a tr. ..:4 - \- v incric . , ..r girrian New Series, Vol. IV, No. 2. r 00 By Mail. B 3 50 By Carrier. I is Additional a ft er three Months. m tipprtzinsttrian, THURSDAY, JANUARY 9 f 1868. THE WORLD'S PILIYER UNION. is a sublime and cheering spectacle meets the eyes .of the Christian. in .37 . part of thewerld, during the present Angels themselves, it may well be eyed, look down with interest upon a istia.n World's week of united prayer. simultaneous observance of such a sea: , among all denominations and in all parts ie world, must be recognized a's a mark of Tess. The suggestion came originally a single foreign missionary, but the ,stian world was ripci and .ready for it ; the Week of Prayer has become almost a 'ed institution of the evangelical church. significance 'of this observance appears consist in such particulars as these : It shows that beliefin the efficacy of prayer not diminished, but rather increased in church in this age. The sixnple exercise' united prayer furnishes no attractions 'to in whom faith is decaying,' Xen can be persuaded:to establish a new-custom this practical age unless they believe .e is something. in it. •If unbelief. prevails , d abounds in this world; if the very air breathe is devitalized by a subtle ration [sm ; if materialism is rampant, and if twi ce is forcing upon 'us a universe .which ie a stupendous and perfect, machine, ,bout miracles and without a personal l, the Christian World still prays—prays it never did before; raises up ,in the ;ht of all men, in the opening week of ;ry year, a universal memorial to the effi ;y of prayer and the reality of spiritual ngs. The universality of this observance testi to the reality and power of the con- Lions that underlie it. Difference in lan- go, race or denomination will not hinder one's participation,; wide ; oceans : mill ,erpose no barrier; recent converts from Lthenism will perfectly comprehend and ,er into the observance, as, readily as the scentlents of a score of Christian genera ms. What world's celebration could, with y imaginable purpose, be made, for a sin year, to approach the universality and .rtiness of this annual festival ofa purely liritual character? This prayer union, erefore, is a powerful protest agaiUst the terialism and practical atheism of the age. 2. In this exercise, the evangelical church ovos its unity. Without machinery, With , authority, at a suggestion which toucheS a venial chord of Christian sentiment, the lc evangelical church voluntarilynnitee, the first entire week of the year, in the me simple, dovotioral exercises; dwells ,on the slime general round of.topics; pours •th the same spiritual desires, ,Amkl all , seeming diversities, it agrees .in the su . - .eme purpose to sot up the . kingdom of ,rist upon earth..; in dependence on divine wer for accomplishing the result; in con lice in the promises ofa covenant-keeping I. The world sees that the separate branch of the Church have higher than tnerely de i national ends; that they are not Merely al clans selfishly aiming at their own ;randizement ; hatbands with different or lizations for convenience' sake only, and th a common end for all. They are regi nts and divisions and corps of one grand iy, moving with increasing unity of plan inst the same foe. • The amount of good done among - Christian Tie by this expression of unity, is ineal able. It is related of an intelligent con- •t from heathenism, that the first impres made on his mind in favor of Christianity ,e from the opening words of the Lord's Ter : " Cuu Father !" The unfathomable the of sympathy implied in that language well have touched the heart- of the ,then. It is when unitedly falling before throne, that Christians get a sense of ir essential spiritual brotherhood. It is set, refreshing, and within the promise )n only two or three thus unite. But m the tide of. simultaneous prayer rolls from all. Christian hearts, when it is a -1d pleading the promises, Rri:ien Chris is round the world join hands and hearts ine sublime service, then how happy and strong does each one feel in the inter _ lion of every other one for himself and the objects he holds most dear ! How the 'eh realizes the wealth of its spiritual re tea ! How heart is freshly knit to 16july68 heart, and what, power descends upon a church whose deepest and richest ,sympa thies are thus revived, and whoseconscious ness of brotherhood is thus elevated:befOre the throne 3. The Providence of God in the outward conduct of the Church, mysteriously , coin cides with the inward experience of his peo ple.- The system of grace is as much under law, as is that of . .nature. Prayer and its answer are knit, togetheiby the , eternal de-,, crea of God., j W,hen God'a people are Is 4 unwanted fervency, and importunity in prayer, „ when:the whole. Christian, world is impelled :to observe- protrapted seasons of united supplication; we may take it for granted, that soma-gracious development of God'Spurposes- to his Ohurch,io , at band. When Christians are atissembled with one ac cord,. not only in one Ploce, but in 'every patlsible place of assOnibly, WeMay.cou - nt)on the descent of the Holy Sidra in e j ttfaerili-, nary measure. And so Whaapopmed.,These years of united prayer have , hemyears of unwonted progressinthe kingdonvottjhrist. The week of prayer the invariable"begin ing of reVivals. So numerals and so :wide sPiTead have become these seasonsof special interest; that we feel Ourselves approaching, the era Or continuous and universal re,vival., The secret purpories of God to his Church,; obscurely, hinted , in prophecy, are, we may be sure,, nigh to unfolding. The world, girt around with such It broad band of -prayer, is surely lifted nearer to the source of Ili; vine favor >; is more likely to be saved by salt so wisely distributed, and se clearly pess4siog its needed savour. Though .the reaintinte, of evil is still desperate, symptams of victory on the side of spiritual and evangelical in fluences are multiplying ; rand prayer and the Holy SpiriCs influences and divine love are enfolding- OUT fallen wprld, .ever more cidiely, thtir redeeming embraCe. VAC .CIE AND SUPPLIES. Ofie of lour 'Philadelphia Presbyteries le just now applying itself to the mixed prob lem" of vacant pastorates and unemployed ministers. There is no disguising 'the fact; that it is, at the present moment, one of unusual seriousness in this city, made so, by the dismission, within the last eighteen months, of nine pastors in our connection, the places of only two of whom have been filled. The existence, side by side, of churches in need of ministers, and minis ters waiting for employment, is a state of things abnormal to our Presbyterianism; and ''the questiOn how it shall be corrected,. though confessedly difficult, still forces itself along to the point NV beTe•it must be met. The case ts well - provided for in our Form of Government, but in the matter of Presby terial ov:ersight of all its licentiates. and ministers, - and guardianship ofits vacant churches, we have for a long tithe been slidl ing out from the provisions of the. Constitu tion. Our United and Reformed Presbyterian . brethren have dime better in this respedt. When - they license a candidate, they make it their care to find. work for "him, and,theY send him to it; and; if we are correctly in< formed, they 'doll° same by any minister who, happens to be afloat, unless somereason exists why it is better to retire ,him from the work. When the pastorate of a. chnrch becomes vacant, the Presbytery assumes it, providing,• iii concert with the •Session, for all gospel ministrations there and other' pastoral supervision, until a new pastor properly inducted. This is good Presby terianiam, and it would -be found'—for churches; much more wholesome than' the present modes of piloting the perilous pas sage of a vacant pastorate,—for ministers much more salutary than to be turned out to • preach, teach, sell dry goods, or take clerkships in Washington, as the fancy or interests of the moment may dictate. Both men and churches are so jealous of anything that looks like trenching. upon. .their independende, and so easily excited - to revolt by the gentlest breathing of the word usurpation, that a return to our ancient usage will -not be an easy work, or one which should be attempted without bring-. ing all our wisdom and prudence into requi sition. But short of this, we have heard of no rational plan for meeting the evil re ferred to—an evil encroaching at a rate which threatens to de-Presbyterianize our whole system of Presbyterial Supervision. The Divine guidance of those profound and PHILADELPHIA, THURSDAY, JANUARY 9, 1868. far-seeing minds to whom, under God, we are indebted. lb; this systenyis nowhere more strikingly exemplified' than in this, that in all our 'church history;, and; L disorder have been the,sure re4u4tof falling off kite at shabbiness of. Presbyterian ad ministration. If to our present law there could be added the much rieddett provision for a demitting of the ministry by peniorie who have manifestly_mistaken their calling, either' on - their own Motion ortbat of the Presbytery, and if our systerubtsaperviSion thus amended, could be restdi to living activity, we see no . reason . Wbylisbould not take care for the ad 'interim Waits of every vacant church," and aid. tiP l it , Permanent supply; and find apprtpriatt46rk for all its ministers, and 4ay it to theik.Einds to . be - done. THE CANDID POLICY IN ,HE'IIJNION There are two', elabses of persons label.- ing for re-union 'in our churpli; one sort may be, termed the hushing-up i and smooth ing-over class, who wish.to ignore all differ ences, who argue for re-union 6i:tithe ground that *e are one in' sentiiiienfithd'whO de pfpre,and denounce all doctrinal epetaireeise ?newt as Aisguised hostility, to religion- They wsntinebody. - alarmed; or aroused, and; aim, by "roqinidn; to sweep in'every" -shade . of thoucr o lit and Opinien, without ealenlatin 0- the effect of an incompatibility 'oftemper and , belief discovered too .late.: Ilhis-„is lin un wise and unmanly course. '_Wetihave never• synipathized•with it in any filitelgof our con stitution. We ,prefer. - by far, 4tat, class of unionists, who are, neither, afraid or ashamed, to recognize those honeoP,-aodoAterly una . - voidable shades of opinion, whiell the intelli gent acceptance of IRO real doctrines of Calvinisin' brings with it "Tact, us have union with a full and'frank avowal of diffe r ences in non-essentials, and leV;that avowal be incorporated in tho very instrument on which we unite. Let it bptit there so plainly asto saffLee,„in the l*.ut of the gi / best legal minds, for, the prot l ,64tioir of those who thus differ in all their ecclesiastical rights, in all time to come. 'The thanks of all 'friends of a right union in the Presbyterian church are due to the Presbytery o't Ontario for the clearness with which they have announced the candid poli cy in Re-union as. their own. In their ac tion as published in 'our last number they Resolved, That we 'should deplore anion formed' by ignoring our nice shadea , of thee.' 10 - gieal differences under the impression that" time basso modified as virtually to destroy them. We would Babe' their existence !re cognized, and 'a general understanding Pro vided for their continuance, *About abridg ing the personal liberty or affecting the ' in dividual standing of any minister or congre gation in the united body. , _ .. CHICAGO CORRESPONDENCE. REAR . AITERIaAN are safely through with ' at goodold. boetor CoX calls the "hollow days," and.are launched forth upon' the swelling tide of the' New Year: l‘lay it prove a happy one to each of your readers, and pot,' fhe Least SO to 'those to - whom it: may prove their last. Our secular papers are largely occupied with reviews of the 'bUsiness' Of tbe - city, during the year 1867. These statistics, while they shoW a falling off in seine branches of trade, as compared with .the previeus year, exhibit 'a marked increase :in others, and upon the whole, • a prgsperous season to most. The receipts of grain, owing to the diminished cropi of 1867; 'have fallen off from those of 1866, but still' show Chicago the largest grain mart in the world. It is estimated that ten millions have been expended in buildings during the last twelve'montbs. 'Very great material improvements have been consummated, or began and-pushed onward toward comple tion, all destined to add to the salubrity and attractiveness of our metropolis. Nor have material enterprises only engaged the thoughts of the people. The interests of science and art, of literature and social culture,' of morals and religion, have not been overlooked in the eager prosecution of wealth. On the whole, the expiring year has left to its successor a legacy not unwor thy of the place it holds in the brief history of our city. The New Year opens hopefully. Should no unfriendly legislation cloud the prospect, it is believed that a year of activity and bu sinessprosperity is before . us. Never were more extensive preparations making for a great expansion of trade, never were pro jects so grand on foot for indefinite future growth. We indulge in no prophecies, content to chronicle results. "A STREET OF CHURCHES." I notice that in Your last, your correspon dent: "A. H. ,of St. Louis, offsets and overtops the statement that, ' your " Broad Street " in Philadelphia, has upon it " thir r. teen churches," inalength of"eleven miles," by another to the effect that" Locu4 St.", (St. Louis) has : ,' ten church edifices within two ;miles of its, extent." Let me inform that good' biother that our Wabash Avenue boasts thirteen "such ediftdes, several of them among the tineSt specimens of ecclesiastical architecture: in the west, within the space of about one mile and half, with several others within lialfs. sq;:fare, at its sides. CHICAGO :BIBLE SOCIETY This Sobiety held its regular annual meeting Sabbatb Evening. last in the Firs:t Presbyterian , Church. The report showed that,over's.l.o,ooo had been,collected and paid out during the past year. Inter ses by esting addres men of different deno , minations filled the house. MR.' D. L. MOODY; the efficient President, of the Y. M. C. A. . and well known lay evangelist, was the re cipient of.a pleasant " surprise" on New Year't Day. Mr. M. had hired a house which only approached completion. On the day . aboved mimed he was invited to visit the premises, and witness the state of forward ness. ,Arriving there he found the 'tenement completed and handsomely furnished from cellar to garret, and in possession' of a par ty of, friends who were making a New call:, A deed of the furniture, and a paid up lease of the premises ,for one year, were some compensation to his wounded feelings . for so cavalier treatment. In his „reply td-the address by which the gift was accompanied, Mr. Moody gave some account of the manner in ..whictrihe has, been supported now for some years in his Chris 'Man work, "during all' which time he has been in - receipt:of no stipulated, has often been reduced to the greatest, straits, and yet has always found' himself provided for, at the critical moment, in ways which could never have been anticipated. In its way the narrative is . equal in striking an swers to prayer, and singular interpositions of providence ,to giillers; whose accounts of his work it muchfesembles in these fea tures. . It,pains me to say that Rev. E. A. Pierce, of.galvary Church, has been compelled by ill-health to abandon temporarily his . work. His request to his pe9ple to unite with him in ice:eking a dissolution of the pastoral rela tkm . Was met by an offer-of a "furlough for sit Months. Most heartily will his breth ren unite , with his sorrowing people in, their prayer for• his restoration to health and to their service in the ministry. Rev. W. C. Dickinson fills the pulpit in the interim Rev. J. 3lcLeish is invited to become the stated supply of the 7th Church and accepts the invitation._ But what shall be said of the rumour that your own Calvary Church has had the au dacity to att •napt the. abduction of, the ac- . eomplished and beloved pastor of our First Church, Rev. Dr. Humphrey ? If consider tions touching the health of his lamily should make the acceptance of a call to some: other place imperative, in the view of tiro H., .his church and congregation, hie brethren and the community at large. Will submit, as to a fiat of ProviJence; bat not, I believe, to any thing . else. We shall- ear nestly hope and pray that Philadelphia ratty be compelled to look elsewhere for a sup ply of her wants. - • NENrSPAPER CHANGE The " Christian Times," of Chicago, the "'Witness," of Indiana, the " Christian Her ald," of Michigan, Baptist papers are con solidated, and now appear as " The Stand ard," a handsome double quarto sheet, of this city. The old editors retain their posts. A mass meeting called for the purpose of raising money to aid the Erring Women's Refuge wag called in the Lecture room of the Y. M. C. A. building on the evening of Dec. 16. The meeting was addressed by Rev. J. P. Gulliver, Rev. W. T. Ryder, B. F. Jacobs and Mr. Wood. The necessity of such an institution was clearly shown and a resolution to apply to the the various Genesee Evangelist, No. 1129. Ministers $2.50 H. Miss. $2.00 t Address :-1334 Chestnut Street. pastors of the city for liberty to hold a meeting in their respective churches for its benefit, was adopted. NORTHWEST. PROF. J. A. ll!,non's late work on the Atonement is learned, able, and important, but it is controversial and sometimes severe, and even arrogant in its assumption of ex clusive orthodoxy. We do not intend to complain of -.this in Professor Hodge. It coin'es to him by "ordinary generation" as much so as any other of the consequences of the fall. Blood , will tell. But we have a right to complain that at this stage of the negotiations between the two 'branches, a book which really represents but a single class of views in the orthodox Reformed Churches should be issued by the. Publica tion Board of the other branch. It is, so far as it goes, an open rupture of the truce he tween the two bodies. GOOD.—We have once or twice noticed the activity of the Philadelphia Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals, in pro moting the arrest and punishment of wretches, who are merCiless toward the por tion of God's ,creation which is mute and helpless in the hands of. men. The good work does not slacken. On the Bth ult., two-persons were sentenced to 'two days' im -prisonment each, and, to pay the costs of prosecution, for wanton abuse of a dog. On the 6th, a man was arrested for endeavoring to force a mule, with a large raw sore on its shoulder, and totally unfit for work, to draw a heavy,4od: Re was bound over in $6OO bail, t:gAtitiwer. On the 9th, the driver of a cart was,arrested. The horse was feeble, scarcely able to walk, and fell under the ef fort, to haul a heavy load of bricks. The Aecorder, on examining the driver, con chided, that the owner was the more guilty party, and accordingly issued a warrant for his arrest. If a few of this kind of cases should reach our - Quarter Sessions' without . beiia*,.,supt l ltired do thesway, we believe an ex.alople would, be, made of them. Backed byF audh support, ,any„ humane citizen pass ing along the'street, and becoming a witness to'one of those outrages upon helpless brutes which have been one of the common sights of our thoroughfares 'for years, could arrest it by a simple protest, accompanied, if need be, by .a significant reference to the police. PHILADELPHIA Ilomz MISSIONARY SOCIE TY.—The fewest , words for describing the work of this Society, will be to say that it is, to the poor and suffering of oux city, what the Christian Commission was to the army, bearing , in one hand relief for temporal dis tress, - and in the other the bread of evellast ing life. As an .example of its of in the former, we see from the Report pre sented at its Thirty-second Anniversary, on the evening of the 10th inst., that during the year, its General Agent has made 4,650 visits to the needy„poor and sick, carried relief to 2,330 families and persons, supplied 105 fam ilies with medicines, and given out 661 ar ticles of clothing, 901 orders for groceries, and 659 orders for coal, the latter amounting in the aggregate to 221 tons. The year was begun with a balance in the treasury of $1,317.29. The receipts, (including $992.26, special contributions for the relief of suf ferers by the Sansom street explosion,) have been $7,280.06. There have been disbursed in the meantime, $6,831.63, leaving $1,765.72 for a start in another year's work. At the Anniversary, -George R. Stuart, Esq., pre sided, and addresses were made by Rev. Messrs. Richard IL Allen, A. S. Kynett and J. Spencer Kennard. The Society has a strong hold upon the confidence of our be nevolent citizens, and the fruits of their benefaCtions are too obvious to leave any need of more extended commendations. A GERMAN THEATRE.—We see in our city dailies that $90,000 of stock for the erection of a German Theatre in Philadelphia, has already been taken, and that no doubt of the perfect success of the enterprise re mains. Papers in the service of immorali ty have already set up the Parisian Sunday as the beau ideal . for the Sabbath of Ameri can cities ; and we venture the prediction that this German theatre will become the scene of the first attempt of a Sunday the atrical performance in this city,—especially if a complaisant city magistracy - should direct the police to suspend the law to give convenience to the godless proclivities of another, Sit ngerfest.
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