gwm« THURSDAY, JANUARY 17, 1867, Look Ahead: —Dr. Breckenridge writes to the Presbyter that while he has confidence in the loyalty and firmness of the mass of the Church, he yet, dreads lest the reactionary efforts of Drs. Jun kin, Boardman, Baird and others, should lead to the election by hook or crook of an Assembly of their stripe, and so allow the Declaration and Testi mony men to escape. He traces in the 0. S. papers, “the signs of a general movement favo rable,to the vast and intolerable mischiefs involved in the success, nay even in the impunity, of those who issued that monstrous paper, and those who have affiliated with them/* The Presbyter wisely advises him to see that matters at home in Ken tuckygo right, and asssures him there is no danger from other quarters. It hints that some of those who joined in “de-facto-ing” the Border States Church Courts did;so only in order to get a vote in-the Dext Assembly against the' deliverances of 1860—6. Dr. Breckenridge declares that the seceders of the Kentucky Synod held a secret conference after organizing apart from the loyalists, and that of three proposals. (1,) to go South; (2,) to orga nize a Border States Church and (3,) to hold on by. their-Northern friends and “ wait for something to tarn up”—the hist was adopted, and has been every where carried out except in Baltimore. Another cask ok’permitted. confession "S. G. 0.” gives another instance of the way in which Dr. Pusey and those like him tyrannize Over the consciences of weak-minded and scrupu- Joub persons. He shows also the essential hostility of the whole policy to the family relation, as infe rior in holiness, and their utter distrust of the divine order of society and the family:— A young lady, under the guidance of her con fessor, took a vow of celibacy for two years un known to her parents. An offer of marriage was subsequently made to her, with their approval. It was hot proposed that she should marry until tfie period of her vow had expired; but she had scruples in doing so even then; unless her director would give his sanction. He was solicited by her parents to grant it, but he refused, and the lady died single. The confessor was Dr. Pusey himself. "Now," says the Times, “ wc invite Dr. Pusey to give a simple answer to the question whether this Story be truly related or not. It would be both superfluous and useless to enter further upon the justification of such practices. We want to know whether the- facts alleged in this instance by our correspondent be true or not. If they be, no one will dream, of impugning; Dr. Pusey’s motives;,but we shasl ? _,p.ossess a decisive illustration of the real' character of the system which be advocates.” ... “To-argue in faYour of habitual Confession in the 'English Church, is like argumg in favour of des potism in the English Constitution. The practice ■is antagonistic to every English principle. The plea that it is sanctioned by the Prayer-Book is ■utterly incredible, nor could any amount of special pleading.convince an impartial judge that it can ever be reconciled with our formularies.' First Presbyterian Church, Kensing ton. —Tho fifteenth anniversary of the Sab bath School of this church, was held on the first Sabbath of the yea™ The occasion was one of great interest, being celebrated with a--.warm and earnest jubilee spirit. In the morning, the pastor preached on the subject ofthe Usefulness of Sabbath Schools, and the duty of professing Christians and of parents in.reference thereto. In the afternoon there was a great gathering. The exercises con sisted of singing by the school, the reading of a semi centennial repopt, embracing the history of the origin and progress of the school, by the secretary, addresses by Chas. Godfrey, Dr. Van Buren, Rev. Mr. Paxson, son of the veteran Sunday School mission ary, and the pastor; and the presentation of class contributions for the missionary work of the American Sunday School Union. Tho aggregate amount offered was §640, besides $5O contributed during the year to the Soldiers’ Orphans’ Home, at ‘Gettysburg. Three years ago the the offer ings of the school were $200; and this jubi lee anniversary closed with a pledge to raise the next year $7OO. The school is under the efficient, suporintendeney of Messrs. George IJrwiler, add Timothy Matlack. Altogether it was a most inspiring occasion, and it was good to be there. Penoador .Church. —Rev. Edward Webb pastor of this church, reports many encour aging indications among h’is people, spiritual and otherwise. The attendance upsh pub lic services is very much improved, and the liberality of the people is enlarged. At the Hew Year’s reception, given to Mr. Webb, they supplemented his moderate salary by a gift of $235. We hope 6Oon to hear from Pencador, that news of spiritual awakening which is so sure to follow movements of this femd. Pittsburg, Pa.— A few members of the Third Church, presented their pastor, Rev. Herrick Johnson, op Christmas taorning, with; the handsome sum of $l2OO. THE AMERICAN PRESBYTERIAN, THURSDAY, JANUARY 17, 1867. OUR ROCHESTER CORRESPONDENT. PRESBYTERY OP ROCHESTER. The annual meeting of this Presbytery was convened in the Brick Church of this city, on Tuesday last, at 2P. M. Rev. Dr. Shaw was elected Moderator, Rev. E. B! Van Aulcen and Rev. Henry M. Morey, Clerks. In the absence of the previous Moderator, to preach the opening sermon, the Presbytery held a prayer-meeting, in connection with the Brick Church, on Tues day evening, this being the week of prayer for the conversion of the world. 1. Among the items of business, we may mention, first, that the following persons were appointed Commissioners to the next General Assembly: S. M. Cambpell, D.D., and Rev. A. MeA. Thorburn, with Elders Frederick Starr and T. A. Newton, princi pals; and Revs. C. E. Furman and O. H. Barnard, with Elders William Ailing and E. T. Huntington, alternates. 2. Rev. Dr. Campbell was appointed Com missioner to Auburn Seminary. 3. Notice was also taken of the appoint ment of the new Secretary of the Church Erection Fund, in which, under the circum stances, this Presbytery would be expected to take a particular interest; and the fol lowing resolutions were heartily adopted:—: Resolved, That we hail with peculiar in terest and satisfaction the change in plan adopted by the last General Assembly in regard to the working of our Church Erec tion Fund; and that we pledge to tho Gen eral Assembly for this our hearty co-opera tion and support. / Resolved, That we greatly rejoice also in the appointment of one of our owu Presby tery, one so much esteemed and beloved among us as Dr. Eliiuwood is, for Secretary of this, Fund—a man whom we regard as eminently qualified for the place, and wor thy of all confidence' and support in his great and important work. 4. Rev. Dr. Clark, the new Secretary of the American Board, being providentially present on the second day, by special invi tation addressed the Presbytery in behalf of Missions. He spoke particularly of the want of men. He is now on a t-oiir, visiting the theological seminaries in quest of them. The Board now wants sixty-fivenew mission aries; twenty to hold the ground already in our possession, and forty-five for new and opening fields of labor. Dr. Clark presented these necessities very vividly and earnestly before our minds. He spoke substantially of the same things to large meetings in the evening, both in the Central churches. Hiß addresses were brief, but pertinent and powerful, each time making a deep impression upon, the minds of his hearers. All seemed delighted with the man and his remarks. Much, we are sure, was accomplished for the cause of Missions by his brief stay, of only twenty four hours, among us. 5. Some changes should be noticed. Rev. H. W. Brown, pastor elect -at Brockport, was received from the Presbytery of Lyons. Rev. W. W. Collins, now preaching at Pen field, was received from the Presbytery of Tioga; and Willis Clark Gaylord, a member of the Central Church of this city, a student of Theology, was received under care of the Presbytery, with a view to licensure for the ministry. The semi-annual meeting of the Presbytery is to be held in Sweden. In order to increase, if possible, the interest in the summer session, it is proposed to have a children’s meeting, in connection with the -school in the place, in the afternoon; also a social gathering in the evening ofthe second day. This last is intended to be the crowning glory of the feast. All are ex pected to remain to this. And still further to enhance the real pleasure and profit of the occasion, the ministers and elders are invited and expected to take their wives with them—if they have any—that they may see how the business of Presbytery is done, and especially that they may “take part” in the closing exercises. It is hoped thus to hold every member of Presbytery in attendance until the business is ended; and also to make the meeting every Way one of more interest and profit to the people where we assemble. DEATH OF REV. FREDERICK JR. The news of this sad event, which occur red in St. Louis on Wednesday last, came to this city by telegraph while our Presbytery was in session, and was received with pro found sorrow and surprise. Tho Presbytery paused in the midst of its business to offer prayer for the afflicted father and his family. Mr. Starr was a Dative of this place, son of Frederick Starr, Esq., so well known in all the enterprises of Christian activity, and an honored elder in the Central Church in this city. He was a graduate of Yale College, and of Auburn Seminary, and had been nearly eighteen years in the ministry. He was first a pastor for five years in Wes ton, Mo., until driven out by border ruffian ism. He then came back to this State, and became Secretary of the Western Education Society, and Financial 1 Agentf for Auburn Seminary, in which capacity he labored for many years with untiring energy and marked success. He raised large sums of money for that school of the prophets, and was the means of lifting it up from a state of deep depression, or perhaps we may say of complete prostration, into a new life and real prosperity. While so engaged, he received an urgent call to settle as .a pastor at Penn Yan, where he spent three years, and from which place he went to St. Louis only two years .ago; every where the same earnest, active, useful man. He could do about as much work as a half dozen common men. He seemed to have the strength of two or three rolled into one. Who would have thoughtof his dying until he was nearly a hundred years old? What an admonition to all who remain, to work while the day lasts ! He was a most dutiful, affectionate and beloved son and brother; and heavily the blow falls upon all his family friends. They have the sincere sympathy of this en tire region of country, where the deceased was so well and favorably known. To his life some more fitting tribute will doubtlesa<-be rendered by more competent hands; and we should be glad even now to write much more, if the limits of this com munication did not forbid. FASHIONABLE AMUSEMENTS. ■ On this subject, Rev. Dr. Campbell last Sabbath read, in a most solemn and impres sive manner, at the opening of his morning service, the following paper, signed by every member of his session, eleven in all. It was introduced by most kind and considerate re marks ; it is itself full of kindness: it is expostulation, not threats, and produced a profound sensation in the congregation. It cannot fail to do good: — “ The Session of the Central Presbyterian Church in Rochester, to the members of Christ’s flock, over which the Holy Ghost ■ ha,th made them overseers: “Dearly-beloved brethren: “At this season of the yearj when worldly gayetyjs rife, and when it is the habit of the Church to devote a week to special prayer, we feel called upon to offer a sugges tion upon the subject of unchristian amuse ments. We desire particularly to give our solemn testimony against such practices on the part of professing Christians, as card playing, theatre-going and dancing. We regard these things as unedifying, as giving offence to pious minds, as dissipating serious thoughts, as leading to practices that are very reprehensible, and as presenting an ex ample unwholesome to the world. “Therefore, in all kindness, charity and forbearance, we do earnestly entreat of you, onf all, t° abstain from these things, andilpom others like them; and to*, conspire together to maintain for our beloved Church that good name which it has hitherto en joyed!' Given under our hands this 2d day of January, in the year of our Lord 1567." A GOOD TIME AT HORNELLSVILLE. ■» It was Christmas evening. The new Pub lic Hall, which graces the village, was nicely decorated and .well filled with the children and their friends for a Sunday-school festi val. A big Christmas tree grew on the platform; back of it hung the national colors, not yet banished from our goodly land; and in front, stretching down through a good part of the hall, a long table groan ing udder the weight of good things plead ing to be eaten. But time would fail us to give all the par ticulars. Suffice it to say, that bright eyes shone with unwonted lustre that evening, and many hearts were stirred with peculiar joy; teachers happy in seeing so much en joyment among the scholars, and. the schol ars happy in the love of their teachers. Gifts, also, were the order of the evening, among which we can only mention a silver bell for the Sunday-school, from some of the young ladies; a beautiful set of Ruskin’s works, and one hundred and thirty dollars in money for Rev. M. Waldo, the esteemed and worthy pastor of the church. All this, beside various pleasant addresses, with singing and social intercourse, made it a very perry Christmas that eyening in the pleasant village of Hornellsville. Next time may we be there. Rochester, Jan. 12,1867 Milford, Del. —Rev. J. P. Severance, pas tor of the church in this place, writes us as follows: —“Last Sabbath was a blessed day with us—l 7 united with us. There is an unusual interest with us now. The lecture room is well filled every night. God is evi dently with us; and oh! that we might have a great blessing.” Youngstown, JT. Y.— The people of Mr. Burdick’s- flock, during the holiday week, supplied the parsonage with a number of articles which will add greatly to family comfort. A now bell has been purchased, and an effort is being made to remove the debt of the church, which promises to be en tirely successful. Bopi, Wis.—The Rev. Warren Mayo was installed pastor of the Church in Lodi by the Presbytery of Columbus, on the 2d inst. Sermon by Rev. M. Fish ; charge to the pas tor by Rev. J. K Lewis; and to the people by Rev. M. Lawrie, Daily services are held this week in ail our churches. There is also a union prayer-, meeting held every morning at a central point, under the auspices of the Young Men’s Christian Association. The regular noon meeting of the Association is also held as usual. At the union meeting this morn ing, it was reported that yesterday the-noon meeting was overflowing, and that a degree of interest was manifested such as has not been observed since the Pentecostal days of 1857. Several persons present requested prayers for help in entering the “Strait Gate.” The members of this Association are unremitting in their efforts and un daunted. They believe that, as one has ex pressed it, salvation is to penetrate society vertically, touching the highest point and reaching to the lowest. Not a little success ful effort has been made to reach even the habitues of our saloons with the offers of Gospel. Two or three recent and remarka ble conversions tfre reported among those who needed more than the waters of Abana and Pharpar to cleanse even the surface of their souls. The heathen at home are our special charge in these great cities. The leader of this morning’s meeting hit a truth sententioiisly when he said, referring to the Saviour’s great commission : “We. are to be foreign missionaries in our prayers and home missionaries in our work.” There is an unusual degree of interest in nearly all the churches at present, and it is hoped that this will be a year fruitful in good. I am sorry to observe so few rejforts of the collections of the third Sunday in De cember. It is true that was a day of storm throughout the North, and it is to be pre sumed that in most of our churches the col lection was deferred, that the brightest sky might favor the object. None of the churches in Chicago took their collection on that day. The First Church is now gathering its sub scriptions. It has already obtained, I un derstand, over §llOO, and is expecting to increase the amount.. The pastor of the Second Church waits for subscriptions from some of the wealthier members of his church in Europe as the basis of his collection. If all would make this a cause to be pressed in. this manner by personal and general so licitation, a whole year of stormy Sundays would not prevent a most noble;contribu tion. It is surely needed, and if it is not given, our Church will have wasted more than one year, and have misled* <we. fof its grandest opportunities. The Second Church has recently demon strated its appreciation of the long and use ful services of its pastor by voting him an eight months’ vacation, without diminution of his salary; It,is understood that ample provision has also been made for the ex penses of a journey 11 outre mer,” if he de sires to take it. No one deserves such a compliment more richly than Dr. Patterson. I have not yet heard whether he will avail himself of the opportunity, thus offered.’ The new chapel of the vigorous Ninth Church, the youngest of our sisterhood, is to be dedicated next Sunday. It is a plain, but tasteful structure, commodious enough for the present, not too good to give place to a larger and better one ere long. The new Olivet Church is nearly ready {pr occupancy. Rev. Mr. Rice, recently pastor of the Cir cular Church, of historic memory, in Charles ton, is still supplying its pulpit. Mr. Rice was pastor of the-Circular Church through all the years of the rebellion—himself one°of the few loyal men in Chafleston, whose af fection for our flag was only second to their love for the Cross. He has a most interest ing lecture on “An inside view of the Rebel lion,” which he will soon deliver in Chicago. It is endorsed by such men as Dr. Bacon. No point was more favorable certainly for an inside view than that of Mr. Rice, stand ing as he did by the great arteries of treason. The Seventh, and the Eighth Churches are making fine progress with their sanctuaries, and both have most flattering prospects. Genesee. Among the good things done by our com gregations at their annual meetings, was a vote by one of them to appropriate one hun dred dollars per annum from the revenues of the church, for the increase of a library, already large, which ip devoted Bolely to the use of the pastor. The library referred to was founded a few years since by a munifi' cent appropriation by one of the members of the church. The selection was left to the pastor, and was suited, of course, to his own wants but as the books selected were of standard value, they would be equally use iul to any pastor into whose hands thev m.ght M. On. dol I„, Bmall fragment from the rer.nno it any of oar more wealthy, eherchee, and no appro' pnation could be made-which would prove OUR CHICAGO CORRESPONDENT. THE WEEK OF PRAYER CHURCH ERECTION. PAROCHIAL APPRECIATION. DEDICATION OF CHURCHES. PASTORAL LIBRARIES. more remunerative to the church itself, than such a one as this. Why should we spend two or three thousand dollars every year for sustaining our choirs, without some thought of the mental supplies by which the pulpit might be enriched? Good music is of value, but a good sermon is better. No tools are too expensive for a watch-factory. Why should our ministers be expected to work only with the blacksmith’s hammer and pincers? Salaries are not generally liberal enough to allow great expenditures for book 3. And when they are, the extra appropriation of a few dollars for a library which will be a permanent possession of the church, and which will enrich its pulpit for all time, is most wise and thoughtful. The church to which I refer is liberal in both di rections, and does not think itself extrava gant in either. DR. MCMASTER. The death of this eminent man is greatly deplored by the friends of a sound theologi education, in the North-west. A man of great insight, no one could analyze and ap ply the truths of the Bible more clearly than he. A man of convictions deop-rooted as the hills, no one could impress a student more profoundly, with the thought that God’s word can never pass away. He is gone. Let us be grateful that the truth ho loved remains, and is firmer than the gran ite of a thousand centuries. Chicago, Jan. 9,1867; a! ftm The Oil Region. —The pastor of a church in the oil regions, sends us a list of new names, and writes: “The oil excitement which for two or three years threatened to sweep away almost everything of a religious nature, has abated. God is reviving his peo ple here; sinners are being converted, and I wish your paper to help me in the Master’s work.” Madison Square Church, N. Y. —The members of this Church consecrated the closing hours of 1866 to public worship, in which Christians of other names took part. Althoughthe weather was very unpropitious a large number came together, and en joyed a season of prayer that will long bo remembered. The pastor of the church, Dr. Adams,presided. Drs. Murray, Crosby, and Ganse, made brief but very interesting ad dresses; and prayers were offered by Drs. Field, Rogers, and Prentiss. Toward tho close, Dr. Cox, the oldest minister present, made a few remarks, fall of tenderness, and the closing prayer was offered by Dr. Hut ton, in which two persons who were in deep sorrow, and who had sent to the pastor of the church requests for prayer, were fitly remembered. - Union Presbytertal Convention. —The ministers and elders of the two Presbyteries of Fort Wayne, Indiana, met for religious conference and incitement in the city of Wa bash, 18th Dec., alt. Appropriate topics were discussed throughout three sessions. Chicago, lII.—Dr. Patterson stated, in one of his recent meetings, that there are now thirteen of the original members of the 2d Church alive; and thirteen have gone homo. Of the thirteen diving eleven are still connected with, the church, and next May will be the close of its first quarter of a century. He has been its first and only pastor. Newark, N. J.—The South Park Church during tly; past year, has pdid off its debt and contributed for church purposes double the amount of the previous year. The Weak Churches oe our Denomina tion. The Evangelist discusses our duty to our less affluent brethren in an excellent leading article, appealing to the very idea of Presbyterianism, as uniting the churches for mutual counsel and assistance. It sums up the whole case thus:-”Our Western Synods cover vast spaces, meet with for midable opposition, and yet are weak in numbers and munitions. A large proportion of their churches are weak and feeble, and they sustain the ordinances of religibn with difficulty.' Theirministers are often brought R P nrt Sre ? l t ,f ra,t8 ’ and kDOW not what to do. Rendered desperate by want, in many cases they partially or wholly turn aside to seen which furnish a more certain Kreat ° >an » cause suffers fhe 7«? W U ° U t 0 sk °w that of the 764 Western churches none have abov. til offlviTi onl { 3 have between 500 a “ d on?: h&ve between 300 and 500; and 694 pt* n CtWeeD 200 aDd 3m - 0f the have We, °1 tbe otb<,r h “ i ' s Eastern S V „ 0< 1, of jA' Ac ' TL " c 'S t: tho state of Hew f “T" 111 ” “ one-ton+L 1 * ork > d ,° not occupy a field 90,487 memberf tern ' and havc Synodkhave only 5? 351) tb "^ en Wcsterr ‘ 481 wool t members, and havt* Wabash.
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