Amprirait ILltabyttrian
THURSDAY, JULY 26, 1866
CONTENTS OF INSIDE PAGES,
SECOND PAGE—FAMILY CIRCLE :
Before the Dawn—A Chapter on Courtship—Not
too Cold—Building for Eternity—Obey the Best
Thoughts—Going Home—Daniel Webster's First
Clase—"Suffer Little Children to Come unto Me"—
Speeches by an Nevermoker—Christ Takes no Silent
Partners—" He Told a Lie."
THAD PACE—EDITOR ' S TABLE
Wood's "Homes without Bands: Being a DescriP
tion of
theirabtt of Construction" ed accord
ing to Principle of Periodi
cals.
MISCELLANEOUS: (ienerosity—Shamefulness of a
Spendthrift Lite—A Bold Dragoon—The Way to the
Crown.
- PAGrel — CogazsroxnExcE
Gambler's Own Story—The Sin and Peril of
Aiming Jto )be Rich—The Bible its Own Witness—
Broad-Church Cowardice.
BMW= PAGE—RURAL ECONOMY:
Orchard Caterpillar—Bread for the Bones—Treat
ment of Young Sto. k—Native ye. Imported Cattle
—Care in Raving Seed—How th Keep Ice.
SCIENTIFIC: The Atlantic Telegraph Expedition
• Improvements in Locomotives.
fgr" SCHOOL ADVERTISEMENTS Will
be inserted for cash at 25 per cent. dis
count from our regular rates.
ELMIRA FEMALE COLLEGE.—lnforma
tion about this truly excellent Presbyte
rian institution will be found in our ad
vertising columns. We can cordially
recommend it to our, friends.
" , Ham Homo."—Among other sur
mises concerning the authorship of this
somewhat remarkable book, is one which
attributes it to Mr. Palgrave, the author
of " Travels in Arabia." Mr P's. per
sonal religions history has been an
erratic one. Educated in the English
Church, he entered the Indian army, and
in Madras left it to join the Jesuit novi
ciate. He then became a Jesuit priest,
and a zealous missionary in Lebanon, to
the Greek Catholic Church. The next
phase was that of a seceder from the
Romish Church, and a return to the
Protestant faith. He is a man of much
thought, and wields a vigorous pen. Hp
took a first-class degree at Oxford, and
has seen much of life.
Ray. Dn. EDGAR, OF BELPABT.—One
of the editors of the N. Y. Observer
writes to that paper from Belfast, Ire
land, as follows :---" You will be,pained
to bear that the Rev. Dr. Edgar, whom
we enjoyed so much in America, is doubt
less very near to death's door, and be
fore this reaches you he will, probably,
have, ceased to live on. earth. He went
to Dublin for surgical treatment, and is
dying there, away from home. Dr.
.Edger, has been one of the great apostles
of Temperance and Protestantism in
Ireland, an island of which Popery and
whiskey are the two curses."
PRESBYTERIAL VISITATIONS. Our
'brethren of the 'United' 'Presbyterian
Church have the good habit of securing
from their churches a lively denomina
tional affection, and also of making the
Presbyterian system a higher means of
edification, by Presbyterial visitations.
Thus for example, in the proceedings of
the June meeting of the Presbytery of
Frankfort, in New Scottsville, Pit., we
The congregation was visited
Presbyterially with satisfactory results,
and the Sabbath-school ,publicly ex
amined on the first half of the Assem
bly's Shorter Catechism. At the close
of the exercise, the sense of Presbytery
was \ expressed by the
' adoption °of 'the
following resolution:—
"Resolved, That the Presbytery highly
approve of the manner in which the pastor
• and people appear, from this examination, to
be discharging their duties ; and that they
be exhorted to go forward and not weary in
well-doing." , -
Again, in the prdceedings of the Pres
. bytery of Cbartiers,' West Virginia :--
" The pastor an &Von gregation s of Wheel
ing were visited Preshyterially. The
examination was, approved with the re
commendation 'ar congregation that
they increase the pastor's salary to a
competent support."
REV. JOHN NELSON, D.D.
It gives us great pleasure to announce
that the College of New Jersey, at
Princeton, at its recent commencement,
conferred the degree of Doctor of Divin
ity on Rev.'John Nelson, of the Free
.Church of Scotland. Dr. Nelson, though
among the young ministers of that
Church, has already attained a position
of great respectability and influence, by
his faithfulness in duty, his accurate and
extensive scholarship, and his truly
Christian deportment. Dr. Nelson has
been a firm and influential friend of our
country during our recent struggle, and
'the- Address from the Free Church to the
Churches of America, issued loy the
General Assembly of last year, is under-
Stood to be the production of his pen.
The,institution from which this degree
proceeds is widely known and as widely
honored.—Banner of the anienant.
MAGAZINES FOR AUGUST.
HARPERS' NEW MON'TKLY.
itilßE. AT HokE :
b mt YOlll.lO FOLKS.
The 'conductors of Our Young Folks
wave , a new feature tb' their, Magasine—a
aerie* of Pow. PAGE ILLusmeisioNs. These
will be drawn by the first artists, engraved in
Jibe heiit mariner, and Printed upon fine tinted
paper. Each number of the Magazine will
„ contain one or more of them. The first pie-
Car?' of the series, to be given with the Sep
ternbiir number, is "The Wanderers," de
signed by W. J. Hennessy. The 'Colored
Illustrations, which were promised for the
year,are now printing, and will be given in
the November and December numbers. The
- - firlit of thee will be entitlpd " Florinda and
Porindel; " the second "The Old Man of
The Mountain." 'deigned by A. Fredericka.
THE RITUALISTIC CONTROVERSY IN
THE CHURCH OF ENGLAND.
We noticed at the time, a discussion had,
last February, in the Convocation of Can
terbury, on the growing practice of con
formity to the excessive and often nonsen
sical ritual of the Romish worship, which
has awakened the,:gravest solicitude of the
more evangelical portion, of the Church of
England. It will be remembered that the
subject was sent to the' Upper House,; (the
Prelates,) by a representation from the
Lower House, suggesting the danger to be
apprehend# from an excessive ritualism,
but depreciating any changes in the Prayer
Book, as a means of counteracting the evil.
The result is a return communication, di
recting the Lower House to institute an
inquiry as to " such measures as may seem
fit for clearing the doubts, and allaying the
anxieties mentioned." The Lower House
accordingly appointed a Committee, of
which Dr. Goodwin, Dean of Ely, was
chairman, to carry out the order.
At the meeting of the Convocation, on
the 26th ult., Dr. Goodwin laid before the
Lower House the result of the Committee's
labors in the form of a report. The sub
stance of it—if substance may be predicated
of that which comes to nothing—was, that
the use of vestments, as provided for in
King Edward's Book, is not binding on the
consciences of the clergy, and - that the use
of the surplice,.in all official administra
tions, is a sufficient compliance. Altar
lights are not without a precedent in the
Church singe-:the Reformation, but their
use has not been generally adopted since
that time. The celebration of the Commu
nion in the . Kesenee of the general congre
gation, is against the usage of - the ancient
Church, and tends to diminish rather than
increase reverence for the holy mysteries
of the 'body
. and blood of Christ. The
attendance of persons not intending to com
municate, is not formally and distinctly
forbidden, but is not to tie encouraged as
an ordinary practice. Objection is made
to the use of wafer bread and incense, and
the eleVation.of the Host, but no prohibi
tory action proposed. The subject , of ritual
ism,,says the Report :,
Cannot be sufficiently considered with
out a reference to 'the position of the
Church of England in relation, on the
one hand, to the Greek and Latin branches
of the ; Church' (;atholic,s and to the
other foreign bodies of Christians who
had retainemany features of ancient
ritual ; 'and, on the other hand; to fl e-Non
conformist bodies of our own country.
Great as is the value of those ancient ritual
usages which the Church of England has
inherited from undivided Christendom, and
the retention of which might hereafter be
found to conduce materially to the restora
tion of unity, 'it must, nevertheless, be
' carefully borne in mind . that the National
a
Church of England has holy work to per
form towards the Nonconformists of this
country; and that -every instance, not only
of exceeding the law, but of a want of pru
dence and tenderness in respect of usages
within the law, can hardly fail to create
fresh difficulties in the way of winning
back to our Church, those who have become
estranged from her communion.' The
committee deemed it right further to declare
that, in their opinion, the 'adoption of the
usages discussed by them has, as a general
rule, had its origin in no other motive than
a desire to do honor to the 'most Holy and
Undivided Trinity. None•were more earn
est and unwearied in delivering the truth
of Christ's Gospel, none more self-denying
in ministering - to the - wants' and distresses
of the poor, than very many of those who
had put in use these observances.
The' chairman, in retinae following the
reading of the report, ,deprecated any
attempt at a judicial settlement of the ques
tion of ritualism, and urged moderation on
both sides.
'Lord Arthur Hervey considered the re
port as entirely unsatisfaetory, and, such as
would not tend to allay the great anxiety
felt throughout the Church. He moved as
an amendment, "That this House having
heard the report of the committee on ritual
istic practices, is of opinion that it is neces
sary for the peace and stability of the
Church of England, and is due alike to her
bishops, clergy, and laity, that the legality
.or illegality of altar lights, incense, and
wafer bread be authoritatively determined,
and request their lordships the bishops to
take such steps for determining their le
gality as they may see necessary."
An earnest 'discussion of three days con
tinuance ensued. It was objected to the
report, that it totally failed to meet the
duty laid upon the Committee; thatthey
had been appointed to consider ritualism,
and inquire for " such measures as may
seem fit for clearing the doubts, and allaying
the anxieties" brought before the house,
and not to express art,opinion respecting the
motive's"' of these - *hose practices were
troubling the Church ; and that the animus
of .the,repprt lwas clearly encouraging to
those ritualistic pactices which were re
garded by many out of doors as much akin
to those of the Church of Rettie.: Dean
Stanley Westminster, insisted •
That the ritualists were a small party in
comparison with, the body of the clergy,
but amounted, in the aggregate, to many
persons. They may be leading self-deny
ing lives, bat they , are, truly speaking,
Nonconformist members of the Church of
England. 'Was the Church of England to
eject these men=to press the law upon
them, and to say, "You are half Roman
Catholics; go over to the Church of Rome ?"
Was that the course the. House would re=
commend to our bishops and statesmen ?
He thought the best means of bringing
them to reason would be to ask them to
defer to their congregations; but where
the congregations were desirous of having
those observances and jvacticeS, he thought
AMERICAN PREsByTERIA.N, THURSDAY, JIThY 26, 1866.
the experiment should be tried of keeping
them within the pale of the Church.
Against the amendment, Chancellor
Massingberd spoke at great length. He
deprecated any appeal to the law, as tending
to disintegrate the Church, by driving the
ritualists from its communion. He urged
also that, to drive them forth, to go no one
knew where, would be a 4. 410w at the princi
ple of unity with otherrehristian Churches
[such as the Romisla and - 'O-feek,]• which
said he, we are all anxious to secure. He
'fiirther added that perhaps the practices
which had caused So much anxiety,maybe
found to be a link to that unity.
The final result was the rejection of the
amendment, and the adoption of the report
by a vote of 88 to 9
DAY DAWNING IN MISSISSIPPI.
We recently noticed Various move
ments in Northern Alabama and Missis
sippi, in behalf of the education of the
freed people. Another, instance of the
kind has atttacted our attention, which
is very encouraging, originating as it
.did, &mom former slaveholders. On
the 12t1i: of June a number of the
leading _cipens of Oxford, Miss., issued
a eircnlar, in - which they said that the
time had arrived when some measures
should be adopteil by' the ''Southern
people to provide for the education of
the freedmen. The natural guardians
of the blacks, they elaim,, are their late
masters. It would be foolish to keep
their former servants in ignorance, as
they will probably have the right of
suffrage at some future day. Illiterate
voters were the curse of our country,
and instruction should be given to all
viAao can cast a ballot.
But there were still higher reasons
for educating the colored people. Gra&
tude to them for their past services was
one of these. Another of, those cited is
so significant of a change in Southern
sentiment, that we quote lt,verbatim:
" The Church is the light of 'the world ; it
is therefore bound •to illuminate the sur
rounding region. There is
,no special in
junction to enlighten the white race only,
but we are, to ` preach the gospel to every
creature.' `Search the Se tune,' is the
command addressed to on race only, but
to manktia. God `eomrnandeth all men
everywheie'to repent.', We,iire unquestion
ably responsible to God for Or influence and
ability to' do good. `The poor ye have
always with you,iiis the declaration of our
Saviour, and by His Providential arrange
ment we are constantly reminded that we
live not for ourselves alone; the colored race
are now emphatically ` the poor among the
people.'
A. few years ago, white persons were
imprisoned and mobbed in the slave
States for doing and saying just what
the above extract commends. The posi
tion taken by - the Oxonians is indeed
cheering. The recommendations of the
circular have already, been partially car
ried into effect- A Sunday-aptiool of
over one hundred pupils and twelve
teachers is in operation, and' more help
is called for. That the work is not in
tended to stop here, is evidelit from the
fact that the signers refer / with approval
to the support given b Gov. Orr and
prominent citizens of Ch rleston to the
establishment of a com on school sys
tem for freedmen, and t similar efforts
of Ex-Gov. Moore and x-Congressman
Curry. inAlabama. E ry true friend
of the South will rejoice t this dawning
of a new and, better diy.—Cin. Daily
Gazette.
• - 01----- ,
POPERY IN GRIMM BIIITAIN. -IN the
late General Assembly ,of the ' Free
1
Church in Scotland, Dr. egg gave in
the report of the commit e on Popery.
The committee regretted o report the
steady progress of the R mish systein
in Great Britain, . and t e increasing
support which it was remiiving from the
Government. Losing grOund, apparent
ly, in other countries, Popery seemed to
be concentrating its strength on the re
conquering of this,one of its ancient
strongholds, and it was hard to say at
present what prospect there was that its
political progress would be arrested.
The annual grants given at present from
the public funds to the Romish Church, ,
as nearly as could be ascertained, ,
amounted to £306,712. It might well
be supposed, therefore, that the agency
of the Church of Rome was steadily in
creasing— In 1829 there 'were 447
priestiV Great Britain ; in 1865 there
were:R.l.s69.^ •In 1829 Were were 449
chapels, in 1855 there were 1171. In
1829 tliere were no monasteries or nun
neries.; publicly avowed ; but in 1865
there were 58 of the former and 211 of
latter. The Church of Rome had 12
colleges in Great Britain, and in Puna•
meat there were 34 Catholic ,members.
The committee expressed their convic
tion that were the proposed changes in
the Queen's University , fur Ireland
made; the principle on 'which 'these col
leges anti the national system' of educa
tion were , based,Wonld he entirely over
thrown. There were Many reasons why
the Protestants of the Unitedtaitigdom
should.nnite in sternly resisting the pro
posed changes. In. regard to England
the Romanists had been urging the
Government's to endow,priests in all the
workhouses. With the view of arrest '
ing the evil, the commiitee recommended
that Ministers should'
‘ more frequently
bring the subject under'fhitititite of the
people:o
Turkey and the Danubian Principali
lies.---The Paris Temps publishes a despatch
from Constantinople, dated yesterday, stating
that the Porte has recognized Prince Charles
of Holiowllenz. as Elospodar of the Danu
bian Principalities. In consideration of this
recognition the amount of the annual tribute
paid by, the latter to the Turkish Government
will be doubled.
OUR ROCHESTER CORRESPONDENT.
COMMENCEMENT AT HAMILTON COLLEGE
The commencement exercises at this
Institution began, as usual, on Sunday
afternoon, with the President's Baccalau
reate. It was one of his happiest efforts,
eloquent and touching ; and now, after
eight years of honorable service for the
college, and after having done much for
its adtancement •and prosperity, he re
turns again to the pastoral work, respect
ed and beloved by all.
The address before the Society of
Christian Research, was given on Sun
day evening, by Rev. M. R. Vincent, of
Troy. His subject was, " The Popular
Mission of Scholarship ;" and his ad
dress was one of rare beauty and excel
lence, both in composition and delivery,
and gave the highest. satisfaction.
Monday evening was devoted to
Prize speaking, Tuesday afternoon to
" Class Day" exercises ; and Tuesday
evening to the annual gathering of the
Sigma Phi Society—of which we can
not particularly write, for want of room.
LAYING A CORNER-STONE
One of the marked features of this
commencement was the laying of the
corner-stone of the new Library Baild
ing. The ceremony came off on Wedns
day forenoon, upon the college campus.
Prayer was offered by Prenident Fisher.
A very appropriate and sensible oration
was given by Col. Edwin D. Buttrick,
Milwaukee; Wis., of the class of ,1842;
and a poem by Col. Guy K. Cleveland,
of St. Paul, Minn., class of 1850. After
this Rev. Dr. Gaertner gave a list of the
articles enclosed in the corner-stone, in
cluding the last lames of the daily press
of Utica, catalogues of the college, the
discourse of President Fisher upon the
character of William Curtis Noyes, and
other valuable documents.
The act of laying the corner-stone was
performed by Hon. Perry H. Smith, of
Chicago, after whom the building is
named the. Perry Smith Library Hall,
he having given $12,500, or half the
sum necessary to erect this important
edifice. Mr. Smith is yet a young man,
a graduate of 184 . 6. He was, we be
lieve, a native of this State, a Clinton
boy, but went West some twenty years
ago to seek his fortune. He is now the
Vice-President and chief manager of
the Northwestern Railway, one of the
largest corporations of its kind in the
country, and is understood recently to
have made large sums of money ; a man
of great energy and excellence of char
acter.
After tha laying of the corner-stone, a
closing address of congratulation was
made by Hon. Horatio Seymour, LL.D.,
one of the trustees of the college.
ANOTHER LEGACY TO HAMILTON
In this connection it is pleasant to
state that the college has just received
another munificent gift. Silas D. Childs,
Esq., who died a few , days since in
Utica, left by his will $25,000 to found
a professorship of Agricultural Chemis
try, and $5OOO to purchase books and
instruments for the same.
ALUMNI ASSOOIATION
The annual meeting of this Society
came off on Wednesday evening ; the
generous C. C. Kingsley, Esq., of Utica,
President of the Association, in the
chair. His opening address, short, neat,
and graceful, had reference to the mutual
dependence of the scholar and the mer
chant. The oration by Hon. Theodore
M. Pomeroy, M. C., from Auburn, was
acknowledged by all to be one of the most
profound and excellent heard on such
occasions. We do not wonder, after
bearing it, that Mr. Pomeroy ranks high
in Congress.
The alumni were equally fortunate in
the selection of their Poet, Rev. W. J.
Erdman, pastor of the . Presbyterian
church of Fayetteville. Mr. Erdman
was, for a time, chaplain of a cavalry
regiment in our terrible war, and could
sing of " arms" and battles, a part of
which he was. It was a true poem,
beautiful in conception, in language, and
delivery. We trust that the oration and
poem will both be given to the public
in some permanent form. They are
well worthy of it, and we should be
glad to have others gratified with the
perusal of their well expressed and im
portant sentiments.
COMMENCEMENT PROPEL
This occupied the morning and after
noon of Thursday. The day was clear,
cool, and delightful. An unusual num
ber of the friends of the college were in
attendance. The graduating class num
bered thirty-seven, their names and resi-'
deuces as follows :
Cowan C. Ames, Oswego Byron W.
Baker, Lafayette; Burdett A. Blair, Clinton;
Wilmot B. Burton, Syracuse; Morris P.
Brewer, Vernon; Auatatus S. Campbell,
Galena, Ill..; Joseph Y. Chapin, Ogdens
burgh ; James B. Cook,* Clinton; Charles
L. C,orbin, Oxford ;
.Justus B. Crane, Ma
rion ; Jonathan F. Crossett,Hamlinton, Pa. ;
Haines D. Cunningham, Ithaca,; John H.
Cunningham, Ithaca; George_ H. Decker, Branchport ; Frank B. Hart, Walton; Lewis"
R. Hempstead, Galena, 111. ; John M. Hol
ley, Lyons; Abel G. Hopkins, Auburn
Chester Huntington, Auburn George M.
Janes, ''Clinton; John D. Jones, Utica;
Hiram 11. Kellogg,. Jr., Dunton. 111. • Chas.
J. Knapp, Deposit; Sextus H. Knigilt,*-
Westfield; Henry. Loomis, Fayetteville; Wal
lace B. Lucas, Cortlandvile; Charles W. ,
Meavitt, Ithaca: Charles S. Millard, Clay
ville;
George Norton Sangerfield ; Geor
A. Porter_, yracuse ; 'Virgil Roe,* Chester;
Charles Simpson, Ithaca;
Charles P. Skin
ner, Westfield ; Hannibal Smith, Cassville ;
William H. Spencer, Clinton; William J.
Townsend, Lysander; Samuel D. 'Wil cox,
Napoli.
Thirty-two of these "appeared in pub
ic on the stage," full of patriotism, of
iberty and of justice. Among the best
speakers we should name, Campbell,
Hopkins, Millard, Spencer, and Wilcox.
The music of the occasion, far superior
to that ordinarily had at such times,
was by Gilmore's Band, of Boston.
The following honorary degrees were
conferred :
A. B.—Charles King Dutton, Newborn
N. C.
A. M.—John Milton Rountree,Chimp?,
; Isaac B. Faucher, Oswego ; Albert It
Hustis, Albany.
Ph. D.—Dr. Horace Lathrop, Coopers
town; Prof. Martin Luther Stoever, Penn
sylvania College, Gettysburg, Pa.
D. D.—Rev. George F. Wiswell, Wilming
ton, Del. ; Be. Robert Ferrier Burns, St.
Catharine's C. W. ; Rev. Charles S. Robin
son,Brookl.
D.--Hon, David L. Seymour, Troy ;
Hon. John Dean Caton, Ottawa, 111.
After this, Rev. Dr. Fisher, made a
brief extemporaneous and beautiful
farewell address to the Trustees, to the
Faculty, and to the Students of the Col
lege, respectively, expressing his con
tinued interest in the institution in a
very fitting and tender manner, and his
expectation still to serve it to the utmost
of his- ability as one of its trustees,
which post he will continue to fill.
To this admirable address, Hon. W.
J. Bacon responded, in an equally felici
tous manner, iu behalf of the Board of
Trustees, expressing their high appre
ciation of Dr. Fisher's eminent services
for the College, their unabated respect
and regard fo,r him, and their strong.
desire that every blessing may attend
him in the more direct work of the min
istry.
Thus ended one of the most interest
ing and memorable commencements ever
witnessed at Hamilton College. Who
the worthy successor of Dr. Fisher shall
be, does not yet appear. No appoint
ment has been made, but the matter is
now in the hands of an able committee,
of whom, Rev. Dr. Fowler, of Utica, is
chairman; and the Board of Trustees
are to meet again next month, farther
to consider the subject, and to make
choice of some one, if the way is pre
pared so to do.
PEtEERYTERY OF ST. LAWRENCE
This body held its semi-annual session
at Brasher Falls, on the 10th and 11th
days of this month. Opening sermon
by Rev. Bliss Burnap, of Parishville ;
and the communion sermon by Rev. H.
C. Riggs, of Potsdam. The pastoral
relation between Rev. B. B. Beckwith
and the church in Governeur, was die
sovled. Mr. Newton F. Conkling, a
licentiate Of the Presbytery of New
Brunswick, N. J., (0. S.) was received
under the care of the Presbytery and
examined with reference to ordination ;
and his ordination and installation over
the Church of Goverueur was appointed
to take place on Thursday, the 19th
instant.
This Presbyterry is earnest for re
union, and claims the honor ,of moving,
among the first on that subject. The
following resolutions, adopted last week,
need no farther explanation.
Whereas, ,this Presbytery, in connection
with the Presbyterry of Ogdensburg, (0. S.)
has the honor of having taken the initiative
on the subject of the reunion of our respect
ive General Assemblies, in a series of joint
resolutions, adopted January 14th, 1862, one
of which was as follows :--
" Resolved, that having confidence in each
other's piety, orthodoxy, and patriotism, we
desire to be united in one Presbytery, one
Synod and in one General Assembly, and
that our General Assemblies be overtured to
to that effect. Now, therefore,"
Resolved, Oat we heartily rejoice in the
action of the last General Assembly on the
subject of reunion, and give thanks to God
for the prospect of a speedy accomplishment
of this most desirable end.
Resolved that the Presbytery of Ogdens
burg, (0. 0.9.) be invited to meet with us in
joint session,_ sometime during the progr ess
.
of the St. Lawrence County Anniversaries,
next winter."
The session of Presbytery closed with
an agreeable social gathering, held on
Wednesday evening, at the elegant and
hospitable mansion of Hon. C. P. Hul
burd, the esteemed and upright member
of Congress from this district. Although
like a true man, he was at his post in
Washington, and would have added
much to the entertainment of the evening
if he had been present, yet every thing
was•done by his accomplished and ex
cellent lady that was necessary to make
the occasion one of real enjoyment to
all concerned. And we understand that
it is intended to adopt the " sociable" as
the closing exercise of each meeting of
the Presbytery. It is thought that this
may do something to ward inducing mem
bers to stay through its entire sessions.
We commend the example to others.
PERSONAL
Rev. Salituel B. Bell, D. D. of New
York, has received and accepted a call
to the Presbyterran church in Lyons;
and entered upon his labors in his new
paiturate last Sabbath.
Bev. John B. Lewis, of Morrisville,
has received and accepted a call to the
Presbyterian church of Booneville. Rev.
Dr. Fowler, of Utica, supplied the church
last Sabbath, and received some twenty
members to its communion.
Rev Jno. McClean, Tutor in Hamilton
College, has received a call to the Pres
hyterian church in Fulton. Mr. McLean
had`, previously engaged to visit the Fink
Presbyterian church in Galena, 1.11„ and
is expecting to, spend a few Sabbaths at
the West, before deciding upon the call
to Fulton.
THE EARVEST AT WEBTPTELD.
As a part of the fruit of the recent r:
vival in Westfield, seventy were added
to the church, at the last Communion.
season. Dr. Chester, of Buffalo, is still
supplying the pulpit.
DISMSSION
Rei. J. N. hied trert, of Satupoit,
Laving received a call to Ashtabula,
Ohio, which •he thought it his duty to
accept, was reluctantly dismissed fro m
his late pastoral charge, where he has
labored faithfully, and sustained himself
well for the last six years, on the 6th
instant, by the Presbytery of Utica.
RoolusTEß, July 22, 1866.
LETTER FROM BOSTON.
Bno. MEARS have not re.
ceived your paper of last week, which I
see is published. I find, upon conversa
tion with some of the good brethren who
were at the meeting of the General die.
sociation of Massachusetts, of which I
gave some report in my last letter, that
I was mistaken in some points. lam
informed that the Beport referred to, was
meant to be simply advisory in reference
to what subjects should come before the
churches, and not to decide by the min
isters what the churches should do.
There was no intention of verging to
ward Presbyterianism. I received a
somewhat different impression, which, I
find, the committee did not intend to
give. This alters the whole phase of
Which I spoke; and my question, "What
would be thought of Presbyterian minis
ters deciding such a matter with Out the
representation of elders," was not ap
priate, as these ministers did not in
tend to make such decision, but simply
to advise the churches.
It has been unusually warm here for
Boston, and I think yesterday was as
hot a Sabbath as I ever knew. I hear
that some churches suswnded their ser
vices in the afternoon on account of the
heat.
There is an excellent state of feeling
in the' chnrches here, and in many there
is still considerable interest.
Rev. Dr. Bodwell, of Woburn, (pa
tor of the same church where Dr. March,
of Clinton st., was) has accepted his ap
pointment as a Professor in the Theolo
gical , Seminary, at Hartford, and re.
signed bis pastorate in Woburn. He is
an able man and will make an excellent
professor. A gentletheik of Hartford,
(Mr. Homer) has given $50,000, to
secure Dr B. as Professor.
Mr. Durant and Judge Smith, both
able lawyers, are addressing full congre
gations upon the subject of religion.
Would it not be a good plan for some of
our eminent attorneys to do the same in
Philadelphia ? Please ask them to try
it.
July 14.—1 this morning attended
the " old South" prayer -meeting, and
found it a very interesting season. The
meeting has been carried on nearly six
teen years, fifteen of which it has been
held in the chapel of the," Old South"
Church. This building is now to be
destroyed and to give place to others
for commercial purposes. The cause,
however, of this is not avarice or mem
mon. On the contrary, the people are
very benevolent.
Deacon Stodard and Mr. Homer,
Chairman of the Business Committee of
the church, were present at this meeting,
and both , made very interesting remarks,
stating the reasons for their abandoning
the chapel as a place for worship. For
several years, the streets around it have
been filling up with business places, and
now there are so many of them, such as
eating-houses and drinking-houses, and
so much noise in the streets, and the
people who worship here have removed
so far away, that it has been very diffi
cult to get an audience in the evening;
as well as very unpleasant, especially
for ladies, to attend even the weekly
prayer -meetings of the church. These
are the causes of the society's giving np
she chapel as a place of worship.
The greatest harmony and cordiality
of feeling prevailed between the officers
of the " Old South Church" and the
good brethren who compose the prayer
meeting. References were made to
olden times, when a multitude of good
men and women, who,, doubtless, are
now in heaven, attended this meeting,
and the scene was truly an affecting
one. Many wept at the thought of re
linquishing this old place " where prayer
has been wont to be made" for so many
years.
Still, it was pleasing to witness the
strong faith of these brethren, in God,
that another Bethel would be opened for
them where they should still pray and
sing praises to the Saviour.
I speak of this . because I know that
you and all who attend the noonday and
other prayer-meetings in Philadelphia,
are interested in hearing Pram this meet
ing, which now, by the grace of God,
has been continued about twice as long
as your noonday meeting. But, lite
yours, also, it has been sustained by a
very few. These few have, in the dark
est times, trusted in God, taken courage ,
and gone forward, and the Lord hao
sustained them and the meeting. They
always rejoice to hear good things from
the brethren in Philadelphia, rejoice in
their prosperity, and ask an interest in
their provers.
July 15.—The meeting has now at"
cured the rooms of the Young Men
Ohristian Association, and will go 05
regularly as leretofore,
Your Orphans' Homstead is meeting
with a favorable reception by the Sat'
bath-schools of this vicinity, and is ree"
°amended by such men as Bishops
Eastburn and Huntington, Rev. Dr'
Kirk, and others. W. M. 0
General Banks has been elected Governer
of the Nation d Military Aiylum in Watbing
toa. The fund for the Asylum is $3, 00() = 041
yielding an income of slBo,oot
GJETESEE
Boa Tim, July 10, 1866.