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.