egrrofuntkurt. OPEN AIR PREACHERS. NO. IX.. MM. WILLIAM TAYLOR, AND HIS OPEN AIR MEETINGS IN CALIFORNIA. 1 BY EDWARD PAYSON HAMMOND It is pleasant to notice that this sub ject of open air meetings for the masses is claiming the attention of journalists on this side of the water. A recent number of Montreal Witness quotes the following from the Canadian Messenger : " The plan of building churches and try ing to get the masses to come to them has always been that preferred by religious men, but the plan of going to the masses has always been the ,most successful, and surely it is the closest imitation of Christ. Now, we would ask, what hinders the trying of this plan in Canada? Why do not earnest men everywhere attempt it? What would be the difference in the attendance upon a religious meeting called for any given church, school house, or hall, and a meeting called for the open air? The latter would, doubtless, be far the largest, and probably the most. readily impressed, whilst the speakers would be more likely to rise to the importance of the occa sion. "It may be thought that our climate is not so suitable as that of England fbr open air meetings, but it is really, we think, more suitable. There is much less rain here, and with the exception of the intense cold of some days in winter, there is scarcely any time When an audience could not pass an hour in the open air if so minded. The French Canadians hold their political meet ings at the church doors, and Protestants are equally able to bear the open air. It may be objected that our speakers have not the re quisite strength of voice for the open air ; but this strength comes by practice. Many ministers of England or Scotland have made open air preaching a part of their duties of late years, and we hate heard of no one being injured thereby. In Wesley's and Whit field's time there was no lack of voice for open air meetings, and we cannot think that the human race has deteriorated. - "These suggestions are thrown out with great diffidence, in the hope that they may lead to reflection, and if deemed expedient some of our numerous, earnest, and able ministers of the gospel in Canada, of all de nominations, may try the plan of going to the fields and lanes, the highways and hedges, and "seeking" those who will not "come" to them." The career of Rev. WILLIAM TAYLOR shows that he practically believed in truths' like those expressed above. For some years he preached to the surging masses in the land of gold and crime. The account which he gives of his FIRST SERMON IN THE OPEN AIR IN THE STREETS OF SAN FRANCISCO can but interest our readers. He says : " On the 3d of December, 1849, I an nounced to the congregation in our. Church on the Hill,' that at three P. M. of that day I would preach in the open air on Portsmouth Square, known more familiarly as the Plaza. It was regarded as a very dangerous experiment ; for the gamblers were a powerful and influential party in the city, and the Plaza was their principle place of rendezvous, and the Sabbath the best day of the seven for their business. The Plaza was nearly surrounded by gambling and drinking honses. The gamblers occupied the best houses in the city, and had them furnished in the most magnificent style. Each house employed a band of the best music the country could afford. The walls of these houses were hung with splendid paintings ; the tables' contained piles' of gold and silver ; the musicians occupied a high platform in the rear end of the saloon ; the 'needful' was served out by a gentleman of the bar,' in one corner, near the entrance, where many a jolly circle drank to each other's health the deadly draught. These places, especially at night, all night, and •on Sunday, were crowded with moving masses of humanity, of every age and complexion. So powerful was this class of men in the city, that I do not remem ber of ever hearing of one of them, in those days, being arrested, even for mur der. Now, should a poor preacher pre sume to go .into their midst, and inter fere with their business, by thrilling every house with the songs of Zion and the peals of gospel truth, he would be likely to wake up the lion in his lair 1 When the appointed hour arrived, I took with me my sweet singer in Israel,' the partner of my youth, who has. stood by me in every battle ; and down I went to the field of action. I selected for my pulpit a carpenter's work-bench,• which stood in front of one of the largest gam bling-houses in the city. I got Mrs. T. and another lady or two comfortably seated in care of a good brother, and taking the stand, I sung on a high key, ' Hear the loyal proclamation, The glad tadings of salvation.' " The novelty of the thing had a moving effect. The people crowded out of the gambling-houses, and gathered from every direction as though they 'had heard the cry, Fire. fire fire I' By the time the echoes . of the song had died on the breeze, I was surrounded by a dense ci:44;.to whom I introduced the object Of'.rriy . Mission. ' " Perfect order was observed, and pro found attention given to every sentence of,theiermon that folloWed. That ser mon proved to be the first of a series .of nearly site hundred, sermons preached in these streets, the confluence of all the various creeds, and isms, and notions, aiiefeelitigs, and prejudices of the repre sentatives of. all the nations, Christian and 'heathen. And yet,-through the re straining providence of Him who sent me ; and the good common sense of the people of California, I have never lost a congregation, nor„ suffered any. serious disturbance: OriCe on the Plaza the congregation was disturbed by a false alarm of fire, when THE AMERICAN PRESBYTERIAN; THURSDAY, FEBRUARY 23, 1865. I said :—My dear sirs, how quickly a cry of fire, though often, as in this case, a false alarm, starts you. You run as though the salvation of the world depended on the race. I come to you here every Sabbath with an alarming cry, the danger of which, I warn you, is more dreadful than the burning of all the cities on the globe at one time, and I never raise a false alarm. I cry, fire ! fire ! fire ! hell fire I It is breaking out in our very midst every day, and sweeping down the souls of your neighbors into the hopeless depths of the burning lake beneath, whence the smoke of their torments will ascend forever and ever !' Why do you not run, and fly as from the brink, of hell, and take refuge in the cleft Rock of the Gospel, the Rock of Ages,' in which, if you abide, the conflagration that shall consume the universe shall not singe a hair of your heads? The decisions of this day may probably decide the ques tion with you forever." In every city opportunities are con stantly occurring, by which thousands who seldom attend the house of God might be led to hear of a•crucified and risen Saviour. Mr. Taylor seems to have been one of those meairt any to seize upon every oc casion tovarn men to " flee from the wrath to come." No one can help being interested in the account which' he gives of the cir cumstances under which he preached in San Francisco upon THE DEATH OF BELSHAZZAR "On Sunday morning, January 4, 1852, I stood on the deck of the steamer Webber, at Long Wharf, and announced as my text: In that very night was Belshazzar, king of the Chaldeans slain.' Nearly opposite to where I stood on the other side of the wharf, lay the steamer Empire, which had been chartered to convey a company of California legisle tors on that day to - Vallejo, the seat of the legislature of the State at that time. The Empire was steaming up for her Sunday excursion. My song drew to the side of our boat a large crowd, while the embarkation of the honorable legis lators drew an equally large crowd to• their boat, but I had the whole of both parties within the compass of my voice, and I preached to the Empire party ;awe especially. " I illustraed, by the life of Belshaz zar, that a Sabbath-breaking, licentious, drunken man, was utterly unfit for any official position in the gift of any respectable nation ; and to elect men to make our laws, 's hose brains were addled with brandy, and who showed so little respect for one of the highest laws and most venerable institutions of God, the holy Sabbath, was a wicked absur dity, and a bu‘ning shame to the Ameri can people. I illustrated, further, the end of such a course of procedure, by the Mene, Tekel, Peres, the numbering, weighing, and dividing of the Chaldean kingdom, and the slaying .43f her wickedl king. . " A number of months after thiq occa,-1 sion, a stranger called on me, and re- 1 .quested a private interview. Said he to me : Do you remember preaching from the deck of a steamboat•at Long Wharf, nine months ago, from a text concerning the destruction of Babylon, and the death of Belshazzar ? That was the time to which I allude,' said he ; and then re lated the following facts concerning him self: I was up to that morning a con firmed Universalist; and was withal a very wicked sinner. As I was walking leisurely down the wharf that morning, I heard you singing, and went into the crowd, through curiosity, to hear what was to be said on the occasion. While you were preaching, a strange fearful ness, which I cannot describe, came over me. I felt a smothering sensation at my heart, and thought I was dying. My - Universalism all vanished like smoke; and I felt that if I died then, I should certainly go to hell. For some time. I knew not what to do. I came very near crying out ; but something seemed to say to Pray, pray to God, in the name of Jesus Christ, for pardon.' So I began earnestly to' pray: -- For three weeks I suffered a constant fearfulness and trembling. I 'felt every moment as though some dreadful calamity:or judg ment was about to befall me. I was afraid to go to sleep at night, lest I should wake up in-hell ; and every day there seemed to be literally a heavy mist before my eyes, which made everything look dark and dreary. But all these three dreadful weeks I continued to pray; and suddenly, while I was praying, and trying to trust in Jesus Christ, I realized that my burden of sin was ,gone; and instead of fearfulness, and a nervous tremor, I felt all the vigor of renewed youth. _The mist of Tay eyes gave way to the brightness of morning. I praised God for his pardoning mercy. I have been up in the mountains ever since. I have had but few public religious privi leges, but have had my private prayers, and have been recommending religion to all my associates. Jesus has been very precious to my soul all the time. To-mor row I expect to embark for China; and I wanted to "get some, tracts and religious books for distribution aboard ship. I feel as though I ought to do all I can in the cause of Christ, for his great mercy to me, and for the great desire he has given me to see poor wandering souls con verted.' " Mr. Taylor has since gone to Australia, where his open air services have been very successful. MEN may cheer theniselves in the morning, .and they may pass on tolerably well perhaps, without God at now; but the cool of the day is coming; when God will come down to talk with thetn.--"Cecii.' "THE ENLIGHTENMENT" OF THE MOD- ERN HINDOOS. The enlightenment or intellectual awakening among the' native -Hindoos, especial of Bengal, which has already resulted in estranging thousands from the heathenism of their fathers, without bringing them to Christianity,- originatbd in two distinct sources. One was the English government schools, the first of which, called "The Hindoo College," was founded in Calcutta, forty years ago. These first threw light upon the confu sion of Hindoo systems of history, geography, and the sciences generally. With them fell the religion inwoven with them. In the course of ten years, there arose a formal crusade against super stition, priestcraft, and the like. But the educated youth had only learned nega tions in all this. Religionitself had gone by the board with the faith of their fathers; men made open avowals of atheism. So stood the case in 1830, when Dr. Duff arrived in the country, and set himself to stem the flood with all his might. He, commenced . a course of lectures and public conferences, which resulted in gaining over no small num ber to Christianity. Marty of these persons are still laboring as catechists, preachers, or ordained : ministers,_ in, the, employ of the Free Church, or of other denominations. And Dr. Diff's labors had their influence upon the others. Atheism fell into disrepute. - A sort of deism came in its place, to which its advocates sought to accommodate, as far as possible, the usages of Hindooism, with the object especially of maintaining their caste: About this time another and a distinct movement came to light. Its author was the distinguished Rajah, Rarnmohun Roy, a man, of great natural gifts, and bril liant -attainments. He had thoroughly studied Sanscrit, - Hebrew Arabie, and Greek, in order that being thus acquainted with original sources, he might be able to judge for himself, as to the merits of the dif ferent systems of religion. By this pro cess pe became a' thorough and avowed mon6theist. c Towards the Gospel he had great respect. He made a selection from the New Testament, and published it, at his own: expense, in 'English. and Ben galee, under the titic, of "Maxims of Jesus,- our guide? to happiness." Accord ing to his conviction, however, this very same true religion was already taught in the - Vedas, but •in a great Measure cor rupted by the later Shastas andthe preva lent Hindoo polytheism of the day, (Puranaism) just •as happened to the ame truth in the Gospel, by the, abuses of the Roman Catholic Church. Now, as Luther put the light again;upon the candlestick, so the Rajah believed him self, called to be the reformer of India. And with body and "soulhe devoted him:- self to his mission. But at first nothing but mistrust met him on every. hand. Only a few adherenis attached' ';them selvesto him, the very first of whom; strange to relate, was a renegade mis sionary, the English Baptist Adams, who had been the Rajah's tutor in Ilebrew and Greek. A union took place in 1828, between the little company and another body, the the resultant body being the 'Brahma S anaadsch." Every Sabbath a service-was held in Calcutta, accompanied with the singing of original hymns and reading and expo sition of the Vedas. Several years later, after. Rammohun Roy's return from his journey to Eng land, the sect received many additions from graduates of the Government schools, who riad become convinced of the un- tenableness of their atheism. A vigo= rous movement was made for the spread of the new faith, a newspaper established, travelling preachers sent out, schools founded, -&c All this time the Vedas were recognized as the foundation of their faith.- But the Vedas contain no trace of Monotheism, but a sort of Sabeanism, or worshiV-of the elements:-• Pire, air, water, and the sun .are the objects of reverence according to this authority. It is, onlymodern commentaries that have drawn by a philosophical process from these books, not monotheism, but panthe ism. These facts became constantly clearer, a's acientifieinquirY was Ors - tied, until at length the adherents of the Brahma Samadsch could not e 'deny that they had all this time been under a delu sion. Gradually and reluctantly did they relinquish their faith in the supreme authority of the Vedas. At this crisis, Unitarian, works .from England and America, particularly those of Parker, came into place. There • was an utter aversion to a written revelation. The "Book of Nature" was put in its place. For several years, the papers and writings of the sect were full of proofs of the attributes of. God, particularly His good ness, the proof being drawn from nature, chiefly after the stVe of then English natural theology. Yet no permanent satisfaction for the religious wants of the sect was obtained from these sources. A new step was the acceptance of Intuition as the sole ground of the true religion. Repontanee and prayer would be sufficient, without any mediation, for the salvation of men. While under the former set of views, just abandoned, all the emphasis , was laid upon the good ness of God, and His righteousness was suffered to lie, in the back-ground, now, the latter attribute alone was made prominent. All have broken God's law, all deserve punishment accordingly. The sinner himself must suffer it. He can do it • partly here, but part he takes with him' into the next world, in his con sciousness of guilt, and so makes a hell for hindelfr'l*hether there is one; in 'a literal sense, or no. Of course he will get through his repentance soonest there, if he has borne the largest part of it here. At the close will come everlast ing happiness—in one case sooner, in another later. This is the view at present entertained by the Brahma Sainahsch, and which perhaps a majority of the gralduates of the Government schools profess, or at least very nearly approximate. But the numerous fluctu ations through which the sect has passed, intimate that we have not yet seen_ the end of the movement. The Calcutta correspondent of the Christian Work expresses himself very favorably in regard to the Brahma Samadsch. He recognizes in their worship a devotion and an order quite foreign to the Hindoo. They are extra, ordinarily interested in religious confer ences, and listen with deep attention to the lectures of missionaries. Our readers may remember that not long ago, a lecture was delivered by the Bishop of Calcutta on the Greek play of Aristo phanes, called "The Clouds," in which Socrates and the Athenian youth, and philosophers are introduced. Loud applause greeted those portions of the lectUre in Which a parallel was drawn between these educated young Hin doos.and the youth of Athens, and the earnest - exhortation not to go astray again, in breaking loose from .old errors, was received with marks of assent. And when Dr. Duff's name was mentioned, as their Socrates, who would lead them in the path of, true wisdom, it was greeted with hearty applause. It is to be hoped' that this movement of "Young Bengal" will result in a still closer and a practical approach to true evangelical Christianity. AGRICULTURAL COLLEGES. We cheerfully give place to the fol lowing communication, premising that the article to which exception is taken, advocated the endowment of agricultu ral colleges for instruction in the sci ences relating to farming, proposing on ly that students should be sent to some good farmer for instruction in practical farming. READING, February 9th,j865. REV. JOHN W. MEARS your is sue of February 2d, I notice an article entitled "Learning Farming," copied from "Moore's Rural New Yorker." I must beg leave to take exception to the author's first statement—viz: that he knows of no institution where practical farming is taught." Ido know of such an institution, and as a student, a grad uate, and since, an assistant professor in such institution, I feel that I should be untrue to my duty, if I made no ef fort to circulate a knowledge of its exis tance and aims. I refer to the Agricul tural College of Pennsylvania. This college-is located upon a farm of four hundred acres in Centre County, Pennsylvania, and is an institution de signed for the instruction of farmers in scientific and practical agriculture. To this end, students are required to labor three hours per, day upon the farm, and in this time they have an op portunity of. testing by practice the theo ries which they have heard propounded in the class-room. The institution is, as yet, by no means what it is intended to becorrie ; it came into existence under many difficul ties, and it has been struggling against difficulties ever since ; but Ads gradually advancing in point of usefulness. -- Every year since its opening, in 1859, it has„_ shown, a marked improvement from year to year, and now thaf - its en dowment is becoming available, its greatest. drawback, "want of funds,” is melting away ; and with this drawback removed, the Agricultural College of Pennsylvania will rise, and bids fair to nitaßitain „the position!! it has thus :.far of the leading agricultural college the' ITnited States. ' ," I remain very respectfully, 0. ALFRED AIITH. .M.R.RAMOND AMONG THECHILDREY. We have recently received the,follow ing letters from Newarli:!ina from 3;fack ettstown, N. J. : THE CHILDREN'S EVANGELIST We have read with great interest the article on the first page of your last issue with the above heading. It has been our privilege to see very much of Mr. Hammond, and to orserve his method with children. With none but the simplest fundamental truths of the Gospel, he certainly does possess the power to fascinate, lead and direct the children's mind to Christ, beyond that of any man with whom we have been ac quainted. We have been familiar with preachers and preaching. for a half cen tury, and we had fallen ~into the impres sion that the Gospel was principally adapt ed to the adult mind, in spite of the numer ous texts ,of Scripture which teach very differently. The success of Mr. Ham mond lets in a -flood of light upon such lekts as "Remember now thy - Creator in the days of thy youth," "Except ie be as this little child," &c., "Out of the mouth of babes and sucklings." Recently we met him in Hacketts town, New Jersey. He was a stranger there. He spoke to the church in the morning, and in the P. M. held a "chil dren's meeting." We observed the stage of inquisitiveness•and surprise pass away, as well -as that of laughter. We watched the effect of the application. At the close there was a complete breaking down. We spoke with a dozen in quirers, and believe that at the end of the inquiry meeting that followed, not less than fifty hoped in Christ. Their countenances were radiant with joy, and they sang "I love Jesus,"- with raptu rous delight. These children never saw Mr. IL until a few hours before. We have heard him between fifty and a hundred times, and have never heard the Gospel adulterated br the slightest ad mixture of error or ism. We knout hun dreds of these little "lambs of the fold," and we never knew such "continuance in well doing" as they exhibit. We happened to see a little girl meet Mr. H. in the streets of Newark, a few weeks ago. Her little eye sparkled, and said, "Oh ! how I wish he would speak to me." He did see her, for children never escape his observation. When she said, "Oh I how .do you do, Mr. Ham mond ?" Taking her by the hand, said he, "Do you love Jesus ?" She said, "Oh, yes." "How long ?" " A:year—ever since you was here." "How old are you?" She "replied : "Ten years." "Do you belong to the church ?" "Yes, sir ; to the German Church, in Market street" In reply to the question she gave a German name. We saw her watch Mr. H. until out of sight, while . a tear of delight glistened in her eye, and she tripped homeward to tell that she had seen Mr. Hammond With, Rev. Dr. ARNOT, of Glasgow, whose remarks you quote, we have often envied Mr. Hammond his power over children. It is unique—peculiar to himself, and certainly very remarkable. The seals to his ministry among chil dren may be counted by thousands in New Jersey alone. Mr. H. deserves the title of the CHILDREN'S EVANGELIST. That he may live long to bless the chil dren of other communities and train other children's evangelists, is the prayer of A GRATEFUL PARENT. HACKETTSTOWN, N. J., Feb. 7, 1865 Mn. MEARS.—Dear Sir :—Mr. Ham mond commenced his labors with us on Sunday, Jan. 15th. A meeting was . held in the afternoon,. at which many children were present. Mr. H. addressed them particularly. They were very much interested, for he has a happy facultj - of pleasing and interesting children. He has a seemingly inex haustible fund of anecdotes of children he Hos met in different parts of the world, and his love for them makes him a favor ite with them all. At the close of the meeting many were weeping, as he had told the story of the Cross. He requested the Sabbath school teachers to speak to them, and many gave their hearts to Jesus that afternoon. We had a meeting in the evening with a still increasing interest, both with childien and older persons. On Monday morning, at eight o'clock; a prayer-meet ing was held in the Methodist Church, both denominations meeting together, and . theLcontiniled to do so during Mr. Hammond's stay. In the afternoon another children's meeting was - held in the same place, and in the evening Mr. H. preached in =the Presbyterian Church; and when those who desired - the prayers of Christians were asked to rise, quite a number rose for prayer. On Tuesday we had meetings, morning, afternoon, and evening, with an unabated interest. On Wednesday morning Mr. H. addressed the children for the last time. The meet ing was a very interesting one, and the children showed, by their attention, that their hearts were in their work. Rev. Dr. Sprague, of Caldwell, spent a few days with us- after Mr. Hammond left. Many hearts have been turned to Jesus. ' Last Sabbath was communion, and about sixty united with the Presby terian Church, and many more think they have. found Jesus, but will wait until another communion season before joining the Church., Since our revival has commenced, clergymen and others from a distance, bearing of the work here, have come, saying they wished to have their own hearts revived.• We hear of good w-g-§ from many churches around us, where the spirit of God is working. With the hope that much good may yet be done here, and that other, places may share in the blessing with us, I am yours respectfully fittrartj ttrutz. Nnw ..RELIGIOUS, MONTHLY.—Rev. J. M.- Sherwood, editor of the American Pres byterian-and Theological Reiriew and _Eclec tic Magazine, proposes, on. the .Ig, of May, to commence the issue of a new-periodical, to be called " Tun CHRIsnAN FAMILY MONTHLY." He will be assisted by the best religious writers in the country. The Magazine will be unsectarian, but thoroughly evangelical. Doubtless there is room for a 'work of this sort, in which talent of a high order may be profitably em ployed. The great success of Good Words and of Dr. .Guthrie's Sunday Magazine, in England, may well suggest the inquiry whether there is :not a field among the evangelical Christians•of our own country. Some foreign aid might well be called in by Mr. Sherwood. YUCATAN .—A dictionary _of the Maya language, now and centuries ago spoken in this country, was compiled by..a Franciscan monk, somewhere between 1570 and 1600. It contains 20,000 words. It was brought to New York and sold,`and is now in the possession of a gentleman, in Providence,it. I. Dr. Berendt, a German physician and naturalist, who has resided for the past twelve years in Mexico and Central Ame rica, lately returned from those countries with a