jjrigiiwl REV. A. M. STEWART’S LETTERS.-XXIX. Austin, Nevada, January, 1809. BETTING. You Bet —with a peculiar jerking accent on both these monosyllables, is now, on the Pacific coast, and especially in Nevada, a pet provincial ism. To a new comer, and on the first hearing, there is an entire bewilderment as to its intended meaning. The writer first encountered it at the western base of the Sierras, when making inquiry of a man, who had just come from the Eastern side, as to whether the mountain crossings were still rugged and difficult on accouutof remaining snow, although the first of June. His simple re ply was, “ You Bex.” “Bet what,” I inquired. “Stranger,” said he, looking at me very earnestly, “ain’t you green?” “Certainly, and very green at that; yet nevertheless, what did you want me to bet?” “Nothing; I meant to say, and did say, that the passage is very rugged and difficult.” I saw it, and meeting it daily, thereafter, in res ponse to almost any special inquiry, had no far ther difficulty in comprehending its import. You Bet, is a vigorous and emphatic affirmative to your query. HOW STARTED. Such provincialisms usually have their origin in some' well-known and familiar habit or business among the people. You bet, is big with philoso phy; it conveys a volume of meaning, giving a .more distinct conception of Pacific society in a very important aspect than could be furnished by a hundred labored essays. Betting, is a business here. Everybody bets. - Many seem to do noth ing butiet. Betting has become an important ingredient in social life; a canker which has eaten deep into the vitals of.society; is fearfully assist ing to undermine' confidence between man and man; and largely helping to obliterate all moral distinction between mine and thine. Men*-women and children bet even about the most trivial things. You are surprised to hear persons of acknowledge!! respectability in society, and mutual friends also, when differingin Opinion, it may be, about the most insignificant matter— one saying, “I’ll bet you so much”—“Done,” says the other.. Each has his hand in his pocket in an instant for the' gold piece or pieces ; named, which are generally handed'to a third person. When the controversy is decided, the winner takes the money, as perfectly legitimate gain and without a seeming thought of wrong doing. It seemed, therefore, fitting there should be some thing in the vernacular to indicate so common a business of life—hence, “ You Bet.” This demoralising habit grows legitimately among the adventurous multitude -who are on the Paoifio slope. There exists a wide-spread, inor dinate and too often unscrupulous desire to be come suddenly rich; and this without the toil, the care, the time and prudent industry usually de manded in the acquisition of honest wealth. Mine-prospecting with its marvellous uncertain ties; buying and selling undeveloped mines; stock jobbing; Eastern Companies represented by unscrupulous agents, —all foster the spirit of betting; as they are generally mere gambling operations under assigned names. Under such conditions the “appetite grows by what it feeds upon.” The gaming table is merely the consummation, and no more dishonest nor unmanly than many another betting scheme under more plausible appellations. With such surround ings'the minds of men become at length so stim ulated, that no venture or speculation is looked upon as too large. POLITICAL BETTING, The most, reliable newspapers of California give it as their judgment that between one and two millions in coin changed hands in that State alone on the decision of the late Presidential election, —an enormous sum, no doubt proving a far greater curse to those who won, than incon venience and suffering to those who lost. Betting is not, however, a speciality here nor confiued to the Pacific coast. This is merely an outgrowth and imitation of that greatest combi nation of Betters and Blacklegs—Wall Street. The contagion from that fountain head of all dis honesty seems to be spreading, and threatens speedily to poison our entire community; turning us into a na:ion of betters and money gamblers. Not even the Church in some of her schemes for money-getting seems alogether free from the con- of betting. The Catholic Church carries t on her sohemes of extension and aggran dizement almost wholly by betting. REMEDY. Is there any remedy against this wide-spread and still increasing canker of mohey gambling ? Or must its slang phrases’become a part of our English vocabulary; and the next edition of'Web ster have introduced into it, “You Bet?” There certainly exists no remedy in the disease : itself. Like ciires not like in such a .fatality. No hope from Wall Street —none from our mining inter ests—none from the mercantile world—none from ' our habits as a people—none from our laws, as '•' our legislators are pioneers and adepts in betting. The mere moral reformer is compelled to sit down in impotent despair when attempting to battle againSt this inordinate love of money, which is ' the root of all this dangerous malady. Shall we, however, as Christians be content, with imbecile complaints and inactive hopeless THE AMERICAN PRESBYTERIAN, THURSDAY, FEBRUARY 4, 1869. ness, like our secular journals seem to do? Thanks be to God, there is a remedy, one only, for this and all other maladies which debase our race—-a remedy sure and perfect: The true Gospel leaven. These sinners must be born again ere they leave off their betting. If we who preach had but faith as a grain of mustard seed, this mountain would soon become a plain before the onward movements of Christ’s kingdom. Yet is not this devil cast out save by prayer and fasting. A. M. Stewart. THE FIFTY-THIRD ANNIVERSARY or the Sunday School of the First Church, llnr- risburg. The School is not as large in numbers as some others in .our city, nor as earnest and active. It might safely confess to many short-comings, but in years it is among our seniors, having entered on its fifty-fourth year. For two-thirds of its life it has been under the wise and admirable superintendency of its present veteran leader, and all do most heartily wish that thirty-four more years could be added to his past termi of, service, and then in 1903, and in the 87th year of its age, what an Anniversary would it celebrate 1 . We :do not at all, think that Anniversaries are the forte of this School, yet would: we be glad to hear of anything more beautiful, instructive and impressive than were the exercises of the late Anniversary. , An attempt was made to render Bunyau’s;'immortal work, the Pilgrim’s Pro gress, by hymns, recitation, and illustrations with the.,.Magic Lantern. Dr. John Curven, the , obliging and gentlemanly Physician of the Insane Asylum furnished the Camera and Pic tures, and himself, at great trouble, exhibited them. The Superintendent of the School, with two or three assistants, prepared the- School for its part. For the Programme of Exercises, we, were very largely indebted to Rev, W. E. Knox, D.D., of Rome, N. Y. We simply made altera tions and improvements—we think —of what was furnishedjby Mr. Knox. The church, was most beautifully decorated for the occasion. The. pulpit was removed, and the large platform, built for the General Assembly, was again erected. The pillars of the pulpit re cess weretastefully dressed with, evergreen, and against the, wall of the pulpit recess, above the words ‘‘ The Pilgrimage,” was hung an evergreen Cross, surmounted by a Crown. A profusion of the choicest flowers graced the whole scenery. ■ The large platform was assigned to a select Choii of twenty or thirty from the Sunday-school, and to a band of young men who took care of the recitations. The main body-of the School, who sang in .the choruses and -many of the hymns, occupied the central portion of the church. At the appointed hour, the Church was crowd ed by spectators. ' The room Was darkened, and a marble statue of John Bunyany of-life size and exquisite-workmanship, appeared on the wall of the'pulpit recess/ Then the choir of leading singers with the-young speakers, came marching in with most admirable precision and singing— “ We are marching on, with shield and banner bright.” This. opening scene could hardly be surpassed for beauty and impressiveness. Every heart was thrilled. Then followed a brief prayer by the Pastor, and from that moment to • the close of the exer cises the interest deepened.. The recitations from Bunyan and from, the Scriptures were given clearly and impressively. The illustrations were generally of life size, or .very, nearly so, and most aptly represented the different periods, in the journey of the Pilgrim. The. first represented, Christian groaning under his burden, and not knowing whither to flee; the second, Christian and Evangelist; the third, Christian at the. wicket gate,, then Christian; -at the Cross, and the three shining ones; Christian drawing near to the House Beautiful; Christian receiving his Armor, &c., &e. The recitations by the young men, the singing by the choir, and by the school, the solos, duetts, and responses, the darkened room, the illumina ted pictures, all served to make, the occasion one of the most impressive, as well as instructive, ever known to us. All who were present in the crowded house followed the Pilgrim from the city of Destruction, heard his cries for help in the plaintive song, “0 what shall I do to be saved ?” beheld the perils, the struggles, and fightings of his way, heard his song of deliverance, until passing through the dark river of death “he went in at the gate ” and was welcomed by the shining angels. And then appeared on the wall the final and most exquisite of all the illustra tions, that of a radiant triumphing Angel bearing to the skies the form of a ransomed child. And as .the golden gates closed, and the Pilgrim pass ed out of sight, the whole School rose and sung the familiar song—to new music— “ Around the throne of God in. Heaven.” It was an ocoasion long to be remembered, and one, it is hoped, of happy and hallowed, influen ces on the minds of both young and old. The conception of the programme was a most happy one. The execution of it, in singing, recitations and illustrations, gave, most complete satisfaction and pleasure to all who were privileged to see it. The exercises were only too brief. The Su perintendent reported that the contributions of the School, for the year 1868, amounted to 8625, of which $5OO had been already appropriated to the support of two Home Missionaries. QUIET. lam not so young as I once was. No one will question the truth of this statement, although everybody does not realize it as I do. One evi dence of the fact impresses me, as I see it in my self. I love quiet so much more than I did in my younger days. I can remember when I thought it rather stupid to be without excite ment of some kind, for any length of time. I should not, by any means, have thought mere quietness and peace a very great blessing. Now, I count them as good, a boon as I can ask or re ceive. My youDg friend who reads this, may imagine that I am either dozing away my days in the easy chair of second childhood, or that I have had a very stormy life, and am thankful for a little rest at its close. But neither of these is the case. .The utmost which I am willing to admit concerning my age, is the statement with which I began these thoughts, i. e. that I am not ,as young as I was once. And my life has been a quiet and happy one, yyith very gentle. discipline from my Father’s hand. More and more, however, do I love the quiet that comes from experience of God’s good ness, sure trust in His mercy through Christ, and undoubting belief , that “ all things work together for good ”to me. Enjoyment may yet be keen, and excitement may sometimes still delight; but it wearies more than it used to do, and the dis position waxes strong,to fall back gratefully into the rest of daily, peaceful life. Home and friends are dearer and more satisfying, if one is blessed with a happy home and. loving friends.. It is needful often even to strive against the indul gence of too strong an inclination to shut out our fellow-creatures from the sympathies and interests of our hearts. This is a compensation for the loss of some of the pleasures and capabilities Of earlier life. Per haps we do not always estimate it,highly, enough. There are sad instances of women who, in mid dle life, or even in old age, seek happiness still in the. excitements of gay society and amuse ments—who condemn quiet as . humdrum, and think .to keep off advancing years by clinging to all that belongs to youth.. It is usually a vain, as well as sad effort, disappointing the soul in the present, besides unfitting it for the future. “Quiet from fear of evil." This is said by Solomon to be the blessed condition of those who “ hearken to the Lord.” What a blissful state 1 Not only to be protected from all real evil, but fro.m even the fear of it. Ho w the littlo child nestles into his mother’s arms, and looks out upon the,world, “quiet from fear of evil!” Why should he fear? Has he not a blessed belief that no harm caw .reach him there? ■ And surely the Christian (who has lived long enough to ’know- how the deaf Father above guides and guards His children, turning what seems ( evil into good, and many a time saving frpm expected harm, should sp far , trust Him as to be “ quiet from fear ,qf evil.” It is distrust to be fearful-—it is,trust to be quiet. • Yet many who are strong and calm when sor row or danger is really present, torment them selves and others by a constant fear of coming evil—hardly enjoying blessings in possession, for dread of losing them—ever anticipating some .calamity or . some-disturbance of their peace. They,have never yet, learned the joy of being “ quiet -from fear of evil.” The “ effept of righteousness ” —faith in Christ and service for Him-—“is quietness and assur ance for ever.” Who would want a better por tion for his soul, than this, promised by God through His servant IsiSf&h ? THE OLD CONGRESS BIBLE. [REPRINTED' FROM AN ODD NO. BY REQUEST.] A copy of this rare 1 and interesting volume having fallen into the hands of 'one of the Edi tors of the American Presbyterian , we have sup posed that a transcript of, the title .page and pre face to the work would prove interesting to our readers. Here it is : ' THE lIOLY BIBLE. Containing .the Old and New Testaments, newly translated out of the Original Tongues, and with the former translations diligently compared and revised. PHILADELPHIA. Printed and sold, by R. Aitken, at the Pope's Head, three doors above the Coffee House] Market St. [Preface;] By the United States in Congress As- sembled, Sept. 12th, 1782, The Committee to whom was referred a me morial of Robert Aitken,' Printer, dated 21st Jan., 1781, "respecting an edition of the Holy Scriptures, report, “That Mr. Aitken has, at great expense, now finished an American edition of the Holy Scriptures in English; that the Committee have, from time to time, attended to his progress in the work ; that they also recom mended it to' the ! two Chaplains in Congress, to examine and give their opinion of the execution, who have accordingly reported thereon :-the re commendation and report being as follows: Philadelphia, Sept. Ist, 1782. Reverend Gentlemen: , . . Om; knowledge - of your piety and public spirit leads us, without apology, to recommend to your particular attention the edition of the Holy Scriptures, published by Mr. Aitken. He un dertook this expensive work at a time when, ■from the circumstances of the war, an English edition of the Bible could not be imported, nor any opinion formed how long the obstruction might continue. On this account he deserves applause and encouragement. We, therefore, wish you, Reverend Gentlemen, to examine the execution of the work, and if approved, to give it the sanction of your judgment, and the weight of your recommendation. We are, with very great respect, Your most obedient, humble servants, (Signed,) James Duane, Chairman, in behalf of a Committee of Con gress,- on Mr. Aitken’s Memorial. Rev. Dr. White, and Rev. Mr. Duffield, Chaplains of the United States, in Congress as sembled : Report— Gentlemen: Agreeably to your desire, we have paid atten tion to Mr. : Robert Aitken’s impression of the Holy, Scriptures; of the Old and. New Testaments. Haying selected and examined a variety of pas sages throughout , the work, we are of opinion that it is executed with great accuracy as to the sense,-and with as few grammatical and typo graphical errors as could' be expected in an un dertaking of such magnitude. .’Being ourselves witnesses of the demand, for this invaluable book, we rejoice in present prospect of a supply; hoping that it will prove' as advantageous as it is honorable to this gentleman who has exerted himself to furnish it,;at the evident risk of pri vate fortune.. • We are, gentlemen, , Your very respectful and humble servants, (Signed,) William White, Geo. Duffield. Philadelphia, Sept 10th, 1782. Hon. James Duane, Chairman, and the other Honorable Gentlemen of the Committee of Con gress, on Mr. Aitken’s memorial. WHEREUPON, Resolved, That the United States, in Congress assembled, highly approve the pious and laudable undertaking of Mr. Aitken, as. subservient to the, interests of reli gion, as well as an instance of the progress of arts in this country, and being satisfied, from the above report, of his care and accuracy in the execution of the work, they recommend this edition of the Bible to the inhabitants of the United States, and hereby authorize him to pub lish this recommendation in the manner he shall think proper. (Signed,) . Chas. Thomson, Secy. DB. BAOOIT OJT THE ASSEMBLY OF 1831. From his review of Dr. Baird’s (so-called,') History .The General Assembly of 1831 was in some respects a very provoking affair to the jparfcy re presented by our author,—the Immoderates the sectarian party —the party opposed to any toleration of .theological.' differences. Never had an avowed Hopkinsianbeen made Moderator of' that high court. But the Moderator in 1831 was' Dr. Beman, in whose little book . on. the Atone ment, as our author testifies with orthodox ab horrence, “the scheme of the, younger Edwards ' is explicitly developed and defended;” and the only other candidate nominated or voted for was- Dr. Gardiner Spring, whose hereditary and no torious Hopkinsianism in theology had not (certainly at that time) been purged away. The case of Mr. Barnes came on in the regular course of judicial business. According to .the programme reported.by the Judicial Committee, all the papers and documents pertaining to the case were read; including the famous sermon. The session was held in the First church, and Mr. Barnes, though not a party in the case, was called upon to ,read the sermon. Happening; to.be in the pulpit, when the. pamphlet was handed to him, he read it from that position to a great and seriously attentive congregation: After the reading, a recess was had,fora few and Dr. Spring, in going out, remarked to one who had been in the same pew with him, “I stand or fall with that sermon.” The next thing, in regular order, would have been to hear the parties, namely the complaining minority and the Presbytery. But Dr. Miller, “the prince of peace men,” interposed with a mo tion for a committee, who, with the consent of the parties, should take the whole'affair into consid eration, and report what the Assembly ought to do. He offered that motion, as he said', “with a view to save time, prevent angry and useless dis cussion, and with the .hope that an amicable ad justment of the whole difficulty might be.effected,” The consent of the parties was necessary, and (after a little hesitation on the part of the gen tlemen who represented the Presbytery) was yielded. Dr. Miller was of course, the chairman of. the committee, and with him were associated three doctors as little tainted with New England as he was, two who were pretty widely known as Hopkinsians, one younger minister who had studied’at AndovCr and settled in South Carolina, and two lay elders—one with a Connecticut name, from the region of fair Wyoming, the other with a Scotch name, from the city of Charleston. The tenth member of the Committee was one of the delegates from the General Association of Con necticut;, for as a matter of courtesy between the Assembly and , the Association, delegates from either body had always, till that time, been ac customed to serve on important committees in the other. We mention these particulars, be cause, in this part of the story, we are not simply following Dr. Baird, but are telling some things which have not been told'in print before. In the meeting of that committee, the Con necticut delegate, having told them that he re garded himself as in some sort a stranger there, and his appointment as an act of courtesy toward the body which he represented rather than a re cognition of his personal fitness to judge in such a matter, and that, therefore, their report, what ever it might be, must be made without'counting his vote, took the liberty of suggesting the very obvious view that the question to be fairly met and settled in disposing of the case was nothing else than the question, whether and how far the Presbyterian Church can permit a-minister to dis sent from any theological statement' con', tained in its doctrinal formularies. Dr. Miller, Dorcas. Hicks. of the New School. immediately, with one of his blandest smiles, yet not without some transient expression of nnxiety in his countenance, replied that it would be un wise and dangerous to raise such a question; and nothing more was said on that point. At that first interview, they seemed to be well agreed in thinking that what they were appointed for was, to evade and indefinitely postpone that dangerous question rather than to answer it. What the re port should be, in substance, was settled in a very harmonious, but devoutly serious conversation, and Dr. Miller’s draught was afterwards agreed to with only some slight alteration, and was pre sented, we believe, as the unanimous report of the committee. Certainly it was almost unani mously adopted by the Assembly. The Presby tery was complimented for its “ conscientious zeal for the purity of the Church;” the sermon was judged to contain “a number of unguarded and objectionable passages;” and the opinion was de livered that. “ especially after the explanations ” which Mr. Barnes had made, “ the Presbytery ought to have suffered the whole to pass without further notice.” The wise men of that Assembly thought that a great difficulty had been disposed of, and were devoutly thankful. It was thought that much had been gained for evangelical truth and free dom, and Catholic influence in the Presbyterian body. Had not the supreme judicatory taken a most important step in the way to a comprehen sive union ? Had it not pronounced distinctly ,and with unexpected unanimity against the nar row and divisive notions of the Philadelphia Pres bytery? Was it not fairly settled that a minister bolding such views in theology as Mr. Barnes held, might, with a good conscience, and without incurring, the ,charge of perjury or hypocrisy, profess to “receive and adopt the Confession of Faith as containing the system ®f doctrine taught in the Holy Scriptures?” Alas! they had not learned, what many good and wise men have not learned even now after thirtyeight years more of history, that the sectarian element in Presbyte rianism—the element which instead of seeking the union of Christians as Christians, seeks to divide Christians from Christians—is mighty and will prevail. From the General Assembly of 1831, and particularly from its decision in the case of Mr. Barnes —a decision so well intended, so unanimously adopted, so thankfully rejoiced in— begins the story of that disruption which Dr. Miller and his brother Moderates were so desirous to avoid, and at which they trembled as'they seemed to see its shadow in the distance. —The New Englander , for January. Jfumjftt. The Orange Party in lllster (as we foretold a month ago) seems hopelessly split up by the elec tion of Mr. Johnstone-for Belfast.,-A section of this .party has. become thoroughly democratic. It is de termined on.the establishment of satisfactory laws as to tenant right, and refuses to be dictated to by landlord influence. As the interests of the landlords and tenants are, to all appearance, opposed on this question, it is not likely tbatrthere will be a recon ciliation. If the present -Government; introduce a tenantrright bill, they will secure the permanent support of a large section of th.e Orangemen of the North, and thereby alienate a strong wing of. the High Church party in. Ireland. " ’ The .Pope’s health is .very .precarious, still he . moves about industriously. He lately visited Civita Vecchia, where he was very coldly received. Be fore leaving he expressed himself in very different terms from those of his recent mild letter “to all Protestants.” He relieved himself by uttering such words as the following!; “.You 'know in what state the world now is,' where on ithe one side there are men who do not care to, labor with energy, and, on the other, there are those who wish to destroy everything. I pray God to give to the first light and strength, and to the second repentance, for if they change not they will assuredly be punished. The patience of God has limits, and if they will not be converted, and if he has decreed to punish them, I; as Pope, say let them be punished, for it is time that the world should enter the way of order and duty.” He administered, through the English, and in presence of the Danish, consuls,, a very sensible rebuke to England for not taking the part of Den mark in the Schleswig and Holstein war. lay Evangelists for the Continent.— ln the present state of French and Belgian Protestantism, with pastors underpaid and thinly scattered, it has been felt by many that the creation of a class of pious schoolmaster-evangelists might, under God, prove of great utility—such men earning their bread as schoolmasters, and at the same, time laboring to spread the gospel, according to. the opportunities afforded to them.—Monsieur Aim 6 Humbert, laic ambassador extraordinary from Switzerland to Ja pan, and at present rector of the Academy of Neuf chatel, and Professor R. W. Monsell, of the same Academy are now attempting to meet this want. They take under their care young men of tried piety, who board with Christian families, ' pursue their secularstudies in the pedagogic section of; the aca demy; where, after two years, if well employed, they can obtain a diploma, and receive religious and theological instruction from-Professor Monsell. The more advanced will be occasionally employed as evangelists in the neighborhood, arid they all meet a first trial of their principles in the midst of above a hundred fellow-students. This institution is in its infancy. It has just begun with a class of five students a Canadian, a Spaniard, and three Swiss—but it can bg,largely increased if funds are forthcoming. Each student will cost about £lO for board, academical fees, books, and theological les sons. ° t ® Statistics. —A recent writer in the -London Examiner gives some statistics which he says are copied from “the most reliable authority." In these it is found that the proportion of murders ‘° n “'Population is:—ln England! lin every 198,- UUO; in Holland, lin every 163,000: in Prussia, 1 in every 100,000; in Austria, 1 in every 77,000; in bpam, 1 in every 4,113: in Naples, 1 in every 2,750; and in Rome and the Papal States. 1 in every 750 —sho\viug thus that far the best state of things is m Protestant England, and far the worst in Ho man Uathohc Rome. In regard to the marriage re lation the statistics are that the percentage of illegi timate births is:-—ln London 4: in Paris 43; in Brussels, 53; in Vienna, 118; and in Rome, 243!
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