New Series, :Vol. V, No. 12. it;i1 1 ) 68
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TEEURSDA.Y, MARCH 19,X868.
PERIL AND VOCATION: OF YOUNG MEN.
The perils which young men are called to meet.
in our day, arise in alarge measure from the
high degree ;of respectability given to vice and
infidelity. The days,of„Jielding and Smollett
have come back,,to English. I t iteratnre, Gnat
literary abilities are lavtslapd upon subjects` /te t t
decency forbids to mention. Books - which may,
not be read aloud.in a farbily circle are first intro::
duced to the 'world by monthly instalments, in
,- ,ur leading literary journals. Poetry which
rivals the worst .products of the immoral mtise
of Greece and Rome, is trumpeted into favor by
critics in similar poSitions,.*he deride the oh:
jections of the pure-minded as mere prudery.
The foul details of criminal t;
, trials are spread on
with the minuteness of verbatim, reports over .
whole columns of our most 'widely circulated
journals. Theatres which maintain their' 'places
before the public, by daily notices in the same
respectable pesitions, justify twenty times over
all that has been said of. their demoralizing ten:
let - Kies by the character of their eading perfer
mances, within the last eighteen months: And
• ..
it deserves to be named last in'this enumeration .
that religious journals, so-Called, 'of the largest
circulation in the: country, are fOund not to be
proof against the large pecuniary considerations
,;onnected with advertising those . ,
infamous.ns. de:vi r '
!.. - !s of Satan, by which the path of :vice is
snoithed over, and its hideous consequences in
he present life deceitfully promised . a certain
and agreeable remedy.. It is not by tliese re
marks intended to be asserted that our age is
more vicious than 'the ;past; that may also , be
true; but unquestionibly viceTlust and sensuali- .
ty are making a bold puslifer'reeognitiOn beyond
!he gross circles' iq which •heretofore'they :have
been openly tolerated;and the young man ,is , be
Inaguered by influences-"tending- to . corrupt
virtue, more subtle, more .general and. On s higker
plane than in—thesittiptairtiintrtedextl i ris
i>y. Wine-drinking and every path to intem
perance opens: more widely, and begins much
nearer to home and to church than it did a score
or years ago. Divinegin high positions in Our
own and other Evangelieal 'churches, are fothad
.
writing down the Scriptural claims of total ab- .
stinence upon the conscience,.and thus destroy
ing one of the best defences the young map can
have against falling into; intemperate courses.
Infidelity in various forms has made furniida 7:
bin advances towards recognition among respeet
able sources of influence. : The best literature
as literature—in our corintry;!the most talented
writers, the ablest literary organs of our country,
and perhaps we must add of gn'gland,are :more
or less under its control, and are
.dingently ;used :
to communicate its leaven. The best-daily paper
the country, as our correspondent-on another
page is showing ; lona" itself in all its
.depart
!limits to the defence and propagation . of scientific
•,
infidelity. Men of high deserved : scientific
renown are arraying-themselves against the . plain
fundamental teachings of Scripture, on the4age,
the unity, and the primitive condition of our race
011 the earth. Again we say;'theae things do not
prove that there is more 'unbelief in the world
t!tan formerly, but-what 'there is. has certainly
managed to win a mare prominent position; has
forced itself upon the notice of 'higher Circle's,
and is more" dangerous, - .More perVading, more
persistent th4ni heretofore. 13esides this, scien
tile unbelief tends very. s. decidedly to material
ism and atheism ) to the confounding-of the Most
rztdical moral distinctions, .and to the renievaLtif
•
supernatural and spiritual ;truth from the region
of possibility. Shake a young man's faith in the
Bible, and you loosed 'the elaief iestraints from.
a course of vice; but put in its place the teach
ings of modern materialism and naturalism, and
you justify the pleadings of passion ; you urge
him on to eat.and to drink for .to=morrow he dies.
And it is this materialistic atheistic philosophy .
that respectable journals in our day•are learning
to tolerate, oi . are eveii recbg,nizing as the fashian,
is scientific' circles, and are.commending by
the arts of finished,rhetorie and-specious reason--
Truly, it is enchantO ground through which
th e young man of to-day must pass in forming
hL character, and Shaping )i l ia destiny': There
however, one foe to enervating liudulgenco in
the high enterprise, in the sleepless business ac:.
tvity, and in the eutlfuelasiii - for achievment
which animates society in:.this , uew and great.
' ,, tintry of ours.— A n d Eld' an opposite peril
awaits the youth, who is' too` busy read OtO
crash that loads the shelves of our respectable
lbrarics, or to appreciate thespecial:6ll44 lll.6 lb'
"f high class mcithlies aria quarterlics avinst
- the truth of Qhristianity. He is a believer from
want of time, to become otherwise. He is com
paratively safe from low pleasnres, -because a dif
ferent passion: consumes his breast: Full of
haste,' full of unrest, he pursties his
with
of
wealth and worldly success, often with all scru,
pies, against violating the Spirit,. Of, .the ‘ :eight,li
commandment,. swept away. . •
.
Young man bf to day,
, Yout` iierib3 are not - so
zieculiar after f all. - knell like l theiii had 4'oseph,
hat .Slnsk t anit badsome
tihorksairds,pf, years pgo.The same noble purpose,
-and the,same-aid•of the Holy. Spirit which gave
•them - sixelygrandvietories will suffice you to-day.
tour enemies, it ma . pbe i , are more numerous,
and more
_subtle,_ ; but the luxurious habits and
sensual tastes of.our day are doubtless , less perva
ding,..aiid have less respectability than had those,
of aneipt ,E ,, ypt and Babylon. It may be that
Daniel, and Apses, and Joseph, would smile if
they saw our estimate of the perifs of this age
in
-comparison 'with those which' they , so trium,„
"phantly met. The maintenance of virtue, they ;
might say; in ; this favored age is child's
compared with what it was in theirs. And, they ,
call upon you, young men of to-day, •with -your
countless aids from the powerful sympathy of the
•
good ; —wliich they alone among idolators, knew_
nothing of, to show something of their courage;
to refuse to do what js a " great .wickedness wand
sin against God," to." Choose rather to suffer 011ie,-
tion w s iththe ipiople• of God, than• to enjoy the
pleasures of sin for nsCaion ; and to bsteem'th'e
reproach of christ greater, riehes_than the treas : .
urea of Egypt; haying. re,spect unto the recom-,
pease of reward."l' -They call- upon you to .put_
your trust in a prayer-hearing 'God.' They hold
before . you models 'true .greatness,; instances
of unmatched worldly success, readied: by a
course of lofty adherence to principle: -- They
tell you in , effect that no temptation has ;overtaken
you, but such as is common- to Mari ; that doll
is faithful and will not suffer YOu to be teMpted
above that Sou are 3 Ole,.and Will ;with the temp
tation, also Itvil:l4,a' way to escape, that you may
be-abla.to bear ie..
You are' estinTratited 'with • : temptation; for the
trial of your strength, for the training:of your
virtue, for the development of moral courage and
the addition to your character of ;the sublime
quality of patience, the keystone in the"arch, the
rare fruit Of this - world' of Stri* and' prdbation.,
Our life and death struggles with sensuality, with
villany, with doubt are needed ,to discipline such
a soul as ours, and to rei . eal to us its true great
ness. Lower
. creatnres may safely succumb;
man, immortal min, by yielding sinks lower than
they.
Life.is not an idle ore,
But iron, dug from central gloom,
And heated hot with burning fears,
Atid dipt in baths of hissing tears,'
And battered with the shocks of doign
To shape and use.
Young man Is there any iron of truth and
duty in your nature, or are, you only . (Across? The
fire through which you must fain pass will prove
it. Show that you. are something, and that sorn'e•
thing can be made of you, while the agencies of
corruption sack to reduce you to naught.
,JOINT COMMITTEE ON RE-UNION.
The meetings of these Committees held in this'
city during four days of last week, were of the
utmost, importance and had_ the most happy:re-1
sults. Nearly .all 'the. members on both sides.
'were - present, and these large bodies applied
themselves most earnestly and prayerfiilly to, the'
work before them. The plan of last year haritii i
been found in some respects unacceptableitota
large number of the Presbyteries of the other.
Y branch, it became necessary to consider smite mo-'
difications, which very naturally led to serious
dispussions and to grave doubts of the, result.
Yet there was not the slightest diminution of
eoratality • between the negotiating- itodiesi and
finaly, with not a little surprise and jay, eonclu.f
sions were reached - as to the necessary modific,a
dons of the plan, which commanded the„unani
mous vote of the whole Committee, and Which, it
Was hoped, would prove acceptable to the .entire
Church in bothits branches.
It is not considered quite respectful to tlie
forthcoming General Assemblies to whom the re
port tf the Committee will be made, t i pread
their action at - this early. day before thi' public.
We can only assure our readers;that, the distin
guished and decided friends of ourlarinch on this
Committee were,entirely content with,the results
reached, and voted for them with all -, their hearts,
as did the brethren. of the other branch.: For
ourselves, we believe - a union founded upon these
•
krtielcs, and Maintained in, their spirit., wonld be
likely to prove permanent, happy and promotive
bf the,glory of• God and the welfare of Men. We
hav`e - not seeuithe articles as amended, aid can-'
PHILADELPHIA, THURSDAY, MARCH 19, 1868.
not speak finally of 'their character. and . tende.n
cies, but we give our ipay ressio,ns Off arese
conversation with several members ; of: the. Com
mittee, and believe they will turn ont . to- be cor
rect. • 1,
The stay of the Committee i amcmg Its was - not ! ,
devoted altogether to busines4;,butiwan i mingled
with, social entertainments of,,tbe, most ligreea.hle
' chancier. - slo . thing could ha, e;been .mere de
lighkful..thani the , evening 47001 to. religious
exercises- and
_social f'estivitiesA i the dwelling of
Matthew
,No r ki,rk, tsq., who} .thAngh poor
. in
health, would not permit the„iipportnnty - of de
monstrating his, cloeßillterest intl:le -Aembers of
the Committee and their w94lc.: A to, Taw lonian
proved. ;His prinp,ely. mansioa ( Ink Oronged on
Friday evening 7ithirepresentar t ive mei:,k of seve
ral bran !hes of the Presbyterialpichnrch„ipolad
ing most of .the, members of tl*Ppfnmittee i and
everything was done by the hot and ; his, son to
contribute to the happiness ofAhe guest's. Be
',sides Tother.aud - more usrial. , ro t : i's i.f - 'entertain
pa /
en't; -tat provided; the s' -I'4'4 of 'Philip
„Phillips, the eminent *cieldist,,Vti been secured.,
An. unusually happy, glow spri4dithrough the,
company as it becaine generally; known , that the.
principal work of the Committee' was satisfactori
ly accomplished', and the companY'parted, feeling
IL- , • ..-,-
that they well concluded li' iky likely le
prove metnorable-in the Presbyterian ‘olxurich,
' ,_,, ITALY—HELP NEEMI). '. , ,i
- - .Alt, present there is-scarcely hey librtioni of - the
glohe, 'the religious' condition of which' affords
' ' a than that of
more occasion for anxious solicitn e,
,the,kingdom of Italy. The goveinment itself ;,is ; .
far enough from 'being settled don-' its 'founda
tions, and its very stability', as well as its`mieral
influ'eribe in'SOUthern Etirope,;l6 ',sky iiothing, - 0 - f
its bearing ,Upon, the future of thei..,. ,apacy seems
,to depend largely: upon wh,etherlthat , beautiful
land goei back info the hands •df: he: priesthood,
j
Or takes the leap to the ',:ither 'e feme of n'-ter
•- ~ I - -:. ,,
godTessneSs, or, on thepasSage no tf uoingnnfrpm,
' I' 4 C.J9F,S9EI -t 1 2#40q411441b. igt_ 3 "a4l46 l wil.Y.sillya
.sound and spiritual evangelism; and - brought into
place as one 'of the kingdoms of (Mr I,.thrd ofeSus
Chriit: Estimates,. Which we pri ,, sui,ne L iO 'h'ave
beea'carefulli t arid ' judiciously 'formed, - represent
three-.fourths of the people of Italy, as being still,
Roman .Catholick in name, but in heart lust to the
faith Of that Church. Their baptism and whole
religioiW discipline has so impressed Remanisna
upon them as a system of life, that a formal sepa
ration from it does not ; follow the revolt of their
confidence. Romanism standing to them ' , for
Chribtittnityk the passage from the Church to
'atheiSm is Only too natural, and, without a 'large
ly increased evangelical
,aggression, a few years
,will probably witness there the reproduction, on
an alarming scale.of magnitude; of the infidelity
of cia4lphie Europe. Of the remaining one
fourth','S,sfraction' consists of ecele,siasties, and the,
poor ; t*ded, who are ,wedded to the superstitions
Of the old religion. Though-few in number, this
'elasa •must and will hold large -power with those
mas See above mentioned, wlae still abide under
Romanism as a ' mere yoke. Another friction
consists, of undisguised infidels, - educated and
proud men, who summon science and history into
the serviee of atheism; making 'Romanism 'to
stand for -relf(iert, and under that caricatttre
,repres§nting. Christianity as Oespotic and ensla-
Ting. .As yet,, they :are but-4 handful, but ; for
reasons above stated, they are waiting in hope: of
a greatlbarvest; - 'The 'evangelieal Christian ele
inent includes the remaibinc , fractional t It
. . .
is l mafie up of Iheancieut Vandoischurches, and':
the;Christian societies ,gathered by the British;
missions.{ ,and" those of the AmericanandSoreign
Christian Union, 'chiefly the latt,e44
These evangelical churcheland; missions now,
under God, constitute o
..
c,whole hope for Italy,
_
and through them Christians of other parts of the
world are to meet,the impending crisis in that
• er, ~! , -
,country. Our4merlean SoCiety, noticed above,
with two able missionaries.' from this country,
I ,
Messrs.Aporehead and Clirk, acting as supervi-,
aorsfathe field, are carrying on an energetic sys
i
tem of itinerant work, through 'ltalian evange
, jists and colporteurs. The most press' ing need of
1 the mement seems to be that of talented and
educated preachers, Italians rather than foreign
ers, some for evangelistic work in new fields, and
others to abide with the congregations gatheled,
confirming and building up the positions- gained;
and making .of them central points far further ag
gressions. Mr. Clark has,,for the laa-twoiyears,
carried •on'a school in Milan, for the training of
such men, and some whe have gone` - from it to
important localities ; are already giving `good'ac
,ceunt of their,work. The number of students, is
limited, and_ facilities -for instruction straitened
by the want:of means. Young men of prothise
and piety ; just such as are wanted; are; one after
another, put 011' 1. because the means do not come
forward for giving them bread, .or _otherwise help
ing them:- :Hitherto. .private individuala have
handed in inniS,lmounting, in the• agg-iegate, to
soiness,ooo in aid of the' enterprise. There has
bcen a falling pff of these sporadic contributions,
and just now—Mr. Clark.-bas the sad prospect of
being, compelled, in May, to :and back about
I r t!wenty of these yenng men to their shops and
trades. In the present condition ,of, Italy, no
greater Calamity could befal it than.the•dimiuipb
ing of its evangelical force.- American Christians
~.every year lavish thousands, 'perhaps hriodreds of
thonsarids, 14)614 the hotelS and - pieisnie. routes of
that land : who among them will 'step forward' to
forestall ,this Areatened calamity of one of the
most promising Agencies for the: rescue of . that
charinin'g - conntry. , froin the blight of spiritual
deatli? . ' '
"TAE .
Furs ! Mx in'the Tyng drain came
ti,ff.on Saturday, Morning, March , - 146, in the
Church of the TranSfigaration, New' York.' The
canons require that' the admonition -be in pres
.ence of atleastjwo presbyters but whether from
a taste for "the histrionic,' or a desire, to hu
nAliate the offender, Bishbp Potter administered
t it in a densely ereYirded church; where Policemen
were''neeiled to keep order. 'The' admonition
which hafebeen_in twenty words would
fill seyeraLcolurrins 'of our 'paper, and was read
to the offender, whin - wile bad taken the place as
signed him after morning prayers, and was as se
-yere—while diselaimmg seyerity---as 'its ' l author
(or authors) could Make, it. Att,attmpt,ozi the
Tart of Dr. S. H. Tyng Sr., °nerd , the counsels
for the defence, to read a protest,' was choke& off
by - means of "our beautiful liturgy." T-he bishop
received thefiodument after i the benediction.
. ,
In this paper Dr. Tyng protests against the
whole, proceeding, from its commencement to , its
. conclusion, - as •.: • • • .1,
" False in its , allegations, unjust in its princi
ple; nricanonieal in its form, illegal in its' trans
actioni-ihicinittms in its' purpose; and voluntarily'
;;rtnit-Tfre*Liates= -7- 4ly
nntrde4lopmente Hence' 'he "appeals to the
'supreme and' final decision of, the General Con
vention,,and with , the deepest; huniility, but with
cOnfidence unfeigned to the judgment seat of the
Lord Jesus Christ, who is the ode' &fent 'Head
and Ruler of His Church, and whose approval
can never be given to the persecution of the, in
nocent or to the 'oppression of the weak."
THE , EEE8.3.11,1)-WESTERLY .CASE.—Bishop -
Clark, of Rhode Island seems disposed to be wise
about the rutiffer of the recent exchange of pul
pits• in his dideese, i4tituting no proceedings, and
- contenting himself with the issue of a Pastoral
letter, Which,applies to the case without mention
ing it. The usual canons are cited, but no men-
Lion is made of the hilorical fact that they were
levelled against , deposed ministers of, the Episco
pal Church, such as Ammi Rogers, who traversed
the country forty- years ago, preachi4 wherever
_he could crowd- himself upon a congregation.
The' Bishop argues their importance and force
from the care with which they have been institn
ted—from the fact that their violation involves a
breach of contract for specific - service—from the
danger of leaving to everiindividual clergyman
the' guardianship of his own pulpit--; : from the
liability, to incursions into Episcopal• pulPits of
unlearned men—and finally, from the faetk,that
kindly relations with other denominations cf
Christians are neither depenidaut on pulpit-inter
changes, nor r promoted by them. 7 -Erchange.
•
, . .
• • DR. ANDERSON'S IDEAL OF PRESBYTERIANISM.
CovregationciAst (And Recorder, eonment
ing letters from two Andover students' in
regiird to Dr. Anderson's lectures in .Ando'ver,
says: . .
" If the quotations which the [American] Pres
byterifut makes from the letter of one of, the Ai.-
dover students, in proof the distinctive C t ngrega
tionalism of Dr. Anderson's lectures, are genuine,
we ho.pyhat those young gentlemen will live,
and liVe at ,Andover, long enough-to learn what
Congregationalism, as a distinctive system, is."
We may just remark, (1) That we are not in
the habit of forging or publishing forged docu
ments. (2) That the question is not so I[llloll
What Con,gregationalism, as a distinctive sys
tem, is," as " What is Presbyterianism ?" (3)
That we hope that both the editor of the Con
gregationalist and Dr. Anderson may live long
enough to find out a satisfactory answer to this,
last question. Dr. Anderson, as if,to,ccmie to our
rescue against those who had charged ,, us with
misrepresenting him publishes •his views on this
last point, at great length, in the Evangelist of
-last week. We quote what seems to' us to form
the gist of it :
"If a mission church be governed by presby
ters chosen for the purpose,: it is Presbyterian J if
by • the general vote, it, is Congregetional.
Genesee Evangelist, No. 1139.
Ministers $2.50 H. Miss. $2.00
Address :-1334 Chestnut Street
Though independent of all other churches [l], yet
if governed by presbyters, it is still Presbyte
rian.". •
And this, we must suppose, is what the advo
cates and champions of the policy of the A. B. C.
F. M. mean when they speak of " Presbyterian
Mission churches."
AFFAIRS AT THE CAPITAL.
Another step was taken in .the impeachment
trial last Friday,—the President then appearing
before the
. Senate by his council. He came to
ask. or forty days in which to prepare his answer
to the charges; he got ten.
Thedilatory &dies employed by the Presi
dent
indicate,his sense, of weakness and his sel
fish
determination, He seems to rest his case
solely on his ability to prolong the trial. He
commences.by asking for, forty days—forty days
in which with the help of, five learned lawyers to
make up his.mindwhether to plead guilty or in
nocent to she charges made against him! This is
his.line ef, defence - . Technical forms are the in
trenchincnts behind which he hopes toshelter him
self. for a year, holding each as long as possible,
and then r.treating to the next. He ought not
to be suffered to have his own way. He is en
titled to full and fair hearing, but the Senate has
a duty to the .country. as well as to him, and
sh)uld promptly and peremptorily refuse every
motion to consume time and prevent a decision.
The people want peace, and they want the confi
dence that the industries of the nation shall not
be wrenched and; istracted by the mad freaks of
a wilful and reckless Chief Magistrate. Pre
cious time should not be wasted in deference to
legal quibbles.. -
It was a °Teat relief to find the majority of
. .
the Senateacting.With such unanimity, in Aver
of 'fixing an early day for the return of the Pres
ident's answer., Mr. Stanberry •had made a deci
ded impression by his- bearing and his earnest
ness in his advocacy of preeedents and in his
indignant dentnciation of " railroad speed' in a
case of such gravity. He found Messrs Bing
ham and Wilson quite equal to the task of dis
cussing legal subtletke and pi-eft:lents with him.
Both showed lhemselves clear-headed, self-pos
sessed, quick in 'apprehension, forcible in -expres
siorr,incisive in .theirretorts„and, , ,ready,to cope
'with' any of their'liTO - nents: l'h - eir'ieploki Were
calm, dignified . and 'logical. Gen. Butler ap
peared, to fine - advantage. He is more at home
in the court roam than in a leois'ative assembly.
His reply , to the spoions arguments for-delay,
were admirable in mintier and in substance. To
the 'Charge that the trial was' to be conducted
with rai:road . speed. he replied " Why not ?
Railroads have affected every other business in
the civilized World; telegraphs have b=ought to
gether places that were thousands of miles apart
—they give the' accused the privilege of milling
his counsel together instantly, and of bringing
him here in hours where not
..lon4 ago it took
months. In every other business: we recognize
the change, why not in this ?" He then sketch:l
with rapidity and clearness, the nature, of this
trial, the position of the accused and his power
for evil, and showed that the, plea for delay could
not be admitted as in ordinary cases, because the
accused is the Commander-in-Chief of the army,
because he controls the Treasury, the Navy, all
our foreign relations, and so can interrupt the
business of these departments while the trial
-is delayed. " But this is not all . . The great
Pulse of the nation beats ,pertubedly while
this strictly constitutional but anomalous pro
ceeding goes on. It pauses fitfully .when
we pause, and goes for Ward when we go for
ward; and the very question of the na
tional'posperity depends upen our actions here
and now. I say the very pulse of the nation
'beats here, and beating fitfully, requires us to still
it by bringing the respondent to justice—
from which God send him a good deliverance if
he sl deserve—at the earliest hour consistent
with the preservation of his rights." He closed
with the hope:, "that no man anywhere hereafter
may say that the charges upon which we have
arraigned Andrew Johnson at this bar are either
frivolous, unsubstantial or of .none effect; since
five gentlemen oft-he highest respectability, skill,
and legal .acumen as counsel have told us that the
articles of Impeachnient were so grave and so
snbstantial. that it would lake them forty days
even to write an answer to them."'
The impression is very strong here that the
President, will adopt every expedient to protract
the trial, and that failing in these he will attempt
to avoid conviethiii 'by filing his resignation,with
the Secretary of State. Some , of the Denweratic
papers are urging this,
and with a kind. of grim
malice, after the New Hampshire election, recom
mendinc, an appeal to the people. Probably that
would be e the best thing he could do, but he is
not in ale way of d iing the•best thing.
A painful rumor ran through the city. Satur
day evening that. Thad. Stevens was dead. He is
very feeble so that such a rumor gains easy cred
ence. He is working with all his strength, sits
with the Reconstruction Committee, is carried in
his chair from his house to the Capitol every day,
watches the •progressvf Legislature and the Im
peachment, knowing full well that his work here
is nearly end .
• Gen..Thonias telegraphs here of, rebel disturb
ances in Tennessee in aid of the President.; rebel
Gen. Noseby has been scheming near Washing
ton ; but Secretary Stanton is still in office, and
General Grant in consultation with .him every
day; and' the little impeachment revolution wilt
not reach any vast proportions. • , •
Wa4hingto 91,- March. 16th, 1868
FEN WICK