6i,arti,%llk(lolElitg,
REV. A. M. STEWART'S LETTER.
CAMP TWENTY-FOURTFI CORPS,
ARMY OF THE JAMES, Feb. 24,1885. J
Dear Brother :—A strong desire has
existed for long months to witness a
large company of our prisoners, just as
handed over by the rebel authorities,
after long confinement in their reputed
starving pens. To-day this curiosity
has been in the fullest manner gratified.
Taking an early tour on horseback through
the Army of the James, a detour was
made in order to examine that apparently
abortive Dutch Gap canal, on which
Butler racked his ingenious brain, and in
which his soldiers so long blistered their
hands, and where not a few lost their
lives. While thus engagbd, intimation
was given that a thousand Union prison
ers were presently to be landed a short
distance above, at a" place called Cox's
Landing,'on the dividing line between
the confronting armies. Riding at once
to the designated place, I found the re
port fully confirmed. There were . the
Confederate vessels, just down from Rich
mond ; and here were a thousand of our
poor soldiers being landed for exchange.
The reader, with a map of the James
river, can see the locations and the man
ner in which the transfers of prisoners
are made. Cox's Landing is on the
north Bide of the James, a short distance
above Dutch Gap, and on the present
lino between the two armies. Here the
Union prisoners to be exchanged are
landed. Those who are able, walk; and
those who are unable to walk are hauled
across the neck to Aikin's Landing, a
distance of about two miles, and not far
below the outlet of Butler's canal. Here
the rebel prisoners to be exchanged are
landed, and walk across to Cox's Land
ing.
After nearly four years of rugged army
service, aipid all manner of trials, suffer
ings, mutilations, and death, I had sup
posed myself not hardened it is true, but
still too familiar with such scenes to be
easily- moved. I was, however, alto
gether unprepared for such a spectacle of
wan, sad, wasted, and listless beings ;
squalid, rag.filthg. and
*iihVermin. The 14ncis and
faces of many gave no evidence of an
application of water for months past.
The strength and manhood of many
seemed so effectually crushed out that
they appeared to have neither thought
nor desire for washing. When in their
midst, even the smell was almost sicken
ing. Quite a number were entirely bare
foot, and the efforts at coverings for the
head were ludicrous. Some had the
remnants of their old uniforms; but so
torn and defaced as to be scarcely , recog
nized. The clothing, however, in which
the large majority were captured had en
tirely. disappeared. Sorry, yet fertile,
were the efforts which had been made to
cover their nakedrtesS. Old, torn, filthy
rebel quilts, blankets, coats, and pieces
of canvass were used, and yet, despite
every effort, a bare, bony, glazed arm or
leg would protrude.
About one hundred and sixty out of
the one thousand were unable to walk,
and were helped or carried out of the
rebel barge, and laid on the cold, wet,
muddy bank. Those who were able,
wrapped their tattered garments about
them and coiled up like so many animals,
looking like burlesques of humanity. A
long line of our ambulances was soon at
the place, when I joined with - a guard of
our soldiers to assist the starved and
shivering beings into them. While thus
engaged, an effort was made once and
again to converse with the sufferers; and
learn from them the cruel wrongs which
had so well nigh crushed out their man
hood; but I found the attempt vain. In
stead of conversation, not only tears but
actual sobbing and crying came. Soon
all were loaded, and the cavalcade of
ambulances and footmen started for
Aiken's Landing, where two of our Gov
ernment vessels were in waiting to con
vey the ransomed men to Annapolis.
The Christian Commission have a ma
chine, which so far as my knowledge of
mechanics extends, is sui generis—its
like is not. The thing goes on four
wheels, and with two good horses is
drawn to any ordinary locality. Were
it driven on a field of battle in front of
the enemy, it might readily be mistaken
by them for some infernal machine, whose
business was. to discharge a continued
stream of shell and hot shot. This ca,
rious nondescript is, however, a coffee
boiler. It has three distinct, yet "con•
joined urns, each with a"capacity of ten
gallons. Under these are small furnaces,
in which fire can be kept even•when in
rapid motion. Conveniently located are
neat boxes for crushed• coffee, tea, sugar,
canned milk, bread, and crackers. On
the arrival of the prisoners at Aiken's
Landing, there stood on the bank•of the,
river this nondescript machine in full
blast., There was ready thirty gallons
of the best coffee, creamed and sugared,
long rows of bright tin cups, barrels of
doughnuts, piles of light biscuit and soda
crackers, with half a dozen agents and
delegates of the Commission as almoners.
My horse was soon hitched, and myself
added as an, assistant.
The scene that followed beggars all
description. The lank, hungry, tatterde
malions who were able to walk, fell into
semi-military order and approached the
place of refreshment, where each had
handed to him a tin cup of coffee with a
light biscuit and doughnut. To the more
feeble these were carried._ What intense
eagerness, what satisfaction, joy, tears,
gratitude, blessings, with occasional
curses upon the rebels!
When one coffee boiler was emptied,. it
was immediately refilled with fresh water
and coffee, with a brisk fire underneath,
so that by the time the other two were
emptied the first was again boiling and
ready. Thus went on this benevolent
work, until, at least, a hundred gallons
of good coffee, with suitable accompani
ments, were distributed—each one of the
hungry thousand being comfortably fed.
Although connected with a different
scheme of beneficence—American Tract
Society (Boston)—in behalf of our sol
diers, sailors, and freedmen, yet can I thus
most cordially bear witness to the prompt,
timely, energetic, judicious, and liberal
workings of the Christian Commission.
While our released prisoners were get
ting on board the vessels awaiting them,
another steamboat came up the river,
and landed a thousand rebel prisoners in
exchange for ours just received. Hale
and hearty were they, and all giving
evidence of kind treatment and good feed
ing. Honorable contrast this in behalf
of our Northern Christianity. Excitable
people with outraged feelings may talk
and argue about retaliation upon rebel
prisoners, yet is the thing not about to
be done. We cannot afford such *a costly
experiment. It would do terrible vio
lence to the benevolence of our people.
The rebels must have an entire monopoly
of this starving business. Were a thou
sand rebel soldiers, while as prisoners in
some Northern place of confinement,
known to be pining away with hunger,
the mothers, wives, sisters, and daugh
ters of slaughtered Union soldiers would
break through all the guards in Christen
dom in order to feed them.
A. M. STEWART.
ENCOURAGING WORDS.
From recent correspondence we ex
tract the following kind and encouraging
words.
A. returned missionary says :
" Having been for some years out of
the country, I was not familiar with
your good paper, but since I have made
its acquaintance I wish to hold it. It
is one of the most prized of all the papers
with 'which I am acquainted, and I have
taken no less than four leading religious
weeklies for the most part of the current
year. I now
„atten tor fears, and take the AMERICAN
PRESBYTERIAN in its stead. My hearty
well wishes for its continued success in
your hands. Brother Bush's semi-edi
torials are of themselves worth the
price of the paper.”
A loyal lady, wife of a minister,
writes :
"We are recent subscribers for the
AMERICAN. PRESBYTERIAN but we have
learned to value it highly, and think
there is no other paper that could fill its
place. We are especially pleased with
the noble stand taken by you during the
recent political struggle, now so happily,
ended. To be half-loyal in times like
these is to be disloyal, and we think that
:no man - who is true Jo his country;
should leave us in doubt regarding his
sentiment& My husband remarked pre
vious to the election of Mr. Lincoln, I
like the AMERICAN PRESBYTERIAN for its
out-spoken loyalty, and manly utterances
in these times of trial.' While some do
not lift their voice for the cause of free
dom, we feel that we have double reason
to honor those men, who are true to God,
their country, and to themselves ; arid we
know there are many who can appreciate
the lofty motives which inspire them."
A minister in New York, who gives
his sympathy a decidedly practical turn,
writes : -
"I am trying to introduce our excel
lent AMERICAN PRESBYTERIAN amongst
my people in this place. I want to get
thirty subscribers. I am exceedingly
anxious to get the paper among my peo
ple. I know it will do them as well
as our Church and the cause of
Christ very much good. The paper
seems to me increasingly good. Every
copy has articles so interesting that I
want all my people to read them. It is
not like the ---, five-eighths filled
with advertisements, and I hope it never
will be. The article in the last, Rights
of Free Colored Persons,' has the ring
of the true metal, but I cannot stop to
specify articles of real value, it would
take too long a time."
Another, in western Pennsylvania,
writes :
"Your labors have made the AMERICAN
PRESBYTERIAN a most excellent time
keeper to its readers. It keeps up with the
-spirit and movement of the grand current
events. Every reader who watches the
finger on its dial from week to week,
can find answer to the questions, What
of the night ?' or What of the day ?' In
this respect its excellence is steadily in
creasing."
Still another writes from Michigan :
" How greatly the paper has improved
for two or three years past, and still its
cry is Excelsior ! Brother Hotchkin is
doing well in the Family Department,
judging from the interest my children
take in it. Children, like bees, soon
know in which flower the honey is.
Keep on talking and giving us the same
_wide variety, for you cannot tell which
will prosper, this or that. What you
have said about revivals has been read
in many prayer-meetings. And the
spirit of patriotism you have breathed
has fired many hearts to do and suffer
for our country."
From a letter enclosing another year's
subscription :
" Been trying to do without the AMERI
CAN PRESBYTERIAN. We've failed ; can't
spare all our luxuries."
From a minister in New York :
You are doing admirably with the
paper. I regard it as the best religious
paper in the land.",
THE AMERICAN PRESBYTERIAN, THURSDAY, MARCH 16, 1865.
DEEP RELIGIOUS INTEREST IN NEW
TON, N, J.
Our quiet town had been deeply moved
by the outpouring of the Holy Spirit. A
few Christians had long been earnestly
praying for, he blessing, but yet when it
came, all seemed to be taken by surprise.
We could not believe our eyes when we
saw hundreds of little children and older
ones asking, with tears, what they should
do to be saved.
Rev. Mr. Hammond spent Sabbath
morning endeavoring to get Christians
to pray for a great blessing and not to be
surprised when God answered their
prayers. He had addressed the chil
dren's meeting Sabbath afternoon, which
crowded the Old School Presbyterian
Church and found, as he went among
them, that almost hundreds seemed con
vinced by the Holy Spirit that they were
sinners. But when he asked Christians
to come and help—pointing them to the
Sa - viout scarce any, at the first meeting,
were found ready to assist. But in a
day or two Christians were heard asking
God to forgive them, that after they had
been praying for a blessing . so long there
was not found " room enough to receive
it." Reference was made to our Sa
viour's words in Luke xviii. 8 : "'When
the son of man cometh, shall he find
faith on the earth ?"
On Monday night, after Mr. Ham
mond's sermon to adults, at the sugges
tion of one of the ministers, the anxious
were invited to one part of the house,
that they might be the more readily con
versed and prayed with. At once be
tween seventy and a hundred came. All
heads were bowed and many were in
tears. Judge Ryerson was among those
who were active in pointing weeping
souls to the cross. Numbers also were
found in the audience, who were deeply
anxious about their soul's salvation. And
kalthough they remained in their seats, the
ministers and Christians searched them
out and endeavored to point them to the
Saviour. _
Thursday afternoon, at the childrens'
meeting, a touching scene occurred.
After the crowded inquiry meeting, at
which hundreds of little ones remained,
was closed, still nuMbers - tbe
~...... • 03 — large pulpit
platform, putting on his overcoat, about
twenty children, one after another, clus
tered around him, and with tears said:
" Will you please pray with us, for we
want to find Jesus before we go home."
It was a most melting sight to see them,
as with sobs they - followed him, in their
short petitions to the throne of grace.
REV. 0-. C. BUSH, who came over
from Hackettstown to assist Mr. Ham
mond, stated that the work of the Holy
Spirit in Newton seemed to be as deep
and as extensive as that in his own place,
and that he hoped all of the Christians
would unitedly prayand labor : that• tyd
work might go on with power. Many
in Newton are praying that the Holy
Spirit may go with Mr. Hammond to
Detroit, where he is to commence,meet
ings Sabbath, February 26th.
* * *
IN MEMORIAM.
Rev. Edwin. Elisha Merriam, son of
Mr. E. J. Merriam of Plymouth, Mass.,
died in Salem, Wayne Co., Pa., on the
17th of February, aged 28 years.
The deceased was born in Mason,
Hillsboro Co., N. H. He became the
subject of the renewing grace of God at
the early age of eleven or twelve years.
Not many years after this he gave him
self to the work of the gospel ministry.
With this in view, he entered Amherst,
College • here he was known as a dili
gent student, and acquitted himself with
honor He graduated, in 1858... After
spending two 'years , in *Chine he en
tered Union Theological Sminary. Dur
ing the three years he spent in this in
stitution, he held a high position in his
class, notwithstanding he spent sufficient
time in lucrative employmentscto so en
large his limited means as .to Meet the
expenses of his education. He" ;began
his labors in Salein, in August, J 863,
and was ordained•and installed:as pas
tor of that church, August- 3, 1864, by
the Montrose Presbytery. In his exam
ination, Presbytery were highly pleased
with his clear and correct acquaintance
with the doctrines of scripture. - But
his pastorate was short, and he has gone
to his grave in the dew of his youth.
In a little over six months of pesters],
labor, he has been called to the church
above. Several of his co-presbyters at
tended his funeral, and a sermon was
preached from the text, "- Precious in the
sight of the Lord is the death of His
saints." His remains were taken to Ply
mouth, Mass., to rest in the family bury
ing ground.
To us his death seems a great loss to
the church. After eight or nine years
spent in preparing for the ministry, he
possessed valuable qualifications for use
fulness. But the Master who called him
to enter the field, has transferred him
from this to a higher one above. The
ripe scholarship he had acquired will
better fit him for that higher ministry
upon which he has already entered.
But the time spent in study was not lost
to the cause of Christ. He did not wait
till he should have entered the ministry
to do good ; he heartily engaged in the_
Missionary enterprises of the city.
Modest and retiring in his deportment,
his excellencies were known only to those
most intimately - acquainted with him.
Brief as have been his labors among his
people, they saw his worth and tenderly
loved him. In the large congregation
that met at his funeral, the members. of
his Church sat as mournerslvith the two
brothers who were present. All seemed
to feel that they had lost a friend. For
several months his health had been de
clining. On the 14th of January last,
he preached his last sermon, on the text
" The last enemy that shall be destroyed
is death." In one month he was called
to meet this enemy face to face ; but he
was a conquered foe. A friend spoke to
him in his last moments, about leaving
his work too soon. He replied, " I would
love to live and preach the gospel, but
God knows best." He gently passed
away :
" As sets the morning star, which goes
Not down behind the darkened west, nor hides
Obscured among the tempest of the sky,
But melts away into the light of heaven."
JOTTINGS FROM A PARISH JOURNAL.
NO. 3.
A FAMILY IIIT THE FIELD
Mrs. M., a soldier's wife, with three
children, one a few months old, and all
recovering from scarlet fever, is support
ing herself and her little ones by working
for the Arsenal. She is happy and con
tented, walking in the fear of the Lord,
and constant in prayer. Her tale is one
'of profound interest. She spends a por
tion of each day, after its long, weary
toils, in reading the Bible and prayer.
She says she has many to pray for, and
much to be thankful for. " I have a
husband, two brothers, two brothers-in
law, and two nephews in the field. Her
eldest brother has been in the army of
the United States for nearly ten years,
was stationed - in the South before the re
bellion. In a fit of humaneness he aided
a slave in making his escape. For this
act he was tried and sentenced to nine
years' confinement and hard labor in
Jackson. When General Grant advanced
on Jackson, he was offered his liberty on
condition of enterin g ; the rebel service.
This he indignantly refused to do; but
when liberated by the capture of Jackson,
gladly enlisted in the service of his coun
try, where he now is, a non-commissioned
officer."
His letters to his pious sister, while in
prison, are full of thrilling interest ; and
since he re-entered the service as ful
1,, 8 ,ar.--aactra's - artorother, two
brothers-in-law, and two nephews in the
service. One of Ins brothers-in-law, a
brave soldier; has lost his health from
exposure in the recruiting department,
and is now dying of consumption in this
city. His other brother-in-] aw, after
serving three years and being, in several
engagements, re-enlisted, and was in the
recent engagement of the Fifth Army
Corps, near City Point. On entering, as
a volunteer, he was promised the usual i
bounty, part only of which he 'received;
which he gave to his wife, and which
has long since been swallowed up by the
sickness of -'her three children above re
ferred to. The two nephews are in the
Army of the Potomac, and have served
and suffered in . the- common hardships of
- the camp and the battle-field.
"Here are six noble fellows, all laying
their lives on the altar of their adopted
country, and braving the perils of war in
its defence; whilst in a retired little street
and humble dwelling-place in Philadel
phia, the wife, the sister, and the 'aunt;
with her three sickly, pining children I
around her, is daily bearing them on her
spirit before'the throne of grace. Ruler's
of the land and generals of the army
are apt to count their strength by their
numbers, and to overlook how much, they
owe to the prayers of such humble, Un
pretending agents as this. 'They are
sending up their memorials to the God
of battles.
In the days of Israel's warfare, God
honored women and owned prayer, in
vesting both with no ordinary amount of
power. Blessed above women shall
Jael, the wife of Heber, be." Deborah
was the chief counsellor of Barak, while
for twenty years Jabin, king of Canaan,
with his nine -hundred chariots of iron,
oppressed the, people of God. By a
woman's stratagem, the plan of battle
was arranged ; by a woman's noble cour
age,' Sisera, the commanding general,
fell ; and a woman was the foremost to
strike her timbrel and her harp, and chant
a song of thanksgiving to the God of
Israel, when an invading . and rebel host
lay trembling at her nation's feet.
Nor are we less indebted than Israel
was to the praying moihers, and devoted
wives; and sisters of country for their in
tercessions and their prayers.
The Censer. of Aaron, with which he
rushed in between the living and the
dead, did not stay the plague. It was
the prayer of the high-priest. It was
not the - prowess of arms that vanquished
Amalek in the wilderness. It was the
prayer of Moses. There was no power
in the ram's horns to bring down the
frowning minarets and turreted battle=
ments of Jericho. The great feat was
accomplished by the prayer of Joshua.
It was not a nation's arms that foiled
the invading Philistines at Ebenezer;
but the prayer of Samuel, which called
into requisition the artillery of heaven ;
and while he prayed, the lightning flashed,
the clouds muttered, the hail, the rain,
the tempest broke forth, and the plain of
Mizpeh was bestrewed with the dead
bodies of Philistia's entire national army.
When Sennacherib sent in his vaunt
ing war-message to holy Hezekiah, and
demanded an immediate surrender, the
devout monarch did not consult his ex
ecutive council. He did not send for the
generals of the army to raise before them
the question of national defences. He
sent for Isaiah, the prophet, who accom
panied him to his secret chamber, and
while the monarch and the prophet were
'on their knees, and one hundred and
eighty-five thousand warriors ready to
ply their battering rams upon the walls
of the holy city, lo
" The angel of death spread his wings on the
•
blast,
And breathed on the face of the foe as he
* passed."
"Like the leaves of the forest when summer
-was green,
That hostwith their banners at sunset were seen ;
Like the leaves of the forest when autumn hath
blown,
That host on the morrow lay withered and
strown."
• In conducting the affairs of this great
national struggle, it is right that each de
partment of the service should be effi
ciently managed. The executive must
enlist and enroll. The commissariat
must supply food and clothing. The
Sanitary and Christian Commissions
inust lend their philanthropic and evan
gelical aid ; but the women "who remain
at home" can exercise an influence more
potent, though less visible, than any
other agency. •
I doubt much if the entire Christian
Church possessed as much influence as
could have opened a single lock in the
prison where Peter lay. Yet the united
prayers of the little company, who met
in a private dwelling,-brought an angel
from heaven, who shook off the chains
and bore the apostle away from between
the Roman soldiers—a free man.
Christian wives I Christian mothers!
Christian sisters! Pray! Pray con
stantly.; pray fervently. Give God no
rest till he turn away the tide of war
from this once blessed country, and re
store to, your happy homes your beloved
husbands, fathers, and brothers, amid
songs of gratitude and shouts of victory.
A PUPIL OF CHALMERS.
INTERESTING LETTERS
FROM ilEollE.F. MISSIONARIES, WITII A
WORD FROM SECRETARY KENDA.LE.
PRESBYTERIAN ROO3IS, 150 NASSAU ST., 1 .
New York, March 1, 1865.
MESSRS. 'EDITORS :—No one can read
Gillett's "History of the Presbyterian
Church," without noticing that, in the
early days, the very best men were accus
tomed to go out on the frontier and
labor as : • • • •
fur young men now seem to fear that
they will be forgotten, if they do not
keep near the great centres of commer
cial life. The probability is, they will be
forgotten while waiting for a place ! Dr.
Hoge of the " other branch," who died
a few months ago, venerable and beloved,
at Columbus, the capital of Ohio, went
there fifty years ago as a Home Mission
ary. He formed his church, and a city
grew up with it.
Your_ paper. a few weeks ago men
tioned the death of REY. LEVI F. PAR
SONS, coupled with that of REV. SETH
Surrn pioneers in the ministry of Wes
tern New York. They went into the
wilderness, and formed churches and died
there—an enterprising agricultural popu
lation settling around them, enjoying
their instructions while living and mourn
ing sincerely at their death! But they
laid foundations which will remain for
many generations. Many churches
sprung up around them. They saw a
Theological Seminary established at Au
burn, they were both Trustees of the In
stitution many years previous to their
death, and lived to see some hundreds o
its graduates laboring in the ministry. ti
Why, then, are young men so reluctant
to go out on, the frontier and do likewise ?
A late graduate from one of our Semi
naries, now in Minnesota, writes as fol
lows : " I find plenty of work, and think
there is little•danger of growing rusty
out here. The harvest is indeed ripe,
and all that seems to be necessary is to
thrust in the sickle and reap. lam well
pleased that the Lord put it into my heart
to come to
_this place. I heartily wish
that the young men who linger for fields
in the East, where it is near home, could
only realize that their usefulness, would
be increased, we might almost say ten
fold, if they would only bend their steps
towards these western fields."
s But they must wisely forecast the
future. Ministers are called on to en
dure hardness as good soldiers ; but the
reward comes forward rapidly.
• It may interest your readers to know
an extreme case, and 1 know you will be
glad to hear from the young man sent
out from a Philadelphia Presbytery last
summer, to Montana Territory, and so I
give you extracts from
ANOTJIER,LETTER
Let me say first, however, that it took
sixty-five days to get the letter from Ban
nock City to New York. The extracts
- from the letter are as follows
" We have had fearfully cold weather,
the mercury reaching forty degrees be
low zero, 'and I am entirely destitute of
winter clothing, as I left it all in my trunk,
which has only reached Salt Lake City
and no teams can come through before
spring. have written to have it sent
by stage. It will cost seventy-five dol
lars, but it would cost more than that to
replace the smallest items it contains.
Paper is now $1 50 per quire; envel
opes $1 per package; postage stamps
30 cents each; ink $1 50 for a six cent
bottle. Although so near Salt Lake
(450 miles), salt is $1 per pound, butter
$3 per pound, and sugar $2 per pound,
and board per week ranges from $36 to
$5O. lam living on the bare necessities,
and it cripples me to be in debt.
"But I have a very interesting little
prayer-meeting ; four professors of reli
gion are regularly there, and from four to
six other young men ; (the population is
mostly composed of men) and last Sab
bath evening, I had the largest audience
I have seen since I came.out.
"There is scarcely any reading matter
here. Dr. Nelson sent me some tracts
which I received some time ago, and they
were very acceptable among the people.
I never knewthe value of a tract before. I
get the AMERICAN PRESBYTERIAN and read
it all, even to the advertisements. I re
gard this as a very important field—it is
to become a large and influential city."
If his expectations are realized, how
soon will he forget these temporary
hardships in the blessed consciousness
that he had first planted the standard of
the cross on this outpost, and preached
the gospel to perishing men ! More
such young men are wanted. Michigan,
Minnesota, Kansas, Missouri and the
Rocky Mountain Slopes to the Pacific,
are calling for men. The harvest'is plen
teous—the laborers are not few, except
as they cluster about the old centres and
refuse to go out and mould society in its
formative state, when the gospel is
greatly needed and when it will produce
the best results.
The Committee of Rome Missions de
sire to send young and energetic men to
these destiture fields with the opening of
sping. Where are the MEN ? H. K.
REV. JAMES GILLFILLAN ON THE
CHANGE OF THE SABBATH.
It has been• our happines; in these
" ends of the earth" to see the juStly
celebrated work on the Sabbath of the
Rev. James Gilfillan.
We have read his chapter on the
change of the day, with interest and edi
fication.
In an argument on so very important
a question as the change of the weekly
Sabbath from one day to another, the
very best evidence that can be secured is
demanded. This may have been done
by the reverend author ; and it is with
due deference to his views, as well as to•
the opinions of other great men, that a
single doubt is here entertained. But if
the criticism is uncalled for, it is hoped
that no harm will result from the effort.
The nature and the importance of the
Sabbath is such, that no power below
the throne of God could either originate
or change the institution in any respect,
especially to fix or change the day of
holy rest, and of holy convocations. God
will be worshipped in ways of his own
appointment, and not by our inventions.
On page 303, American T. S. Edition,
we find these words, Col. 2. 16 : " The
word in the original for Sabbath-days is
plural and always in that form has the
sense of the Jewish Sabbath in the New
Testament." The word isacogflaTary, and
is plural. In the English Bible, it is
rendered " Sabbath-days" in Col. 2. 16.
Webster gives it " Sabbaths ;" which
is doubtless correct. , But we deny
that acefligaTlVl , in the New Testament al
ways refers to the Jewish Sabbaths, or
necessarily, to any particular class of
Sabbaths. In Matt. 28. 1, this word in
its plural form occurs twice.. The same
word, the same form, and put up with
the same letters as in Col. 2, 16. But
King James' forty-seven Ttranslators
have not' been true to Matt. 28. 1, if
Mr. Gallen is right as to, the import
of craNcvrvir; nor will their translation
be more in agreement with the original:
"04. E SE C7C6I3BCCVEIT, '712 1339 , 12000VGM a<< P3a,
0-ctßigcerrery." Here we have the same
word first referring to the Jewish Sab
baths, and second to the Christian Sab
baths. This is a most interesting and
instructive portion of church history,
giving a minute and precise account of the
going out of the old dispensation and of
the coming in of the new. Not only as
it' relates to the time, but as it relates to
the past, and the present Sabbaths ; one
class being dead and buried, and the
other class brought to life and instantly
put into active service. But in our
translation this is totally lost, and one
of the most decided and palpable proofs
of the change is lost. After the Sabbath,
or "In the end of the Sabbath," is not
by far a good rendering. It demands a
flowing, rather than a literal translation.
But to call. " The first day of the week."
a good rendering of p.m cretiStgaTerY i is
rather too bad. .A translation must, if
possible, give the true sense ; what, then,
is the true sense of the text, judging by
the words, the construction of the sen
tence, and the history of the Sabbath ?
Let us try. " After the Sabbaths, as
the light began to shine into the first-day
Sabbaths." Now it is manifest that two
classes of Sabbaths are here presented to
the mind, which might be correctly ex
pressed as follows : " After the close of
the Jewish Sabbaths as the light began
to shine into the first one of the Chris
tian Sabbaths." But a very slight par
aphrase might place it in a somewhat
clearer light, viz : "In the end of the
seventh-day Sabbaths, as the light began
to shine into the first one of the first-day
Sabbaths*." This view of the text seems
to correspond with-itself; with, the history
of the case, and of the church, and if cor
rect affords direct and full evidence of
the change of the Sabbath to the first
day of the week ; and it also, gives Mr.
Gilfillan an opportunity of seeing the first
day of the week being called Sabbath
before Irenseus, A. a 178. The first
day is called. Sabbath in the New Testa
ment eight times at least. See page 369
of Gilfillan's Sabbath Book.
The above is given as the candid views
of one who has thought and written
somewhat on this subject, but without
any desire to fight the literati, and es
pecially to fight the friends of the Chris
tian Sabbath. True religion must have
a true Sabbath; blot out .the first-day
Sabbath, and you blot out Christianity,
and the hope of the world.
WM. -M. STEWART
CEDAR RAPIDS, Feb. 6, 1865
ALL the good that we enjoy in any
kind is but a beam of the face of God.