Amnitaa Dtohgtttiau. THURSDAY, DECEMBER 6, 1866. CONTENTS OF INSIDE PAGES. „, SECOND PAGE—FAMILY'•UIRCLE : Thoughts of HomeDisoliedience, and What Came of It—The Tivil Partings—Flower-de-Lnee—Discon tented Robert—Fibbing—A Talk with the Children on Prayer—Boys Heins Tobacco. THIRD PAGE—THANKSGIVING SERMON: Our National Home. by Rev. D. March. OUR CHURCH IN THE WEST: Narrative of the State of Religion for the Synod of lowa—English Hy mn s of the Elizabethan Era. 8 MTH PAGE—CORRESPONDENCE: ASpeer of Church Erection in the Wesi—Letter rom Rev. J. C. Smith, D.D.—Letters from a Coun try Parsonage. ELITCR'S TABLE: D'Aubigne's "History of the Reformation" — hl paten's " History of Christianity" —Trench's "Fitness of .Holy Seriptures"—Longtel low's "Flower, de Luce"—Shanks' "Personal Rec ollections of Distinguished Generals" Adams' " Peace with God"—Anstie's "Notes on Epidemics" —Newton's "Great Pilot and His Lessons"—" Bind ing the Sheaves"—" The Omnipotence of Loving Kinduess"—Belly's "Home Vine-Yard"—Green wood's " Stories of Many Lands"—Periodicals and Pamphlets. SEVENTH PAGE—Rt RA L ECONOMY: How to Build Cbeap and Comfortable Dwellings— Rancid Butter—Curing Meats—Apples Half Sweet and Half Sour—Clover—To Make Neat's-foot Oil. SolErtunc: Bessemer's Process, (Concluded.) THE TEMPERANCE MEN of Indiana are in earnest. They held . a large con vention in Indianapolis, which adjourn ed Nov. 22d. A telegraphic despatch says:— They determined to ask for a prohibitory liquor law, and to carry the temperance question into politics, particularly in the nom inating conventions. The temperance 'party is better organized than it was in 1855, when it obtained a prohibitory law, which a Dem ocratic Supreme Court declared unconstitu tional. THE WAY TO no IT.—There is no difficulty in accomplishing the extensive circulation_of religions newspapers, when pastors and elders awake to the fact of their importance as a power for efficiency in their churches. The Western Chris tian Advocate, published in. Cincinnati, gives the following case in point:—" In the John street cars, Wednesday last, we met Rev. Joseph Chester, pastor of the Poplar Street Presbyterian Church, with a large roll of copies of the Central Christian Herald in .his hands. Do yohr people generally take the Herald P we inquired. Every laniily of them,' was the reply. We find that there is neither health nor progression where the religions newspaper is not taken; hence one of our rules is to see that every family, however poor, is supplied. My people come out very generally to the Wednesday night meeting;and they thus obtain their Heralds.'" C HIOAGO.—We regret to report, ac cording to the authority of a Chicago correspondent of the Congregationalist, that in comparison with the growth of the city. since 1860, the churches are falling .behindhacd. Since 1860, at least 70,000 have been added to the population, yet the Congregationalists have bat one more church now than then. Nor have all denominations built but a small proportion of the seventy new churches needed by this new popu- lation. The fact is, population is being thrown' in such masses upon our great cities that tLe burden for their evangeli zation is really out of all proportion with that of the country as a whole. FREBEMEN'S UNION COMMISSION.- The anniversary exercises of the Penn sylvania branch of this organization were held in the Academy of Music on Thursday night last. Chief Justice Chase presided. Judge Bond of Mary land, was present. Admirable addresses were delivered by the President, Gette- ral Howard, Rev. Philips Brooks, Rev. R. J. Parvin, and Judge Bond. The latter was greeted with great applause, the whole audience rising and cheering. Rev. Lyman Abbott,the Secretaiy,' stated' that the institution has supporte - d 301 schools. and 760 teachers. General Howard said " At least 100,000 colored children, during our first year, were at regularly-organized schools. Mit year there 150,000. There are 100,000 colored children in Arkansas alone, and each one of these. children has paid four dollars for his or her education. [Applause.] This shows the interest taken by the colored people in theirsown education. The attendance upon the schOols is remark - able. Yet it is not only to colored children that these endeavors have been directed. The poor whites are taken care-of, and upon the very summit of Lookout Mountain, Mr. Robert, of New York, :has built a college, at a cost of $40,000. These schools are open to all, and the only people who ought to be sent there are Christian teachers. These are the only people who will wear. [Applause.] We want people whose souls are full of the love of Christ, who stay Where they are planted, and do their duty. If they go there only for wages, they soon weary and-go away. Send, therefore, the right kind of teachers 4 those whose hearts are warm, who love God, and who will labor for the rove of souls."' THE POPE'S V r iew.--Therejaa 'differ ence 'of opinion in and out of the, Papal Church' upon the effect of the loss of the to ii: i irii i l power: Many believe it would '4Avet.of ithe , greatest advantage to the Church to be thus made depend ent solely on its spiritual forces. The Pope has an opinio - ii on the subject In one of - his late allocations, he states that the temporal power is indispensable to the independence of phe spiritual power, and declares that . he is ready even to suffer death for the.maintenance 1 of the wad righis of the HolyHee, and, . , and, if necks aigto' seeklti .4 - anther country the i had& security *foie the better exereiseof his apostolic ministry. it, in his Holiness prays that Italy may repent of the evils she has brought upon the Church. :, c I , THE AMERICAN PRESBYTERIAN, THURSDAY, DECEMBER. 6, 1866. THE WESTERN COLLEGIATE SOCIETY. —We learn, from a report which appear ed in the Gozwregationalist, that the annual meeting of this eminently useful society was held at Salem, Mass., Nov. 13th. The sermon, which is spoken of as masterly, was preached by Rev. Dr. S. W. Fisher, of Utica, from Prov. xxxiv., 5. It was a discussion of the relations of higher education to the life and wel fare of a people. It was admirable in every particular, and withal most effec tively delivered. Rev. Dr. Wilson, of Newark, presided at the prayer-meeting of Wednesday morning. The report of the Corresponding Secretary,.Rev. Dr. Baldwin, was of great interest, develop ing, among other facts, that seven mil lions of dollars have been given to our American institutions of learning during the past five years, more than two mil lions during the past year. Christopher R. Robert, Esq., of New York, gave an account of his successful efforts to establish an institution on Lookout Mountain, near Chattanooga. Acting on his own responsibility, solely, he has purchased large tracts of land and hospital buildings erected by the Government ; which could be modified easily ; made the necessary modifica tions, elaborated the plan of the institu tion, employed the teachers, procured an act of incorporation by the Tennessee Legislature, and set the institution in operation. The second term commenced last week with eighty students from various parts of the South. A deep feeling.of the necessity of en larging the Society's operations in the coming year was expressed, and an in creased and promising measpre of inter est in the work was apparent. The Executive Committee was authorized to extend aid to Wilberforce University; (colored) Xenia, Ohio; Heidelberg Col lege ; Oberlin College ; lowa College ; Pacific University, Oregon ; and Lincoln College, Kansas. ASSUMPTIONS EXTRAORDINARY.—It is curious as well as sad to witness the effect of an excessive denominational exclusivism' upon .minds otherwise healthy. A case of most surprising reckoning upon the easy credulity of the Christian public, occurs in a recent ser mon by Rev. Dr. Weston, of New York city, on " The Evils of Infant Baptism," meaning, of course, by that term, the baptismal consecration of the household of believers. A synopsis of it is given in a late number of the National Baptist. The first evil ascribed to infant baptism is, that "it destroys the fundamental Christian principle, that the Scriptures are our sole guide in doctrine and duty." Says 'the preacher:—" By the, conies sian of eminent pedobaptist teachers, there is in. the New Testament neither precept nor example relative to infant baptism." The second evil is that "it destroys the • ordinances of' Christ's Church." An ordinance of Christ's house is "utterly swept away," and the Lord's Supper is " surrounded with such terms that the joyous feast provided for Christ's. friends, is turned into a fast." The third evil is that " it destroys the doctrines of revelation." The doctrine of infant baptism, "by an inevitable sequence," denies the necessity of the new birth, the corruption of man's na ture, the necessity of an atonement, the Divinity of Christ, . and the desert , i 9f sin. The fourth and last mentioned evil is that "it destroys the church." " Wherever infant baptism universally prevails, there is no church distinct from the world." " Church • discipline be come impossible, and a great parkof the New Testament" is' rendered nieaning less." They have in and around New 'York a very interesting and delightful associa tion of Christian brethren of various Evangelical denominations, devoted to the cultivation . of Christian brotherhood; and among the means used, is that of teaching themselves to look at each other from more candid and generous points of view. This is what must be done before either watchmen or- people see eye to. eye. The notion of any one denomination that its peculiarities are to become the basis of a Christian artily, is an unmitigated arrogance. We be lieve there -are some good Baptist breth ren iu the association just mentioned; and it would be interesting to know whether they think its objects likely to be advanced by the bald assertions and illiberal tone of their brotlier Weston. THEOLOGIOAL SEMINARY IN CALIFOR NIA PROPOSED.-At the meeting of the California General Association -in Octo ber, in view of the lack of ministers for that great field, it was proposed to make . a beginning to supply .themfrom young men, on the ground. Accordingly, the " Theological Seininary Association" was formed, and 'twelve trustees elect eti. Rev, A.:l. Steneis•President of the Board, which has alSo a secretary and treasurer. It was voted not to put the institution into, working , order, till $50,000 were. secured. EVERY MAN TO 111§, OwN.—The edit or of the Central Presbyterian, (Rich mond, VA.,) writing from Memphis, where ho ivawin't-attendance upon the Southern GenerarA.ssembly, says:— " It gives us great pleasure to welcome as visitors Rev. Dr. S. J. P. Anderson, of St. Louis, and Rev. Dr. Stuart, Robinson, of Louiivitlely They are lciOthi"T i irghlift's of whom this old mother ma4well'ie proid, and livhoie lives I trust`; may" be lbirg spared te maintain,. ,the position which they have taken' in defence rortruth which no man may assail without. - betraying the honor of that greatilbg whthiGod. hath Via& Head goei alb te Church :2 1 a OUR, ROCHESTER CORRESPONDENT. THE OGDEN . MANUAL A manual of the Presbyterian Church of Ogden has been published, contain ing a list of its members, its articles of faith and covenant, together with rules of order and a valuable historical ser mon, preached December 18th, 1863,, by Rev. William A. Fox, who was then its pastor. The church was formed in 1811, and consisted of ten members: It has had five settled pastors, all still living, we believe ; of whom Rev. C. P. Wing, D.D., now of Carlisle, Pa., was the third; serving them from 1835 to 1838. Rev. Avelyn Sedgwick' was twice settled over the church, first in 1824, and again in 1838, , his whole ministry with his people covering abOt twenty years. Rev. William A. Fox, now of Dunkirk, was pastor for fourteen years, from 1851 to 1865 ; and the present pastor, Rev. Alex. Molt,. Thor burn, was settled last year, soon after Mr. Fox withdrew. The early settlers of the place came from Haddani, Connecticut, and the church was first organized in the Con gregational form, but, changed to the Presbyterian at the time of Mr. Wing's settlement among them. His ministry. was • evidently a prosperous_ one. . In deed, this may be said of them all. Thei r whole number added to the church dar ing Mr. Wing's pastorate of three or four years, was one hundied- and forty seven, more than half of them by 'pro fession. During Mr. Sedgwick's min istry, four hundred and seventy-one persons were added ; three hundred and twenty-eight by profession. The church enjoyed a precious revival last spring, and thirty-three have been added to its communion since the year began. It is truly a prosperous church, now number ing about two hundred and fifty mem bers. OUR THANKSGIVING It was genuine, heartfelt. We doubt if the people ever realized more reason for thankfulness. So far av-we—can learn, the churches were generally well attended, the :. -- sermons earnest and patrioticAr In this. city, the congrega tions of St. Peter's and the First Church (0. S.), united ; preaching by Rev. C. M. Wines, pastor of the First. The Brick Church and the Central (N. S.), and the Plymouth (Congregational), held a union service ; sermon by Rev. Dr. Campbell, of the Central. His text was, The truth shall make you free; his theme, Christianity and civil liberty ; the latter, the offspring of the former. The subject was admirably handled, and evidently gave great satisfaction to the united congregations which heard it. PARSONAGE AT VERNON. This is one of the older parishes of this region. The chur4h edifice was built over fifty years ago, and bears some marks of age. Twenty years ago; Rev. Henry Darling, t D.D., now of Albany, was the • pastor of this, church, (it was, we believe, his first ministry) ; and Rev. Henry Kendall, DD., of New York, was in the neighboring parish of Verona. Forty, years ago, or before canals and railways interfered so seri ously with the.growth and relative•im portance of towns, Vernon was 'larger than Rome. It was on the great turn pike from Albany to Buffalo. From fifteen to twenty stage coaches, heaiily load,ed with passengiors, might pass daily. Rome is considerably 'north of the direct line of this road, but the rail way was. bent, up to reach' that locality, And the people went with it. Vernon may be a village" of three hundred in habitants, while Rome has ten thou sand. Nevertheless, we have a valuable. church here at Vernon, as well as a bigger and .strop' ger'one at Rome ; and the people of Vernon have quite a mind to take care of their minister, Rev. ,G., P. Hamilton, who has been with them nearly two years, and under whom all seem united and happy. They are plan ning to put up a commodious and com fortable parsonage for him. They have $2500 raised for the purpose, are already looking at designs, and purpose to have some parts of the work done this winter, so as to be ready for early operations in. the spring. • The last two years, we judge, have witnessed the erection of a greater num ber, of• parsonages than any two years before in th- • history of our American Zion. We hope the good work will go on until every parish has its parsonage. It is generally just so much more added to the salaries of the pastors, and we well know that they need-it. Next week, Prof. Brown, the newly elected President of Hamilton. College, is to visit Clinton, to look over the ground, and get Such further information as may enable him wisely to answer the invitation given him to that respon Bible position. Believing, as the friends of the College do, that he is the man for ' , the place, it is, sincerely hoped, that his answer may be in the affirmative. So far in the present Collegiate year, Prof. Avery has acted as President. The number of students is larger, we believe, than ever before, and all goes well. Miny friends of the college will also be glad to learn that the railroad from New Hartford to Clinton is now completed, and the cars are running ; making it much 'easier than it once was ail visit that.favored s et. - . Prof. Hopkins, of the' Auburn Semi nary,, is for the present ,supplying the pulpit of the Presbytriiin ChutCh in Fulton. ' ' The wille 'of the hew sanctuary for the Presbyterian Church in Corning, are now up and ready for the roof. When once inclosed, the inside finishing can go on through the winter, so as to be ready for use, we presume, in the spring. It promises to be a very neat and taste ful stone edifice, capable of seating six or.eight hundred persons. ROCHESTER, Dec. 1, 1866 tft pur Ciuttija. CLINTON STREET CHURCH PRILADEL PHIAI.—We publish, in another part of the paper, Dr.' March's Thanksgiving Sermon, "Our National Home." It is brief and will well repay the reader. The services were rendered more than usually attractive by the admirable per- , formances of the choir, under the direc tion of the accomplished organist, Mr. Mitchell. The double quartette per formed several pieces of exceedingly rich and difficult music, in the most Uri' liant manner, yet in entire harmony with the spirit of the occasion. If abie evangelical preaching and grand music were all that is needed to draw l a con gregation, Clinton Street Church would not contain the people ;• but the move ments of population are adverse, and there is serious talk of a change of loca tion. FIRST CHURCH.—The sermons of Mr. Barnes, preached regularly Ji6nd without notes, are as thorough, clear, convincing and instructive ,as in his ptdmiest days. The portion of his late memorial dis course on Dr. Brainerd, printed in this issue, fully bears out this assertion. But the venerable First Church is on the point of yielding to the pressure.of emi gration, which is thinning its ranks. It does not seem wise or necessary for both of theie churches to leave that sec tion of the city, and yetthose better ac quainted with the facts seem to think it unavoidable. PRESBYTERY of KANSAS.—This body met in stated meeting in Lawrence, Oct. 10th. A considerable business was transacted, although it was the time of the meeting of the Synod of Missouri in the same place. A pastoral letter on manses and ministers' libraries was pre pared to be sent to our churches. We feel that something ought to be done in this matter, that a beginning ought to be made now when lands are compara tively cheap, and may be easily gotten. Two new churches were received—one in Gardener, the other in. Okkawa. ketioh on the subject of reunion of the two branches of the Presbyterian Church was deferred until our spring meeting.. Our action then will, I think, be favorable to it. A union would be a good thing for our Church in Kansas. It is an object devoutly to be wished and prayed for. ' Our small band of ministers was strengthened by the addition of several others. Rev. A. Parsons was received from the Presbytery of Otsego, N. Y., and Rev. J. H. Carrath from the Presbytery of Watertown, of the same State. Rev. J. L. Chapman was re ceived from the South Classis Of Bergen, N. J., and Rev. F. E. Sheldon from the Presbytery of Lexington, Mo. Quite an accession for one meeting. We thank God and take courage, believing that our Church has a mission to perform in this rapidly growing young State. True, we began in Kansas some years after others, but not too late to do a good work. The field is large. There is, plenty of room . for scores of othOrs to work for the Master. We received also, one licentiate, Mr. L. F. Blakely, from the Presbytery of Madison, Ind. This young brother was, at an adjourned meeting held in Bald win City, Nov. 60, ordained as an evan gelist., Rev.. J. C. Beach proposed the. `eonstitntional questions and made the ordaining prayer, and Rev. Wm. H. Smith‘delivered the charge. The church of Salina, to which Brother Blakely is preaching, was received under the care of Presbytery. Two other churches, one organized at Solomons, the other at Shawnee will be received at our next regular meeting. Rev. A. T. Norton is doing what he can to explikre our. State, but he finds his field so large that he cannot make "a thorough exploration. We need an exploring' missionary in this State. The very large tide of immigra tion flowing into it, and spreading out over our, ri i ch prairies, demands it. Kan sas, having emerged from her troubles, is on a- career of great prosperity: Im p-oAant railroads are being built, towns are springing up, and on every hind there is enterprise and progress. Wm. H. SMITH, Stated Clerk. WESTERN RESERVE SYNOD ON FOR RION MISSIONS.- This Synod, at ith late meeting, gave earnest attention to the subject of Foreign Missions.. Be sides urging measures for making the contribution of'the churches sure and systematic, it enjoined upon all the churches to maintain regularly the monthly concert, and upon the pastors to prepare themselves for the meeting— and by means of lectures and maps, endeavor to render attractive and pro fitable this service, which is commonly so thinly attended, so dull and.fruitless. It also enjoined that great pains should be-taken to circulate missionary informa tion with regard •to, the Foreign work, by means of the Missionary Herald, The Presbyterian Monthly, The Chris- &in h World, and other missionary docu ments and papers; so Oat the minds of the people ,nay be ilia -ninated, their consciences quickened, and their .z'al greatly increased; also that more effort should - be put forth to' enlist the S'ab . bath-schools in the missionary work and ilia the children should in some way be encouraged -to come forward with their monthly offerings for the heathen ; and further, the young men in its churches, who have the Gospel ministry in view should have their at tention earnestly called to the claims of the Foreign field, and should solemn ly ponder the question, whether, in view of the pressing call for men from abroad at this time, they should not be ready to say, " Here are we, send us !" GENESEE SYNOD OF WISOONSIN—ROME sioNs.—The Synod of Wisconsin has taken advanced ground in regard to its position as a missionary field. At its. tall meeting, after a deliberate survey of its destitntions and its home re sources, it reached the important con clusion that the time .has come for its dependence outside to cease, and the still more importan't one that the mere sell-supporting status is only a tenipo rary one, and preparatory to its active agency in the great work opening in the still farther West. In a •seriel§, of reso lutions, it expressed its judgment that the point at which its churches 'ought to aim -at once is to raise as much for Home Missions within its bounds as is ex pended there, and that this should be regarded simply as the starting-point for further development and fsr bearing its part in sending the GospeWb the re gions beyond. The churches were urged afresh to become as soon as pos sible self-sustaining; and it was further urged, that in addition tb raising a sum equal to or dollar per member, accord ing to the recommendation of the Gene ral Assembly, the Synod should aim henceforth to- support the District Sec retary -of the Assembly's Committee oc cupying its field. WASHINGTON CITY.—Rev. Dr. Smith writes to the Evangelist that in the Fifteenth Street Church (.colored) there is- a work of grace, spiritual life, and power. Indications appeared about the time their highly- esteemed pastor; Rev. Henry Garnett, resigned his pastoral charge. Soon after, the elders began a prayer-meeting, which has been held ever since the second week in October. On Sabbath, the 18th ult.,. sixty-four were added to the Lord, in an open, stblic profession of faith in Jesus °Wrist. Still the work goes on, and prayer-meet ings will be held every evening, indefi nitely. We also learn that about thirty were added to Rev. J. N. Comb's ciiveh (the Western) last Sabbath, and that unusual interest exists in others of our churches in that city. ANOTHER CASE—We last week men tioned a case very similar to the fol lowing : The Eckmanville, Ohio, church, 0. S., and. our little . church, N. S., at North Liberty, two miles distant, have united for the support of a minis ter, and invited Rev. J. R. Gibson to become their pastor, who has accepted. All parties retaiu their present ecclesias tical relations for the present, until our Assthriblies shall have taken final action on the subject of Union. CHICAGO.—Rev . . Dr. Alfred Eddy has accepted 'the call of the church in the Chicago suburb of Cleaverville. A new church edifice for its use will soon be in readiness. Another going up for the Eighth Church ,is nearly; finished, and will, when completed, be a comely and appropriate one. The two towers of the First Church (Dr. Humphrey's) are up, and a new chapel is nearly completed. CHURCH REBUILT AND DEDICATED. —The chtirch in Thorntown, Ind., which some two years since lost its edifice by fire, has comfaeted the erection of another, which was dedicated, with the usual religions services, on the 18th The sermon was preached by Rev. H. A. Edson, of Indianapolis., N The Welsh Calvinistic Methodists have provided chapel room for a great proportion, if not nearly the whole Nonconforming popula tion of North Wales. So that there was not a town, a village, nor a hamlet, a mountain' side, nor 'a glen in, which a few families were clustered together, without a commodious building for the inhabitants to meet and worship God. And now thatthese buildings are growing old and becoming too small, there is hardly a town or neighborhood in the whole country, in which new and more costly buildings are not being erected. It is quite a new epoch in the denominational history to expend four, five, six—yea, from fifteen to twenty thousand pounds upon the chapels. Yet it is being done. The number of chur, ches is 1040; communicants, 91,358 ; hearers, 192,574; Sunday-scholars, 140,144. Collec tions for the year for all purposes, £46,821 14s. About one-third of the population at tend Sabbath-schools. In some neighbor hoods whole populations go, from the ages of four to. fourscore. The minister reporting these, facts says: It is a strange sight to see so many spectacles in our schools. A few Sundays ago, my own little girl said- . to her mamma, when they came from school, " counted twelve pairs of spqctacles in your class to-day." And they, attend not merely ,to read the Scriptures, but to search them. Our 'teachers, as a rule, carefully prepare themselves to meet 'their classes. There is scarcely a class of adults in which the teacher or some one in, the class has not a cowmen-, tary. But commentaries are not brought to the classes. Portuguese Presbyterian Churches in Illincis.—The Rev. R. Lenington is pastor of the First Portuguese Church, Springfield, 111. The N. W. Presbyterian, says- that his labors have been remarkably blessed to this people,: both in a temporal and spiritual point of view. His time is divided between Springfield 'and Jacksonville, His people, though poor as to this world's goods, sustain the means of grace among.themselves, with mn, any assistance from the- Boardii. A - new colony is on the way from Madeira to this country, and it is expected, after their' arrival, that the churches in Springfield and' Jack sonville will each require and , be able to. Ef CLEI - a pastor all , Missionary to Sew Iffeildo.—Rey. D. F. M.uFariand has been 66EntniVsioned by the 0. S. Board of Dom6stie filigsions, as missionary to Santa Fe, in the teiricoq of New Mexico. . DR. BRAINERD AND HIS EDUCATORS From the memorial sermon of Mr. Barnes we are permitted to make the following extract, which was prefaced in the delivery by the passage from the life of John Brain erd descriptive of Puritan family training in the early days of the. biographer.—[Life, PP. 45-49.] In seeking for those elements which en tered into the character of Dr. Brainerd, and those influences which made him what he was, it is important to bear this method of early training in the family in remembrance. At the same time, I could say nothing more 'appropriate on this occassion, and nothing that would be more useful, than to let Dr. Brainerd himself thus speak on a subject so important as the proper training of the young. The leading events of his life are soon told. What prompted him to leave his early home, and to enter on the study of the law, I know not. He did, however, what was very common in the part of the country where he was raised. At the age of seventeen, in the year 18 9 1, he left his home to teach school, for the pur pose of obtaining the means of a professional education. After teaching about three years, he commenced the study of law, in the village of Rome, in the county of Oneida, first with Alanson Bennett, Esq., and then with the Hon. Henry A. Foster, and the Hon. Chester Hayden. In the meantime, however, and near the close of those preparatory studies, an import ant event had occurred, which led to an entire change of his purpose of life. It was in that vicinity that the Rev. Charles G. Finney, who had himself been a lawyer, began his labors in the ministry, and his most marked early success as a preacher occurred in that place in a revival of religion of great power. In that revival, nearly every merchant, almost every lawyer, and almost every man of influence, was converted, and among the converts was young Brainerd. His course of life, up to that time, had been moral and correct. He had been preserved from vices to which all'are exposed in early life ; and in his case, there had been one instance, at least, in which he had been preserved from danger of ruin, by an event which bears a strong resemblance to the manner in which Dr. Paley was saved from a similar danger, and with a like perception of his early promise. "You are a great fool," said a friend to young Paley, when he saw him yielding to temptations and becoming the companion of young men of dissipation. " You," said he, " have talents, which may raise you to eminence, if you will cultivate them. These young men, your companions, have not, and •it is .of little consequence what becomes of them." Paley took the hint so roughly given, forsook his companions, and ' placed his name among tjiose which are most emi nent in English literature. In the public house where young Brainerd boarded, there was a number of young men who spent their nights in drinking_and carousing. On one of those evenings, Brainerd happened to be among them. The keeper of the house went into the room, and said, " Brainerd, you had better go to bed. Those young men are going to rill. But you were 'born for better purpbses." He, too, took the hint, and was ever afterward saved from the temptation. No man through life was a more thorough temperance man than he.vvas. I am ignorant of the mental exercises through which he passed at that time. I know only that he became a member of the church in Rome in 1825,1 that by at once abandoned his profession ; that he chose the profession of the ministry with Ont hesitation ; and that his conversion changed the entire current, of his life. With a view to secure the means of prosecuting his theological studies, he spent a year in teaching in Phila delphia. During that time he was connected with the church of the Rev. James Patter son, and entered heartily with him into every measure for promoting the interests of reli gion in the northern part of the city. In October, 1828, he entered the Theologi cal Seminary in Andover, and graduated there in the class of 1831. He was ordained as an evangelist in New York, October 7th, 1831, and went immediately to the West, as a home missionary. In December of that year he was settled as pastor of the Fourth Church in Cincinnati, where he labored two .years. In March, 1833, he became editor of the Cincinnati Journal, which he conducted, _together with the Youth's Magazine, until the autumn of 1836, nearly four years. Daring that period he assisted the Rev. Dr. Beecher as a preacher in the Second Presby terian Church of that city, an event which laid the foundation of mutual confidence and affection for life. In October, 1836, he was called to the pastoral charge of the Third Presbyterian Church in Philadelphia, where he commenced his labors February Ist, 1837. His pastoral life here embraced a period of just about thirty years—as eventful years in the history of the Oh'urch and of our own country • as any that have occurred. since we became a nation. The history of those years is-familiar to you all. I have referred, with a special design, to the fact that Dr. Brainerd was converted under the preaching of the Rev. Charles G. Finney; that he was early associated in labor with the Rev. James Patterson ; and that he was more intimately, and for a longer time,. asso ciated with Dr. Lyman Beecher; for it was by the influence of these men and their preaching, more than by any other cause, perhaps unconsciously to himself, that hid character as a preacher was formed. Perhaps no three men could be named whose charac ter and mode of preaching would be more likely to influence a mind like his. He him self was indeed original. He copied no one. He probably never set any man before him as a model; he transferred to himself in no per ceptible manner, the language, the modes of thought, or the theological opinions of an other man ; but there was, if I mistake not, a silent influence of great power which went forth from his early connection with those men, which greatly affected his subsequent character as a preacher and pastor. Two of these men have passed away; hundreds, per haps thousands, will bless the name of each one of them forever, as'the instrument, under God, of their conversion. - Charles G. Finney.—Dr. Bremer s earliest. religious impressions were probably received from him. Mr. Finney had himself been a lawyer, and would have been distinguished as a lawyer if he had continued to pursue that profession. Not always safe in his theologi cal opinions, and not having been trained to great thoroughness in theological learning, he was, nevertheless, a man of great power m showing to men the danger of false hopes; in setting forth the real nature of religion; in driving men from their subterfuges and refuges of lies ; in proclaiming the terrors of the law and the fearfulness of the world to come ; in laying open to men the delusions of their own hearts; and above's% in pro claiming the majesty of God and the great ness of eternal things, and in making all things else dwindle to nothingness before the Eternal One and the eternal world. Few men in our'country have been as well fitted to act on the higher order of minds, or to bring men, proud in their philosophY 'or their own righteousness, to the foot of the cross. • James Patterson,—not graceful in man ner ; not polished in sentences and not the L iming at beauty of style ; . .and in raises of men—wit h a keen eye that Pqnetrated the soul; with a tall and impres i h not periods;cour awe fervor ; with unpolished but most food-
Significant historical Pennsylvania newspapers