Ciattopintllmrt,
NEW YORK TRIBUNE AND THE INFIDELS,
We wish to have it understood that we would
have no controversy with the Tribune on the ground
that any of its editors or accredited correspon
dents were infidel or unorthodox, or that they
avowed the fact. We have no further concern
than that they be competent and faithful to their
trust. But our complaint is of bad faith in
going beyond the limits of a paper of this class,
even as they themselves define them in. their
prospectuses. We also bring the graver charge
of partial and exaggerated statements. Further,
we protest against the method of insinuating
their ideas, which, while it makes it so difficult
to reply to them directly, is none the less mis‘
ehievous in its efforts upon the unintelligent, and
is altogether an unmanly way of handling so
grave and important a subject..
A captious critic might object to s.ome of the
book notices, as when the reader finds that gen
erally books containing urforthOdox sentiments
are elabora•ely reviewed—have some 'of their'
most objectionable ideas plead over again with
such gvide:nt, zest,—while a book on the other
side, as for instance Gillett's Ancient Cities and
Empires, containing a body of some of the most
important evidence of the truth of the Bible, is
dropped witha contemptuous fling at its alleged
ambitious style. But strict impartiality-is per
haps too mtich to expect in this departmenC
Before commencing our extracts; we would
say, that but for the frequency of transgressions
of this kind, we would not hive talidu pains to"
call attention to the matter. Had we kept a
scrap-book of them a dozen artides . would have
been required. -
Our first specimen is from one of Bayard TRY
lor's'letters from Germany:
"Only a few weeks before his death, Boeckl3 ; l
spoke a strong, independent word. A member of
the present Ministry of Prussia, seas
. praisirig,
stricthis presence, the observance of Sunday iii
England, and regretting that it had not been intro
duced into Germany. (Conservatism and rigid Or
thodoxy go together. in Prussia.) '.E.oecith listened
calmly to the end, and then r facing the Minister,,
said : "Give us the week-days of England, and we
be very willing to take the EngliSh Sabbath
astpart of the bargain!"
There can of course be no ,objection to the
mention of th* fact that this was Boeckh:'s opin-,
ion. But when the narrator affirms that thus
to sneer at the strict observance of thelloly day :
is a " strong" and "independent" thin. , it is,
quite a different affair.
The:reflection, which most of di l e intelligent
Christian readers.would make, in 'answer,
be 'That, without some, time given to meditation
upon the subject of religion,, and to the perfor
mance of religious duties,"the hearts of men
tend lo irreligion. In those countries - where the
Sabbath is kept, men are most devout and.
merit j 1 as in Scotland and New .Nng,land. The
to
sect which the parents of tkat t writer betonge4,
has died out in many localities and ',is generally
much weakened, because, for want of Stated sea
, .
sons . strictly sacredto religion, the present gen
eratiOn'has*4rown up regardless of it. Emerson
moths paled °over the fact that in the farmer,
geteratioUS of Isrev k tiiglaiid the spiritual nature
received so much.more attention,. being constant
ly' tneutioned in letters, diaries, C,qpversations,
atiebOoks, .He does not seem to connect it with
thatthis lct' our fathers systematically gave
mote time to the cultivation of that spiritual
nature. But this discussion doeS*Uot, properly
belong to the Tribune, because of the, nature of
the subject, and the thousands,of its r,ea.ders Who
hold a different view.
ThispaOr has acOies
'rpondent in France ,and-
another , in 'Ensland,"both of whom, one,. would
suppose from the tenor or their loiters, look
about to find some evidence of infidelity, that
they may praise its authors and attack: Christi
anity and orthodoxy. To admire Taine and
Littre and Vache of and Mill is not objectiona
ble, but'to embrace each opportunity to inculcate
their notions is going too far, even though - their
efforts may b# as amusing as ,provoking_ The
English correspondent told us a year ago that.
Thirviidisni was the accepted" creed of. Br
itish Science. The intelligent reader. would meet
this unqualified assertion with a denial. vv
A.,fe,
and eminent men too, have embraced it, tont it
is very far from being . received by the mass.of
scientific naturalists.
In the report of the proceedings of the. * last
meeting of the British AssJciation for the ad
vancement of science, the correspondent (sup
posed to be the same) exults over the godless
matetialism of Prof. Tyndall in a lecture given
at that time to the working men of Dundee. He
says:
" The Professor vindicated materialism . as the
province of science, and, considering the passions
and prejudices of his audience, spoke with all
the courage of science, and the authority of a mas
ter, as he concluded by the adjuration "Be care
ful, above all things, of professing; to see in the
phenomena of the material world the evidences of
Divine pleasure or displeaSure. Doubt those who
would deduce from the fall of the tower of Siloam.
.
theanger of the Lord aaainst`those who were crushed.
Doubt those , equally who pretend to see in cholera,
cattle plague.-and bad harvests evidences of Divine
anger, Dohbt those:who say that the depreciation
of railway scrip is a consequence of railway travel
ing on Sunday. [Cheers.] They know nothing
about it.' "
• •
" He was, heard with : wonder and consterna
tion by one-half of his audience; and with rap
turous applause by the other." " The working
men make no mistakes. They yecognize,genius
as theirbenefactor." It may be that many of the
assembled savans and a portion of the working
class were in sympathy with the speaker. But on
what grottnd the judgment of the latter is held
totbmiaoimerring the writer does not stae, wheth
er on that of intelligence or morality. This is
aiEn'ed at: the Bible:doctrine of an . overruling
ProVidence . ; which shines out , on almost every
page,: particularly in the Old Tetramerit; and
which ,seems to be confirmed in the conscience
an - d • experieuce of all virtuous men. If they
multi stribi l tout this Boolt;'and also the moral'
lessons of nature, infidelity weitle have a clear
field.. ='4
But the most . unwarrantable (VAN of these
statements is an editorial article (was it by that
THE AMERICAN PRESBYTERIAN, THURSDAY, MARCH 19, 1868.
reviewer ?) in the same paper calling attention
to this report of promedings. It first fortifies a
position by exalting the scientific men of Eng
land above those of any other country. It then,
proceeds, " Oar American Cambridge, is comfort
ably complacent, and takes its schooling from the
Old World with' a good grace. Our savans
make excellent dictionaries for the use of philos
ophers; but as for the immortal soul in science
not. even Mr. Agassiz has managed to pick or
break it out of his rocks, or discover it under the
plaster cast of the glaciers."
We can hardly allow the excuse .of ignorance
for this remarkable judgment. This pupil and
successor of -Cuvier i one of-the -most learned,
original, laborious, profound and eloquent, whose
opinion his more weight'in scientific circles than
any other, - "whose works are •'s - small library in
thenaseli-es, is one of the most: formidable oppo
'nents of Darwinism, and, has prevented that_ no
tion from gaining ground in"many of
..the„ great
schools of Natural' History. 'Ho must, therefoie,
be disposed of, thmgh one would -think that
even the vulgar would
After thiZit cause-no, surprlse to. learn
that the paragraph ends,sa follows: "Mr. Epa-,
erson's transcendentalism is still Somewhat above,
the heads,of t,he 4c:tile-breakers and - , star-gather
ers here; irtiot Blirope.' 'Piactical science la'
nevertheless - pickingi-ittf way up bravely to the
standard of ithe,generalizers•and transcendental
ists." How condescending, thus to stoop to pa
tronize,Messrs Henry, Hall, Dana, Rogers, Hay
.
GraY, Bond and their confreres !
We suppose these menhave studied the works of
Emerson, and: Alcott and Wasson., - or will do so,
in order to get a clear idea of that " standard,"—
the " exferimentalfdlulations of the Chimpanzee,"
We believe. But what if alas these men- should
transcend again, these . [poor stone breakers, and
star-gazers would be left to despair,. like " those
aiming their tarroWs at the sun. Me confess that
we have no patience with these pretentious gen 7
eralizations by men without , knowledge. What
would- the .7 1 rauritethink of 'theories concerning
the ideal newspaper by Wien of no'experience in
the work ? • •
‘-11 is to British science that. the age owes
some of , its most, startling :revelations. Lyell's
and Murchison's and . Hugh Millers sermons in
stones, have without question taught. the British
miblic 'far Mere-. thin Mr. Sptirgeon's textual
ipliititudes, or the Dean's ritualistic piety.- If to
labor truly be to worship; themitis not too. much
to say.that the laboratory, becomes an oratory,
'and the teacher of natuial,wisdorn a high priest ;
. . If the studies of our phileeopheis only
,show us the ten coretnandment*,. Emir the isle'of
Jove deeply graien'On the heart of 'nature; what
-man Bt. Zien need go mad?" •
We can but• womler,ah.the pervp.rsion or bliud
neSs which can :compare the tilers study of
;science with true religion i —geOlOgy With the
.Gospels, chernidal experiments with, prayers
the MOst lEOly. Ftirther, these -men regard 4
science as a godless materialism, if they-shut
out God from nature„ as itsprovidential ruler,
as omnipresent in its laws, as ra Father : in.
creation of our race, so that.in,tracing, gene. :
alogy- instead..of coming to one. Adam, which.
was the Son Of God, we come to 'a race of ruiton
sters sired by monkeys, their commandments will ;
come short of the required number, and thos,e .
taken away will be fonnd; to be the foundations,
of the remainder. .
"The best chapter .which t hus come to hand is,
Prof. Tyndall's „lecture to the. •working-men.",
This is the one full of materialistic. atheism al
ready referred to. lqapy.of „Its vvill remember
that on the morning afterthe . discovery of the
rebel' plot to burn New York;Wlien every one iii
the ci , y was thankful ! that home.,aud
.means of existence had not heort i ,,aviPt
even the. Tribune; in the most. emphatic terms,
did'acknowledge the good' i ti4vitlence of God ii
their 'deliverance. It Used limilar'`lirigilige
Ni hen the news came of the surrender at. - Appel-'
roattox Court House...A_ sense •of.real-tdanver
will bring almost any, one tu,consciousne*fi tht
.God is in his works, . Yet this, "brave" 4, ?
" wise" Professor tells Us flatly that he is nat r
there, and this Tribtoe editoi• says Amen.':;
"It seems_that English science in convention:
is generally with Sir John Lubbock, who prow.
that the earliest men Must have been .absc d ute:
barbarians. Even Murchison is described asad:
mitting the force of facts against an 'intelligent
Adam," " We, cannot disguise the fact thatosci=
ence is the leader, and in severaLsenses an evan
,,el of the world's civilization. Few, ardwilling
.
to Observe its work and its prophcsy ;- but ,its
victory over the world and over bigot'?" is.o;
ready won: The 'least tolerant df .us must' en
dure its revelations. The tacit consent-which so
learned a body as that; which listened to Sir John ,
Lubbock's view of a theory_madQ to.u,s;
by Darwin' and,Lyell, has its,n - iin meaning. Sci
ence is a hard worker, and beais no'respeet to
sentiment, and little to the prejudices of msthet
ics. 'What can be more unfeeling . than
,grati-'
tation says Mr. Mill.'," '
This writer tells ns that 'Lubbock " proved"
his theory., If we were to say as a piece of 'news,
that Agassiz , proved that, Darwin's theory is, all
nonsense, our opponents would object to such a.
word in a controversy so warmly contested
by so many able men. ' But we have a much
stronger objection to make against this writer,
for saying that in this controversy . .
science has
won the victory over bigotry, (religion of the
Bible), and that the least tolerant must receive
its revelations with a feeling like "endurance..
We cannot pass by this statement. without chal
lenge. If the writer means what he seems t 6
say, it is false. We know of no revelation as
certained to: be such, that we have any trou
ble in accepting. Our "sentiment" and " preju
dices of testhetics" are still unshaken. It is
only the young and uninformed, or the ...over
willing, who would be lead away by anything that
has yet been discovered The 'data, and the in
ferences are not regarded even by opponents,
when candid, as sufftOiently, certain at present to
decide this questibn. Doubtless this controversy
will go on , fclr years.
Tl:Lis closes our _review of the facts. " We re
serve our concluding:contmentkupon the conduct
of the Tribune to a fourth and final.article.
FRED: A. CHASE.
SELF-DECEIVED professors have more of the
moon than Of the sun; they have little light,
little heat, but many changes.
PREp3YTERIAN SERVIOES ON THE CONTI-
NENT.
[The surprise and dissatisfaction expressed by
our Speeial Correspondent in Europe last sum
mer, at the almost total absence of truly Presby
terian Ser-sioeskflom the American chapels on the
Continent, elicited sympathy in many quarters.
The London Weekly Review, the organ of the
English Presbyterian Church, took up the sub
ject, quoting our correspondent's letter, and ar
gued the importance of a -union of effort between.
Presbyterians in Elicrland and America for the bet
ter accomplishment of an objectin which we have a
common interest. Recently Rev. E. E. Adams,
D.D., who was travelling in Europe at the same
time, and who met our correspondent at Inter
lachen, has put inti"our hands a couple of letters
from Professor David Brown, of the Free College
at Aberdeen, who spends his vacations in Swit
zerland;-and who has charge of the Free Church
Chapel at Interlaehen: That place-is a-very im
portant one for tourists, and the chapel; under
the excellent' ministrations of Prof. Brown, has
hitherto been at an :almost impracticable distance
from the`, priiicipal hotels. - A vet 'desirable
change is.lkow in progress, in facilitating which
some of our readers may wish to have -a - share.
The portionsTof 4 thb letters which we now give,
will explain what needs farther to be understood.
The first letter was accidentally:delayed, so that
both were- receiVediat.the same time.]
INTERLACHEN,'SWITZERLAND, August 6, 1867.
MY DEAR SIR: 'I have thought much, since'
we parted,-on the subject which we talked over
When you were here, and I am emboldened -to
request that you 41 bring, it formally under the
consideration of your Church. The Free Church
of 'Scotland is only beginning to do for ' the
Continent' of -Europe - what it should' have' done;
perhaps, long-ago. The-Church of England, :as
you know. has for. many years had stations, not
only in all the principal cities and towns of Eu
rope, but in•almost every spot of general resort,
'at which, for' six months in the year, Episeopal
services are provided 'twice every Lord's Day in
: the English language._ The
„expense of these
services is provided for out of funds supplied by
an incorporated =society of that Church, supple-
Merited ,to a considerable extent by voluntary
contributions, and Church-door collections on the
spot. These services are frequented not only by
; Episcopalians, but by all classes of the English,
speaking visitors of these places; and there can
be-tio. doubt that they have proved a great, bless:
ing,,as well as afforded an opportunity of setting
'before others an example' of- the value, which wp,
put upon'Sabkath worship.` J3uiPeither . you nor
,we 'Can sufficient reason for doing no
thing to &ripply 'Presbyterian ordinances =on 'the
_European ,contihent. .:For besides that' in the
present state of the English Church, the trumpet
giies,,a most uncertain soind in, many of its pul
pitS;and in some cases Its teaching is far from
safe, ought 'weAint. ti; &include thatLP_reshite:
rians on the continent would prefer to' worship
'after, the , forms- ef their own Church,-if they had
'the opportunity? Certainly the experience we
,have already had in the few places where Pres
byterian services have begun to be conducted---
in spite of very imperfect: arraria•ements=affor
ded sufficient encouragement to alieve•that =pro
perly, organized and regularly
. supplied PreAby
terian services, in the right places :and at suita
ble- hi:Mrs, would be valued and would reward by
their fruit-the efforts made to provide then]. •
The' Presbyterians who the European
.
contment consist, asi,you know, to a large-extent
americans, with whom the EreoChurchia ono
.in doctrine and in worship, bet Ween -Whom an&
AEC Free Church there are, on these and other
grounds, strong' sympathies: In view of 'this
it occurred to both of us that there ought to be
km °teat difficulty in our forming some plan. of
jeirit, action. _You suggested- that the funds
raised on your= side of the Atlantic might-be
;thrown into ours. But whether in this or in
,sorneiather way; - it would seem' not very diffiCult
so to arrange. our- 'dans' that= the work should t
=u
s
ndectaken and:conducted ca-operatively by both,
pu t ties._ And as the funds would thus he larger,
ao the grouilt,coyeiedand thegeod denelvould
be Ooportionably greater. Ainorig the lesser
,benefits• which would result from this.union - May•
-be,mentioned the greater weight.which such ser
vices would carry, both. =with „your imuntrymen
and
,o,urs, on the continent, not to speak „of its
effeet on 'others 'i l "btit, over and drew. this I think
it would have a sensibleeffect in helpingtforWard
'that closer union" aintingst Churc'hes of
Ukrist, the,yearning, afterwhich- is .one of the
most marked and dedightgul featores of our
I think I - have. expressed- all that, I intended
-14 this letter 4 a lecter - .;written on my own re
sponsibility, with no authority from the Commit
, tee-which I • represent- liere, and which, though
suggesed:,by.Avhat passed between. us: two; is-to
be taken merelpalor what: it is worth . in itself.
Leaving you then, my ear Sir, to act on it just
as you see fit; lc not a 11, I remain yours with
esteem in the Vends ofthe=q-ospel,
- • 1 DAVID BROWN.
'")
22 UNION PLACE, Aberdeen, ScotlanZJan. 16, 1868.
. Our Committee haS began to eek sub
. . -
,4• 11
scriptions for the ensuing summer months. But
an additional sum is required for Interlachen.
You remember our talk with Mr. Mackinnon in
your hotel, about the inconvenience of the Swiss
Church in point of distance and available hours,
Mr. M. pressed me either to purchase ground to
build or to rent some house and fit it up, sup
posing some £2OO would do i •and promising £,25
as his subscription. I soon found that no housa
could be had and the other way would be ruin
ous. But the large mass of buildings under whose
roof the English Episcopal and the present Ro
man Catholic Churehas meet (an old convent;
which, since the Reformation, haS been the pro
perty of the Government,) contained the old cha
pel used by the Roman Catholics till two years
ago, now only hare walls, and likely to be given
us gratis by Government, as they do the other
chapels there, on condition of ourpaying all the
expense of . fitting it I had -it opened and
measured, and an estimate made out of the cost
of seating it f0r,..90 „(the number' it will •hold,)
with replasterink, painting and glazing; kb.
Finding it was what I thought we could meet, I
memoriaNed the Government, describing our
Church as having . its creed in the Heidelberg
Catechism (which they 'Would best understand)
and as Presbyterian in oveinment and worship.
The Government, in dud, thin, sent me &Formal
grant in writing of the use of the chapel for an
indefinite time" on the terms propoded;
which they mean that, while not parting with
the property, they will not disturb us so long as
we require it. I consider this as a great thing
for our services. The chapel, though small, will
be most neat, and the site is the best and the
hours of, course our : , own. The total cost is £6O,
is, Bd, with the plan and estimate, £1 more—a
sum at -which all Swiss and- Scotch architects say
it could hardly be done anywhere else. I have
made, I fear, a rash promise to raise this £6O by
a special subscription among my own friends.
And as I am tied by my -college work here, I
have to do all by : Jetter, which, is, both trouble
some and,tedious. logo out-again to my family
in the end 'of March D. V., and will pass the
siiinmer in different parts of Switzerland, Lau-
sanne, Lucerne, Interlachen, &b. I engaged
that the chapel should be ready to open' by the
first Sabbath of Juue, but I must, if possible,
have all the money raised by-ithe end, of March,
•
though if Subsciiptiops were promised for any of
'the monifs till Jane' that would' do.
Believe me, my dear 'Dr. Adams, - yours in the
bonds of the. Gospel, and - with trie,esteeixi,.
THE SYMPATHETIC COUGH.
A stranger who should happen into our pleas
ant little church, on a bright Sabbath morning,
in the winter, would doubtless imagine thaetwo- -
thirds of the congregation were suffering with`
,
premonitory symptoms of consul:option, while the
"remaining third, alas'! would seem to him very
far onne on - the road to death. Bright eyes; rosy
'cheeks erect forms of matron and maid, and
manly figures seated at pew doors, would seem to
contradict the- assumption, but the ever recurring
cough would direct his though 6 from preacher
-
and sermon, - and set him to musing on the short
ness of life. He 'would probably, Obtain 'a false
idea of the standard of piety in- our midst; mea
suring it. by the devotion which hid led so many
poor invalids to dare the.weather, and .the draughts,
and take their seats in the sanctuary._ If a phi
lanthrcipist, he would entertain serions,thoughts
of iinporting ;several gross of bronchiartroches, or
pitch-pine lozenges ; and distributing them gratu
itously through the pews, that - so the sufferers
might , obtain at-least a temporary relief.
Last Kabbatli morning ou,r !services began pro
pitiously: Nobady coughedduring theinvocation;
nobody during, the-first hymn ; two or three clear
ed their threats,. while our good pestor read the'
chapter,-and .four or five broke the solemn still
•ness that reigned..while the loog prayer, with' its
fervent petittons,for needed grace and, blessings,
watt up to heaven. But when the sermon came
—the text wass - given out - twice, - iii i an audible and
distinct .voice, and we all heard-- it-the second'
_time. Then, before a dozen sentences - weret At
tered, came .a.liitid — cong - liTfiWth - elibrthease
corner, echoed inimediately, by another, crescen
do from the Southwest--ditnintendo from the
middle, and a series of affectedlady-like h,acking
sounds from all over. Then, after a subdued-'
rustle of silks and ribbons; -and a flutter -of
`white•handkerchiefs, as the same,disappeared into
sundry pockets and Muffs, 'silence was restored.
" All was quiet along the Poibmae," for a brief
space, and oar pasts:h. werit.on:- I do not wish' it.
to be understood that he s had stOpped, -. howeier,-.
even for a moment. He is,a,-,roari c of marmellous
patience. Many_ winters' experience has taught
him to bear with" the infirmities of his flock, and
not even a shadow on his brow told how his nerves
•
Must have been suffering. What a pity - that
ministers and minister's wives could not be made
'without rierVes. He went on, uttering words of
wisdom, Apening
,up to, us the,„hidden meanings
that are stored, like honey-in the cells, in the
sweet and sublime prophecies of Isaiah, and
with unfeigned earnestness, besought sinners CO
come unto' Ilim..Whose name is fromeVerlasting,:"
His reaioniugs - ,were .convincing.' IVell they
might be,. for:they weft. drawn.kom the fountain
of inspiration, and he but repeated, the, message,:
which comeseveryday to poor mortals . „sin-stained,
lest, sufferine Mad stubborn, hut - for whom Christ
' died, and whom_G od_stoops.to .reason with. His
eloquence was the e'oquence of lips touched with
a coal frOth the: altar. Hist love for his people
was- as the love of- ; dohn, the aged. But even.
while we sat entranced, Christian hearts comforted
and some, not Christians, but " alMost persuaded,"
listeriiiag as for' their lives, there came a seriei of
qughs,frorn, of all places, the'choir. .` ; - •
'I don't know how it may be, dear reader, with
your. clioir,-but our choir is, I regret to say, the
bane of our chuteh. " It is not a frivolous, ill
behaved choir: It is not a paid choir. 'We are
old fashioned folk; and could not stand either of
the above qualities.—.lt is, alas! a sensitive, self
conceited, And not very musical choir: It is•
" touchy !" . It clears its throat before.it begins
to sing. It is deaf, to seggestions, and don't
like any help from - down stairs". We are used to
our choir, and accept it.,-"With all its eccentricities,
as the beat twailable choir for - us. But after we
partgiven it five,: preliminary; minutes, before its
of the exercises, is there any justice, or rea
_
son in its dis't-Urhin,g pastor and .people by cough
ing in . the'inidille of the sermon ? We leave it
to all the choirs in the land—and we are confident`
of the reply. t
We believe in bringing children to church.
- We love to see a row of little curly heads in the
seat with father and mother, and we are glad
when: ourpastor remembers that there are bright
eyes looking reverentially up to. his, and huno-ry
young hear? longing; to, he. fed ,with- the : bread' of
life; Of such are the kinndom of heaven."
Jesus loed,' them, and oh! Master, thou knowest
that we love 'ilienkoo. $ .
-
" there' a lamb in all thy flock
• We wonld disdain to . ,feed.?" •
Nay-and whether the children ,, have Air faces,
and golden hair, c or dusky skins • and ; crinkled
wool, we are glad when we see thempressing to
Jesus, Ile' *de' no distinction is Ills s'weet'
" of such." - -
But, mother dear; if. little 'Tom oirwee.gittie is
_suffering: from fa, spasmodic, painful,,-obstinate ,
cough, wouldn't you be doing your duty, if you
left the darling at home, with the big picture
Bible, instead pf taking him or her to church
Consider the matter., and decide conscientiously:
I should be distressed if ray words led one,
dear fellow , Christian, who reall‘j, ha* a cough, to
stay away frOm the courts of Abs. Lord. But I
have noticed that they, the real sufferers, are not
the offenders in this matter. They trouble no
one. I know and love, among my nearest and
dearest friends, devoted servants of God, who
have thuasuffered.for many years,,and it has been
a wondei to nr4 that they so seldom are annoyed
by their cough in 4tarch„ An d whim _they are,
that they cough so - unOtrusivejy . . =
The sympathetitc . tough :is a- particular foe to
the worshiping assembly. I believe it is one of
Satan's gu,erillas, a sort of Mosby, that he, lets
fly about on the liardbts.' It doeS:not invade' the
concert:room:or annoy th'e'popular lectUrer. - It
never went near Mr. Dickenkuor disturbed the
Christmas Carol in tiie slighteit degree.
Dear church-going friend - s, you can control
thiS thing, if you wilL'lfilieve: me, it annoys
your pastor. - It, does disrespect , to:the house of
God. It endangers souls. Do let us all work
together, and see we can't int if . doNtit.
E:4l.
_, • .
MISSIONARY LIFE ON THE BORDER.
[We promised recently, to, give some further
'information of the new church at Decatur, Ne
- c.
'braska. The following - paragraphs furnished by
our .Chicago dOrresPOndent, enable, us to fulfil
our promise.] t -
In a recent letter of Bro. Peebles lie says: "From
'the notice in the PEtWYT.r t IZI4N thati was com
ine- here t have had letters from Presbyterians
enquiring about this place, as they propose com
ing West to settle, It, might therefore be well for
you to notice in your correspondence the organiza
tion of this ,church, that emigrants rimy know
where they would find a home.
- a The soil here is very productive. r Thi,s is an
excellent wheat country ; . The average yield,
year before last, was over thirty bushels per acre,
and last year, twenty-five. lAD& is chea p , an d
timber can now be had for fifteen to twenty dol
. ;.
lars per acre," Decatu s : is on the West bank of
the Missouri , some thirty miles above Omaha.
lam tempted to give - some farther extracts
from this letter, though not at all intended for
publication, and at the.riek of slightly offending
our modest worthy brother, by those portions
personal to himself. They,,will serve to show
both the work to be done in that, interesting re
and the personal sacrifices"' at,which it has
to be performed. Let me premise 'that he had
previously written'to-inquire'the price'of a me
lodeon or pabinek,organ. 'He says:. "I do not
think we can get, an..ergan just now. Our people
are peculiarly situated. Bome of them have just
taken homesteads, and all are using all their
_means in improvemenis, for, in fact, all are just
beginning- '
as it were,Linthis new country. But
I am really pleased with. the
.msmbers of my
.- 1 :94: 1 4-,4 1 1ear_40.„xerty_p_eople,, and expect to
build a Ohurch next se men. It is but little they
can do before harvest. lam sorry that we could
not get an organ, as- we' hive a number that can
play. I feel more and more the necessity of oc
cupying this field. Our enterprise meets with
favor. We have an,average of ten or twelve at
our prayer meeting, indj am hoping God will
pour out His Spirit and gather sinners in.'
think I wrote -to you of my visit , over to the
glkliorti f River, thirty.milea--West of here. I
went over withthe.thermometer at ten degrees
below : pro. I staid orte day at-:West _Point, a
promising 'town in Climmin . County, and 'gave no
tice' that I would preach in the evening at the
hotel. :Fifty persom3i-asseniblea- in- the dining
roem , .axid, about fifteen - ,in-rthe bar-room, who
cmild uot get into the other.- To _these hungry
people I tried to preach ,dhrist. They have Paul
no preack.ilg that new country.
I found `there, threeiiietift%rli, 'and - heard of too
or three Presbyteriairfarniliekivhom I did not
[promised to returny•and, may be able to
orgNaize c s church there... central point.
and.a railroad from Sioux Qity., to 'Columbus, if
'built - 4fl"l"st i ,rike 'The 'nditity is pretty well
settled Ter fifty milesl nethe lands' - being taken
"foriltoineseeads. - 4-Within s« eireuit of two miles
abput r Asst Pointoare one `hundred and fifty pee
have_ not been ,able i .as yet to rent a house
or eV'en a single.rooni,-Ut 'have been living with
the elder of morehurch: " we are very much
crowded, as he has; a.fanilly of - three small child
rent- I havo conaMeaced building a small board
house, ter I can !net live in thiaway. I have
been working on it for over a week almost alone.
and move in the edi l irso'Of days. Is half
batten it inside and' mit, and think. I can live in
it. I have been occupying- a' room up-stairs
without plastering. It bas been very cold and
we have suffered ,from it. But there was no other
way but to abandon'the fi4ld. But I cannot td
ways endure this way of living, yet if God is
glorified I am willing to make considerable sac
rifices. Fused the most rigid economy last year,
yet, spent two hundred dollars in 'cash beyond my
salary. I have not had twenty dollars worth of
clothing for my whole family—wife, three boys
and a girl—in the hit fifteen 'months, and don't
know that we shall have for that time to come,
ont of my'salary, for living is expensive here, as
well as at .14—."
DAVID-BitowN
University of Woaster.—:-TheTresbyterians of Ohio
recently offered to endow _Prpfsasorships enough for
a ,well appointed lJniversity in that town of Ohio
'Which' Would give a bonus Of one fruifdred4housand
dolltinsAo-.erect suitable buildings to - start with. The
=Jowl; -of .W9cpter,: s 4•, thri v i n g and beautiful trade
centre - , in a rierdrstriit inn the"P,.. W. &C. R. 8.1
11as:obtained zthe''priie: OtidliundiAtland twenty five
thousand of which is the gift of one man, E. Qii 3l '"
by, Jr.
PE=
No comments, are needed on these statements.
Some good ladies to whom I have shown this let
ter will see that this excellent brother has at least
"twenty dollara worth of clothing for his whole
family,' in considerably less than "fifteen months,"
and. perhaps some other small comforts. But who
Of your readers will give - them a plain, even a
iecona hand instrument, for that little struggling
Chuich in the wildernese tfhti not some church
or Babbath-sehool something of the kind to part
with? : ' ,