HAVE WE A BIBLE RUBRIC? VII.
No such earnest desire to imitate
Christ’s example, even when he express
ly commands us to “do as he has done
unto us,” is displayed by Baptists, or
any save Moravians, in the observance
■of the ordinance of feet-washing. The
commentators take Quaker ground, aSd
say it is evidently symbolical. Some
of the theologians refuse it, on the ground
of its alleged disuse by the primitive
churches; assuming the invalidity of a
Divine warrant without the Church’s
signature. But you have ere this dis
covered, that they have no fixed princi
ples on this class of subjects. Witsius
makes sacraments before the flood. Gal
vin denies the rebaptism of John’s dis
ciples at Corinth. Hill says the appli
cation of ministerial authority in Scot
land is to be modified as the government
of the State is pleased to direct. He
gjygg power to the Church to enact
numberless canons in her Synods; but
the Westminster divines, equally afraid
of the Bible and the Synods, place both
under strict supervision of his Majesty;
who is to see that their transactions are
according to the mind of God. So that
Christ, the Church, and the king need
to combine to produce Church ordinan
ces in Scotland.
We have no king, however, in our
American Israel, and every Chnrch does
what is right in its own eyes. The
Lord’s Supper is generally regarded by
Christians as the most sacred of Church
ordinances, but that does not prevent
them from amending the Scriptural in
stitution to suit the convenience of our
modern customs. Even the Baptists,
who profess so great regard for Scrip
ture example in the other sacrament, in
dulge themselves in a free and easy
handling of this. But every Church
does so, in its own way. Thus, some
observe it annually, others monthly, a
few weekly, but all, I believe, eat this
Supper by daylight. Some sit, others
stand; other kneel, but none recline, after
the Lord’s example. Some churches
commune in consecutive sections at
successive tables, contrary to the primi
tive example and the idea of Church
communion. Others use leavened bread,
an utter abomination to Paul and the
apostles. Many observe solemn days
of preparation previously, forgotten ap
parently by Paul in his prescribed, course
of preparation. Others observe days of
thanksgiving afterwards; a custom ori
ginating at a revival at the Kirk of
Shotts in the last century. These addi
tions to the ordinance generally act as
encumbrances, and deter an over-burden
ed ministry from proposing its more fte-1
quent observance. All, even Baptists
—who will not admit children to the
other sacrament without an express New
Testament precept or example—admit
women to the Supper, for which there
is neither precept or example in either
Old or New Testament.
There is no attempt at uniformity in
the mode of administering. Even the
Papists have different masses. I have
been present when five ministers offici
ated at one of the divided communions
so dear to Scotchmen, in which the
words of institution, or some paraphrase
supposed to be equivalent to them, are
addressed, with exhortations, to each
successive section, and no two of them
used the same formula. I have repeat
edly heard aged and reverend divines
read Saul’s enquiry after a seer to find
his lost asses, and the reply of the girls
at the town-well thereto, as an exhorta
tion to communicants ; “by way of ac
commodation,” as they said, with perfect
gravity.
Now, all this is utterly inconsistent
with reverence for the Bible as a ritual
and rubric, or a belief that we are bound
to imitate closely the example of ‘Christ
or the apostles in worship. No Church
which believed this, would dare thus
wantonly to modify the Scripture mode
of celebrating the Supper ; for no higher
object, apparently, than mere conven
ience. But it is perfectly consistent
with the belief that this most sacred orf
dinance is merely one meant for the edi
fication of the Church, and therefore
changeable, according to the necessity
of its requirements. Indeed, k has al
ways appeared to me that our fathers
contrived their elaborate complications
of the simple Scripture institution, as an
assertion of their Gospel liberty to alter
and amend ordinances, and as their sol
emn protest- against the Baptist notion
of a Bible liturgy, rubric or ritual.
Omitting a number of other illustra
tions of ordinances invented, altered, or
amended by the Church, which I had
noted for comment, I shall close' the list
with one which is perfectly decisive of
the fact, that all modern Churches claim
authority to criticise, judge, and reject
Scripture institutions, and substitute
others more for edification. It is a case
which admits of no evasion about cere
monial impart, for it is a purely New
Testament ordinance. No spiritual de
fect; as in chrism, forbids its use. It
requires no local or temporary adjuncts,
but is perfectly practicable in every age,
and every clime, and was generally prac
ticed for centuries. ,
It is positively 'commanded by two
"apostles, in five epistles, -addressed to
Gentile and European Churches, in the
political and commercial capitals of the
world, and to several Asiatic Churches,
and the command is reiterated in a sec
ond epistle to one of these Churches. I
know not what a Divine Institution is,
if this be not: “Greet all the brethren
with an holy kiss.”
THE AMERICAN PRESBYTERIAN
Will you introduce it into yonr con
gregation ?
If not, why not ? Confess the truth.
You think it would be unedifying as a
departure from our Western habits. Ex
actly so. Indeed, the commentators
speak of it, with the greatest coolness,
as an Eastern " custom,” and one of
them says we have substituted shaking
of hands instead. But no Church now
obeys this apostolic precept.
The proof is irrefutable, that no
Church regards any Scripture institution
as binding further or longer than It
proves edifying to the Church Every
Church acts on the assumption, that she
may select and modify Scripture insti
tutions according to her need. All the
Churches invent and use ordinances not
commanded or exemplified in Scripture.
All easily set aside a Divine warrant as
of inferior authority to the customs of
modern society. All make the Church,
and not the Bible, the director of their
worship.
I express no opinion as to the propri
ety or sinfulness of such a course of
conduct: I merely call attention to the
facts. And the case being so, I may
be permitted to suggest that consistency
will not permit Churches treating Scrip
ture authority generally in this style, to
profess special reverence for it in some
particular case; as to substitute au
thority instead of edification as the rule
for the observance of some pet ordinance.
For He who said, “ Do this in remem
brance of Me,” said also, “I have given
you an example that ye should wash
one another’s feet;” nor iB there any
greater Scripture obligation on believers
to be baptized, than to- greet each other
with the kiss of charity. In this state
of things, a Church can derive no au
thority from the deposed Scripture for
imposing her mode of observing any or
dinance on other Churches; and none
but the Church of Rome claims a su
premacy of Church authority to compel
the conformity of other Churches to her
ritual; which has been generally re
garded as the mark of the Man of Sin.
A mutual toleration of each others’ vari-:
ous modes of worship, by all true Chris
tians, would therefore seem to be de
manded by consistency to our actual
position.
Our educational habits and prejudices
are so strong, and so various, that there
is no more probability of Baptist, Epis
copalian, and Presbyterian uniting in
one mode of worship now, than of Jews,
Greeks, and Romans conforming to one
style of worship in the dayß of the apos
tles : who therefore commanded that no
such uniformity of worship should be at
tempted, and who authoritatively tolerat
ed, in the same Christian Church, rituals
differing-far more widely than the most
gorgeous Episcopal from the baldest
Presbyterian service.
Such apostolical toleration would pre
serve the ministry from endlessjangling
about the husks of worship, and deliver
the Church from the demoralizing super
stition which elevates notions about or
dination, or baptism, or psalm books, to
the same visible importance as faith,
and holiness, and the witness of the
Spirit.
It would promote a disposition to
meditation on the principles, power, and
Divine Author of all true worship. Per
haps some peaceful souls might one day
find the lost way into the holiest, and
come forth with a pentecostal baptism,
to revive our dying and dead ordinan
ces, and deliver the Churches from the
rabbinical formalities of our second
temple, which we try to believe more
useful than the glorious departed She
kinah.
It would do something to prepare the
way for the healing of schisms, and for
that union of all his people for which
the Lord continues to pray. The pro
motion of this blessed union has been
the chief object of the publication of these
letters. May you, dear brother live to
see that happy day. N- P- l
WHY DO PEOPLE GO TO CHURCH I
In former days, they went to worship
God. In the good old Puritan times,
somewhat bigoted though they were,
father, mother, and children took their
decorous way to the sanctuary, and sat
with grave, attentive faces, through the
long prayers, psalms, and sermons, com
ing home at nightfall, to talk over what
they had heard, the least of the
grbup being expected to repeat the
text. Perhaps they were too literal and
strict, and sometimes made their Sab
bath observances a weariness to merry
children or reckless youth; but from
these homes, and that training, came a
race who kept the fear of God before
their eyes.
A stranger to religion would imagine,
on entering one of our city churches,
that the people came principally to be
seen. There is a flutter of feathers, and
a rustle of silk, and in walks Mrs. Emory
Complacent with her daughters. After
much preliminary arrangement of dra
pery and disposal of skirts, the ladies
are seated, drop their heads for a mo
ment on the back of the froht pew, and
then take a cool survey of the congrega
tion. Lucy whispers to Ma, who replies,
and then follows the direction of the
young lady’s eyes, smiles, and nods to
somebody at the other side of the church.
An old lady entering quietly, in a dress
destitute of .crinoline, and an old-fash
ioned bonnet, provokes merry glances
from the younger girls, who receive no
reproof from their parents.
Good taste would suggest quiet colors
and plain attire for church. In God’s
house all should feel their unworthiness,
and should appear in a garb befitting the
penitent, rather than the prince. There
should be less difference in the dress of
the rich and poor who meet together.
The latter often stay away because the
best they can afford is so inferior to the
rich robes that their fellow-mortals dis
play. He who tints the flowers in rain
bow dyes, and decks the fields with
green, and the heavens with hosts of
stars, does not object to our wearing
rich array, or wrapping ourselves in the
beautiful; but from lips of eternal love,
He has told us never to “ offend” a little
one, or throw a stumbling block in a
brother’s way.
Many people seem to go to church to
hear good music. “ Come to such a
place, they have magnificent music,”
you will often hear. And so the abom
in able custom of hiring singers has crept
into some churches, and heedless crowds
rush to God’s house to feast their ears
on operatic trills and scientific choruses.
Oh, for the good old days of simple
congregational singing! If praise is a
part of the worship of God, let us not
carry it on by proxy. Let the feeble
quaver of age, cracked thoug it be, be blent
with and lost in the volume of majestic
sound that rolls from. the full chest of
manhood ; and let childhood’s bird-like
carol be caught up and sustained by
the silvery voices of women. On, on,
and up to God let the anthem roll.
Whether the words be from David’s
sacred Psalmody, or from some sweet
hymn of God’s saints in later times, let
“ all the people” sing. Then young men
would cease going here and there, where
was a magnificent organ, or a soprano,
or a powerful contralto, and go them
selves to sing as their Maker meant
them to.
I think we all ought to go to church,
not alone as an act of worship, but/to
hear God’s truth, and. make a personal
application of it. Not to hear God’s
truth and to forget that it is his; his
message, his command, his letter of love,
and walk away, saying, “ Our minister
was very eloquent to-day! What lovely
weather!_” and straightway drift off to
subjects of thought and conversation,
that are as far as the antipodes from, the
sermon. Not to apply God’s truth to
somebody else, but to take home our
portion, as the Israelites their heaven
dropped manna, a portion of food for
the coming week. Oh 1 how often the
earnest thought that the subject has
awakened is dispelled, perhaps forever,
from the inembry of some half-awakened
hearer, by the untimely jest or improper
remark of a thoughtless member of the
church.
“ Take heed how ye hear 1”
M. E. M.
INTERESTING PRAYER-MEETINGS.
Mr. Editor: —l was in Washington
this week on Church business, and spent
three evenings amidst very interesting
scenes. Some may ask were you at the
President’s levee, or a theatrical or
operatical entertainment, or at some
spendid ball ? I answer, no. I was at
a far more interesting scene than either
of these. I wa§ where Jesus meets
with his people and bestows upon them
his benediction. Three successive even
ings 1 attended a prayer-meeting of un
common impressiveness in the Fourth
Presbyterian Church, Washington, D.
C., of which Dr. John C. Smith is the
pastor.
Tuesday evening, the 23d inst., was
a Union Prayer-meeting. The pastors
of the Fourth and Sixth Presbyterian
Churches, and their people, engaged in
this service. Dr. Smith, Rev. G. H.
Smyth, and Rev. C. P. Glover, conducts
ed the exercises. For about three
months the Fourth Presbyterian Church
has enjoyed a powerful and extensive
revival. At the last communion about
sixty persons were received as members,
three-fourths of whom were men —a very
unusual occurrence. The power of the
Holy Spirit is still manifest in the meet
ings of prayer. Some twenty-seven per
sons have exhibited deep concern for
their salvation, and some have been led
to embrace the Saviour since the last
communion. Several soldiers belonging
to General Hancock’s Corps are among
these.
The attendance on Tuesday evening
was large, and the services edifying and
impressive. • The use of “ The Social
Hymn and Tune Book” was a valuable
auxiliary at these meetings, and it is
held in high esteem in this and other
Churches of Washington. After the
introductory services, the meeting was
open for remarks or prayer by any one
present. One young man arose, a mem
ber of the Church, and with great
modesty and emotion, made a few re
marks and led in prayer. This young
man had been three years in the army,
during which time he was in thirty-four,
battles and five months a prisoner in
Belle Island. He made a thrilling ap
peal to the soldiers present, and called
upon them to espouse the cause of Jesus.
While a hymn was sung, all who de
sired an interest in the prayers of God’s
people, were requested to manifest this
desire by rising. Several of these sol
diers and other persons rose, and their
case was made a subject of special
prayer. One of these soldiers made
touching remarks in regard to a brother
who had died, as he feared, unreconciled
to' God. He confessed his neglect in
regard to the salvation of his brother,
and asked Christians to pray for him,
that he might be faithful in future to his
frifends and associates.
Wednesday evening was stormy nod
the attendance was not so large- Tlus
meeting was, however, intensely interest
ing. Besides the ordinary services con-
THURSDAY, FEBRUARY 8, 1866 %
ducted by the ministers present, quite a
number of the young converts and the
revived members of the Church made
brief remarks, confessing past deliquen
cies, and expressing a purpose, by God’s
help, to be more earnest in the cause of
Christ in time to come. A young man,
a member of the Church, who had lost
his right arm at the battle of Gettysburg,
said a few words in regard to his hope
in Jesus, and in a tender manner, urged
all present to rely on the same Saviour.
Another young man, said that the revival
had been blessed to his soul. It was
the. means of leading him to devote him
self anew to the service of God. A sol
dier said he had been restrained by fear
of man from saying anything for his
Lord. It was his desire to be freed
from this fear, and he made the present
effort to speak for Christ, in hope of
overcoming it. He asked Christians to'
pray for him, that he might never be
afraid to speak of Jesus in the presence
of his fellow-soldiers. Other soldiers
made a few remarks' in the same direc
tion.
Thursday evening, the 25th inst., clos
ed the religious services in the Fourth
Church for the week. A few rose and
asked an interest in the supplications of
God’s people, after which a few minutes
were spent in silent prayer. Before the
meeting closed, all present, so far as we
could observe, arose and sung a hymn
and pledged - themselves anew to the ser
vice of the Lord. These three evenings
of prayer and exhortation were extraor
dinarily solemn and impressive. May
the Holy Spirit be poured out on all the
churches in the land, and may He awaken
ministers and people to similar efforts
for the salvation of perishing sinners!
Philadelphia, January 27, 1866.
A PRESENT SALTATION.
While people have full belief in the
salvation of Christ, as a fact, they have
often indistinct notions as to that from
which it saves them. of it
as a salvation from their pains, their
distresses, their fears. Or, if they go
further than this, it is a salvation from
hell; from the punishment due to sin.
Along .with this idea, as thus shaped
and cherished, they think of the time of
its taking effect, as the time of their
death. It is, in fact, to save them at
death, but not till then. It has no opera
tive value till that event. It is, in fact,
a sort of specific, for the time of death.
It is something like extreme unction in
the Roman Catholic Church. If the
dying person is conscious of its efficacy
at that time, we argue well for him; but
if not, we have solicitude, if not fear, on
his behalf.
How, there is a vast amount of misap
prehension about - this matter. It is
doubtless a truth, that the salvation of
Christ does ultimately save his people
from their pains, and trials, and suffer
ings of all kinds. It is doubtless true,
too, that it makes their death a safe
event to them.
And yet it is true that it is not a
specialty for that which we call deathv
Christ’s salvation, on the contrary, is a
thing for life. It is a salvation from
what? from sin. He shall be called
Jesus, says the angel, not because he
shall save his people from death; nor
even in death; but from their' sins.
Were we to undergo no death; were we
to live on in this world, unchanged by
death forevermore, we should need
Christ, precisely as much as now, and
for the same reasons. Were there to us
no sickness, no pains, no sorrows, no
of worlds, the mission and
atonement of Christ would be needed as
much as now, and the reason is, that we
are sinners. We want Christ to deliver
us from enmity to God; from neglect of
God. We want him to save us from
the spirit of this world ; from that inor
dinate love of self which we so determin
edly cherish, and which infallibly de
stroys us, if unchecked. We want Co be
reconciled to God; death or no death.
We want to be restored to that image of
God, lost by sin. We want to be made
like God; because without his likeness
we are opposed to him; offenders against
his holy will. Without that likeness, we
are at work to pull down his kingdom,
and to set up the kingdom of Satan in its
place'. God desires that his kingdom
shall be set up in this world. Christ
came to establish his reign -here on this
very earth, where we. now are. When
we die, we go out of this world, and can
ordinarily do nothing more for Christ
here. ,We may, ’tis true, if redeemed
and washed, go elsewhere, and be per
mitted there to aid, in some way, in sus
taining that kingdom; but if we do
nothing till the article of death, and if
his salvation takes no effect upon us till
then, of what use are we, as regards that
great design, of redeeming this world
from sin? Are you willing to go
through with all your earthly life, at
enmity with God, an aid to Satan, till
the eleventh hour, to be saved, just as
you go out of the world ? Yes, “ saved;”
thattis the word; saved, as to your own
precious self; without the least care or
concern for that which so much concerns
God himself, viz:—The salvation of this
sinning and lost world ? Is that the
condition upon which you wish for
Christ? Is that the way in which you
look tor salvation ? A-h ! that will not
do. Get rid of your sins by repentance
and faith, without regard to suffering or
death and your death will take care of
itself-' or rather, God will take care of it,
and of you too. You want salvation
now, in the midst of your life and health,
and prosperity, and power to work for
.God’s kingdom. It was Balaam, the
lover of the wages of unrighteousness,
who said: “ Let me die the death of the
righteous.” Had he said, let me live
the life of the righteous, and acted as
he prayed, he would not be held up as
the sad case of a false and lost prophet,
as he is, and is to be to the world’s end.
The death testimony is good as far as it
goes; but the life testimony is far bet
ter. The first leaves room for doubt
and mistakes; the latter, for none.
There is no mistake about a true and
openly godly life. Get saved from sin.
Ambrose.
11 FAINT NOT.”
Mrs. A., the minister’s wife, and her
young friend, were alone, and the former
turned the conversation from other sub
jects to say: “ Permit me to ask you,
Ellen, if you hope you have a saving in
terest in Christ ?”
A repulsive change came over Ellen’s
fine countenance, and compressed lips,
and averted eyes were her only reply.
“It is a sad mistake,” resumed Mrs.
A. cheerfully, “ to regard this all-import
ant subject as one of which we cannot
speak frankly and freely, to one another.
I ask your confidence on this subject, as
a personal favor.”
Again there was no reply, save the
same look of sullen reticence.
, “ Dear Ellen,” pursued Mrs. A., “ I
am interested for your soul’s salvation,
if you are not. God, Christ, the Holy
Spirit, are interested. A bleeding, dying,
Saviour proclaims how deep the ,interest.
All heaven moves to saves you, and all
hell to destroy; yet, when I ask you in
love, if you are interested, you will not
answer me one word. O, is this right?”
Mrs. A. paused, overcome with emo
tion, but Ellen preserved the same un
broken silence.
“ I may not apologize for introducing
this subject,” resumed Mrs. A., forcing
back her tears, “ all other subjects are as
nothing beside it. But if you will not
speak, we cannot converse; yet I can,
and will, pray for you. Let me entreat
you to pray for yourself. Will you not
incline your head, to promise me that
you will ?’’
Head erect, and no reply.
“I am grieved, not angry,” continued
Mrs. A., “ and, as I said, I shall pray
for you; yet I must warn you, Ellen,
that no interest or prayer of mine, no
interest or effort of all earth and heaven
combined, not even the sacrifice of
Christ, the Divine and all Holy, can
avail to save your soul,dill you are your
self interested, and interested enough to
act in this matter. Inaction is sure de
struction. Inaction is all that Satan
asks.”
Mrs. A. said no more, and a child
coming in relieved the embarrassing
pause which followed; and Ellen’s
tdngue ran fast and free enough as she
■petted and praised the little one, and
entered with ease into every other sub
ject of conversation.
“ Whence the shadow ?” asked the
minister of his wife that evening, pass
ing his hand over the fair, but troubled
brow.
The wife told her husband whence
the shadow came. “ Only think,” con
cluded she, “ Ellen would not speak one
word, in reply to my kindest entreaties.
My heart is faint within me.”
“It is strange and sad,” sighed the
minister, the shadow falling on his spirit
too, “ yet must we do our Master’s work,
and confidingly leave the results, remem
bering that all hearts are in his hand.”
“ One of our young ladies, whom you
would least expect, and most desire, was
at the inquiry-meeting this evening, and
giving good evidence of a vital change
of heart,” remarked Mr. A. to his wife,
a month, subsequent to the scene above
described.
“ Can you mean Ellen M. ?” asked
Mrs. A., eagerly.
“ Even so, my love,” replied the min
ister, “ but you would never guess what
she says led her to give earnest attention
to her soul’s salvation. It was 1 a con
versation,’ (so she called it,) which you
had with her a month ago, which was
closed by your saying, ‘ Inaction is all
that Satan asks.’ ”
“ Is it possible !” cried Mrs, A., joyfully.
“ Conversation, indeed! She never
spoke, or moved; and I was so discour
aged by the result of. my effort, that I
felt almost as if I could never say a
word for Christ to another impenitent
sinner.”
“ I was disheartened too,” replied Mr.
A., “ yet God was pleased to use your
voice to arouse her soul from its death
sleep. Let us be grateful and learn a
lesson of trust.”
Mrs. B. writes practical articles for
publication, with the earnest hope and
prayer that .they may be made effectual
for the salvairion of souls., A friend, (an
impenitent friend, as she supposed,) said
to her in a letter, “We like your last
article in the very, very much.
Do write oftener, for such articles must
do good.”
Was Mrs. B. pleased ? Alas! no. Her
heart sunk within her like lead as she
thought, “ I did hope God moved me to
write that article for the impenitent, and
it is singular (hat I thought of this friend
in particular, with the hope that it might
meet her case ; and this is all she has to
say. O, if she had but said, your words
turned iny thoughts to Christ, I would
have thanked God, and taken courage.”
Lo ! her heart fainted.
A few weeks later, the same friend
wrote: “ When I lay upon my sick bed,
words fronj your pen were brought home
to my soul with Divine power, and
taught me, for the first time, what it is
to trust in Jesus. Do not think me good;
I am very, very wicked, and all I can say
is, ‘Whereas I was blind, now I sde!’”
So God taught the author, too, a lesson
of trust.
“ Go work to-day in my vineyard.”
“ Let us not be weary in well doing;
for in due season we shall reap, if we
faint not.” Herbert Newbury.
SHAMELESSNESS OF SLAVEHOLDERS.
In the Senate debates on granting the
elective franehise to the negroes in the
District of Columbia, Mr Davis of Ken
tucky seemed especially ambitious to
disgrace himself. Aiming, in low and
scurrilous terms, to prove the inferiority
of the colored race, he practically and
unmistakably demonstrated his own.
Personal defects or disadvantages,
even admitting their universality in a
race, which is not true, as he argued, are
“ trifles light as air” in comparison with
the deformed moral sense and base in
stincts displayed in his remarks on that
occasion.
How slaveholders, without a burning
blush of shame, can, at this day, still
persist in descanting on the incompe
tency of the unfortunate people so long
entrusted to their care, Which, instead of
enlightening in some degree, they have
mercilessly ground into the earth, utterly
passes our comprehension. But Mr.
Davis of Kentucky is not satisfied with
this; he must descend to grossness in
his allusions, he must vilify, and hold up
as objects of disgust, the wretched people
to whom both he and his ancestors,
through many generations, have been
beholden for whatever of prosperity they
may have attained; nay, for their very
subsistence.
A strange requital, under the circum
stances, is this savage onslaught of a
dominant “ Caucasian,” as he calls him
self, on a feeble people of what he calls
“an inferior race.” To wantonly assail
and grossly abuse those whom we
gratuitously assume to be our inferiors,
and who in point of privileges and
advantages really are so, is cowardly
and vile; but to slander and malign
those whom we every day defraud is
devilish. M.
The following are the offensive re
marks what called out the just rebuke of
our correspondent:
Mr. Davis, (Ky.,) took the floor in oppo
sition to the Dill, and spoke at length on its
unconstitutionality. He denied the right of
Congress, under the second section of the
amendment, to confer the right of suffrage on
the negroes, and maintained that, even if the
right existed, it would not be expedient to ex
ercise it, the negro being an inferior race, in
capable of self-government and civilization,
lie held that the Caucasian was the highest
and the negro the lowest of the races, and all
attempts to elevate the latter race only ended
in their degradation. Cuvier, _ the great
naturalist, had described the African, but he
ought to have added to his description that a
foul odor exudes from his skin, and his heeL
makes a hole in the ground:
THE CEREGHINO FAMILY.
Many of our re'aders have some know
ledge of the Cereghino family, some of the
members of which are in this country,
while others are in Italy. All such will
read with interest the following letter,
(translated from the Italian :)
Fatale, Italy, Nov. 14, 1865.
Dear Brother Antonio and Cousin
Andrea :—We received your letter of Oct.
22, and rejoiced in your well-being. We
received the 400 francs, for which we re
turn our sincere thanks to those kind bene
factors whose hearts have been quickened
towards us; and we will always continue
our prayers to God for those who have
been, or shall be, willing to help our needy
congregration which has struggled against
her enemies for twelve years. God has
kept her through dangers to the present
time, and' conversions to the truth have
occurred among those who sought her de
struction like angry wolves. Do not for
get us in the midst of winter, as you well
know that we cannot earn anything, as we
cannot get anything to do.
The colporteurs sent out from our Church
are doing well. Giuseppe and Andrea
Cereghino are in Naples, where they have
spent four years in Bible reading, suffering
persecution, and often being obliged to
sleep in prisons for their works’ sake. But
God prospers them with new conversions
almostdaily. Cordano and Luigi Cereghino
are in or near Milan, and are meeting with
good success, being under the superintend
ence of Rev. ADgelo TaeohcHo, who was
the means, in a very short time, of bring
ing over to the truth as it is in Jesus more
than four thousand persons, as you and our
American benefactors already know. These
good brethren have been laboring in that
vicinity about six years. Two more of our
cousins are in Piedmont doing good work.
In this, our own neighborhood, priests
themselves are becoming enlightened, and
come for instruction. Many things I woulo
like to say to you; but lam crowded for
time, having quite a large school besides
the five weekly meetings. We cannot do
otherwise than call on ottr dear brethren in
America for assistance, as they are our
nearest brethren in Christ.
The large number of orphans under my
care are subject to suffering for want ot
suitable clothing, as well as food, although
Ido all in my power for them. So, dear
brother, you will not lose time during the
winter, when you have most leisure, bu'-
go and gather what you can, and send it
without delay. May God bless and prosper
you in our behalf! Amen.
Yours in Christ,
Stephano Cereghino, Pastor.
The Bdessed Ministry of Death.--
When the soul, like a swallow slipped
down a chimney, beats up and down in
restless want and danger, death is the open
casement that gives her rest and liberty
from penury, fears, and snares. — Fdthani-