c DANGERS TO THE YOUNG FROM CURRENT LITERATURE. A Dlseoursa by B. II. Nartal, D. DM Pastor f Trinity M. K. Church, Delivered In he Washington Square Presbyterian Church (Dr. Burnet'), by Request of the Yinng Men's Christian Association. BFRCUIi HEPOBT FOR TIIE KTBNINO TELEORArn.l "Cease, my son, to hear the instruction that causeth to err from'he words of knowledge," lruverbs xlx, jn. Solomon, the author of tlipno words, Is pre clftely the pertiou to give uh a text for the rctlec ttons of thin evening. At once n king and a ago, against both hlH royal dienlty ind his wihiIoiii, he allowed hlmnolf to be drawn Into the charmed circle of sinful Indulgence. Of all the men of his day lie knew best the power of temptation, nnd the danger and emptiness of worldly pleasure. Kmergiug from the wreok and ruin of his own life, Rated and drenched with pleasure, he warns others against the course he has ho pain fully travelled. Ilia advice, substantially, Is that the young shall move cautiously, thought fully, amidst their multiplied temptation; that b delicious song, a witticism, a syllogism, a fling, or a woll-contrlved story, shall not be allowed to cheat them out of the truth, or put them Into the hands of their soul's enemies. Jn a word, he bids them consider and under stand what truth Is and what falsehood, that they may separate them. He bids thorn know a solicitation to good from a temptation to sin, and understand the great difference butwenn the charm and sweetness of real, pure, vlr tuons beauty, and the showy and shallow attractions wnlch set oil" and conceal the ruin of lust, lie would have the young men of his day so pnre, so alert, so discriminating, so concerned about the character they are forming, that they will see through the wiles of tlio false Instructor, and refuBe to hear him to the end of his argument; that they will scent error and sin at the first words, and way: (jet thee behind me Hatan ! "Ceusemy son, to hear the Instruction that causeth to err." Our olject this eveulng Is similar. We see error all around us In books, In newspapers, in msgnzines. Wo see this error becoming firnctleul in loosing the bonds of morality, In owerlng sacred things; In grading tho way to every form of worldly amusement and dissipa tion, and iu dimming the eternal distinction between good and evil, right and wrong. We bold, as a matter of course, that the highest in terests of man are the moral and religious; that whatever threatens these must be resisted at very hazard and every sacrifice. The world Is bent on being rich and happy. We bid them Ood-speed, but call upou them llrst of all to be Virtuous, and beg tliuin to stay iu their mad race after excitement and gold, and consider whattticy were made for, what is duty, what will stand tho test of the dying hour, and what Will pass judgment in the last day. We would especially analyze the opiates witli which they drug their consciences, and dispose of true reli gion while they yield themselves up to sin. or to drop the figure, the thinking of a people must determine their living. "As a man think eth so is he;" and the literature which Is all around ub, pressing upon him from every centre-table, from every library, and from every bookstore, is more than likely to modify his thoughts. And that man or that association that will aid the endangered spirit in sifting out the error, and seeing and feeling it to be error, I will do much towards saving a soul from death. This Is the taBk we propose to ourselves this evening. Our theme is, The dantjers to young men from the current literature. First of all, let us consider tho dangers from skepticism. Within a few years past a number of books liave been published agaiustChristianity, which have made considerable stir in the literary world. Among these may be mentioned Strauss' '.Life of Jesus," Colenso's books, essays, and reviews, Renan's "Life of Jesus," aud a few minor performances. We do not mention tueso books for the purpose of refuting them. Such a task lies wide of our aim In this discourse. We wish rather to call attention to the fact that these books, so full of plausible sophisms and bold statements, without proof, must be fraught 'with danger to the Inexperienced. To theolo gians, and learned Christians generally, they are quite harmless; perhaps, iudced, they give to such confirmation of their faith. In reading Strauss they see that his infidelity rests exactly where that of Hume rested, namely, ou the alleged uuchangealileness ot the laws of nature, and the consequent impossibility of a miracle; and that his theory of the mytnlcal origin of the Gospels is a bare hypothesis, with nothing to hack it, recently refuted by his fellow-unbeliever Kenan, ns frequently before. In reading "Colenso on the I'entateuch," they see In the mistakes of a renowned mathematician how lit tle the strongest foe can do against the Bible. Mo puerile and so groundless are his arith metical calculations, that a child ought to be ashamed of them, and a child might answer them. And In reading Kenan ho would come to the conclusion, us we did, that the author bad not even carefully read the Gospels before undertaking to refute them, and mlghtrise Irom the study of his book greatly streugtheud in bisfttith by an eloquent effort to overthrow it. Hut while such attacks on Christianity might confirm the faith of the learned aud experi enced Christian, tbey would be likely to affect the young and inexperienced quite differently. The bare fact that such books are written by learned men, aud that Ittey find newspapers and magazines and reviewers to give tlie in .favorable notice, is well suited to make an in jurious impression npon those who are unskilled in theological science, especialy if tliey are not Christians. The arguments lroiu these books are constantly referred to in the newspapers; they meet the young man's eye iu book notices and magazine articles, and if tho range of his reading lakes him mostly through periodicals and papers unfriendly to Christiaultv, and to orthodox views of it, these arguments, with their friendly glosses, will repeat themselves upon his mind until by sheer dint of repetition they make a lodgment, or ut least create a bias In their favor. There is the more danger of this because many Of the leading newspapers, those especially of the greatest ability and widest circulation and Influence, are under seml-lnlldel control. Take for example the New York Tribune, a paper which has done more for the cause of human liberty than any other in the nation, what sort of religion does it reflect? Its editor is a Unl versalist which practically includes Unlturlan lsm also, and its criticisms of religious publica tions always favor latitudinarlau views. Hooks which aim to establish the Inspiration of Scrin tureas an infallible revelutiou, aud to sunuort the doctrines of the evangelical churches are always, or nearly always, unfavorably received while works substantially infidel generally re ceive elaborate and uppreciutivetreatmeut We only mention the Tribune as the greatest, and the type of many. ' It would take nice calculating to determine whether the services of these papers to the cause of humanity in genferal are not inferior In bulk to the harm they have done to the eacred interests ol true religion. The utterances of such a paper as the New York Tribune, road by a young man every day, are apt to become authority, on religion as on other questions lie grows accustomed to see the defenders of divine truth treated as old fogies belotigiua to an aee of which nothing is lelt buffossilu and the lmpugners of miracles and inspiration honored as the giants ol a now and better era Xliese bold assaults of uubollef, which are served up in book notices almost every week have Indeed been fully and perfectly answered ctly answered ....... nui icjiiumb wrwK.ntrn, out the re views are never seen by the young men. and the religious weeklies, Ifever seen, have not the force of standard authorities among men of the world, aud cannot compete with the great and overshadowing dailies. 6 Uut the outspoken inlldel books that And such lavorwith the secular press, are not thoonlv ones that are Infidel there are others whoso dangerous tendency is attempted to be con. ceaieu under fair pretenses. There is a L'??,y' , so-called, known as the "Bitter ' 'w.hlchlii. Perhaps, best illustrated in a WnX; , VHUle- 11)18 poem is no mean harinnwart', 11 i8 felicltou8 in expression, i-vBJ l 0U8. ln '"ovetnent, and skilful in plot! it has hP - y " 18 """" ve. The rasi ln "Ilitter . ;. ","D l,or,on, ur. iioiiana, eole aim r?f tv?1', wVul.a be8'' a score. The essential t Vn8Qb,,ok ls to '" t evil is necessarv in 8 '11Blle"' Bood-indeed. only a And TeZ ,or Provocation to good, wh eh he hoidl Ll? Bllow 1,8 that- evil does not mean ml n,eceS8ry to virtue, he evU also lie ?elVKa,l,"ral evU onlv. Dut ln"ral Set e than tnt rrM,0" ?eVer ,iuht tnriity vice niakeH u.,of, .nature UDtl1 evory the human Z"iaorJ1eaU?a on, craee. Ha "hi-u.K..i SU,ch t0 scion of Evi l of life .withma distinct ou9"Qevl1' ' ever . Li!'01 atmosphere of lust. rcftd ia coupon, witt bgiBg ;'blusn Z THE DAILY EVENING TELEGRAM. PHILADELPHIA, MONDAY, FEBRUARY 18, 1807. the cheek of modesty. lie makes that hr-ro to "sin in thought," to dally and play with tninp Intion, ns a blessed means of salvation to Ins wicked tempter. He tells us that had the hero remnlned in absolute unstained virtue of thought and feeling, bis goodness would have beeu no blessing. How thoughtlessly have many people praised this book and others like It f Let us beware ! Do yon not see here an ntter removal of the distinction between good and evllf Kvll, In this view, comes from God, and is the fierce, necessary fire ln which sonls are to be purified. There is here no real moral dif ference between a robbery and a fever; drunk enness and debauchery, like prayer, and equnliy with prayer, lead ns to God 1 Ho that the feeling of sin, the voice of conscience, the pangs of repentance, are only artifices of God. There is no sin In the sense commonly under stood, and therefore no virtue; morality lueans nothing. This is the dreadful vortex on the edge of which young people play, when they drink in the teachings of such a book as "Hitter Sweet," however daintily mixed with the perfumed and sparkling waters of poetrv. 'i'hls great wickedness, thus 'handsomely and temptingly set ofr with music and song, is more coarsely repeated and carried out in the pub lications of spiritualism. What the author of "Hitler Hweet" states delicately, as if shrinking from the consequences of his own lessons, modern spiritualism boldly and shamelessly avows. The authors of the chief publications of spiritualism deny Christ with fcilrauss and Kenan, and abuse Him with l'aiuo. while, with Iir. Holland, they also repudiate all moral dis tinctions. Their greatest authorities say that "whut we call sin and evil ln human actions ls a necessity, and therefore lawful and right;" that "Judas Iscariot was no worse than John the liivine, nor Herod than Kenelon; that Kenelon is no nearer to God than Herod." As might be expected from such a foundation in morals, we have blasphemy against God and Christ, open derlRion of the liiblo, bitter and obscene denunciations of marriage, and a prac tice in perfect conformity with the revolting theory. Ur. Hatch, a reformed spiritualist, avers that the chief bond of union among spiritualists Is debauchery between the sexes. We cannot go lurther in this description. We are anxious to show you only the rotten core of the Kplrituaiistic literature which the Jlannrr of Mjiht, Andrew Jackson Davis, and a host of their imps are scattering over the land. Agassi, has discovered, he assures us, that God created more tlian one Adam; that all tho different races of men sprang from different Adams; and while, to tho alarm of timid Chris tians, lie proceeds to prove his position from dillereut shaped human skulls, and shlnbonos, and the like, Darwin comes along with quite another theory, which confutes Agussiz, aud leaves even miles of margin. He teaches not only that all men may have come from one pair, but that all living creatures may be origi nully from one species. This view is as hereti cal us the other, but has the advantage for us of contradicting it. While these two savans fight out their difference, and each proves the other to be a mere wild gucsser, the Dlble comes by its own, and proceeds quietly on its course. Sir Charles Lyell and other geologists think they have found human remains which ante date the Mosaic account of the creation of man by many thousands of years. This may have produced restlessness ln certain quarters. But, my young friends, possess your souls iu patience. The Bohemlau notices of these alleged discoveries have Indeed been gay and luuuatoryina high degree, but the Bohemian must not be allowed to carry llctiou into tho realm of science, and to create where only bald, naked proof ls demauded. To this hour these so-culled discoveries lack two important elements. First, the supposition that these human remains are older than the beginning of our received chronology is a mere hypothesis. resting upon a thousand contingencies ana opposed by as many improbabilities. Second, il our chronological calculations, supposed to be based on scientific history, were all upset, it would not interfere In the least with the solid foundations of Biblical and Christian truth. As the earlier discoveries of geology required a new theory of the Mosaic account of the creation, so the proven truth of recent statements as to the antiquity of man would only require a diflerent chronology, which would not affect in the least the perfect whole ness of the Scriptures. When the philosopher allirmed that the earth turned, the Dope was alarmed for the Bible; but it was the l'ope, not the Bible, that was hurt. We may mention in this connection that most of 'the magazines published in this coun try, as also some of tho literary weeklies, hava very distinct skeptical leanings. Harper's Mayaziue and "Weekly, however, are not liable to this charge. We do not mean that tho lite, rary periodicals referred to are always attack ing Christianity. Their hostility only crops out clearly now and then. But there is about them a constont odor of unbelief, a sort of party suppressed consciousness that skepticism is essential to literary respectability. Why this is so may bo hard to tell. It may be, in part, owing to the fact that the Unitarians of New Kugland, who control Harvard College, and who constitute the hlghetr literary circles of Massachusetts anil of the country generally, besides owning some of the largest publishing houses, and being the publishers of some of the most popular magazines, furnish, also, a large number of the more popular writers. Unitarian, rationalistic Harvard ls eminent for testhetic culture; she lays out her strength upon that aspect of education, and with such men as Long fellow, Holmes, and Lowell, she not only tills the world with her literary renown, not only sways it by her example, but furnishes a large proportion of the men who fill editorial chairs, aud supply matter for our critical and other journals. These being trained for latitudinu- rianism in religion, oi course to impregnate the cm rent literature more or less with their own Views. Besides, l nltarianlsm being scarcely at all a religion, but rather a mongrel resulting from the union of taste and philosophy with a spnniiie oi Christian ethics, Knows nothing of the Divine call to the ministry, or the sacred obligation to preach. While Yale, tho com- petnor of Harvard, has her graduates iu pulpits all over the laud, and iu innumerable foreign missions, Harvard only supplies a portion of jMiw n.ngianci, witn ouiy a cnurcn nere ana there beyond it. We say a portion of New Kngland, for In the whole State of Connecticut, right at the door of Unitarian head-quarters, there is not a solitary Unitarian church. This proves our assertion! that Unitarlanlsni is very little a religion. It contains no grand interior life; no overwhelming spiritual convictions, Imperiously urging its followers to go out, as did Christ and the Apostles, toseek and to save the lost. It never cries out in anguish, "Woe ls me if I preach not the gospel." Holding Its reli gion, therefore, under perfect control,!! is free to follow its H'sthoticbont, und to give to letters those inner forces which other churches devoto to the conversion of the world. Yes, Unitarianism is rather dilettanti than religious. She does not behave like an earnest Church; she makes no effort to convert the world to Christ. When she begins to do so, she will be her own first convert. Kven her prose lytlsm bus none of the earnest boldness which proclaims profound conviction. The trutli is, she does not retain enough of Christianity to constitute such a power in the soul as will move her to conquests. She ls content, for the most part, to let her religion play the part of a modest handmaid to her literature. Aud when you Hud what may bo called a pious Unitarian, he is one who is lending back, however dimly, to orthodoxy. Such u Unitarian always holds firmly arid reverently to tho verity of tho Gospel history, and to the geuulnenessof the miracles; he alwavs denies that Christ was a mere creature, and draws near to the Cross with breathless, holy awe; he even goes so far as to admit the depravity of the heart, and the need of tho new birth by the power of tho Holy GhcBt. In a word, piety, that something inhumau life which we see developing itself iu sweet at tachment to the person of Jesus as Lord, aud in love to the souls of men, where it ls found ln a Unitarian, always draws him more and more towards the views usually known as orthodox. Dr. Chanuing, a Hue, loving soul, had a distinct, conscious conversion, aud however unwittingly to himself, .grew more and more towards the doctrines of the Church. Thus Dr. Huntingdon lately grew, until he broke his ecclesiust.ioal bonds, and thus many are growing now; men who feel thata philosophy and a culture will not supply the place of religion. . . When, therefore, my young frlonas. you meet with the frequent traces of rose-colored infi delity in the magazine literature of tho day, when the convietiou hovers about you lu "-u-lug that the writers and controllers of certain more prominent periodicals regard skepticism as essential to a literary reputation, remember that Unituriautsm ls not a religion at all to speak of, that it is only a culture, much more anxious to munuge a magazine than to Pief"" the gospel or convert the wdrld;oall to nil nd lha tin v have no missions, thai they do fotn1" for 'the salvation of the masses, and that ror t ie two-iold reason that they have no evangel1'"0 zeal, and no adaptation for a work ' once so hip'h and so low. Jtemember that their bust men, these who are pious, are tending baon agnin (o the glorious Cros and Its clustering companion doctrines, feeling that they cannot live, or muke the world live, with the dry morality which constitutes the wholo ol their own system. And finally, remember that Unltarlnnlsm cannot much longer balance herself on the sharp and slippery ledge separating bold inll dellly from evangelical truth. Kveu now there are two parties among the Unitarians; tho ono IcK.s and less orthodox, sliding over towards 1 heodore I'arker, Strauss, and Kenan, and the other rapidly gravitating towards tho truth as it is In Jckub. Another source of dn ngcr to yonng men Is to be found in the Impurity of cortaln books and papers usually passing for reputable. We hardly dare mention the names of certain books ln such a plaoe as this, and yet, on reflec tion, this is the very place to name ami de nounce them, Just as it is the place to name and threaten with the Judgments of God the im purity forbidden in the Decalogue. We are not referring to the literary sonm which ls smuggled Into railway cars, and bought and sold with winks and whisper; but to those books bearing the Imprint of reputable publishers and the names of gifted authors "Griffith Gaunt," for example, by Charles Keade, is coarso and brutal, not to say filthy. No innn could write such a book, at least so It seems to us, without first being tho original of the spirit of his story. From this high place, as one of the humblest guardians of the nation's purity, we pronounce this book degrading to the tnsto and nnllt to be road, on the score of the moral taint contained in It, It Is no more fit for exposure to the public eye than the dancing girls in the JHack Crookno more than a human body that has died of smallpox is to be brought out of the dissecting-room aud placed in the parlor. But if we speak thus of Mr. Reado.'what shall we say of a certain Mr. Swinburne? If Kendo shall be chastised wltn whips, then Swinburne with scorpions. This Mr. Swinburne Is said to be quite young. He ought to be young his ox tremo folly would argue as much and yet 1' seems almost impossible that a young man of only twenty-eight should havo made such at, tatnmcnts ln brazen lust, and succeeded so per fectly ln forgetting the very existence o niodestv. It in one of the very worst Indica tions for our popular literature that several of ine principal pcnoaicais nav vinnm una w re tolled man among the great poets of our lan guage. Their apoloaries for him show their own looseness. They tell us he ls evidently sincere, l'erhaps he is. Kven Satan puts darkness for Unlit, and. it may be. believes his own lie. They allege that he ls so constituted as, to have but a slignt sense of morality. This ls apologizing for a man on the score of his being a monster. It is also said, in extenuation, that he is an unbO' lievcr In the immortality of the soul. This might help to explain his corruption, but will hardly excuse it among those who believe that life and immortality have been brought to light in the gospel. We aeree with these periodicals ueither ln their mild censures, their apologies, nor their praise. In lull three-iouuns or what this new poet has written, we see neither sense nor con nection. A . lithe aud graceful rhythm, sprinkled over here and there with striking metaphors, is used to string together the swel tering clotted filth of an imagination whoso every throb seems to be inspired by lust. Love, as set forth by this man, ls the loveoi a brothel, most appropriately Joined with blasphemy against God and Cnrist. Lust is carried up to the very gates of heaven; it is thrown lu the face of the Son of God; it riots upon the very form of death; it breaks out everywhere in hot hissing and panting, as if it came from a crea tuge half swine and half serpent, inhabited by a demon. 1 tell you, my young brethren I would fain lell.thls Christian nation I would tell the press of the country, that the bare fact that such a book could find a respectable publisher, and could be printed with the publisher's name in it, taken in connection with the still more ter ribly significant fact that it bus received indul gent treatment and distinguished praise from the highest literary authorities, reveals the greatest danger, not merely ahead, but already here in our midst. It shows the strength of the corrupt element lu our literature, together with a lax sentiment lu our society. It portends an inundation of libertinism. It shows lhatsociety sits quiet, and that critics ou the tallest of our tripods applaud, while indecency stalks nudo and in daylight along our streets. If the nation and the Church would save themselves from that "riot, and chambering and wantonness," deprecated by an Apostle, from that slate in which, "being past feeling, men are given over to lascivlousuess, to work all uncleauness with greediness." from those things of which "it is a shame even to speak," from that form of civilization in which intel lect, aud culture, and art, instead of following reason, and linking us to God and heaven, be come the mere ministers of t he animal passions; iu short, from the destruction ot all that is Christian in our civilization. If, we say, the nation and the Church would save themselves from this ruin, so Imminent, so menacing, they must arouse themselves; they must look deeper, and with purer eyes than do the mere book makers and critics; they must see theBO evils in the light of Scripture, and, if possible, with the very eyes ol the holy Jesus. But we are not yet done. Another source of danger ls the levity with which both sin and religion are frequently and almost daily spoken of in the newspapers. Religion is sacred, and, viewed aright, sin is solemn, uwful. To trifle wilh either ls irreverent and impious. A uood man can no moro laugh at sin than at the Cross. In the one case the authority of God ls contemned. In the other God lllmsell. Tho daily press ls not, as u matter of course, a religious Institution; and a part of its ordinary business is to furnish reports of both the virtue aud the vice of the commu nity, of the doings of religion aud of the outrages of crime. But it often hap pens thatrobbery, gambling, drunkenness, im purity, and the like, are spoken of with tho utmost lightness, even coined into lamillar JestB; and sacred thiugs, the holy words that represent religion, are handled with the same thoughtless and Irreverent familiarity. Ttie newspapers are hourly ln our hands, aud their familiar style is constantly liable to imitation hsni Bin ami religion frenuentlv. nay. con stantly, seen ln this familiar mode of hand ling; these forms of treatment, running through our minds and from our mouths, are lu great danger of diminishing tho horror of sin and the reverence due to the divine. We tend to grow familiar with, and then tolerant of sin, and then, wearealready half ruined. If religion loses its sacred hue to our vision, nothing is holy to us, and what is that soul for whom the world contains nothing sacred? Let us ever guard the solemnity of siu and the sacreduess of religion. Nor should we forget to mention the fact tnat the newspaper and periodical press are con stantly commending, without stint, every ue scriptlon of amusement, with little or no reg ard to its moral character. Their notices, especially of the theatre, which take up so large a po itlon of almost every day's Issue, Pseut thiiseives frequently in the alluring and pretentious form of discussions of art, thus giving preatlM ad respectability to the theatre. As art in the high and noble sense, tends to elevate anu purify, so. it is insinuated, will the stage. And I "here is an intimation against the morality of certain ulavs we are straightway doomed to theat re might accomplish. MeallUmV! f.psr. isUuK theatre continues to be a regu r pesf house, as those who are ent rapped into H by the news papers find to their cost. ,fit their ?urn tWone up into books. The "V l HllHoo UrtUa's6ad enow, it were still uo B inf,.hun(ll.edUl8 of con 'o'an li'oZtmoml blemish, aud re ot licuon i wi ,, ,i iw.nir.hv n Some of t Is quite appropriate and healthy as V.tl recreation: but the great danger is UaV the tntshy'und bad will fall into ti e bunds of the young and unprotected; n.wl that in any event, whether they get the Sood oi" the bad novels, the good or the bad ihaguzlnes. they will read too much of such iTtiifl' The ruin in such cases is none the less ?nal 'because It comes in the form of Inanity. Tesus sneaks of the light ln men becomlngdark-TiesB-soit is here. Much gives little; the more the less; to be full Is precisely to be empty. A :., buys a car-load of flour, and amoug the barrels as the car is unloaded. Is one that souuds'not solid like the rest, but hollow, on being opened it is found to be full of straw. Before you opened It you called it empty, and iiow that it lias been opened you still call 1 tu empty, nd the more a cheat on account of the , sliaw. ' Tills I" precisely what pirauslva rnnrilnir o. even Innocent fiction will io for people. A wioiouKii u uevniea novel reader is mane, emptied, scooped out; all mental vigor Is gone, and the void and rickety soul Is filled with dead and rotten rosebuds, whose odor Is sought to bo resiuicn " BiMio roiogne. What Is such a man noon i.iir mere is quite ns much founda tion on which to build up gocxt in a highway rubber H8 in him. Tim rii,a .mi strong nature, but full of evil. Affect his heart ana convince ms juugment, and a true man may come of In in yet. But lu the other man there Is nothing; manhood proper ls gone, aud you might h well attempt to build a palace out of soap bubbles as to try to shape this thing of sponge into a man. All that you could profita bly do with him would be to make a dancing mast r of him, or convert him into a walking sign for a perfumery shop. Beware, young men, of being ground Into a fragrant tooth powder under a mountain of romance. But it ls t ime to draw towards a close. You will of course understand that our treatment of our theme was not meant to bo exhaustive We could not furnish a cntalogue of dangers whose name ls legion. We have only aimed to give specimens ol bad books, and of other forms of literature, and to couple them with hints for the guidance of the young in general. It is for you, my young friends, to make your way through these dangers as best you can, and with, such helps as can reach you. Aware, in a measure, of these literary perils, what must we do? We answer thut obscene books, such as Swinburne's, are pro scribed by law; and as for tho rest, we ask no onds of them. Let wisdom and folly, truth and falsehood, contend for the mastery In a fair and open field. Mere erroneous beliefs must bo met by Christian convictions; falsehood must be strangled, but by the unarmed and naked hand of truth. Christianity, with Its virtues, is worthy, indeed, of universal homage, but, her disciples cannot he slaves. It Is a most responsible thing to live; but re sponsibility rightly met ls synonymous with glory. Forewarned is forearmed. We must know that the great world forces of civilization are not to be destroyed , but evangelized, Tho press in all Its aspects is to be pure ln tho glori ous age which God has promised shall yet dawn upon the world. As when a man is re newed by the grace of God. his nowers hi in. lluence, his wealth, are all included in his self consecration, so It is to be on the broad field of the woriu. science and letters shall feel and own more and more the power which is to bring in t he reign of Jesus. Let then the young men who are to own tim property and make and administer the laws, and produce the literature of the future age, new-sphere themselves for their duty. Let them go forth from Christian closets, armed with sincerity, purity, lalth, and spotloss cau tion and candor. Let them dlsuouraan all impure, loose, immoral, irreligious literature, aud move among magazines and newspapers as discriminate as they should among men, giving their patronage, regardless of pecuniary profit, only to the purest newspapers and maga zines, and using all their legitimate Influence ncrnlnst tliose tlmt ptinnnrnim ji'ri,llitr,i in,. piety, or impurity, either fcdltorluTly or other wise. Those young men who are resolved to be for me rigiu. must duiiu tnemseives together to save the whofe of their class. The Young Men's Christian Association, by deep and deepening convictions of Immortality, aud of the etornltv and magnitude of the distinction between right and wrong, and above all, by the profound possession of the Christian life, must prepare themselves for broader, deeper work. It is to be feared that nearly half the young men ln this city spend their Sabbaths and evenings at engine houses, saloons, theatres, street corners, and worse places, and never enter a church. These, however fallen, belong to vour class! they, too, whatever else they maybe, are young men. Where is the genius to invent a method for reaching them? and where is the holy courage, the divine industry to carry it into effect? Where? He that shall do such a work ns this, and those who shall help him, will bel ter deserve crowns than the best of monarchs. These young men are in great part corrupted by the lowest forms of literature. Your work is by some means to give them a purer, and get inem to read it; tnen a little child shall lead them. Then the time spent in places of sin will oe spent in yonr nnrnries and reading-rooms. auu our churches win bo too lew and too small. Settling-Up a Fashionable Dressmaker's Bill What It Costs to Live Among the Upper-Teudom. llefore Judgo K. D. Smith. Mary A. Douglass vs. Charles M. Mayer. The complaint in this action sets forth that the plaintiff is a dress maker, doing business ln this city formerly under the name of M. A. Do Leney; and that, between the 20th of March and 7th of April, 1SU0, she furnished to the wife of the plaintiff various "articles of ladies' dress wear," among which were a black silk basque of the value of SlK4,a brown silk suit worth SD10, a black dlk dress at 8120, an embroidered mantilla. $101); u purple morning wrapper, costing $'M; four uu derwulsls, 828; one balmorul skirt, SIS; one pair French corsets, 812; elevators, gloves, etc., of the aggregate value of 8751)50. and that although payment of the account had been demanded, no satisfactory response has been elicited from the defendant. Dr. Alexander Mott was called for the plaintiff, and testified thut he had at tended the family of Mr. Mayer at their resi dence on Bloomingdale road, which belongs to the estate of his father. Dr. Valentine Mott, d ceased, aud was rented to defendant at about 8:!000 per annum, also at the Fifth Avenue Hotel, and that defendant had ou one occasion stuted to blm, while residing at tho latter place, that his (defendant's) expenses were heavy, amounting to 8o0 per day; that the sister of Mrs. Mayer formed one of the lumlly.and was intro duced to blm as the Countess of Berrl; that they were apparelled in a sumptuous, in fact, ex travagant manner, and that the defendant Maver had stated to him that he was wealthy, that he had about 820U.UO0 in gold invested in Mexico, and an equal amount in Cngland. This evidence was introduced with a view to proving by the social standing and society iu which the defendant's family moved, that the articles lurnished were "necessaries." Charles M. Muyer testified that he was the defendant in this action, and that at the time the goods mentioned were ordered his wife had deserted his home on the Bloomingdale road; that about the 20th day of March, 18Gt. upon his returning from his office to his residence, he found the door locked, aud a note from his wife stuting that she had "gone;" that he bad always furnished an abundance ot wearing apparel for her use; that he had paid one bill of 82000 to A. T. Stewart for goods purchased by his wife. Upon cross-examination It was elicited that his wife had quitted her homo through a do mestic "spat;" thut he had paid bills of her con tracting to this pluinliil upon former occasions, and that about the end of April. 18'JO, a reunion was effected, and he subsequently lived in tran quillity with the "partner of his Joys aud sor. rows." The Jury rendered a verdict for the plaintiff for the f u 1 lu. m ou n t claim ed. IT. Y. Herald. ROOFING. "', i lliUifcfcaV OLD SHINGLE KOOF8 (FLAT OH BTEEP) OOVKR Kli WITH JOHN'S KNOLlSlf HOOFING OLOTIf, And coated with LIO.U1U UUTTA PKKCI1A PAINT, making them perfectly waier-proof". LEAKY OHAVKLilOOFS repaired Willi nulla Perclia Pal lit, unit warrxnleu for live years. LEAKY SLATE HOOFM comeit with llqnlil which I women as hard as slule. TIN, lOI'PF.U, INI', or IKON coated Willi Lidiild Onttn l'ercha at small expense. Cost ranging from one to two cents per square loot. Old Hoard or Miint'le hoofs ten emus per square foot, all complete. Materials constantly on liaml and tor salt) hv the PHILADELPHIA. AND PENNSYLVANIA HOOF ING COMPANY. GEOKGK H GHAUT, II 2fim No. 2'i" N. FOUK'l'It Street. I O O F I 1ST O . oi.i snixtai: nooFN,FiiAT oh stkkp, IDtl lll l) U ll ll 4t ITTA I'KIM'MA MOOr'-lNi- l.o I II, nml coaled Willi l.ltl:U aTT l I'l Itt ll.t l-AI. r, uiuklng theiu perlecily wuier pruol'. IKAHV ;it AVF.r, ItOOFN repaired with Gutta Peiolia I'mnt. and warranted lor rive years. l.F.AKY M. ATI; ISO OF coated with Liquid China IVrclia Paint, winch hecoiues us hard as slate. ForTlN,t'OIpIF.K,ieiKCaDd IHON HOOFM this Paint In the ue, plus ultra of all oilier protection. It forms a perlectiy Impervious covering, completely riblHls Ute action of the weather, and coimlitules a tliorouKli protection against leaks by rust or oiher wlise, price only Irom one to two cents per square foot. TIN Mid 4UIAVF.L ItOOFINO done at the ShorleKt notice. Maierial emiRtnnttv on hand snd for Kale by the MAMMOTH ItOOFINM FOMI'AWY. Ki;tlil.F.W! .V F.VF.KKTT, 1 21 Cm No. 30 CiUEEiS btreet. NEW PUBLICATIONS. "And trier the Leellns', wld bnrstln' feeling', Btudr on theatepps In the pcltln' rain, And bowd as grand as, and smiled as bland as If Mickel Eooney wor the King ot Spane." jLDEMlAN HOONEY AT THIS . OABLE BANQUET. AN IMPROVISED F.FIC BY HIMSELF. TheAitin' and Dhrinklu' and Spaykln and Toasts PRICE. 60 CENTS. Address all cash orders, retail or wholesale, to T. B. rETERSON k BROTHERS, INo. 3(H) C31KSNUT Street, Philadelphia, Pa. Bond for our Mammoth Descriptive CataloKim. Books sent postage paid, on receipt of retail price. ALL NEW BOOKS are at PETERSONS'. 2 7 CARPETINGS. JUST LANDAU, ENGLISH CAUPETINGS VliLYETS, BRUSSELS, TAPESTRY, and INGttAINS. Also, NEW BTYLE VENETIANS, tor BTA.IKS and HALLS, -with separate Borders to match, all made ex pressly for our sales by the best manufacturers, an. will be sold at lowest cah pilces. li I ftnw3m5p REEVE L. KNIGHT & SON, No. 807 C1IESNUT ST. QEORCE W. HILL, MANVFAFTFKF.lt ATilt DE.II.EK IN CAI1PETINQS, No. 120 NORTH THIRD STKI.F.T, 1 Ins on hand a large assortment of DKSIRABLE PATTERNS, to which he asks the (mention of buy ers 2 13 wfrnuiu HOSIERY, ETC. J-JOSIERY, GLOYES, UNDERWEAR ETC THE LARGEST VARIETY AT JOHN C. ARRISON'S. Nos. 1 and 3 North SIXTH Street, PHILADELPHIA, Also invites attention to bis IMPROVED PATTERN SHIRT, Which has piven such general satisfaction for neat ness ol fit on the breast, comfort in tho neck, aud eaBe on the shoulder. Made of the best materials, by hand. 122uiwto A PEEFEC1 FIT GUARANTEED. REMOVAL. E M OVAL. To accommodate our continually increasing bust ness, we hava taken the commodious room, BECOND STORY, NEW LEDGER BUILDING, S. W. Corner SIXTH aud CI1KSNUT St., (Entrance on Sixth street), Into which we have removed, where we shall be jileiuieu to see our many patrons ana trieuas. J. M. BRADSTREET & SON. J. B. Bbookk, Superintendent Philadelphia Office. Philadelphia, February 2, 1867.; 2 2 lia R E M O V A E. H. THARP, ATTORNEY-AT-LAW, REMOVED TO No. 32 South THIRD Street COLLECTIONS made on all parts of the Unite States 2 21m4p TREER & SEARS REMOVED TO NO. 412 XJ l'KUNF. Htreet.-DKKF.lt fc SEARb, formerly ol UoIUhiiiIiIi'h Hull, Library street, liave removed to No. M'i l'KUNE Street, between Fourth and Filtli Btreets, where tliey will continue their Manufactory of Gold t 'Indus, Urucelets, etc., in every variety. Also the sale or line tiolu, silver, aua Copper. Old Gold ana mnver boiiKUt, January 1, lo7. 1 193m THE SAFE DEPOSIT COMPANY, The Fidelity Insurance, Trust and Safe Depont Company, for tlie Safe Keeping of Bonds, Stocks, and Otlier Valuables. CAPITA-.. 9500,000 DIRECTORS. N. B. BKOWNB, ifcUWAED W. CLARK, C'LalOAjSeK H. CLABK, ALH.X ANDfcR HK&KV, JOHN WELSH, its A. OALDWELL, J. U1LLLNUHAM FELL. HEBY O ULBbON. CHABLK.H MACALESrKll. Office In the H ire proof Building of the Phlladolnhla National Hank. CHKHMJT Street, above Fourtn. i nil ouipanv receives on deposit, ana UL'AKiN icco lax. oai n nnt.riiMj uf VALUABLES UUOU the iollowing rates a year, viz. : Coupon Bonas.......... tl per 100 Registered bonds and Securities 5n cents per 10t'0 nuiu luiii ur xuniuu tvib per slumi Sliver Coin or Bullion 2 tier aluoil uow or wiver hlato... i oer flu -?:",""'"""" on noxos or flankers. Brokers, Capita lists, etc., contents unknown to the Company, nd liability limited. 26 a year ' Ihe Company oilers for lttCNT (renter exclusively hold'n 'he key) SAFR8 ljNSIDE It VAULrs.it "'"T""' ". auu id year, according to size and location. Coupons and Interest Col' ec ted for one per cent Interest allowed on Money Deposits. 1 bis Company Is authorized to receive andexeouta Trusts of every desorlpuon. mimwnp S. B BEOWNE, President lioiiKhT l'ATTKCBON. SecretaT ana Treasurer, AWNINGS! AWNINGS! MILDEW-PROOF AWNINGS. W. F. SHEIIJLE, No. 49 South THIRD Street- No. 31 South SIXTH Street, Manufacturer of MILDEW-PROOF AWN INGS, VERANDAIIB, FLA OB, BAGS, TENTS, and WAGON COVERS. Btencil Cutting una Canvas Printing. 273mrp SHIPPING. r'ff FN STEAM TO LlVEltl'OOL-CAIXINQl sTdirTJ-- t Quei nstown The Innian Linn, aAJlncri niu.i-w fekly, currying I he Lnlted Htaies Mans. 1 C1TV Or BALI1MOKK Bulurday, Rehrosrv rK K ANGAROO Wednesdav, KehrvvrSfif CITY OF WASHINGTON Saturday, rebriwrv; CITY OrMlWlOKK Hntu.daT, March 2? CITY OF ANTW Khl Haturda, MarcS 9 and aeh succeeding baturday aud Wednesday, at nooa.1 Irom tier So. 45 Jnorth river. KA lKo OK PASSAGE Jiy the mall steamer sailing eerr Saturday I Vay.ble in bol'i Payable Id Currensv.fi First Cabin. asfl Steerage ..si ? To London 95 loLondon To 1'aru lift' To I'aris in ranssgs vy me n ennpsanT steamers: - irat car P0: steernne. tiO. Payable In United Htatea r.nnon l'assengeis also tornarded to oavre, Hamburg, Bri- Meersge passage from Liverpool or Qnecnstown.Cr! enrrcnev Tickets can be liouut here by persons send' inc lor their n lends. For lur.ber Inlurmatlon apply at the Comnani ofllces. .'OI1N O. DALK, vent 8Tg No. Ill WALNUT Street. PUllada. FOR NEW YORK PHlT ltim CtSviSfji dcliihla Steam Propeller ( omosny lwi Muutu rwmsnr i.ine.Tia io, aware and Karitan Can.if leaving dal y ut 12 M. snd t F, M.. connecting with . ' northern ar.d K.sstern Hues. w "v or freight, which win be taien npon accouimndatln. terms, nupiy to v. iii n Ana. Aveauc. ifN ,F.9$ liOPTON-STKAMStllP LINK SaiUMj FKOM KATI FOR T EVERY FIVE I)TR PltlA, AM) LONG WmAKF, llortf.H The Hue between Philadelphia and Boston is c commoted ol the ROMAN (new) Captain Baker, 14W tnna '' BA A ON , i aptaln slattliens. liM) tous. OK.MAN Capiuln . roeli. lvlliston.. lnese substantial ana well-appointed steamships wll, san punctut ny as aovertised. una freight will be rt- ceivtd every day, a atcamer being always en the bertlj to receive carun. Phtppcis are requested to send bills of lsdlng wltl theli gouds. For lreluht or passogo, havlnir superior accommoda lions, app j to litMtY WINHOR CO , ,l Ko. 3;0 h. DELAWARE Avenue. f ffT KOUTU AMKiilCAN STEAMSHir JJ.I.W.1COMPANY. 1 ii. y v. ... . i , I' PI I. T t V 1 IKF Tfl niTIVtnvti VIA MCAKAOl'A. F.YERV TWEV1Y DVYS From Tier bo. 211 Sortli Elver, foot of Warren street. 4 twitl taiitVk lioilcnmialM o T ipntnh - ji.. HA TEH. Coimeuting ou the Paciflc Ocean with thtl NOrti' 8 TAYLOK. Canton lilcthen, and 1 tl L'Dll t 'n,liln '!. Kor furllior mtoTUiatiou, appiy to tue 'orthAmerl4 Vt iLLi AM H. WEBB, President, .o. 81 Exchange Place. H. Y. II. N t ARKlAGlOM, Agent. T No 177 West street corner Warren N V. i BO HAS R. SKARLE. So. 817 Waluut street. 'p, EMPIRE LIN E F0K SAVANNAH. JbJi- Every SaTUUDAY. from i lar No. ia Nnni- iwver, puueiuuny at o ciock r. at. i be luroilie Mce-vWiecl Steamships SAN JACINTO ,l.ovciii(l Commander, HAN KAlAAIKllt. A tkliut Ci,niuien,li.r Tli roil I'll tickets and bills ot lading to a. I Ddints. Ir connection with Ccntiai Rulnoad ot Georgia, Ailunui and Gull Railroad, ana Florida bteamers. .1 Llegant pussenger accommodations. GARRISON A AIXE1V. t No. 5 BOW LING GttEKN. N. V. H. LEAfr, Agent, Adams' Kxoress, No. 32U Cbesnut street. PACIFIC MAIL STEAMSHIP COil-i fl'i itlllOtbU LIE TO CALIFORNIA, CARRYING L'MTEU SlAl'fe HAIL. VIV PAKAAIA RAILROAD. Btenmcrs leave Her No. 42 rth River, foot of Cam street, at 12 o'clock, roon, as lotlows: December 31. KtW YoiiK. Capt. w . G. Farber, con' necting with CONKllTCiK'N. Caul. Caverlv. January 11 HENRI CUAUNilEY, Capt- A. 0 Gray, connecting with GOLDEN AGE, Capt Lap, due. January 21 RiMNG .'i.i K, t apt. 1- A. Barns, cou necting with GOLDE.s CITY. Caut. 1 T. Watklns. All departures touch at Acapuico ; those of 1st an5 lut connect at Panama with steamers lor boutn Pacini pons; 1st and 11th lor Central American ports, and tbosoot 1st touch at Mauzanl.lo. Departure oi 11th each muu'.h connects with the nei steam line irom Panama to a ustruil and New Zealand! btermer ot March 11. lfbT. wi.l connect with tie Com pany's steamer Colorano, to leave Man Francisco lor Yohobama and Bong-Kong on April 8, 1SK7 one tumuied pounds ol baggage allowed each adult. Medicines aud attendance tree. For passage tickets and all lurther Iniormatlon, apply at tue oir.ee on tlie wbart, toot oi uanui street, Aorte River, cw York. N o 320 Chesnut street, t F. R. BAB1 , Aireut. II. LEAF. Agent, darns' express, KiMPIKK STF.AMSHI" I IN F Knu nmiinu lrum euch port every Baluiday. from second wbarl above vine street, 1'hUudelpliia, and Providence and Boston lUilioad v bail rroviaeuce, it l. The hue is composed ot the nrst-cla.s steamships HUNTER. M. L. Rogers commander. CllAbE.J. A. crosaiuancouiuianuer. These superior and won euuippei. steamships sal regularly us adverth-ed. Freight will be received daily, a siesninhln being alwavs on ibe berth to receive cargj. Freight lor Boston. Ala?s. and all intermediate points on the Boston aud Providence or Worcester Kaiiroaos. win ue receiveu. auu u e koous ueiivereuu: less time and at lower rates than by any other route. Bins of lading lurnisneu at tue ouico. N o bins ot lading sinned alter the ship has sailed. For lurther Iniormatlon. nppiy to LA111BCRY, Vt 1CK.LV.SH AM & CO.. Agent", t No. UB North W riarvel. Henry Cleaveland. Esq., Agent at Providence, K L PFFt NATIONAL STEAM NAVIGATION Siilateii COMPANY (Limited). Mieamurs weekly to Liverpool, calling at QuceDStomr The splendid lirst cUss Iron etteaenshtp LOl lolAiSA. captain Harrington. PENNSYLVANIA. Captain Lewis. EltlS. Cnptuin Cutting TUE QUEEN. Captaiu Gregan. DENMARK, Captain Thomson. An experienced Surgeon on each ship free oi charge, xiralts Issued lor any amount, payable at any baukiu Gnat Britain or on the continent. KATES OF PAHflAOE, fAXAULB IN CUBBKNCV.t Cuolu eteerigt To Liverpool or Queenstown.... Sluu T trough passuge to Paris Antwerp. Hamburg, Ire men, London, eto at low rates k. ..... u .. u nnuiiM. a titkat. t., liplnir nArsons from LIW- poul or ouernstown lor U5 in currency can be obulned. at 0 11 BROADWAY. J For lrelgbt or cabin passage, apply at the Office sltne Company. No. 57 bROADWAY. For steerage tKlt.i at the Passsge Ofllce ot the oroparjy, No 'tl BK0AD WAY.or THOMaS R. eIEaKLIS, S0.K17 Wa nut street. f F. W. J. HCBST. Alansffir 1 f-frft. OM.Y DIRECT LINE TO FRANCE. SiJUiliTHE GENERAL I B AN tt ATLANTIC COM "Tni'." MAIL STEAMsUlPa BETWtES iiW V , . 1 W A 1)7 Ik HaVKK. I1AI.I.TM1 AT kUHMT The splendid new vessels ot this favorite route fol tot n ............... Ill uull fr,.,.. kU' '.. KM U.tK lM,r.P ff OUIIIIUCIII lai ... ,.uu . w, ,VIIU J.i.w. PEREIhE, Duchesne. V1LLE DE PARIS, b turnout EL'iiOl'E. Lemaue. KT. i,ACRENT, Brcandl. PRir-Ea OF PASSAGE, IN GOLD. First Cabin, altjo ; second Cabin . li 0 Inc.ud'nK wine '1 hese steamers do not earn stoerage pasaeugers. V, ...1 I HltUOllltlWA t.A. ... -.1....... 1'aasengers Intendlua to laud at Brest can be furnlilitd on board with tallroau coupou-iic&ets, anu their bsgb'We oiici neu io rans, at an auuitional charge oi u ii auu d ior secouu eiajs. t OKuKGK MACKENZIE, Agent, No. 68 Broajwsr Vt IT? U-iti-m irri vr-uPDRT J-ij AVIll Pill uivi-n J Ho l.o.iin and Nmi niin iin hv tha aniendid Mil superior steameis NEWPeRT. MlROPoLlS, 0U iuwji.im f. sir IKE state, 01 great suengm w speed, ci'L-tructed express.; for the navigation ol Ui Island bound, running lu connection with tue Oin Colony and Newport Ral'road. Leave pier No. 24. North Klver, foot of Murw stieeL 'Die steamer VFWW1PT ntln Brown. lesTM Moniisy, Weduoscay, and Friday, at P. M., landlng Newport. Thestoamer OLD COLONY. Captain Simmons, lesye Tuesuay, 'ihursday, and eaiurday, at 4 P. m., landlti at Newpoit. Ihesesieamers are fitted up with commodious ststs roouis. waier tiuht i-iiiiinurtiiieuis. and every airauKS- meut lor the security aud comnTt of passengers wno are allorded by this rou e a uight's rest ou board aad oa arrival at Newport proeeeu per rauroau agaiu, reauuius Itoslnn u.rlv i.n tliA l.illnwllli InorUllltf. A baggage master Is attached to each steamer, Who receives aud Nenets tne oagguge, wu .iwiuk." same to its destination , ... ,K. K.. Asteanerruus in connection with this line between Newport and Providence dai.y. Sundays excepted Freight io Boston Is talteu at the same rules as by any other regular line, and lorwardea wltu the greutestex peuitlon by an expiess iralp. which leaves .Newport every merulDg (bundajs excepted!, at 7 o'clock, lor Boston and new Beoiord. arriving at its destination bFor iVehiiifor passage apply on board, or at ths Office, on Pier No UH Nonh River. For state rooms aud berths apply on board, or, if It is de. rab e to secure them in advance, apply to E. Lll ILEI 1ELD, Agent, advance, apy j Ko n bu0AUWAY ewByort. TO SHIP CAPTAINS ATjnntxnuCT'tJ. The auderslgned havina lnjuaA ih kh.ii. Wins HL'gKW DOCK. bCKt tn li,.n. .i. tvi, auu ths patrons of the Dock that he Is prepared wlih ...mused lacllltles to aocominodato tlm. vuiu ... . a talsed or repaired, aud belnur a n, n, ..... .imiuam prnier aud caulker, will give parsoual atteutlou to (lit vessels entrusted to him lor repairs. Caotalns or Agents. Khln-Carnnteri. and V.iihlnlstJ ksvlng vessels to repair, aie solicited to oall. Mavlug the agency for the aale of "Weit.rsteilt Patent Metaiio l omooslthin" mr ( nnr n.it.t iur tlie preservation of vessels' boltoois, for this oi.y, J am pre pared to l Ornish the same ou favorable terms. JGUN U UAMMITT, . i. - Keuslngiou Screw Dock, 1 1 j DELAWARE Avenue above Laurel street. iW' fmmt S inAi