The American Presbyterian. (Philadelphia) 1856-1869, April 20, 1865, Image 4

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THURSDAY, APRIL 20, 1865
ERRATA.—On page 121 of the inside,
second column, under the caption "Music
and Martin Luther," first paragraph, read
Eisenach for " Eiservach," and Erfurt
for "Enfret."
"LEE'S RESPONSIBILITY."
The Yew York Observer of last week,
commenting editorially on the surrender of
the rebel general Lee, uses the following
singular language, which every loyal reader
of that paper will feel needs explanation.
It is as follows :
"And the reiterated declaration of Lee
that he was not compelled to surrender showed
that he took a fearlul responsibility on him
self by laying down his supreme authority,
and devoting himself to the work of making
peace, while he yet held in his hands the
power of protracting the struggle."
• What does such language, in the editor
ials of a journal claiming to be loyal, mean ?
• It is exactly such as might have been used
by journals recognizing the authority of the
rebellion of which Lee was the chief prop.
But can it be a sound or just use of lan
guage among those who regard the Confed
eracy as a league of traitors ? What
"responsibility," properly speaking, what
"fearful responsibility" can be due to
such ? Does' the Observer mean to intim
ate that Lee's responsibility would have
been less "fearful" if he had continued the
conflict, or that it was less fearful when he
suffered the fruitless battle of Deatonsville
to be fought, than when he surrendered
and stayed the effusion of blood ? Away
with such language, which serves but to
hide the infamy and the ruin in which the
rebel leader was involved, and to palliate
the criminality of his course and that of the
leaders of the rebellion, whose "fearful
responsibility" is to God, to the brae men
whom they have vainly slaughtered on the
battle field or starved in rebel stockades, to
the country which they wantonly strove to
destroy, and who only began to get rid of
their "fearful responsibility" when they
surrendered the ruined remnants of their
army to General Grant. We regard such
use of language as calling evil good and
good evil, as putting darkness for light and
light for darkness.
' .- DEATHS OE MINISTERS.-TWO vener
able ministers connected with the Pres
byterian Church (0. S.) have recently
departed this life—Rev. Elisha P. Swift,
D.D., in Allegheny City, on the 3d inst.,
and Rev. Shephard K. Kallock, D.D., in
this city, on the, 7th inst, Dr. Swift
commenced his ministry as a missionary
to the Georgia Indians, being one of the
first party sent out to the Indians by the
American Board. Finding those labors
incompatible with his physical constitu
tion, he returned to civilized society, and
has long filled an important pastorate in
the city where he died. He was a man
of much influence in the church, filling
with great satisfaction many of its im
portant trusts, and enjoying large esteem
for his Christian traits of character. His
death was sudden, occurring while he
was sitting in a chair reading a devo
tional work. With Dr. Kollock we en
joyed a pleasant personal acquaintance.
He was a man whose learning and abili
ties were of a superior order, but shrouded
under an unusual amount of modesty
and unobtrusiveness. But no mo
desty was sufficient to obscure the
sweet Christian graces of his char
acter. It required some length of ac
quaintance to learn all that he was, but
it took no time to love him. His last
pastoral charge was in Greenwich, N. J.
For some years past he has resided in
this city, much enfeebled in health—for
the last year or two quite laid aside from
labor by paralysis and the loss of sight.
He died in the seventieth year of his
age.
OUR COMMITTEE'S PUBLICATIONS.-
In our advertising columns will be
found the commencement of the list of
the Publications of the Presbyterian
Publication Committee. The list will
be continued in successive papers, and
will thus give to those who do not re
ceive the Committee's circulars informa
tion which they desire. It is a source
of satisfaction that our Committee, so
lately organized, and so very recently
put in possession of any decent business
capital, are able to show so good a list
of books and tracts. We trust that their
work is but beginning.
WHAT IS THE USE OF THEATRES?—
This question falls in, not as a logical
consequence it is true, but by very na
tural association with the events of the
time. Can they ever become fit places
,of, resort for amusement? Assassination
within their walls is no uncommon event.
The amount of mischief done by them
and in them is unquestionable ; the good
produced by them is, to use the softest
term, doubtful. We are aware that from
remote ages, there has . been floating
in society an ideal of a theatre purged
of all vicious'associations and wholesome
for recreation, but the rugged .fact re
mains that,the world has never yet con
tained a moral playhouse.
Hom. Amos KENDALL joined the Baptist
Church,. in Washinton, on Sunday last,
being immersed. He said, "Though for
many years I have endeavored to live the life.
of an upright man, yet by not attaching my
self to the Church, I felt that my life was a
standing opposition to Christianity."
FROM OUR CORRESPONDING EDITOR,
PRESBYTERY OF LYONS
This body met in annual session on Tues
day- afternoon of the present week at New
ark. Rev. W. L. Page, of Wolcott, was
elected Moderator, and Rev. W. H. Megie,
of Junius, Clerk. The opening sermon
was preached on Tuesday evening by
Rev. H. W. Brown, of Lyons, from the
words, " Our Father, which, art in hea
ven," in which he gave forcible utterance
to some just sentiments on the brother
hood of man, quite applicable to the pre
sent Sines. If God is our Father then are
we brethren of one common family; and
it is because we had forgotten this, to
ward some, at least, - of ,the inhabitants
of this land, that heavy judgments have
fallen upon us. Mr. Brown is a forcible
and earnest preacher, as well as an in
teresting and scholarly man.
The communion . sermon . was preached
on Wednesday afternoon by Rev. Horace
Eaton, the esteemed and able pastor at
Palmyra.
CHANGES
Among the changes transpiring within
the bounds of this Presbytery, we may
mention—
1. Rev. William Lusk was received
from the Presbytery of Dayton, Ohio,
and is preaching to the Church of Hu
ron, from which Rev. L. M. Shepard
was removed by death in the fall of
1863.
2. Rev. Geo. W. Warner, who is
preaching to the new Church of Savannah,
brought a letter from the Presbytery of
Cayuga, and was recognized as a mem
ber of this body.
3. Rev. Wm. Young, who has labored
for some years with signal fidelity and
marked success at Rose, takes charge
of the church at Red Creek, or Wolcott
Second. The church at this place is
but a feeble band ; has been its a church
almost extinct; their house of worship
having been closed and religious services
suspended for four months ; but under
the inspiring efforts of Mr. Young,.they
are rallying again, and already the fu
ture begins to look bright with promi
ses.
4. Two church edifices are in process
of erection within the bounds of the
Presbytery ; one at Williamson, in con
nection with a CongregatiOnal church,
and the other, we believe, at Sodus
Centre. Besides this, the church of
Wolcott has been; handsomely repaired
and improved; and, as the people who
care for the sanctuary generally look
well also to the wants of the minister
that preaches in it, a liberal addition has
been made to the pastor's salary, to meet
the necessities of the times.
• We fear—if we may be indulged in a
slight digression—that some congrega
tions have not been sufficiently thought
ful in regard to this matter. In our
wanderings, cases of real suffering have
come to our knowledge, which haye been
patiently, silently borne, even when we
know that the people would have been
glad to furnish all needed relief, if it had
occurred to them that relief was needed.
And it is not always in poor parishes, or
with pastors on small salaries; that anx
iety and- perplexity and distress arise.
We should like to suggest even to some
of our very best parishes a little kind
inquiry, right off, as-to your minister's
wants. He does not wish to tell you all,
unless you go to him. True, better
times appear to be coming ; but the past
has been fearful, and has left a load of
debt and embarrassment on some minis
ters which it is hard to carry. Relieved
of the past, and enabled to begin square
with the future, they might hope to get
along. " A word to the wise"—elders,
and thoughtful parishioners.
But to return to Presbytery. The
following were appointed
COMMISSIONERS
To the General Assembly : Rev. W. H.
Megie, of ! Junius, and Elder Amos C.
Sanford, of Palmyra ; with Rev. A.
Spencer, of Williamson, and Elder B.
Chatham, of Clyde, as alternates; to
Auburn Seminary, Rev. Horace Eaton,
of. Palmyra.
The causes of benevolence were under
consideration. Rev. H. W. Brown was
appointed to look after Foreign Mis
sions ; and Rev. W. L. Page, after Publi
cation. The names of other appointees
did not come to our ears. And these
two ministers, we may also say, have
drawn prizes in Uncle Sam's lottery ;
the only two of the whole Presbytery
who were liable to the draft, and both
were caught. Rev. Mr. Page reported
himself at headquarters, at Auburn ; was
stripped and examined, and rejected.
The medical officer thought he could do
his country better service at home than
in the field. We hope they will arrive
at the same decision in Mr. Brown's
case, as he is doing well for the country
in bis own parish, and can not easily be
spared ; but be too was on his - way to
the Provost Marshal's office, ready to do
whatever his country shall require ; and
was - only stopped as the news came that
no more men were wanted.
SABBATR BREAKING
This subject came up for serious and
painful consideration before the _Presby
tery. All conceded that the, rofanation
of the Lord's day is on the increase.
The war has tended to this ; the canal
and the railway are exerting a malign
influence on all our villages through
which they pass. One individual men
tioned having noticed on the previous
Sabbath no less than eight enormous
freight trains passing a givenpoint on the
N. Y. Central Railway, within two hours.
Would that its 'directors knew that they
could make more money, as well as keep
better consciences, by letting these trains
rest 013: the Sabbath.
THE AMERICAN PRESBYTERIAN, THURSDAY, APRIL 20, 1865.
This too is on the increase, and it was
resolved to try and do something to stay
its ravages. It was agreed by members
of Presbytery to call a TEMPERANCE
CONVENTION, to meet in LYONS, on the
second day of May next, at 2 o'clock in
the afternoon, to consider the subject,
and devise pleasures, if possible, to check
the evil. Rev. Horace Eaton was invi
ted to make the opening address on that
occasion, and a committee, consisting of
Revs. H. W. Brown, G. R. H. Shum
way, Horace
.Eaton, and E. R. Wilson,
were appointed to issue a call for said'
convention. It is hoped to have a large
gathering of the friends of temperance
on the occasion, and to hit upon some
plan of operations which shall stay the
progress of this iniquity, A stirring ad
dress, at least, may be expected at the
opening.
The annual exhibition of the Junior
Class of Hamilton College is spoken of
as unusually good. Thirty young gen
tlemen delivered orations, fraught with
more wisdom and graced with more of
the charms of oratory, than' are ordi
narily found on such occasions. The
services occupied' the afternoon and
evening of the sth instant, in the old
Stone Church of Clinton. The Utica
Brass Band furnished the customary
music.
The Presbytery of Cayuga Met in
Auburn on the 10th instant and licensed
the following young men to preach the
Gospel, all members of Auburn Semi
nary but the last :—Gustavus R. Alden,
Thomas Campbell, Chester, C. Thorne,
Merritt Gaily, William N. Page; Charles
H. Wheeler, T. Madison Dawson, Solo
mon H. Moon, Edward Sod - Worth,
German H. Chatterton, Willard P. Gib
son, James S. Baker.
President Fisher, of Hamilton Col
lege, has gone, we understand, to the
front, to labor for a few weeks in the,
service of the Christian Commission.
He will doulAless visit Richinond, - , and
eee something
,of the desolatinn which
rebellion has made.
Rey.
_G. TV. *rack* km resigned -tile
pastorate - of the Prea;yterian'-Church
in
Adams. - ' •
Bev. D. W. Sharts, after fire years of
pastoral services with the 'Congrega
tional Church of Madison, has closed his
labors there.
A REVIVAL of deep inte - rel?t, and con
siderable power has occurred in the Con
gregational Church of .North\ Potsdam,
under the pastoral labors of Bkv. J. W.
Gruel,. About twenty were expected to
unite with the church on the first Sab
bath of April.
Fourteen years, ago there was kothing'
but .a 'wilderness where now thiitplea,
,sant village of five hundred inhabitants
stands. It has been made by the
Northern Railroad, and here is a church
now of some sixty or seventy members,
with -a neat and commodious church edi
fice, and a congregation of two hundred
hearers.
The pastor is one of the home-sufferers
by the war. He had two brothers, Mas
sachusetts men, in the army, and they
went to do their duty. One fell at Falls
Church, shot -through the head. The
other was taken prisoner at the spring
ing of the mine at Petersburg. After
enduring confinement 'in rebel prisons,
he was paroled, only, as it would seem,
so that he might die on our hands.. He
lived to reach Annapolis, but could get
no further, and in a few days breathed
his last, one of the 'victims of that sys
tematic, deliberate cruelty, for which, as
we judge, some of the leaders of this
horrible rebellion ought still to be held
responsible. C. P. B.
ROCHESTER, April 15, 1865.
PHILADELPHIA FOURTH PRESBY
TERY.
Presbytery held its stated meeting in
Beverly Church, Nev Jersey - , the ses
sions beginning with a sem, by the
Rev. J. G. Williamson, Moderator, on
Tuesday evening, 11th of April.
During the sessions there were pre
sent twenty ministers and eight elders.
The Rev. John B. Reeve was elected
Moderator, and the Rev. Messrs. Earle
and Snyder, temporary cleiks.
The principal items of business were
the following :---
I. Dismission and commendation of
Messrs. Jones and Bogg, Licentiates ;
the former to Philadelphia Third Pres
bytery-, the latter to lowa City. Presby
tery.
11. The examination and reception of
Mr. Thomas A. Hamilton, as a candidate
for the Gospel Ministry.
111. The appointment of Rev. Messrs.
Adair and Shepherd, and Messrs. Farr
and Purves, Elders, a committee to
counsel the Second African Church, so
far as the church may desire and seek
counsel.
IV. Election of Commissioners to the
General Assembly as follows :---.Afinis
ters—Rev. Thomas Brainerd, D.D., and
Rev. Robert Adair, Principals; Rev. J.
B. Reeve and Rev. Albert Barnes, Al
ternates. Elders—Messrs, Samuel T.
Bodine and John C. Farr, PrinciPals ‘ j
William Wyckoff and Joseph Francis,
Alternates.
V. Selection of Vineland First Church,
and the first Tuesday of October next,
at 72 o'clock P. M., as place and time
of next stated meeting.
VI. Adjournment of Presbytery• to
meet in Presbyterian House, on Mon
day, 24th instant, at 122 o'clock P.
T, J. SEEEPHERD,,Statea Clerk.
APRIL 20, 1865.
INTENIPERANCE
JUNIOR EXHIBITION.
PERSONAL
4tfiss rci Dia eljuttlyof
WILMINGTON, DEL.—We learn that
the Hanover Street Church (Rev. Wm.
.A.ikman's) received an accession of
twenty-two persons, seventeen of them
on profession of their .faith, on Sabbath
the 9th inst.
ORDINATION.-Mr. E. B. Parsons was
ordained as an Evangelist by the Fourth
Presbytery of New York, on the evening
of the 11th inst. Rev. Dr. William.
Adams, pastor of the candidate, preached
the sermon, and Professor Henry B.
Smith, D. D., delivered the charge to
the Evangelist. Rev. Dr. J. Spaulding
presided and proposed the constitutional
questions. Mr. Parsons is a graduate
of Williams College and'of Auburn Theo
logical Seminary. He now assumes the
position ..of chaplain in the army.
FROM STANFORD, N. Y.Z—Rev. L. E.
Richards writes to the Evangelist :--
"We have been greatly revived by the
genial showers of Divine Grace which
have fallen upon us during the past win-
ter. For months we had felt that the.
Spirit was, hovering over us. There
seemed to be an unusual interest in_
spiritual things, especially among the
young people of the congregation. Some
of our Sabbath-school concerts, held
monthly, were characterized by a deep
and solemn feeling, and an extraordinary
interest. . But no special efforts were
made by - the church until January 10th,
when the week of prayer was observed.
The presence of the Holy Spirit was at
once manifested in the conviction and con
version of sinners. Meetings for prayer
were held- nearly every evening, for ten
weeks. Occasionally we had a ,preach
ing service. The meetings were charac
terized by a profound stillness and so
lemnity, while there was an entire ab
sence of that excitement which so often
accompanies revivals of religion. One
after another of the young people came
out from the world, and with a calm and
fixed purpose dedicated themselves to
the service of the Lord. There have
been about twenty-five hopeful convei-
SioUs, chiefly young people of the con
gregation and academy: The converts,'
.otlit in their own meetings and else
*here, manifest an anxiety to know and
do their duty." .
Durum, ILL.—To this chiirch, in the
immediate vicinity of Chicago, there was
on the 2d inst. an accession of twenty
two new-members, the fruits of a revival
commencing with the week of prayer.
NEW YORK, MERCER STREET CEOJROI4
—ln this church, as we learn from the
Evangelist, about twenty were received
into membership on the afternoon of
Sabbath the 9th inst.—thirteen of the
number, mostly youth, on profession of
their faith. -It was interesting, not to
say affecting, to see among those grouped
in front of the pulpit three or four who
, .
seemingly had not yet numbered a dozen
yeare. Two of these were children of a
worthy elder of the. church. Our vene
rable father and missionary, Dr. Jonas
King, assisted the pastor in the closing
se vices, remembering these lambs'of the
116. k,
and exhorting Christians to love
onA another, to walk in faith, and espe
cially- to cultivate the grace of humility.
GALENA, ILL.—The work of grace in
our church in this place commenced with
te week of prayer, and has been one of
c siderable. power. It has been con
-
d ted exclusively by the pastor, Rev.
A.
lk
K. Strong, and his efficient helper in
th eldership. It has been carried on
i.,
mo tly by meetings for prar and ex
littriation, and by short addresses from
the pastor. Its results embraced some
of the most prominent members of the
congregation and of the community.
There are some twenty-five or more
cases of hopeful, and- to all appearance'
of decided conversion, who will - doubtless
connect , themselves with this church.
The church has been greatly blessed in
every way, and they have shown their
appreciation of their esteemed pastor by,
an addition of $5OO to Ids salary, and
by numerous and valuable presents to
him and his family. The relation is one
of most cordial sympathy and good will,
and their prosperity is equal to any an
tecedent, period in their history.
NEENAH, Wrs.—We have more than
once noticed the remarkable revival in
progress in this chuich. On Sabbath,
March 26, forty persons made their pub
lic profession of faith and received the
tommunion, as the first fruits. That
Sacramental Sabbath is spoken of as one
of the deepest interest, and inexpressibly
delightful. Further accessions are ex
pected at no distant day. The church
is worshipping in a new and spacious
edifice, built in tronblous times, and se
cured by great self-denying sacrifices,
but which is already even more crowded
than the old and much smaller one which
it was compelled to abandon for want of
room.
WILMINGTON, ILL.—During the last
summer and autumn the Lord stirred up
the hearts of the people of our church in
this place to look after the outworks of
Zion. A debt of several hundred dollars,
which had long hung over the church as
a dark cloud, was
_paid off, 'and the con
gregation proceeded to build' an exceed
ingly commodious and pleasant parson
age. During all this time the spiritual
Condition of God's' people was gloomy.
The facts in respect to it were such as
forbid that they should be "told in
Gath or published in the streets of As
kelon." The week of prayer arrived
and was entered the last day of Decem
ber by a preparatory lecture and a com
munion season on the first of January.
Through the week religious meetings
Were kept up, prayer meetings every
afternoon and preaching every evening.
The attendance was very small at the
beginning, but gradually increased, not
only through the week of prayer, but
also for two weeks or more after its close,
until it became very large. There were
those who called upon God ; there were
those that sighed and cried because of
the desolations of Zion ; there was a
little faith in God, and God harkened and
heard while they called ; backsliders
were reclaimed, God's children were re
vived, wanderers were restored, and
many precious souls were brought into
the kingdom of Christ. Several of these
were adults and heads of families, among
whom the work commenced. The Bible
class and Sabbath-school also shared
richly in the visitation of the Holy
Spirit.---Pres. Reporter.
SANDOVAL, ILL.—A church in our
ecclesiastical connection was organized
in this place on Sabbath the 4th of
March, and the sacrament of the Lord's
Supper administered. Meetinfis were
held the day previous, and the season
was one of deep interest. A church
edifice is so nearly completed as to be
used for public worship, Rev. Thomas
H. Bird takes charge as acting pastor,
being the only - clergyman of any de
nomination in the place. Sandoval is a
flourishing village on the Chicago
Branch of the Illinois Central Railroad.
PRESBYTERY OF CLNOINNATL—Of the
free conversation on the state of religion
held at the meeting of Presbytery at
New Richniond, on the 4th inst, the
Herald says :—"+ It showed that there
had been much religious tnterest in
many of our churches during the past
year, and especially in the Second,
Third, Poplar Street, and the Siith of
Cincinnati."
LOGANSPORT, IND.—The health of
Rev. M. M. Post having failed so that
he is no longer able to to labor in the
ministry, he has been released, at his
request, from the pastoral charge of the
church at Logansport, with which he
has been connected for thirty years.
Rev. A. S. Dudley, recently of Morrow,
Ohio, has received and accepted an in
vitation to supply the Logansport
Church for a - year. He has already
entered upon his labors there.. Chri
stian Herald.
COMMISSIONERS TO THE ASSEMBLY.—
The appointments by the Third Presby
tery of New York are Rev. Wm. W.
Newell, D.D., Rev. Wm. H. Babbitt,
and Rev. James B. Bonar, Principals ;
and Rev. Thomas Street, Rev. Samuel
B. Bell, D.D., and Alfred E. Campbell,
D.D., Alternates; Elders John G. Parker,
John Endicott, and Joseph W. Lester,
Principals; and Samuel Derrickson,
Stephen Cutter, and Wm C. Foote,
Alternates. The Fourth Presbytery of
New York has appointed as Clerical
William Adams, D.D.,
George L. Prenties„D.D, Ezra H. Gil
104 D.D. Alternates—Rev. James B.
Dunn, Rev. George M. Boynton, Rev.
John Spaulding. Lay Principals.—
Elders Oliver . E. Wood, Albert N.
Brown, and John P. Crosby. Alternate's.
—Elders Marcus C. Riggs, George W.
Lane; and Stephen Conover, Jr: The
Presbytery of Cincinnati has elected as
Principals, Rev. Wllbur McKaig, Rev.
L. J. Evans, Ruling Elder E. D. Mans
field, and Ruling Elder Wm. H. Moore;
as Alternates, Rev. G. W. Wirmes, Rev
J. Chester, Ruling Elder G. L. Swing,
and Ruling Elder Andrew Flesher.
FOURS PRESBYTERY OF PHILADEL
FHIA.—In the notice of the annual meet
ing of this body last week in Beverly,
New Jersey, contained in another
column, it will be seen that. Rev. J. B.
Reeve, pastor of the Lombard . Street
(colored) church in this city, was chosen
Moderator. He presided, as we are in
formed, with gentlemanly grace and
good business tact. His name will also
be found as .a possible representative of
the Presbytery •in the next Assembly.
We mention this with the, more pleasure
because of Mr. Reeve's connection with
the recently proscribed race, and because
of the really good standing which his
excellencies have secured for himself in
our ministerial association. His educa
tion, literary and theological, is good,
and his naturalliabilities enable him to
turn it to practical account. He will
excuse our saying thus much : it is not
so much to eulogize him, as to assert the
capacities of his • people, and forward
their just claim to the benefit of the rule,
"Worth makes the man."
RIISHVILI;E, ILL.—Rev. T. S. Reeve,
a whole-souled worker, sends the follow
ing account to the Presbytery Reporter.
We publish it with much satisfaction—
not meaning, however, to make that term
cover the infelicitous phrase, "conveked
over again." " The Lord has in a won
derful manner vouchsafed us a blessing
of Divine Mercy and Grace to this church.
At the close of a three weeks' meeting,
one hundred and fifteen professed to have
procured peace and pardon through re
pentance and faith in our Lord Jesus
Christ. Since I have been here, I have
received forty-six into full membership
with this church. Some twenty or more
of those converted at our meeting joined
the Methodist church, and twelve the
Baptist church. It was a glorious time.
The oldest said they had. never seen the
like before. Old sores were healed,
strife and difficulties settled, backsliders
reclaimed, and some members -of the
church converted over again." -
THE WHARTON STREET CHURCH, of
this city, (Rev. J. G. Hamner's,) added
seventeen to its membership last Sab
bath, ten of whom were received by pro
fession+. Since its organization last. Octo
ber this church has received one hundred
and five members—forty-eight by profes
sion. •
THIRD WEEK OF MR. HAMMOND'S
LABORS IN PHILADELPHIA.
An ordinary series of revival meetings could
scarcely have been kept up, in the face of the
extraordinary and profound disturbances of
the. public mind in the last two weeks. And
yet the meetings for children have been-well
sustained, and a work of grace of the most
interesting and extensive character has been
going forward. During last week, an addi
tional obstacle was encountered in the
weather, and on Saturday afternoon the ab
sorption of the public mind in the calamitous
death of the President, added to the rain,
discouraged many. I4evertheless, several
hundreds were in the Tabernacle Baptist
Church that afternoon, and about one hun
dred and fifty arose to confess Christ, whom
they had recently found, onto ask for prayer.
Mr. -Hammond made`excellent use of, the sad
event, basing his remarks on the words,
"They hated me without, a cause." Johns
xv. 25.
Two meetings were held in the Western
Presbyterian Church, Tuesday and Wednes
day, April 11th and 12th, which were well
attended and the power of the Lord was
present to heal. Here, the orphan- childreD
from the asylum, corner of 18th and Cherry
streets, were in attendance, and Mr. Ham
mond was prepared, by the recent loss of his
mother, more fully to enter into their feelings-
Quite a number of them were led to give
their hearts—as they hoped—to the Saviour.
Teachers of very respectable private schooLe
have been noticed at the recent meetings,
bringing their scholars with them, and the
results are apparent in the spread o 1 the work
among the scholars who, when converted.,
bring their friends to the meetings, and per=
suede them earnestly to give their hearts t 6
Jesus. Children of the public schools are
also showing the beneficial effect of the ia.
fluences they feel at these meetings, as ap
pears, at least in regard to one of the.schook‘
from the following note received by Mr..
Hammond last week :
"I send a word of encouragement from
the —th Ward Grammar School. The
teacher says,, since the commencement of the
children's meetings there has been such an
improvement in the behaviour of her schol
ars that she is willing to give one day in a
- week for them to attend the meetings."
Last Sabbath afternoon the Tabernacle
Boptist Church was crowded in every park„
many persons standing through the entire
services, and the influences of the Holy
Spirit were manifest. Three hundred and
fifty rose for prayer, or to declare the hope
they had just found in Jesus. To this it
would be safe to add as many as fifty whor
made no demonstration at the time, except to.
remain at the inquiry meeting. One young
man was noticed, weeping and in distress of
mind, in the throng at the doors, who could
not get inside. On the outer edge of the
crowd he had been reached. He was after
wards brought into the inquiry meeting.
Thus it can hardly be an exaggeration to say
that, in connection with this meeting and the
one about to be described, eight hundred souls.
were this day under conviction of sin, or re
joicing in the Saviour whom they had lately
found. We scarcely expected to live to wit
ness such a sight.
MR. IMANDIOND IN TEE HOUSE OF RE
FUGE.
B invitation of the Superintendent, Mr.
McKeever; Mr. Hammond visited the House
of Refuge on Sabbath morning last. A
number of gentlemen interested in his work
accompanied Mr. Hammond ; Messrs. Thos.
Potter, William Mann, H. P. M. Pirkinbine,
E. 0. Thompson, and Rev. John W. Mears,
being among the number. Mr. Barclay,
Chairman of the Chapel Committee, was on
the stand. Of the six hundred children,
white and colored, connected with the insti
tution, all but about fifty were present. In
troductory remarks were made by Messrs.
Potter and Mann and by Rev. John W.
Mears. Mr. Hammond read the account of
the Saviour's last sufferings, and took as the
basis of his remarks the words in Isa. 53, 5
He was wounded for our' transgressions."
The children, by their excellent behavior and
.attention, their general participation in the
singim, their promptness in responding to-
Mr. Hammond's questions and little lessons,
and their devout attitude in prayer, showed
the excellent discipline of the establishment.
It evidently gave Mk. Hammond fresh cour
age to find these children in so many respects.
_prepared for his teachings. As usual, he
sought to bring his hearers to an immediate
sense of their need of the Saviour, to show
them the wickedness of' their hearts in not
loving . him, and to persuade them, without
delay, to consecrate their hearts to Him. He
used the same illustrations as when dealing
with children in other circumstances, and
emphasised the fact that whatever other sine
they were guilty of, they had committed
none greater that of refusing to love the dear
JesuS.
Many were melted during the discourse,
but when all had joined—for all present
seemed to joined—audibly in the closing
prayer, and when Mr. Hammond with a few
friends went from one to another for a single
word of counsel and prayer a most remark
able scene presented itself: Almost every
one of those five hundred- and fifty children
seemed to be broken down. Many of them
were deeply moved. Some sobbed convul
sively. Scarcely any were callous, and none
ventured a scoffing look or gesture. The
whole congregation was swayed by the simple
presentation of the Gospel, as the trees 1::e
the wood are simultaneously bent by the
wind. Many expressed their readiness tow
give themselves to Jesus on the spot. Oh 'I
it was truly wonderful to see those hard--
featured boys, many of them with the marks:
of an evil and debased nature on their coun
tenances, bowing their heads a whole bench
full at a time, and wiping their brimming
eyes upon their coarse jacket sleeves,.. while
they audibly joined in confessing their sine
and in giving their hearts to that Jesus who.
came to seek and to save that which was lost.
There were no Pharisee pretensions there to'
be overcome. Consciences were awakened.
and burdened souls heard the call : " Come
unto me all ye that labor and are heavily
laden and I will give you rest." The
scene in the girls' gallery was, if .Pos
sible, more wonderful than that among the
boys. There scarcely one was untouched,
and many seemed to be in great anguish off
soul. Those, who undertook to point the in
quirers to Christ were almost overcome by
the draft upon:their natural sympathies, and
were fain to stand in amazement at the sud
denness, the extent and seeming depth of the
work. We should think as many as four
hundred gave more or less evidence'of the
work of the Holy Spirit on, their hearts.'
TWENTY-ONE YEARS •IN TR.t. MISSION
FIELD.-A retrospect of twenty-one years'
labor in Tinnevelly, by the Rev. J. H. Tucker,
of the Church Missionary Society, brings out
the following facts. During that period he
has recued from hqathenism and Romanism
3100 souls ; he has witnessed the voluntary
destruction, by the worshippers,
of upwards
of forty devil temples, with all their idols ;
and he has established sixty schools, and built
sixty-six churches of various dimensioni.