entopinantt.
THE ASSEMBLY OF THE OTHER BRANCH.
CINCINNATI, June 1, 1867.
A few notes and impressions concerning the
General Assembly which has just closed its ses
sions in this place, may prove acceptable to the
readers of the AMERICAN PRESBYTERIAN.
Though prepared by one who rejoices in belong
ing to another school, they were written under
the inspiration of a cordial interest in the As
sembly. and are published only at the impulse of
a most fraternal and Christian regard.
The Assembly was composed of about 275
members; representing quite fully all sections of
the Church, except the nine or ten seceding Sy
nods. It was a noticeable apd by no means un
desirable feature, that these delegates, on the
clerical side, were, for the most part, the younger
and less noted, but at the same time the more
active, earnest, progressive among the ministers
of the denomination. The fathers of the Church,
especially in the eldership, were present in suffi
cient force to give dignity and an aspect of sa
credness to the body; there were men enough of
experience and influence to impart momentum
and conclusiveness to
. the deliberations; but it
was to the younger ministry, who constituted the
large majority of the Assembly, that the temper
of its sessions, the character of its decisions, its
general tone and drift, were chiefly due. It has
justly been questioued whether our New School
Assemblies would not be improved, in many par
ticulars, by a less faithful adherence to the rule
of rotation, and a more careful selection of repre
sentative and experienced men; but what has
been probably needed in the Old School Assem
blies, for some time past, is a larger infusion of
this younger blood--a more full and free repre
sentation of that newer life which is now throb
bing, with more and more of conscious power, in
the heart of the denomination.
Under the leadership of its trained and genial
Moderator, and of the efficient chairmen of its
standing committees, the ordinary business of the
Assembly was carried on with remarkable diligence,
and in a manner and spirit worthy of all praise.
It was emphatically a working body ; prompt in
attendance, attentive always to the matter in
band, sufficiently familiar with details, indis
posed, for the most part, to prolong discussion,
courteous in debate, and quick in reaching de
sired results. A generous New School man
might safely admit that, in the arrangement and
conduct of business, and in the disposition of all
regular questions—in .whatever relates to the
mediatiice of our ecclesiastical system, this As
sembly was quite equal to the one which, under
the direction Of our honored Nelson,:has just
closed so splendidly at Rochester. Had it not
been for the Kentucky embroglio, into which
Breckenridge and his compeers, both loyal and
rebellious, managed to drag the body for three
long and tedious days, we might perchance have
witnessed this year, the remarkable spectacle of
an Old School Assembly adjourning, not simul
taneously with, but in advance of, all others!
The Kentucky question, seconded and echoed
as it was by the Missouri question, was the most
exciting and perplexing matter before the body.
The manly and conciliatory Report of the Special
Committee was finally adopted with but few dis
senting voices: a report pronouncing the signers
of the Declaration and Testimony contumacious
and disloyal to the Assembly, and dissolving the
factious Presbyteries and Synods into which they,
with their sympathizers, had been oraganized;
yet leaving the way open for them to return to
fellowship, by a disavowal of their evil purpose
and a due acknowledgment of their allegiance to
the Church. The principles of this Report,
taken together with the action based upon it, will
furnish matter for serious study both within the
denomination, and beyond it; and it will not be
strange if some who, on the one side, detest the
execrable doctrines and the rebellious and wicked
spirit brought to light in the Declaration and
Testimony, will seriously question, on the other
side, whether the Assembly bas not assumed to
itself prerogatives nowhere vested in it by the
Form - of Government, and been guilty of admin
istering discipline without constitutional trial, to
an extent which has had no parallel in the deno
,mination, since 1837.
It was doubtless desirable to save the few in
these border States, who, amid great temptations,
had been true and faithful both to the Church
and to the country. It was desirable also to
preserve the territory, and the denominational pro
perty and interests therein, from being transfer
red bodily into the grasp of the Southern Pres
byterian Church. Yet the Assembly labored un
der the sore misfortune of having its claims, just
and noble as they were, chiefly in the hands of a
man who though a proficient in the arts of admin
istration, never knew how to maintain a grand
cause grandly ! The processes by which the right
was defended in both Kentucky and Missouri, were
hardly less despicable than those by which the
wrong attempted to sustain and justify itself: and
it remains for the future to determine whether, in
endeavoring to save the loyal element, such as it
was, the Assembly has not transcended the
bounds of a strict Presbyterianism, and exposed
itself to the criticism, and possibly the censure
of impartial History.
You have seen the published report of the
courteous and generous welcome extended by the
THE AMERICAN PRESBYTERIAN, THURSDAY, JUNE 13, 1867.
Assembly to the delegate from our New School
body,—Brother Morris from Columbus. His ad
dress, aside from incidental allusions, related
primarily to the Communion of Saints, as set
forth in the Christian creeds, and as exemplified
so happily, in these latter days, in the growing
intimacy betieen different branches of the great
Presbyterian family. On the subject of Re-un
ion, he expressed no opinion: preferring as he
said, to leave the matter to the consideration of
the Assembly exactly as it had been presented by
their own Committee. He dweltbriefly upon the
vast importance of the question before both de
nominations; and upon the necessity of examin
ing it without fear or prejudice or partizan zeal,
but with magnanimity, candor, thoroughness,
dignity in some degree commensurate with the
greatness of the issue. The reply of the Mod
erator was exceedingly fraternal and manly, and
the incident of a wedding, by chance occurring
in immediate connection with these addresses,
seemed to give a peculiar emphasis and meaning
to the entire occasion.
It would have been too much to expect that
the Assembly, cordial and predisposed to Union
though its vast majority was, should have ap
proved the report of the Joint Committee with
the same unanimity and fervor which character
ized the action at Rochester. Those friends of
Union on both sides, who may be startled by the
negative vote of 63 against 144 'on what was the
test question in the case, may find an easy expla
nation in a careful analysis of this vote. One
fourth of it cast by the border State element:
just as tender toward the South, and as far be
hind the times, in religious as in civil connec
tions. Another third was cast by the conservative
element, organized at Philadelphia and crystal
ized at Princeton :—now, as always, opposed by
instinct to whatever is new or progressive. The
remainder represents in part the conservatives
and border men, sporadically scattered through
other portions of the country, together with here
and there a cautious friend of Union, anxious for
a progress sure though slow, and for such guar
antees as would carry the entire denominations
into the movement. Two-thirds of the whole,
as might have been anticipated, were ministers:
but twenty elders were willing to stand among
the opposition. On the affirmative side, the Sy
nods of Allegheny, Pittsburgh, Wheeling, Cin
cinnati, lowa were a unit: and by those of Alba
ny, Ohio, Sandusky, Chicago, and Kansas, but
one negative vote was severally cast. Counting
by Presbyteries, nearly three-fourths were unan
imously in favor of Re-union : and hardly one
in six cast a majority of votes against it. It
will thus be seen that the great question, around
which for years to come, the thoughts of Pres
byterians in this land are to be concentrated, has
received, at the hands of this Assembly, a some
what decisive, though an incomplete response
Had the timorous and weak resolution appended
to the report of the Committee, been laid on the
table instead of being thrown in as a sort of com
pensation to the negative side, the record of the
Assembly would have been all that reasonable
men expected.
FROM OUR ROCHESTER CORRESPONDENT,
SOME BOASTING
The late Bishop Timon, of Buffalo, must have
been a man of wonderful success in making con
verts to Romanist - xi, or else must have been guil
ty of some huge boasting in his missives to the
old world. We have before us the "Annals of
the Propagation of the Faith," published in Lon
don, in July, 1866. It contains some very re
markable extracts from the Journal and letters of
Bishop Timun, in the years 1864-5, introduced
with high commendation by the editor of the An
nals.
Speaking of what he witnessed while on a lit
tle journey in 1864, the Bishop says, " Forty per
sons abjured the errors of Protestantism. In
whatever direction I went, during my pastoral
visitations, I hnd to thank. God for the conver
sion of many Protestants." Again, in the same
year, he says : "I conferred the sacrament of
confirmation on one hundred and thirty-three
adults, nearly all converts from Protestantism."
And in 1865, lie writes, " The eyes and hearts of
dissenters seihn to turn with respect and desire to
wards our holy Church. Conversions are taking
place on all sides."
These were encouraging words to send away
over the waters. The hearts of the faithful must
have been much cheered by them, and bright
visions of all America soon following after Pio
Nono in solemn reverence, must have floated be
fore the eyes , of Bishops and Cardinals in holy
conclave.
But Dr. Timon indulges in some lamentations
also. Great as was his success, he still had
some trials, the precise purport of which we do
not fully understand, especially about the "Peni
tentiaries." Perhaps the Advocate, of Buffalo,
can enlighten us, in regard to the griefs of his
former neighbor.
The Bishop says : " The Protestant schools
do us much harm; the Penitentiaries are still
worse. [The italics are ours.] P
or the slightest
faults, sometimes for no. fault at all, they carry off
our poor children, change their names, and send
them three or four hundred leagues away from
their native place, to be handed over like slaves
to the Protestants."
Do our Buffalo friends permit such barbarities
to be inflicted upon "poor children for no fault at
ill?" We thought Buffalo was quite an en
lightened city; and that its municipal laws were
probably quite as humanely framed and adminis
tered as those of Madrid, or of Rome itself. But
it would seem to be quite otherwise, if we may
judge from the distressing lamentations of the
good Bishop now departed.
Hear him again. Speaking of these "poor
children," of Buffalo, so ruthlessly dragged away
three or four hundred leagues from their dear
native homes, for no fault at all, he's'ays, "Most
of them, led away by the example and persuasion
of their Tnasters"—that means, we suppose, the
keepers of the prisons---" or seduced by the love
of gain "—we do not know what that means—
" lose their faith. On this account we are ma
king superhuman efforts to establish Catholic
Penitentiaries in Buffalo."
We should like to know how many " Catholic"
Penitentiaries they now have in that city; and
what sort of " superhuman " exertions it cost to
build them.
But the comments of the Editor of the "An
nals," in connection with these extracts, are remark
ably flattering—to some of us. He says, " The
diocese of Buffalo has a population of 1,300,000
inhabitants; of whom 250,000 are Catholics;
450,000 heretics, and 601:1,000 infidels. Among
these last are 3,000 Iroquois Indians." .One
would think that they were all Iroquois in Buf
falo, by the way they treat those "poor children."
Let us have light on that subject.
Quite inadvertently, we omitted to say, in our
letter of last week, that the farewell address to
the graduating class was delivered by Prof. Hun
tington, who also presided with his accustomed
dignity and propriety on the occasion.
We should also have added, but haste put it
out of Mind, that Rev. James E. Pierce, who was
elected two years ago, as "adjunct" Profes t sor of
Hebrew, is to be inaugurated into the full pro
fessorship at the commencement of the next term
in September, he having given entire satisfaction
to the Faculty and Trustees by his service hith
erto.
Rev. F. B. Van Auken, who has labored very
successfully for the last two years in Mendon, and
under whose ministry the small church there has
been much quickened and strengthened, having
indeed doubled its numbers, has received and ac
cepted an invitation to the church in Bergen, and
will enter at once upon his labors in the latter
place.
The church in Horse Heads, which Rev. C. C.
Carr has served most faithfully for about twenty
years, has recently procured an organ, at a cost of
$BOO, a good part of which is kindly paid by.a
generous friend in New York, a former resident
of their village. It is a kindness well appreciated
by the good people of Heise Heads.
IVe often hear of new movements and increased
activity in the Temperance reform. The leaven
is evidently working far and near. At Pittsford
several well-attended and deeply interesting meet
ings have recently occurred. Col. Klinck, of
our city, has spoken there very acceptably, and
has aided to set forward the good movement. A
society of Good Templars is also formed, and is
trying to keep the ball in motion. A good effect
is already manifest on the young men of the place.
So may it be everywhere.
There is some alarm just now, in our city,
about mad dogs; but where one person is in dan
ger from this source, ten are in greater peril by
reason of the dram shops, everywhere 'inviting
the steps of the unwary. The police are in
structed to wage at once a war of extermination
against the dogs; but those who are working so
OBSERVER
much greater ruin will still be left, we suppose,
as in so many other cities, to run riot in the
miseries and death of their fellow-men. It sure
ly would not be so, if public sentiment were right
on this subject. GENESEE.
Itoca.usr.Eft, MAY 18, 1867.
FRAGMENTS FROM THE JOURNAL OF A
MISSIONARY TOUR IN INDIA. IV.
DEAR BRO. MEARS :-I wish you were here
with us to-day to enjoy this grand prospect, ex
plore these old temples and fort, and help me to
devise means for the salvation of these supersti
tious idolaters. This (Bhudergudh) is one of
our famous Hill forts dating from olden times.
Three notable Hindu gods, Bhairoo, Inkhrubae
and Kedarling have shrines here on the summit,
and in the estimation of all Hindus render the
spot most sacred. This, with its natural advan
tages, led to its early selection for a fortress, and
a strong one it is. The great Shivaz, founder of
the Mahratta empire, repaired and perfected it in
1677, and it was a heavy blow to his ambition
when the Mogul army got possession of it by
bribery soon after. Shivaz and his brave Our
kurees were not long however in recapturing it,
killing the Mogul General and routing his whole
army; and the Mogul standards which he cap
tured and immediately presented to the god
Bhairoo are still preserved here as trophies of
his victory and proofs of the great power and
prestige of the idol.
The wall around this fort is some three and a
half miles in circumference, A large tank and
several springs furnish an unfailing supply of
water, but its great elevation in this mountain
AUBURN ANNIVERSARY AGAIN
BHUDERGUDH
range makes it too cool to suit the natives as a
permanent residence. Its sacred temples and
associations, and its great strength as a military
post, induce the Kolapoor government to keep it
up as a Tanna station, or county town; and
hence we find here a Mamletdar -with his court,
a large number of sub-ordinate officials and a
small military detachment. But the whole pop
ulation within the fort scarcely exceeds 1000,
though within five minutes' walk just below the
wall and scarp is a nice thriving village of 2000
people, and a' mile lower down another of equal
size, with many others scattered among the hills
and valleys in all directions.
I have just had an audience of eighty intelli
gent hearers in the court-room of Mamletdar, all
listening most attentively to my message.
This fort is 12 miles front Moorgood, and 36
from Kolapoor. Its height enables us to over
look a large part of the Kolapoor kingdom—the
hill forts of Punalla, Pawungudh, and others in
different directions, at distances of 50 and 60
miles meeting the eye in distinct outline, and the
intervening valley in all directions, watered by
winding silvery streams and dotted with numerous
.villages, begirt with their never-failing shade
trees, make up a charming panorama on • which
the eye loves to dwell, ever tracing new forms
and combinations of beauty fitted to stir the
heart with devout adoration to Him who made
our world so fair, and still invests it with such
treasures of wealth Mad sweetness, beauty and
glory for the happiness of sinful man. God is
good. 0 that these idolaters but knew and loved
Him. Then with dear old Heber we would sing:
" Where every prospect pleases"—without the
sad refrain deploring man's vileness.
Why is not this fort another most desirable
centre for missionary effort? To all ordinary
considerations it adds a bracing mountain climate.
If I were now commencing life's work, or even if
I had an experienced associate to assume the
heavy duties and cares of the Kolapoor station,
how gladly would I make this spot my home and
find life's joy in bearing God's message of love
to the idolatrous dwellers amidst these beautiful
hills and valleys.
WALWA, DEC. 16, 1866
This is another nice town of about 3000 in
habitants, some 20 miles from Bhudergudh, and
the same from Kolapoor. This, with eight or
ten other villages, constituted till recently a small
Ja,ghire in possession of one branch of the
Ghatgay family, the same which has so long fur
nished the proprietary chiefs of Kagul. Bapoo,
Rao Sudi Rao, the last chief of Walwa, was a
man of some note in his day, and the older peo
ple here still remember him with kindly feelings.
Coming over the mountain at Pir Wadi, I found
a small hill fort, perfect in strength and beauty,
and with its officials and the people of the vil
lage who came in, I had a pleasant preaching
service. As I was leaving, the old Killadar
(keeper of the fort) took occasion to speak of
Bapoo Saheb, their late chief, giving me an in
teresting sketch of his history, how he built the
fort and made it his favorite resort every hot
season, though this town of Walwa was his per
manent capital.
On reaching here a little in advance of my
family, my first care was to find a suitable shelter
from the sun, and I was directed to a temple on
the banks of the river flowing close-by the town.
I found it a neat costly temple built of most en
during cut granite. On looking into the inner
shrine, I observed the usual idols as side figures,
but the post of honor was occupied by a large,
almost full sized statue of a man, the lamp burn
ing by its side and the poojari performing his
daily worship. I asked him whose statue it was,
but he deigned no reply. Other persons stand
ding by called it Mahader (great god); but the
old Pail of this place has since told me it is the
statue of Bapoo Saheb, their late chief; that be
built the temple, had his statue carved and all in,
readiness before' his death, and left an annual
grant to perpetuate MS daily worship. Surely
this is hero-worship strong enough to satisfy
Thomas Carlyle.
.Bapoo Saheb died some thirty-five years ago,
leaving only four wives to inherit his estate—no
child. The last of these :Fives, Rumabac, died
four years ago. She had adopted an heir, but
the paramount power declined to
,recognize him
—the land and villages were confiscated, and the
little Jaghire "wiped out."
We find shelter here in an open chowdi, or
shed, near Bapoo Saheb's temple. At one end
of the shed is Rameliunder and four other Hindu
gods, installed at the death of Bapoo Saheb; at
the other end are Marooti and Gunputti (the
monkey and elephant gods,) and the poojari tells
us Bapoo Saheb left him a perpetual allowance of
Rs. 40 a year for the daily worship of these idols.
Our beds and bundles, selves and children, occu
py the space t between these Hindu gods. Such
is our contact with Hinduism in this land. But
it detracts nothing from our zeal or opportunities
to preach Christ and Him crucified, and to per
suade these idolaters that there is " a more ex
cellent way."
We have very large audiences here every day,
as also in the neighboring villages, which are
many and large, rendering this another elligible
centre for missionary effort. 0 for the men and
means necessary for the efficient prosecution of
this work. This large town of Walwa and twenty
villages in its near vicinity have not the vestige
of a school for the education of their children.
The populace in all this region listen most at
tAntively and thoughtfully to our preaching, and
yet it is painful to observe how the influence,
teaching, examples, and associations of many
generations have moulded and fixed every thought,
feeling, and action, in the ruts of idolatry and su
perstition.
At the village of Koordoo, we found its land
tax (Rs. 1037) goes directly to the great temple
of Ambabac in Kolapoor. The same we found
to be the case at Panchgav and Shirgay. Other
villages given to that temple swell its annual in
come to thousands of rupees. Just how large
this income now is, Government does not make
public. Some years ago its annual income from
Government alone was 60,000 rupees, besides
the costly daily offerings of Pilgrims from all
parts of India. This mighty power and patron
age goes to strengthen and rivet the galling
chains of superstition on the minds of this peo
ple. Besides these great overshadowing shrines,
like that of Ambabac, the local temples and
priests of every village have their perquisites.
At the small village of Nundwal, with only 250
inhabitants, young and old, 200 rupees• of their
annual tax goes to their largest temple—almost
a rupee apiece for men, women, and children—
and this•only to one of their temples. Several
other temples are supported, and a heavy tax
goes to Government besides.
In the service of the Gospel, yours sincerely,
R. G. WILDER.
"THE IMBECILE PULPIT."
MR. EDITOR :-I observe that some of our
Episcopal friends are stirred by the reference
made (in the opening sermon before the Assem
bly) to the lack of vigor in the Episcopal pulpit.
Concede, if yon please, their extreme statement
that the offensive paragraph -is a falsehood and an
insult, would it not be well for them to Under
stand that their assumption of being the only
true Church and their denial of due ordination
to Presbyterian clergy are regarded by us as a
standing falsehood and insult, in comparison with
which the stinging epithet by Prof. Hopkins is
as mote to beam ?
"Do you advocate retaliation?" No, but as
sumption must sometimes be pierced with sharp
ness. You may think it best to treat the as
sumption of this Episcopal sect with facetiousness.
That may be your gift. Acuteness is the gift of
the Professor.
But so far from conceding that the epithet is
false, I claim that it is true. The Episcopal pul
pit, with honorable exceptions, presents a lament
able weakness—and for good reasons. Its clergy
make so much of the Service that they have no
vitality left for the sermon.
The secular press gives the same testimony as
the Professor. How often do we read hits at the
soporific character of the pulpit, its common
place exhortations, its tedious homilies, its plati
tudes? - Where do the writers for the secular
press receive their impressions? I venture to
affirm, that ninety-nine out of one hundred news
papet men, who write such criticisms, receive
their impressions from the Episcopal pulpit.
The Presbyterian pulpit, with a few necessary
exceptions is a vigorous pulpit, a pulpit of
thought, of earnestness, of unction; a pulpit
which discusses the religious questions of to-day,
and meets the wants of the human soul. As the
Episcopals do not recognize our etatity, we pro
pose to set forth our contrast. Thanks to the
Professor for his leading word !
Our bright and liberal brother Cuyler takes
exception, and discourses of the Christian unity
and ability of some Low Church clergy. Has
Dr. Cuyler ever been invited to conduct a se'rvi , e
an an Episcopal church ? Never. This would
recognize his ordination as valid. He may have
,been invited to preach in an Episcopal pulpit.
This does not recognize ordination. It would
only for once exchange something else for a su
perb vitality.
Unfortunately, Dr. Shaw, at the close of the
Assembly, sought to apologize to the hurt Epis
copals. It was a mistake. Some one ought to
have been there to say, For the remarks just
made, Dr. Shaw is "alone responsible and not the
Assembly." " Chivalry" once ruled this nation by
assumption, and Northern men apologized for
every assertion of themselves. Let us not, in ec
clesiastical affairs, repeat the subserviency.
The fact may as well be understood that there
are not a few in the Presbyterian Church who
think that in a comprehensive discourse on Chris
tian Union, an incisive thrust ought to be aptly
dealt at that exclusive sect which arrogantly
plants itself right against Union, by denying just
prerogatives to other denominations.
If the thrust oughtto be made, then let it be well
put so as to be felt. Who is so fitted for the
deed as the Professor at Auburn, whose histori
cal acquirements enable him to appreciate and to
illustrate the unhistorical assumptions of the
Episcopal sect, and whose established character
al the Christian gentleman permits nothing un
suitable either in manner or motive ? And what
position so fitted to give the deed effect as the
opening sermon before the New School General
Assembly of the Preibyterian Church .of Ame
rica ?
CHRIST'S working is not confounded with the
creatures. Pure sunbeams are not tainted by
the noisome - vapors on which they shine.
PRESBYTER