The American _ Presbyterian AMD GENESEE EVANGELIST. RELI&IOUS AND FAMILY NEWSPAPER, Ilf TBS INTEREST OF THIS Constitutional Presbyterian Church. 1 : PUBLISHED EVERT TIIURSUAY, * ’ THE' PRESBYTERIAN HOUSE, 1334 Chestnut Street, (2d Story,) Philadelphia. ' Rev, JOHN W. HEARS, Editor and Publisher, OO&TENTS OF INSIDE PAGES. Second Page—Family-*" Lftys of the Kirk nnd Covenant” Heart Cheer for Home Sorrow—Lucy’s Fault—The Dangerous Pet—Respeofc the Burden—A Monkey Story—The Bird of Battle—Children, Obey Your Pa rents —The Vice President—Somewhat Mixed- Third Page—Editor’s Tabls— Browning’s Poems—Cnt tei’s Anatomy—Books for the Young-—Pamphlets, Magazines, &q. North and South—Should Farmers Overwork Themselves ?—Presbyterian Re-Union. Sixth Page—Correspondence —A Visit to the Oil Region— London Correspondence—lndividualism in. the Church —Sensible Suggestions. Seventh Page—Misckllanxotjs —Christian Commission at the Front—American Missionaries—Episcopal Clergy and the Draft—Clerical Efficiency—bon’t be a Gloomy Christian—Fulton Street Daily Prayer Meeting DOCTRINE IN THE PULPIT. “ The preachei’’s chief business,” says Vinet, “ The attempt,” says Dr. J. W. Alexander, “to edify 1 the Church without doctrinal instruc tion is like the attempt to build a house without foundation or framework.” And a recent Methodist authority says : “ Christianity has made but little pro gress in a community, in which its doctrines have not been so taught as to be understood and believed. Every preacher therefore should aim to do his full share in the indoctrination of his hearers in all Christian truth.”* And a higher authority than either—Paul, writing to Titus—says : A bishop should “be able by sound doctrine both to exhort and to convince the gainsayers.” Undoubtedly the minister who seeks a career of steady usefulness, must make it a leading, part of his work to indoc trinate his people. He need not do it formally or avowedly, or by any dis cernible system or course of sermons; but the purpose to do it should be fixed in his mind and should control, to a largo extent, his pulpit labours. Se rious, important, nourishing truth is what the people need to hear, and will, for the most part, be glad fo hear. By it they will be trained to a steady and profitable growth in Christian character, and will bo prepared to receive and make the most of the special visits oi the Holy Spirit. A style of preaching which, coarsely or delicately, addresses the nerves only of the hearers; which expatiates upon the border-grounds of science and philosophy and the interests of human society and general morality ; which loses itself in the accessories of the Bible narrative or teaching—in its poetry, its natural history, its topogra phy, its figures of speech, its merely grammatical peculiarities, its “ antiqui ties ;” or which wholly exhausts itself in direct efforts upon the character and active lives of the heai’ers, must fail or have but a temporary beneficial result. The excitements to which this latter sort of preaching leads, are often almost utterly barren of good results, often prolific of evil. We need to preach especially the specific, distinctive doctrines of Chris tianity. These are never to be sacri ficed or thrown into the back ground, while the preacher is searching for novelties. The endless variety of ways in which they may be treated, and the freshness which invests them, in the view of every soul that believingly accepts them, renders such a search unnecessary. The preaching which is not evidently based upon this theology, lacks the true elements of power in preaching; nay, ceases to be preaching; for upon the introduction of these truths and the call for their proclamation to a perishing world, arose the opportunity for the exercise of the preacher’s office, and then, and for that end, the office was established. Divorced from the grand truths of the Gospel, the pulpit ceases to be; where it was, arises the lecturer’s desk or the shrine of the priest and his idolatrous mass. Wc honor the pulpit and its Founder, and we increase its efficiency, by making it, above all, the place for the proclamation of the leading, distinctive features of the Gospel. “We believe,” says Mr. Barnes, in one of his admirable essays, “ that the pulpit is ill-adapted to any other . doctrines, and that when these are not the grand themo, the purpose of the pulpit is not reached, and it is shorn of its power, In those great doctrines of Bedemption embodied in the Evangeli cal, and eminently in the Calvinistic sys tem, there are more elements of power ful oratory; more to arouse and thrill and awe the soul; more to excite to action; more that may be wrought into efficient eloquence than existed when Philip threatened Greece, when Burke impeached Warren Hastings in the House of Commons, when Cicero ar raigned Cataline, or when Patrick Henry *Kidder’s Homiletics, p. SM. \ New Series, Vol. I 9 3Vo. 38. first taught the hills and vales of Yir ginia to echo with the notes of libortj'.” And great were the folly and wrong of avoiding in our teachings what are called the “ hard” doctrines of the Gos pel. Such are Total Depravity, Divine Sovereignty, Eternal Punishment, the Utter Helplessness and Bum of the Sinner, shutting him up to the Simple Deception by Faith of the Saviour pro vided in the Atonement. These are in fact the nervous centres of the whole system; cut these out and all is para lyzed. These are the searching reme dies which go to the quick of the wounds made by sin. Corrupt man dislikes them, and well he may, for it is to the leading features of his corruption that they oppose themselves. The preacher who dispenses with these doctrines leaves the most effective weapons in his armory to rust; shows, in fact, that he wages the conflict with but half a heart. But does he wish to assail and arouse the conscience of his hearer, it is pre cisely "these massive truths that, like the two-handed sword of the Spirit, he will bring do wn upon the slumbering delin quent. We must not give heed to the cry raised in our day against these doctrines, as the obsolete remnants of a harsh and semi-barbarous system, un suited to the kindly and cultured spirit of a more favoured age. The age needs these strong doctrines to keep it from degenerating into weak sentimentalism; it needs the fresh keen air of these invigorating truths, to save it from suffo cating amid the artificial odors of aesthetic refinements and godless specu lation. The great and awful lines of justice, holiness and truth in the divine character must not be obscured, but be kept boldly before the mind as the greatest service we can do to tbe con science and moral nature of men. The fidelity of the ministry to this part of their duty will, without doubt, result in a more healthful tone of public morals within the whole circle of their influence. The preacher who aims at instructing and thoroughly benefitting his people, will not omit from his ministrations any of the doctrines essential to a complete system of truth. All Scripture truth is profitable for doctrine, for instruction in righteousness. Sublime in its unchange ableness, amid all the fluctuations of hu man thought and affairs, stands the system of Christian truth. It is the mind’s great anchorage. The comfort and profit arising from a full view of. these immovable foundations, and from a preaching based broadly upon them, is not to be told in words. It is like the steady flow of a great river, but slightly affected by the ceaseless changes of the atmosphere. The preacher must beware against being swept away from this comprehensive view of his work, as an instructor, by the transitory and de lusive aspects of the times. And yet it cannot be too strongly urged upon him to note faithfully the signs of the times, and to beware of so withdrawing from actual life as to become a mere Christ ian philosopher, or the professor, so to speak, of a branch of study but indirect ly connected with the present. In the long line of inspired prophets and apos tles, including the Divine Teacher him self, we have no instance that could be quoted in justification of such a course. But the truly wise preacher, steadied in his perceptions, and ripened in his judg ment by his acquaintance with the whole system of truth, will inquire care fully after the characteristics and special wants of the age in which he lives. He will ask what doctrines are especially assailed now; what important truths are now in danger of being overlooked; of what doctrine is the age in special need ; in what respect does the mode of presenting truth, which was suitable and effective enough in a former age, need amendment now; what special facilities does the age afford for illustrating and enforcing truth? “Great questions, said Mr. Barnes, in 1846, “ of liberty, of government, of education, of freedom of thought,, of temperance, of slavery, of the right to the Bible, of exclusive ness, of war and peace, of the social or ganization, of the adaptation of the Christian religion to man, are the points which this age, as such, is looking at and while a man is re-arguing points which have been determined ages ago, society will move on in strides which he shall never dream of overtaking, towards the point which it is destined yet to reach.” Changed as are our circum- PHILADELPHIA, THUR&DAtf, SEPTEMBER 22, 1864. stances in the lapse of'eighteen years, this account of the leading topics of thought in the community may be ac cepted as almost equally :vpplieable to day. Whatever they are, they must be searched out and understood. The at titude of the G ospel towards them must he fearlessly exhibited. They ; are the voice of Providence, dictating the' form of our teachings. They are the mold'of living circumstances in which our doctrine must he cast afresh. The change in the teaching is but the change of fronts the substitution of this or that arm of the service, the flank movement, to meet the shifting nature of ,ffae ; : ground and the various manoeuvres of the foe. The force is the same; the princi ples of its movements are the same; the final object is the same; but it is a force in motion, and not a mere garrison, charged only with the defence of some 1 great fortress. The instruction, the experience, and views of God’s providence, obtained in a thoughtful review of any considerable portion of the history of a church, should admonish every pastor to labor to per petuate its memorials, and, if possible, to add to their number and improve their clearness. This has been done in a most praiseworthy manner by the author of the volume before us—“ The Days that are Past.” It embraces the two semi-centennial sermons preached in the First Church, Northern Liberties, (-Buttonwood Street Church), by the pastor, Bev. Thomas J. Shepherd, on the seventeenth and twenty-fourth of January last; with added matter in the form of foot-notes, and an appendix. It speaks of the Northern Liberties fifty years ago; reviews the memorable and unique, but most successful pastorate of Bev. James Patterson, under whose ministrations the church was organized, and two others formed from its eleven hundred members; of the pastorates of vD-rs.Uarroll, -Ely, apd-the, writer,; early and extraordinary development of activity in the church, in the establish ment of Sabbath Schools—no less than twenty-three of which were at vai'ious times and places originated and sustained by this people;* of the Eldership, and various other matters of interest in con nection with the history of the church. Much, indeed, in the history of this church demands recognition, as moßt luminously from the very hand of God. Its revivals, and steady stream of ac accessions, averaging fifty a year for the term of half a century; its extraordinary and long-continued perils of a financial character, more than once bringing it to the verge of extinction, hut finally re moved during the present pastorate; its : succession of able pastors—Patterson; Carroll, Ely, Shepherd—not least of whom is the last; the privilege it enjoys of numbering among its earliest mem bers men whose names, in their green old age, are so fragrant as those of Drs. Tustin and Cox; the recent enlargement of the liberality of the people to exter nal objects, from an annual average of of five hundred dollars to an average of fifteen hundred dollars; the proofs of devoted patriotism it has given, especi ally in sending more than one hundred of the congregation into the national service, furnish an accumulation of facts too valuable to be trusted to the memo ries of men, or to chance records, which would soon perish. 1 Mr. Shepherd has done the work ju diciously and faithfully. He has told the story with grace. and succinctness, and his publishers, Messrs. Lindsay & Blakiston, have most effectively second ed his efforts by the handsome.exterior which they have given to' his work. It is printed in large, clear type, by C. Sherman & Son, on heavy, tinted paper, and hound in handsome cloth, with bevelled edges, forming a 12mo. volume of 191 pages, and may be had of the. publishers, and at the Presbyterian House, 1334 Chestnut St., for $1.50. ♦This congregation, under Mr. Patterson, was the pioneer m the mission Sunday School work in this city. Hew Church,— -We learn through the N. Y. Observer, of the organization of a new church in Cairo, Illinois, composed of members whose former connections were O. and K S. Presby’nand Congre gational • but realizing the necessity of unity, they have agreed to connect with the Hew School branch. "THE DAYS THAT ARE PAST.” ' NON-OOMMITTAL. Certain well-known religious jour nals, especially in New York city, who would resent any impeachment of then patriotism and humanity with indigna tion, have recently given utterance to very conservative sentiments, in regard to the coming election..; No one won ders that the iVcie York Observer should prdach “ moderation in politics” at this time, or should decline to take sides for the administration. It will he re membered that when Mi-. Lincoln issued his threat of emancipation in September, 1862, the Observer turned its hack upon him,” aid has since manifested no spe cial love for him, as committed to the emancipation policy. The Observer in the editorial first referred to, expressly leaves it to the people to decide “ which of the two leading parties would be ■ most likely to re-unite the distracted country on the basis of honorable and permanent peace,”—it has no duty as a religious journal in the premises—and ■the editors promise to “address them selves as individuals to the study of that question,” as if it were a doubtful and complicated one! All this and much more to the same effect is no cause of surprise coming from that quarter; but we confess to an unusual feeling of surprise and grief to find the N. Y. Evangelist treading in the same non-committal path. We refer to the leading editorial of last week’s issue, entitled “ Party names and Party Spirit.” We know that many of the friends of the Evangelist in this section, are astonished and pained at the tone of that article.. The Evangelist is re garded as having performed an honora ble and effective part in bringing the nation and the administration to their present elevated and Christian policy; and now, when the only real question between the parties is, whether we shall recede from this position and make con cessions to a pro-slavery rebellion,we are sorely disappointed to find the editors declining the conflict and actually help ing to disguise its conditions. The following passages will convey, we think, a fair idea of the tone of the article: “ Into this contest, as a strife between parties) it is not the province of this journal to enter. The Evangelist is not a political newspaper.” “We do not assume to say whom Christian men ought to vote for.” “ Such appellations as‘traitors’ when applied to a whole party, are unjust, and absurd. The mass of the people at the North, of all parties are truly and honestly devoted to their country.” “We have neigh bors and friends—men who are as in telligent. as we are and who. love their country as well —whose views are ex actly opposite to ours.” “ Can it be that the whole future destiny of this land of our fathers hangs on a single election? . . .'ls it not just possible that we unconsciously, and from our very anxiety, exaggerate the dangers? We protest against this language and this despair.” It believes .“that the force of events, more powerful than platforms, will compel whoever is Pre sident, to carry on the war till the rebellion is utterly subdued” and that -“ the Union will stand, whoever is Presi dent for the next four yearsand so on through a leader of a column and a-half. Every statement of the article may be true, and yet its whole impression is profoundly false, disheartening and chilling to the real friends of the coun try. We do not care to argue tbe case, but will simply propose to these journals a few plain questi ons: At such an unparalleled crisis in the national life, must not the attempt to distract the public mind by an organ ized, vigorous campaign against an ad ministration, which is honestly and suc cessfully engaged in putting down rebel lion, savour strongly of disloyalty ? At best, is it not wrong-headed, dangerous and factious opposition, which should be frowned upon openly by every true man in the country ? Are not the man agers qf this political opposition notori ously in sympathy with the rebellious South? Is it meddling with, the tricks of poli ticians, to uphold the only set of men who are fully and fairly committed to the utter overthrow of the rebellion by all available and necessary means, and whose past acts have demonstrated the Genesee Evangelist, TVo. 957^ sincerity of their purpose ; or. to oppose the transfer of power to men on ah whose acts rests the curse of lukewarm ness, or the taint of open sympathy with treason ? ! Does the fact that the country may be saved in spite of the accession of a disloyal party to power, justify true men in indifference to the success of such a party? Is not this tempting Providence? ’ Is it not plain that the Chicago de mocracy are hent on saving slavery, whatever becomes of the Union ? Is it not equally plain that Mr. .Lincoln and his friends, having long ago resolved on saving the Union whatever became of slavery, soon discovered that the de struction of slavery was necessary to the'perpetuation and peace of the Union, and have ever since been wisely and successfully labouring for the accom plishment of this great and necessary reform ? Is it “political” for us to work and pray with might and main, lest this greatest and most beneficent ■ of the revblutions of the nineteenth century should be arrested, and the wheels of human progress blocked, by the accursed machinations of the most abandoned and knavish set of politicians that per haps the sun of a free country ever shone upon? And is all the honest blood that tingles in our veins, and rushes from our hearts when we come to grapple with these sworn allies of tyranny and darkness, to be chilled into frigid moderation by the caution of con servative journals ? Is it a time in these grand historic days) to talk non committal; to train one’s self, in any capacity, to cold-blooded indifference; or to speak in a way to leave for a moment, the impression that the ques tions on which the effort is now making to divide the North are not of command ing importance to the friends of our Union, our nationality and of our race everywhere and for all time ? §pWS'*T till Presbytery of Harrisburg. —At a recent meeting of this Presbytery at Hublersbnrg, Pa., Mr. J. B. Long, who had previously been received as a Licen tiate from the Third Presbytery of blew' York, was ordained to the Gospel min istry as an Evangelist. Our correspon dent, C. P. W. writes that his previous examinations were very thorough and well sustained, and we have much en couragement to hope that his ministra tions in the churches of Hublersburg and Spring Mills, to which he is ap pointed a stated supply, with the sup port ofthe Home Mission ary Committee, will be eminently successful. Rev. T. H. Robinson, of Harrisburg, preached the sermon, and Rev. W. Sterling, of Williamsport, gave the charge to the minister. It was a season of more than usual solemnity, and the whole meeting of Presbytery was delightful, on ac count of the cordiality with which they were received by the people, the earnest ness and appropriateness of the preach ing and communion service,. and the confiding friendship of the members, A long and very interesting letter was read from Rev. Wm. Tracy, an absent member, and for about twenty-five years past a missionary at Pasumalie, in Northern India. This will probably be sent to you for publication. The next stated meeting was appointed to be held in York, on the second Tuesday in April next, at 7 J o'clock in the evening. Montrose, Pa. —The church in this place which recently gave a reluctant consent to the. dismissal of Rev. H- A. Riley, after a faithful pastorate of more than a quarter of a century, has recent ly extended a call to Rev. Miller, of Connecticut. It is understood that the call will be accepted. Mr. Riley was forced by bodily infirmity to surrender his charge. His labors contain a long record of distinguished usefulness. Synod of lowa. —The meeting of this body was held in the. Westminster church, Newton, commencing Septem ber Bth, and opened with a sermon by the last Moderator, Rev. Nelson L. Robinson. Rev. Milton H. Dysart pre sided over the sessions. Among the proceedings we notice that Rev. James I). Mason, of the Old School Synod of lowa, was introduced as a commissioner proposing correspondence, to whom the Moderator responded with fraternal re- By mail, $2.50 per annum, in advar-re. “ “ 300 “ after 3 months. By carrier, 60 cents additional for deliver? CXiTTBfc,. 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. 2.60 “ To save trouble, cluo subscriptions must commenco at the Eame date, be paid strictly ic advance, in a single remittance, for which one receipt will be returned.. Ministers and Ministers’ Widows supplied at club rates. Home missionaries at $1.60 per an • Hostage.— Five cents quarterly in to be paid by subscribers at the" office of de livery. marks. And the following action was had in the matter: <l 1. Unsolved, That this Synod ac cept, with great pleasure and entire unanimity, the Christian fellowship thus offered, and shall he happy to. recipro cate and continue it by an annual inter change of commissioners, until in the way and in the time which God in his providence may point out, we who are now separate bodies may become one, both in spirit and in form. 2.. Resolved, That Rev. Henry B. Holmes, principal, and Rev. Samuel How bury, alternate, be hereby appoint ed as commissioners, to visit the Synod of lowa in connection with th;e Assem bly of Newark, and report to them this our action, and also personally to carry our fraternal salutation.” An overture was also adopted on the union of the two General Assemblies of the Presbyterian Church. Rev. Darius E. Jones was heard on the operations of the American Bible Society in the State, and his suggestion of township Societies to aid in collec tions, and distribution of the Bible was recommended. The object ol the Christian Commis sion was presented by Rev. Shepard Wells, Agent; and the cause was com mended to the churches. A Synodical collection was taken on the Sabbath in behalf of this object, as a thank-offer ing, while public thanksgiving was of fered unto God, for the recent victories of the Army and Navy of the United States, in accordance with the Procla mation of the President. Prom the Narrative of the State of Religion, we take the following para graphs : The past year has not witnessed any large additions to our churches. One revival only is reported. Most of the churches however report a gradual and healthy growth. Nearly all of our ministers have been employed in rlie appropriate duties of their calling. Sab bath schools have flourished, and the ordinary means of grace have been sus tained. Some church debts have been liquidated. The corner stone of one church has been laid by the Synod in this place ; and one other is reported in process of erection. One church has secured a parsonage; and two or three church edifices have been repaired and furnish ed with instruments of music. Three new churches have been organ ized during the year:—a gain, howiver, which is more than counterbalanced by the reports of a larger number of en feebled and dying churches. TL!< is inevitable on a new field of the cl: : :ic ter and extent covered by the S>: d; and is no ground of discouragement. Many of oiir Western churches are ne cessarily an experiment. Synod or Onondaga. —This body met in Owego, N. Y., Sept. 13th. Rev. G. N. Boardman of Binghamton was elected Moderator, and Revs. W. W. Col lins and H. N. Millard, Clerks. The opening sermon was by Rev. Charles Hawley, D. D., showing that it is by uniting.the fear of the Lord with the comfort of the Holy Ghost, the largest and best growth of the church is to be attained. Rev. J. B. Richardson pre sented the cause of the Am. Bible So ciety, and Rev. T. A. Mills, D. D., that of education. Action was taken with reference to the ministerial Relief Fund; and the cause of Home Missions was specially commended. The erection of new church edifices and parsonages was reported. Auburn Theological Semi nary continues to prosper. The church at Owego is to be supplied for a year by a young brother from Auburn Semi nary who is held in high esteem. Synod adjourned to meet in the First Ward church, Syracuse, N. Y., a month later than at present, on the second Tuesday of October, 1865, at 7 o’clock, P. M. Rev. H. C. Dye has been engaged as a supply for the First Presbyterian and Congregational church in Gustavus, Ohio, and has entered upon his labors. Premiums.— The copies of JohnHuss and of Shedd’s History ’of Christian Doctrine thus far ordered' as premiums, have been sent either by mail or express, according to the report of the publish ers, and, by this time, should be in the hands of all ’spt&led to receive them. Parties who to receive them will the fact. The Westminster Church, (0- S.) Phila delphia-—The.' fre&yutrim -,of last week says: The Rev. Dr. Irvine, late of Canada, has commenced the duties of his pastorate in the Westminster Church. _Dr. Irvine is an eloquent man, preaching with great fer vency and freedom, and proclaiming the doctrines of the gospel clearly boldly. We are glad to learn that large congrega tions are attending upon his ministry, and that the prospects of the Westminster Church are brightening. It has a wide field for usefulness in the part of the city in which it is placed, and we wish it and its pastor abundant success. L. H. R.
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