The American Presbyterian
AND
GENESEE EVANGELIST.
DELIMOUS AND FAMILY NEWSPAPER,
IN THE =Timm OP Tra
Constitutional Presbyterian Church.
puumsnED EVERY THURSDAY,
AT THE PRESBYTERIAN HOUSE,
1384 Chestnut Street, (2d Story,) Philadelphia.
„Bev. ZORN W, MEARS, Editor and Publisher.
CONTENTS OF INSIDE PAdES.
Chap. Stewart's Letter...2o2 Widow3imps,on's:Spoons2o6
Revival in Chicago 202 Novel Reader 0 06
influence of Mencius 'O2 Keep the Birth-day 206
When to Prepare Set , MmirinyErsattarr.—Great
mons 5 02 Britain —Germany -
Editor's Table 203 France Holland
Literary Items 203 Missionau— India—
Visit to Army of Polo- China —Africa— Poly
mac__ 203 nesia
,....._ 207
206 Zeal of Young COnverts..2o7
20C
Thou linon•ost....
Ladies' Covenant
HOW THE WORLD MOVES.
" The world moves !" The most in
veterate conservatism, under the heats
and frosts of the centuries, yields at last.
Even the glacier, though with imper
-ceptible motion, slides slowly down
toward green fields and smiling valleys,
and if it lived to curse, dies to bless.
And so it is in the moral world. A
false position cannot be maintained for
,ever. Time and Providence will carry
it atlast against all odds.
It is now just two generations since
the Established Church of Scotland
resolved to shut out the southern sun
beams that visited her northern winter
of moderatism. She forbade, ,by ecclesi
astical statute, the admission of any
minister outside the pale of her com
munion—not licensed by a Scottish
Presbytery—into any of her pulpits.
Rowland Hill and Simeon, of Cam
bridge, with their evangelism, threatened
to create a stir in Scotland. They
ssowed the seed that ripened into Thomp
sons and Haldanes. They had done it
.at Glasgow and Paisley, and to throng
ing multitudes on Calton Hill. This
was too much for the " moderates" to
endure, and . so they excluded from
ministerial communion the very men
whom the church needed most.
That was a dark day for the Scottish
Church. The act followed close upon
measures which branded the - project of
missions to the heathen as fanatic:
Hamilton, of Gladsmuir, and the cele
brated Dr. Carlyle, of Inveresk, distin
guished themselves--infamously--by
ridiculing overtures which looked to
ward the carrying into action the last
great command of the Redeemer, to
-disciple all nations. It only needed the
:added exhibition of isolation and illibe
rality which the new statute afforded, to
:warrant Iletherington's description of
the Establishment, as " swathing itself
,up in thick cerements as if to indulge in
-a long and dignified repose, like a lifeless
yet life-like embalmed Egyptian mon
arch in bis hieroglyph-encrusted sar
cophagus." It is true, as he says, that
there was still " an active life around it,
-and even a disturbed vitality within
-the oppressed heart of its own torpid
frame." But those were too feeble to
_rouse it to vigorous Christian activity,
.and it was more than forty years before
-the sarcophagus was rent, and the Free
Church of Scotland issued forth, leaving
-behind . it apparently only dust and
,cerements.
It might have seemed that, after the
disruption, the Established Church would
have sunk back for Another century to
the dignified repose of a second dynasty
of moderation. But if the evangelical
element bad been powerful within the
church, it did not lose power or influence
by marching forth before the world, to
plant itself untrammeled on its own
platform, or fight under its own banners.
Its example was not lost. Its leaven,
though in feeble measure left behind it,
was still at work. Another atmosphere,
more vigorous and bracing, was abroad,
and it was felt in kirk and manse. The
Free Church had become free indeed,
but it had let the world see it dash off
its golden chains, and even Jeffrey
applauding the act of Chalmers and his
associates, said, "I am proud of my
country."* Moderation itself could not
regard with indifference what had kin
died the cold critic of the Edinburgh
Review to enthusiasm. The Establish
ment. soon began to feel that it 'must
conform to the ago. It must speak a
more modern dialect. It must put new
•'windows into its castle. It must cut
Idown the sunless forest and let in the
.light of day.
A year ago its attention was drawn
to the odious and illiberal statute of
1799. Dr. Guthrie's recent correspond
-once with one of the best members of
.7the Estabrshment doubtless tended to
-spread the feeling of popular dissatisfac
-
Lion, and at length, at the last meeting
.of the Assembly in May, the act which
*Lord Jeffrey was sitting reading in his Quiet room,
when one burst upon him vaying; " Well, what do you
think of it? filo; e than four hundred of them are
actually out." Toe hook was flung aside, and springing
to his feet, Lord Jeffrey exclaimed; " I'm proud of my
country! not another country upon earth
where such a dead could hare been clone."—Wayiland's
Chalmers..
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New Series, Vol. I, No. .--.3,'0.
for sixty-five years had disgraced the
records of the Establishment, was re-
pealed.
This is certainly a step in the right
direction. It places the church on the
old ground which it occupied, when
Samuel Davies secured its sympathy
and church collections for Princeton
College: True, there is room for
further advance. But it is something
to. record such a sign of the times.
There is a lesson for us also in the
influence exerted by the Free Church
upon the residuary elements of the
Establishment, and one which finds
other significant parallels.
One of these is discerned in the
Protestant Reformation. For centuries
before Luther there were restless ele
ments in the Romish Church, demanding
its purification.. There were eloquent
voices loudly and bravely raised to
reprove and rebuke corruption. Not
Wickliffe, Huss and Jerome only—men
like Gerson and Clemengis, and some of
those whose votes doomed the Bohe
mian martyr to the stake, insisted upon
reformation. It was all in vain. A
dreary century rolled by, and the
realization of the long-cherished :hope
was still deferred. But Luther lifted
high the Protestant standard, and
millions ranged themselves beneath it.
What then ? Was Rome at peace ?
Was she simply delivered from the
troublous elements? Far from it. With
in her own communion, reform began
in earnest. For centuries she had never
had popes so free from scandal. She
was forced into outward decency under
pain of irretrievable infamy. If the
question is asked, why the Protestant
Reformation paused at a certain stage
of its progress, a part of the answer
must be that Rome seriously began to
put off her most obnoxious vices. She
had learned from her enemy, and to
that lesson she owed her reform—her
partial reform—that adjourned her doom.
It is with no thought of reviving Old
issues, or making invidious comparisons
—Which we utterly disclaim—that we
point to another illuStration of reac
tionary influence. The portion of the
Presbyterian Church in this country
which claims to stand on old constitu
tional ground, has not lost influence by
occupying a position independent of the
elements, with which it was formerly
associated. If, by its continued and
distinct existence it has vindicated the
principles of its platform, it has seen its
opponents steadily advancing toward
itself. There are few of them to-day
who •will question the revolutionary
character of the 'acts, by which the
Four Synods Were exscinded, and a
presbytery ecclesiastically annihilated
without trial; and the unanimity is
every day becoming more perfect.
" The world moves," and free as we are
to confess that " we move With it," that
as a denomination we too have learned
some important lessons, we will not
deny ourselves the satisfaction of feeling,
what experience justifies us in asserting,
that we have lived also to teach others.
THE MYSTERY SOLVED
[The attention of one of our corres
pondents has been attracted by the fol
lowing passage in the " Appeal" to the
Congregationalists of Philadelphia, pub
lished in the Independent a, week or two
before the recent sectarian demonstra
tions in our city.
"There are circumstances which defi
ignate this as the opportunity NV 11 we
have only to improve tha:, lye may
plant our cause on sure foundations.
We are zit not liberty at present to state
what these all are i the statement might
tend to overthrow. There are reputed
charms which a word may break.
He sends us several reasons ; explana
tory of the nature of these "reputed
charms," which, if we do not greatly
mistake, will do the work of an Ithur
iel's spear, in exposing their dark sig
nificance.]
MR. EDITOR—Dear Sir : I submit to
your judgment the following reasons,
hinted at in the recent appeal to Phila
delphia Congregationalists, published in
the Independent, and probably constitut
ing the "opportunity" spoken of in that
document, as now existing for planting
Congregationalism in our city.
1. There happens to be settled in
Philadelphia at this time, a man who is
either a broken-down Congregationalist
minister, or who has abandoned the
profession for a secular calling, who has
allied himself with one of our leading
PHILADELPHIA, THURSDAY, JUNE 30 9 1864.
churches, and has gathered influence
which he can pervert to the advantage
of his own denomination.
2. The hearty loyalty of Philadelphia
giving 7500 majority for the Govern
ment, while New York city gave 30,000
against it, has induced a kind feeling
towards Henry Ward Beecher and Drs.
Storrs and Thompson among us, has
led to their invitation to deliver patri
otic lectures in Philadelphia, and given
-them an influence which can be subordi
nated to sectarian propagandism.
3. Several of the Presbyterian church
es have been made vacant and in their
present destitution of pastors, strong
hopes arc indulged that their people
may be proselyted to Congregational
ism.
4. The whole-hearted hospitality of
Philadelphia to New England soldiers,
through its Volunteer,.Aefreshment Sa
loons and its hospitals, has generated
feelings of sympathy and kindness to
wards New England, and New England
men, and these sympathies may be used
to conciliate favour for Congregation
alism.
5. It so happened just at this'time in
our city that one minister had a church
without a denomination, and another a
church, but himself rejected by existing ,
denominations, and by sweeping these
into the fold, a show could be made for
the interests of Congregationalism.
6. The absorption of the public mind
in the great conflict of the country, and
the bleeding sympathies of all hearts
for our suffering soldiers, had to such an
extent, blunted denominational feeling
and promoted the spirit of union, that
shrewd and far-seeing sectarians could
avail themselves of the spirit of charity
to push in their own denomination.
PHILADELPHIA ; Juno 27,1864.
There is located on Seventeenth St.,
north of Columbia Avenue, a building
of huge dimensions, known to few com
paratively of our citizens, designed and
constructed in all its parts, by its be
nevolent founder, with a view, to the,
advancement of science, and known as
" the Wagner Institute." The upper
partitf this large edifice (160 feet in
length) is occupied as a vast museum,
with numerous alcoves in which are
arranged and classified an almost end
less variety of specimens in mineralogy
and natural history, with a large col
lection of valuable philosophical appa
ratus. On the lower floor of the build
ing there are rooms, some
for
in number, of convenient size for the
use of professors and for recitations, &c.,
besides a large Lecture room capable of
seating about one thousand persons.
Professor Wagner having kindly grant
ed the use of this large audience room,
for the purpose of religious worship, ac
cordingly last Sabbath afternoon a series
of-services was inaugurated by Rev. Dr.
Brainerd, in a sermon of rare beauty
and power, from the impressive words
of our Lord, "take heed how ye -hear.".
Although the day was oppressively
warm, a numerous audience was pre
sent. -
In his exordium, he commended in
fitting terms the benevolence of the
scientific gentleman who
. had so gener
ously granted the use of his building for
the high and holy purposes in which we
were then engaged. At the same time
he took occasion, in chaste and eloquent
language, to pay a noble and just tri
bute to science confirming the highest
forms of truth as presented in the in
spired word. There never could be any
disagreement in the most advanced state
of science with revealed religion. On
the contrary, the development of the
one, as a sequence was the advance
ment of the other.
He regarded the present movement
as eminently hopeful and promising,
and demanded by the increase .of popu
lation in the neighborhood, with which
he was quite familiar, having himself re
sided in it for a number of years. At
the close of the services he announced
that the Rev. S. Willis was expected
to preach there next Sabbath.
It may be proper to state in connec
tion with this movement that a flourish
ing Sabbath school of more than one
hundred and fifty scholars is in opera
tion on Columbia Avenue, and only
needs more room in order that its num
bers may be largely -increased.
A NEW OKOMOH ENTERPRISE.
THE SIMULTANEOUS PUBLICATION
The above collection was appointed,
as we have already informed our readers,
fOr last Sabbath. But as many of the
churches may not have found it conveni
ent to take it up at that time, we give
the letter of the Publication Committee
to the churches, to keep them in mind of
their' duty.
TO TILE SESSIONS OF OUR CHURCHES.
• PHILADELPHIA, JUNE 10, 1804
.DEAR BRETHREN :—The late General
Assembly (at Dayton) determined that,
on the Fourth Sabbath Of • the present
month, a simultaneous Collection should
be made to: secure the $50,000 which it
had been previously resolved should be
raised as a Business Capital.for our Pres
byterian Publication Committee. We
trust that it will be necessary- only to' call
your attention to the matter, to secure
your kind offices in carrying the recom
mendation of the Assembly into. effect,
In some - of the churches the appeal has
already been met, and $30,000 of the
450,000 secured. A similar response.
from the congregations that have not yet
contributed their proportion to this
Special F - Und will complete . the effort ;
and place our Publication Cause on a
safe foundation for extended usefulness.
'Whilst this work is growing in favor
With the Denomination, those to whose
care it is committed have increasing
evidence both of the call for its existence
and the demands for an enlargement of
its ability to give currency to the truth.
There is before it an open door. We
earnestly ask you to make, in , concert
with yOur brethren in other places, a
. special effort to attain the proposed re
result, and thus to give to our Church
the satisfaction of success in an object so
desirable and feasible. If each congrega
tion does its part, the Whole willbe done.
May we not expect that your Church
will contribute its fair proportion of the
$50,000 ?
- Should-it be impracticable to take up
the subject at the time named by the
iissembly, we hope that the earliest time
will be assigned to it at which it can re
ceive suitable attention.
llopi*for yo - ar hearty Co-operation,
Fraternally yours,
ALBERT BARNES, Chairman.
JonN W. DULLES, Secretary.
FINANCES OF THE AMERICAN BOARD.
Our readers will notice, by a .state
ment published in another column, that
up to the last of Hay there had been no
considerable improvement in the finan
ces of the AMERICAN Boikun, while, on
the , . other hand, the extraordinary and
unforeseen advance in the rates of for
eign exchange had made the situation
still more embarrassing. Unless, there
fore, the receipts of the Board for the
remaining months of the financial year
should average nearly seventy thous
and dollars a month, debt is inevitable.
At the present rate of income, that debt
will not fall short of one hundred
trio and dollars.
SiNch an unfortunate result would do
mischief to the cause in many ways. It
would not only discourage the mission
arfes abroad and the friends of the cause
at home, but would disconcert all
plans of operation for the coming year.
Attention would be called off from the
foreign field by the effort required for
cancelling an unprecedented amount o
debt; and the interests of the cause
would languish for months, and perhaps
years, to the remotest portion of the
field.
It behoves our churches solemnly to
consider their present measure of re
sponsibility to this great cause. How
ever they might prefer other methods
of action,. the American Board is our
chosen.agent; and while it is so, should
receive our cordial support. Beloved
brethren of our connection are in' the
employ of the Board, and are suffering,
in ..4.vir far-off homes, from our mide
q-nattit contributions. Let not their
hearts„be grieved, or even broken, and
_their Work be brought to a stand-still
through our neglect. Many, very many
churches, we regret to say, are reported
as omitting, from year to year, to take
any collection for Foreign Missions :
Some congregationS, of great wealth,
contribute surprisingly small amounts.
Others, who may be regarded as having
done well, undoubtedly can do a great
deal better. Certainly there has been
very great dereliction of duty somewhere
or in this time of our abundance the
J. S. C
Genesee Evangelist, No. 945.
COLLECTION.
cause of Foreign Missions would not be
in such a position of deep prospective
embarrassment.
The collection taken in North Broad
Street Church in this city, for the Board,
some weeks ago, we are informed,
reached $650.
LETTER FROM REV. WM. FITHIAN.
[The following letter refers to the
action of Chariton Presbytery taken
April 7th, , and published in our columns
at the request of the stated clerk of the
Presbytery, April 28th.] '
MISSISSIPPI RIVER STEAMER, June 11, 1864.
REV. EDITOR. A I rFAILS--Dear Bro. : On
duty away down in the lower regions
of rebeldom, scarcely ever these days
do I see your paper, and can be but
poorly posted in what is being published
in the States up North. An Illinois
friend kindly informs me that a com
munication from Chariton Presbytery
in lowa, appeared in your paper a few
weeks since, purporting to set forth that
myself, or one of my name, had been
thereby lately suspended or deposed
from the Gospel ministry I And some,
by that publication, I am. told, are
misled to apprehend that Wm. Fithian,
of New Jersey nativity, New York
pastorate, and now-of Illinois residence
and U. S. service, cloth really stand
suspended from the functions of the
Gospel ministry I -
Please, therefore, - as a matter of sim
ple justice, let those under that appre
hension be disabused by the corrective
publication of this note. -For by the
grace of God I am guiltless of offence,
and am not a member, nor ever was, of
Chariton. Presbytery, nor have I so
much as seen lowa for these two and
a half years. Moreover, providentially
I have in. my possession, as well at on
public file, an official certificate of my
own ecclesiastical membership and good
standing; and also enjoy the signal
protection. and favor of the Lord in the
important and gratenilly acknowledged
services I am now rendering.
I remain very truly yours,
WILLIAM FITHIAN.
fiens of Me thittrikto.
PALMYRA, Mo.—The church in this
place was identified with our body until
1859, when it was carried, by a pro
slavery pastor, to the " Old School."
After this pastor left, Rev. F. A. Shearer,
of lowa, a loyal and anti-slavery man,
was for a short time in charge, but was
compelled to leave by the power of
disloyal opinion in 1861. Latterly, Rev.
James R. Winters, also a Union man,
has been the pastor; but in March of
this year the disloyalists rallied in their
strength, elected two elders, ousted a
loyal elder, and received endorsement
froin the Presbytery which met in that
city March 31. The main facts in the
case have, already been given in our
columns of May sth. We quote from
the Presbytery Reporter : •
The Moderator of this meeting of the
Presbytery was Rev. John Leighton, of
Hannibal, the very man who deserted
the New School and took this Palmyra
church over to the Old School in 1859.
The Clerk was Rev. A. P. Forman, also
of Hannibal, who in 1862 was enrolled
as disloyal. Another man was Rev.
John Travis, of Monroe county, who
once assisted in secreting some bush
whackers, and then coolly told the Fede
ral commander that no such men were
on the premises. (Fortunately the
rebels were immediately found and
brought from their hiding place.) This
Travis was also present at a caucus
which planned and ordered the imme
diate hanging of one of his Union
elders, whose only crime was fidelity
to his Government. _Nothing but the
providential escape of this elder pre
vented the consummation of this horrid
crime. These, with others of similar
proclivities, constituted the majority of
the Presbytery. With a few exceptions
this disloyal Presbytery refused to take
the oath prescribed by General Rose
trans—thusstill more clearly defining
their Status. To remove Mr. Winters
from the church, to weaken and destroy
his influence, and to break down the
loyal con g regation of Palmyra was now
the grandobject. . . - The final results
were that Mr. Winters asked and re
ceived a letter to the New School Pres
bytery of Northern Missouri ; his own
house of worship was denied him—he
being peremptorily refused its use for
`fulfilling his appointments already made.
The disloyalists thus holding the church
by the power of numbers, the Union
portion engaged Concert all, where
they now worship. Taking with them
the organ harmonium, which was pri
vate property—they commenced on
By mail, $2.00 per annum, in advance.
" 2.50 " " after 3 months
By carrier, 50 cents additional for delivery.
CMITBS.
Ten or more papers sent by mail to one
church or locality, or in the city to one address,
By mail, $1.50 per annum.
By carriers, 2.00 ;$ <4
To save trouble, club subscriptions must
commence at the same date, be paid strictly ix
advance, in a single remittance, for which ens
receipt will be returned.
Ministers and Ministers' Widows supplied at
club rates. Home missionaries at $1 per annum.
POSTAGE.—Five cents quarterly in advance,
to be paid by subscribers at the office of de.
livery. • .
Sabbath, April 10, 1864, regular services
in this hall. On the 23d of April last,
Mr. Winters was received as a member
of the New School Presbytery of North
ern Missouri. At the same time, on
application of thirty of its members, his
church was restored to its original con
nection with the same Presbytery. The
Sabbath school convenes in the same
hall every Sabbath morning; and nun
bore already seventy pupils. A weekly
prayer meeting is held on every Thurs
day evening at private houses. Palmyra,
has a population of 2000 or 2500, about
30 business houses, a superior court
house, a banking building, two incorpo
rated colleges, each having a male and
female department. Previous - to the
war two female seminaries were in suc
cessful operation. It is sixteen miles
northwest. of Hannibal, at the junction
of the Hannibal and St. Joseph, and. the
Palmyra and Quincy railways. It is
surrounded by an unusually fertile and
well cultivated country.
NEW CHURCHES IN MISSOURI.—The
same number of the Reporter informs us
that at the meeting of the Presbytery
of Northern Miasouri, above-mentioned,
committees were appointed to organize
a church in Hannibal and in Canton
each. Of the latter undertaking, the
following report is given:
Rev. W. Dunlap and Rev. J. A. Dar
rah, the committee appointed by the
Presbytery of Northern Missouri to or
ganize a church at Canton, visited that
place for the purpose, the fourth Sab
bath in May last. The church was or
ganized with nine members ; four males
and five females. Two excellent breth
ren, being chosen by the church were
ordained and set apart to the office of
Ruling Elders. They elected Trustees
and expect immediately to purchase a
lot and house of worship. The prospect
of growth and success is very encaura
criner
b b •
REV, L. P. CRAWFORD, of Sandwich
writes to the Reporter that the
church there has paid all its indebted
ness but a balance of interest. Also
that at a recent communion, eleven per
sons were received by profession aid
one by certificate. lie also says:
The church of Somonauk has met
with a windfall, in the gift by the rail
road of apiece of ground, which relieves
them very much of the debt by - which
they have been embarrassed.
The people of his two charges have
presented him with $l2O.
MINISTERIAL * ITEMS.—Bev. R. H.
Williamson, late of Fond du Lac, Wis.,
has accepted a call from the church at
Rockford, 111., and entered upon his la
bors there.—The Church of Belvidere
after a year's experience of the min
istrations of Rev. D. K. Eddy, has given
him a call for settlement. His installa
tion was expected to take place on the
4th of May.—Rev. Wm. M. gain has
taken charge of the church in Weston,
Mo. ' having commenced his labors there
the first of last May.—Rev. E. Boing,
late of Durham, has accepted a call to
the church at Angelica, N. Y., where
his letters should be directed in future.
Mr. B. had received three friendly calls
from his people in Durham, during the
year at the last of which he was pre
sented with sl26.—Rev. W. S. Stout
enburgh has resigned his pastorate of
the church of Oak's Corners, N. Y., and.
accepted a call to the First Congrega
tional Church of Allen's Grove, Wis.
THE SIXTH PRESBYTERIAN. CHURCH,
(Island,) of Washington City, have ex
tended a unanimous call to the Rev. Geo.
H. Smyth, of New York, to become their
pastor. Mr. Smyth is a graduate of the
University of New York, and has just
closed his course of theological studies in
the Seminary at Princeton, New Jersey.
The call will probably be accepted.
THE FIRST CHURCH OF LAWRENCE, in
connection with the Presbytery of Kan
sas,.was duly organized on Wednesday,
the Bth of June. A -Lawrence paper
says :—" Two very desiirable lots on.
Kentucky Street have been purchased,
and a building for religious worship is
to be erected at once upon one of these
lots. Some of the material is already
on the ground. The church mentioned
firstis the and only church ever organ
ized in direct connection with the Kan
sas PreSbytery in this city. At a meet
ing held in the Unitarian house last
Wednesday afternooon the roll of
church membership embraced twenty
nine names of those who had applied to
become members and were received.
A session was constituted by the elec
tion of five elders, all of whom had been
previously ordained to the office in the
Presbyterian Church. The meeting
was one of peculiar interest and har
mony."
ACCESSIONS IN NEWARK, N. J.—The
Evangelist of June 23d, says: Quite
large additions on profession, doubtless
fruits of the late revival, were received
into two of our Newark churches on
Sabbath last. Thirty-four were receiv
ed into the Second Church, Dr. Few
Smith's, and nineteen into the High
Street Church, Rev. Dr. Poor's.
A MINISTER in our church, who can
preach in the German language, can
hear of an interesting and important
field by addressing the Alton Editor of
this magazine.—Presbytery _Reporter.