£miritait
THURSDAY, NOVEMBER 26, 1868
REV. 701 IN W. REARS, D. D., Editor.
No. 1334 Chestnut Street, Philadelphia.
sEr The Result of a Single Effort, Western
Social . Science Association, Sunday School
Work inMissouri, November, Creeds in Indt
vidual Churches, Ministerial Relief Fund, Edi-.
tor's Table, page 2d; Editor's Table continued,
The Two American Tract Societies, page 3d ;
"Emma," (poetry), Some Passages in _Life of
Deacon, Goodman, Earthquakes and Tidal
Waves, page 6th; Religious World Abroad,.
Great Britain, The Continent, India, page 7th.
The Governor of Vermont, Hon. John B.
Page, in his thanksgiving proclamation, has given
all due prominence to the great acknoivledged ob
ject of Christian thankfulness. Tke proclamation is
Very brief containing but five paragraphs. The
third paragraph is as follows :
• t
" Most of all, should we ever render fresh
Thanksgivings, for the gift of grace and the hope
of Heaven, revealed unto us, through our Lord
Jesus Christ."
Strange that truly Christian sentiments in pub
lie documents, like those of Gov. Geary and Gov.
Page, should be the. excep t ion instead of the rule,
and that we should, have to ask ourselves so often
whether we have any rig,ht to call ours a Chris
tian country.
. „
OW Rev*: James G. Mason of Jonesboro,
Tennessee, is ,j2l the city, now seeking aid for
Rogersville Seminary. , Ile is cordially endorsed
by the Pastors' Association. See letter of our
Rochester Correspondent.'
„.Ser It is a pity, and yet in our imperfect state
inevitable that more loss 'of evil should' speedily
show itself in every earnest effort and every
vigorous, spiritual impulse towards a higher
measure of Christian usefulness. We 'have not
the slightest doubt of-the i gf3nuineness and high
value qf the impulses that have led tp the calling
and holding of " Christinn Conventions" , so
called, and that have chtiraeteriied their pro
ceedin'gs, but we can feel no sympathy with the
impatience manifested by many of the leading
spirits at these meetings with all and every other
existing Church, organization. Their zeal (with
out knowledge) against, sectarianism seems
likely to lead to the addittion of : Mill another
to the roll of sects. A Union Church is called
for as• the best issue of existing City Mission
efforts. As the most prominent individual mak
ing this call confesses that he has it length
discovered "that there may be spirituality even
in the Presbyterian Church.," we have some in
timation beforehand how much "the Union
Church" is likely to exceed churches now in
existence, in the true spirit of unity, and in the
absence of Sectarianism.
SUMMARY.
The Ministerial Relief Fund acknowledges, , for the
quarter endingin October, $3,0431071 of this - amonnt
$6OO is from A. Champion, Esq., Rochester, $lOO from
Rev. G. S. Corwin, and $361.45 frOmthe First cluirch,
Philadelphia.
Bethesda Sunday Sehool, in this city, has increased
in one year, from one hundred and eighty to four
hundred and twenty-nine
Kenderton churoh, Philadelphia, installed three el
ders, Nov. 22d,
Three new and large Organs have been opened in
our city churches within the month.
Two new church edifices have been dedicated (one
German), one church organized (with a revival) at
Greenville, Ind., three ordinations, one deatk in the
.
zninistry, B. St. John Page, one removal to the other
branch, two resignations of pastorates, one call ac
cepted, and seven installations; see in our Church news
to-day.
,Rev. Edward P, Hammond was to sail for America
on the 17th. His closing labors at Chelmsford, Eng
land, were attended with extraordinary blessings...
Rev. A. D. Moore was installed pastor of the First
church, Northumberland by Harrisburg Presbytery,
Nov. 6. Portionleis next week. ,•
The Presbyterians in England of the E. P. and of
the U. I'. Synods are taking more decided action upon
re-union, being somewhat weary of the delay, of the
Scottish , dhurches in negotiations for the same object.
Ministers of the Established Church of England
have not hesitated to preach politics during the re
cent elections for the new Parliament. They have
sought in vain to prevent the success of the Liberal
party, as the majority for that party will be 160..
There has been a revival of Quakerism in some vil
lases in Yorkshire, England ; the English Quakers
have 12,474 seholars, in "First Day" Schools.
_Quite a number of the students in Oxford, England,
are known to,be evangelical in their sentiments.
There areAn.Germitny and German Switzerland 85
Stnaday 'Schools, with 13,600 sottolars, the result of
the efforts of Mr. Woodruff, of Brooklyn, begun, in
1861, when such a thing as a Sunday School was not
known in Germany.
Five of the Austrian bishops who opposed the exe
cution of the new law of civil marriage are to be pros
eentedas disturbers of the peace.
'he.permission to establish a Protestant chapel in
Seville, Spain, was gained through the efforts of the
American Consul, John Cunningham.
The Jesuits have been suppressed, and their im
mense property confiscated by the Provisional Gov
ernment of Spain.
Greenville, Ind.—A new church was organized
- Nov. Bth in this place by Rev. P. Beran,
who had
been h'cilding a series ofmeetings in a school 'school
house. The intense political excitement was so
overborne by the religious interest that fifteen per
sons Were received on profession, ancrwith tt4e re
ceived by letter w,ere.organized as above. After,ser
mem two fathers of families came forward at the
benediction, : anaSked to be enrolled, and at the
evening prayermeeting two mothers of households
and two'youncr m€n °keret' theinselVes on profes
sion_of their ?aith,•malcingtiventy,six in all.
THE AMERICAN PRESBYTERIAN, THURSDAY, NOVEMBER 26, 1868.
FROM OUR ROCHESTER CORRESPONDENT.
THE CARNIVAL OF CRIME.
It seems as though it had come. At no time
within our recollection have crimes seemed to be
so numerous, so fearful, so bold, so shameless, as
now. Every daily paper is loaded with accounts
of them. They are not confined to the great
cities, or to frontier settlements. They are_ not
the mere fruit of border ruffianism or Southern
barbarism; they abound everywhere. The most
quiet neighborhoods, the most peaceful country
villages, are alike startled by reports which shock
all human sensibilities and stagger our utmost
belief.
Highway robberies and middight burglaries
seem to be especially on the increase. Onr.own
city and region seem to be' infested.nith a well
trained, skillful and desperate band of robbers
and assassins, and we. read the same things of
every other 'part of - the land.
What- means it? •Whither ate we tending?
Is it not time tlo `Ask if there is any way of check
ing this fearful increase of crime? We are per
suaded that our laws are too easy with criminals;
the punishment is not sufficiently swift, sure and
terrible against burglars, robbers and assassins.
A few months' imprisonment, even at hard la,bor,
with plenty:to eat • and a home of comparative
comfort at the tine, seems ,not to be enough to
deter this class of villains from =their nefarious
deeds. Vast numbers of them seem in the first
place to escape detection for years, living all the
time in ease and idleness upon the fruits , of the
most abominable crimes; and when caught they
seem not to care for it, nor to fear their punish
ment. They serve out their time, and return
with increased skill and\ desperation to their old
.
ways.
-Must this always be so ?- Is there no punish
ment adequate to check this class of outrages ?
Why should not the highway, robber, and still
more especially the inidnight burglar, suffer
death, as well as the murderer ? Why have they
not utterly forfeited their lives'? Is not murder
always in their hearts ? Do they not always go
armed with deadly weapons,? Do they not intend
to commit murder in every instance, rather than
be foiled of their purpose, or be caught in their
deeds ? If the law. read, " every.burglar, every
highway robber, Ciught and convicted, shall suf
fer death," we believe the number of these crimes
would soon be ,less. , And the wretch that will
break into a house• in the dead of night, fall upon
defenseless sleepers, who have ndvdr wronged
him at all, to rob and plunder and destroy, has
plainly forfeited his right to life. He ought to
die. If this be thought cruel, we answer, it is
not half so cruel ag that he should go on murder
ing the innocent and defenseless. A. few lives
of scoundrels, so
. taken for their crimes, might
save a larger number of worthy and valuable
citizens to comfort and usefulness.
SOMEWHAT MIXED
The Elmira Ailpertiser is a staunch. Republi
can paper, well edited, able and reliable. Its
Weekly,also contains' a department of two or
three 'columns; edited by. Bev..T. E. Beecher,
Which sometimes; criticises the; 'general course of
the paper very severely, and sometimes gets a re
ply from the Editors ,quite as sharp as the as
sault. This looks a little like a house divided
against itself; and outsiders can't help wonder
ing why the Editors don't take matters into their
own hands. . ,
i lowever,. that is their offaii, and not ours.
But, in one of their issues,
the Editors put some
very sharp questions to their able and reliable
contributor, closing with the following striking
language : "In short, Mr. Beecher, it is reported,
and nidely believed, that you are an ale-drinker
and wine-bibber ; that you are a billiard-player,
and proprietor of a ten-pin alley; that you are
a profane swearer, a trifler, a meeker, and a
stumbling-block generally' , in the way of Christian
religion. You know, Mr. Beecher, that all
these things and more are said of you. Why
don't you answer and refute them?"
'Mr. Beecher replies in the same columns, that
the questions are "insincere and in bad taste,"
therefore, he should not answer them.
Whether the Editors were serious in making
these charges against Rev. T. K. Beecher, or
only "fightinf , fire with fire,' it is not for us to
judge; but the chief muddle is this—a 'para
graph is now going the rounds of the secular pa
papers, (and we'siippose it will reach the'ends of
the earth before it can be arrested,) which reads
as follows, and shifts the responsibility quite ma
terially:
"Thomas K. Beecher, brother to the Brook
lyn one, the Assistant Editor to the Elmira Ad
vertiser, is out in a series of articles leveled.
against Radical leaders, (though he is himself a
Radical,) and puts in the following good one on
Henry Ward : 'lt is reported, and widely be
lieved, that you are an nle drinker and a wine-bib
ber ; that you are a billiard-player, a card-player,
and the proprietor of a ten-pin alley ; that you
are a profane swearer, a trifler, a mocker, and a
Stumbling block generally in the way of Christian
religion, and wants him to state whether the re
ports are true or.not."
How this shifting of the charges from one fa
mous head to another lids.occurred, we know not;
but we at sure tlie public will be sorry to see
such things alleged, or even insinuated against
any minister of the Gospel ; and we protest
against the wrong done to both brothers, in sup
posing that either could make such charges
auninst the other.
ROGERSVILLE SEMINARY:
Rev. Calvin Waterbury is now in our region
making an dffort to raise the rest of the money
necessary to save the Rogersville Seminary in
East Tennessee from the bands Of the Humanists.
We sincerely hope be may be successful. He
has left the " Stone church," South Bergen, to
Which he has ministered very acceptably foi• a
little more than a year past, to give hiniself
wholly to this business. He has a fine picture of
the Seminary, which is of brick, one hundred
and eighty feet long, three stories high, wit:h a
wing of eighty feet at one end'; - buildings which
cost $60,000, with forty-five acres of ground:--all
to be bought for $15,000.
There`was once a flourishing school on the
spot, with three hundred scholars. It is situated
in a village of one thousand inhabitants, near
he north•east4n corner of Tennessee, in .the
" Hill Country," in a delightful and beautiful
climate, accessible by railway, in a region of
country more attractive, perhaps, to northern
settlers_than any other at the South, a loyal and
patriotic region ; in a village also destined to
grow, rapidly. It is incalculably important that
the school should be saved to the interests of sound
education and Protestant religion. It lacks but
a few thousand dollars, which we trust Mr. AVa
terbury and his coadjutors may soon obtain, to
make it sure to these ends, in the hands of Trus
tee& and Managers in connection with our own
Church.
ORDINATION AT RIGA
Mr. Edward N. Pomeroy, recently from New
York Theological Seminary, was ordained by
council in the Congregational church of Riga on
the 11th instant--sermon by Rev. B. K. Bart
lett of :this city; ordaining prayer ~by Rev. J.
Butler, of Fairport; right hand of fellows.hip,
by Rev. Geo. R. Merrill, of Henrietta, and charge
to 'the pastor by Rev. J. L. Brunett, of Lock
port.
ale church is one of the smallest and one of
the oldest of this region. is, however, giving
signs of life, having recently put its church edi
fice in neat order, an now securing the services,
of a young and promising pastor.
QrFaciEszE.
Rochester, Nov. 21, 1868.
TIM TATE
,CHOISTIAN 001IVENTION.
• The proceedings of the Christian Convention, in
sttl;on from•the 18th to the 20th inst.; in the 'Re-
formed [Dutch] church, Fifth avenue, New York,
were full of l interest and of stimulating effect, 'Min
gled as might be expected, from the very general na
ture of the assembly, iidt 'a little that. Bober
Christian judgment must pronounce trivial and ab
surd, not. to say wild and injurious. The first day's
topics referqd to the orgakizingof the entire mem
bership-6f the particular Church for work; Reaching
the Rural Diitricts "with the'Ckiipel, and Open Air
Preaching.
On the second day, the discussions commenced
with " Woman's Work in the Church." The subject
was opened 'by the Rev. George Washburn of Con
stantinople. The theory that. woman has no place
in the Church, said he, depriVes' America of about
two-thirds of its Christian force. If -any one doubts
this,let him ask the Christian .Commission—ask :the
the soldiers and the thousands of the poor and 'des
pised people'' hohave been raised up to man and
womanhood. by. our - mothers and sisters:, Wherever:
there is a work that woman can do better than man,
that.work is hers. .The work of a deaconess is one
of much importance, whether the office exists or not.
Such an office existed,in the Apostolic Church, which
letters still extant plainly-show. The work of a dea
coness in the prinutiveChnrch is to care for-the poor
and the orphana,.and to-bring to bear the influence
of a woman's love. Another department of woman's
work is among the inmates of jails and hospitals. It
is a Sharn6 that in this age the offices belonging to
woman are not restored to her. There should' befifty'
women inithe field where nowthere• is one: ilia the
East the greatest s to missionary efforts are the
women. They weave influences about the hearts of
the young, so that it is almost. impossible to uproot
the seed planted in early life. These women cannot
be reached by men and only the work of a Christian
woman - can' fiaVe the desired effect. We need trained
women in the Church; we want a place where they
can he educated for this field. The churches should
open, recruiting offices for them. A home should also
be established, so that when our sisters return from
foreign or domestic mission work they may find a
place of welcome and of rest. Suppose we open in
this city a "'House': mrider.the care of the Church.
Here all women who desire to enlist in the service of
the Lord can be trained and educated. McDou-e
gall, highly eulogized the labors of the ntins in Can
ada. He said the strength of the. Catholic Church
lay in the sisterhoods which it had establiehed. We
should adopt all ;the advantages, of the female de
partment of the Catholic Church, eaving out the dis 7
advantages.
Mr. Trask of Massachusetts, was guilty of one of
those unfortunate utterances which marred-the gen
eral good-tendency -of‘the occasion.- He said that
rifr
notwithstanding the wo-of-P aul, *the orthodox
folks were beginning to believe that a woman, had a
right to breathe, sing, and even speak in church. If
theriare not to talk they" shonid not be allowed , to
sing., Rev. Mr. Blair of New 'York, said-the great
want of Protestantism is the aid of winnan. We are
because we have rejected the noblest of man
kind from the work which Christ gave us to do.
The second topic : " - WhY'do So many churches fail
to reach the poor?" was opened by the Rev. Cyrus
D. Foss. Among , many good and forcible, though by
no means new, things uttered by the speaker, he was
very wide of the mark indeed when he said " the
principal reason' why the poor are not reached is be
cause the churches have no partimilar desire to touch
this bless."' Excepting a few stylish c,ity churches, the ;
whole Christian heart is astirwith anxiety for the
evangelization of this class.
. Much was - said in denunciation of the pew-system
and pot without plausibility: -Yet-it seems to us that -
Dr. Crosby, the Chairman, showed more "wisdom
when he said, that in anxiety for the poor, we mast
not forget..the rich; the rich of New York' are worse
heathens than' the poor. We want to get at the rich.
The only way to solve this question is, have the pew
rents reduced to a small sum. In my church, said he,
all come, both the rich and the poor. Dr. Blair said
amen to what Dr. Crosby' advocated. Mr. McMillan
said the women made our churches theatres.of lash ;
ion, thus driving the common people away from the
horise of God. ' The speaker`alluded to a certain rich
lady in Cincinnati, who wore only, one dress during
the, winter.
In, the afternoon, ''the second opic-- y
'th a t •what
means can we reach those who do :not come to our
ohurches?" was opened by D. L. Moody, who said:
We have divided our city (Chicago) into 52 districts,
and, by the help of the churches, we visit every fam
ily once in thirty days. Instead of using tracts we
circulate papers. We have more Sunday-school
scholars in proportion to - the site of the city than can
be found in any other place in the Union. Our
churches—many of them—are too fine. You can
never reach the masses with operatic singing. Three
or four unconverted people singing in a gallery are
enough to make any one keep away from the church.
A man who knows how to preach can draw a crowd,
and where there is 6 - crowd 'poor folks will .come.
When Mr. Spurgeon preached at Agricultural Hall
in London, men came bare-footed to hear him preach.
In Chicago we, send out men with cheap hand-bills,
inviting the people to come to church. I had rather
preach to those who tikes , around billiard saloons, ,
said he,•than -to hardened sinners who have -heard
theology for fifteen or twenty years. Let William E
Dodge go dovin to CoOper Instifute'and preach, and I
the people will be Sure to come. Mr.• Moody gave a
touching and interesting description of the meetings
held in the drinking=saloous of Chicago, during the
recital of which many were affected- to tears.. Mr._
Dogan of Montreal spoke of the great influence
wielded by the press. -This power should be more
sought-after by the C,hiirch. - Religious' . newspapers
will, soon get ' large circulation if they are', ofdEgeoll
for anything. [Applause.]' . The: people .are.,tired,of
dry weekly religious reading. We want livelChris-,
tian daily papers. Mr. House of Cincinnati followed
with interesting facts. Opera singing and poor preach
ing are doing much to keep people from church.
Christianity means business, and it should be conduct
ed in a business manner. Out of the 39 Protestant
churches in Cincinnati but very few of them are fill-
ed on Sunday. Mr. Grant of Boston, said : Open air
meetings will do much to extend the Gospel among
those who never go to church. People feel at home
on common grounds, as our parks, commons, &c.
When we go to work in earnest infidels will begin
to tremble. Fashionable religion and written sermons
will not make people Christians. Mr. Trumbull of
Boston said any fool could sell goods to those who
were anxious to buy. The, question is can we give
the Gospel to those who don't want it. The way to
do this is to make it acceptable to everybody. Mr.
Blair of New York believed in carrying the Gospel
into the business of the week. He advocated a reli
gious newspaper that would compare with the beat
secular sheets, and sell for two cents &copy.
The next topic, "What is the Work of Young
Meh's Christian Associations?`" was opened by Mr.
Cephas Brainard. Mr. Moody said that the great
work of the Young, Men's Christian Associations was
to sweep off from the face of the earth Sectarianism.
[Great and loud applause, and cries of " Amen."]
What we want to do is, to fuse, to gather, not freeze.
[Applause.] When Lfirst joined the Church, said he,
I thought allithe religion in,4he world was in my
church or denomination, but now I begin to find out
that there is some Christianity even, in the Presby
terian Church. [Great applause.]
On the third day there was a much larger atten
dance than had been before, and •many more ladies
were present. They,; however, did not participate in
any,of ..the discussions.
After the usual 'devotional' exercises, discussion on
the first topic--" How to make the weekday meet
ings of churches effective for spiritual pFposesl'—
was opened' by the Rev. Henry Ward Beecher, who
said :that many; who can think prayers 'cannot say
prayers. - The best; prayers in his congregation were,
women's prayers. They have more sentiment and
thorough' piety, and the more shame, he said, that
our churches do not avail themselves of women.
The churches gnat the - bones while: they throw away
the fat. In regard to singing, he remarked that there
was no such liturgy in the world as the hymn-book,
and here he read several hymns from the Plymouth
Collection, as illustrations of grandeur and beauty.
If people at a prayer-meeting cannot say prayers, let
them sing prayers. Music is the highest expression
Of Christian devotion and experience, - and a prayer
meeting can well be carried on by training the mem
bers to singing. If a topic is started by any one,
the pastor should aid in giving it impulse, and some•
times loripg a, hymn to bear upon it if he knows of
one appropriate. The worst speakers in the world,
he said; were often the best. and the 'best the worst.
This might, appear paradoxical, but it was a,fact that
when men stammered out genuine feeling and genu
ine experiences, they were- far more valuable than
polished.eratory and , pointed periods. New begin
ners must necessarily ,say many crude things. A
seed cannot get out of the ground without lifting
dirt. The power of a Church is in its lay members,
and they should be encouraged to develop them
selves. People should not come to prayer-meetings
to, please themselves alone, by hearing good speakina c ,
but should . be glad to aid and encourage others. Se
ciability is a necessary element of prayer-meetings.
Many think that= the priest; should teaeh, but it is
also true that the brotherhood should teach. Taste
in speaking is good, but sincerity and fervor are bet
ter. Grammar is good, but something for grammar
to carry is better. Get men to think what they feel,
and say it. ",'The mistakes of a child's prattle are en
tertainmg, and so should be those of a church bro
ther. Wayer-me' 'rigs should be conducted . in a
oonversational w 7 ,
and the true pnayee-neeting
takes place often when' people gather round the
stove, after the regular. prayer-meeting breaks up.
A Church is a family-, and should be conducted on
the principle of household familiarity. Prayer-meet
ings should be in small rooms, if the assemblage is
small. A scattered audience is not receptive, 'and
there is great power in contiguity., They should sit
together. The speaker said he began his first meet
ings with but very few persons, and they now ave
rage 800, after twenty-one
. yeaas of existence. Du
ring 'the first five years very few attended. Mr.
Beecher did not believe in congregations that never
dared smile; he did not believe that God ever gave a
full faculty to a man and not permit him to use it ;
a bad jest wase, Very reprehensible thing, but if' he
wanted to male his auditory cry he would make
them laugh first. If a milk-pan is spilled on one
side it is very easy to spill it on the other. The
conventional prayers were verystaid' nd unaffecting
exhortations.
The same prayers descend from min
ister to church member, from class-leader to pupil
for . Centuries. There is too much praying in generic's,
too little in specifics, like verdure in Winter—many
trees in general, very few leaves in particular.
Mr. Beecher was listened to with great attention,
.
and frequently the audience`brok into storms of
laughter and applause.
This speaker was solemnly rebuked by Rev. Mr.
Blair, (U. P.) who thought that it was very wicked
to smile in church. Others'spoke.
Dr. Hall opened the second' discussion : "How can
the personal and social study of God's Word be made
more general?"
Mr. H. F. Durant Opened the first topic in the
afte.rnpon: "How shall an unconverted person - be
afprititiclied?" He urged a Straightforward appeal to
intellect and conscienee yet so as to makO the Gospel
a pleasant and agreeable thing. He deprecated
dreary books.
A congratulatory resolution from the Convention to
an Evangelical Alliance of London was read and adop,
teds A resolution to assure Gen . .' Orant, President
elect of the 'United States, now a guest in this city,
of the prayers of the Convention and its nadmbeis,
was presented by the Business Committee and unan
imously. adopted. The Chairman thereupon appoin
ted a Committee of five to wait upon. Gen. Grant
and communicate to him such. resolution.
The discussion on the work of Missions was opened
by Dr. Clark, of Boston, in a brilliant review of the
grand total of missionarZfesults. There was no
'use in praying for more worlet, but men should rather
pray for help to carry on the work already laid out.
Look at the 1,500 missionaries on the' battle-field of
the Lord. , The Scriptures had been translated into
all the known languages of the world, and 7,500 na
tive Christians put at work among their fellows,
while 50,000' converts were gathered into churches.
The third topic, " The organization and work of
City Missions,' was opened by the Rev. George J.
Mingins, who reviewed the history of the establish
ment antlnprbgress of city • missions. -He believed
that missions should be ~organized as auxiliaries of
churches. They should also be union missions and
entirely, unsectarian. The Mission of New York
was'organized independent of any particular church:
They found in theirwork that:women were better than
nine-tenths of the men. In the city there are forty
different languages spoken, and more Irishmen: than
in Belf.s.at,;. more Germans than ill Hamburg, and
more Jews than in the whole Palestine. If you want
to see'real pride, don't go on Fifth avenue, but into
the Five Points, as the following conversation will
show : " Why don't you go to church, Mrs. Brown?"
"Because I haven't any clothes." "But God doesn't
care about your clothes!' "I do and there'S an end of
it During the last year 1,000 persons had been con
verted,and 681 had been brdught to join churches,
by the instrumEntalityof 'the missions of this city.
Some of the wild talking of the Convention now
followed.:. • f , . - . „ .
Mi.'Guley, pastor of Olivet chapel, belonging to the
City Mission, said thatAe forind that true oh4istiaris
were united on the fundainental' jarineiple.s. ofChris
tianity. The members of this chapel were anxious
to have a Union Church established. [Applause.]
He had found that most of the churches were not
willling to support mission chapels for fear that their
members might take a fancy to another denomina-
•
tion.
Mr. Murphy followed in favor of a Union Church.
Mr. Moody said that we have a church which is
self-supporting, but all the churches are down on us
because we do not belong to them. We want an or
ganized free church, which, if well managed, will be
sure to stand.
The farewell meeting in the evening was opened
with an excellent address by Dr. McCosh, for which we
regret we cannot now find room. Wm. E. Dodge,
Mr. Mingins, Mr. Moody, and others spoke, and the
Convention closed with prayer.
atfin trf gE eturtijo.
CITY CHIIRCH ES
New Organs.—Three: of our city churches have
been lately been, treating themselves to new organs,
those of Green Hill and Olivet churches were open
ed with appropriate services on Thursday evening
of last h ireek. At Green Hill church, the audience
enjoyed the assistance of the Abt musical society,
.
under the direction of Mr.'Briicow, who rendered a
number of first else's pieces with great effect. The
organ costing $3,000, was manufactured by Hook of
Boston, and gives entire satisfaction. That of Olivet
church is also from Hook of Boston, and cost
$2,700, which the, Olivet people have raised entirely
among themselves. The third organ was opened
less than a mouth ago in the First church, Ken
sington: It is the workmanship of Stanbridge of this
city, and is considered the best in that district of
the city.
teiderton Church, Tioga St., is showing signs
of active church life. Last Sunday, N0v."22, three new
elders were ordained, viz.: John M. Dallam,
William N. Walling, and Henry S. Parmelee. At
a meeting held Wednesday, Nov. 1813th, the charter o f
the church was amended, so that pew-holders elect
Trustees, communicant members elect Elders, and
pew-holders and communicant members together
elect the pastor. One-fifth of the whole number of
qualified voters constitute a quorum at any meet
ing. A new form of certificate has also been adopt
ed for dismissal of members, which includes the form
of a duplicate certificate, to be sent back from the
church to which the dismissed member has - been
received. It is expressly stated iu the first certifi
cate, that the member's relations to his old church
continue until the duplicate certificate properly fill
ed up is returned.'
Bethesda Sunday-Sehool.—The first anniver
sary of the S.tbbath-school connected with the Be.
thesda Presbyterian church was held last week in
Friendship Hall, their present 'place of worship.
The Bethesda church is a, colony emanating from
the First church, Kensington, which left the moth
er church one year ago with about one hundred and
ninety persons. A Sabbath-school was formed with
about one hundred and eighty pupils and thirty
four teachers. The congregation, Rev. William T.
Bva, pasta, is engaged in 'plating up a handsome
stone edifice at the corner of Franklord avenue and
Vienna street, capable of holding from I,oou to
1,200 persons. They have added to their number
since their orgauleation, upon profession of faith
and by, certificate, about sixty persons.. The anni
versary exercises were of an exceedingly interest
ing character. The large hall was crowded to its
utmost capacity, many going away, unable to be
accommodated: The 'school numbers four hundred
and twenty-nine , pupils, with thirty-nine teachers.
An interesting Bible class is also connected with
the school, numbering about seventy persons, male
and female. The sum of three hundred and eighteen
dollars was raised by tlie school 'during the past year;
one hundred and fifty dollars was given to the
American Sunday-school 'Union, and one hundred
and fifty dollars to the Presbyterian Committee of
Home Missions. Interesting addresses were made
by the pastor, by Rev. Mr. Hutton, Mr. Godfrey, Rev
Mr. Lewis of Minnesota, and Rev. Mr. Beale, of
the First church, Kensington (the mother church).
Preston, kiint.rrhe dedication of the Fiiet
church of Preston, Minn., took place November Bth.
Sermon, by D. Rev.. L: Kiehle, pastor. Subject,
" The worship of the true God, the only basis or
character, either 'national or individual." The
church was organized three and a hall years ago
with ; fifte l en , members, , and has been
.occupied most
of . the ` tithe' in building their - present edifice, which
is of brick; fifty-lour I feet by thirty-four feet, with
basement, at a cost 04260. It is already, through
the industry of the ladies, supplied with a bell, and
also with 'Cochrane's Solartype wood Furnace. The
edifice is a plain, one, and yet for 'taste and conve
nience it will compare favorably with any in the
State. It stands in 'the midit 'of - this-people a monu
ment of their energy, and also or the generous aid
which has been offered by the Church Erection
Committec
Qilleinliati.--TheSee,ond German church on Li
.
berty St. below Freeman,.(Rev. C. H. Winnes, pae
tor,). was dedicated last Sabbath. This is the second
German church that has been gathered by this in
delatiottable pastor.
Leavenworth,lnd.—Rev., B. Bevan began meet
ings in this place in Angat n'our church, which
the citizens of the place recently painted, and (0
which Mr., P. Leavenworth, the founder of the town,
had given -two finely toned bells • as a result, reli
gious interest Was awakened in the midst of politi
cal excitement the most intense, and twenty have
been added tothe church, many of them heads of
families'-
San Franeiscp. 7 .on 'Sab:)ath, Oct. 11th, Dr.
Scudder was able to announce that the Howard
church had paid .olf the entire debt ($45,564- in gold)
on.their :church edifice in Mission at., and that the
Tritstees' had *lO,OOO in 'hand towards the erection
of a-vestry which is to cost $O,OOO. They have now
(if the.eartbquake has let it alone) one of the fin
=est and most convenient church edifices in the citj,
owe no man anything bat' love." The enure
sumewas.raised in four'days' canvass by Dr. Scud
der and. Deacon Cyrus , Palmer. A few Sabbaths
previous to this the church had an accession 0
twenty members,
Rpv. Robt. Proctor, of Alden, N. Y., accepts
the call of the church in Polo, 111.
Rev. Benjamin 'St. John .Page, pastor of the
church at Warren, Ohio, died on Monday evening,
Nov. 9th, atter a brief but painthl illness.
• Rev. M. R. Sehdttle - iinidhas resigned the pas
torate of ahe First Presbyterian:churefi in Amenia,
to go, to St. Peter's. 42- 5 ;) Rochester, N. y.
Stepben - O-Hotanni wag ordained and instal/nri
yottitor- Of the'Cliuich'Ot "Co'riSo,''Pa., Nov. 10th. 1n-
Chnlehes.
Ministerial;