The American Presbyterian .AND GENESEE EVANGELIST. RELIGIOUS AND FAMILY NEWSPAPER, IR 1 . 8.6 LNTEMIST OP TOE Constitutional. Presbyterian Church. PUBLISHED EVERY THURSDAY, AT THE PRESBYTERIAN HOUSE, 1334 Chestnut Street, (2d Story,) Philadelphia. Rev. JOHN W, NEARS, Editor and Publisher. - CONTENTS OF INSIDE PAGES. Sermon of Moderator—" Christian Union and Be: clesiasticsl Re-union," 162-3 Our Fellet Generals, 163 • Rome Missionary Correspondence 163 Violets on the Field of Battle,. .... i ...... .. . '............. ...... . .. 166 Prayer by George Herbert, • 166 Letters from a Lady—1V,........... ............. ......... . . ........ 166 Rush of Irish Emigration 66 Life Insurance and the War, " . 168 , Editor's Table, 167 London Correspondence, ............ ........... ...... . .... . ... ......167 Letter from China, 167 Effect of Light, 167 Relrgion a Police Force, 167 JOHN OALVIN-11. HIS CHIEF CHARACTERISTICS It is rarely that any min .unites, in such admirable harmony, the peculiar abilities and gifts which havecombined with his achievements to confer fame on , John Calvin. As a commentator, theologian, e,ontroversialist, administra tor and statesman, ho is entitled to the highest respect. His commentaries extend over nearly all the books of the Bible, and if lacking in respect to accu rate philology, when tried by the highest of - modern standards, their ad mirable exposition of the argument and spirit of the text must pass unquestioned. 46 a theologian, it is enough to say that the greatest minds of the .last three centuries have bowed to his authority. The " judicious" Hooker pronounced him "the great Mr. Calvin." John Knox acknowledged in, him a master. ,The great divines of the seventeenth eel:allay, trim like Bishop Hall, Charnock, Owen, Goodwin, were really his pipils, The, man who could command the intellec tual homage, not only of MK contem , porarids," Peter Martyr, Bucer, Capito, &c., but of men like Boston, the Er skine-6" and Edwards, and whose labors have not been sulierseded, saveon minor points, by three centuries of theological investigation, need fear no 'deposition from his high eminence. As a', .controversialist, *Calvin was eminent. He silenced the Anabaptists. He carried confusion among-the Roman- Ists. He drove Cardinal Sadolet from the field.- The Libertines feared his logic as ; well as his legislation. He exposed the Astrologists. He confuted the Socinians. No craven fear withheld him from rebuking the slanderers of the reformation, and none of his arrows fell blunted or pointless. No man ever discerned more clearly the vital point at issue. None ever wavered less in the resolve to accomplish the, purpose to which duty called. As art Administrator, both in civil and ecclesiastical affairs, Calvin displayed rare ability. John Wesley could not surpasshim in capacity for organization. He adopted in substance the Presbyte rian system. It harm onizcd with Scrip_ tural precedent, and. favored sound order and discipline. But he was no jure divine:bigot. He could tolerate Bishops, only they must not supersede the parity of the ministry. They might supervise or superintend the general operations of the church, but they must still be, Presbyters. The ineptce (incongruities) of the .English church he could not approve, but he still spoke of them as tolerabiles. No doubt, if a divine war rant had been claimed for them, he would have spurned them with all a Puritan's scorn. Calvin's legal lore fitted hiin for the task of codifying the laws of Geneva. It has been said that " hislabors for the civil law gave him a higher title to renown than his theological works." Montesquieu commended to the Genevse the observance of the festivals of the day of Calvin's birth and the annivers ry of his arrival in the, dity. ' If legislation:l' is to be judged by its results, one mi." say with Hooker, of that established by the Genevan reformer, " the wisest, that time living, could not have bettered that system." Geneva was a Puritan city. There, at least, the reproach of Protestantism—that it could tear down but not build up, could loosen the bands of authority but could not restrain the turbulence it caused—was -wiped away. That little republic, sheltered Under the shadow of the Alps, was a standing testimony in favor of Reform. There was a living epistle known and read of nil men. No mitred prelates were there, and yet men learned to respect - the laws. For two centuries Europe had been crying out for a reform of the clergy, but hope deferred had made the heart sick, and a better day seemed as .distant as ever. But in Geneva, there was not only a decent clergy but a moral people. Gross crime , was almost un known, -and vice dared not show its face. It was an exhibition of the power of truth over the minds of men, and a 7, - , • • 411 ) . rK . I4/13 . „ New Series, Vol. 1, No. 21. public vindication of the power and the character of the Reformation which told with more than the power of words. It is true that Calvin did not originate what might be regarded as the Puritanic statutes of Geneva. They were already established when Karel summoned him to his aid. This f4ct should be taken into account in forming our judgment of the Reformer. -He found-church and state strangely linked together, and he simply accepted the alliance. Whether he would have urged it, in other circum stances, may admit of question. The reformers inherited the task •of a Lord Bishop, who had to, sanction laws civil and ecclesiastical alike. Laws against witchcraft and false teaching were already on the statute book. Farel built on this foundatiom Church disci pline was enforced by statute. Not only grosser crimes were forbidden, but civil penalties were affixed to games of chanCe, swearing, slandering, dancing, the singing of idle songs and mas querading. Attendance upon church and strict observance of - the Sabbath were made obligatory. At nine o'clock in the- evening, citizens, must be found at their awn homes. These laws, proclaimed. by sound °f trumpet through the , city, were not left a dead letter. A tire woman was ar rested for adorning:a bride too luxu riously. A card-player was -put in the pillory with his pack of cards about his neck. An adulterer was banished fora: year, after having been paraded through the city by the common hangman.. One of the Syndics for •gross licentionsness Was deposed and imprisoned' for three days. And yet for, twenty -years and mofe, a system with such • repressive features was maintained' mainly through the influence of one man—a man with out rank or wealth, without military power or civil office. The history of the world might be challenged for a parallel. Yet by this triumph of administrative genius:to whichhis own sermons power fully contributed—Calvin's repdtation was spread abroad. His writings scarce ly exerted an influence, more extended or powerful than his own model republic. Geneva was the cradle of English Puri tanism. It was the , nursery of such reformers as Knox, and Melville, and England's Smithfield , martyrs. ; The New England Theocracy was copied from the Swiss Model. Thus, by his writings and his labors Calvin impressed his influence upon the world. In. Poland and Italy, in England and Scotland, and even beyond the ocean, as well as in - Holland and in France, the power of the Genevan Reformer was erelong felt. Time has extended rather than dimin- 1 ished his fame. This new world owes Calvin a vast debt, and our great American historian ha,s gracefully ac knowledged it. The Preibyterian Church would be strangely insensible to her obligations if she failed to cherish the memory of such a man as the statesman, reformer and theolegian of Geneva. CORNER-STONE LAYING. The ceremony of laying the corner stone of the Olivet Presbyterian OhUrch will take place Monday afternoon the 30th inst., at 4 o'clock P. M., with appro .Kiate ceremonies. The members of the 3d and 4th Pres teries are expected to be generally liresent and take part as far as the time swill admit. Rev. Messrs. : : es, March, McLeod, Mitchell, and A':11 ian of Wilmington, Del., all offer ihott addresses. The Building is at the corner of Mt. Vernon and Twenty-second streets. FROM OUR ROCHESTER CORRESPON DENT. DEATR OF REV. 0. BARTHOLOMEW We barely mentioned the' departure of this — good man in our last. Further particulars have since come to hand, and are worthy of devout record. He was buried on. the 10th inst., just twenty-eight years, to a day, from the time he came to Augusta, in. Oneida couaqy, on invitation, to supply the pulpit of the Congregational Church. He was then a young man, just out of the Theological Seminary at' Auburn. His entire ministry was sppriti:there fore, with this one people, a long, and acceptable and useful pastorate. The funeral was numerously attended PHILADELPHIA, THURSD,A.Y, MAY 26, 1864. by his former parishioners, by the people of Augusta generally, and by many clergymen and others from the surrounding region. The sermon was preached by Rev. W. E. Knox, of Rome ; Rev. Drs. Fisher and Goertner, of Ham ilton College; Rev. E. H. Bonney, of Vernon Centre; and Bev. M. S. Platt; of Hamilton, participating in the inter eating and impressive services. Many' other clergymen were present; and. by a generous arrangement among them selves, they are gratuitously to supply the pulpit of the church in Augusta for some months to come; and the salary is to be, continued for the' benefit of the family of the deceasedpastor. The preacher (as we, learn from an interesting letter in the Utica Herald) characterized the deceased as a man of good education, fair abilities, a lover of books, a diligent sermonizei, an ani mated, fervid preacher; but more than all- this, a man of great goodness ;" - a pure-minded, -loving pastor, alWays thinking of his people first, of himself, last; knowing everybody; caring for, serving to the utmost of his ability the rich and poor, the high and low alike ; tender in his sympathies as a child; loWly in his demeanor; ambitious only to honor God, and do good to his fellow men." His goodness was his power, and the secret of hisjong and successful pastorate. And we are told that " his last sickness and death were as beauti ful as his life, childlike, trustful, patient, peaceful, full of assurance.; and the eloping scene.bright as a good conscience and the dawning of Heaven could make The preacher ,could speak understand; ingly of Mr. ;Bartholomew's character, as a man and a minister, for he had sat under his ministry, and was received by him into the goodly fellowship of the church, Augusta being, we believe, his native place,. And this leads us to, speak fiuther,of REV. M. KNOX, OF ROME He has recently preached his anni . versary sermon, having been settled over the Presbyterian Church in Rome for sixteen years ; now, since Mr. Bar tholomew.'s death, the longest pastorate but , one, "cpunty. Mr. Knox's cha.ra,eteristics are' pretty well known.; keen, bright, witty, able and active, -he has sustained himself well, for this, long period, in 'his large and, responsible charge. He has a fashion of saying very bright things in such a way that they cannot easily bo forgotten. Of course, an anniversary sermon from such a minister, in such a pastorate, would be rich ,in material and incident. He is reported as saying: "Ministers Are said to be proverbially an itinerant class; but really are not' much more so than:their people. 'Since he took the occupancy of the parsonage in 1848, nearly every family in town had changed their habitations, and many of them ' several times. He -doubted whether forty families, - out of a popula tion of six thougand, were living where they, did sixteen years ago. And there 'were scarcely three business firms that had not changed place or title, or re signed business altogether. " The congregation = numbered 200. families ; of these 66 were here when. he came • while 200 other families had come and ; so that the congregation had changed one and two-third times since calling the present pastor. One hundred members have died, 340 fune rals,have been attended, and 162 mar riages solemnized. Two hundred and eight persons had been admitted to the church by letter, 199 on profession, and 224 had been dismissed, leaving the present number 365. " This church has had but three set tled pastors—Rev. Moses Gillett, for 30 years, under whom 807 were received into its communion; Rev. Selden Haines for 5 years, with 130 accessions; and the present incumbent 16 years, with 407 additions. Rev. Messrs. Clary, Dwight, Williams, Lucas, and Bushnell have officiated as temporary supplies!' The recent battles have stirred the hearts of our good people more deeply perhaps, than they have ever been stirred before, in behalf of our sick and wounded soldiers. Contributions to the Christian Cornmission are coming in from every direction. We hear of spon taneous offerings from great numbers of churches. Albion sends $5OO. And in Le Roy, at a Union meeting, after a stirring appeal of Rev. Mr. Schelling, of the Methodist church, $lOO were taken. Mr. Schelling, who has had much expe fence, as a chaplain, has also gone to offer his services_ for a time in the care FOR OUR SOLDIERS G-enesee Eva,ngelist, No. 940. of our wounded men. Dr. S. Barrett, of Le. Roy, has also gone as a volunteer surgeon. One man in 31iddleport raised 8139, for the. Christian Commission, in one dollar subscriptions. In this con . nection, zvo may also mention, that. Bev. A B. Goodate, a missionary from Cen tral Turkey, who arrived in this country only sonic three weeks since on account of the failing health of his wife, has gone "to the front," to offer his services as a surgeon, he being a physician as well as clergyman. Our missonaries are, all true to the old flag, and ready; at home or abroad, to do what they can • to sustain it. LADIES': CHRISTIAN COMMISSION OF BUFFALO The annual meeting of this benevo lent and patriotic association of the ladieS Of , Baffalo, was held on the 10th • of May. It appears from their report, that withiuthe year they have sent to the hospitals and to the field 710 barrels and boxes ;;:valued at $9,000. They have on hand still some three hundred dollars worth of 'stores. They: have• raised almost: $30,000; of which i they have sent f 11,600 to the United States `Christian ~ Commission; $5,000 are a 'fund for soldiers' families ; and $B,OOO are, still in, 'hand. Well done patriotic ladies of .11u4lo !• Many a poor soldier has already blessed you most fervently ; many a precions life haSdoubtless bpen sated by your kind instrumentality ; and when: the stars and stripes again float triumphantly over, every portion . of our beloved land you may have the comfort of reflecting that youdid some thing toward securing, that grand and happy result. There, are many others that willbe obliged to reflect in shame and ignominy, that by publishing bogus proclamations and the like, they did what they could to defeat it. , . (.4 EN. W.II...SWORTIGU , S DEATH Western New, York mourns for the hero &Ren y And to-morrow she , will bury him reverently in the beautiful village of hil-former residence. And yet she is pro of his noble patriotism. Truly hia example is worthy of the highest honor and praise. Few had so much to 0ff4,46 their coAtry',B altar as lie, and none seemed more ready to give all. A meeting of citizens has been. held this afternoon in Rochester to express their' sense of the country's loss in Mr. Wadsworth's death. Resolutions highly complimentary to the deceased were passed; and a committee of eighty citi zens appointed to attend the funeral at Geneseo to-morrow. In accordance with his own wishes, expressed before his death, there is. to be. no military parade on the occasion. The funeral is to take place at the Episcopal Church ; and so he is to be laid quietly to rest with his kindred. But his example is not dead. That still lives, and will still serve the glorious‘ cause for which he has so cheerfully shed his blood. An old citizen of Rochester remarked in the meeting this afternoon that he had known Mr. Wadsworth from his boyhood, and he never knew a more upright man, or arman of more courage —never knew a man that could manage a horse - better, or a better rider. He had expected Mr. Wadsworth would fall;- for he knew that if there was any danger he would be in it. Such is the estimate which Western New York puts upon this noble man. GENESEE. ROCHESTER, May 20, 1864. • GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE PRES BYTERIAN MORO IN THE UNITED STATES OF AMERIOA. FIRST DAY This body met on Thursday, May 19, at 11 o'clock, in the Third Street Pres byterian Church, Dayton, 0., and was opened with a sermon by the Moderator of the last Assembly, Prof.' H. B. Smith, D.NewD of York. His :text was Eph. iv : 13. Subject, Christian Union and Ecclesiastical Re-union. [The sermon is given, entire, on the inside of the paper.] At the close of the devotional exerci ses the Assembly adjourned to 31 o'clowitii„ P. M. . . AFTERNOON SESSION. ' 47 ' 4"' :r. - ... The Assembly met- and the . competedcompeted and read. Rev..; Brainerd, D. D., of Philade X hia; was tk elected moderat*. 4 Rev. 9: kip Dilt= field, Sr., of Adilifil, Mich.i - i 4 Rev. C. S. Dunning, oklionesda , Pa., were chosen. Clerks. Ail V mono rp ' ORNIOr SESSION. , - . . The Assemb . - etVin'clock, and spent the first hour in a *nyer. At 9i --, o'clock the roll was called and the min utes of yesterday read and approved. Synodical records and statistical reports were called for and handed in. The Moderator announced the • Standing Committees. The reports of the Permanent Com mittees were next in order. That on Foreign Missions was read by Walter S. Griffith, Esq., of Brooklyn, N. Y. Mr. Griffith is a merchant, but also an active Christian elder, and always pre pares model reports. FOREIGN MISSIONS Sixty ministers connected with the General Assembly, arc in the service of the American Board, nearly all of Whom are in the Foreign field—two less than last year.' Extracts were read from the corres pondence of the missionaries abroad with the Committee. The, letters of the lSlis sionaries showed•a warm attachment to the Church, and an.• earnest desire that the interest of Gad's people at home in the conversion of the world might be increased. They all ask for reinforce ments. , The contributions of the churches to this cause, as reported in the minutes of last year, were $80,487 08: Of the 1464 churches connected with the assembly, 629 contributed to this cause—an ,crease as compared with last year,' of thirty-four in the number of contribu ting churches, and of above $lO,OOO in the amount contribilted. Eight Pres byteries report no contributions. Sixty one Presbyteries, with an aggregate membership of 44,367 gave but $15,860 to send the ,gospel to the heathen—less than twenty-eight cents per annum for each communicant. Only five of the 152 Presbyteries have reported the appointment of a Presby terial agent on this subject, and from only two such agents have reports been received by the Permanent Committee. These two are the Presbytery of Utica; reported by Rev. S. N. McGiffert, and the Presbytery of Crawfordsville,; by Rev. S. B. King. The committee urge the General As sembly to try to secure all earnest and spirited response by the Presbyteries to the action of last year, in the appoint ment of an agent in each, who shall bring before the churches this great cause of Christian benevolence, and re port to the committee: The committee contended that the churches ought not to diminish their contributions for the foreign work on account of the many pressing claims at home. We, are under obligations to our brethren who have gone abroad. They enlisted before the war- began. They have-forfeited no right by reason of our home troubles and home &dies. The honor of our Christianity is concerned in this matter. Is not our principle of voluntaryism in scpport of religion equal to this emergency ? Shall it fail in the day of adversity, or when subject to this new and peculiar strain ? Th 9 committee referred to the death of two of its members during the year, Drs. J. Parsons Hovey. and James W. McLane. The report of the permanent Commit tee on Education was read by the Sec retary; Rev. T. A. Mills, D. D. REPORT ON EDUCATION The Permanent Committee on Educa tion. reported that all local interests are now merged in it, and it is regarded with increasing confidence and favor by the churches. The students aided though about ten per cent less in num ber than last Year have received the decided commendation of their instruc tors and bear a fair comparison with their fellows. The appropriations have been advanced to the full rates, 33i per cent above those of the last year, and the contributions to the general treasury have:been sufficient to pay them as well as all the other expenses of the Commit tee, leaving a balance sufficient to ena ble the Committee to give prompt as surances of aid at the commencement of the next year. The action of our churches is becom ing more systematic and there are fa vorable indications of a purpose to give this cause a regular time and place among the evangelistic agencies of the church. The work of the past year has been done without special agency and proves that our great enterprises can be con ducted successfully og the principle of self-development. Eighty-seven students recommended by Presbyteries have been assisted in whole or part, the past year. At Auburn Theological Seminary 20; at Lane 12; at Union 14; at Hamilton College 10; Western Reserve 4 ; Wa bash 5; Marietta 5; Knox 2 ; Union College 3 ; Michigan University 3; lowa do 3; Yale 1; Ashmun Institute 1; Newark (N. J.) Academy 1; Lane Seminary (Preparatory,eoTee)„ 2. About 15 have comp . '? ;9,ix course of Theological study Ai e- : ,.e year, !=and been liceilSed to preaai. The sum rMsived from the churches in 84 Presbyferitisi kiom and from raents was $12,32,, 5,92. This, withlialAiic,e of laity year, makes a :total of $14,432:05. Th44per.ditures of the year wemsll,6oB:,l-9,-„leaving a bal ance of . $3,32,9486. This beTanes t will all be needed soon as the contributiOs du ring the Summer are The Committee suggest that 4Ase seml3ly try to secure, if, possiblii - 'the "T.MILas.2O: By mail, $2.00 per annum, in advance. 250 " " after 3 months. By carrier, 50 cents additional for delivery. CD - Cri3S.': . Ten or more papers sent by mail to' one church or lo;Ality, or in the city to one address By mail, $1.50 per annum. By carriers, 2.00 a a To save trouble, club subscriptions must commence at the same date, be paid strictly_in advance, in a single remittance, for which one receipt will be returned. Ministers and Ministers' Widows supplied at club rates. Home missionaries at slyer annum. PCiTAGZ.—Five cents quarterly in advance, to be paid by subscribers at the office of de livery. systematic presentation of this subject to all the churches annually, and that in view of the advanced cost of living they have discretionary power to ad vance the appropriations at least $2O on each grade of students. Committee state, that on account of the war the number of candidates for the , ministry is diminished; and yet the call for an earnest self denying ministry was never so great' and urgent as it is to-day. We cannot have such a minis try unless we train it. This cause therefore must •be discussed in the pul pit. Let the duty of the parents, of young men, the dignity and worth of the (Thristian ministry there be pre: sented. We must increase the ministry; for the work for which it was instituted is not yet done, and there-are not men enough engaged in it to do it. We can not, dare not say, there are ministers enough as long as God calls men to preach the Gospel. The report discussed at length and with great ability the question :—Have we ministers enough already ? Statements were made in behalf of the Theological Seminaries connected with-the Assembly. Auburn Seminary was represented by Frederick Starr, Jr., as its Financial Agent; Lane Sem inary, by Prof. D. H. Alien, D. D., and Union Seminary by Prof. W. B. Smith, D. D. The Report of the Committee on Home Mission& was presented by its Secretary, Rev. H. Kendall, D. 1). HOME .11USSIONEih. The third annual report on Home Missions opens with the emp!ression of devout thankfalness to Almighty God that no Missionaries have been cat down by death during the past year, and that all have been able to continue their labors in cheerfulness and peace. Attention was called to the-importance of planting churches-'in the new Terri tories, which are now filling up so rapidly with an eager population, searching for gold ands silver. Several Missionaries have been sent out during the year, and several more are under appointment. The South wan alficY spoken of as a promising and important field of labor, when the rebellion shall -be suppressed. The great body of the clergy in the rebellions States are disloyal,. and when order is restored the Union people will demand the Gospel from, loyal lips. The older Staten were not forgotten. More missionaries are needed in New York than any other State, while Penn sylvania Ohio, Michigan, Indiana, and Illinois stilt demand abundant aid. The number of missionaries employed the whole , or part of the year is 297: They have preached statedly in 403 places, and the aggregate of their labors is 238 years. They report numerous revivals of religion,. the formation of seventeen churches, and the addition of nearly 1,500 to the churches, in which they have labored. About $70,000• have been contributed to the Treasury, while the churches. have contributed clothing and other necessary articles directly to. the mis sionaries, to the value of from $f 000 to $lO,OOO more. AFTERNOON SESSION. The Report of the Publication Com mittee was read by Rev.. T.. W. Dulles, giving.a list of the new publications is sued during the year,ll tracts and nine bound volumes. The receipts 4)r the year were $28,407.25, and the expendi tures $33,281.11. The effort to secure an endowment of $50,000 for the committee has met with encouraging success. Nearly $30,000 have already been se cured, and the hope is, that the whole will be -made up before the close of the year. The Treasurer's report was read by the. Clerk ; the Treasurer himself, A. P. Halsey, having died since the last meet ing of the Assembly. The report and the nomination of a Treasurer were re ferred to Elders E. D. Mansfield and Edward T. Taylor. The Lafayette Avenue Presbyterian Church, Brooklyn, N. Y., was chosen as the next place of meet,i,mg4 , . Drs. Crosby and .:".!.Pacir, and Elder Churchill were appointedlo' nominate a Committee of Arrangements. On motion of Rev. S. G. Butler, a committee was appointed to report on a revision of the statistical tables in the minutes. The committee consists of Dr. Hatfield, Rev. J; G. BiAtler ' Dr. H. Crosby, Revs. Richard Craighead and A. Marsh. Rev. Mr. Winters, of the and of the German Reformed ChurcV4, ared and presented the request 44 'body for a correspondence • witliAlit'4 request was unanimously colit'Plet*W On motion of Prof H. 3r: committee was appointed to bring memorial on the tercentenary of death of John Calvin. Committee: Drs. H. B. Smith, Patterson, Hitchcock and. Specs, and Rev. C. E. Babb. The report of the delegates from the Assembly to the bodies with which it is in correspondence were read. The committee on Devotional Exerci ses reported the appointments for preaching on the coming Sabbath. [This is all that we have received of the proceedins, up to the time of go ing to press.]
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