116 Contopowituct. FROM OUR ROCHESTER CORRESPON- DENT. BRANCH OF CHRISTIAN COMMISSION A convention was held in Rochester on Tuesday the sth inst., to take into consideration the subject of forming a Branch Christian Commission, auxiliary to the national society of the same name, whose headquarters are in Philadelphia. The meeting was not a numerous one, but 'embraced a few representative men, delegates from different localities in Western New York. They convened in the office of 0. M. Benedict, Esq„ of our city, and after due deliberation, re solved that it was expedient to form such an organization for Western New York and vicinity ; the object being to awaken a.deeper interest in all this region in the aims and operations of the :national society, and to draw out additional supplies of money and mate rial, from this fruitful „part of the coun try to relieve the wants of our sick and wounded soldiers. Rev. Dr. Canfield, of Syracuse; Mr. Ludlow, of Oswego ; Jno. D. Hill, M. D. of Buffalo ; Rev. Dr. Claxton, 0. M. Benedict, Louis Chapin, and 0. D. Gros ernor, .gsqrs., of Rochester, were promi nent and efficient in the action 'of the meeting. Rev. C. P: — Lyford, of Phila delphia, well represented the parent institutions and excited much interest for its work. Some disappointment, however, was felt in not seeing Mr. Stuart himself, . the noble President. Some expectation had been created that be might be present, and that we might hear a characteristic speech from his magic lips. We shall hope to hear him another time, and we shall keep a warm welcome in waiting for him whenever he manifold engagements, from Maine to Alexia°, will permit him to come. Surely, if our war were doing nothing else for 0, it is developing character—. it . is'bringlng Out men—and has already brought out some who will not soon be forgotten by a grateful people. But to return ts , ) the ligcheeter meet ing. It was further recommended Oa the organization for Western New York aai n siaiaits‘whe,,,ooninosecLof.J.wAlve. to any vacancies which may occur in their Mom number by death or resigna tion, and to increase that number to fifteen if deemed by them desirable. The question of locati , z,q i Fo r its hCiad quarters then came up. Some desired that Rochester should be the centre of its operations ; others preferred Buffalo. The latter is mudh.the larger city; has 100,000 inhabitants and Rochester 50.- 000; has already engaged more zealously and earnestly in thirii-Zil of the Chris tian• Commission, haVing had from the beginning, an earnest and active mem ber of the national organization, in the person of Jno. D. Hill, M. D., residing in that city. It was argued that Buffalo is better propared than Rochester to take up the work and do it efficiently, or rather to go right on, and only en large in a work which it already haS in hand. Others said Rochester needs the organization here in order to stir her up to do what Buffalo is already doing. But after mature and harmonious de liberation it was unanimously decided that the headqUarters should be at Buf falo. We cheerfully give the honor, and " the laboring oar," to our bigger sister; while we shall try not to feel excused thereby from doing our part in the great and good objects contemplated. But we shall expect our neighbor, the queen of the Lakes, to set us a very noble ex ample, and to send down some of her best men occasionally to hold meetings, and stir us up to a proper emulation. The following persons were nominated as members of this Board—five of whom shall constitute a quorum. Dr.. Jno. D. Hill, Pascall B. Pratt, S. S. Jewett, and Dr. B, F. Whitney, of Buffalo ; Hon. H. W. Loomis, Oswego ; Hon. Israel S. Spencer, Syracuse; Dr. Sylvester Willard, Auburn ; R. B. Clax ton, D. D., Louis Chapin Esq., 0. D. Grosvenor, Esq., Rochester; and Juclah C. Spencer, Erie, Pa. One or more other names will proba bly be added to this list, to reprssent some other of our larger towns, and if the whole be approved by the Execu tive Committee of the national society at Philadelphia; the branch society will be organized accordingl?, and be pre- • pared•fbr work. It is a strong commit tee, well located, and wisely distributed , and will do much to call out and con centrate the benevolence of Western New York in this line of effort; and our brave sons and brothers, in camp and hospital, will feel the benefit of these generous operations. ITEMS The Central Presbyterian Church, of this city, (Rev. Mr. Ellinwood's,) is to be closed for a Sabbath or two, while busy workmen are engaged putting up a new organ ; and scrubbers and clea ners are renovating the house generally. The organ is;Wbe,one of thisib.ost,,built by Hook, of Boston, is very large, and I will require a slight alteration of the gallery, in order to furnish the needed room for its ample dimensions. It is expected to fill every nook and crevice of this large church with very sweet and devotional harmonies, when the workmen pronounce it ready for use. In the meantime, the closing of the church, gives the pastor a chance for a little pleasant vacation which he is in tending to improve by a brief trip, with his excellent wife, to Washington, and also to the army of the Potomac, if per mitted by the authorities to go to the front. We trust he may be, for he will find a number of his parishioners there, glad to see him; and he can carry to them a tone of cheer and remembrance from numerous friends at home. The Central Church has furnished its full proportion of union soldiers, and is loyal all over. It will be taken for granted, of course, that Mr. Ellinwood's people,' or some of them at least, furnish the faith ful pastor with the necessary funds for this pleasant trip. It is just like them. Indeed, we believe it was first suggested by them; and they kindly insisted that Mrs. Ellinwood should be included in the plan. All this, after aiding con siderably in building a • good house for their pastor in the past year, and various other acts of unremitting kindness, show a very good state of feeling. And in this connection we are happy to add that Mr. Ellinwood seems entirely to have regained his health, which suffered so much in the early winter. The Brick Church, (Dr. Shaw's,) after having succeeded so admirably in rais ing a subscription of $20,000 to pay off their entire debt, felt just in the mood to add $5OO &year to the minister's salary, and the Trustees voted it accordingly ; but the good man declines the proffered addition ; feeling, perhaps, that his peo ple are already taxing themselves heav il.--- iy in paying -le debt, and he would not add even this sum to their burden ; or else he feels a delicacy in receiving this addition just now, lest some should say that he had urged the payment of the bringin order to about an increase fully made by a grateful - people, and that it would give them real pleasure to have Illeirl ll 9,*(t7W.ertlig tind beloved 'Pastor receive and enjoy the benefit. And . weknow they willstill do the hand some thing. ELMIRA We judge from some movements re cently made in Elmira, that the burnt edifice of the First Presbyterian Church is to be rebuilt by general subscription, the whole community to share in re storing that which was lost to the so ciety by the loan of their building to public charity. A meeting has been held for this purpose, addressed by lion. D. S. Dickinson and others, and a sub- scription started, including some gener ous pledges to begin with. We notice that Rev. T. K. Beecher, pastor of the Congregational Church, offers SIOOH. S. Gilbert $3OO—D. K. Pratt $lOO, &c., &c. It is, perhaps, but just; and yet it is a noble sympathy with this church in its calamity.) Wm. Wisner, D.1.D. ; :of !Ithica, now eighty-three, or eighty-four years of age, has been spending a few days in this city; and gave an interesting lecture on Wednesday evening, in the Lecture Room of the Brick Church. It was full of reminiscences of the good providence ; of God toward that Society, of which he was the pastor from 1831 to 1835. The old gentleman is feeble, and yet active for a man past his four-score years. He is venerated and beloved by those who remain of his former charge ; but many of his best parishioners of that early day are in the courts above, where he will doubtless soon see them, and be cordially welcomed by them. The revival in Leroy, is still progress-. ing with unwonted power. Rev. C. C. Kimball, of New Hartford, has preach ed there for two weeks with great ac ceptance, and many have been brought to Christ in that time. We hear also of some quickening. and some conversions in the Second Presby terian Church of Geneseo, (Rev. Mr. Folsom's ;) and of a revival in progress in Ithaca, in Dr. Torrey's church. We hope to hear of still greater things from both of these places. GENESEE. ROCHESTER, April, 9, 1864. THE PENNSYLVANIA BIBLE SOCIETY has appointed Rev. W. W. Eells Secreta ry of the western district of Pennsyl vania. Mr. Eels has entered on the duties of his office. His address is Pittsburg, Pa. MESSRS. WOOD & CARY'S announcement —one of great interest to the ladies— will be found in another column. The r stock is large, their experience is exten; sive, and their character as business . men first class. • 1 • IDi • • • - 111; I APRIL 14, 1864. FROM OUR LONDON OORRESPONDENT, The great calamity at Sheffield is in every one's month. We read of thou sands slaughtered on either side on the American battle-fields, and hundreds lost 4n some Danish fight, with little feeling—it is what we expect in war, it is what the sufferers expect; it is the fortune of their dangerous profession; but to read of a hundred men choked in a colliery, who went forth from homes with promises to return, of thousands of unhappy creatures in the high ecstacy of a religious fete consumed in a short hour or two, beyond all recognition or of a vast flood let loose upon a peaceful valley, where pleasure and toil were alike reposing in fancied security—the water pouring down in a resistless body, and sweeping away at once the life and beauty of the scene, chills us with horror. It is unexpected, it is near, it is the march of death past our doors—nay, through our houses. I shall endeavor to give you an idea of the locale of this catastrophe ; the most terrible of the kind with which England has been visited. From the populous town of Sheffield up to the Stonington hills, there runs a deep valley, with fields and farm-houses and mills—the latter taking their supply from tliesstream of Loxley that ran. at the bottom of the vale. Going up from Sheffield, the valley ascends to a point where it becomes a deep gorge, placed between two hills of considerable height, and somewhat the shape of the letter A. At the apex of the gorge and down from the adjacent hills there poured into the little river a number of small streams; and this fact, ,together with the happy situation of the place for en gineering purposes, led men to select it for the construction of a great reservoir. Hence, it was thought, should Sheffield draw a. daily life—the pure, invigorating, cleansing water. Nothing was easier . , apparently, than to confine a vast sup ply in this natural cavity. Accordingly, across the lower and wider portion of the gorge an embankment was thrown —forty feet in width, ninety feet high, and three hundred yards long. This inipacume,barxiAt--wm;-WitptittilliflrilX4 . 000 gallons of water. Engineer no say that it was utterly infigleOuate for the purpose. I tho base, which ought to have been of solid masonry to a depth of fifty feet, was only " puddled ;" and on it there was a pressure of two and a. half tons per square foot. Well, the. works had not been quite completed;' but the reservoir was full, and there any one, walking along its banks last Satur day, would have looked:on a fair lake of seventy-six acres, on; whose broad surface a fleet might have floated; There was, however, through the melt ing of the snow on the hills, and the strong blasts of wind down the gorge, an immense pressure on the embank ment, and a young farmer, who passed a little before night came on, noticed a crack in, the middle of it. To many, the alarm was given, and numbers had the felicity to escape. The Superintendent, who had left the works, having anxious ly watched all day the effect of the enormous force that was pressing the great wall, was recalled before he could reach his home by a workman who, in crossing the top, found a gaping crack across which he had to step. Back went the engineer. Men were set to work to let off the water. But the exits were small and insufficient : by 12 o'clock the aperature had widened fear fully. They tried to blow up the weir but the powder failed; and presently, at once, with a great, sullen crash, one hundred and forty feet of stone and earth, propelled by several hundred mil lion gallons of water, went down upon the still, dark, sleeping valley. Can you picture it? How that gigantic body, forty or fifty feet high at• first, bearing along with it stones and trees and houses and bridges; went roaring and hurtling between the green glades of the, peaceful vale, crashing down all opposition, drowning out all life, lifting up vast machinery and casting it by as if in play; whirling up the sturdy old farm-houses, with all the inmates, and flinging them battered and scattered be side its path; until its way was less confined, and spreading itself it inunda ted whole suburbs, insatiably demanding life, life wherever it went ! So it was. Men say that they knew that pretty valley well, but cannot recognize it now; Razed perfectly- smooth, scarcely a tree or wall stands where - villages securely stood for centuries. The river bed has changed its course, and when some of those who lived there, but were saved, returned to seek the spot which once was home they find that the great flood has blotted out the landmarks, and the bewildered memory of affection vainly strives to recover the signs. Two hun dred and sixty or seventy bodies have been found, and they say there, are a hundred more somewhere. At'one place a' whole wood was carried off; atianother LONDON, March 19th, 1864 rows of houses; at another a farmhouse well known to all in that valley—Mr. Trick.ett's—with the whole family of fourteen. Between Malin Bridge and Owlerton 300 or 400 houses were swept away. The lower part of Sheffield was overflowed, and some bridges were de stroyed; but here the water spread and the loss was not so great as above. More than half a million of property has been irreparably lost. The benevolence of England is awake again, and the poor sufferers will be taken care of. But what can compen sate the fearful losses that friendship and affection suffered in that short hour? I suppose that the promoter of this undertaking will be called upon to reckon for this awful blunder. It will be hard to bring it home to any one, and distributed criminality is individual innocence. So far as mercenary penal ties can be inflicted, no doubt they will be, and the company that has caused the calamity will be ruined. God's Providence is also heard speaking in this matter; and in the voice of that midnight deluge we hear the warning that we need so much, to beware lest in our pride we set up ourselves and forget 1 1 God. To turn to other matters. Great in dignation is felt and expressed by the religious liberals at their failure to get Jewett's stipend increased. The Times, always in the favor of mean and mer cenary interests, has of course been filled with protests; but as yet the re ligious-conservative party is the strong est. How long it will be so, however, I cannot say. I look with anxious ap . prehension to the rising power of loose and infidel principles. Nothing but a firm persuasion that God will preserve his own cause - sustains one's hopes in such a time. The worst of it is that many of our own faithful orthodox men .are not resisting unto blood—they are, I fear, drifting. The second reading of an act to abd!ish religious tests for degrees in the University Of Qxford was allowed in the Commons on *e_lneSday. Though a few " old fogies" who must be ob structive on principle, attempt to raise the cry of latitudinarianism and danger ms I think that th© bill, end right. There is no such test in Qanabridge—and after all ? why should there be a teligtotig test iii i national university. Religion which teaches and fosters freedom of opinion must practice it. .The meeting convened by the Synod Committee in aid of the Church Exten sion Fund of the English Presbyterian Church was held on Tuesday, in St. James' Hall. A large number of people was present. Earl Dalhousie took the chair. He urged that the opportunity of Presbyterianism had come. He said that with us, at all events, people would find them a denomination in which the infallibility of scripture would not be . allowed to be impeached, and he stated that there were signs that those who could not find anything reliable within the Church itself,were disposed to attach themselves to our Communion. Dr. Hamilton and othersafterwards spoke, and a large number of contributions was announced, amounting to £6,600 ($33,000.) These meetings are produ cing their proper effect in a feeling of stability and prosperity—an effect which cannot but be miliary. Success pro vokes success. It has struck me that it would be well could English and American Presbyte rians be brought into closer and con stant intercourse. Might not the As semblies send deputies annually to our Synod and to the Scotch Assemblies, and vice versa? I think if you were disposed to do it in America it would not be unwillingly received here. PRESBYTERIAN UNION-11. Tacitus indeed assures us, that malignity has a false show of liberty . : Malignitati falsa 'species libertatis inest ; that history is listened to with more favor, when she slanders and disparages : Obtiectatio et tivor - pronis auribus accipiuntur. But what historian could en tertain the culpable ambition of pleasing at the expense of truth ?—D'Aubigne. In the memorable schism of our histo rically one denomination, there are comparatively few of us remaining who personally recollect it, with those events that preceded and induced it. This exists only where persons and agents too are recollected, and where are names and facts that might be quoted—rarely with advantage either to quesions, or to godly edifying, which is in faith. Know ledge puffeth up, but love edifieth. 1 Tim. 1: 4. 1 Cor. 8: 1. When first united to the church of my devout preference, I was surprised and grieved, as a hicnovus in aule, to see what parties, what disputatious and what alienating theological differences existed; leading too to acts and partisan plans not at all honerable to our pro fession. If I took sides and parts, it was ever with regret, and often by seeming necessity alone. I have nierno ries, notes, journals, documents, prints, manuscripts, in plenty; to which, how ever, it is not my purpose to resort on this occasion, or mainly on any other, unless under constraints, that I am happy neither to feel nor anticipate at present. I may just add that it is probable, whenever the discussion comes into fair earnest, there will appear great disparity between the comparatively few older, who lived and witnessed the past, one half or one-third of a century ago, say about the time our excellent brother Barnes became ecclesiastically a topic of interest, with angry pros and cons; and the comparatively many younger, who will meet new issues, with new phases and feelings, as it were, impro vised for the scenes and movements then before them. The Presbytery of New York, the Synod of New York and New Jersey, in connection with the politico-ecclesi astical differences of opinion, touching the then new theological seminary at Princeton ; and above all, the settlement of one, two and three pastors in New York, impeached of " Hopkinsian" pro clivities ; and hence, after the induction of the younger Whelpley, in Wall street, as successor to Dr. Miller, of Princeton; all these, more and more exagitated and morose, by causes and consequences less and less silently working, were soon arrested and intensified by the publica tion of the elder Whelpley, then in the city of New York, called "The Triangle," issued at intervals, in octavo numbers, pamphleted, austere, humorous, sarcas tic; not without caricature, profiles, personalities; withal, evincing a high order of talent, read by everybody, and producing results of no ordinary charac ter and power. But—l arrest my pen ! The war was begun and progressive. Other ele ments obtained sway. Almost every candidate of force or character had to run the gauntlet of severe and often dreaded probation, before Presbytery, in order to enter the ministry. In October, 1814, I saw four promising ones licensed, at Elizabeth, N. J.: Henry Nips, A. M., now the honored and the learned Professor Emeritus, Rev. Pr. Mills, of Auburn; Rev. John Ford, A. Philip Melancthon he pley, A. M., who was, as above, soon settled in Wall street, New York, where, after a minis try of eloquent power and easy rela tions for ten years, he died beloved and regretted by many, with the dew of his youth yet. upon him. They were a noted 'and esteemed triumvirate;. my Own personal friends. In the excellent old Presbytery of Jersey, with such worthies in it as Rev. Drs. Richards,Fisher, Hillyer,McDo well, Ogden, Armstrong, and other Presby ters of note and influence, there was more of real dignity, less of partisan jealousy, envy, sparring, than in those of New York and Philadelphia—as I have some special right to remember; first a candidate in the last; then by transfer licensed by the second; after ward ordained by the first, and settled as the successor of Rev. Dr. Armstrong, at Mendhain, N. J. Old Dr. Milledoler, of New York, pastor of Rutgers Street Church, left us for the Dutch, saying that he would not be co-presbyter, wil lingly, with any one of "Hopkinsian" sentiments; this was as early, I think, as 1810-11. My own conviction, coram Domino, is that both sides were to blame, for ultra ism, partisan action, want of forbear ance mutual; for talking much of ortho doxy and all the cracked shells of theological difference, as if the kernels of love, peace, brotherly kindneas, recip rocal liberty, constitutional purity, and such like, had just about nothing, to do with duty, wisdom, and especially with Presbyterian orthodoxy ! ADELPHOS If suoil- things are to be repeated, as the result of reunion, I am sure wE are NOT YET ready for it! 0 ! the scenes and the sins of such times ! Many were almost led, with the old seer of Lamenta tions, 3 :.18-20, to exclaim—My strength and my hope is perished from THE LORD: remembering mine affliction and my misery, the wormwood and the gall ! My soul bath, them still in remembrance,'and is humbled in me ! The Lord in mercy counsel and keep us ! SAMUEL HANSON COX. NEW YORK, March 31, 1864. PRAYER PROPOSED IN THE SELEC- BROTHER MEAus.—Permit me to sug, gest for the consideration of the many ecclesiastical bodies in our country which will soon hold their annual meet ings, the propriety of recommending to all the citizens of the Republic—esL pecially to Christians-4o unite in obser ving a day of earnest prayer to God, that his favor and' direction may be granted us as a nation, in the selection and nomination of a candidate for.ereCti en at the coming presidential canvas. The propriety of this seems obvious, It is doubtless true that godd men throughout the republic daily- pray "for TION OF RULERS. all that are in authority over "us : this is well. If our government were a he reditary monarchy, its offices being filled by a hereditary succession, perhaps our duty of prayer for "rulers" would end here. But we select rulers. Hence we need divine guidance in our selection. Let us humbly and earnestly ask it. In legal form, our rulers are chosen at the ballot-bog; but really, this is done at the primary conventions for nominating candidates ; or even earlier. The people need, and therefore should pray for the divine guidance in the in cipient work of looking out and nominating candidates. Such prayer, it may be hoped, would have a tendency to wake good men throughout the republic to opportune and timely action, in putting forward worthy candidates, and such only, for office. This vital point has been too much neglected. Party demagogues, selfish aspirants, have assumed the con trol just here, and,y to a great extent, been permitted to exercise it. A refor mation is needed; and prayer to God would doubtless greatly facilitate this reformation. In our form of government, the people and the magistracy are in the closest relation. We make our own rulers; we make our own laws ; our rulers are ex ecutives by our own delegation. Bring, then, the people to God in prayer, there in his presence to select their candidates for office, and then, pursuing a course consistent with our prayers, is there not rational ground for our confidence that the divine favor would give us happy realization of Oded's utterance, "The Lord is with you while ye be with him? 2 Chron. xv. 2. Should a day be appointed it should be early. H. E. DEATH OF ELDER J. T. ABM At a meeting of the session of the lst Presbyterian Church in Delaware City, Del.,held. in the evening of March 25th 1864, the following preamble and reso lutions were adopted: Whereas, Our dear brother and asso ciate in the Eldership, Jesse T. Ash, with whom we " have taken sweet counsel, and walked to the house of God in company," on the evening of Saturday the sth inst., and in the midst of a gra ciao outpouring of the Spirit of God. 411)cin- the chute , .he so much loved, sweetly "fell asleep in Jesus," exchang, ing the cares and duties of the church militant for the praises of the Churck triumphant in Heaven Resolved, That - Are d es i re to magn ify the rich race of Almighty God, as 111 / 1 7.:Lrested in his Christian walk and conversation, gratefully acknowledging our obligations to the great Head of the Church, for granting to us so long the benefits of his prayers and counsels and earnest labors for the cause of Christ here. Resolved, That while we mourn the loss of a dear and valued friend, and in our relations to the church of Christ, a brother whose absorbing interest in the prosperity of the Redeemer's cause never flagged, and whose consistent Christian life always recommended the religion which he professed, we would learn the lesson which this providence would teach us, and each one of us hear the admonition, "What thou doest do quick ly." "Be ye also ready." Resolved, That we tender our earnest Christian sympathy to the bereaved family of our departed brother; beseech ing the God of the widow and Father of the fatherless to more than make up in the rich blessings of his grace, what seems to them an irreparable loss. Resolved, That the moderator of the Session be requested to furnish a copy of these resolutions to the widow of our deceased brother, and cause the same to be published in the American Presbyte rian and such other papers as he may see fit. J.H. GAYLORD, Moderator THE GOOD WORK IN NORTHERN . NEW YORK. A brother writes from Brasher Falls, N. Y.: " The interest which your corres pondent noticed at Stockholm has ex tended to Skinnerville, and adjoining neighborhood, and some twenty-five or more are anxiously inquiring what they must do to be saved. It may be en couraging to other small churches, to know that these two small churches at Brasher Falls and. Scockholm, neither of which thought they could support a pastor, have given during the year I have been with them, more than the amount of my salary to .benevolent causes. And no one has given so far as to feel it; nor do they know how much they have done or can do." CORRESPONDENTS who do not find their pieces inserted after a reasonable time, will infer that they are not suited to our purposes. We make no promises in re gard to returning manuscripts, but will endeavor to do so if stamps sufficient to prepay postage are sent. Those wha Nrish to know whether they will be ac ceptable as correspondents, will please send on their communications; we can not answer inquiries before inspecting the work. Those who desire to do us a favor in this line, can make sure of it by sending us brief, well-composed and original items of religious intelligence. These - are always welcome.
Significant historical Pennsylvania newspapers