torreApanituce,
AMONG THE WOUNDED
FREDERICKSBURG, Va., May lath, 1864
BROTHER MEARS :- You and your
readers will not be unwilling to hear
from this city of the wounded and dying.
I write with the distant, dull sound of
cannon in my ears, long after the night
lidl of another day of carnage. We wait
to see its dreadful memorials borne on
stretchers into our already over-crowded
wards, or laid on the ground to breathe
heavily for a little while, and then to lie
with blanket drawn over the face, and
by and by to bo carried to yonder
trench and covered over forever. Per
haps I cannot do better than give you a
little history of the experience of a few
days, close in the rear of the army, and
after great battles.
As a committee from the Delawave
Soldiers' Aid Society, a company of ten
of us left Wilmington on Tuesday after
noon, to care especially for our own
wounded, and to render what services
we could :to all who might need them.
On Wednesday we had our first, and
thus far our only experience of
RED TAPE
We provided ourselves with the neces
sary passes from the Surgeon General . ;
affording us the liberty of going to
Fredericksburg; transportation and
subsistence being furnished us ou the
way; we agreeing to act as volunteer
nurses on our arrival. We were passed
on board a large steamboat, fitted up as
a hospital boat, for the conveyance of
the sick and wounded, and we made
ourselves comfortable while we waited
for the vessel to take on board her
stores. After some four hours' delay,
we found ourselves, with some twenty
others more or less, politely ordered off
the boat. On inquiry for the reason,
those who held communication with the
officer—l did not, for I know something
of this class of animals, and the useless
ness of remonstrance—wore informed
that these gentlemen could not go, be
cause there was no order for them to go
on "The State of Maine "—the name of
the boat. "But," it was remonstrated,
"the pass gives transportation on a
government vessel, and we are anxious
to get on the field as quickly as possible,
to aid the wounded and the dying."
" The pass does not say that you are to
go on this vessel." " How could the
Surgeon General know, among all these
departures and arrivals, that this boat
would be going this morning ?" "He
could not; but the pass does not say
State of Maine.' " So a large company
of men, eager to go forward, passed
ashore, and the boat went on her way
without them ; while .thousands of our
brave inch groaned in their unattended
agony at the delay. This officer we took
pains to inquire after, and were informed
that he belongs to the regular army, and
he rejoices in the name of DR. SEANES or
JAbrEs. Let him have all the glory that
this kindly notice will give him, and
that his official precision and, especially,
his humanity can impart. The refusal
of this petty official to permit our pas
sage on the boat that the government
has mistakenly placed him in command
of, compelled us to wait in Washington
till Wednesday morning ; when we took
passage on board a small steamer, whose
captain—Captain Taggart—showed us
every attention, giving us his cabin for
our use, while every foot of his boat was
crowded with soldiers going to the
front.
THE WOUNDED AT BELLE PLAIN
The proper place for a landing, near
est to Fredericksburg, would be at
Acquia Creek ; but the long wharf built
by our government, and used daring our
former occupation of Fredericksburg,
was burned when McClellan changed his
base on the Peninsula. This compels a
landing—and this only in the smaller
steamers—at Belle Plain ; a little landing
place eight miles beyond Acquia Creek.
Hero, over the decks of several vessels
lying at the wharf, we made our way to
the shoie. At once we were in the
midst of a rush and confusion which we
have scarcely been vt of since. Pre
senting our letters of introduction to the
director of the Sanitary Commission, and
tolling him that we were here to work
just where we could do the most good,
he told us that it would be very unsafe
for us to go on to Fredericksburg at
night—it was now after noon—that the
guerrillas had captured part of a train
the night before (we saw, yesterday,
the wagons from which the mules had
been stolen, still standing where they
had been left by them), and that there
was work enough and need enough at
our hands. We volunteered at once,
and went up the hill to the tent which
the Sanitary Commission had pitched
the day before . . 13 ere we found a com
pany of wearied young men, some of
them from Princeton Seminary, whose
places we took, and as I happened to be
"Wider of our company, I was put in
command of " The Sanitary's " work at
this point.
But how shall I describe that work,
which taxed every poiver of body and of
mind, or the scene around us? Imagine
a road, leading down a tolerably steep
declivity toward the shore, and so
deeply cut by heavy wagon wheels as to
be almost impassable by reason of the
famed Virginia mud; every yard of
which is crowded with wagons, and
every foot of side-paths, or rather road
side, filled with wounded soldiers, pale
and weary ; some limping on one foot,
some leaning on sticks—precious as gold
as one remarked—some with one arm
over a companion's shoulders ; some
with both arms holding the necks of
two fellow-sufferers, not quite so seri
ously wounded, in one vast, continuous
stream, flowing towards the boat. As
one looked upon these men—some of
them with a foot shot through, and leg
bent to secure it from the ground, help-i
ing the painful step by a piece of board,-
brokenfrom the top of a packing box— .
with wounds in shoulders' arms and legs,
terrible enough to make you turn pale
and sick; you would look in wonder at
the courage and endurance of the men,
and ask how they could attempt the,
walk; but When I tell you that every
one of these men has walked twelve or
fourteen miles, over hills and along roads
so wretched as to weary a rider, and
through mud in many places almost to
the knee, what can you say ? It seemed
incredible, and, indeed, impossible, and
so much so that, even as I write, the,
doubt has flitted through my mind
whether they have not ridden at least
part of the way. But it becomes a cer
tainty, as I call to mind a soldier, with
a cheerful face, that looked up as I sa
luted him from the wagon, with foot
bandaged and held off the ground, and
supporting himself on a piece of board,.
holding it with both hands as he bent
upon it; and still have his reply to my
question in ray Car, " I am off, sir, to
Belle Plain." I sat in simple amaze
ment at the courage which could Sug
gest the thought, even in a dream ; but
the thing was done in thousands of in
stances.
As we dressed their wounds, many a
them not touched since they left the
battle-field, six days before, and almost
none dressed for three or four days,
some of them never dressed, except by
a companion's hand; bullet holes on each
side of a leg or arm, where the ball had
gone in and come out; ghastly wounds
in shoulder or face, where it had clashed
in and lost itself; wounds. all festering
and offensive, we were in a perpetual
wonder, and in a sort of tearful and
speechless admiration, which became
intense as the cheerful "thank you, sir,"
was given, and never one murmur of
complaint or dissatisfaction escaped or
seemed thought of. Surely, never has
the world seen such men. I have before
me now a boy—that is all he was—who
came to me asking me to dress his
wound. It was through and through
an arm or leg, I cannot say which now;
there have been too many under my
hand since to permit me to be certain.
;( When my boy, was this wound dress
ed?" I. asked, as moistening the bandages,
I disclosed the frightful holes all fester
ing and offensive, frightful then, but
very simple and scarcely to be noticed
now. "It was not dressed at all, sir,
only by the teamster four days ago."
And this was said with a cheery voice
and ifeasant smile. I dressed them and
was almost ashamed to hear the sweet
and cheerful thanks that followed. I shall
never see him again, but I have a feeling
toward that boy that is akin to love,
though he was before me but a few mo
ments and has not been thought of until
now ; for other scenes have been passing
in such rapid succession and such inten
sity of interest, that there has been no
moment till now to recall the past.
Toward night, a heavy rain set in,
making the roads, with the constant
churning of the wagons and ambulances,
one mass of measureless mud, and flood
ing the tent in which we attempted to
sleep ; but giving a night of untold
misery, to the thousands lying in wag
ons and tents, and perhaps .o by the road
side, shelterless, with undressed and
painful wounds. The sufferings of those
who came from the front in ambulances
and wagons, were tenfold greater than
of those who were able to walk. Any I
one who has over ridden in an army am
bulance, knows well what its jolting is,
and how difficult it is to keep ones seat
when passing over an uneven road. He
can imagine what it must be to a man
with an amputated limb, or shot through
shoulders, or arms or legs or breast,
and lying extended on his back. But
what must it be to ride in an army wa
gon, without springs, and over such
roads as these ? We rode some ten or
twelve miles on one of them to Freder
icksburg, and although the driver called
the road good, we could at times retain
our places only by bracing with both
hands and feet against the wagon sides.
Yet_over these same roads, and in these
: I I • :II , JUNE 2, 1864.
wagons these men had been drawn, with
wounds not dressed. some of them, for
a week and all of them not for several
days. Was it wonderful that they lay
dying and dead there on the road! and
added to all the rest, was hunger and
thirst. Three times, and for three dif
ferent trains of two to three hundred
wagons, I was begged to send some
food and some coffee to the men, and
was in almost utter despairat being un
able to do it.
Late at night we lay down, not sim
ply to sleep but to be called main and
again to provide stimulants for ex:haust
ed men, who could only by them be
kept alive.
-THE WOUNDED IN FREDERICKSBURG
We were wearied enough to sleep till
daylight, though on,th.e ground and with
the water at our feet. The Morning
came with a driving rain and more fear
ful depths of mud, but as we had left
home to go to Fredericksb,urg, we con
cluded to make the attempt. There was
no transportation, - so. after a breakfast
picked up in several different tents, we
slung our haversacks, and gathered our
blankets over our shoulders for the
march. After walking for one or two
hours through rain and mud and over
hills, we were fortunate enough to be
taken upon the top of a loaded army
wagon, and so reached Fredericksburg,
about 2 o'clock in the afternoon.
But I find my letter has drawn itself
out beyond my intention, and I must
leave my account of what we have seen
among the hospitals here for 4nother
letter. W. A.
CHAPLAIN STEWART'S LETTER To
THE GENERAL SYNOD.
BATTLE-FIELD NEAR SPOTSYLVANIA C. Et.,
VA., May 18, 1864.
DEAR FATHERS AND BRETHREN :
When I accepted the appointment as
delegate to Synod, it was not only my
hope, but most earnest desire, to meet
once again dear brethren in the flesh,
and mingle in youi deliberations for the
prosperity of our beloved Zion. Mat
ters, however, have been ordered differ
ently. Instead of the quiet councils of
a church court, I am here, in this rage
of battle, and amid these scenes of hor
rible slaughter.
The office of Chaplain seems some
what anomalous ; yet do I consider my
self here as the Missionary of the Pitts
burg Presbytery ; being regularly ap
pointed thereby to this importa,ntwork f
and under its supervision for its right
performance. The chaplain being one
of those cases contemplated by our Con
fession of Faith, wherever Church and
State co-operate for the promotion of
Christ's kingdom. Although supported
by the State, yet the chaplain is ap
proved and sent thereto by the church ;
for certainly each Chaplain should be
under the supervision of his own church
court. The law of Congress on the
subject contemplates so much. •
Should there appear anything local in
the action of the Pittsburgh Presbytery
in the matter, will Synod, if adjudged
proper, make said action its own.
The first lull in the work of death for
eleven days, sufficiently long for public
worship, occurred on Sabbath last, the
15th. At 2 P. M., on that day, I
preached to a crowd of soldiers. suffi
ciently large to have packed Dr. Wylie's
church ; and certainly, such attention
preacher hardly ever had. The minds
of the soldiers seemed to have become
awfully solemnized by the scenes of the
previous days. Oh that these feelings
might be permanent. The fear, howev
er is, they may not, but eventually turn
into hardness of heaat. Pray that con
verting, sanctifying grace may accompa
ny this thoughtfulness!
The cessation of this death-struggle
continued throughout Monday and
Tuesday. On Monday evening, as well
as last evening, an assembly, equal to
that of the Sabbath, came together for
social worship, and the spirit of the
Lord did. truly seem to be present.
Scarcely was our last night's service
concluded ere the order came, Pack up.
In a few minutes we were off, marching
and counter-marching all night, and at
dawn this morning the bloody drama was
renewed. Ere noon, quite a number
who mingled in our last evening's ser:
vice gave an account thereof at the bar
of God. Such is war—cruel, uncertain,
bloody mar. What is done for our
dear soldiers should be done quickly.
May 'the God of all peace, who
brought again from the dead our Lord
Jesus, that great Shepherd, preside r over
all your deliberations and decisions.
Yours in Jesus,.
A. M. STEWART,
Chaplain 102 d Regt., P. V
Our Rochester Letter is deferred from
press of other matter.
editorial Mears.
THE DISLOYAL PRESS.
It is indeed hard that in the midst of
this fearful struggle for the very exist
ence of our nation, we must tolerate
among us the organs of disloyal senti
ment, ready to lend themselves to any
measure calculated to weaken and in
jure the Government, provided only they
keep within the letter of the law. It
seems necessary, however, while keeping
close lyatch upon them, to bear with
them. At least they will serve one good
purpose. Their existence will prove
beyond dispute the full measure of
liberty enjoyed in the North during all
the perils and exigencies of a civil war.
Our Saviour. tolerated, in the narrow
.circle of his apostles, a hypocrite and a
traitor. Re did not expose or expel
him, but left him unmolested to work
out his own fearful doom. The absence
of all testimony against Jesus from such
a man as Judas, is one of the strongest
proofs of the purity of the Redeemer's
character. So it will be with the Ju
dases who have been suffered to move,
to write, and speak, unmolested, among'
us, during all this sore and trying
period. Their testiMony will be invalu
able when this war has passed into
history.
Meanwhile, let no one be * moved at
their hypocritical protests about the
despotism of the Government in tempo
rarily interfering when their mischiefs
have been too great to be passed over
in silence. The very fact of their being
permitted to protest and to vilify the .
Government disproves their accusation
of intolerance. Their whinings, their
vaticinations of evil are the result of
guilt. We ha:lie yet to meet the first
truly loyal man, who has any fears of
governmental. interference with his
liberty or his property. The loyal see
nothing in all that the World, the Journal
of Commerce, Herald, and Gov. Seymour
ca mplain of, as arbitrary and despotic,
but proofs of the host zeal of the
Administration to save Eon' destruction
those institutions which are the bulwark
of our liberties. • The Government may
make mistakes—does make them—but
the spirit exhibited in its very errors is
encouraging to all who pray for the
suppression of rebellion and the restora
tion of constitutional authority.
ORDINATION OF EVANGELISTS.
Messrs. Lewellyn Pratt and George
G. Smith, licentiates of the Third Pres
bytery. of Philadelphia, were ordained
to the work of the ministry, in the
North Broad Street Presbyterian church,
on last Friday - evening, May . 27th.
The Rev. Charles Brown presided on
the occasion, propounded the constitu
tional questions, and offered the 'ordain
ing prayer ; the sermon was preached by
Rev. 3. S. Willis, from Phil. iii : 8, and
the charge to the evangelists was deliv
ered by the Rev, Daniel March. An
appropriate address was also made by
the Rev. Wm. W. Taylor to the congre
gation, followed by a few remarks from
the Rev. Mr. Smith, one of the newly
ordained, who likewise pronounced the
benediction. The audience present 'was
of an interesting character, both for its
numbers and intelligence. The exerci
cises were exceedingly impressive, and
interspersed with excellent singing, ac
companied with instrumental music well
performed.
The young brethren just ordained
have important fields of usefulness be
fore them. Mr. Pratt has in charge the
Second Presbyterian Church of Mantua
— . a new and promising enterprise con
nected with the Third Presbytery of
Philadelphia. Mr. Smith has been ap
pointed by our " Home Missionary Com
mittee," an exploring missionary for the
new Territory of Idaho, and is now on
his way to that• distant field. The im
portance of this appointment cannot be
over-estimated. Earnest prayer was of
fered at the ordination of these brethren
that they might prove highly successful
in their ministry.
Presbyterian.—Rev. Mr. Beatty is the
successor of Dr. Palmer, in New Or
leans, and has taken the oath of alle
giance, but carefully avoids any ex
pression of loyalty to our Government.
The latter is said to be a colonel in the
Confederate army.—The General As
sembly of the Presbyterian Church, 0. S.,
commenced its sessions at Newark, N.
J., on the 19th inst., the first meeting
of the kind of either branch ever held
in that city. Dr. W. L. Breckenridge,
in the absence of the last moderator,
preached the sermon. Dr. Wood was
elected his successor.
Be" We call attention to the advertise
ment of the 10.40 Government Loan in
another column. - While many, in finan
cial circle's, are insanely and suicidally
trying to break down the National
credit, the regard shown by the people
in their subscriptions to this loan, proves
that their confidence is unbroken. Those
who desire to sustain the Government
by their means and safely to invest their
money, can do both by taking the 10.40
loan.
MURAL ASSEMBLY.
LCODTINIIED "ROM INSIDE PAGES.]
Fifth Day—Tuesday Morning.
The interest in the prayer-meetings con
tinues steadily to increase. This morning
the two special subjects of prayer and exhor
tation, were the influence of the Spirit fitting
the members of the Assembly to return to
their several charges and engage with fresh
zeal in their labors, and the dear - soldiers
who had gone forth to the battle-field. An
inquiry having arisen how many had sons
in the army? some fifteen or more responded
by rising to their feet. A similar inquiry as
to how many had lost sons, showed eight or
ten who had thus been bereaved—while the
number of those who had brothers in the
field seemed to constitute a large proportion
of the body.
EDUCATION FOR THE GOSPEL MINISTRY
Rev. J. Few Smith, D. D., brought in a
report on this subject, which seemed to have
been very carefully and thoroughly pre
pared, and the substance of which is em
braced in the following rasolutions :
1. .Resolved, That this Assembly finds re
newed occasion for confidence in the wisdom
and
,efficiency of the plan of education, as
managed by the Assembly's Permanent
Committee, and for commending it to the
cordial regard of the churches.
2. .Resolved, That the Assembly would
hereby urge upon the Presbyteries careful
observance of the rules of the Plan, and per
sistent efforts to secure the sympathy and
energetic co-operation of all churches in its
behalf, and would also express their sense
of the importance of giving to the Christian
ministry a piominence in the pulpit, and in
other departments of church life and ac
tion.
3. Resolved, That the Assembly would im
press upon the Presbyteries the need of
great carefulness in the examination of
candidates for the aid of this fund in respect
especially to their intellectual qualifications,
the earnestness and spirituality of their
piety, and their aptness to teach according
to the injunction of the Holy Spirit.
4. Resolved, That the Assembly has heard
with much satisfaction the statement of the
condition of Auburn, Lane and Union Theo
logical Seminaries, and commends these in
stitutions to the love and esteem and still
further liberal benefactions of the churches.
5. Resolved, That in view of the present
high prices of all articles, the Permanent
Committee is hereby authorized to increase
the appropriations for the present year, at
their discretion to an amount not exceed
ing twenty per cent. additional to each ap
propriation.
6. Resolved, That the Permanent Com
mittee is hereby empowered to invest in good
securities for the permanent scholarships,
from time to time, such sums as may remain
in their hands after their regular appropria
tions, and necessary expenses have been
paid.
Your Committee would also recommend
the following gentlemen for election as
members of the permanent Committee to
supply the places of those whose term of
office expires at this time, viz:
James P. Wilson, D. D., Robert R, Booth,
Charles S. Robinson, Fisher Howe, J. G.
Butler.
The reading of the report was followed by
an address from Rev. Thornton A. Mills, D.
D., Secretary of the Committee on Educa
tion. The General Assembly had no more
important business that could be brought
before it than the raising up of laborers for
the ministry—not fancy characters, but la
borers. He-felt in one respect apostolic on
this occasion. Paul, when he had only a
single chance to speak and then go away,
continued his speech long after midnight.
So with him—and accordingly he launched
forth in a thorough discussion of the topic
—just such a speech of detail, suggestion
and stimulating motives as a secretary ought
to give in such circumstances. This attempt
to enkindle the flame of Real afresh in the
hearts of all the members of the Assembly,
so that they might become centers of fire to
all around them, seemed to be well appre
ciated.
Dr. M. was followed by Rev. Dr. Canfield,
whose remarks were mainly directed to ex
cite interest in raising up men for the minis
try—as a test of individual, family, church
and denominational piety. He deprecated
exceedingly the manner in which mintsters
sometimes allowed themselves to speak
about their sacred office, in its effects upon
their children. Zeal on this subject he con
sidered a test of intelligence. Filling va
cant churches was an important matter.
Was it not equally important to supply the
places of the ministers themselves as they
were called out of the field by death ? As
illustrative of the importance of looking at,
the sources of ministerial supply he made a
very happy reference to an Egyptian who
only thought of the Nile in its effects—but
the river that makes glad the city of God
was to be looked at in its originating source.
Father Rankin of Ohio, followed in one of
the most effective arguments for raising up
the right kind of ministers, and the practi
cal results of labor, to which it was ever our
good fortune to listen. Being from begining
to end a close statement of facts, nothing
less khan a full and almost verbatim report
wouhl do it justice. We do not believe that
speech will be lost,:but trust that before the
venerable father is called home to his rest
he may be persuaded to put it on permanent
record as a chapter in ecclesiastical history
that will be increasingly valuable in time to
come.
Rev. Mr. Rawson protested against consid
ering the education of ministers, a sort of
charity concern—and earnestly exhorted
his brethren to give this subject in their
hearts and in their prayers the full place it
deserves.
Rev. Mr. Carnahan entered into the sub
ject con amore, describing his own early strug
gles to enter the ministry and the necessity
for more laborers, and thought if we only
had more zeal we would soon double and
quadruple the number of candidates.
Dr. Allen said that the spirit of the church
should be that every young man who was
willing to enter the church should be facili
tated in his course. He enlarged upon home
influence as of all others the most important.
Many ministers in this Assembly probably
owed their calling to their pious mothers
and fathers, more than to any other human
source. Honor the ministry in all you say
of it, and others will honor it also, He knew
of a man who for forty years was afraid to
become a Christian, because he thought he
would be obliged to become a christian min
ister. Grace had triumphed in the end, and
that man was now a member of this body.
The stated Clerk presented the following
letter to the Assembly, the substance of
which had been previously communicated
by telegraph and acted on :
NEWARK, N. J., May 20, 1864.
To the Moderator of the General Assembly of the
Presbyterian Ciurch in session at Dayton, Ohio :
The following paper has just been adopted
by the General Assembly of the Presbyterian
church in session in this city, and the per
manent clerk of this body was directed to
I send a copy thereof, to your Assembly, and
ask you to unite with us at the same time
and on the same subject.
" WHEREAS, There is enough in the recent
operations of our army to claim oar especial
gratitude to God; and whereas, what remains
undone demands our most sincere praye rs
to, and reliance upon Him without whom all
human efforts are vain ; therefore,
.Resolved, That the Assembly; in view o f
the condition of our country, will spend
Wednesday afternoon, in thanksgiving to
Almighty God for past mercies, an d j,
prayer for His continued blessing upon o ur
country
Very respectfully yours,
W. E. ScuENcs,
Permanent Clerk of the General Assembly
in session at 'Newark, N. J.
Adjourned.
Thesday-3 P. X
The Asssembly met, and was opened with
prayer. The Judicial ammittee presented the
case of S. E. Todd, case No. 1, which ca me
befor the Assembly of 1863, by his complaint
against the action of the Synod of Onandaga.
S. E. Todd had been suspended from the
church in a way which he complained before
the Presbytery of Cayuga was irregular, un
just and unconstitutional. The Presbytery
sustained his complaint, and the case was
carried by appeal to Synod. The Synod
reversed the action of the Presbytery, and
afirmed that of the Church. The last As
sembly recommended that the case be re
manded to the Synod, with instructions to
remand it to the Presbytery. The Commit tee
upon the review of certain evidence present
ed, recommended that the requisition of the
last Assembly on the Synodof Onandaga be
rescinded.
Case No. 2 was also reported : being the
appeal of Mrs. Maria Hill, from the action of
the Synod of Albany.
The committee made a report as to the
order of "proceeding in the case, which was
adopted ; and it was made the second order
of to-morrow to hear the appeal.
AN IMPORTANT RESOLVTION
Resolved, That the General Assembly re
commends to each of its Presbyteries the an
nual appointment of Standing Committees.
severally, on Home and Foreivn Missions,
Education and Publication, whose du tiesshall
consist. in a special oversight of these several
objects ; in the securing, as far as practicable,
a collection in behalf of each object in every
church'; and in reporting annually to the
Presbytery the amounts so contributed, as
well as other matters of special interest per
taining to each cause.
Resolved, That the Assembly further re
commends that the substance of the Annual
Reports of such Standing Committees be
embodied in the Presbyterial Narrative to the
General Assembly.
The Committee on Church Polity made a
report upon an application from the Synods
of Genesee and Geneva, in regard to the
transfer of certain churches, recommending
the griinting of it, which report was adopted.
RECEPTION OF FOREIGN DELEGATES;
The Assembly took up the order of the
day, viz: Communication from Correspond
ing Bodies.
The first delegate who spoke was Rev.
Edward P. Humphrey, D. D., from the As
sembly which met in Peoria in 1863. After
stating pleasantly that it had fallen to him
as temporary moderator to extend at that
time the right hand of fellowship to the two
delegates from the Assembly at Philadelphia,
he referred to the identity of Church organi
zation between the two portions of the
Presbyterian Church. Ruling Elders were
held in esteem equally by each, and the del
egates chosen by each body wore always two,
a Minister and an Elder.
The state of religion in their church would
be seen in the minutes of the Assembly :
e.specially in one singular feature, viz ; pre
ponderance in the number of churches, over
that of ministers. The two parts of the
Presbyterian Church were bound together by
a common constitution, a common ancestry
and by bonds of national suffering. They did
not, however, consider any effort at immedi
ate union as wise and expedient ; but they
looked forward to a time when it should take
place.
The Moderator, in reply, spoke at some
length, and on the peculiar relations, perso
nal and relative, in which himself and the
delegate were placed. Although they were
separated now, still, like the stream tempo
rarily divided, they would again unite. Other
generations would see eye to bye, and wonder
wherein their fathers differed. While our
branch has grown in power and strength, we.
were not blind to a corresponding increase
on their part. We recognize them as good
and substantial Presbyterians. (Laughter.)
Rev. Alfred Stevens, the delegate from the
General Convention of Vermont (Congrega
tional), was then introduced, and spoke with.
great power and effect. lie congratulated
the Assembly on its strong church organiza
tion, on its earnest•piety, and on the harmo
nious Christion relations between it and the.
evangelical bodief. There was a vein of ten
der remembrance of those who had gone to
fight the nation's battles, which made the
speech_ doubly effective and interesting.
Disclaiming the ism of the Congregational
system, •into which he had seen with sorrow
that others had fallen, he united sincerely
with the Assembly in its devotion to the
cause of Christ, and he left them with his
most earnest wishes and prayers for their
welfare.
The Moderator, in reply, said that for
sixty-one years this correspondence had
continued between the Convention of Ver
mont and the General Assembly, and, so far
as his memory served him, from the brethren
of Vermont they had never received anything
but fraternal kindness. Most heartily did he.
thank that State for the noble population
they had sent forth to all Departments of the
Church and State. The bitterest pang that
we had endured in our troubles, was, the
separation from our Congregational brethren.
New England was our st love, and, in view
of the admirable spirit of the delegate, he
was tempted to say, "O, si sic omnes !" So
far as others are concerned, he would take
the garment and go backward. (Applause
and . laughter.)
Similar courtesis were exchanged between
the Assembly and the Rev. David Winters,
of the German Reformtd Church. Though
he had come, he said, to see the celebration
of the nuptials of the Old and New School
branches of the Presbyterian Church, and
was disappointed, he had no doubt the great
event would yet be consummated.
After a farther consideration and adoption
of the report of the Standing Oettnnaittee of
Edncation for the ministry, the Assembly
adjourned with prayer.
Wednesday, May 25th, 8:30, A. M.
The Assembly met, and spent an hour in
devotional exercises.
CIIAPLAINS.-TRE ARMY AND IAVY
The Committee reported Overture No. 6,
as follows :
Resolved, That this Assembly highly appre
ciate the faithful and self-denying labor of
its ministers atml those of other Christian de
nominations, our National army ; that it
has confidence in the value of the regimen
tal chaplaincy, and in the motives and fidel
ity of the great majority of the chaplains,
And the Assembly earnestly exhorts all in
its churches to give these brethren in the
field a place in their sympathy and prayers.
Also Overture No. 'T, as follows :
Resolved, That the noble devotion, labors
and sacrifices of our patriotic' soldiers and
sailors, call for our deepest gratitude and