gmttitan pu,s4ittian.
THURSDAY, JANUARY 5, 1865
FROM OUR CORRESPONDING EDITOR.
T. LAWRENCE COUNTY ANNIVERSARIES
The Anniversaries of the St. Lawrence
'County Benevolent Societies are to be
held this year on the 17th, 18th, and L9th
days of January, at - Madrid. These are
generally meetings of great, interest—
something peculiar to this region. The
county societies for Temperance, Home
Missions, Foreign Missions, Bible and
Tract causes, severally hold their Anni
versaries at the same place, within the
time named, and mainly before the same
audience.
It is a three days' meeting, to con
sider the interests of religion and humanity
at home and abroad. The good people
assemble from all parts of the county,
some always being present also from other
parts of the land; and what with reports
of Secretaries and Treasurers, discussions,
and good speoshes, great interest is
elicited for the several causes, and intik
is done towards establishing them in the
affection and confidence of the surround
ing churches.
We may be pardoned, perhaps, for
feeling a special interest in. Foreign Mis
sions, and we notice that Hon. C. T.
Hulburd, the President of the St. Law 7
renee County Missionary Society, auxili
ary to the American Board, is out with
a brief, earnest, and appropriate circular,
calling upon the pastors and churches of
the county to remember this good cause.
He wisely urges " personal applications,
for donations and contributions, to the
entire church membership." This is the
way to do up collections for an object so
vast; the only way, perhaps, which calls
out the largest liberality of the churches.
SABBATH SCHOOL FESTIVALS
What a "Merry Christmas " the child
ren have been enjoying in all this region.
We hear Of Sunday School festivals
almost without number.. In Buffalo,
those of the First and of the Lafayette
Street Churches; in. Rochester, of 'the
First and Plymouth, might well be spokei
of in detail if space would permit—,-all
interesting occasions. Fredonia must,
however, have a few words. It was the
Anniversary and Festival of the Child
ren's Missionary Society. The children
came together not for gifts alone, but to
do something for the, heathen. They had
singing and refreshments, ice cream and
post office, beside show tables loaded
with all sorts of handiwork, made by
little fingers and offered for sale.
It was a joyous occasion. Tho best
of feeling seemed to animate all minds,.
and what was still more, they raised $215,
clear of all expenses, for the missionary
cause. The same school last year raised
$l5O. But this year, also, beside doing
so much for the heathen, the children and
teachers of the Sabbath school had it in
their hearts to pay a deserved compli
ment to their faithful and excellent Super
intendent, Colonel Redington. A part
of the festival service consisted, therefore,
in the presentation of an ice .pitcher,
salver, and goblets, worth $4O, to him.
So the festival raised, in all, s2ss—gene
rous*.done by an important, interesting,
and flourishing school. Row many others
might :do the same and be the better for it.
OTHER COAIPLIMENTS
The friends of Rev. Dr. Smith, of the
N orth Chnreh, Buffalo, we found last
week bestirring themselves to give him a
merry Christmas. They intended to put
into his hands a purse of a thousand dol
lars. So much, at least, we know they
have given him in the past year, beside
making a handsome addition to his regu
lar salary. It is easy to see that they
love and admire their pastor very much,
and we have it not in our hearts to blame
them one particle for it. Some valuable
furs were also given to Mrs. Smith.
BLIND WILLIAM
There is a well-known and worthy
character, bearing this designation, who
stands habitually in one spot on Main
street, in Buffalo, to beg. He was once
in better circumstances, but now needy
enough, and with a family dependent on
the sympathy which the mute appeal of
his open hand shall excite in those who
are passing by. The infant class of the
Sunday School of the North Church had
their attention called to his wants, and
determined to do something in his behalf.
By bringing their pennies, and by begging
Urger sums, they easily raised twenty
tive dollars for poor Blind William. They
.le beginning early and well to .do good.
'The Sunday School of this church
'numbers 240 scholars, and the whole
s.chool is trained to systematic benevo
le./ce, having raised in the last year the
of $3OO, one-third of which is de
vote d to Mission 'Schools in India.
ANOTHER. GENEROTIVTIEING
We .notice in The Utica Herald (one
of the be'st papers, by the way, published
in this 0..' any other State) that T. L.
Ki ngs l e y &.'r, Son, of Utica, the proprietors
of a large ,clothing establishment, gave
notice that they would give the entire
profits
,of the.,'r sales on Saturday to the
Christian ca n oission. We doubt not
they did a big business on that day; and
yet this is but a trit: r e compared with the
constant benefactions Of the junior mem
ber; at least, of that
. fien. He is but a
young man, has been in business but a
few years, and yet his Os to every
cause of benevolence are on a scale of
princely magnificence. He seems really
to,. believe those strangely discredited
words; "It is more blessed to give than
to receive."
THE AMERICAN PRESBYTERIAN, THURSDAY, JANUARY 5, 1865.
MORE "COMPLIMENTS OF THE SEASON."
Twenty-six young men of the First
Presbyterian Church, in Watertown, have
presented Rev. J. J. Porter, the new
pastor, with a handsome sleigh and robes
for his winter rides. The pastor acknow
ledges the courtesy in a very handsome
"card of thanks," and says, "The sleigh
is elegant and the appointments com
plete, a winter turn-out worthyof a king."
We are glad to see that the young men
are so highly appreciating the worthy
minister whom we had the pleasure of
ominating to them about a year. ago.
We did not, indeed, expect less, or we
should have been more chary of our
commendations.
THE BUFFALO "EANHTDRUC"
So we may call the Monthly Meeting
of Pastors and Elders. It is the Buffalo
churches in council, by their proper dele
gates. It needs no argument to show
that it is a most excellent' arrangement.
Once a month they come together, and
spend the time in prayer and . consulta,
tion .in regard to the interests of the
churches committed to their care. They
are regularly organized, with Pre.sident
to keep them in order, and Clerk to record
their doings; and docket of business to
guide their deliberations. Any question
which any brother wishes discussed - , or
difficulties upon which.he desires advice,
may be proposed and taken up at eltc
time, if thought best, or put upon the
docket for future consideration.
Thus each brother may get at the
united wisdom of the body; valuable in
formation possessed by any one in regard
to impostors and shams, may easily be
communicated to all; unity of thought,
and plan, and purpose, in regard to the
interests of the Church, is thus secured.
They seem to believe, in Buffalo, that
"in union there is strength," and "in a
multitude of counsellors there is safety."
We do not see how it would hurt 'elders
and pastors in some other places to be
lieve the same things.
THE OLDEST LIVING YALENSIAN
We see it stated by The Utica Herald
that the oldest living g raduate of Yale
College is the Hon. Erskine Bacon, father
of the Hon. William J. Bacon, of Utica.
He is a graduate of the class of 1794, and
was eighty-eight years of age in -Septeni
ber last. He was born soon after the
declaration of American Independence,
and has lived to see our country grow
from small beginnings to its present im
perial greatness, and to see his glorious
old Alma Mater spreading herself even
more grandly, if possible, in her propor
tions and power. It was but little more
than an academy when he graduated; it
is now a full blown University, in its
ample arrangements,..
its munificent en
dowments, and its hundreds of students.
Judge Bacon, the elder, haS long been in
feeble health, and the . Chief objects Of
interest to him now in life are to see the
Government completely triumph over this
accursed rebellion, and to - See good old
Yale continue 'on her prosperous way.
A DANGEROUS. MAN
Such, we are sorry, or glad, to say,
the well-known . lectured., MR. JOHN B.
GOUGH, is becoming. Perhaps he cannot
help it, perhaps it is no - fault of his; yet
it is fearful to think of the peril to life
and limb which must now.be encountered
in order to hear him. It is said that a
thousand were actually gathered around
the door of the hall in which he was to
lecture in Utica, before the door was open,•
all eager to get nearest, and to be first
inside. And when the 'door did open,
the surging of the crowd, the rushing,.
the pushing, the screaming of the ladies,
and the hoarse expostulations of the men,
made "confusion worse confounde4"
But finally all were squeezed through,
some out of breath, some almost a jelly,
and crinoline awfullY misadjusted. If it
had not been Mr. Gough, it would have
been worth ten times the price of the lec
ture to get it.
We expect him in this city next week,
and the same scene will doubtless be en
acted here, as, `in fact, it was - last winter.
How glad some of us less fortunate mor
tals would be to get a small portion of
that popularity, a part of Which it would
seem as though he might so easily spare,
and yet have enough for all practical
purposes. But we would not grudge
him one of all his well earned laurels, for
which he has worked so nobly and so
long. GENESEE.
ROCHESTER, Dec. 81, 1864.
OUR LONDON CORRESPONDENCE.
a LONDON, Dec. 10, 1864
The year is slipping away quietly
enough on this side of the Atlantic,
while with you it rushes out in darkness
and storm. We find it very diffidult
here to realize the terrible reality of your
position when not even a distant sound
of the great struggle reaches our ears,
and we know of the carnage only by'
report. Ipt there is still enough 'of
horror in what one hears of the hard,
fierce, relentless necessities of the war
to excite our fears and sympathies. Es
pecially do Christian Englishmen ask
'the question again and again, " But what
of Christ's Church in America ? What
is to become of - it ? How can 'any one
in the midst of such troublous 'andp.eri
bons times, pay to religion that attention
which is needful to its maintenance and
progress ?" The only answer to this
question is, " God reigns." He has a
chosen people in America—he has a
'great :Aestiny in store for the country
and the church—and out of the gloom and
storm there shall march forth a brighter
and nobler nation, renovated, I trust, for
'both social, political and religious good.
On our side, - as . I have saiafwe have
repose, and at present no signs of hurri
cane, except, indeed, in the ecclesiastical
world. Upon looking out at this, ex
perienced faces grow long and grave,
and men doubt what the end shall be.
The Established Church, vast as it is,
and energetic as its sons have recently
become, is exhibiting signs of weaknesS,
not only in its divisions; but also in the
almost tremulous anxiety and pettishness
with which it receives the criticism or
opposition of other Sects. -The Dissen
ters are beeoming• more and more bold
and :assertive. They are beginning to
feel their power.
.They are beginning
to use their political power. They are
beginning to organize' for - it extension
and conservation. They are found to be
acquiring a social elevation. I saw 'a
statement some time ago, which I, be
lieve to' be true, that four of the Judges
in the Queen's Bench at the present
time; are Dissenters. One of them I
`know, Mr. Justice Mellor, goes to Dr.
Hamilton's church, Regent. Square. • Die: ,
senters do not find it so difficult as even
ten years ago they- did, to get into good
society. These things are .significant.
They seem to.me to indicate two things :
First, a great change impending in the
'relations of Church and State. Secondly,
a tendency.of all the Christian churches
to mutual amity and sub Sequent unity.
I have thought that this tendency *as
stronger in Anierica than in Europe, and
have looked to you to sound the. first
note in the concert of universal Christian
union. The churches` in America are
more prepared for it than any .other.
You have more and freer intercourse and
comity between the various denomina
tions. Presbyterian ,Churches call inde
pendent ministers, and vice versa: It is
not universal for a mart to have been a
member of a church of each of the evan
gelical denominations in the course of his
life. lam not now defending this easy
vacillation, but it appears to me to show
that American Christians' haVe risen to
see what the Christians of the old.world
have not yet had glimpse of, the essential
unity of all true Christian religions, and
the crime of mere ritual and sentimental
diversities.
SEVERE MEASURES AGAINST THE _POLISH
MONASTERIES
'Grave events have occurred in Poland,.
grave. because they now place• the. Czar
of Russia'and the enormous 'Greek
Church in direct and angry antagonism
with Romanism once more. On the last
occasion England was found fighting in
a war which grew out-of a dispute with
Latin Monks. New the Czar has re
solved to expel them from his dominions: ,
He issued an.imperial ukase for the sup
pression of the monasteries throughout
Poland. The arrangements were secret
and masterly. On a certain' day, Sun
day,. the 27th of November, the 'last
instructions issued. At midnight; bands
of soldiers were sent to the various con
vents. The astonished monks receiVed.
orders to prepare for transmission abroad !
Not a fortnight's notice, not a week's
notice. Not even a day's .At
four that morning, they were to take the
railway for sonic other country. Each
had a sum of money given him to. pay.
his expenses. The Emperor was, deter
mined to sweep' away the chief seat of
disaffection: in that unhappy country.
This will not be forgotten. It is one of
the steps to that mighty collision be
tween the :Greek and Roinan religions,
which must some day
,come The step
was an atrocious one; and is only likely to
give energy and body to the Roman Church
in Poland. Persecution often builds up
a strong church, and there is not in the
Greek religion.an antidote to the super
stition of the Papacy. If there Were,
we might have some hope, but there is
not much, to choose between these gigan
tic Pseudo-Christianisms. Oh ! that
those Russians were enlightened by the
true, clear Gospel light! The field seems
to be opening, then, for missionary labors,
and I trust that soon:lye shall see a good,
and ..worthy beginning by. the English
and American churches.. •
DEATHS ,OF PRESBYTERIAN MINISTERS
The Presbyterian churches in London
have met with two severe strokes in the
death of Dr. Archer, of the Oxenden
street United Presbyterian
„Chapel, and
of the Rev. Mr. Burns, of the English
Presbyterian Church; Hampstead. The
former of these was an able and popular
preacher; distinguished for - his zeal and
energy. He had been a. student under
Dr. Chalmers at St. Andrew's, and be
came minister of Oxenden Chapel 'in
1832. Since that time he has been
engaged in the - work of God unremit
tingly, both in his own denomination and
in , the
.g,eneral' London Society. , lis
energy was tremendous. He preached :
at home and abroad ; formed and carried
on Bible classes; lectured at Exeter Hall
and elsewhere ;, addressed- meetings in
all parts of the country. Few men are
so universally.present and so universally
welcome. He Wore himself out by his
over-work. •• Mr. Burns was of quite an
opposite charactei---full of gentle and
beautiful sentiment. -His hymns have
already become home-hymns in our
churches, and will live with those of
Newton and Wesley, to cheer the last
generation of God's people.
RUMORS AND 'GOSSIP. DEAN STANLEY'S
There waS . a rumor about, that poor
old Dr. Philpotts, the Bishop of Exeter,
was about to resign his see, but it
appears that the wish was father to the
thought, but had no reason for it. He
is now 87 years of age, " but his mental,
powers are- unimpaired"—a statement
one can hardly believe. However, he is
determined-td hold to his see as long as
life'its term eitends,, apparentlT
Another bit of ecclesiastical gossip, is
that the Dean of Dromorc recently
preached the anniversary sermons in the
Donaghmore Primitive Methodist Chapel.
If this be true, I can only say hurrah for
the Dean -
Then the Dean of Westminster, Dr.
Stanley, has been giving vent to more of
his shallow and brilliant folly; in a lec
ture at Islington, on the three centenna
ries of 1864—Calvin, Galileo, and Shake
peare. Calvin, he said, was an instance
that a man may be greatly esteemed in
his own times, and his fame become
greatly diminished after death. Eras
mus and Luther were still powerful, but
Calvin had - left little behind I He then
said that he had left a great legacy—the
doctrine of Predestination—a legacy
which I have been accustomed to trace
back to Christ and his Apostles. But
the next statement of the Dean is most
droll and unaccountable, and will go far
to settle whether the Dean has sufficient.
acuteness . and balance of mind to discern
and teach the truth. " But there was
one born two months before Calvin's
death, and another one month before, and
these two, men were as far abOve Calvin
as the heavens were above the earth.
The mathematician and the writer of
plays soared far above the theologian—
Galileo, the father of astronomy, and
Shakspeare, the interpreter of human
nature." Such is the judgment of this
opinionated infidel. I want nothing
more than this simple statement to con
vince-me of the man's character. Either
he wilfully mistakes, or is - a born fool:
I fear the latter. Let any one look over
christendom, and see the name of Calvin
known and revered in every land and by
the largest branches of the Protestant
Church, and see how the doctrines he
expounded and the principles of ecclesi
astical governinent which .he laid down
have influenced for two centuries, the
political motions of the world, and then
say-- what excuse can be made for the
outrageous statement of Dean Stanley.
ADELPHOS.
PREMIUMS FOIL NEW SUBSCRIBERS.
CASH PREMIUMS.—For one subscriber,
paying, full: rates in advance, seventy-five
cents; for four subscribers ' paying in the
same manner,ss.oo, and for more at the
same rate. For a club of ten, paying club
rates, in advance, $7.50.
XV; lietain the premiums and remit us
the balance.
VALUABLE B o OKS.—For four new names,
paying at full rates in advance, we offer the
choice of Joing Huss ADM nrs Tams, 2
vols. 8 vo., SHEDD'S HISTORY OF CHRISTIAN
DOCTRINE, 2 vols., Bvo LANGE'S great
Ho➢IILETICAL CommENTART, 1. Tol., royal
_LOMILETICAL. _ . NOI., royh
8 •vo., or Gillett's HISTORY OF PRESBY
TERIANISM. These books will be sent,
post paid, on the receipt of the names and
the money.
ASSEMBLY'S DIG . usT.-For Three new
subscribers, paying as above, we will send,
post paid, a copy of the Assembly's Digest.
THE DIGEST WITH JOHN HUSS, OR THE
rfISTORY OF DOOTRINE.—For a club of ten,
paying club rates in adVance, we will send,
post-paid, both the DIGEST and JOHN Huss,
or Shedd's HISTORY, as may be preferred.
CHILDREN OF THE BATTLE-FIELD.—
This elegantly illustrated piece of music,
the words of which' were first published as
a prize poem in the American Presbyterian,
and which has been sung with great ap
plause, especially in Western New York,
will be sent, post-paid, for• a single subscri
ber paying in advance.
• Zie It should be understood that pre
miums are awarded for bona fide subscribers
only—not for names paid for by the person
seeking the premiums.
Mir No premiums given for Subscrip
tions of Ministers or Home Missionaries,
unless they pay at full rates, the terms
being as low as practicable already.
ACKNOWLEDGMENT
FOR SOLDIERS' PAPERS.
From W.E. Tenbrook's children—Christ-
mas money, $lO 00
Bight- papers, six months, to Chaplain
Armstrong, Fourth Michigan Cavalry.
We are sending Chaplain A. eight other
papers, and the whole is but the merest trifle
for his own and other regiments in his vicini
ty. The most acceptable reading matter
you can send to the soldiers, sick or well, is a
fresh newspaper every week. Who will
aid in sending this chaplain one hundred
copies every week?
LIST OF NEW SUBSCRIBERS in the Synod
of Pennsylvania to January 3d, 272.
DEATH OF GEORGE W. FOBES.-Our
church has been called to sustain another
great loss. A Christian merchant, a Puling
elder in Clinton street Church, and one of
its founders, a faithful participant in our
ecclesiastical assemblies, widely known, and
just as widely useful and beloved, has gone
to his rest. Mr. Fobes' death occurred on
the morning of Christmas, at the"ripe age
of about 75 years. For the last year or
two, his strength has been steadily failing,
and little by little he has been cone/wiled
to withdraw from public activities, secular
and religious. For a long period he had
been connected with many of our public
charities, such as the House of Refuge, and
with. the Jeading enterprises of our church.
In the business circles of our city, he
enjoyed unbounded confidence and respect.
Gentle in manners, genial in intercourse,
and. devotional iu spirit, his will be a
cherished memory among us. We feel
also a melancholy pleasure in recording his
name as among the founders of the Ame
rican Presbyterian, and one of its substantal
helpers through its early and sometimes
perilous vicissitudes.
EVERY Man wishes to have his own indi
vidual farm, or lot;z but the grave-yard is
the common lot.
Atligbarits titttitigurt.
PRESBYTERIAN.
'MISSIONARY RRINFORCFMTNT.
The Presbyterian Board of Foreign Mis
sions, (0. 5.,) hasjust sent to India two new
missionaries, Rev. I'dessrs. Joseph H. Dyers
and S. H. Kellogg,accompanied by their
wives. They sailed from Boston to Calcutta
on the 13th ult.
TO THE POINT
The Presbytery of Marion, 0. S., at its re
cent meeting in Upper Sandusky, adopted
the following resolutions :
1. That it is the sacred duty of every mem
ber of each particular Church to attend regu
larly and conscientiously upon the ministry of
the word, and other means of grace, at the
place and by the minister regularly chosen
by the congregation of which he is a member,
whether that minister be the pastor or tem
porary supply.
2. That the practice so deplorably prevalent
in many parts of the Church, of members
absenting themselves from the ordinances of
God's house, as regularly administered to the
Churches of which they are members, on the
ground that something on the part of the min
ister or some member, has displeased them or
some action of the Church has grieved them
is an error, hand a sin against the order of God's
house and the authority of its head. His
word commands—" neglect not the assembling
of yourselves together," and such irregular
conduct is a fit subject of discipline, and the
Presbytery hereby enjoin it upon all sessions
to deal promptly with such erring ones, by
first kindly warning, and then, if the error is
not corrected, by visiting them with the cen
sures and discipline of the Church.
GRIMM EXTENSION IN LIVERPOOL, ENG'D.
The Presbyter ans in Liverpool are just
now_ wide awake over a. colonizing enterprise
from St. Peter's, at present the only &arch
of our denomination in that city. At a con
gregational soiree, held in St. reter's on the
13th ult. where more than five hundred sat
down to tea, the chairman, Rev. James Pater
son, stated that he was able to calculate upon
£2500 toward the enterprise from friends
outside of the congregation. It was then
enthusiastically resolved that, with this help,
the scheme should be carried out. The site
selected is a northerly central one, at the head
of Eventon Valley, on ground obtained from
Lord Derby.
BELFAST PRESBYTERIAN COLLEGE
was opened for the session of 1864-65 on
Thursday, Noy. 10th. It is a Theological
Institution, havingrofessorships of Moral
Philosophy, (Gibson)_; Hebrew, (Murphy) ;
Divinity, (Edgar) ; Church History and Pas
toral Theology, (Killen); and Biblical Criti
cism, (Porter). Rev. H. Cooke, D.D. , L.L. D. ,
is President. Professor Gibson delivered the
introductory lecture, a masterly and brilliant
performance, on " the Knowledge of Christ,
the True Theory of Human Development."
CIDIBERLAND PRESBYTERIAN
A renewed effort is making to change the
name of this denomination—the movers de
sire to be called " The American Presbyterian
Church." Rev. D. N. Porter says "a change
of•name will do us as much good as the, change
of our status on slavery."
REFORMED DIUTCIi.
The Reformed Dutch Church is called to
mourn the death of the venerable Rev. Dr.
Alexander McClelland, for nineteen years
professor of Biblical Literature and of Orien
tal Languages in the Theological Seminary in
New Brunswick. The event took place on
the 19th of the last month. The Christian
Intelligences says of him that, "Possessing an
enthusiastic love of study, and urged by an
insatiable thirst for philological knowledge,
he became a great master of the Hebrew and
its cognates, at a time when Oriental acquisi
fiat's of this'kind were the propelty of only
a very few in this country. The majority as
we suppose of the present pastors of the Re
formed Dutch Church, received their training
in part under Dr. McClelland, they all are
witnesses of his surpassing ability as a teacher,
and of his overflowing fullness. He was not
a mere philologer, but was truly a theologian
of wide research and of most comprehensive
views. His professional chair was often the
throne from which he thundered with an im
passioned and entrancing eloquence that dis
played the riches of his mind, and the scope
of singular genius. The professor loved, to
preach the gospel as often as his strength and
occasion would permit, and the people loved
to hear him. A rumor that he was about to
occupy the pulpit on a given day would
crowd the building to repletion, so great was
the desire of the students and of his fellow
townsmen to listen to his fresh, thoughtful,
and eloquent sermons."
BA PTIST:
A NEW " BOSTON NOTION."
We learn from The Chronicle that the lay-
Men of the Baptist churches.of Boston and
vicinity have formed a " Social Union," for
the promotion of friendlY-intercourse between
the pastors and churches of the neighbor
hood. This club Meets monthly / at which
time a sumptuous 'repast is furnished, after
which, denominational matters are discussed
in' a friendly, social way. Sometimes the
Union . meets at the houses of its members,and sometimes in a fine room in Tremont
Temple, which has been dedicated as "Social
Hall." This Society is composed of the most
intelligent, active, and wealthy Baptists of
the region, and its meetings are said to be
very pleasant and profitable.
REVIVALS
Another shower grace, says The Chronicle,
is resting upon our beloved University at
Lewisburg. Many are very thoughtful :
some have professed conversion. and one
young man has been baptized. 'The revival
is of recent origin: Meetings forprayer are
deeply solemn and well attended. Hopes are
entertained that the work now confined
among the students may spread and become
general in all the churches.
Revivals of more or less. power are also re
ported from Reidsburgh; r Pa. ; Port Jervis,
Pa. ; South Carrolton, Ky. • Sheldonville,
Mass., and the Tenth Baptist:Church, Phila
delphia.
ARIZONA
Prescott, the capital of Arizona Territory,
it was thought. in August last, would have
one hundred houses by Christmas. August
I ith was in the midst of the racing season.
There isregular Baptist preaching on Sunday.
A Sunday-school and Bible class are in suc
cessful operhtion,.and pupils—including seve
ral young ladies engaged in the mission day
sehoolanxiously awaiting the arrival of the
teacher. There was not a Romish priest in
the whole region * wlaich is a wonder indeed.
LITT.EEERAN.
LIITECERANISK IN WISCONSIN
The Lutheran Church is making good pro
gress in Wisconsin, having now some 59 min
isters and 190 congregations, but is troubled
in keeping harmony between the foreign and
native-born preachers. Some valuable men
have been received from the Mission House
at Basle. One of them, of German paren
tage, is a Russian- by birth, from one of the
German Lutheran colonies on the Black Sea,
which were established during the reign of
the Einpress Catharine, who so zealously en
couraged the emigration of Germans to her
dominions. In the south of Russia there are
now some sixty churches, consisting almost
exclusively of these emigrants.
METHODIST.
A CHURCH-DEBT-PAYING EPIDEMIC
is jest now prevalent in the Methodist Church
One Church in Brooklyn has just wiped ou i
an indebtedness of $17,000: one on Wash_
ington Square in New York,. has acc om _
plished a like result by raising $20,0 0 i s t
Paul's in the same city, paid off, a while ag o .
$30,000, in part; and old John street is n o ' Nr
making an effort for $13 ; 000 for the sam e
purpose. The _Methodist, from which w e
condense this statement adds :—" The Meth_
odists of Philadelphia, too, are bestirrin g
themselves. Trinity, St. George's, and Fifth:
street have freed themselves from bld and
burdensome encumbrances. A meeting h„
recently been held, under the call of Bishop
Simpson, to promote the efficiency and unity
of Methodism in that city, and especially t, )
consider the best means of liquidating chur .1 1
debts. We anticipate good results from this
beginning; and we suggest that likeineetin z :
of Methodists be held in all our cities, aj i ,i
that the questions relating to church eaten.
sion, church building, and church debts h e
fully discussed and plans devised fur the
steady development of Methodism in the
great centres of population."
PREVENTIVE AGAINST BACKSLIDING
A correspondent of The Methodist
the following Send me about two hundred
missionary cards for pastors, two hundred
pictures of missions, ten collector's books
and one-juvenile certificate. I am about en
tering more fully upon my missionary work.
and want all the helps that I can get. La t
year we raised our contributions from $4 to
$.175, and by the help of the Lord we will in
crease the per tentage this year. The Jlii
sionary Advocate whicle We ordered continues
to come. Our plan is to circulate missionary
intelligence among the people, and keep the
subject before them, setting them to read.
think, and feel: When you get people truly
Converted to the missionary work they never
backslider:"
GONGREGATIONALIS3III AND PR ESDY-
TERIANISM IN THE WEST
The "Christian Register, (Unitarian organ,)
has an article in review of ministers of the
N. S. Assembly of last spring, which says :
" The Orthodox Congregationalists are
gaining on this body in the West, and as the
war will spread New England ideas, the
church polity represented by Congregation
alism, which is preeminently a child of New
England, will gain in strength. The Na
tional Convention, soon to meet iu Boston,
will give momentum to this ecclesiasticism.
Our sympathies, of course, are with Congre
gationalism."
It must be remembered.that the Register
speaks with the statistics of only one branch
of the Presbyterian church for data. Its sympa
thies in the case arelinatural: Congregation
alism has ever proved a better soil than Pres
byterianism for the growth of Unitarianism.
P7n7.'nf=l!'tMTWrirT'VrT7'3
At a state convention of Sabbath-school
Teachers,. recently held in Baltimore, the
following interestingoand highly encouraging
facts were brought out. There have been
organized daring the year, as far as reported,
about one hundred and twenty schools, com
posed of about nine thousand six hundred
scholars and about nine hundred and fifty
teachers. In addition to this there have been
gathered into schools already in existence
about three thousand neglected children.; so
that the Sunday-school army in Maryland
has increased during the past year twelve
thousand six hundred children and eleven
hundred teachers. A large number of Sun
day-school children have become members
of the Church, and many schools have had
extensive revivals of religion.
ITEMS.
The Presbytery of Buffalo has cho
sen Rev. Wm. Waith, of Lancaster, Rev.
Sylvester Cowles, of Randolph, and Ruling
Elders, Andrew Parker, and Moses Bristol,
of Buffalo, Commissioners to the next Gene
ral Assembly. New York Christians
have in contemplation to establish an "up
town" daily prayer meeting on the Fulton
street model. The latter is entirely too re
mote for the upper wards. Union Theo
logical Seminary has an attendance of 102
students, with 2 resident licentiates. It has
educated 646 young men for the ministry.
We learn that the effort to complete the en
dowment goes prosperously forward.-
The whole number of Protestant Missionaries
in - China is 95. There are about 2,800 church
members, nearly one third of whom are in
and around Amoy. A new church has
been erected at Eddyvil e, lowa, of the seats
of which only the even numbers are to be
rented, thus arranging for every second seat
through the house to remain a free seat.
Bishop Brownell, of the Connecticut
diocese, senior Bishop of the Prot. Epis.
church in the U. S., is lying very ill, and
there is little hope of his recovery.-
Capt. Winslow recently stated, at a public
meeting in New York, that quring the long
cruise of the Kearsarge, only two Sabbaths
passed-without religious service onboard. In
addition to prayers, he himself read the Scrip
tures, and addressed the men. Far different
from the case of the Florida, as narrated by
Mr. Williams, who was captured, and a pris
oner on board that pirate near China, Semmes
did not know it was Sunday until reminded of
it by one of the ship's. company. The
school at Freedmen's village re-opened Oct.
Ist most encouragingly. About 300 scholars
attend the day-school. The night-schools
are also full. Rev. Mr. Aiken continues to
minister to the religious interests of the more
than 2,000 residents in the village, and with
evidence of God's blessing in the conversion
of souls. The Freedmen's Relief Asso
ciation has experienced a sad bereavement in
the death of Mr. David H. Smith, its agent at
Vicksburg, a faithful, and everyway valuable
laborer, and a man of gr - eat Christian devo
tedness. During the year, 81,084 vol
umes, including . Bibles, Testaments, and por
tions of the Scriptures, have been circulated
by the American Bible Society in the Sand
wich Islands, Ceylon, Turkey, India, China,
Germany and Russia, in six or seven different
foreign languages. A particularly good
thing in the line of donation visits, was done
a week or two since, in the neighboring bo
rough of Media. Rev. J. Cathie, a super
annuated Methodist minister was • the recipi
ent of such a visit, the avails of which were
about $l5O. Petroleum is now canna
nized. At Rome the Holy Congregation of
the Rites, after examination of the article by
chemists, has signed'a deoree permitting its
use in holy anointings, in place of the Olive
oil, where the latter cannot be obtained. It
must however be well purified.' The Pa
pal government has found that the detention
of the Bibles of foreigners was becoming a lit
tle perilous, and has issued a decree that." for
the future no Englishman's Bible is to be
' touched on his arrival, or during his sojourn
in Rome." We have, through the or
gan of the " Church Union Society," the im
portant information that the cloak which St.
Paul lelt at Trees is generally supposed to
have been a Eucharistic vestment. The
consecration of Rev. A. C. Coxe, as Assistant
Bishop of the Diocese of Western New York ,
is appointed to take place in Trinity Church,
Geneva, Jan. 4th. Dr. Core assumes 3
dignify, in the line of which he was born, his .
father having long been a distinguished Bish
op in our own church.