Tlie American Presbyterian AND GENESEE EVANGELIST. RELIGIOUS AND PAMILY NEWSPAPER, IN THX INTEREST OP THE Constitutional Presbyterian Church. PUBLISHED EVERY THURSDAY, AT THE PRESBYTERIAN HOUSE, 1334 Chestnut Street, (2d Story,) Philadelphia. Roy. JOHN W. HEARS, Editor and Publisher. LETTEES BY THE SEA. Cape Island, August 11, 1864, Christian people certainly need admo nition, if not severe reproof, upon the duty of honoring their profession amid the gay scenes of a fashionable watering place. Without binding them to the entire round of observances which we expect of them in the regular course of life, we may well require them to main tain their Christian character free from reproach or stain, and to resist the ex travagant claims of the giddy and pleasure-seeking world upon themselves and families. The ambition to shine, to exoeed in the expensivenesß of dress and living—a low and undignified, and yet very frequent accompaniment of wealth in America, and which seeks ttie watering place as its favorite theatre— is one which Christian people should eschew as unworthy*and sinful. They should enter into no such mad race with the worldling. The fashionable amuse ments in which mere pleasure-seekers are content to spend night after night; to which they look forward as almost the entire sum of their enjoyments, cannot, w"e think, consistently be patro nized by the Christian ; and scandalous is it to see Christian people manifesting the same fervid interest in these amuse ment as the worldly; devoting the same amount of time to dressing and prepar ing for them, and allowing them to rob them of the best hours for sleep; thus destroying the value of the season as a time of recreation. We talk somewhat about martyrs now-a-days; and we consider it a mighty triumph of principle /for a man to be willing to peril health and life for the cause of his country; but we shall, find not a few martyrs got up cheaply, and without special sensation, at every \ fashionable gathering place of pleasure seekers. Peril and death are not faced more coolly by our volunteer soldiers, for the high principles of liberty and good .gavernmonty ikan..~tbey.! are by feeble and delicate women, in their reckless pursuit of enjoyment; night after night, from nine o’clock until two, in the absurd performances of the heated ball-room. With their waists gathered up to the space of a hand breadth or two —for the murderous fashion of tight-lacing seems coming into vogue again—shuffling and flying back and forth, and up and down the length’ of the hall for five mortal hours,, losing the balmier; portions of the night for sleep', they risk the loss of health, of all the solid enjoyments of life, and life it self, for what they call “ pleasure;” They verily count not their lives dear unto them, that they may but. catch some evanescent gleams of gay and fashionable enjoyment. The comparison of fashion to Moloch is not new, but it gains terribly in truthfulness, when, .we find children among the sacrifices to the remorseless deity. A “ hop” is not considered com plete, we believe, without’ one “ sett,” at least, of very young children, from six years old and upward, among the dancers; who go through the same ma noeuvres, and who are instructed in the same unseasonable and pernicious habits with their giddy seniors. It is a sad sight to see these pretty puppets follow ing the music with heel and toe, gazed upon, admired, and criticised out of all • the freshnbss of their young lives, and hardened thus early for a career of utter i worldliness and levity. After all, was it much worse for those heathen parents to cast their children into the. heated arms. Of the grim idol, who could only kill their bodies, and after that had no more that he CQlllcl do; while these so called.-Christian parents sacrifice youth, freshness, modesty, taste for home affec tions and solid enjoyments, unfit their children for anything blit ft butterfly life in this world, and imperil the happi ness of their souls forever. The perverse direction of modern fashionable society is .seen in no sadder colors than in a cliiltjren’B'setfc, dancing at 11 o’clock of ■a. Satui'fitiy night, in the thronged saloons -of.hPSKMar'hote 1 . ! We (protest .against the countenance' trtfen by Christian people to these per •iffeibvis and' extravagant^ amusements. 'We protest against the tendency in ■American society, which they "encour ;aceL to settle doym to the stupid Sports of {he ball-rooih ; for stupid .they cer tainly are, when repeated ovCr'and oyer, niglif after night, and looked-forward to as the only resource te-ftaVo the season New Series, Vol. I, No. 33. from being “intolerably dull,” and as the crowning point of the young peo ple’s existence at the watering places. Cheerfulness, refined enjoyment, recre ation which enlists mind and heart, as well as nimble muscles and animal spirits, we most heartily approve of, in Christians and all other people; but the empty-headed, frivolous, and often per nicious gaities of a sea-side ball-room are unsuitable to the sweet sobriety and good sense that should characterize Christians and their households, at home and abroad. The heartlessness of these perform* ances is seen in the fact that Saturday night and the early hours of the Sabbath are unhesitatingly devoted to the “hop;” and the recent day of national prayer was closed—desecrated, we ought to say —with a concert and a hop at a house which makes ostentatious and, we believe, sincere displays of loyalty to the government! The feelings of the man agers toward Him in whose hands are all governments, was no better and no worse than is’ sure to be engendered by the reckless pursuit of worldly amuse ments everywhere. They harden the heart, defile the taste, sear the conscience and make all the ordinary duties and every-day enjoyments of life irksome. Sabbaths and days of public prayer are annoying interruptions to the pleasure seeker. Just scruples are petulantly thrown aside. A godless and profane mirth is indulged, from which the Christian should carefully keep himself aloof. It is clear that the ordinances of pub lic worship are apt to be neglected by Christians and other church-goers at watering places. Here, in a population .of visitors, reaching five to seven thous and, which is at its maximum on Sun days, there are certainly not over five hundred different persons, besides resi dents of the island, in attendance upon all four services held on Sabbath in the two protestant churches. ■ We fear that among ?ifche thousands of 11 o’clock Sunday bathers, are to be found many Christian people, not exousable on the ground of health, for such a use of sacred time. Religion is to® much re garded as a moveable commodity; too little persisted in under unfavorable associations; too little appreciated as the greatest of all joys and recreations. But enough of this for 1 the present. VINELAND. Prominent among the objects of in terest along the route to Cape Island, is this thriving village. It lies on both sides of the road, some distance above Millville. Its very neat and bran-new appearance puts it in striking contrast with the old and not remarkably at tractive towns which lie off at a shy distance from the railroad, as if the lo comotive was regarded as an intruder upon their quiet. Vineland,, is , not ashamed of its dependence upon the railroad for an existence. It clusters close around the station : house, as if the people were of that sort that relished the noise and stir of modern life. Yet there is an air of peaceful order and cozy comfort about their dwellings, and in the whole aspect of the town, that looks like content and enjoyment. Broad streets are laid out and planted with trees. Small farms of two to ten or more acres, with the neatest of Yankee frame dwelling houses, well painted, with small barns, all in perfect order, have changed the rude bush-land almost into a garden. Two neat frame churches are in sight; the Presbyterian, under the care of Rev. A. W. Loomis, being the largest and most tasteful. It lies for to the east of the road. Yineland, we believe, is passing from the condition of an experiment to that of ' permanence and Buccess. So we might jridge from the large stone depot going up oh the railroad. Whether the business which would seem to be advertised in the name is extensively carried on or not, we cannot s ay. One vineyard is pointed out from the road; but we imagine the main de pendence of the people is thus far upon vegetables and fruits raised for the man kets of Philadelphia and Hew. York.' Thiscould easily be made a most lucra tive business. We are informed that one man in this village, from the sea son’s proceeds of two acres of strawber ries, supported himself 'the entire year. The inhabitants are all %ona fide settlers. Ho speculation in the lands is allowed. All come to work out- their living by' PHILADELPHIA, THURSDAY, AUGUST 18, 1864. honest toil. Ho immoderate expecta tions are fostered; and it seems likely that a substantial, contented and happy rural settlement, eminently favorable to the culture of domestic and social vir tue, and to the growth of a sound, in telligent, Christian yeomanry, will be the result. Should the growth of the vine, however, become the principal means of support to the people, we could not prophesy such a favorable issue; but would be compelled to intro duce certain features of levity and irre ligion into the picture. At least, so far as any precedents exist, they justify such forebodings. We therefore hope that Yineland will rather be corn and melon and cabbage and berry-land than what its name would import. As we have a number of friends and readers in Yineland, we look to them for a correction of our statements if we are in error, or for such additional statements as may be of sufficient impor tance to be put in print. THE COMPARISONS WE MAKE. Most of the discontent in this world arises from the wrong direction in which we look for objects of comparison with ourielves. It would seem as if we were under a certain fatal necessity of look always to those above, rather than to those below us. Yet why should we? One would think if ambition led us in one direction, pride itself might at least equally draw us in the other. ’ The com placency which a perfectly selfish mind might take in regarding the superiority of its position to that of others, should be pleasurable enough to insure it a fre quent and prominent place in our expe rience. It is remarkable that men feel it so seldom: and as they rise higher and have greater occasion to feel it, most seem to feel it less; and the fewer per sons and objects there are above them, the more powerful is their ambition to attain them, and the more consuming their envy if theyfail in. tlieattempt. - Contentment, when a Christian vir tue, arises from humble and, hearty ac quiescence in God’s will concerning us. But it may be greatly aided by avoid ing the usual process of the worldling, and by considering the state of the vast multitudes who are inferior to our selves. “ Mind nothigh things hut con decend to men of low estate.” Wisely look downward and at least temper the earnestness of your ambition to excel* by a thankful view of what you have already attained above others. Are you less handsomely dressed than others ? Does the sight of their hand- j some equipages as they, roll luxuriously] past your humble door, disturb yourj peace ? Are you but slowly attaining] a higher degree of wealth, while others : in a few transactions move up to princely heights of fortune ? Or are you still in the humble walks of life, denied any hope of materially improving your, con dition while you live? Turn from so fondly viewing these more favored per sons and positions; reverse the direc tion of your contemplations; look at the opposite pole of the social, sphere; surety there is as much reason for look ing in one direction as in the other. What orders of society, what millions of human' beings, what nations, what ages of the world, have been and are immeasurabty below the position you occupy, at tbe worst. Those above you are not a tithe of those beneath yon; and they are, perhaps without excep tion, not a tithe so far above you as the mass of men are beneath yon. . Are we discontented at the burdens of the war; the rise in gold; the drain upon our population; the terrible slaugh ter ? The condition of theHorth is one of prosperity and peace compared with that of the South. Long ago the paper money of the rebels became almost worthless; to-day it will not bring over five cents on the dollar in exchange for our own currency. Every luxury is banished from the South. ‘ Every busi ness f is merged into' that’bf’wijf; the women are transformed into secession furies, who will not tolerate the .men at home ; the brunt of the war, : its desola tions and devastations, —its Bieges and invasions—have, fallen upon the South,; its cities an 4 railroads have been cap tured, aud its cherished institutions are swiftly trembling to their doom. Civil war in other lands, in France and Eng land, ha's run a dividing line through society dn all section of the country alike ;‘ait the Horth, with all our bick Genesee Evangelist, No. 953. erings, we are in organization and feel ing substantially one. We have no im mense servile class whom we cannot trust with arms in their hands. In short, out condition when compared with that of others, either closely relat ed to ourselves or in the general course of history, presents grounds of content-' ment sufficient to rebuke all tendency to croaking and repining. This line of remark may be carried out indefinitely. To stop our complaints of excessive heat or cold or personal discomfort, we at home need but think of brothers and friends in the field and the hospital,] suffering all the fatigues, hardships and perils of war, in addition to those which, alone, we think unendu rable. But the Christian has far higher grounds of contentment than are fur nished by worldly comparisons. The joys, the honors, the possessions, of which iie is made heir by faith, throw into the shade all mere .worldly wealth and greatness. The inferiority of his present condition to that of others, whom he might be tempted to envy, is hut one of the stepping-stones, the dis ciplinary process, by which he is reach ing a station far above all the honors and dignity and power and magnificence of earth’s loftiest condition. - “ For our light affliction which is but for a mo ment, worketh out for us a more exceed ing and eternal weight of glory.” Let the Christian try this standard of com parison, and consider those in every station, who are inferior to him in spiri tual advantages. Whatever the un godly, for this brief life time, may en joy, he has Christ, the unspeakable rich gift of God. For all that the world could bestow, lie would not exchange his hope in Christ. Kings might offer him their crowns, millionaires their wealth, great men their fame, wise men their wisdom—all all, without Christ, are to him but an empty, deceiving, transitory, show, hut vanity of vanities. He esteems the reproach, of Christ greater riches tjian ijie treasures of Egypt. Is it not then a wonder and a pity •that the heart of the Christian should ever harbor discontent at the superior worldly condition of and as sociates, when a single glarfce, under the direction of faith, shows him a whole world ajj his feet and an immortal, hea venly inheritance within his grasp? Let us! learn with Paul, whatsoever state we are in, therewith to he 'con tent. FROM OUR ROCHESTER CORRESPONDENT THE DROUGHT. Two weeks ago it was severely felt in all this (region, and our prospects were somewhat' gloomy. The ground was dry and parched, the, graßS crisp" and brown, jthe oats heading put at half growth; imd promising only a quarter yield, tlje potatoes half formed and standing still; and beside all,. numerous fires wereraging in fields and woods,fill ing all jthe air with smoke, throwing a sickly haze over the.sun by day and the moon by night, until it seemed gloomy enough.' Men grew sad at the prospect of half crops, and another doubling of prices on all the necessaries of life. But how easily all this has been changed. It required no sudden con vulsion of the powers of nature, no mighty shock in earth or sky. But one Monday morning, after about the hot test, dryest Sabbath of all the summer, it began to sprinkle; gently, quietly the tiny drops came down as though they would not disturb the smallest leaf or bud or flower, and so it kept on sprink ling until it got to be good soaking rain. And when once this operation got thor oughly under, way, it seemed so per fectly easy and natural, we could but wonderiwhy it had been so long coming. It rained all day, and a good part of the next day, and the next, steadily, sweet tyi copiously until all nature seemed green tmd bright again. . What a change those three days wrought. If all the men, and all the horsdfe, and all the oxen in western Hew York had been employed for fifty years, carting water from ourLakes,and pour ing it over the land, they could net have i ccomplished that which was so easily lone in three days by the great cloud-j prinkler above. “ This rain is juntold millions to the land,” was rateful expression on many lips, forth more than that, in teaching wort!| the J It is I millions of dependent creatures to look up to Him who sits above the clouds, and guides them where he will. In spite of all the gloomy forebodings in many minds two weeks ago, and while some of the crops will not be very abun dant, there will be no serious lack of any of the products of the earth in this re gion. Thanks for the rain ! It made millions of hearts to sing for joy. OUR FRUITS, It is well known that this a fruit re gion, the place of nurseries, gardens and orchards. We doubt if there is any better fruit market than this; any greater variety, or better qualities. And while some years we have fruit in something more of abundance than we shall have this, yet here also there is no lack. The supply is fair, of peaches, pears, apples, and smaller kinds. We still live in aland of plenty. Our gran eries are full. Our streets thronged with people. Evidences of thrift and pros perity are manifest on every side. We ought to be thoroughly loyal, patriotic and generous, ready to do all that is ne cessary to sustain our own government, and at the same time go straight for ward with every other humane and be nevolent enterprise. We are happy to say that there are not a few in this garden of the land who so understand their duties and privileges at the present time j noble spirits, pour ing out their money, as good stewards, at every call for benevolence, for the soldiers, for education, for missions, and for the country. We should love to name some of them. They are princes among men. The}' are trees of right eousness, just lit to grow in such a land of fruits and flowers, a land of beauty and fatness, of peace and plenty. The rain is beautiful, the crops are beautiful, the fruits are beautiful, and the sood men are more beautiful.. THE WAY TO DO IT. A young lady in Adams thinks that something ought to be done for the sick and wounded soldies. She does not sit and wonder why some lady does not do it. She does not go scolding and grumb ling, at every corner of the streets, be cause it is not done; and complaining that there is “ no enterprise and no lib erality in Adamsbut like a sensible person she regards her own thoughts and impulses as an intimation from above that she to is lead olf in the matter. She communes with a kindred spirit, and their plans are laid. A Branch Christian Commission is formed, soon embracing two hundred members, at one doller each for entrance fee; and so there are two hundred dol lars already in their treasury. But that is not enough; and so an ice cream and cake festival is inaugurated, from which one hundred and fifty dollars more are realized, besides the pleasant, social en joyment of the occasion, and all the talk elicited about the sufferings and wants of the soldier boys, opening deeper and deeper the fountains of be nevolence in many hearts. And this is but the beginning of the matter. The Branch Society is now organized, and hard at work. How much they may yet accomplish, who can tell ? How many lives they may save; and how many souls from perdi tion. Two sensible, resolute ladies may do almost anything in' a Christian com munity. But Adams is a pretty good place in which to do such things. , They are get ting accustomed to liberal acts, we should judge as matters have been go ing there of late years. What with starting the Hiingerford Collegiate In stitute, and for benevolent purposes, there have been eighteen thousand dollars raised, we believe, in the Presbyterian church and society alone, within the past year. And this Institute is to open under flattering auspices the next month. Mr. Houghton, who has been for many years the successful and esteemed Prin cipal of the Belleville - Academy, in the same county, is to take charge of its instruction, with a competent corps of assistant teachers. It is an important institution, and starts well. BISHOP SIMPSON’S LECTURE. We had the pleasure of listening last evening to an earnest, thorough, loyal, and patriotic address upon the affairs of the country, from the lips of Bishop Simpson, of the Methodist Church. We expected, with many others, to see an aged man, almost superannated, but TEBMIE3 By mail, $-.50 per annum, in advance “ “ ®6O “ “ after 0 months. By carrier, 50 cents additional for delivery. CXiTTBS. Ten or more papers sent by mail t. O one church or locality, or in the city to one addres* By mail, $2.00 per annum. By carriers. 2.60 “ To save trouble; cluo subscriptions must" commence at the same date, be paid strictly 5e advance, in a single remittance, for which onf receipt will he returned. Ministers and Ministers' Widows supplied ai elubrates. Home missionaries at $1.50 per an. Postage. —Five cents quarterly in advance, to be paid by subscribers at the office of de livery. the Bishop would still be classed almost among the young men. But he spoke with wisdom, for all that, and was truly eloquent, original and instructive, as well as entertaining in his remarks. We wish that all the enemies of our country, both North and South, could have heard him. Some, at least, would have gone away wiser and better men for it. SABBATH SCHOOL CONVENTION. The Ninth Annual Convention of the New York State Sabbath School Teach ers’ Association, is to be held at Buf falo, in Dr. Heaeock's church, to com mence on Tuesday, August 30th, at 4 o’clock, P. M., and continue through Wednesday and Thursday. Pastors, officers and teachers of all evangelical Sabbath schools in the State, are cor dially invited to attend and participate in the deliberations of this body —names to be sent by 20 th inst., to L. Danforth, Secretary of Committee of Arrange ments, in order to secure entertainment during the meeting. This Convention is a great institution in thi§ State.' It is a meeting of rare and blessed interest. It is worth a journey from Texas any year to attend.it, Those who felt its mighty pulse at Troy last year, or at Canandaigua the year be fore, will know that we .are not speak ing in terms of exaggeration at all. Let all who can, be present on this occa sion, and judge for themselves, and feel its power. Buffalo is a good place for such a meeting. There are large hearts, and large people there. None need fear to go, only send on your names, as de sired, and send in good season, and we will assure you of a cordial welcome, and a rich feast of spiritual things. Rochester, August 13, 1864. |fwsi of. ffe Mknuln* Rev. H. Kendall, I). X)., Correspond ing Secretary off; our Home Mission Committee has undertaken an import ant exploring service, extending from the Missouri to the Pacific. The effect of such a visit upon our vast work in that region, present' and prospective, will be of the highest; importance. Dr. K. will return to, the ; Committee with such information, gathered from perso nal observation of; the fields, with their respective importance,', material and wants, as will enable them to act more intelligently, and of course more econo mically and efficiently in the great en terprise of our church in that direction. At the same time his visit, as the official representative of the church, will be to the isolated, missionaries and scattered sheep in Colorado, Nevada, California and Oregon, a pledge of larger effort for the occupancy of all that wide and well-opened region. By the way we notice that the Doctor, on. his way to the Pacific, has been among the Mor mons; has actually preached to them, and, strangest of all, has found in that nest of heathen pollution a hopeful open ing for Christian effort. The Salt Lake Telegraph has the following notice of the departure of the Rev. “ Gentile” from the land of the saints:"— '•'■Labor of Love. —The Rev. Henry Kendall, who held forth in the Bowery on'Sunday, left yesterday morning by Overland Mail for California. He is deputed to look after the stray sheep of the Presbyterian fold throughout Neva da, California and Oregon.” Rev. F. F. EllinwoodoF the Central Church Rochester, is acceptably supply ing the pulpit of North Broad St. Church of this city! The congregations are very good. Rev. Db. Sunderland will sail for Europeon the 20th iast., to take charge of the American Chapel in Paris. Rev. Edwin E; Merriam was or dained and installed 1 Pastor of the Pres byterian congregation in Salem, Pa., by the Presbytery of Montrose, on the 3d of August; sermon, by : Rev. D. S. Dun ning: charge to the Pastor by Rev. T. R. Townsend : chargudodthe congrega tion bv Rev. 11. Van Houten./ Rev. T. L- Kenyon was ordained and installed pastor of the new Presbyterian church at East Orange, N. J., on Tues day, August 2. The sermon was preached by Rev. Dr. Hoyt, of Orange; the charge tt> the people delivered by Rev. Dr.-Poor; and the charge to the pastor by Rev. Mr. Ford. GrENESEE.
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