3ttritat ttotegtrtiait.
THURSDAY, OCTOBER 19, 1866
AGENTS WANTED.—Agents to can
vass for this paper in different sections
of the Church are wanted. Especially
for this city and vicinity; one for
central and western New York, and one
for the West and Northwest. Address:
AMERICAN PRESBYTERIAN, 1334 Chest
nut Street, Philadelphia.
NEW PREMIUMI3.—For two new sub
scribers, paying full rates in advance,
the new Life of John Brainerd, elegant.
ly bound and gilt and postage prepaid.
For three new subscribers: Life of
John Brainerd and Zulu Land, postage
extra,
For thirty-five new subscribers paying
full rates in advance, or fourslubs of ten
each, a FIFTY-FIFE DOLLAR SEWING MA
CHINE, of Grover & Baker's make.
WE LEARN, with great satisfaction,
that Rev. Herrick Johnson, pastor of
the Third Presbyterian Church of Pitts
burgh, has' returned from an extended
tour in Europe, with greatly improved
health. He resumed his public minis
trations to his own people last Sabbath.
ORDINATION 01' AN EVANGELIST.-
The Second Presbytery of Philadelphia,
on the 4th - instant, ordained Rev. Geo.
L. Shearer. Mr. Shearer'continues to
occupy the important position of District
Secretary of the American Tract Society
at Richmond, Va. Our readers are
familiar with the welcome initials, " G.
L. S."
WHARTON STREET CHUROH.—The first
year of the existence of this Church ter
minated on last Sabbath, the 15th, when
26 new members sat down with the
church at the Lord's , table, 22 of them
celebrating the feast for the first time.
All of these were heads of families. 132
have been received during the year; 73
on profession. They have contributed
$3,000 to outside causes. The congre
gations already make the building too
strait. The' church is a complete suc
cess,-and a reward to - the faith of the
Lord's handmaid who bequeathed her
substance to build it . ,•ai well as. to the
faith of those that located and have sus
tained-this enterprize. A glorious mils
sion is before it, in giving the Gospel to
the masses. A movement will soon be
made to give it a parsonage, which is
very needfal to complete it as a mission
church.
CHURCH NEWS-EAST AND WEST.-
Our readers have not failed to observe
that, in general, a large proportion
of our items of news of our churches
comes from the west. The reason
is a very simple one. Western pas
tors have acquired the good habit of
communicating to the papers interesting
facts in the condition of their churches:
We are sorry to say that, in the east,
this is true only to a very, limited extent,
and it is almost by chance that editors
catch up here and there an account
which God meant for the use of the
church general, and which it is wrong to
withhold. We beg brethren to remember
that churches live best in each other's
sympathies, and to tell us what things
God is doing for them. We may be—in
fact often are unable to publish anything
more than a compendium of such com
munications, but they all help us in our
work.
THE ROYAL ROAD TO CHURCH PROS
PERITY.—Rev. Samuel Ward, of Illinois,
thus writes to the " Presbytery Re-
porter :
" Let it be remembered, however, that our
church is not built up mainly by protracted
meetings. The Presbyterian Church, per
haps of all others, holds to the observance of
the Sabbath for religious purposes, and also
to the religion of the family. The church of
God was organized in a family. Abraham's
piety is developed mainly by family culture—
the father as family priest, ministering morn
ing and evening of every day, and the minis
ter of the Gospel, as pastor, laboring faithfully
with the families of his charge, either alone,
or with an elder, as opportunity offered, dur
ing the week : and on the Sabbath, from the
sacred desk, giving clear, forcible expositions
of doctrine and practice. Once an excitement
church in the bounds of Pataskala Presbytery
commenced meetings, declaring they would
hold on till all the town was converted. They
accomplished nothing."
THE PRAYER-BOOK BEFORE THE
BIBLE.-Our neighbor of the Presbyte
rian. droPped in at the meeting of the.
Bishop White Prayer-Book. Society, on
Sabbath evening,"and heard the addresses
of several` prelates, including the Lord
Bishop of Montreal. He says :—‘, In
the course of his dreary sentences the
Lord Bishop of Montreal had hinted that
he preferred the Prayer-book to the Bible
for instruction of the people in religious
truth. Bishop Talbot, of Indiana, took
-up the point, and made a definite, de
cided utterance on the subjet. He said,
and begged to make the remark em
phatic, that if he was forced to choose
between sending the Bible or the Prayer
book to the ignorant and perishing, he
would choose
,the Prayer -book.' He
reiterated the -remark, and enforced it
with the reason that the Prayer-boOk
contained the faith of the Bible,' and
therefore was to be chosen in preference
to the Bible ", It is but justice to a
portion of th u d'; American Episcopal
Church, to express our belief that this
run-mad churchism meets no other re
sponse than loathing in their feelings, and
none the less so because it comes from
mitred heads.
THE AMERICAN PRESBYTERIAN, TFITTRSDAY, OCTOBER 19. 1865.
TIE WIRZ TRIAL.
The public have doubtless read with some
astonishment the statements of Frechnor,
and other witnesses for thydefence, in re
gard to the traffic in provisions, clothing,
money, lumber, and even real estate, going
on in the Andersonville prison pen. One
might almost imagine that instead of being
a den of horrors worse than the Black Hole
of Calcutta or Cawiipore, it was as lively as
a bazaar or an agricultural fair. Some
might be disposed to impeach the veracity
of the witnesses as mere tools of copper
head hatred to our brave and suffering
soldiers. We do not think this is necessary.
Admitting the statements to be true, the
enormous sums charged and obtained by
these traffickers in the mortal necessities of
their fellow prisoners, for their wares, prove
just as conclusively as the testimony of a
starving man could, the scarcity which pre
vailed. We understand that the wholesale
price of flour in greenbacks was $7O a sack,
probably not less than $2OO a barrel. What
it was doled out for to bur starving men, we
are not told; but we do learn that the
price of a single meal was ten dollars in
greenbacksgreenback& Now had there been an ex
traordinary amount of greenbacks in the
stockade, this exorbitant price might be
attributed to an "inflation of the currency;"
the same prisoner testified that there were
half a million dollars in greenbacks among,
the prisoners. How he found that out we
do not know, but we are arguing upon the
supposition of the truth of his testimony,
which must, of course, st4V or fall to
gether. Allowing twenty-five thousand
prisoners in the stockade, there were, at
one time, thirty-three thousand, a half a
million dollars divided among them would
give just twenty dollars Apiece, enough to
buy each man exactly two meals. If, as
afterwards testified by the same witness,
this- sum of money was in the hands of one
,
fourth of the prisoners, then this fortunate
moiety, with 80 dollars apiece, could have
procured eight meals each, while the re
maining three-fourths must be content with
the
. scanty and repulsiverations of the rebel
commissariat. Could any evidence more
effectually substantiate the case 'of the Gov
ernment ?, Have not the defence con
tributed, in this indirect and unforseen man
ner` most materially, to establish what
they essayed to destroy? Even the - adinis
sion of the same witness, that he actually
saw two men cut their own throats, for no
•
other reason that he could see but their
starving condition, and the admission, of
another witness for_ the defence that pure
water was sold in the stockade, could not
go further in strengthening thc.mttled con
victim! of the people as to the eLiracter of
this lowest and blackest pit, of the rebel
lion'.
Thelndian rebellionbad itsNeena Sahib;
tht Southern pro-slavery rebellion produced
a Wirz.
CLINCHING THE NAIL.
The Episcopal Convention, after receiv
ing with - open arms every Southern dele
gate that presented himself,' and one that
did not, gave final proof of its temper by
promptly layink upon the table, by a large
majority-of the lower house, the following
mild expression of patriotic feeling:
Resolved, That this House, in most cor
dially concurring, as it has done, in the
resolution of the House of Bishops appoint
ing a day of thanksgiving for the return
of peace to the country and unity to the
Church, most respectfully `express to the
HoUse of Bishops its earnest desire that, in
the religious services to be appointed for
that day, especial thanks ba offered to Al
mighty God for the re-establishment of the
national authority over, the.whole country,
and for the removal of the great -oecasion'
of national dissension and estrangement to
which our late troubles are due.
The press of our-loyal city, we perceive,
are freely expressing their estimate of the
character of this body—probably the least
loyal assembly that ever convened in the
city of American Independence. Says the
Bulletin :
" The master mind of the Episcopal Con
vention-now in session in this city is evi
dently Stephen Elliott, of Georgia. When
that eminent Southern prelate issued his
famous mandate to the North, ' Silence, if
you please,
but not one word of censure!'
he sounded the key-note to which all the
doings of the Convention have 'been care
fully and accurately tuned. The loyal sen
timent of the North is as effectually muz
zled as it ever was in South Carolina."
The Inquirer exclaims'
"Alas for the world when the Church
thus gives so uncertain a sound.' as to, - the
guilt of treason, and the blessings of reas
serted law and order under the high autho - -
rity of our national Governmint.'
BIOGRAPHY OF JOHN BRAINERD.- The
Missionary Herald contains a very ap
preciative notice of this admirable vol
time, from which we take the following
extract:—
• It is a model of religious and missionary
biography in _respect both`to the use of the
materials at'command and the treatment of
its subject. An eloquent and discriminating
essay on David Brainerd—whose memory,
(though his missionary career was only three
Years among degraded Indians, and more
than a century has elapsed since his death,
before his thirtieth birthday,) "is fresh and
fragrant wherever Christianity has- found a
lodgment in any part of the earth"—is a fit
ting introduction to the memoir of his less
known but little inferior brother. For seventy
years Mr. Brainerd's grave remained un
marked. The memorial of him, after the
lapse of a hundred years, is a pleasing illus
tration of the earthly resurrection which is
granted to mans good men whcise named "are
buried in obscurity.
FROM OUR CORRESPONDING EDITOR
SYNOD OP UTICA
This body commenced its annual meet
ing in the First Presbyterian Church of
Watertown, on Tuesday evening, 10th
instant. Opening sermon by Rev. J.
N. McGiffert, of Sauquoit. Rev. B. B.
Beckwith, of Gouverneur, was next morn
ing elected Moderator ; S. L. Merrill,
and J. B. Fisher, Clerks, and busißeSs•
began.
DELEGATES FROM SYNOD OF BUFFALO.
One of the first matters in hand was
an address by Rev. L. M. Miller, D.D.,
Ogdensburgh, as a delegate from the
Synod of Buffalo, to bear the fraternal
salutations of that body (0. S.) to this;
and most gracefully and heartily the dele
gate performed the task assigned him.
It appeared from Dr. Miller's speech that
the Synod of Buffalo, at its meeting the
week before, in Warsaw, had under con
sideration the subject of reunion between
the two branches of the Presbyterian
Churches, and that that body expressed
an earnest desire that such a reunion
might soon be attained.
They did not pretend to say how this
was to be effected, or when ; but as do
ing something toward that end, the Sy
nod of Buffalo appotnted two delegates
to visit this body, two to the Synod of
Genesee ; two to the • Synod ofVenevti,
and two to the Synod of Albany. Dr.
Miller appeared in the Synod of Utica
as such delegate, and was very kindly
and courteously received. In response
to his graceful and conciliatory speech
the Synod adopted an earnest minhte,
expressing its interest in the subject of
reunion; and appointed Rev. Dr. Gaert
ner a delegate, to visit the Synod of
Buffalo next year, and convey to it the
fraternal salutations of this SYndd. It
is hoped that by this exchange of cour
tesies, a good influence may be exerted
tending to the result so much desired
by a great many in both branches,of the
Presbyterian Church.
EDUCATION
-
In the absence of Dr. Mills,the sok
ject was ably presented by Dr., Gaertner,
of Hamilton College, seconded,hy .,. selr i e ,
ral very earnest speeches by mem
bers of the Synod. The want or a lift
able number of candidates for the holy .
ministry - was greatly deplored by all,'
ancl among other reasons for this want,
it was generally confessed that a'lack of
adequate suppor,t for those who are in
the ministry was a manifest and- pro
curing cause. If the church is to have
ministers, it must learn to support them.
In this connection it also appeared
that many yonng men are ready to study
for the ministry, but cannot do - it. for
want of ,means. The tfreshmen class in
Hamilton College consists of forty-five
members. It might have been sixty, if
the necessary aid could have been of
fered 'to the applicants for admission. It
was felt and acknowledged, that :the
amount of aid allowed to "young- men
studying for the ministry, by our com
mittee, is not sufficient for the necessities
of the present times. Something more
must; be done to encourage - young -men
of the right stamp , in this direction. We
allow them bat one hundred and twenty,
or fifty dollars, a year, while' a young
man in college or seminary needs twice
that sum.
On Wednesday afternoon the Lord's
Supper was celebrated - ; sermon by Rev.
Dr. Fowler ;
,administration .of the bread
by Rev. M. E. Dunham,,and of the cup
by Rev. J. E. Ford, returned Missionary
from Syria.
The church in 'Camden was trans,
ferred from the Presbytery of Oswegoto
the Presbytery '. of for!the - reason
that it comes mote naturallrwithiwthe
bounds of the 'latter.
On Wednesday evening the subject
of temperance occupied a part, bf tbe
time, -and Foreign MiSsions the restyin
chiding an address of great excellence
from Rev.' J. E. Ford, who has been
eighteen years a missionary of the A.
B. C. F. M. in Syria. He spoke -par
ticularly of the very favorable .openings
now presented for giving - the gospel to
the Arabic-speaking races, and of the
preparation made for that work by that
admirable translation of the Scirptures
begun by Dr. Eli Smith and recently
completed by Dr. Van Dyck. He told
also of the wonderful success of the gos
pel in Kessab, Aintab, Marash, and
other town in that part of the old world.
It was a speech of much interest and
value, and made a deep impression upon
the minds .of the audience. Mr: Ford is
one of our ablest and most useful mis-
mon anes
A painful interest was , added to this
part of the meeting, inasmuch as Rev.
Homer B. Morgan, an esteemed and able
missionary of the American Beard, was
expected to be present and address ns ;
bat instead of that, only a few days be
fore, had come the sad intelligence of his
death. His father is an honored elder
the Firat Preabyterian Church wheiC
the Synod met, and from which the mis
sionary went forth cu.his errand of mercy
fourteen .: years ago. His parents were
deeply afflicted by the news Of 'his death',
They had hoped to see his face once
more,but God had ordained otherwise,
and they bow to his will,.
After this meeting was closed, we had
a pleasant episode, in the way of calling
upon Major. General Hooker and his
bride, who bad arrived in town only the
evening before, and were stopping-at the
house of 0. V. Brainerd, Esq., his brother
in-law. The General looks hale, hearty
and fifty.. His bride is only suitably
less in years, but fair, blooming and in
telligent. Among her many accomplish
ments, it is said, she has forty . tbousand
a year. - •
Speaking with the General, we took
pleasure in acknowledging our indebted
ness and gratitude to such as he for
helping us through our troubles. He
said, we were not at all indebted to him—
he had only done his duty. " True,"
we said, "but you were able to do what
some of us could not do; we tried how
ever, to sustain you ; our clergy were
true to the country." " Yes," he said,
" but for the clergy, we could not have
succeeded." We were glad to find him
appreciating the patriotism of the clergy
so highly.
On Thursday morning it remained to
consider the cause of Pablication,Home
Missions, Home Evangelization, and the
Duties of our Church to the South. On
this latter subject it was expected that
Rev. Dr. Knox, of Rome, would greatly
interest the Synod by a report of his re
cent visit to 'East Tennessee ; but unfor
turnately for that interest he had not
returned, when we left.
The Synod is to meet next year in
Potsdam.
A SAD DELAY
Rev. Dr. Canfield, of Syracuse, and
his esteemed and excellent wife have
been sadly delayed, in starting on their
foreign tour, by the sickness , and death
of a beloved son, eighteen years of age.
He was a member of Hamilton College,
and was expecting soon to return to his
studies, but Providence ordered other
wise. He was a member of his father's
church, and has gone, it is believed, to
the, better country. On the afternoon
before his death his mother asked him
what he would have done with the one
hundred dollars which had been given
him to take to college. Instantly he
replied, " I give twenty-five dollars to
my College Society, twenty-five to my
brother Noddy, twenty-five to > Foreign
Missions, and twenty-five to Home Mis
sions."
The funeral was attended by Presi
dent Fisher and several of his .class
mates, sincere mourners on the occasion.
•
Dr. Fisher bore testimony to the excel
lent character of the deceased. He
‘-‘,never knew him to do an exceptionable
thing.'l •
Dr. and Mrs. Canfield, accompanied
by their youngest son, a lad of thirteen,
are now expecting -to sail for England
on the 18th inst., in-the Pirsia.
STILL ONWARD
Hamilton College never had so many
students as now;; and never - 11efore, we
believe, so many students having the
ministry in view. All this is encour
aging; bat the alumni, to whom a
special appeal has been made, are desir
ed to hurry..np the funds necessary to
erect a new library building. A. beau
tiful site has been selected for, it upon
the campus, directly in, front of the
Chapel, and the books are waiting in peril
for their fire-proof home. C. P. B.
- ROCHESTER, October 14, 1865.
FROM OUR, WASHINGTON CORRES
PONDENT.
WASHINGTON, October 1865.
If anybody wants a living demonstra
tion of the blasting influence ofslavery,
he has only to visit Washington about
this season of the year. Five years of
Northern rule and enterprise have' in
fused some of the spirit of improveinent
into the place, but it is still susceptible
of a higher order of civilization. The
chivalry who ruled the country in order
to ruin it, were in the habit of looking
upon.this city as their own, and it bears
abundant evidencepf = their thriftles's in
dolence. When a house was once erect- .
ed by them, it never received any further
attention, but was allowed to become
seedy and dilapidated by the wear of
time. There - iias no . effort rnade to
prove the. :primitive condition oki the ;
streets, because the lords of the lash
werein the habit of beingdriven'arotind
in carriages by their liveried slaves, and
they did not, therefore, care' much as to
the condition , of the streets.. It would
have been a 'material blessing to _this
City, if ti‘rentyiears ago the Souhernera,
bad committed' the same suicidal act
which they did four years ago. As it
is, hoWever, there is a prospect that not
many years hence, Washington will pre
sent than appearance, which ought to
characterize the capital of the great
Republic.
PREPARATIONS FOR CONGRESS. _
The Senate. Chamber and the Hall of
the Representatives, are already under
going preparkions for,the corning ses
sion: of Congress. As yet there are but
few : arrivalß of, Congressm9n, and those
who are here, are only on a visit. The
fall elections hi the North are absorbing
their time and. attention, and there is
great anxiety to carry all the elections
for the National Union party. A promi
nent Senator from MassachnSetts re
marked to me the other evening, that it
is more important the. Union party
`should carry the elections this fall than
ever before. ThiS he said, was espeei
ally necessary on account of the action
of the people of Connectient relative to
colored suffrage.
VIE POLICY OF CONGRESS
It is perhaps premature to hazard any
speculations as to the policy of the
thirty-ninth Congress. It will, without
doubt, be the most important session
which has been held for many years.
The vexed question of the reconstruction
of the late rebellious. States, will come
up for final settlement. The Southerners
will then learn whether or not the policy
of President Johnson is the policy of the
people of the North. His policy has
been so mild and conciliatory as to re
ceive the approbation of the Southern.
people of all parties. Even the Demo
crats of Louisiana, at their late Con
vention in New Orleans, while they
demanded the repeal of the Emancipa
tion Proclamation, and virtually asked
the Government of the United States to
shoulder the rebel debt, " endorsed the
reorganization policy of President John
son." It is very true, that these gentle
men have no other alternative, but then
it looks suspicious that they should be
so ready to adopt his policy. •
A couple of gentlemen, members of
the next Congress, one a Senator and
the other a
,member of the Rouse of
Representatives, told me, that in case
the National Union party is able to carry
the elections in the Northern States thi s
fall, they will then propose the terms
upon which the Southern delegation
shall be admitted. Those terms will
include something more than a mere
endorsement of President Johnson's re
organization policy. It will no doubt
surprise the Southern gentlemen when
these terms are propounded to them ;
for it is evident that they suppose an
endorsement, hearty or laggard, of the
President's policy is all that is requisite
to bring them back to the enjoyment of
all their political rights.
TEE RADICALS,
As they are called, are much more
powerful than their sneering opponents
suppose them to be. This will be ap
parent when Congress meets. They
claim to have a clear majority in both
Houses, and also on joint ballot. They
are not merely strong in votes, but in
Statesmanship and ability, and they
will present a very respectable, not to
say determined, front against any oppo
sition, no matter from what source it
may come. A clear conception of the
immense price paid for our National
salvation, and the steady determination
that no opportunity shall be left for the
repetition of the history of the past four
years, may be said to be the guiding
creed of the radicals. Aside from all
temporizing policies of mere expediency,
this is, after all, the great question to
be settled, and the whole country, is
anxious that it shall - be settled once and
forever.
THE `PRESIDENT'S POLICY
In the meantime, President Johnson
is anxious to give his " experiment," as
he calls it, a full trial. He proposes not
to be partial to it any more than he is
to any other policy. • Bat he thinks no
better one has yet been offered. If he
discovers that the Southern people abuse
his.. magnanimity, he will doubtless be
willing to turn them over to the tender
mercies of the Radicals or any other
enemies whom they now dread. But
the feeling is very general, that in many
respects the Southerners have got the
better of hini already, and, indeed, the
tone of their -press would indicate that
they have learned very little from the
experience of the last four years. They
are still disposed to bluster about State
Rights, and other heresies which pre
cipitated armed rebellion. If they -want
to be admitted into the Thirty-ninth Con
gress, all this must be abandoned. There
is one 'thing, which in justice to Presi
dent' Johnson, I think we are safe in
belieVing, and that is, that .he is honest
in-his intentions. He is a true patriot
and wants to do the best he can for the
country.
TICE NEGRO SUFFRAGE QUESTION
On this subje,ct I .cannot speak with
any sort, of confidence, I only know that
the President and a portion of the Cabi
net are opposed to it. Not, however,
as against the measure itself, but simply
on the' gronnd of expediency. The
Chronicle, which is understood to speak
for ,the Administration' here, has beei;k
advocating the *policy of making , this
a tent question in, the coming ',elections,
merely on the ground of its inexpedien
cy. I have not seen enough Congressmen
yet to know how the question stands.
With them. = Yon may be certain, how:.
ever, that the Radicals will listen to.no
pleas for expediency. They look upon
that mode of avoiding a question in the
same light as they do upon n compro
mise. If; holkiver, it becomes apparent
on the assembling of . Congress, that
there is no show for success in this mea
sure, the Radicals will scarcely allow
themselves to swing away from the
majority of their natural allies, the mem
bers of the National Union party.
A GOOD SUOGESTION.-A. writer -in
the Evangelist,' dating "at Baltimore, sug 7
gests the propriety of general church
action in view orthe approach of the
cholera. The matter should be urged.
The indications' of a visit froth this fear
ft:a pestilence are unquestionable, and
church courts can find no duty more
solemn and timely than to ,call for the
prayers of the country. One point in
the suggestion of the Evangelist's
correspondent may require -a second
thought He would prefer that the re-
commendation should come from the
Church rather than from the Govern
ment,lor the reason that the latter is
not of the body of the Lord. We are
disposed to think that, under national
scourging, God has a peculiar regard
for strictly, national humiliations, and
no other fasting and prayer can be so
emphatically national in its character,
as that which is observed under recom
mendation by the constituted authorities
of the nation. In view of the probably
impending calamity, we can think of no
preparation which would be so eminent
ly befitting as a public prockunation by
our highest civil authority, calling for
public humiliation and prayer.
FROM OUR EAST TENNESSEE CORRES-
PONDENT.
Ma. Eorron :—Your articles with ref
erence to Andrew Johnson are generally
read in East. Tennessee, and read by
some not quite ready to endorse all you
have written. They still have confi
dence in the President, and hope for the
best. Should the President strike off on
some side track ; should he disappoint
their reasonable expectations and discri
minate in the least in favor of treason,
then you might put your ear to the
ground and you would hear loud and
definite complaints.. The positive loy
alty of East Tennesseeans ; the expatri
ation, voluntary and involuntary, of
thousands of our rebel citizens ; the re,.
pid wheeling into line of some of the
worst rebel States, and some of the most
fanatical and extreme rebel leaders—are
all exerting a wholesome influence on
the public mind. Every rebel who
leaves; every violent rebel from whom
damages are collected; every charge to
a grand jury, and every exposition of
their duty to a justice's assembly, each
and all, exert an important influence on
public sentiment. .
MEETING OF UNION PRESBYTERY.
I have just returned from a meeting
of Union Presbytery held at Mt. Horeb,
Jefferson County. This was the•largest
of the four Presbyteries composing the
Synod of -Tennessee. A majority of its
ministers drifted into the United Synod,
and then into the rebellion The utter
overthrow of the aristocratic Confede
racy has somewhat affected them.
The Presbytery met on Friday, Sep
tember 29th, and was opened with a
sermon from Luke xx. 17, 18. Rev. T.
J. Lamar, Rev. Win. Harrison, Rev.
Wm. Lyle, and Rev. Win. H. Smith, and
thirteen ruling elders were present. Rev.
Mr. Griffes, stationed at. New Market,
was received from Saginaw Presbytery,
Michigan, Rev. John L. Craig, who
has been laboring several months in
Blount County, Rev. P. J. H. Myers,
stationed at Dandridge, and myself were
invited to sit as corresponding members.
COLORED ,CHURCH AND DELEGATE
A statement was made respecting the
First Colored Presbyterian Church, or
ganized by Rev. John B. Reeve at Knox
ville, Tennessee. On motion that the
Presbytery receive the church under its
care, the `request was granted, and Mr.
David Scram, the colored delegate, pre
sented the Records of the Session, and
took his seat as a member of Presbytery.
This church starts out with a member
ship of about twenty ; it has two elders
chosen and. ordained ; it has furnished
itself with the Church Psalmist, and
copies of the Confession of Faith; it has
organized a choir, and purchased a dozen
copies of the Eclectic Tune Book; it has
chosen a board of trustees and raised
three hundred dollars to purchase a suit
able site for, a house of worship which
they hope soon to build.
CANDIDATES,r
Mr. Benjamin Lee and Mr. M. M.
Harris, of Washington Church, were re
ceived under the care of Presbytery as
candidates for the ministry.
TOO MUCH MONEY
The former treasurer reported in the
treasury $507 60—almost all of which
was Confederate money. If Dr. Con
verse will take this kind of money for
pay, an order for the amount might cover
a part of the expense he has incurred in
sending hundreds of copies of the Chris
tian Observer to persons in East Teh
nessee, unwilling to ." lift, it" from the
.office.
.BEUVERA.NCE ON REBELLION
A committee was appointed to present
a paper on the subject of treason, and
the following document was adopted :
A - on'. committee report in favor of
PreSbytery endorsing fully the - action :of
the General Aiiiembly on Treason—
' The late're:bellion in our Government
• is'either right or wrong. it is either a
crime,'or it is no crime. That it is a
•
crime appears
First, from the fact that it is a viola
tion of a positive command of God's holy
word, " Let every soul be subject to the
higher powers ; for, there is- no power
but of God ; the powers that be are or
dained of God." Now, we hold that no
man can engage in a rebellion against
his government and be`guiltless, unless
it can be made to appear that the -goy
' ernment has long beeii tyrannical and
oppressive, and : that there is no other
possible method of obtaining redress.
Instead.of the United States Government
being oppressive, it has ever been-lin-
mane, and protected all its citizens In
every right: ' To lay - violent':-hands on
such a government, and endeavor to
break it up for the sole purpose of per
petuating and making more sedate, a
system of human bondage which has
bithertii been attended with great cruel
ties, we regard- as no ordinary crime.
Not only is it a crime against the civil
.Government, but it is a crime against
God, -for it is rebellion against his au
thority. • - • .
•
Second. It'appeartS to be a crime from
the consequences which have followed.
The Apostle Paul recorded, more than
eighteen hundred years ago, what would
be the consequen6e' of resisting right
fully-constituted authority, " They that
resist shall receive to themselves dam
nation." Damnation in this place means
punishment in this life. Now, the
very thing which the Apostle told us
long ago would= come upon the rebellions
has come upon `the South. Damnation
in all its fearful realities has come upon
her. With this declaration of Scripture
before us, and In view of the fact that
God has abhorred the rebellion blow& a