TIIE AMERICAN PRESBYTERIAN AND GENESEE EVANGELIST. A Religions and Family Newspaper, IN THLIETEREST OF THE Constitutional Presbyterian Church. PUBLISHED EVERY THURSDAY, AT VIE PRESB TERIAN HOUSE, 1334 Chestnut Street, (2d story,) Philadelphia. Rev. John W. Nears, Editor and Publisher. Bev. H. B. Hotobitin, Editor of Wens and Faintly Departments. Rev. C. P. Bush, Corresponding Editor, Rochester, N. N. gtmEritan Virtisbyttrialt. THURSDAY, JANUARY 12, 1565. CONTENTS OF INSIDE PAGES, SECOND PAGE—THE FAMILY CIRCLE: Let Me Go—The Saxon Wife—A Novel Marriage— A High Standard of Comfort—The Woodpeeker-, Tom's Master—The Way to Speak to Boys—Femi nine Devotedness—The Schoolmaster's THIRD PAGE — EDITOR'S TABLE: Patterson's "Memoirs of Rev. S. F. Johnston and Mrs. Mary Johnston Matheson " — Stowe's "House and Home Pap ers" — Mayne Reid : "The Boy Slaves" —Mag . azines and Pamphlet--Literary Items—Stir ring Extracts from Thanksgiving SermOns—To Make Farming Life Attractive. SIXTH PAGE — CORRESPONDENCE : • (ben Air Preachers: Rowland . Hill—Letter from Chaplain Armstrong--Rev. A. M. Stewart's Letter A Village in Western New York—The American Tract Society (Boston,) SEVENTH PAGE -- MISCELLANEODS : The Romance of,,Coins—Modern Infidelity—Direc tory of Presbyterian (N. S.) Ministers and Churches in Philadelphia. THE ARMY AS A FIELD FOR RE VIVAL EFFORT, , Where wickedness comes in like a flood, the Spirit lifts up a standard against it. Not unfrequently the very worst and the very best aspects of hu man character are brought out side by side, under the pressure of great tempta tion and trial. The brightest examples of Christian experience are found in the same recesses of poverty and darkness which abound with every species of de pravity and crime. Sometimes the hard ening influence of circumstances un friendly to piety are but suiierficial, while but a little way beneath the rude and profane exterior which they have produced, the conscience is tender. and active, and the religiOus susceptibilities are ready to spring into the most lively exercise when the right mode of reaching them 'is used. The, inner man is not hardened, no, not half so much as are those who, for half a lifetime, have studi ously conformed to all the external re quirements of morality and religion with out yielding the heart The gospel hardened are hardened through and through, heart and conscience and sensi bilities. The process has been slcivir, steady, thorough; little, or no alarm hai ing been given at any one stage. TheY are a stiff-necked, obdurate race, with hearts hard as the nether millstone. The Kingswood colliers ; regarded by the Christian people of Whitefield's day as an utterly abandoned class, were really more open to the truth, presented in the earnest direct manner of Whitefield and his Co-laborers, than the regular' attendants upon public worship of that day, to whom the doctrine of regeneration was "highly offensive and insulting." • Once break through the crust, which king exposure to danger and seclusion from ordinary religious restraints have formed in the outer circle of the soldier's and sailor's experience, and andccyou may be tolerably sure of finding a soul 'all. alive to the great interests of religion and of the great realities of the future. You are likely to meet.with frankness, prompt ness, and decision. Refinements and quibbles, and the multiplication of ex cuses, and long processes of conviction, are the exception. The work is speedy, the fruits instantaneous, and , sometimes the calling, the justification, the sanctifi cation, and the glory are crowded into the space of a few hours. Hence, if preachers and laborers are sufficiently bold, direct, earnest and be . , /loving, there is no ream why they should not expect revivals in ;the army. They dare not regard it as abandoned to irreligious influences, and closed against Evangelical effort: With all' the peculiar difficulties of the service, they must view it as promising abundant returns. They must lay aside unbelief.; they must en large their expectations and, multiply their prayers and,efforts. They must be prepared to see the Holy Spirit glorify himself in turning a camp into' a Bethel, in reaching readily among these'untoward surroundings, hearts that iiad resisted his influence under a lifetime, of religious privileges, in pouring forth streams of life and health and peace amid all the engi nery of mortal strife. And almost. every, 'argument uSed' to rouse us to revival effort in general, ap plies with tenfold .forge in the soldier, and the sailor. • If it pains us. "and fills us with inexpressible anxiety to 'see the mass of the ungodly going down to de struction, much more should, we` bp affect ed by the sight; of these muliitudes whose very calling: it :is - to. hazard -their, New Series, ',Vol; No. 2. lives, and who are yielding them .up in the vigour of youth and health every day. :If we are grieved at the seeming inefficiency of the means of grace among the masses of our Christian coun tries, much more should we grieve for those of our population who are debarred from these means, to so large an extent, by the necessities of war. If we dread the growth of vice and irreligion, .and look with trembling at the prospect of a still greater advantage ihpoint of 1111 m bers and influence to be gained by them -ovvirtue and piety, it is, here in the army and navy especially that we shall see that' disproportion most broadly ex emplified, and, if unchecked by wise and extensive evangelizing agencies, it will soon be transferred from the army, as an active poison to work in all the civil and domestic relations of life. As we wish `to save society and the church from the catastrophe of a whole disbanded army thrown into the already frightfully loaded scale of irreligion, we must labor and pray for an extended, powerful, health giving revival of the.work of the Spirit: in' the army. If we wish the whole vast historic movement through which: our country. is passing, rescued from mere, shallow worldliness, and baptized with ennobling'heavenly influences until it becomes a spiritnal power and fact; and a great step forward and upward— the very renovation, in fact, of our na tional life—then the officers and men who are the instruments under God of accomplishing the work, and who will 'be the honored exponents of the new policy of the nation, must be reached by wide spread and profound movements of the Spirit.w . The army must be conspicous as a theatre of these halloWing' influences. The light must ,be,,visible to the peoßle at home, and they must respond with an swering beacon-fires, and army and peo ple stimulatidg-and• responding' to each other, shall prepare the ivay - of the Leid, Straight in the desert. ,a l gftgi for our God. The encouragements to this work are indeed most extraordinary. Everywhere through the army the men- are more than feady, are eager for the Gospel. The, places opened among them for regu lar worship are densely crowded and entirely insufficient. Such earnest atten tion-as they give to the truth, would of itself be regarded as a revival at - home. The fieleig wide as the army, and IS ripe fox the harvest. It is workmen only that are needed, laborers of. the hearty, earnest, direct sort, to go forth and gather in. If only a sufficient number of evangelists--say five hundred--could be sent into the various divisions to co operate with, or supply , the destitution of chaplains, we have'. reason to believe that a wide-spread, wonderful and , glori ous revival would be the result. -It is a grand,, an almost unparalleled opportu nity. The very best, most, valuable, most coveted material—the picked men of the nation,—its youth, its manly strength, its patriots and heroes, the hopes of its homes Bald firesides, its -future leaders and recipients of its honors • and applause, are there; on high and solemn find perilous errands; conscious of the hazards- they run •and of the one only support they have; sitting, as one with a keen sense of the situation has remarked, in their grave-clothaS-- waiting for the bread of life, the sacred truth through which the Holy Spirit operates—waiting to be prepared for death, or to be transformed intoLL the brightest, most precious of 'tlie nation's jewels, polished by a righteous cause, and changed to living stones by the power -of. the Spirit. It. is .one of those opportunities which present them selves 'but once in a •generation ; which mark an epoch; which,- when neglected, can never be re-called or made good ; which can ,turn the scourge and horror of, war into a rich and otherwise unattain able blessing. It has perhaps more pos sibilities of good, in it, than the _ , opening of a heathen empire to the preaching of the Gospel, or, the conversion of a feeble, =influential, decaying heathen race to the truth, or; the sending of a dozen home missionaries to the sparsely-settled frontier. It calls for deep heart-searching in the church, for fresh consecration 'to God, for more fervent, prayer.., And will the church ' appreciate the crisis •; t. in her labors, self-denials,- libe- NITIADELPHIA, THURSDAY, JANUARY. rality; prayers, will she rise to its great ness, meet its extraordinary want 4, and. reap its great and untold rewards ? Are our faith and zeal adequate to the :occa sion ? Are we observant of the motions of Peovidence marking out to us THE FIELD Of our Home Missionary work in America just at this season ? - Can it be possible that, from lukewarmness, un belief, worldliness, blindness to the facts, the Evangelical Churches of America will suffer this great, may we not ,say unparalleled; opportunity to slip . by to their irrecoverable damage ?, Will they'. lose this best surety of revivals at home, and of that , great and general revival which they are' anticipating, to heal ,the wounds of war and to qualify the nation fora happy period of unity sand peace to follow ? Will they:'deny the ministry the admirable training, which they would, get from contact with men, to . whom the verities of religion and of -the eternal world are facts staring them in the face, and who will not tolerate that circurnlo-' cution and those refinements of speech and of argument; which are encouraged by the worldliness,' the skepticism and the conventionalities of our .congrega tions at home ? Will the ininistry forego those deeply instructive views of human nature which will enrich their experience, quicken all their energies, and increase their efficiency all their lives long ? Shall the men who have fOr our sakes, denied themselves the privileges Of church going, sermon,hearing, Sabbath-keeping, 'and all the ordinary means of grace, be left in their dreary and. destitute condi= tion, even when awake to its privations and hungering for the bread of life ; while sharpers and s,wincllers'and gambj lers and mere mercenaries, flock around' them to rob them of their earnings, and precipitate their descent to the depths of, vice and' ruin ? • `'-We trust the church will heed the call. we see but little, of the special qheeOng indications etthe Spiiit "at home, let that be an additional motive for turn ing to the army as the_true, divinely designated' field• of effort at this time. To EVANGELIZE THE ARMY, that is the great duty of the church to-dor. By pro:Viding and by sustaining efficient men as -chaplains, by sending from home ; throdgh the excellent arrangements of the Christian Coinmission, men to sup= ,plenient the great deficiencies' ' of regular labor, and by united, impertunate prayer, , in which alLdenominations of dhristians may be associated, the church every where, in all its branches, should labor for thiS high object, this paramount duty of the hour. CHAPLAIN -STEWART'S BOOK. We take ; pleasure in announcing the appearance of Chaplain Stewart's new book, entitled, "'CAMP, MARCH, AND BAT TLEFIELD, or Three Years and a Half - with the Army of the Potomae." It is composed , substantially of those fresh, ,stirring, genial, and sharp-witted Jetters which, for all that time,. were the, spice of the columns Of the BANNER OF THE COVENANT, and latterly of the AMZRICAN PRESBYTERIAN also. They give some of the very best, most entertaining, and most accurate views of the three phases_ of military life mentioned in the title, any.; where •to be found. They are descrip tions from the pen of one who was there, who took part, in the perils and hardships described, and who had keen powers of observation and appreciation of the cir cumstances which give life and character to the scenes which he attempts to por tray to the reader. A wholesome and manly tone of independence peryades the letters. Especially ie a sound judgment of the rg;el, capacity exhibited. Chap: lain Stewart always ridicukd the idea of starving out the rebel army or population, and always judged calmly the difficulties of the situation. In fact, one misses. from the volume any very ~marked or en. thusiastic tone of hopefulness as to the conclusion of the struggle ; its present realities, its fearful cost, its wying phases are, detailed with fidelity, and probably from the most natural point of view of an officer of the famous Sixth Corps, which has seen more of the actual tug of war, has more frequentlytested the rebel mettle, and has more often been called to bear the brunt of critical occasions than almost any corps in the army, The reli gious element in this corps, fostered by such faithful and competent chaplains as our author, undoubtedly, contributed not a little to its formidable and efficient character. Deeply interesting accounts of the, power of truth in his rep,iment, the •2,; due Hundred. and Second Pennsylvania yolunteers,, 4 re l given. The, work is ele gantly printed' and• bound in 12m0.,- pp. 413, from the press of J. B. Rodgers, in .this city; and may, be had of J. B. Lip pippott-& Co.?s, , Smith & English, W. S. 'Renton', and, at the. Presbyterian Book; store, 1334 Chestnut street. Copies from, the two latter places can be had by midi without increase in Trice, which is $2.00. THE QUESTION ANSWERED. A leading divine of this 'city saw on last Thanksgiving day, to• draw a very dark picture of the difficulties to be encountered 'in solving„ the political and, social prohltp-i- v-1-• iv.- ended) will leave behind it The most formidable; of these, in his judgment, is the'social problem He asks, and makes a most unfortunate assumption in put- - ting,the question, "Can these two peoples ever again beeemo one nation ?" He says, .1 do-not know whether it will ever be accoruplished." This question waS asked, and this grave doubt uttered, in the face of all the evidence' to the contrary given in the re-conquered territory of East Ten nessee; Louisiana and Arkansas in fact, wherever the - authority of the nation has been fiimly re - -eitablished. Thit scarcely had the sermon= been issued from the pre& and'announced to the public,' when 'a more conspicuous example'df the' easy solution of these problems than had yet Eden given, appeared in: the case of the' conquered city of Savannah. This great prize is not more splendid as the fruit of militarydaring and success, than as . illnstrating the substantial unity of the ArrieliCan people, and as exploding all , the-fictions of mortal and instinctive an tipathy concoctedrebel imaginations, and reiterated, by pro r slavery sympa thizers in the North. ' General Foster's dispatch - announcing the fall of Savannah 'on the 21st Of December, speaks of , its '20,000 citizens as " quiet and - well- AisPosed." Later advices fully confirm Ude ste..tement. The correspondent of the New York' Times says : ' • "The citizens here submit gracefully to the rule of the ;successful invaders, and, from the 'fire hdur_ of - the occupation by our. troops - till now, hive wisely abstained from every kin'd- of aggressivedemonstra tion. That :the people- of -Savannah are' ready tore-unite their fortunes with those of their Northern,brethren, I need mention one circumstance only.. A number of merchantOormerly larrnly connected with, the business conmunit; of New York, are making ready to proceed North by the next steamer, for the purpose of settling •up old accounts and starting anew on the old basis: Thehope to' win' back - the `commerce' of which the rebellion robbed their fair city ) 'and 'to restore it to more than its former -prosperity. • But the action of a meeting of in= quential citizens called by the Mayor; mad held preasely one week from the day of; ocenpation, shows conclusively the absence - not' only of- all vindictive hostile feeling, but even of any -soreness or bitterness such as for a'time might be pardoned in a population - so situated: The resolutions-adopted by this' meeting formally " accept the position," acquiesce in the terms Of "the President's amnesty proclamation, declare that all differences being laid aside,, and all• by-gones buried in the graves of the past, the' best endeavorS of the citizens 'will be diverted to matters of business and the welfare of the city. In the third resolution, such reference is made to the . declare& and Un alterable policy of the President as well is to -congressional legislation, as proves that' the influential people of Cavannah understand fully whatis meant by "accept-. ing the position." This and the fourth resolution we 'insert entire : "Resolved,. 3. That we do not put our selves in the position of a conquered city asking terms of a conqueror, but we claim the immunities and privileges contained in the proclaniation and message of the Presi dent of -the United States, and in all the legislation of Congress in reference. to a people situated as we are and while, we owe on our part a strict obedience to the laws of the 'United States, we ask the pro tection over our persons, lives and property recoanized by those laws. "Resolved, 4. That we respectfully re quest hig Excellency, the Governor, to call a convention of the people of Georgia, by any constitutional means in his power, to give them• an opportunity of voting upon the question whether they wish the war be tween the two sections of the country to continue." Copies of the resolutions were ordered to be sent to the President of the United States, the Governor of Georgia, General Sherman, and to each of the Mayors' of Augusta, Columbus, Macon`and Atlanta. It is said that they were adopted with , three times three cheers! But with or without the cheers, the earnest tone and cheerful, complete and final acquiescence which they indicate on the part of . their authors, are unmistakable. We have no reason to, believe these men were con coaled unionists they are doubtless con , vinced and converted rebels, who feel Genesee Evangelist, No. 973 12„ 1865. .that their cause, is lost, and whose judg ment has been sobered and temper cooled, by the collapse of their wild and wicked dream of independence. So it has, been With others, so it will be with' -all but the knot of intense traitors whose- necks are preparing for the halter, whose eyes are blind, •and whose hearts are maddened with un natural sprie and rage. They are reek legs and, implacable ...because they have nothing, to lose. They have long ago transcended the bounds of, mercy; and they cannot aggravate the shame and the. severity of their punishment by ;pro longing the conflict. To take examples for social problems fron'ithese ruined and ..desperate-menlrso pOlitical_and_news z , paper leaders deeply compromised by their. positions and past course, and to hold them up before the people of the. North as specimens of the people with whom we are to re-establish friendly relations, is almost as unfair as to pro pose to us to live in peace with the transported convicts of Botany Bay and Cayenne. We do . not'expect to do it, we shall not try to do it Such men we shall dispose of in a , way that will effec tually prevent the& from any longer being an obstacle to peace. The social problem in which they are concerned, is one which was solved as long ago as when the first laws against incorrigible enemies of their country were enacted ; and the overwhelming majority of the' white population of the South will gladly join us in administering those laws. The 'citizens of , Savannah - have, no doubt, their share of guilt in this mad' and unjustifiable rebellion.:Upon their skirts are stains of brothers' blood: By , their aid many Northern homes have been made desolate, •mink grievous bur dens 'laid upon the nation, many fields been causelessly drenched in blood, many perils brought upon the cause'of liberty. -and republican institutions, here and throughout the world. Of them, too, we ; might' well demand reparation in their measure, for these mighty 'wrongs and woes. But their sons and brethren, too, have fallen ; their homes have been shrouded in mourning ; their commerce has'dwindled to -stealthy blockade run ning. They have 'brought heavy retri bution on their own heads. As well as if they had suffered affditional ment at the hands of the victors, are they convinced of the supreme purpose and power of thie - nation 'to maintain its own existence. Nothing more that we could do, would more thoroughly con vince'them of the folly of rebellion, or disincline' them tizi' re - peat the . experiment. Nothing, more is needed to impress the world with"the guilt' and madness and impolicy of, unjustifiable rebellion, or to -convince them of the moral soundness of our people; or of the strength and stability of free institutions founded on Christian • principles. Therefore on our side, there can be forgiveness. There fore we too can let by-gones be by-gones, and clasp the hand of amity held out to 'us by our redeemed sister city, and once more hear music in the name SAVANNAH. A WORD TO YOUNG CONVERTS. A word of welcome and a word of ad monition. We greet you joyfully on your entrance into 'the kingdom of Christ. We congratulate you most heartily on your escape, throUgh divine grace, from the bonds and toils `of the great enemy of souls, from the governing, blinding, hard ening influence of sin, and from the con 'trolling influence of the world. Welcome to the Church of Christ, welcome to its privileges, its sacraments, its Trotection, its training, its high objects and occupa tions. Welconie to its sacred fellowship, its brotherhood in the Holy Spirit. May you find them all living sources of joy, encouragement, and blessing. Welcome you that have begun the new year with this decisive step in the new life—a new year, indeed, in which the old nature is cast off and a new relationship with the Saviour and all divine things is formed. May you enjoy abundantly the presence of the dear Saviour, and your heart be filled with his love. We counsel. you to live close to your religious privileges, _in private, in the family; and in the house of God.. Make a due regard to them your first business. In spite of other engagements, see that you find time for attention to your soul's: interests. It is a-mistake to think you have not 'time. You will do everything else better for first, in a reasonable degree, attending to your spiritual nature. With out feeling under obligation to spend hotrs in religious duties, or to go to religious meeting in your reach, you' should esteem highly, and use thankfully and faithfully, every Opportunity fairly presented of cherishing the fires of devo tion and strengthening your newly formed religious principles.- :"` Take a text of Scripture and a simple scriptural thought with you all the day. Turn to it when your nand is not other wise occupied. It will keep out disturb, ing thoughts and anticipate anxiety: TER3SI . Per annum, in advance: By Mail, $ 3. By Carrier, $3 O. Arty cents additional, after three months. Clubs.—Ten or more papers, sent to one address. payable strictly in advance and in one remittance: By Mail, $2 50 per annum. e r r s ' Wid o ws , annum. Ministers and Minis s2 in ad vance. Rome Missionaries, $l6O in advance. Fifty cents additional after three months. Remittances by mail are at our risk. Postage.—Five cents quarterly, in advance, paid by subscribers at the office of delivery. Advertisements.-42 1 , cents per line for the first, and 10 cents for the second insertion. One - square (one m0nth).._........ $3 00 two months.s 50 three, 7 50 sir • 12 00 one year .. 18 00 The following discount on long advertisements, - in serted for three months and upwards, is allowed;— Over 20 lines, 10 per cent. off; over 50 lines, 201Ier cent.; over 100 lines, 33'A per cent, off. The same may be accomplished by a verse of a hymn', or psalm. Let there be some method and definite purpose in your piety. Simple expedients are often most effective. Be not discouragedby varying frames ofi feeling. Do not compare your expe rience with that of others, as if yours must be like it to be genuine. Maintain call:l:mess and steadiness of purpose. You must not count on singii:ig joyful songs all the way to heaven. Think not your hope a delusion and your soul in the gall of bitterness if your song ceases. Keep up a stout heart; look to `Jesus and not to frames of feeling as your surety; keep in the beaten path of duty ; listen pot to doubt ; seek not comfort in yourself or in your works ; when—you —},n,-1-7-rixr--b-ight live by faith. When the stars are hidden and the way is dark, when feeling is no longer satisfactory, look at the steady needle of principle, and go by that less inspiring but more trusty guide. Be an active Christian. Let not your piety be inoperative. Be not content with the standard of Christians around you. Draw your standards not from your fellow-men, but from Scripture and from the life of Christ. Do not shrink from being singular, if duty plainly calls you to it. Many true Christians are guilty of a criminal degree of conformity to the world ; but be you transformed by the renewing of your minds, and. let the transformation be such as in all proper ways to show itself. Shrink not from duty that -imposes self-denial. Taking up the cross will always bring a reward and a delight with it. Let your piety be a vital, genuine, stirring . principle, a real leaven to all with whom you come in contact. Put your standard high at once. Take up the cross, do the hard duty now which lies in your way ; delay will but make it harder. See that it is not in vain for some companion, some former associate, some poor, forlorn, s4f fering, perishing soul, that you have been brought into the kingdom of joy and peace. And may God graciously sustain" and quicken you more and more in his blessed service. REV. W. T. WYLIE, principal of Milton Classical Institute in this state, is engaged upon a work of much interest and zalue to. Christian instructors, a specimen of which has been submitted to"our inspection. It is a book of Scrip ture lessons, with appropriate psalms or hymns set to music accompanying each, for the opening service of the school. A leading religious topic is selected, and passages without note or comment are gathered from various parts of Scripture as they bear on the topic, forming a con tinuous, interesting and instructive les son. The idea and plan of the work is excellent, the execution of the specimen page was exceedingly handsome and tasteful. We sincerely hope Mr. Wylie will be able to carry it into execution. TICE WEEK OF PRANER.—This so lemn and delightful season was observed by the Evangelical Churches of our city last week, by union meetings in Epiph any, 'First Baptist, and Seventh Presby .terian Churches. The inclemency of the weather, and, perilous condition of the sidewalks, interfered with the attendance somewhat, but the meetings exhibited a good spirit, and were calculated to be profitable. It is fo be regretted that fuller notice was not given beforehand, through the religious press and the pul pits of the city, and that so little pre paration of any kind seems to have been attempted; certainly, the best -possible use of this occasion for the edification of the churches was not made this year in our city. CHRISTIAN COMMISSION. TEACHERS WANTED FOR, COLORED TROOPS IN THE ARMY OF THE POTOMAC An urgent call comes to the U. S. Christian CommisSion for fifty delegates as teachers in the army of the• James. Earnest Christian men, who are willinf to give their services for . six weeks within army lines, without pay,: are wanted. The soldiers are eager to learn. School-houses and books will be provided. The Commission will defray expenses to and from the field, and fur nish subsistence while there. Every facility and encouragement will be af forded by the military authorities. An unexampled opportunity to do good is afforded to. those who love the Saviour. The men are gathered together. Long oppression, and sudden exaltation to po-. sition as soldiers, make them ambitious) for knowledge. Their readiness to hear the Gospel is remarkable, and every thing seems to be favorable. Let those who wish to avail them selves of this opportunity report in per son or by letter to the central office, 11 Bank Street, Philadelphia. Good re, commendations are required. Refext. ences cause delay for correspondence ; written testimonials are best. GEORGE H: STUART, Chairraan, $. C. C.
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