I Constitutional Presbyterian Church. ~ ~ ' " New Series, Vol. I, Wo. 31. Gr PUBLISHED EVERY THURSDAY, AT THE PRESBYTERIAN HOUSE. 1331 Chestnut Streofc, (2d Story,) Philadelphia. ev. JOHN W, HEARS, Editor and Publisher, CONTENTS OP A Christian Nation ? 242 Good Deed Marred 246 Thomas Chalmers, 1V...242 I’ll Try ......246 Rev. Samuel White .242 New Birds Press on the New Levy.. 242 Patriot and Martyr 247 ! Editor’s Table 243 Petersburg Forts 247 i itiiterary Items y .. 243 Primary Assemblies 247 ;,Lbrd Russell 243 Christian Commission... 247 be Satisfied 246 A DAY OF HUMILIATION AND PRAYER, * L to iJC regretted that the very , general scattering of church-going peo „,ple, with their pastors, in ’ pursuit of r health and recreation, will interfere '■with the public celebration of this day l recommended by Congress and the President. Yet the appointment as the joint act of our Legislature aud the Ex ecutive, must be regarded as a hapj>y indication of -the temper of our rulers, and the terms of the joint resolution are so appropriate, practical, and copi ous ,and, as the President says, so sol emnly, earnestly and reverently recom mended, that every Christian and patriot must derive, from porusing them, unusual satisfaction and hope for our future. Wc doubt whether any form of prayer’for the country, devised by those church officials who are accustom ed to promulgate such documents, at all approaches in fulness the topics suggest ed in the joint resolution of these lay men. Let ua glance at them, and thus provide ourselves with material for in telligently approaching the throne of gi’aec in behalf ot our country. There is (1) Confession and repen tance. Upon this duty the resolution does not dwell, being content to give it the first place as a necessary prelimin ary'to all successful approaches to God., (2) Prayer for the speedy suppres sion of the rebellion and the supremacy of the Constitution and laws throughout the United States. This is the first and groat desire of all loyal hearts. No man truly prays for his country who does not make this the burden of his requests. Wc hear some prayers which weakly and hesitatingly mention peace, without alluding to the only basis .on which a true and lasting peace can bo secured—• the suppression of the rebellion. Such prayers are disheartening to the loyal, and, if literally answered, would bring no blessing to the country. Men may offer thepi to-day, but they will not bo responding to the proclamation if they do. , (3) Prayer that God, as the Supreme Euler of the world, will not. destroy us as a people, nor suffer us to be destroy ed by other nations, or by obstinate ad hesion to our owh counsels. The pos sibility of theso counsels being in con flict with his eternal purposes is, in so many words, admitted, bio prayer is sincere which does not expressly or im pliedly renounce all claim, to the supe riority or sufficiency of human counsels. “Thy will bo done,” must be the first word, and “thine is the kingdom, the power and the glory,” the last word of every acceptable petition. Yet wo are nob to havo no counsel at all, for fear of going conlrony to God’s will. Using the lights we havo,- following the plain dictates of conscience and of Christianity, watching tho indication of Providence, with constant prayer for guidance, we must adopt and pursue with humble boldness, the course that seems to us right and expedient. Our prayers for further light and aid must not relax the vigour of our activity in so much of the path as has already been made light to US. War and emancipation are the two arms of our policy; and while Moses and Aaron and Hur go up, to-day, to the hill of prayer, admitting the possibility of error by the very act of prayer, Joshua and the fighting men, with these weapons, must pursue, with redoubled vigour, the work of subduing Amalek in the plains below. AspL as Moses saw the answer to bis prayers in the increas ed energy and advance of host, so may we be sure that the answer to our prayers to-day will be, not in any peaco-maunderings among broken-down politicians, but in the- reinforcement of our -armies, the quickening of their movements, the downfall of the rebel strongholds, the sinking of their pirates, the renewal of the national credit and' the collapse under irresistible military pressure, and amid the Bhouts of enfran chised millions, of the fictitious rebel « Confederacy.” Nay, it is the |aek of energy and concentration in the use of our chosen means and in the prosecution of our noble cause that should form the burden of oqj confessions and humilia tion to-day. ' ’ - INSIDE PAGES. The resolution expresses the belief that it is in accordance with the Divine will that our place should ho maintained as a united people among the family of nations. It is well for ns to utter this our heartfelt belief amid the solemn scenes and observances of this day. God knows it is the conviction of our hearts; the one which has animated hundreds of thousands of our brave vol unteers to the great sacrifices they have made of comfort, health, and life in the struggle. We are not going to desert our country and suffer her to be dis membered and die by traitor hands. Wc believe God has given us of this generation the sublime and difficult, but practicable work, of perpetuating it in its unity, and of handing it down to coming generations, a better and a 1 freer country, and a more healthful and potent example to the world at large than ever before. These are our con victions. Coming humbly .to God in prayer, we may yet bring them with us, -so manifestly have they the indorse ment of the plain principles of his word, of the enlightened conscience, of the best human experience, and of the course of providence itself from the opening of our history. (4) Prayer that our soldiers and the masses of the people may have courage, power of resistance and endurance ne cessary to procure the result. Instead of these qualities wo must hot for a mo ment make the fatal mistake of depend ing on numbers, wealth, and prosperity. The very absence of these things from the South, has given inconceivable,des peration to the rebellion. On the other hand, the excessive confidence of the North in its resources has made it more tardy in putting them forth; while the business prosperity and general peace it enjoys, are so dear to the community, that they grow impatient and begin to talk of compromise when tbe course of the war threatens to seriously trench upon them. No! success depends upon the spirit of the people. The danger ousness Of an-- enemy; depends largely upon the .determination with whichTio pushes his malignant plans. What wc need among all' classes of our commu nity, in the»breasts of our wives and mothers, in our business and financial circles, as well as among our popula tion generally, is that courage, power of resistance, and endurance which God alone, can give and maintain amid temporary disaster and gloom; that Bpirit of firmness which springs from martyr-devotion to the principles in volved in the struggle, and which calmly discharges the high duty of the hour, even at the peril of life. In this fourth year of the war, .with currency de ranged, and business and living embar rassed by high prices, with taxes in creased and a further draft upon our able-bodied population required, we must, with increased -earnestness, look to God for the necessary support, that wo may be kept faithful to the eternal principles of free government and hu man liberty at stake. (5) Finally, tho rebellion is in God’s hand, He must he implored, say our rulers, to soften the hearts, enlighten the minds, and quicken the consciences of those in rebellion, that they may lay down their arms and return to their allegiance. This wo should seek, they suggest, to the end that they may not he utterly destroyed. For if they per sist in armed opposition, they must be crushed, to the last combatant. This would he a catastrophe to the nation and to humanity. We seek not their total ruin. We would have them re- - formed into loyal and good citizens. We would that by their submission, the necessity for further bloodshed should be removed. It would be an "astound ing revolution. We see no way to bring it about but by redoubling our hard blows. God can do the work by a word or a breath of his Spirit. To him let us raise our petition on the national day of prayer. He may heed our united and earnest appeal for such a wonderful display of his power. These topics should occupy our minds to day. Whether in the public assembly, in our families, or in private, we should fervently and unitedly pour theffi out before God; deriving hope for the country from the fact that onr rulers have so well judged , the needs of the hour aud have so appropriately and im ■ • pressively directed the. people to the source of all help. PHILADELPHIA, THURSDAY, AUGUST 4, 1864. NOTES PROM UPPER DELAWARE. Sympathy with nature is to he ex pected, not so much in a rural popula tion, to whom her varying phenomena have grown familiar, as in the escaped victims of the artificial life of the city. Their senses are keen to the sights, the odors, the sounds of the brooks, the forest and the field. They bound forth on their visits to the country like school boys let .loose, or like captives released from narroy Avails and an irksome routine of duty, to the free air again. The clover field smells sweeter; the song of birds and the dash of water are more musical; the open arch of heaven is more sublime; their imagination gives an .edge of poetry to the commonest ob jects ; they view, with an elation of spirits unknown to the countryman, all the aspects of rural life. They exclaim with the poet; 0 sound to rout a brood of cares, The sweep of scythe in early dew! Yet they cannot exceed the farmer in their interest in those mutations of the skyey influences upon which depends the success of his crops. They cannot suffer for the parched earth and wilting vegetation as he does, whose business prospects are closely involved and ira-- perilled. They cannot long or pray as the farmer does for the blessed rain. But what a desolate place does the country become, in a drought, to those who have fled to it for its freshness and verdure! And how all around ns, from the shadow of these maples, has the whole countryside, for weeks, spread outr one scene of languishing and browii decay! How, for nearly two months, the fervid sun has poured down his unpitying rays, and drank up the mois ture of meadow and brook, with scarcely a drop of acknowledgement, or anything more than a dclusivo ceremony of sum moning the clouds whom he speedily dismissed from bis presence again. But at length the. long, painful spell" is broken; the rain hsuGaUenin-a-saiddan. ■flood and outburst, as if impatient of the restraint laid upon it, and desirous of relieving its overburdened storehouse of its treasure. The clouds of dust are laid; the corn unrolls its shrivelled leaves ; the pastures put on new green ness ; the hopes of the sorely-tried hus bandmanrevive. Turn to the Concluding verses of the 65th Psalm for an inspired description of such a scene occurring in still more thirsty Palestine; it is in language that we shall vainly seek to improve: “ Thou visitest the earth and waterest it; thou greatly enrichest it with the river of God, which is full of water; thou preparest them corn, when thou hast so provided for ifc. Thou waterest the ridges thereof abundantly; thou scttlest the furrows thereof; thou makest it Soft with showers; thou blessest the springing thereof.’’ And. a fresher breeze stirs among these maple boughs, swaying them hack and forth almost into the window where wo sit, with a rustle and a murmur that almost seems to have a meaning. Yes, ye inarticulate yet ever whispering maples! Well may you demand of us th at dwell b en ea th your grateful sh ado ws. the task ot interpreting your voice and joining it with the anthems of praise that rise from conscious creatures to the God that gave us rain from heaven and fruitful seasons, filling our hearts with food and gladness. Your ceaseless murmurs are a sweet leaf-chant that all day long utters praise. THE MUSTER 0E THE SEYENTjg DELAWARE “The fisherman forsook the strand; The swarthy smith took dirk and brand; With changed cheer the mower blithe Left in the half-cut swathe his scythe; The herds without a keeper strayed, The plough was in mid-furrow stayed ; Prompt at the signal of alarms, Each son of Alpine rushed to arms/’ Having thus turned aside from our avowed purpose to speak of certain gratifying indications of firmness re cently given by the Government in its dealing? with the disloyal in this vicinity, let me further digress to speak of still more gratifying demonstrations recently made by the true men of the community, many of whose homeß are within sight or easy reach from this' maple shade. Brave and true men, and not a few of them, are to be found in little Delaware; prompt as the minute men of the Eev6- lution, without the advantage of their previous organization; shaming by their alacrity the great neighbour States of Under the Maples, July 20, 1864, INFANTRY. Pennsylvi inia and Maryland. We ask with an astonishment that t at, all explain away, how it that, while we in Philadelphia y and incredulously awaking of the newsboys on Sabbath to the reality and nearness of r, the people of Delaware, in ■villages, were already gather call of the governor, not to led, but to decide who could go urgency. The decision was lade, hione waited for his ! and that very Sabbath night 1 to crowd into Wilmington, ourselves, we cannot happened] were slow at the cry afternoon, the dangei towns anc ing at the he harang for the e quickly' : neigbboui they begs until, as e are told, himthcd or more volunteers of the very best men of the ci( y and State "were gathered at the rende ivous, And on Monday morn. mg, at 1( o’clock, a company from Du pont’s po- ?dcr mills had reached Gun powder h: idge, and had a skirmish with the enem; r ! We said some severe 'words a few we dee ago about the inefficiency of offieia s in the' three States most jnterestec in the late invasion; we take* every wqrd of it back, every word, so far as relates to Delaware. While Pennsylvania and Maryland were a humiliating spectacle of unreadiness and inaction, little Delaware was in harness, and her best citizens, wealthy farmers, merchants and clergy forming the Seventh Regiment of Delaware In fantry, were hastening to the front. Looking around me here, I find among those freely offering themselves and now in arms for the emergency, the superin tendent of the St. George's Presbyte rian Sabbath school—a farmer if? the midst of nis harvest; leaving crops, leav ing wife and family behind, and mount ed upon a horse from his own stable ; I find the Provost Marshal of this mili tary district, also a farmer and a man of family, mounting his besthorse and hast ening to the rendezvous—no holidaj' official you perceive,—l find a promi nent tradesman of St. George’s leaving his entire stock of goods shut up, until his wife, inexperienced in such work, fn stn.nd bolntid cQLLll ter,--I-find three sons of one of the elders of the church gone, the fourth was hindered by disability; I find the fourth son of another member, of the church who has three sons in the three years’ service, gone to spend his vacation in the service; I find the brother of a captain in the three years’ Del aware Cavalry, who had been left in charge the captain’s fine farm, him : self enlisting for the emergency and leaving the oat-crop standing in the field; I find the wealthiest farmer in the immediate vicinity of Delaware City gone as a private in the infantry. And that the Presbyterian clergy might not go unrepresented in this spontane ous outburst of zeal for the imperilled cause, the young pastor of the Forest Church, Middletown, Rev. Isaac Rile*, volunteered in a similar capacity. Whether b|s patriotic example moved, any of hiSjFieongregation to follow him, and ttius'fnake the parallel to revolution ary iceneiJ of honored memory complete,, we cannot tell ;* we are sure that the Step was hot only noble and inspiring in a civil point of view but, in the emer gency, ope perfectly justifiable from the point of view of the profession. We are glad to be able to record it, that not only the laity of our churches, bu,t our ministry, proved their quick sense of danger, and their fitness, by the most self-sacrifiolng promptitude, to meet and to avert it. We do not know of anything in the war to compare with this swift muster of the yeomanry of Delaware. It stirs the blood like the Stories of the gather ing of the Highland clans, or the re sponse of the Greek chieftans to the summons of Agamemnon. It exceeds the wonderful marshalling of Gen. But ler’s militia, at the outbreak of the war; for that had already been organized by Governo:%Andrew, before the war com menced, at the suggestion of the far sighted Batler. These men had no tie but a common devotion to the cause, so unselfish that none waited a moment on the other, but all rushed eagerly to the common, defence, the moment the Gov ernor's, summons was received. Worthy is the muster of the gallant Seventh Regiment of Delaware, to be sung in poet strains and to be held up as an ex ample to the tardy militia of h|r sister States. At this writing, the regiment have since learned that a number of the cougre* gfttion of Forest Church are with Hr. Riley. enesee Evangelist, No. 950. is encamped a few miles out of Balti more. Cannot the organization be pre served after the return of the regiment? We regard that pastor as singularly fortunate, who has been able always to secure for his infant school a compe tent teacher. The qualifications for this position are so many and so diverse, that they are not often combined in .the same individual. Few in any con gregation are fitted to stand so near to the sources of life, and to give the first direction to its streams. Such an office requires not only a heart devoted- to the service of Christ, and a well-stored intellect, but also great natural vivacity and sprigbtliness, the power to illustrate truth simply but yet vividly, the faculty of word-painting, and all blended with such a measure of loving authority as will preserve the most perfect, order. . Until quite recently, also, those en gaged in this department of Christian usefulness have had but little direct aid, in the way of judicious books. They have been constrained to. choose their own topics and to depend upon their own resources for appropriate illustra tions. Mo wonder that the result has often been an unwillingness on the part of those m ost competent to fill such po sitions, to enter upon them, and their consequent occupation by those who were wholly unfit to discharge these high duties. But this want in our religious litera ture has "recently been: met. We have now what we. may properly eall a text book for this department of instruction. The result of long experience, and —as the writer of this notice may add from his personal knowledge—of great suc cess, the “ Hours with the Youngest,” is just such a treasury of themes and illustrations as every infant school teacher has long needed. Moreover, the introduction of this book would remedy- some defects..that are almost universal in the primary departments of our Sabbath schools. The instruction , that is here imparted is very generally desultory. There is little that is consecutive in its teaching, The topic for each Sabbath selected at random, and mainly if not entirely with reference to the interest that it may excite,, has seldom any direct con nection either with what preceded it or what may come after. Mo regular system of instruction is even attempted. There is, also, in each session of the school;, oftentimes such a want of unity in the different parts as to fail,to make upon the pupils any definite impression. They go away without any distinct gospel truth lodged in their minds. The service has been pleasant, tbe chil dren have been interested,, but not in* the highest degree profited. And, indeed, until taking np the yQlnjtne'of which we- are now writing, we did not know hut that these defects were unavoidable) apd that system and unity, must both, in an infant school, give place to the more imperious demand of interest. We had hardly conceived it , possible! to teach theology to babes, to convey a whole system of truth cop-, secutively to minds so immature, and to collect in each service, around a single topic, catechism, hymns, verses of scripture and illustrations, as to leave the impression of but one great truth on the mind. This to na is one of the greatest excellencies of “Hours with the Youngest.” The teacher who adopts it as a manual of instruction, will each Sabbath impart some one great truth to his pupils, and in two years will have given them a general outline of the whole Christian system. We are greatly pleased, also, to see in this volume not only that proof texts of scripture, abound, but the principle everywhere recognized and urged that these should be committed to memory. It may well be questioned whether the importance of.this principle is always fully felt in our Sabbath schools. The word of God—the instrument employed by the divine spirit in the great work of the soul’s regeneration and sanctifica tion—surely nothing in our teaching should ever be permitted to supplant it, or be in any sense regarded as its equivalent. We would indeed say no thing to lessen in any mind the impor- ♦Hours with the Youngest, No. 1. A Year in the Infant School, being a course of instruction about the Lord our God. Ac., by Mary Haney Gill. New York; A. D. T. Randolph, 1664. “ HOBBS WITH THE YOUNGEST.”* TZEZEerMTfa By mail, $2.50 per annum, in advanee. “ “ 3.00 “ “ after 3 months, carrier, 50 cents additional for delivery* GXiTTBS. Ten or more papers sent by mail to "one church or locality, or in the city to one address By mail, $2.00 per annum. By carriers. 2.50 ** To save trouble, cluo subscriptions mußt commence at the same date, be paid strictly in advance, in a single remittance, for -which one receipt will he returned. Ministers and Ministers’ Widows supplied ai club rates. Home missionaries at sl>so per an." Postage.—Five cents quarterly.in advance, to be paid by subscribers at the office of de livery. - tance of instructing the young in some “ form of sound words,” but who ever heard of the catechism converting a soxd to Christ? “Is not my wonn like as a fire, saitli the Lord; and like a hammer that breaketh the rock in pieces?” But aside from the peculiar excel lencies of this volume, it will always possess to many a mournful interest as the last work of its gifted author; and remembering how diligently and suc cessfully she obeyed while living that command of her Master, “ Feed my lambs,” it is a source .of great happiness to them to feel that, though id the full vigor of her ripened intellect she has left them, she will still, through this volume, in a larger measure than ever, obey that same divine injunction. PRESBYTERY OP NIAGARA. At its late meeting held in Wilson, June 21st, the Presbytery of Miagara adopted the following minute in refer ence to the death of Rev. Josiah Par tington : Whereas , Since the last meeting of Presbytery, it has pleased Almighty God to remove from our midst our re vered brother, Rev. Josiah Partington, wh o departed this life on Peb. 11th, _ -Resolved, That this Presbytery feel his death as a serious loss and a perso nal affliction. N That we entertain most grateful re membranee.ofhis friendliness and integ rity as a man;, of his wisdom in counsel, and his consistency of character as a Christian; and of his conscientious fideli ty to all -trusts as a minister of Christ. That we commend his bereaved part ner and children and his church, to the comfort of Almighty God; and congrat ulate them on their inheritance in him of such a life and such a death. That copies of these resolutions be forwarded toMrs.Partington,and forpub lication to the Evangelist and American Presbyterian. ; and that they be entered upon the records of the Presbytery. Attest,. L. I. Root, Stated Clerk. Presbytery also held an adjourned meeting at Miagara Falls on the 20th inst. for the purpose of installing Rev. Thomas. Daggett Pastor of the church and. congregation. Invocation and reading scriptures by Rev. L. I. Root; sermon by Prof. H. B. Smith, D. D., of M. Y.; constitutional questions by the moderator, Rev. L. S. Atkins ; install ing prayer by Rev. L.. I. Root, in the absence of Rev. Dr. Wisner, appointed For that duty; charge..ts>Pastor by Rev. J. R. Bradnok charge to people by , Eev. Joshua Cooke p benediction by the pastor. Brother Daggett enters upon ; his new field of labor with encouraging prospects of success among a cordial and united people. L, L Root, Stated Clerk. Medina, July 21st. REUNION OB’ OLD AND NSW SCHOOL. The Prvmeton in its resume of the proceedings of the* General Assem bly at Newark, speaks of the “proposal of union” of the Dayton Assembly to their body. We would like to inquire where the reviewer finds any such prof posal on the part of our Assembly ? We can find nose, and we have hitherto supposed our sources of information on the subject equal to any. . The paper sent from. Dayton to Newark, to which .the reviewer would seem to refer, dift not his language show suoh oblivion of its precise contents, is carefully worded, and while it gives utterance to the favourable feeling in our body on the subject, it expressly pronounces it “in expedient” to take definite steps towards reunion as proposed by the St. Lawrence Presbytery on our side, and by the Ogdensburg and Buffalo Presbyteries on the other. The language of the Review distorts the facts, and so far tends to disunion. HOW IT IS DONE. If any of our readers are muddling their brains over the problem of the sur prising energy and resources of rebel dom, we hope they will not fail to readand ponder the letter of Chaplain Stewart in our present number. That, together with the fact that he tolerates no cop perheads, tells the story. About half the amount of self-sacrificing spirit in our Northern homes, and energy of administration toward domestic trai tors, male or female, would, under the blessing of God, make for us a short road to peace.
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