, which this veil of flesh denies,
and, with adoring wonder, will drink
in the new and copious libations of
knowledge opened to happy spirits in
the eternal world.
At the conclusion of one of the chap
ters in the volume already named oc
curs a passage We may appropriately
and profitably quote at this time.
Let us never forget, that in a very
short time, far shorter than we imagine
all the scenes of futurity will be to us a
thrilling reality. Fully confident am I
that the scenes which will open upon us
will surpass our livlieet conceptions The
John C. Smith.
Ott¥~~XyKuYc7i l7i nays
the New York Evangelist, will gra
tify many readers to know that this
church, which has been so long labor
ing under a heavy debt, has just been
fully relieved. So overwhelmed were
the people with the debt, which was
about $14,000 with interest, that it had
been closed for a year, and the Roman
Catholic Bishop had made efforts to
buy it. A few months ago it was
found that $4,000, if paid promptly,
would cancel the whole debt. $1,500
was accordingly raised at the West.
W- L. Lee, of the firm of Lee, Judd &
Lee, Blackhawk, Colorado Territory,
late of Rock Island, paid $1,000; $2,500
were raised in this city, of which W-
E. Dodge, Esq., gave $l,OOO. The pro
perty is valuable, though slightly out
of repair, but worth fully $15,000. The
payment of the debt has given new
courage and zeal to the congregation
The scattered members are coming to
gether, and many who had never been,
connected with them are now taking
hold of the enterprise, and it promises
to be a complete Rev. Mr.
Caldwell has been invited to »apply
the pulpit. $l,OOO has been raised for
his support, and $l,OOO or $l,-500 more
will he immediately laid out in neces
sary repairs. This is the only N. S-
Church for Rock Island and Davenport
(directly opposite Rock Island, on the
West hank of the Mississippi river;)
and with the blessing of God may ac
complish a great work.
Rev. D. E. Welles, of New Phila*
delphia and Canal Dover, Ohio, having
accepted a call to Monroeville, Ohio,
preached his farewell sermon, February
28th.
glass through which we now see dark.
will be removed, and face to face ehsVyn.
we meet eternal glories. . . Let
then, live continually under the
ence of the scenes that await us beyot J ! ,|
the grave. They will thus become
miliar to us, and we shall appreciate*’-’
their infinite superiority to the object'
that so deeply interest us on earth. IV,, *
shall be led to look forward even wit '
strong desire, in spite of the repulsir l
aspect of death, to that state where ty
soul will be freed from her prison-hoTU;
of flesh and blood, and can range in ut
tiring freedom through, the boundless
fields of knowledge and happiness tha
are ‘in prospect. . While yet in tk
body we shall begin’ to breathe the e®
pyreal air of the new heaven, and t
gather the fruits of the tree of life i :
the new earth where righteousness onh
shall forever dwell.
“ We go to the grave of a friend saj
ing ‘A man is dead/ but the ange]
throng about him saying, A man j
bom.”
SOCIAL GATHEBDrc
OP THE CONGREGATION OP THE WESTER;
CHURCH.
On Wednesday evening, Februan
7th, the congregation of the Wes ten
Presbyterian Church, assembled for a r
evening's social enjoyment, in the lee
tore room of their house of ■worship,
The Lecture and Sabbath School room*,
were ornamented with national flag;
and evergreens. In the latter room j
table wflfl spread, in the arrangement
of which the most exquisite taste was
displayed. An abundance of good
things were provided: ice creams, cakes/
frnitß, nuts, sweetmeats, etc., etc. The
pleasures of the evening were greatly
enhanced by the singing of two beauti
ful anthems by the choir.
The pastor elect. Rev. J. S. Willis,
having been requested to address the
company, alluded to the new relation
soon to he established between himself
and the people, and happily introduced
to them his truly estimable lady. The
company then partook of the entertain
ment provided. A. floral token of the
love and esteem the congregation enter
tained towards Mrs. Willis, was, with a
few brief and well chosen words, present
ed by the Sheriff of the city, Mr. John
Thompson. Mr. Willis, for his lady, re
sponded to the compliment with much
grace and beauty of language.
There were many pleasing incidents
connected with this social gathering,
which will not soon be forgotten. Pa
rents and children were there; a happier
or more sociable company never assem
bled.
The Committee are certainly deserv
ing, of all praise for ability displayed
in arranging and conducting the affair.
February 22, 1864. M.
fftaw oi e»t ifowtlw.
Fourth Avenue Church, New York.
—The close of the first year of Rev.
Dr. Crosby’s labors among this people
was marked by a donation of $l2OO to
the pastor, the salary having already
been raised a thousand dollars. Nine
ty-six members have been added to the
church, (twenty-eight by profession) a
larger total than in any previous year
of its history.