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-I•T c -vc Series, Vol. VI, No. 48.
Strictly in Advance $2.50, Otherwise $3.
p o stage 20ots, to be paid where delivered.
—The American branch of the Evangelical
Alliance, in calling the churches to the celebra
tion of the week of prayer, have issued a revised
schedule of subjects, which we shall print next
week.
—We are requested by Dr. Fowler to say that
the respective Chairmen of the Joint Committees
on the various Benevolent causes of the Church,
are expected to put themselves in ciimmunication
with each other, and arrange for getting the Com
mittees to work.
The Presbyterians of Philadelphia are re
quested to meet in a. social' reunion at. Horti
cultural Hall, on Monday evening, December
6th, between the hours of seven and ten o'olock
P. M. Tickets can be procured gratuitously at
the Board of Publication, 821 Csliestnut street,
and at the Presbyterian House, 1334 Chestnut
street, on Saturday the 4th, and Monday 6th of
December.
—The Joint Communion services were attended
by full—not crowded—congregations last Sab
bath afternoon. They were full of solemn enjoy
ment total who participated in them; and they aided
most appropriately to express as well as to heigh
ten the feeling of Christian brotherhood among
the churches. In North Broad Street - church,
elders from twelve different churches aided in
dispensing the elements, and, besides Drs. Stry- .
ker, Reed, Cunningham and Wiswell, appointed
for the purpose, Rev. Messrs. Mitchell and New
kirk and Drs. Schenck, Greer and Mears took
part; thus both the newspapers were represented,
with the churches. The. union meeting of Wed
nesday night will be reported in full, in our next
issue.
When the deficiencies in the Tylethodist Book
Concern were first mentioned we expressed our
earnest hope that the facts might not prove so
bad as at first was feared. Now that'the investi
gation is complete and the report of the:commit
tee published, we feel compelled to take a differ
ent tone. We refer to the remarkable yai=ueness,
with which the *hole matter' is treated' 'by the
committee. While serious losses in one department
and mismanagement in another are admitted, no
amounts are named, no particulars of the writing
are given, and no intimation breathed of a pur
pose to bring any party to justice. In this brief
report, made up of four Short resolutions, every
thing that truth, or the importance of the affair
demands may be contained; but considering the
great notoriety the matter has acquired, there
was not enough in it to escape the appearance of
evil or of sheltering wrong. Frauds in religious
institutions and in church officers are scandalous
and humiliating enough ; but the whitewashing
and covering of a fraud, in such relations, is sim
ply outrageous ; and every approach to such an
act, and every attitude towards fraud which
could, with any show of fairness,' be construed
as an attempt to whitewash it, should be avoided
with religious horror. We think our Methodist
brethren owe it to the public, whose attention
they so widely aroused, and to their brethren of
every name, who are sincerely concerned for their
honor, to make a full and frank statement of the
facts, and to prove unmistakably e either the false
ness or the triviality of the charges, or their own
purpose to pursue a policy of unswerving justice.
We publish in full, on our second page, the so
called " Syllabus of Errors," which, at various
times, have been stigmatized by Pope Pius IXth.
It is a condensed, conpected view of the opinions
of the Pontiff upon almost every point on which
the age is at variance with the Romish Church.
Of course, many of these points, particularly
those among the first fourteen, are aimed equally
against all true religion, and the censures of the
Pope, so far, represent the general sentiment of
the Christian world. There are also veritable
errors in regard to a godless education of the
masses, described and denounced, in sections 45
to 48, but they are conjoined, in the statement,
with those wise and just conclusions which are
now leading all governments, to shut out sec
tarianism of every kind, from the system of' pub
lic education. . .
The most serious mistakes made by . the Pope,
however, are those pertaining to the relations of
Church and State,—the rendering to Cmsar the
things that are Caesar's. The reader will find
the true doctrines of the rightful independence
a nations and society, of the Romish Church,
condemned as errors, from the nineteenth section
or the Syllabus to.the end. But it was in the
long Eueyclical Letter, which was sentforth with
the S)llalius and dateolDecember Sth, 1869, that
the utter antagonisabetween the Pope and mod
ern society and civilization was most clearly and
offensively stated. Note especially the sentence
quoted approving from his peed ecessor, Gregory
liar 70
XVI " The insanity," namely " that liberty of
conscience and of worship is the right of every
man ; and that this right ought, in every well
governed State, to be proclaimed and asserted by
the law."
Oar readers, doubtless, remember the intense
excitement which the issue of the Encyclical and
the, Syllabus kindled, especially among the gov
ernments and secular press of Roman Catholic
countries. Almost unanimously they were re
garded as hostile and dangerous; and instead of
meeting deference and 'obedience - in such quar
ters, they were outlawed. In the Church itself,'
on the contrary, so far as represented by the
hierarchy and the denominational press, the deo
uments were received with almost unanimous
ac
quiescence. Ultramontanism grew is power
everywhere in the Church. rassaglia's.eloquent
voice was silenced in Italy. And only when Fa
ther Hyacinthe appeared with his bold, indepen
dent, evangelical utterances, and a few notes
dissent from Di)Ringer and other German Bishops
were heard did any exception appear to the gene
ral course of the current: t
And so it has seemed that the CEcumeni
cal, Council would not advance beyond the posi
tions of the Encyclical' and Syllabus of 1864;
and'that thd assemblage would prove one of the,
most abject to the Papal Supremacy, the most in
tolerant of heresy, and' the most thoiough expo
sition yet knoWn of the intensest shade of Roman
ism—scarlet double-dyed. But this remains to
be seen.
THE FRATERNAL' SENTIMENT.
Purity is before, peace, and truth must be
maintained at any cost of feeling. And a health
ful freedom of thought must never be surrendered,
although the bon& be silken, - and the knots be
tied in the sacred name of Christian 'Charity.
But when purity and truth and liberty give con
'sent, then the renewing of old ties and the full
flow of fraternal affection are matters of unalloyed
and universal joy. Such a happy glow pervades
all the' Members of the reunited Pr'e.shyterian
Ghtlrcl r_, witlui9,4r% exlgit*Eto: It
a naeti Christian experience - : -a real growth in
grace. While we pray, somewhat anxiously,
that fruits proportionate to the magnitude of the
movement may grow from the Re union, it should
not be forgotten that true Christian union, on
such a large scale, is already one of the choicest
of . God's spiritual gifts. It already proves that
prayer has been heard for the advance of the
Church. The kingdom of Christ, which is the
kingdom of love, joy, and peace, has made pro
gress, in intension if not extension. Stumbling--
blocks have been taken out of the way. The
stimulus of mere denominational rivalry, always
in, danger of becoming worldly and of leading to re-.
sults more showy than sound, is removed. The
union, which , must be looked upon not as' the
work of scheming men, but of divine Providence
working in the hearts of the masses of both
branches, with its flowing together of, deep and
tender sympathies—why may not this be re
garded as Pentecost ? Why fail to discern its
blessed and present significance ? 'Why cry to
God anxiously for a blessing, without full anff
grateful rectignition of what we have ? Wl4r
not confidently see in this very work of divine
grace, t the guarantee of greater works to come?
There seems to us every reason for laboring with
the elasticity and energy of a joyous hopefulness
in this Church, which has been enabled to give
such a conspicuous example of the grace of broth
erly kindness. We confess that we could not, and
did not, express ourselves thus freely a few weeks
ago, when it seemed to us that great revivals
must follow this union, in order to, create warmth
enough to weld the two branches into one. Now
so many proofs have been given that the needful
degree of heat actually exists, that we recognize
a revival as already in progress, with unwonted
and precious manifestations, and giving promise
of the abundant Converting influences of the
Spirit.
We cannot but believe that the'fraternal senti
ment itself will spread. Not that -we. are think:
ing of new denominational unions, although they
are bound to come; but we look for a still deeper
decline'of mere sectarian feeling among the va
rious branches of Christ's people, who already
have made such rapid progress in spiritual unity.
We expect to see the downfall of exclusivism, as
a denominational characteristic, among all bodies
claiming to be evangelical. Suspicion and jeal
ously and disparagement of other bodies of true
Christians,- must no longer be taught along, with
the first lessons of repentance and faith. Propa
gandise; proselytism, and sectarian rivalry
must be superseded by that cordial co-Opera
tion and healthful zeal, which the different
divisions of the same army may cherish in exe
cuting their own shares of one grand work.
Christian men will be more ashamed than ever
II AY, DECEMBER 2 1869.
of division and alienation. A conscientious stub
bornness upon forms and ceremonies and the ve
hicles of praise, and nice points in philosophical
theology, and all matters not plainly prescribed
in God's word as belonging to the essence of god
liness, will be crowded into a narrower corner
than, ester.
In individual churches, in Christian families,
and between Christian brethren, we expect to see •
a marked growth of brotherly kindness. In the
name of this greater Re-union, we rebuke all dis
cord, division and'strife at home. Choose this
auspicious time fox: the' settling of church and
family and personal quarrels. Strike out all dis
corda:nt netes in this PeaCe Jubilee. The quar
rel, of thirty years,
,involving the standing of
hundreds, of thousanda of Chrihtians and touching
questions ofhisteric magnitude is magnanimougly
settled ; what business have feu to keep 'elite,
your petty, miserable strifes ?'','Lay off that pride,
which is mostly of the devil,' and which keeps,
you apirt.' Conk to an' understanding. If you
cannot eplain the past to riidtual satisfactiOn,'
mutually bury the past,- and 'start out, hand in•
hand, and abreast ,of this great movement; in- a
new life of revived , Christian.;brotherhood. Let
not this favorable hour go bri.let not the sun Of
this bright Re-union go dowl4-upon your wrath.
To godliness add brotherly kiiidness,:and let bro
therly k.indness continue. •
WOMEN AT THE 'CLINICS.
f
We deem it most unfOrtunate that our women
candidates for medical honors 'sad duties should
have so compromised thedeliacy of their sex, as.
to thrust ,themselves upon the,clinical lectures of
the
, Peniisylva - nia .Hospital, thitherto attended
solely by persons of the oppossex. In the es-',
timation of all people, with wpm modesty is a
jewel, they have done serious damage :to their:
own'cause. Their very plea, hat such attend
ance is necessary to acquiring 'professional know
ledge, will confirm people .iri the conclusion,
which they were strongly inclimed to hold before,,
that the medical profession ,<<l one incompatible;
With the femaleeharacter. That which requires
the sacrifice of delicacy, refinement, modesty is,
not'fit for man, much less for woman, who is'
fallen, as,soon - as she ceases to be modest. Only
in a world , completely upside-down, must woixiant
sacrifice modesty, in order, to work out her des' L'
, tiny.'
Undoubtedly
Undoubtedly the students of the Medic..l Col
leges were boorish in their treatment of these,
women viiitants; their 'conduct is pot to be Coin
mended. But when women defy the universally
recognized laws, of propriety., when im_fact they
unsex themselves, what else can they expect?
Chivalry towards the bold eyed, unblushing: ob 7
servers of miscellaneous surgical operations, ins ,
open view of hundreds of. young, mea, l In the
nature of things, it was impossible. Nothing is
more certain to abolish the lingering remnants of
chivalry from our age, than this rude brushing
away of virgin delicacY and reserve, the womanli
ness, in fact, from the nature of woman. That
refined sentiment of courtesy , and deference
which even 'the , rudest of , our 'countrymen feels
and' shows . to persons of the opposite sex, and
which is one of the crowning proofs .of civiliza
tion, is a tribute from the, coarser to the gentler,
tenderer, finer nature. Let but the 'woman disap
pear, and nothing deserving such deference re-
Shall the 'medical profession then be closed
against women ? We leave it to themselves: to
answer. If they cannot acquire sufficient know
ledge of the , profession without offending against
the great cardinal instinctsnf nature, then nature
and nature's God are against the attempt: It is
rebellio against their ordained position. They
are false to themselves, and it is the calling' o f
no one to be that. If, however, they can pursue
their studies without scandal, or sacrifice of delil
cacy, as we had supposed they might until their
recent to the hospital, then we are inclined
to think that they will prove eminently fitted for
many branches of, a profession, which is-so in
woven with family life. Wo can see,: too, how a
woman with a medical training could be emi
nently useful in missionary work.. And thOngh
there is much in the position of a female Physi:
cian which seems at war with a right standard
of female character, the community at large is,
we imagine, somewhat eager to have the' experi
ment fairly tried. And the truest friends of
woman's elevation regret most deeply that the
women themselves, by this demonstration at ,the
hospital, have put their cause in such an unlovely
light. They thought it necessary, and they went
into it bravely. But if it be necessary, then so
much the worse for their cause. Thedeliberate
judgment of the public must go with the unani
mous declaration of the Faculties •of our two
medical colleges; the medical. Waifs of various
hospitals and the profession at large in our city,
numbering nearly two hundred physicians, who
say that the privileges which these women-etu
dents ask for, are an offence against decency and
perilous to the morals of society. And all must
regret that the conduct of any individuals,
otherwise deserving the name of ladies,' com
pelled men of true delicacy and refinement to
write's° disagreeable , an .explanation as they felt
constrained' or, made , it incumbent upon
editors to discuss the matter at all in their col.,
REVISION OF THE STANDARDS.,
In London, the Standards'of the PreshSierian'
ChUrch were composed. From London .onmes ,
the'first public proposal for their revision dr'
abridgement. The 'ministers and elders of the'
'Preibyterian churehei held monthly Aneetings'
for the `discussion of topids of Church interest.!
At these, anessa3r on'some such subject is read
by a person ashignedlto.write it, and discussed by
the.rest.' At the , ' November meeting Rev. Mr.
Murray, pastor in Croydon' church, London, read a.
on" Our'Attitude towards Other •Chitreh
es," towards the close of which he said:
' "'Those ,
wholhink that, in placing the Confes
sioh hikh as we do;'we forget the -precept to
'call no mammaster' will be silenced if even = af
ter attempting, to revise, it, we' should find very
little requiring excision or alteration. Men made
it, and men can altar it. The Spirit is with us
as with thein, and we should at least let it be
known: that • we. could be orthodox, scriptural
Presbyterians still, if it were found:that some
points could be better stated than by the, great
and good Westminster divines. , (Applanse.)
Whether ' for popular use a .shorter Confession
might be made in order to present our reading of
Bible truth more easily to inquirers is .a not uniffit.'
portantahought. Granting even. its, perfection`, is
it ,not too cumbrous for ordinary service? (Hear,
hear.)' If to the dbetrinal statements of the
Shorter Catechiem,,with some alterations such as
that proposed by Dr. Candlish the other -day, a
summary of principlei of government and mat
ters omitted from the Catechism were added, a
useffil manual , might be made. ,For the great
work bafore usWenned handy,.ready instruments,,,;
Our' success 'hiiliertolias depended nsuelr on idle
fact that NIVe . have gone out little encuMbered with
human paraphernalia as compared, with some
others, and. this may perhaps be carried farther,
till, as. Christ's soldiers, we .learn to dispense with
human Modifications of. Divine weapons, and
;stand' armed with the whole armor of God. (Ap
plauseo. Meantime as a remedy against the not
impossible' deficiency of office-bearers -who ,may.
be equally unable to accept cordially the Confes
sion, or to sign it unaccepted, we might adopt the
forma question put to elders and deacons by the
Anierican Presbyterian Churchei. - Ours is this:
'Ddiyon sincerely own and declare the West-.
minster Confession of Faith as approved by the
General. Assembly of the Church of Scotland in
1,647, to be the chnfession of your `'faith, and do
You ownthe doctrine therein contained to be the
trite doctrine, which you will constantly adhere
to?' Theirs is: 'Do you sincerely believe: and
adopt :the Confession of Faith of this Chuich as,
containing the system of doctrines taught in the
Holy Scriptures ?' To this might be added a
negative question!
Of the nine spea.kers who' commented upon Mr.
Murray's paper, four referred to his suggestions
in regard to the Standards. Mr. J. E. Robertson
thought the Confession Of Faith was too long, and
that there if - 6r e - things in It which ought not to
be there in the present day, however much adapt
ed for the time when it was prepared. He lie
lieved- every word of the Confession ; but for
other people's sake, he said they ought not to pit
stumblina-blocks in the way. As Mr.' Murray
had said, the less of baggage they had the
better in, their onward march as soldiers of the
Lord Jesus Christ. Professor Chalmers admired
the clearness and comprehensiveness of Mr.
Murray's address, and also the courage he had
shown irisomeof his statements. He had been
taken to task at one time.for having given, utter
ance to opinions of the same kind; and he was
glad to find others sharing them. . . ln a
conversation which he hid in 'London fifteen or
eighteen years ago with the late Di. Cunning
ham, that . diAinguished man stated that he had
also difficulties in askinc , elders to sign the Con
fession of Faith.. He was struck the other 'day
find in a work of -Dr. Cunningham's this state
ment : " This,is a Subjnct to which the minds of
men must be devoted..". The question was not as
to the truth of the confession, but as to its
a d a ptation to the present day. If they were to
make progress in England, they must not present
anything that was only characteristic of a par
ticular type of Presbyterianism. Mr. Michael
stated that the subderiftiOn4hich elders were
required to: -take' in. the United Presbyterian
Church was not the'saine as , was•required in Alia
English Presbyterian; 'but . something like the
American. It was:—" Do you acknoWledge the
Westminster Confession of Faith, and the'Cate
°hiatus, Longer and Shorter, to be an exhibition
of the sense ire which you understand the Holy
Genesee Evangelist, No. 1.228
f Home & Foreign Miss. $2OO.
Address :-1.334Pim. Street
Scriptures ?" Dr. A. P. Stewart looked some
what with suspicion and apprehension on some of
the views in the paper, while he approved of
others. This was the third time he had heard at
these meetings changes advocated in the Confes
sion of Faith, and it was ministers who always
led the cry. One thing which always struck him
was, that they were never told in what respect the
changes were to be made. (Hear, hear.) Be
deprecated these attempts to create dissatisfaction
with that which had hitherto been and still was
a barrier against all kinds of errors and heresies,
for, it was the Confession whicb had enabled
Presbyterians to preserve the purity of their
faith. ' '
5e give these expressions of opinion to show
-tka.t theological thought is not stagnant in
the older Presbyterian, Churches of Europe. The
:special topic has not been much discussed on our
iside of the: ocean, and we presume that most
Presbyterians are content quieta non movere.
But in Churches where a rigid adherence to the
'Standards is.required, their revision will be urged
as,a matter of Course.
The`Fifteenth Anniversary of the Y. M. C. A.
of this city, was held Tuesday evening, in the
Academy of Music. Addresses were delivered
by Judge Strong, Rev. Dr. Wiswell, Geo. H.
Stuart,t 'Esq.,- and others. The Report shows a
total membership of 2,951. The agencies em
ployed to attract young men within the circle of
religione influences have been as varied as a
Christian ingenuity, which is all things to all
men, could suggest. They embrace a Reading
Room furnished with newspapers, periodicals,
'and a library of several thousand volumes, which
is now receiving additions; a weekly Bible Lec
ture ; and weekly Prayer-meeting; a course of
Scientific Lectures during the season; monthly
meetings with Essays, Discussions, &c.; classes
for instruction in Penmanship, &c., and a Lyceum
for the -younger members. Upwards of fitty
sermons have been preached to young men during
the .10,,t year, at the request-of the Association ;
andlhe very best effort yet made in our city in
the way of open-air services, is due to the Associ
ation, which for a time kept eighteen such meet
ings in operation in as many different localities,
reaching, it is estimated, as many as ten thousand
persons every Sabbath afternoon. Destitute
young men have been furnished with lodgings
and meals, employment has been secured for
many, and a list of good boarding houses is kept
for the accommodation of strangers. Circulars
have been sentto country pastors and newspapers,
asking their aid in bringing young men, coming
from the country, into immediate relations with
the Aisociation. Over $26,000 have been re
ceived in contributions, members' dues, rents, &c.,
and the entire cost of the building, No. 1210
Chestnut street, has been paid during the year,
which must certainly be reckoned one of the
most prosperous in the histou of the Association.
Too much credit cannot be given to the indefat
igable Secrecary, Mr. Thomas Marshall.
—The particulars of the excommunication of
tlieliormon editors and proprietors of the Utah
Magazine have been reported by 'a correspondent
of the Chicago Evening Journal. Their offence
wasthe expression, in theirj ournal, of independen t
onthe develoPment of the mineral wealth
of the territory - and on keeping up the price of
Tabor. Oa these'points, Brigham Young had pro
mulgated his opinions in the negative, and these
editors, for advocating the opposite side in their
journal, were brouglit to trial on the 23d of Octo
ber. ' During the trial, the question was put
Iciy the editors to Elder Cannon, one of the Conn
-61, whether it was apostacy to differ honestly
with Brigham Young? To which he replied:
"It is apostacy to differ honestly with Brigham
Young. A man may be honest even in hell." D.
Wells, also one of the Council, said, in relation
to the above'question, "You might as well ask
the question whether a man had a right to differ
honestly with the Almighty." The editors were
expelled, and their magazine proscribed. One
of the Council, who ventured to vote against the
sentence, was instantly cut off. The decree of
proscription will doubtless prove sufficiently effec
tive to' destroy the business and ruin the prospects
of the proprietors. They are said to be thorough
Mormons otherwise, one of them having four
wives, and their nriagizine 'being accustomed to
advocate the system. ' We have little sympathy
with these victims of their own superstition, but
such instances of flagrant oppression call for vig
orous measure's 'against the whole intolerable
abomination.
Since writing the above, we learn that the
magazine is still published and that its tone is
defiant and even exultant, in view of a better
day coming to liormonism