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John A.Weir
New Series, Vol. V, No. 47.
Strictly in Advance $2.50, Otherwise $3. 1
City Delivery 20cts , to be paid at this Of fi ce. 1
gmtritait Iltrslnsttrialt,
THURSDAY, NOVEMBER 19, 1868
ENLARGEMENT OF THE EDITORIAL
CORPS.
Among the measures designed to increase the effi
ciency and attractiveness of our paper at this time,
our readers will welcome the new arrangement by
which a large and distinguished corps of writers is added ;
to the Editorial Department. As the designation of these
brethren has met the cordial approval of the Pastors'
Association of this oity, they will be known as
THE EDITORIAL COMMITTEE.
Their contributions will be generally accompanied
with the initials of the writers. Their names are as
follOws:
Rem. Z. M. Humphrey, D.D., Pastor of, Calvary
Church.
Rev. Herrick Johnson, D.D., Pastor of the First
•
Church.
Rev. Danl. March. D.D., Pastor of Clinton St.
Church.
]ter. Peter .Stryker, D.D., Pastor of N. Broad
St. Church,
Rev. George P. D.D., Pastor of Green
Hill Church.
Bev. E. E. Adams, D. D., Prof. In Lincoln Vui.-
versity.
Rev. Samuel IF. Duffield, Special Cor
respondent.
11.1 r. Robert E. Thompson, will continue. to
act as Editor of the News Department.
Correspondents in every Presbytery and Sy
nod will promptly furnish us with fresh items of
news from their respective fields.
THANKSGIVING, A HOME" FESTIVAL
The Festival of Thanksgiving has now become
National. It can no longer be regarded as a
festival of the church. It was scarcely that in
the days of the Puritans, for the Puritans who
established it, were stout reformers and cleared
the church of all that appeared to savor of Romish
observance. Yet it was a religious Festival;
though appointed by a civil governor. It is a
spot of sun-light on every year's record of Puri
tan history. It is in human nature to have and
to celebrate anniversaries—those which call out
joyful feeling, as well as those which make us
think of sackcloth and ashes. And we are glad
that those to whom our country owes so much,
had their Feast-day as well as their Fastecky.
Thanksgiving day is in New Engiand, as it
has always been, a day for family reunion. In
November, every true New Englander feels the
instinct of the bird of passage, and yields to it,
if he can. During the days immediately pre
ceding and those immediately following the 26th
of November, this year, the lines of travel to and
from Now England will be crowded with migra
ting men and women. Many an old home will
be cheered by the presence of those whom it
sheltered in infancy and dismissed in manhood.
The rafters will ring again. Familiar faces
changed by a shade, will be reflected once more
from the polished andirons in parlors, which, for
the most of the year, are too quiet. There will
once more be some perspective to tables, for the
most of the year too short. There will be joyful
greetings, and then precious benedictions.
Perhaps it is because of a New England train
ing ; but Thanksgiving should, as we judge, be
always observed as a Festival of the Family.
The fact that it is national should not destroy its
domestic character. The causes of National grati
tude need not be forgotten at the family altar,
but every interest of the day should centre on
the home. We deprecate the habit, gaining
strength in many places, of devoting the day to
public social gatherings. The sanctuary should
be a place of general resort, for we are to hallow
the day by giving of thanks in the usual places
of worship. But when home is reached again,
after such solemn service, home should be honor
ed by all that makes it lovely. By no promiscu
ous "parties," by no matinees, or other public
entertainments should this day be violated. We
are driven away from home, or led away from it,
too much, during the ordinary days of the year.
This day should be given, as much as possible,
to the indulgence of domestio happiness, to the
recounting of domestic joys, though some soft
shadows of domestic griefs should temper those
joys and so render them more tender.
We are in a measure losing the old idea of
home. Life in boarding-houses and hotels is
destructive to all true domestic feeling. Th e
growing habit of seeking happiness in places of
public resort makes a nominal home less sacred
than it ought to be. For one day, at least, in all
the year, we should surrender ourselves to all
that makes home sweet.
This year we have all the ordinary causes of
gratitude in sunshine, rain, haivest—in national
peace and prosperity and material, progress. We
have extraordinary occasion for- rejoicing in
God's " remembrance of the world," through
such Providential movements as that observed
in Spain. None of these would we forget; yet
after recounting these, we would have the tipukht
run with most care along the lines domOsti°
history. We shall lose nothing:of our love.'for
country, or our interest in the world, for making
more of home than of country or globe; for in
the home are the strongest roots of national life,
and from it go some of the most powerful forces
for the world's subjection to our blessed Lord.
Z. N. H.
HEART IN RELIGION.
From every quarter comes the call to Chris-
tians to work in the vineyard. The harvest is
fully ripe and the reapers must thrust in the
sickle or the precious souls all ready to.be garn
ered, will perish. There is yet much land to be
possessed and who, if not the people, of God, will
go up and possess it? Jesus looks with pitying
eye upon the famishing and dying multitude—
the poor, the maimed, the halt, the blind, in the
high-ways and bye-ways, , the streets and lanes of
the city, and right in the heart of this great
moving, surging throng is the Christian church.
And the word of the Master is clear and audible,
" compel them to come in that my house may
be full I"
Oh ! for this gospel compulsion, this constrain
ing love!
All true, successful Christian wgrk must be
the fruit of a heart deeply and solemnly impress
ed with the value and danger of perishing souls.
All true work has heart is it. Fellow-Christian,
if you expect to do much for Christ—if you mean
to be of real service while you stay, you must
put your heart into your work. It must be heard
in the tender tones of your voice, in your, prayers
and praises and appeals; it must be seen in the
pity and compassion of your eye, and your earn
est and persevering labors for the salvation of
souls must bear witness that your religion is
heart-work.
To go about the. Master's business es n a, cold
formal way, as many do; to hear the. preacher
because it is quite proper; to go to prayer meet
ing because one's absence will excite comment ;
to live in the church and attend to all the ex
ternal proprieties of a nominal believbx, with no
real heart in, it, or sympathy, with the high and
glorious trusta.copamitted to us--all this must be
bondage indeed ! The galley slave at the oar is
nothing to this !
But to have one's heart inflamed with the love
of Christ and love of souls 3 to go forth with an
intense and glowing desire to win the unwary
and careless to the cross ; to make the cause of God
the chief and absorbing subject of thought and
feeling—this is a joyful life—this is liberty—this
is rest in action. Oh ! for more heart—more
fervor—more consuming zeal and 'devotion in our
religion. Could we feel, as a few years since, a
great sweeping wave of divine influence coming
over the heart of the church, calling Christian's
to prayer and praise and labor, and awakening
the dead in sin to life in Christ, how should we
sing for'joy ! The cold, formal tone of personal
piety would give place to quick and warm heart
ed labors in season—out of season.
Christian brothers! there is work for you close
at your hand; perhaps in your own families, your
workshops, your counting houses. There are
those close beside you for whom Christ died who
are yet in impenitence. They call upon you for
help. They need your prayers. But alas perhaps
you have no heart to do this kind of work.
You say you would like to see a revival. You
think the minister ought to try to promote or
rather commence suoh a work. But the stand
ing fact against you is, that you have no heart
for any of these things. You do' not go to the
prayer meeting, you neglect the culture of your
own immediate field, and others do the same.
And by reason of this, Zion languishes and the
dead in our houses and homes and congregations
and the world's great high-ways are going to
their dread account all unshrived.
Let it not longer be so ! Pray for the spiri,
of the Master—pray for heart-searchings and re
consecration and then shall we go forth to a joy
ful harvest of souls. G. F. W.
LIQUOR DEALERS AND THE DEMOCRACY
-A NATURAL ALLIANCE.
During the last two or three years, the. Re
publican party has in many instances sought to
make up for the loss of its Conservative and
doubtful elements, which tb e excitement of the war
had rallied to its support, by coquetting with the
rum interest—as deadly an enemy to the welfare
and perpetuity of the country as slavery and rebel
lion. Whether they have accomplished anything
anywhere by such an unpatriotic and immoral
course we know not. One thing is certain : they
have disgusted and estranged not `.a few of their
staunchest adherents, who have been deeply
wounded by a course which has seemed to them
quite irreconcileable with the patriotic aims: pro
fessed by the Republicans, £t:nd which has had
too mudi 'the appearance of ,a'purpOse to hold
on to power; solely for the sake of ptower; and
15ju1y69
PHILADELPHIA, THURSDAY, NOVEMBER 19, 1868.
without, regard to any high, moral ends to be
achieved by it. When, a party is on the high .
road to such a position, good men begin to feel
that it is time for them to shake themselves loose
from it. Another thing is certain, the Demo
cracy, in the most important sections of the
country, have utterly refused the proposed alli
ance. Here in Philadelphia they have succeeded
in reversing the ancient supremacy of the Re
publican and cognate parties; a mast significant
rebuke to the half-hearted, unMaFtly: * POlicy of
concession to the liquor interest isrhich . has
marked the execution of all laws. bearing upon
the traffic during the present Reptiblican admin
istration. We cannot as a party console our
selves in the hour of defeat by saying : All is
lost—save honor ! That is gone too.
The following emphatic action of the 'New
York Liquor D L alers' Association shows which
party they.regard as their natural ; Allies and
warns the Republicans against.witch a direct
abandonment of the' fundamental principles of
their party as is implied in the attempt to, con
ciliate, the great drunkard-making, revenue-de
frauding prison-populating party 'O . the land.
Read this latest Democratic manifesto
A special meeting of the New York _Liquor
Dealers' Society was held at Metropolitan Ball,
Hester street, Monday evening, the president, Mr.
D. V. Freeman, presiding. After the regular busi
ness of the meeting 'the following preamble and
resolutions were unanimously phased:
Whereas, The semi•prohibitory liquonlaw pre
vioudly called the "MetrOpolitan ExcTse law," still
stands upon our statute hooks, and tlre , rigor of its
enforcement has been in no way mitigated; and
Whereas, The said " excise law" lime drawn from
us the Sum of $4,000,000, and in return therefor we
have received only insult and oppressionl therefore
be it
I?esOlved, That this society rejoices in the oppor
tunity of expressing its gratitude to thelltin.'.Jolin
T.. Hoffman, for the .course pursued ‘.137 i
judge on the bench, and as mayor of this eity,,with
respect to the unjustness of the prohibitory, and
oppressive laws whigh seek .to". take 'from us,as
citizens, our rights under the constitution .of our
State and country.; and remembering those acts
with respect, We pledge our asSodiation and itipin
fitte.nce, to the support of Mr. Hoffman, as a can;
didat,e for the gubernatorial chair of, the State
knowing that his qualifiCations,
.in all•irespects,can
noi be excelled; and we call uproi aliOr, our State;
who have been unjustly dealt with by those who
would violate the constitution in order to destroy
their rights, to join us in a determined effort to place
-John T. Hoffman. at the head of the affairs of this
State, to the end that our privileges as citizens may
be assured and protected ; remembering always
that with Allen' C. Beach as lieutenant-governor,
presiding over the senate, and having the casting
vote, we have double assurance, that, our rights
will be protected.
Resolved, That our thanks are due, and,are here
by tendered to the democratic members of the
senate . and late assembly, for their faithful ad
herence to that part of their platform relating to
,our interests; and that good faith displayed in so
striking contrast to the infidelity of the other party,
is the ground-work of our belief that the spirit of
the resolution in the present - platform will be'the
basis of action,in the next legislature.
THE “CIRCULAR" MOVEMENT.
[From an Old school Contributor]
DR. MEARS :—May trespass, once more, on
your good nature, courtesy and liberal Presbyte
rianism? lam afraid we are "drifting into a war,"
I hope of words only, though bad words have a
strong tendency to become bad things. I think
I can see that, in both churches, the idea of "the
Standards," is gaining ground. It is equally clear
that past discussions and disputes have gathered
some mistindeistandingS about those simple words
—the Standards. (1).
The adoption of these by both branches, at
once disposes of the whole matter in dispute—of
the Smith and Gurley explanations ; and of the
tenth article. (2). The common standards of our
faith and order know no more of the one than
they do of the other: This I understand to be
the spirit of the qualified action in the few of the
N. S. Presbyteries, and also in the many of the
0. S. Presbyteries, which have, expressed their
preference for the Standards over the first and
tenth articles. We do not affirm that this is the
meaning which all attach to the action of the' Cir
cular party. We know it is not;• but this is the
meaning of the laity and of'the great mass of the
clergy.
"H. J." is certainly mistaken in speakinc , of
the Reunion basis as being, identical with the
Standards, "and that upon just this, and no otlier,
is it proposed to' unite the two bodies." "The
plan proposed by the Joint Committee demands
the. Standards as a basis, aad admits of nothing
else.' (3) Now if this were so, if the Standards
are "six," and the Joint Cominittee's plan is
"half a dozen," why should "H. J." demur to
the substitution ? (4) except that the Standards
are as much shorter than the Committee's plan,
as six is shorter than half a dozen.
Now the Committee's plan not only demands
the Standards, but also demands the smith and
Gurley' amendments—it demands them as an ex
planation, modification or guarantee; and, in turn,
other, men demand the tenth article as an expla
nation, modification or guarantee. Thus these
articles become the occasion of recriminations.
Some Old School men suspect, insinuate and even
charge looseness and heresy upon those who in
sist on these amendments, of article first; and, to
preserve the balance of power, some New School
men suspect, insinuate and also charge despotism
and bigotry upon the upholders of the tenth ar
ticle. Let us see that no man put , a stumbling
block in the way of his brother.
(5.) "Is the Xth article found in the .book?"
asks "H. J." Are the Smith and Gurley amend
ments found in the book ? ask we. Now why this
talking back, "this answering again ?" Because
of the spirit that dictated the tenth article and
the amendments: to the first. If article Xth is in
terpreted by New School men as the measure of
Old Scheol suspicion, and article Ist ? is interpre
ted by 0. S. men as the measure of .N. S. un
soundness, then there is, not only, not) yet enough
conftdence for a Reunion, but thereis not enough
religion to make it w orth while to unite.
"Has any' bo6 proposed' anything else (than
the Standards)," demands "H. J." Yes, we reply,
everi(bod,On either school, that prefers the Com
mittee's' basis to the Standards, pure and simple.
The N. S. proposed the Smith and Gurley clan:-
see, and the 0. S. the Xth Article. To say that
the former Nvat added to guard liberty, and the
latter preserve orthodoxy, would be to say that
the Standar& tad done neither, nor could they
do it. I
But you, Mr. Editor, demand these amend
ments as guarantees. Do you want guarantees
of honest men ? No! but "all men have not
faith" you say. If you go into partnership with
a thief and demand as a guarantee that he shall
not pick your pocket, what: is the value of that
guarantee? • Its value is the thief's honesty(!)
But suppose he does pick your pocket, then what
is you\ guarantee worth ? It may prove that
your pickpocket partner was not honest, (you
knew that before,) but it won't restore your money.
(6.) It is not guarantees that were needed, but
either honesty, or no partnership.
MonaL.=Give us the Standards, pure and
simple, because the beginning of comment " is as
when one letteth out water."
Ve are :glad to see these frank and manly
words. There is no "fog" here. If we could
have had anything like the same definiteness in
connection with the action of those Presbyteries
voting' (thus -far fifty-five to thirty-five) against
the plan of the Joint Committee, and in favor of
"the Standards pure and simple," .we. should all
be in the "sunlight." The points involved are
worthy of notice. In the interests of truth and
for mutual understanding, let is briefly consider
them.
: 1. "Past discussions rind disputes gave gathered
seme.misanderstandings about those same words
bleindarde. . E4actly so. And desire for
definiteness on this very point-was , what prompted
our previous article. Do "thoSe simple words"
refer to the' doctrinal' basis simply, or to the basis
entire?
.2. "The adoption of these (the Standards) by
both branches, at once disposes of the whole mat
ter in dispute,—of the Smith and Gurley explana
tions and of the tenth article." Does it?.This
is the very point of doubt. Where is the official
record of it in the other branch? Has not every
0. S. Presbytery had its back towards the Xth
article, and its face towards the Ist, when it has
voted, Down with the basis; Up with the "Stand
ards ?" Do they mean to sweep away both ar
ticles by their vote ? Or is the doctrinal part of
the basis what they are aiming at, and what they
wish to get rid of ? This is asked in no captious
spirit ; but under the firm conviction that our mis
understanding is right here. The correspondent
thinks the adoption of the Standards disposes of
the whole matter. The Cincinnati Herald says,
"Their Presbyteries (0., S.),want to throw aside
as useless all the elaborate cabinet work of the
Committee on the doctrinal part of the basis, and
go back to the Standards pure and simple." That
is, in the view of this authority, the action of the
0. S. Presbyteries has reference to the Ist Arti
cle, and to that only. The Xth shall stand un
touched.
Aain, Marshall Presbytery is on record as
commending the Xth Article as a wise provision.
Commenting on this action, The Presbyterian
(0. S.), says, "Undoubtedly, it is a wise provision.
In a Church so large as the united Church will
be, it will be a safeguard, of which' we believe all
will ae.knowledge the Value when a few years shall
have passed away." It will be a safeguard in the
united church, will it? Then it is to be retained.
Then the Presbyterian's loud and emphatic call
for "the Standards pure and simple," isn't meant
to touch the Xth Article. , Is this the way their
adoption is to "dispose of the whole matter in
dispute r
, 3.." 'H. J.' is certainly mistaken in speaking
of the. Reunion basis as' demanding the Standards
and admitting of nothing else.'" We need only
reply to this in the very language of the Ist and
leading Article of the proposed terms of Reunion,
to wit, " The Reunion shall be e f fected on the doc
trinal and ecclesiastical basis of our common
Standards." There the words are, in the plan;
and not an amendment, nor a modification; not
the change of a word or, a letter of the Standards
is suggested or thought of. The Smith and Gur
ley • amendments are not amendments . of ; , the
Standards, but explanations of the manner in
which they are accepted and adopted. And we
think it wanting in, fairness and an entire mis
conception of the fact, to represent the proposed
plan, of Reunion overtured to.the Presbyteries, as
c!Aandoning the old foundations." - .
Genesee Evangelist, No. 1174.
1 Home & Foreign Miss. $2.00.
1 Address:-1334 Chestnut Street
4. "If the standards are . ' six ' and the Joint
Committee's plan is 'half a dozen,' why should
'H.J.' demur to the substitution ?" ."El. J." does
not demur to the substitution, provided it be en
tire. But that is a sorry substitution which shows
only one offender the door.
5. "'ls the Xth Article found' in the Book ?'
asks 'H. J.' Are the Smith and Gurley amend
ments found in the Book? ask we." Certainly
not, we answer, to each question. Drop both,
then; or neither. Sweep the field, or let it
alone.
6. "It is not guarantees that are needed, but
either honesty, or no partnership." True. We
have felt, from the first, that if the union is not
to be a misfortune and breeder of strife, under
neath any formal act of union there must be a
basis of .mutual confidence. When the two bodies
fairly stand on that, there will be no caviling
about terms. Dr. Patterson, in his masterly speech
on the floor of the Assembly at Harrisburgh, ex
pressed our conviction concerning the Xth Ar
ticle, when he said, "It would have been better
to leave the matter where the book leaves it."
We think the same concerning the explanatory
clause of the Ist Article. We are ready for union
with them, or without them. But a plan involv
ing the rejection of the one and the retention of
the other, seems to lack the vital element of mu
tual trust. • H. J.
As to "partnerships," let us suppose that I am
approached_by a person with an offer of partner
ship and a statement of terms. I examine the
terms and find them satisfactory, and give my
consent. Whereupon, the individual offering them
turns away, saying they do not suit him. Pre
sently he comes back, bearing other terms for my
inspection. They are not so satisfactory to me as
the first; yet on the whole, they will lio, and I
again give my assent. Again the other party
falters and withdraws, and talks, as he goes away,
about still another set of terms. Meanwhile it is
clear that one party has shown all the confidence
that could. be asked, and the other little or a none;
and without, the least question of honesty or self
respect being raised, common prudence raises the
question, whether a%: partnership on any terms
with the other party would, at present, be peace
ful or profitable.
MORAL —(Left, to our correspondent to de
duce.)
While we notice in some quarters of our
church a hesitating, halting policy, a disposition.
to change base again to accommodat,e the conser
vative portion of the Old. School, it is quite re
freshing to know that there are those who are
firm in the conviction, that the largest , Christian
liberty must be demanded, in any union that may
be effected.
One of the best pastors in the Synod of New
York and New Jersey, in full sympathy with the
Reunion movement on any just and honorable
basis, thus expresses himself: ":I am not pre
pared to speak on some .aspects of the Reunion
question, but one point is plain, and can never be
less so, namely, that the Old School should un
derstand two things, first, that we are as sound
on the standards as they are, and yet are no more
so than we ever have been. Secondly, that we
shall continue to think, and preach, and write,
and publish, in proper ways, with just as much
freedom as we have done for the last thirty years.
I hope we shall print much more. And if they
do not wish to unite with us just as we are, let
them say sq, plainly." We say Amen! to this,
and with all due self-respect as a churl* of God
let us stand by this doctrine to the end.
Stir The Pope has, unfortunately for him, seized
the opportunity of the appraching (Ecumenical
Council to indite a very weak, "prolix, and dreary
sort of rigmarole to Protestant Cnristains, not, as
was supposed and telegraphed, inviting them to
attend the Council, but improving the occa
sion " of a council of Catholics for their benefit,
and pointing out to them how wicked it is not
to submit to the Holy See. No address ever de
livered, even to a Church Congress or International
Association, could have been more 'rambling or
devoid of matter and drift. If the poor old gen
tleman be declared the infallible organ of his
Church, it will certainly be a striking proof of
its faith in the supernatural guidance of faculties
much below those of the average man. An 'in
sane Pope would not, we suppose, be accepted
as the adequate official organ of, the Holy Spirit,
in spite of being -individually of unsound mind.
itkir Old subscribers who wish to get their
papers.for nothing, need only procure two new
subscribers each, and send the pay, $5, when
all three will be credited' for a year.
THE TRUE DOCTRINE.