gmmau ||mftgtmau +
THURSDAY, SEPTEMBER 7, 1865.
'Western Church, Phila. —We are
happy to learn that J. Ford Sutton, late
of Howell, Mich., has accepted the call
to the pastorate of this church, and is
already engaged in the duties of the
position.
Errata. —A number of errors in
printing the names of journals and of
individuals in the article on the Theo
logical and Ecclesiastical Periodicals of
Germany, page 286, unfortunately
escaped notice. Some of them can be
readily corrected by the German student,
as Jalerbueh for Jahrbuch, Gegurwart
for Gegertwart. Christian W. Nieduer,
for Niedner, Weizfacker, for tyeizsacker,
Vetinger, for (Etinger, Sc. In the long
paragraph, 3rd column, under (4) Zeits
chrift fur H'istorische Theologie, instead
of “ unionistic accommodations, theolo
gy,” read unionistic accommodation-theo
logy.
THE BLOOMINGTON CHURCH CASE.
Some weeks since we made a simple
record of the fact, that the Old School
Church in Bloomington, Illinois, had
changed its ecclesiastical relation, and
come into connection with the New
School Presbytery of Bloomington. We
have seen no statement of the facts con
nected with the change, except from a
report in the Presbyterian of last week,
of the proceedings of a meeting of the
Old School Presbytery to which the
church previously belonged, convened
for the special purpose of considering
the case. Allowing exactness to this
ex-parte statement, we see in the affair
nothing worse than a following of numer
ous precedents from our Old School
brethren, in their manner of reception of
churches from our connection in time
past. The report of the proceedings of
the 0. S. Preßbytery is long. The facts
in the case, according to their represen
tation, are these:
At two distinct meetings of the church,
viz: May 31 and June 13, 1865, it was
resolved to withdraw from the jurisdic
tion of the 0. S. Presbytery of Bloom
ington, and ask for admission to the
N. S. Presbytery, of Bloomington. The
majority on the vote is not stated, but
the application for admission waß signed
by seventy members, and sixteen others,
not members. Subsequently fifty-nine
members, and twenty-three persons, not
members, signed a paper, maintaining
that they, with others, constitute the
perpetuity of the 0. S. Presbyterian
Church of Bloomington. The Presby
tery alleges and makes account of the
fact that, at a previous meeting, certain
persons were debarred of their rights as
voters, by having withdrawn from the
worship and support of the church, but
it fails to state why, if their votes would
have changed the majority, they are not
made on the second paper which was
entirely under O. S. management. It
also alleges as an irregularity, that others
than church members were allowed to
vote, but overlooks the plain fact that,
putting both papers together, the exclu
sion of the votes of non-communicants
would have considerably increased the
N. S. majority.
It appears from the Presbytery’s
account that the dissatisfaction of the
majority with their ecclesiastical rela
tion, grew out of the reversal of the
judgment of the session by the higher
judicatories, twice repeated in the case of
the same defendant, whose enforced
membership with them became intolera
ble. We need to hear more before know
ing how much account to make of this.
The Presbytery complains of the in
justice of the change, in view of the fact
that the church was, in its day of feeble
ness, when small and destitute of a
house of worship, aided up to strength
and position by the Board of Domestic
Missions, and O. S. contributions in
other ways. _ We presume that, in rela
tion to these matters, more remains to be
told, but even as the case here stands,
had the Presbytery no memory of
numerous cases exactly parallel except
that their application to the parties is
exactly reversed ? Say for example, the
Second Church in Bridgeton, N. J., and
the Fifth in Pittsburgh ?
The Presbytery, before adjourning,
laid the nest egg for another scandalous
church litigation in the civil court, by
declaring the change a mere “ secession,”
and that the 0. S. party are of right the
church, and as such entitled to the per
petuity, possessions, etc. The chief
dogma upon which this decision was
founded, appears in the following reso
lution :
Resolved, That, in the opinion of this Pres
bytery, no Presbyterian, church in its organized
;capacity , h as any constitutional right to change
its ecclesiastical relations; therefore the at
tempt of a portion of the First Presbyterian
Church of Bloomington to transfer said church,
m its organization, to the New School Pres
bytery, is in its nature schismatical and void. ’ ’
■Without, pausing to discuss this latest
and most unbearable assumption of eccle
siastical government, we would like to
know whether its astute originators pro
pose for it an etc post facto operation,
and thus turn over to us some fifty or
more churches, which, “in their organ
ized capacity” changed their ecclesiasti
cal relations to the then stronger church
of the Old School. The 0. S. Bloom
ington Presbytery will never obtain from
its church at large, an endorsement of
that doctrine. The 0. S. Church, as a
whole, is too wise and too wary thus, in
the face of its own history, to stultify
Itself.
THE AMERICAN PRESBYTERIAN THURSDAY. SEPTEMBER 7. 1865
FROM OUR CORRESPONDING EDITOR,
AUBURN SEMINARY.
We have had the opportunity of look
ing upon the changes which have been
made thiß season upon the buildings and
grounds of this institution, and must
heartily congratulate the students and
professors upon the manifest improve
ment, both in respect to appearance and
comfort The high stone steps, which
were almost falling down, are being
solidly relaid. The wood-work, cornice
and window casings, have been painted
brown; the rooms repainted, papered,
carpeted, and in part refurnished; the
grounds graded in the rear of the Semi
nary building, and other important im
provements made in that direction.
Thanks to Dr. S. Willard, of Auburn,
for some of these, and for constant at
tendance and care and liberality in car
rying these improvements through. The
institution is much indebted to this hon
ored benefactor for his efficient agency
in this matter.
But this is not all the improvement
which Auburn is attempting at this time.
By request of Professor Huntington, and
the suggestion of the Faculty, it has
been determined to divide the depart
ment of Biblical Instruction, and as
soon as possible have two Professors,
one of Hebrew and one of Greek. Pro
fessor Huntington will retain the Greek
and continue to give instruction to some
extent in both departments for the pre
sent; and at the same time Mr. James
E. Pierce, a graduate of the last class in
Auburn Seminary, is appointed adjunct,
or assistant Professor, for two years,
with the understanding that he. is to be
made a professor in full at that time, if
he proves to be the right man for the
place.
Mr Pierce is a graduate of Middle
bnry College, has also been a tutor in
that institution for one year, and has'
everywhere acquitted himself as a young
man of fine promise; and it is confi
dently believed that he is just the man
for the place.
For the endowment of this new Pro
fessorship of Hebrew, a liberal gentleman
of New York, in addition to other
princely benefactions to this Institution,
contributes fifteen thousand dollars ; Mr.
William E. Dodge, five thousand; J. N.
Starin, of Auburn, one thousand; and
other donofß other sums, so that Only
two thousand two hundred and fifty dol
lars remain to be raised to complete the
endowment. It is not doubted that the
friends of the Seminary Will soon furnish
the remaining amount, and Auburn will
soon have two full professors in the de
partment of Biblical Instruction. In
these indications of increasing prosperity
in this highly favored Institution, all the
friends of sound theological learning will
greatly rejoice.
ON OUR TRAVELS AGAIN.
And this time we came pretty near
going to Jerusalem. Surely, all will
sympathize deeply with us when we
confess that we did not quite reach the
place—we were compelled to turn back,
not, indeed, on account of the cholera,
but because we were in a hurry to get
home. But fortunately for us, it was
not the real Jerusalem, not even- an
ancient city, or a small village, but only
a broad, well-cultivated township of
farms and farmers, famous chiefly as the
scene of Jemima Wilkinson’s teachings
and impostures. Here she led a settle
ment into the wilderness ; here she had
her fertile thousand acres as her portion;
and here, for many years, she ruled her
followers with despotic sway.
But we did not go to Jerusalem. We
stopped at Prattsburgh, six miles this
side. This is a pleasant village, nestled
among the hills, about equidistant (fif
teen miles) from Bath on one railway,
and Penn Tan on another. To those
who cannot bear to return to the old
stage coachs, it is almost inaccessible;
and yet it is not dilapidated, but bears
an air of thrift and comfort, such as you
would expect after looking upon the good
farms lying around it.
But the beßt part of every place is
the churches. Here Kev. D. D. Greg
ory, formerly of the Tabernacle Church
of Cincinnati, preaches to a large and
interesting congregation. Here, also, is
the “ Prattsburgh Academy,” an institu
tion which was once the most famous of
all the academies in this region. Among
the “ boys”- which it has sent abroad,
we might name Rev. David Malin,
pretty well known in the city of Bro
therly Love Rev. J. E. Benton, of Cali
fornia; and Rev. Jacob M. Manning, of
the Old South Church, in Boston. **
We will only add for the benefit of
“ Observer,”* that this is only the eighth
time within about a year in which we
have spoken of matters within the bounds
of the “ Presbytery of Steuben,” for
whose enterprise and activity we have
great respect.
S. S. INSTITUTE FOETY MILES LONG.
We recently heard of a pleasant inci
dent which occurred in connection with
the Sabbath-school Convention in Og
densburgb, in July last, of which we
made mention at the time. As Mr. Par
dee left to return to New Tork, by the
way of Rouse’s Point, he found a goodly
number of the friends of Sabbath-Bchools,
who had been in' attendance at the Con
vention, upon the train with him. Or,
rather, they found him, and “cornered
him or in some way, at least, and not
unnaturally, we may be sure, they ga
thered at one end of one of those palace
cars upon the Northern Railway; and
by some sort of organization, formal or
* A correspondent, who in a previous pa
per spoke of Steuben Presbyteiy as tome
what overlooked.
informal, they soon constituted a real
Sabbath-school Institute, and all were
sitting at Mr. Pardee’s feet for instruc
tion. The questions and answers, and
discussions and instruction, were kept
up with great interest and animation,
we are told, during a ride of forty miles;
and those who were so fortunate as to
be of the party, regarded it as a most
instructive and profitable season. If
that is not sowing beside all waters, it
is scattering truth upon " some of the
highways of the earth. ?
CHURCH IMPROVEMENTS.
The good people of the Presbyterian
Church in Clean* under the faithful
labors of J. B. Beaumont, are repairing,
refitting, frescoing, and greatly'beautify
ing their house of worship. They are
also securing an organ, and giving other
signs of improvement and prosperity,
which it is pleasant to notice.
We might say the same of Huron.
They are getting a parsonage for the
minister, Rev. William Lusk, and a bell
to call the people to the house of God.
PERSONAL.
Rev. Willis J. Beecher, of Ovid, has
received and accepted a call to -a profes
sorship in Knox College, at Galesburgh,
Illinois. Mr. Beecher is a young man—
has been settled in the ministry but
little over one year, but gives promise
of being competent to fill the place to
which he is called.
Rev. Mr. Crum, of the Dutch Church,
has been called as pastor of the Presby
terian Church of Seneca Falls, and it is
probable that he will accept.
Rev. F. A. Spencer, recently pastor
of the Congregational Church in Terrys
ville, Conn!, is engaged to supply the
pulpit of the Presbyterian Church in
Fulton, for the present, and has gone
there to reside.
Rev. E. B. Van Auhen, recently of
Honeoye Falls, is meeting with encour
agement in his new field of labor, at
Mendon. The congregation has consid
erably increased under his ministry, and
is giving signs of new life and enter
prise by the purchase of an “automatic
organ” for their church, at an expense
of some two hundred and forty dollars.
This Society was much run down, and
considered itself very ' poor; but ’it is
cheering to find that, after making con
siderable advance on the salary they
formerly paid to their minister, they
should give these further tokens of re
newed life.
Rev. Hr. Canfield, of Syracuse, is ex
pecting to sail for the old world on the
4th of October. We were happy to
learn, on our recent visit to Syracuse,
that he does not go alone—he takes the
very best company he can possibly get,
his wife. We congratulate him on
being so attended.
We learn, also, from good authority,
.that Rev. Hr. Curtis, of Elmira, ig, ex
pected ‘ home from Europe about this
time, and that his new church is nearly
completed, and will probably be dedicat
ed soon after his return.
The salary of Rev. Isaac Clark, of
the Second Church in Elmira, has been
raised from eight hundred to fifteen hun
dred dollars—a good advance; all things
will go better for it. C. P. B.
Rochester, September 2, 1866.
* The types made our correspondent “W.
W. T.,” in last week’s paper, speak of these
improvements as costing three or four hun
dred dollars; it should have been three or
four thousand.
THE DEMAND FOR MEN.
Presbyterian Rooms, 150 Nassau Street, \
NE]r,YopK,Sept. 1, 1865, /
To the Pastors and Elders or the
Presbyterian Church :
Hear Brethren: —You will observe
that the last annual Report of the Home
Missionary Committee, which has been
sent to you by mail, makes an earnest
appeal for more laborers with which to
prosecute the Home Missionary work.
The late General Assembly also called
attention to “the great destitution of
ministers of the Gospel, and the fields
opening ‘ white for the harvest,’ ” in the
following words:
“It is a matter of great perplexity and
sorrow, that so few young men are ready
to give themselves to the hardships of
the Home Missionary work. We may
be allowed to express the hope, that our
presbyteries and churches will make it
a chief and constant duty, to induce
godly and able young’ men within their
influence to prepare for this sublime and
most honorable service, to imitate the
fathers in Christian enterprise and self
sacrifice. They are needed at the fron
tier.”
In view of the great lack of men they
also passed the following resolution, viz:
“That, in view of the loud call of
Providence at the present time for a
great increase in the number of earnest
and faithful ministers of the Gospel,
pastors and elders be enjoined to make
this a subject of earnest presentation to
all the churches.”
But as yet the Committee experience
no relief. It is not time that they should
from such sources. Meanwhile the de
mand grows more and more pressing
every day.
Our Synodical Agent in Wisconsin
write ( s:
“ How glad wontd I be if I could secure
five or six missionaries for these vacant
fields. 0 for another spirit to pervade
the hearts of the ministry 1 How much
there is in these fields to encourage self
denying efforts to build up the. Redeem
er’s kingdom. Mow shall we get the
men ?”
Says one of our District Secretaries
“I need eight or ten men—l need
them note. I know of but two men to
whom I can write with any hope of suc
cess.” “My great want is men.”
A missionary in the Northwest, who
preaches at foqr different stations, says :
“Most of the time I preach to full, often
crowded houses; I have had to refuse
quite a number of requests to go and
preach in destitute places. Those who
will, may gather their bosom full of
golden sheaves. We want men; the
very best men. They can build up
churches almost anywhere; for this
whole State is almost entirely unoccu
pied. In our young men who enter
into the ministry I fear there is not
enough of the good old Apostolic type
of Christianity that leads them away
from home and kindred into the waste
places of our land.”
This is the language that continually
comes to us from the frontier.
Whatever may be said of ministers
at the East without charge, or the great
number of candidates ready to occupy
permanent positions, leading Borne to
suppose there is an excess, it is un
questionably true that there is a very
great lack of ministers in our connec
tion.
Such Presbyteries as Utica and
Watertown, and Cayuga and Western
Reserve lament the great difficulty in
filling the pulpits of their vacant chur
ches. In no part of the country have
we acceptable ministers enough to meet
the demand. But especially is this true
at the West. Here openings multiply
continually, and the Macedonian cry,
“ Come over and help us,” is sent back
through all the ranks of the ministry at
the East, and yet every one we send in
response to that call seems to create a
demand for more.
Long lines of railroad can be found
on which Presbyterian churches are lo
cated only at wide intervals. Towns
contiguous to each other, and in some
instances whole counties, can be found
without a single Presbyterian church.
And yet the people were never more
ready to hear the Gospel than now.
Wherever the minister of Christ goes
among them they gather in great num
bers in school-houses, and at almost any
hour on the Sabbath, to hear the Word.
It is the universal testimony of mis
sionaries, that a great harvest might be
reaped, and rapid and indefinite expan
sion given to our Church if we only had
the men. Wherever they go beyond
-their ordinary limits, and preach in some
new township, representatives from some
township beyond meet them and beg
them to come and preach 'to them the
Gospel also.
So God has set before us an open
door, and we are sending men to the
West continually. But we' cannot find
half an adequate supply.
There are, indeed, men who are will
ing to go and occupy the prominent po
sitions—take possession of growing
towns and great railroad centers. But
the men who are willing to go and lay
foundations, create their own field of
labor and usefulness, as young physi
cians or lawyers do ; who are un willing
to reap that on which they have be
stowed no labor, and willing to endure
the hardness for Christ which other men
endure for gain, are very difficult to find.
Some shun the heat, and some the cold,
and some the distance from friends and
literary advantages—and thus multitudes
that might be saved are left without the
Gospel, which is the “ wisdom of God
and the power of God to salvation.”-
With such doors open before as, with
such resources as our Church possesses,
with such a prestige as God has given
us before the people, is it not a shame
that we are doing so little to evangelize
the country ? We want scores of earnest
and faithful men to send out at once.
California, and Nevada, and Idaho, and
Montana need them, but the States of
the Mississippi valley need many more.
We make our appeal, therefore, to pas
tors and elders, and especially to Pres
byteries and Synods, about to meet, to
consider this matter and see if the requi
site number of the right men cannot be
found. Are there not chaplains or those
engaged in the Christian and Sanitary
Commissions, recently returned from the
army, or Theological students who had
nearly completed their studies before
they entered the army, inured to and
scorning hardships, to be found in many
of our Presbyteries who have as yet no
field of labor ? Are there not other coura
geous young men, who for some cause,have
occasion to desire a change of place ? If
they do not aspire to the “ chief seats,”
we could speedily locate them all.
We beg to be informed of any such
that we may enter into correspondence
with them; and that they speedily may
be “ about” their “ father’s business.”
At the same time we are persuaded
that the demand will he so great for
years to come, that an adquate supply
of ministers cannot be found for the
work of our Church unless a far greater
number of young men are induced to en
ter the ministry; and therefore we can
not do less than cordially endorse the
action of the Assembly, hoping that this
subject will be presented to all the
churches, that if possible “ godly and able
young men ” may be prevailed upon “to
prepare for this sublime and most hon
orable service; and that the whole
Church will pray the Lord of the harvest
to send forth more laborers, ‘for the har
vest is great and the laborers are few.’ ”
By order of the Committee.
H. Kendall, Secretary.
Brinkley Hoenesby of Johnson County,
Missouri, has brought suit in the Circuit
Court of that county, against Stirling Price,
James S. Rains, and thirty others for $50,000
damages, “for injuries arising from false im
prisonment.” s
LETTER FROM EAST TENNESSEE.
Ms. Editor: —Since writing you,
Holston Presbytery has had a meeting
in conformity with the following call
To aU Presbyterian Ministers and Churches
within the bounds of the Solston Presbytery.
With a view to carry out the plan of the
General Assembly of the Presbyterian Church,
that met in Brooklyn, N. Yj, last May, for
reorganizing Holston Presbytery upon a basis
of loyalty to “ the powers that be,” you are
earnestly and cordially invited to meet m
Greeneville, Term., on Friday, at 11 o’clock,
A. M., the 18th day of August, 1865.
We believe that ministers of the Gospel,
who have encouraged, aided and sanctioned
the plans and efforts of men seeking the over
throw of the best government that God ever
gave to man, have committed a real wrong,
which should not only be confessed, but heart
ily forsaken, and that such ministers should
be required to refrain from the functions of
their office so long as their brethren might
think necessary for the honor of religion.
We are well aware that we sever ourselves
from brethren with whom we have taken
sweet counsel, and shared delightful
in former years; but if they can see no wrong
in giving encouragement and praying for the
success of men that for four long years have
striven, by wicked and barbarous. means, to
break down the institutions of this land, the
final experiment of the world in free govern
ments, we say let the separation take place.
With no disposition to . make loyalty the
whole of religion, in no Spirit of revenge,
with no war feelings, nor ambition, nor envy
in our breasts, but striving for the purity and
prosperty of the Church of Christ, let us come
together; and that we may return to “the
old paths,” and have the spirit of former
days, we would suggest the observance of
Friday, the first day of the meeting, as. a day
of fasting and prayer, for the outpouring of
the Holy Spirit, and the revival of religion in
all our Churches. F. A. McCorkle.
It. P. Wells,
J. W. Elliott.
As Rev. Nathan Bachman was absent,
Rev. J. W. Elliott, Missionary of Assem
bly’s H. M. Committee was,- by general
agreement, substituted in his place, and
after sermon by Rev. Mr. Dixon, of Wis
consin, the Presbytery was constituted by
prayer. ' There were present, Rev. R. P.
Wells, Rev. Samuel Sawyer, Rev. J.
W. Elliott, and Elder Snapp, of Greene
ville Church, Chancellor Seth J. W.
Luckey, of Jonesboro Church, S. F.
Hughes, of New Bethel Church, and
Wm. Grace, of Timber Ridge Church.
Rev. Messrs. Dixon, Convention of Min
eral Point, Wisconsin, Griffes, of Sag
inaw, Presbytery, Taylor, of Rochester
Presbytery, Dr. McCorkle,, of Holston
Presbytery, (0. S.), and Rev. John B
Reeve, of Fourth Presbytery, Philadel
phia, being present, were invited to sit
as corresponding members.
A letter was read by Rev. J. W. El
liott, from Rev. Daniel Rogers, O. S.,
Kingsport, requesting to be enrolled a
member of Holston Presbytery, on the
ground that his convictions and feelingß
were with Union men, and that he could
not consent to have himself connected
with a sectional body. Rev. F. A.
McCorkle, 0. S., on the following day
made a similar request. Both requests
were granted, and their names enrolled.
The name of Rev. Samuel A. Rhea,
Missionary to Persia, was inserted in
the roll for a like reason.
Rev. J. B. Reeve, Assembly’s Mis
sionary to the Freedmen, by request of
Presbytery, made a statement respecting
his mission to Tennessee, and the con
dition and prospects of his work. The
statement was listened to with marked
interest, after which the following min
ute was unanimously adopted:
In view of the fact that the Freedmen
of the country have been thrown by the
thousand upon our hands, and recogniz
ing our obligations to do all that we can
for their elevation and evangelization,
therefore,
Besolved, That we hail with joy the
presence of Rev. John B. Reeve in our
midst, under commission of the General
Assembly’s Home Mission Committee, for
the purpose of looking after the religious
interests of our colored people. We cor
dially welcome him and pledge him our
most hearty co-operation in advancing
his noble work.
The following resolutions were also
reported and adopted.
Resolved, That as our Zion has been
desolated by the ravages of war during
the last four years, we have been cheered
by the-grand welcome extended by our
last General Assembly to our loyal min,
isters and churches in East Tennessee,
and their hearty promise of aid and co
operation in the great work of re-con
struction ; and regarding these things as
prophetic of a blessed future to our
Church, in this region, we thank God
and take courage.
Resolved, That the ministers who are
invited by our vacant churches to settle
among them, will be welcomed by us,
and we will do what we_can to strengthen
and encourage them.
Resolved, That we approve the . de
liverance of the General Assembly,
which recently met in Brooklyn, New
York, on “the guilt of treason,” and the
resolution directing the Presbyteries of
the Synod of Tennesse, “ not to recog
nize or admit as a member of their re
spective bodies any minister known to be
disloyal to the Government of the United
States.”
Resolved, That the Christian liberality
•manifested by our brethren in the North,
and particularly in New York and Phi
ladelphia, in furnishing so many Sab
bath-school and religious papers, free of
cost to us, to meet our present demands,
and in pledging whatever may be needed
to supplement the salaries of the minis
ters called for as laborers in the bounds
of the Synod of Tennessee, deserves
and shall receive our hearty gratitude.
Resolved, That the circulation of the
Christian Observer, published at Rich
mond, Virginia, has done immense harm
m many of our churches, and as we can
perceive but little change in the spirit
and tone of that paper, we are glad that
it now finds its way to but few of our
families. „ „ ..
Besolved, That in the light of all the
horrors of the rebellion, we cannot but
regard the effort of the ministers and
churches, who have been or are disloyal,
to organize a secession Church, Presby
tery or Synod, on a sectional basis, or
even to maintain a merely sectional organ
ization, as highly criminal before God,
and likely to prove disastrous to all con
cerned.
The last resolution was drawn up in
view of the fact, that a meeting of dis
affected elements, who were unwilling
to go into a Presbytery with Union men,
was called by Rev. J. E. Zadlock, Old
School, and is to convene at Leesburg,
near Jonesboro’, on Friday next. T is
meeting may result in organizing a
Southern sectional Presbytery. The in
fluence of the Christian Observer is to
secure this result in every section of the
South. Old appliances are used by it
and its disunion friends to fire the blood,
to prevent reconciliation and brother
hood, and to keep alive dissension and
strife.
What these brethren mean we may
possibly understand, but what can be
their hope ? Having failed, with all the
encouragement they gave the rebellion,
to destroy the country, will they com
mence again, and by disunion in the
Church, dream at some distant day of
exulting over the downfall of the nation ?
Do they suppose the people have for
gotten that secession commenced its
work of madness in the Church ? Do
they think, after such a revolution as
we have had, that they can evoke hatred
to Northern men and Northern ideas ?
Do they not know that the vilest and
wickedest enemies the South ever had
were born among us, and brought up
among us, and that none are looked
upon with such fierce and quenchless
hate by the Union men of Tennessee,
than the native bom rebels who have
brought all the horrors of civil war to
our very door ? If they are wise, will
they not turn away from these sectional
ecclesiastical organizations, whose very
atmosphere must be death and desola
tion ? If the disunion Presbytery should
be fully formed, I may write further
with reference to it.
I forward you herewith, a circular
letter,* addressed to ministers- and
churches within the bounds of Holston
Presbytery. It will interest many of
your readers. Yours, very truly,
* This letter will be found on our corres
pondence page.
TO THE MEMBERS OF THE PRESBY
TERIES.
Messrs. Editors :—As the season is
approaching in which the Presbyteries
hold their semi-annual meetings, the at
tention of their members is respectfully
invited to the Ministerial Relief Fund.
The Stated Clerks are especially request
ed to place this subject on their docket,
that it may receive due consideration.
It is usual for Presbyteries to call for
reports on Home and Foreign Missions,
Education and Publication. It is hoped
that, in the future, reports on . Minis
terial Relief will also be called for. On
pages 29 and 30, in the Minutes of the
late General Assembly, there are several
resolutions on this subject, in which,
“ every Presbytery is directed to appoint
a Standing Committee, whose duty it
shall be to inquire into the necessities of
disabled ministers, and of the widows
and orphans of those deceased, with a
view of bringing the cases of such to the
notice of the Executive Committee of the
Relief Fund,” —and also, “ That the
Presbyteries earnestly request the
churches under their care to make annual
collections for this fund,” etc.
The necessity for more zeal in this
cause arises from the fact, that the re
ceipts are not nearly equal to the applica
tions for relief from the Fund.
Charles Brown, Secretary.
Sept. 5, 1865.
Philadelphia, 1334 Chestnut Street.
Delaware. —We have frequent occa
sion to refer to the field occupied by our
church in this State. No Presbytery
in our Synod throws around itself a
sounder and more evangelizing influence,
all things considered, than that of Wil
mington. If the State, as a whole, pos
sessed the same proportion of wholesome
sentiment which exists within the sphere
of the churches of that Presbytery, it
would have made for itself a different
record from that which now afflicts its
best people.
By the way, in looking over the edu
cational enterprises of that field, we
notice with satisfaction an apparently
new era of prosperity and usefulness,
opening to the Academy in Middletown'
the present pastorate of Rev. Dr. Pat
ton, late of this city. Middletown, loca
ted on the Delaware railroad, about fifty
miles south of Philadelphia, is a fine,
rural town, with society and surround
ings eminently adapted to make it a safe
and desirable temporary home for stu
dents Rev. Charles Holloway, as will
be seen by advertisement, has assumed
the proprietorship of the Academy, and
is also Principal. He brings to the sta
tion sound culture, watchful energy, and
ripe experience. The friends of Dr.
Patton will feel quite safe in entrusting
the training of their sons to any one for
whom he vouches.
A- New Edifice erected by the Pres
byterian Church, Carbondale, Pa., Rev.
Oliver Crane, Pastor, was dedicated
August 31. We have not the dimen
sions. Cost, with lecture room in the
rear, $15,000, all of which, except $l6OO
we rejoice to say, has been raised. ’
Samuel Sawyer.