Carropmluitrt.
NOTES OF A PREACHING TOUR IN
INDIA, 111,
BY REV. R. G. WILDER.
DEAR BROTHER MEARS : Leaving the
beautiful village of Alta (described in
my last), we emerged through a gorge in
the hills into the broad fertile valley of
the Krishna, dotted with villages vary
ing from one to two thousand in popula
tion, twelve of which we are able to reach
in travelling some dozen miles on our
direct route.
The voice of one crying in the wilder
ness, " Repent, for the kingdom of
Heaven is at hand," seems never before
to have broken upon these solitudes or
disturbed the rites and reign of Hindu
ism here. No one betrays any 'knowl
edge of Christianity, and in answer to
repeated inquiries, they tell us they have
never seen a missionary before.
This is the richest agricultural region
I have found in India—one unbroken
sheet of cultivation as far as the eye can
reach, tall rank zondli coming up to my
shoulders on horseback, large fields of
sugar-cane, grain, wheat, and India
vegetables, and spreading out on either
hand, immense fields of cotton, quite equal
in rankness of stalks and quantity of
fibre to any I ever saw growing in Ame
rica, except on some of the " Mississippi
bottoms."
Crossin i g the sacred Krishna, we find
ourselves in the Putwurdhun States,
beyond the limits of the Kolapoor king
dom, and winding up the river some two
miles through these boundless fields of
grain and cotton, we come upon the thri
ving town of Sanglee. It presents a
sharp, bustling, city air, quite in con
trast with the quiet villages we
have left behind, and rejoices in a chief
and government of its own, entirely in
dependent of Kolapoor.
Remote from any European station,
the sight of a white man here is no every
day occurrence. The curious stop and gaze
and the Chief himself sends out a swar
(horseman) to make a reconnoissance.
Riding quietly along the suburbs of the
town, supp,orting our little daughter on
the saddle before me, and the. bullock
gharry with Mrs. M. and the other chil
dren near by, our appearance is not war
like. He has little reason to apprehend
we have come to storm his citadel, or en
force the last orders of the Governor
General. The swar is easily convinced
of our peaceful intentions, and gallops
off to report to his chief, while we pass,
on in search of our tents. We find they
had come up late and were just being
pitched in one of the Chief's gardens
some distance beyond the town. We
are impatient at being removed so far
from the people, but a glance about the
town convinces us there is no good shade
nearer.
By the time we are well arranged in
our tents it is 91- o'clock P. M. ; and
being so far from town, we look for no
callers till morning. But while we are
taking a cup of tea, a natiVe sends in his
name as an old acquaintance. The name
fails to recall him ; but seating myself
in the tent door to receive him, a tall,
strangely-built Maratha approaches with
quick step, a lantern in his left hand, and
with a profound salaam, bowing almost
to the ground, he makes his salutation;
then standing erect, with clear, distinct
voice, he begins to repeat our Christian
creed, or Articles of Faith, as published
in our eight-page Marathic pamphlet,
just as we use it in admitting believers
to the Christian church.
With mingled pleasure and surprise
we listen without interrupting, till, with
out a moment's hesitation or the mistake
of a word, he completes the entire creed ;
then bowing again•he lifts a rupee which
he at first placed on my foot unobserved,
and places it on the back of my hand,
and with a few words which recall our
former acquaintance, and the remark that
he must hasten or the municipal regula
tions would prevent his reaching his
lodgings in town, he departs abruptly,
leaving us suprised and thoughtful, that
God's truth had taken such manifest
hold of the mind of one in this great
mass of idolaters. The recollection re
vived by his parting words is, that he
visited us at the Mission House in Ko
lapoor in 1855, came repeatedly for con
versation, and showed such interest in
the truth, that we gave him a Bible,
hymn-book, catechism, and the tract he
had just repeated, and for some months
after he then left us we followed him
with our prayers.
29.—Among our first callers this
morning is Mahadoo Bow, our last
night's visitor. He brings the Bible and
other books we gave him nine years ago,
well soiled and worn with use ; repeats
portions of the .Scripture and the, entire
catechism of forty pages, and fully avows
his belief in Christ and the creed he re
peated. In subsequent interviews we
draw his attention to the ordinances and
tiff believer's privilege and obligation to
confess Christ before men. He listens
thoUghtfully, seems fully to apprehend
the sacrifice and trial involved in such
a 'confession, but declares his purpose to
be-baptized and obey the Gospel in all
things. The Lord give him grace and
courage for this severe test of his faith.
We find Sanglee a thriving, bustling
little town with a population of 10,000,
many of them Brahmans. They gather
in large numbers at all my preaching
services in the place, and many give
audible assent to the truths presented,
and come to our tents for further conver
sation. I find one or more Missionaries
hayevisited the place in former year's;
and the more intelligent of the people
have some little knowledge of Christian
ity. The Chief, with a full understand
ing of our Missionary character and
labor, shows much kindness, sending
fruits and sweet-meats for the children,
with grain and provender for our animals,
and invites us to visit him. At the ap
pointed time he sends two carriages, one
for Mrs. W— and the children, who go
to see his wives, mother, and other ladies
of the Zenana, and one for myself. I
am taken to the Fort and introduced to
his Highness in full Durbar, with crowds
of Sepoys and officials around him to de
monstrate his greatness and wait his
pleasure. I find him a Brahman about
thirty years of age, of rather stern, mili
tary bearing, showing a good deal of re
serve-and hauteur at first, and it is easy
to fancy him possessed - of much of the
spirit of his old ancestor Pnrishram
Ramchunder, who sixty years, ago kept
this part of the Maratha country in con
stant turmoil with his intrigues and as
saults, especially on the kingdom Of
Kolapoor. His father before him had
long been the sworn enemy of this king
dom, and being captured in the battle of
Chikoree, (1799,) is said to have been
taken into the presence of the Kolapoor
Rajah and barbarously cut to pieces.
This engendered mortal hatred on the
part of his son and heir, Purishram,
who, with his own troops and all the
allies he could muster, soon invaded
Kolapoor, (in 1800), defeated_ the royal
army, and laying close siege to the city
of Kolapoor for some three months, pro
secuted the most vigorous efforts to re
duce it. Several European officers were
employed in the besieging army, and
the graves of three of them (one with a
French inscription) are still visible just
outside a temporary breach they effected
in the Kolapoor wall.
But the Kolapoor fortress proved too
strong for the Putwurdhun's forces, and
troubles breaking out in his own country,
he was obliged to raise the siege and
retire. The contest was just enough of
a drawn game to perpetuate the bitter
enmity which has ever since been trans
mitted from father to son, modified some
what by time, it is to be hiiied.and.' for
the last twenty years held in effectual
check by the'paramount power. '
These Putwurdhun States - are saber-
dinate only;to the British' GoVeinrilent
.
as " Independent Native States,"and
hold no political relation with Bolapoor
to the present day.
Bear in mind that for many centuries'
India has been split up into a vast num
ber of such contending states and king
dpms, large and small, cherishing the
most deadly hostility towards each
others, and you have the key to her easy
conquest by Great Britain.
" A house divided against itself can
not stand.
Is our own fair land to be thus rent
and subdivided? God`forbid !
I found the Chief of Sanglee an intel
ligent man, giving more attention to the
affairs of his government and the inte
rests of his subjects, than has come
under my observation in case of any
other native chief. Finding me able to
converse in his own language, - his stiff
ness and reserve gave way, and a plea
sant interview and acquaintance' -fol
lowed. •
He has a Marathi Bible, presented by
some missionary years ago, but frankly
admitted he knew little of its contents.
He readily consented to accept another
copy for
,a public library he has begun
to collect for the benefit of his subjects,
and told me he would give more atten
lion to the doctrines and claims of Chris
tianity.
This chief's rule extends over San
glee, his capital, and two hundred and
fifty subordinate villages, altogether
yielding him an annual revenue of six
laks (600,000) of rupees. His encour
ragement to education is deficient, but
better than in the kingdom of Kolapoor.
He has estahlished a good Marathi and
English school in Sanglee; and a Marathi
school in each of seven of his largest
villages. The Marathi school in San
glee has one hundred and fifty intelli
gent pupils, and I was much pleaseci
with their progress in study and ready
answers elicited by a two hours' exami
nation.
Our tracts and books were in good
demand here, and those of the smaller
size were readily purchased to the
value of some dozen rupees. AmOng
those most sought for, were " Kindness
to Animals," " The Shepherd of Salis
bury Plain," a treatise on " The Scien
tific Errors of Hinduism," and " The.
School Boy"—four works which I pre
pared for the press while at Ahmed
muggur, in the early years of my mis
sionary life, and which continue to be
published by the "Bombay Tract and
Book Society." The "School Boy" is
especially adapted to be useful to pupils
in schools, inciting to mental effort, en
kindling a love of learning, and incul
cating the highest morality and piety,
holding up for emulation the character
and lives of Joseph and Daniel, and the
noblest human models. Our translation
of this work, was early adopted by the
Government Board of Education. You
may recognize it by its original English
(American) title as one of the many
books written by Rev. J. S. C. Abbott,
and if the author is still living, he has
reason to be thankful for the good this
modified translation has already effected
among the youth of India.
We prolonged our stay at Sanglee
four days, and then left with sincere re
gret that we could not spend more time
at a point of so much interest. If you
know any minister in search of a parish,
pray direct him hither. He shall have
-the whole province of Sanglee--its.capi
THE AMERICAN _ltiF/§B.Y t RIAN, THURSDAY, APRIL 27, 1865.
. _ . .
tal and two hundred and fifty 7illages,
and build there, "on no othe4 man's
foundation," a blessed, gloiious *ork for
Christ, and immortality.
I\
THE WORK STILL GOING FO WARD
IN DETROIT,
A gentleman of piety and sten ing in
one of our churches in Detroit,ho is
also connected with the House of correc
tion in that city, writes as follows, April
7th :
" Detroit has not had a wave of bless
ing for twenty years until this year,' and
DOW we hope and.pray that a wave may
roll over us continually—frequently—
until our whole . city is washed. i There
seems to me to be a deep religous in
terestliaervading the, whole comMunit
"There is a 'change (real) among some
of our prisoners. I think some e!f• them
are '40.1.y converted, and more are ready
to put'themselves under good influences
on their release ; , but alas ! evil must
compass them. The Holy Spirit is
present in our whole establishment I
verily believe. We were singing, Wed
nesday evening, in the parlor, some of
the revival hymns nntil 10 o'clock, when
theft) came to me one of my young men,
a tall, fine-looking fellow., He said his
heart had been .unusually touched as he
had listened to these hymns from an ad
joining apartment, and he Jrequested me
to go - to his room, (where was another
young man), and converse with them on
the subject of religion, whip s of course
I did with great joy. Before leaving
them, they both, kneeling,/ ;gave them
selves to Jesus, and, I .belieVe, then and
there began the new life.
,If
"Another of my officers,; who has re
cently left my service, has e i xpressed his
determination to erect the family altar,
and I suppose has done so; he invites
a l
these two young men ofwhom I have
been speaking to come to' is house for
prayer. He has been impenitent
man, and was educated as/ Catholic. -
1
+( ,Our Mission School s receives a
great blessing. Two wee ago, at the
close of - the school, a * ole class of
fourteen boys remained,, nd requested
me to come and pray w#h them, i;vhich
I did. While the five hundred children'
were crewding ont, theseftll to*red 'On
their knees, and joined i'a a prayer of,
consecration. `OIL I it, was a - blessed
sight. Many of these h l pys give the
very best.evidence that tliey_have been
regenerated. I lately attended' a prayer
meetirtg of twenty-five of these e,hildien,
at 'a dwelling in the neighborhood. The
meeting was led by one of the boys, and
was most interesting. The wayers of,
some of them were such as to move my
heart wonderfully. So simple, so sin
cere, BO' appropriate, so trustful, so OD
scious of the presence of God.
" One week ago last Sunday we buried
a dear girl who had attended the dal
dren's meetings, and. I think was con
verted. She died after a brief illness of
two or three days. Going to the house
late, the evening on which she died, I
found one of the Sabbath-school girls,
who gave her heart to Jesus a few days
previous, kneeling in the front room
alone, praying secretly. These and
similar scenes and incidents with which
I am daily coming in contact, establish
my confidence in the genuine character
of the work, and fill me with devoutest
thanksgiving to God. Oh, let us praise"
Himl"
Extract from Mathias Claudius, trans=
dated for the American Presby
terian by G. D. A. H.
It is seldom thou askest me Tor infor
mation on the subject of prayer ; and
thou understandest it better than I.
Thou canst be so within thyself, and yet
outwardly appear so troubled. and foolish
that priest Eli, were he your pastor loci,
might - call thee to an evil account, and
these are good signs, Andrew. For the
mill can not go when the wlter is scat
tered in mist, and:where rattle and bang
go on the doors and windows not much
passes in the house.
That one shut his eyes in prayer is,
I think, not needful; but I consider it
better. Be natural. If one do not
dissemble let us not complain. To do
great and showy things before God in
prayer is to be blamed, we must not endure
it: Courage and confidence we need,
but not to be presUmptuous and self
conceited, for if one know how to coun
sel and help himself, then„ the shortest
way is—to help himself.
To fold the hands is a good outward
sign ; it seems as if one waited for favor
or for disfavor, and had grounded arms ;
but the inward secret performance, those'
desires uprising like the waves of the
sea, and the heart's longing, this is, it
seems to me, the chief matter Of prayer.
And I can not understand what they
mean who know nothing of petition.
It is as much as to say that we should
not wish anything, or that a man should
have no beard or- ears. He must be a
woodenky who never really asks his
father for anything, or who deliberates a
half day whether he will suffer himself
to come to extremities or not. When
desire enters your heart, Andrew, and is
of warm complexion,.then you will not
long question ; it will o'rmaster thee as
a stronger man armed,—then thou wilt
keep company with some bits of words
short and good, and knock at leaien's
door.
But -there is another question. What
and how shall we pray ?. Knoweth
any one truly this world, (Wesen dieser
Welt,)Ancl deth he pursue it honestly,
what is better ? Forr hth in this
p a,yer a ,
TO MY FRIEND AND4F,W.
its appointed place. But man's heart is I
vain and foolish from his mother's womb.
We knownot what is good for us, Andrew.
Our most ardent wish hath oft, deceived
us. And so must man not stand on his
own-conceit, but meek and discreet must
he be, and, freely entrust all to Him who
knoweth better than we. But whether
the prayer of an agitated soul effects or
accomplighes any thing or whether the
chain of nature (nexus rerum) be fixed,
as some learned ones affirm, in this lead
me ,not into dispute. I have all respect"
for the. " order of nature ;" but I can not
but think of Samson with this; who
left the fastening (nexus) of the double,
gate unlocked, and carried the whole
door up' into the mountain I In short,
Andrew, I believe that the rain- corned."
well when it is drY; and that the heart'
crieth not in vain for fresh waters; if
one only prays rightly ; if one only feels
,
rightly. .
lowA CITY, lOW4 April 14, 1865.
THE FUNERAL SERVICES FOR THE
PRESIDENT -
P , V*0: 11 11 1 f.110:210[=3:til 4:3l: l #.,Acti to tTH :0
A large audience filled every part or
Rev. Mr. Barnes' Church on-.-Wednes
day, the 19th inst., at nom. The ser
vices were opened with prayer by the
pastor, who also made a brief address
after the first hymn. He alluded to the
greatness of the crime that had been
committed by the assassination of our
good President. It is the greatest crime
by far that has yet been committed - in
the history of our country, and greater
even than is anywhere recorded in the
annals of the world. We meet thus on
this solemn day to ask the God of our
fathers that his blessing may yet be con
tinued to this beloved country—that he
will not forsake us in our hour of need,
that he will bless to us this severe dis
pensation of his providence, and lead the
nation in paths of righteousness.
Mr. Barnes spoke with evident agita
tion and with deep feeling. The audi
ence was much moved, the solemn ap
pearance of the church, deeply - draped
in mourning, the immense audience,
almost breathless, and many in . tears,
formed a scene that will never be effaced
from the memorykif those present:
- Rev:. John McLeod, of the Southwest
ern Preshyterian Church, then led in a
fervent prayer, in which he acknowl
edged Go&s . sovereighty, praying that
humble submissien to his will might fill
every brejtat.' ' He prayed , that: God
nearly
would forgive the nation its.sins of
gki
a hun red years. He thanked God for
the li tof the good man, now fallen;
whiCh rough four years of wet' had
been so benignantly shed upon this coun
try ; for is bright example of integrity
and truthfulness in all that is right and
f
good an just; that he had been spared
so long- gainst vielence and'conspiracy.
He th ked God for the millions that he
had b a permitted to lead out of the
house f bondage. He then prayed for
the Pr sident's family ; also for the new
Presid nt—thanked God that he had
now mited our nations as it had never
been tutted before, against treason and
febellion. He thanked God for our vic
tories hatthe field, .and that the nation
lives and the rebellion dies.
Rev. 'Daniel March then addressed
the audience. He said that in Wooster,
Massachusetts, when the news came of
the assatination of President Lincoln,
the Maytr called the people together in
et
the larg t hall in the city, to express
their fe ing in relation to the event.
There w e speakers there, able speakers
and mans of them, clergymen and oth
ers ; but Ilse vast assembly could do no
more thathow their heads in prayer,
pour out he swelling of their burdened
heart in atsolemn hymn, and then return
quietly to heir homes. No one ,under
took,/ in w rds, to express their sorrow.
So we fee o-day— words cannot express
what we I. ei. But while our hearts are
thus bowed down, they should be drawn
near to (hod. He is speaking to the
heart of ; his nation. Our hearts must
feel, and;feel profoundly, that all our in
terests, with those of this afflicted nation,
are in Go 's hands. This is the utter
ance of e booming minute gun.
_that
comes t o sir ears while we now speak-;
the sole s tolling of the bell that,we
heard . w h e prgying a moment ago: This
is the utt mace of the . sad drapery_ of
this hous which makes us feel as if
the murd (d corpse of our President
were here la the midst of the congrega- i
tion. Th great God knows all the in-
terests of t his. American people. He
knows the c onsequences that will result
from thi s' sad event. He knows our
perils, our ecessities. When God af
flicts a ho (hold by death, we impress
upon the ( ping family that God has
come to th
,"1. home. As a nation we
feel that (: has come to our home ;
that he ha , thus visited us to make us a
more devo t a more Christian . nation.
God can no means look with indif- -
ference up this audacity of pride,
which has Lde us a weepin g nation
to-day. He has sacred and holy pur
poses with re (rence to this nation. He is
interested in it behalf, and though we
have lost an suffered, so much, he will
t
carry on his se and sacred purposes.
A member : one of our churches told
me that twen odd years ago, when the
churches W ( similarly- draped in
mourning, in , Lnery of President Har-
rison, the so
a powerful el
greatest posi
earth could b 1
death, if the h
the grave werei
was high time
something wor
Rnity of the occasion had
:(t upon his mind. If the
be.ii attainable upon the
visited so suddenly by
;hest earthly honors and
Po near to each other, it
that he was looking for ,
living for something
greater, antir, hi
r:,r than any - 4411g: 'thl
earth dould afford. He resolved, w
in one of our churches, then clothed in,
mourning, to live for Christ and heaven.
Does not this solemn hour now upon us
teach us a similar lesson ? Let us
prove it.
Rev. Mr. Crowell then led in prayer,
in which he thanked God for the life of
President Lincoln—for the long years of
preparation he had given him, in his
Western home, for the important work
he had planned out for him—for his
choice by the people just when peril was
so close at hand—that his first utterance,
when starting out from home was, " pray
for me, that I may be enabled to do my
duty' in whatever trying circumstance I
may be plated."
He thanked God for his prompt and
ManlY•Cill upon us 'to defend the life and
liberty of the nation when imperilled,
and for his glorious proclamation of
liberty to the enslaved millions of the
South.. " Though dead he yet speaketh."
Rev. Mr. Calkins, of Calvary Church,
made the closing address. He said, Was
there ever such a funeral as this in all
the wide world ; where the mourners
find none to give comfort and consols,
tion ; where there are none but mourners ?
We came to this sanctuary with the
hope that its pastor would give us words
of comfort in our distress, but his voice
breaks down in sobs. Our very prayers
are but expressions of agony and grief.
There must have been something in
the character of that great man who has
fallen, that, thus moves our hearts as
they have never been moved before.
When Jesus entered Jerusalem just
before his death, his disciples began to
be exceedingly amazed as he foretold
them of his coming sorrow. After his
martyrdom, they ceased to wonder. So
to-day, many of the sayings of him who
has fallen, that were wonderful once,
cease to astonish us ; they are, invested
with grandeur• unspeakable.
Pour years of heroic labor have beeh
passed through by our fallen chief,
kno*ing all the while that the assassin's
knife was at his throat In this city,
four years ago, Gen. Scott's despatches
warned him of the fact He hinted to
us his knowledge in these memorable
words,.. spoken as he raised the flag
upon Independence Hall, " I had rather
be assassinated on the spot than to give
up 'the princiPle for''which we strive."
ver since that day his life has hung
upon a thread, and =he knew it. His
dying words seem to show us that he
*As not greatly taken by surprise. " I
-am dying,",," good bye"—farewell words
spoken to our whole country, show
what he had been -expecting through
four years of conflict.
We know, from private authority, in
addition to what is publicly known, that
he steadily believed 'that some day his
life Would be taken by his and our
enemies.
'We thus begin_to get a clue to his
character. Look at his _ cheerfulness,
his exhaustless good humor, when he
knew so well that there were relentless
spirits in the land, 'daily waiting his
blood. His kindness and clemency,
viewed in this light, become all the
more grand and sublime; counselling
pardon and forgiveness, while he knew
that his own life would be a - martyr of
fering to this cause.
.Not an impulse of
vengence seemed ever to enter his brain
—all was charity, even towards those
who would murder him. He never in
tended, as has been intimated, that the
record of this rebellion should go down
to history as an unsuccessful Revolu
tion. No ! no ! he meant it to be stig
matized as a crime—that a fearful mark
should be branded on it, like that upon
Cain, only blacker and deeper. That•
was his purpose, :I believe; and because
his heart felt this, he was fit to be
anointed of God for this holy purpose.
A blood-thirsty President could not have
fulfilled God's great purpose, in setting
before the world, in its true colors, as is
nqw done, the fearful crime of rebellion
and treason.
In this light, expecting to - be martyred
for his principles,_ let us look at his re
ligions character How upon the field
of Gettysburg - he gave his heart 'to
Jesus. How he _.chose the still morning
tOur for his favorite devotion. A.ccus
timed to be interrupted, at all hours in
the day, while intent upon business, or
:even while at his meals, he chooses the
early morning hour when he was, sure of
no interruption. While there were some
things in his life not fully satisfactory to
.those who are apt to be cautious, as
ministers should be, in judging of the
piety of others, some things which we
would not hold up as examples'to the
young, yet viewed' in the light that he
knew he' was marching towards martyr
dom, that the solemn impression ever
rested upon his mind, that he never
would live through a second term, we
have sufficient that is good to indicate
that his heart was right towards God.
We must not forget that he was a man
of but few words. In two or three
words he tells us he loves Jesus, that he
never was brought to give his heart to
him - until be stood on the field of Gettys
burg, surrounded by the thousands of
'martyred ones who lay silently around
him. Then he thought his life was
nothing unless he gaye his heart to the
Martyr on high. This speaks volumes
now. How few his words. What mo
mentous things he could say in just a
word.. Look at his last message to Con
gress. What a wonderful paper, so
short, and yet so full. For one saying
so much, so compactly, his three wcirds,
he loved Jesus, constitute a profession of
religion, a standing up`before this nation•
as a humble follower of Let - us
cherish the name of Abraham Lincoln.
'Let us teach it to our children Side by
side with that of Washington.
I was once dining with a family
where I noticed an empty seat at the _
table. A. little plate was placed there,
a little cup, a little knife, and fork, and
-spoon. They remained unused; none
of the other children touched cup, plate,
or spoon; - and, as .I looked upon them
with probably somewhat of curiosity,
one of the little ones explained, " that is
sister Lucy's place. She used to eat
from that plate, and use that cap, and
knife, and fork, and spoon; but Lucy is
up in Heaven now, and we keep her
"things just as she used to haire them,
because we love to think of her and re
-member her." The parents told me
that Lucy had diedbefore, the little one
who told me all this was bor4, but
_
they loVed her memory, and had taught
their little one to love it, too.
Let us teach •those yet unborn:to re
member the name and cherish tlif-me
mory of Abraham Lincoln. Let them
be a shrine in every house, in every
church, and every State.
His strict integrity, his religious devo
tion to a great purpose, place Abraham
Lincoln by the side of Washington, The
wreath and the crown of martyrdom
must ever rest upon his brow. Che&h
his memory - . Keep it bright.
not be put away in the histories, laid
upon the shelves; but as he has been
noble, true, brave, yielding no principle,
ever clinging to the right; be noble too,
be honest, be manly, be cheerful, trust
in God as he trusted in him, and love
Jesus as he loved him.
Rev. Mr. Calkins closed with prayer,
when a hymn was sung, and the bene
diction was pronounced by Rev. Albert
Barnes
Thus closed a service that will not be
forgotten half a century hence, when the
young in that vast assembly shall be
gray headed, and when the middle aged
and gray:headed there, shall have long
lain in their silent resting place.
A PERMANENT BUILDING FOR THE.
YOUNG MEN'S CHRISTIAN ASSOCIATION
IN THIS CITY..—The movement towards
this , object, of which, we have before
spoken, has so far reached the _point of
success, that an-eligible situation has
been obtained, and will be-put in cenill
tion for the uses of the Association. A
house on the south side of Chestnut
street, above Twelfth,, has been fixed
upon, and will receive such alterations
and improvements as will meet the con
venience of young men, strangers or
dwellers in Philadelphia, who desire a`,
pleasant and comfortable resort for their
leisure hours, particularly evenings, in
place of club-rooms or immoral places of
amusement. It is designed to make
this building a popular place of daily
resort The fine library of the A:ssocia
tion will be replenished, newspapers
and magazines will be provided, and a
room fitted ap for a gymnasium and
other employments for leisure hours.
The enterprise still needs liberal contri
butions, and it certainly, ,commends itself
to our business and penied men. We
understand that Messrs. William G.
Crowell, 510 Walnut street; John
Wiest, 240 Chestnut street, and, John
Wannamaker, Sixth and Market streets,
have been appointed to
,receive contri
butions. -
HOLY ANTICIPATIONS.
" I am on the bright side of seventy," said
an aged man of God ; the bright side because
nearest to everlasting glory: " Nati:trefoils,"
said another, " but I am happy." "My
- work is done," said the Countess of Hunting
don, when eighty-four years old ; "I have
nothing to do but to go to my Father." To
one old disciple it was remarked:.," I fear
you are near another world." "Fear it, sir!"
he replied. " I know lam ; but blessed be
the Lord, I-do not'fear it, I hope it."
- Such testimonies as: these are not confined
to aged .ohiistians. I know of a Christian in
middle life, tuitive, earnestin every goodword
and-work, who• looks-forward to death with
positive pleasure, because it will bring him
nearer to Christ; and I-have heard a young
Christian say, who was by no means weary of
this world, nor invalid, nor afflicted : "To be
with Jesus is the highest happiness of which
I can conceive."
These were not transient emotions in sea
sons of high . spiritual enjoyment and holy
communion, but the constant temper of the
soul, the expression of a life hid with Christ
in God. Poubtless, such expressions are un
intelligible to all those whose lioPe and por
tion is on earth, and perhaps they seem ex
aggerated to many professing Clnistians. But
they are. the' natural language of true and
deep piety. Christ is the dearest, friend of
the true believer`; and any' event which brings
Him nearer to us, should be viewed with
holy joy. We delight to live, that we may
labor for him ; we rejoice to wait his holy
will, and to finish the work which he would
havens do'for him on the earth; but it is
sweet to look forward to that time when every
veil shall be removed, when we can serve
him without sin or imperfection, when we
can see him as he is, when we can behold his
glory, and adore him in a manner worthy of
his exalted' character and - claims. _ .
And the nearer wecome in the course of
nature, to the time of perfect union to onr
Lord, the brighter should be our hopes, the
more blissful our anticipations. As years
pass, the number of ourfriends and relatives
in the heavenly world increases, till the num
ber of the family in heaven is greater than
that on earth ; and as those whom we love
are multiplied in the " many mansions," our
souls should long for their sacred societh and
for unalloyed fellowship with our mutual
Friend and Redeemer.—Sunset Thoughts.
A WIDE FlELD. —Southern Kansas is a land
destitute of the means of grace ; its fine and
fertile prairie lands are drawing emigrants,
and their wants should be met. The Rev.
H. K. Samson of Humboldt. says,: "My field
of labor is quite extensive, and needs six good
ministers, where we have but one. My ap-
Wintments are in three counties, viz : Allen,
oodson and Coffey, and I have seven
preaching stations. If any of our brethren
in the ministry want a largeplacetp labor in,
let them come to southern Kansas, and I,
will guarantee a large farm and "a 'free Pas
tur for horses and cows,' with abinvlince of
good beef and-cont Bread without
G. W. M