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. ADVOCATE
4,. ..
;.:
tortan Bonner, Vol. V, lklo. 7.
torlan Advocate. Vol. X.IX, No. 2.1
MeKINNEY, Editor and Proprietor.
---IN ADVANCE.
( I )rigirtal Vattril.
rical Translation of the Psalms.
PSALM I
irr blest the man who loth not walk
Where the ungodly meet ;
it in the sinners' places stands,
Nor takes the scorner's sent.
in the statutes of the Lord
Doth lucre his chief delight;
meditates upon his Word,
Both in the day and night.
:Anil be like a tree, whose root
By water-courses set,
h, in his season, yield his fruit,
Ms leaf, too, withers not.
Ate'er he cloth, shall prosper well:
The wicked are not so;
it ke the chaff which rising winds
Do scatter to and fro.
ierefore, the wicked shall not stand
In the great judgment day;
r with the Saviour's righteous band
Shall the ungodly stay.
A. ell the ways of righteous men
Unto the Lord are known;
But the ungodly's wicked ways
Shall ..,urely be o'erthrown.
the Presbyterian Banner and Advocate
Baptiam.----No. 4.
CLASSICAL AUTHORITIES.
Baptist friends affirm that the Greek
writers use the word baptizo la
in the sense of dip, that the
;s wrote in classical Greek, and there
;ed the word in precisely the same
ie good brethren are very apt to assert
iey cannot prove. No ripe Biblical
at this day, will admit that the New
int is written in classical Greek.
,iom is Hebrew; and though the
are Geek, they are very often em
in senses quite unknown to classical
y. For example, the word sarx, in
A usage, signifies the flesh of animals
for food—meat. In the New Testa
in one place it means a person's kin
nom. xi: 14; "Them which are
ih ;" (sarx) and in another, place it
human brlings Mat.• xxiv : 22;
!sh (sarx) should be saved." The
'i7zaiusune, in classical authors, sig-
Lstice between man and man; in the
stament it means that righteousnesB
oh we are justified before God. So
Al mina, in pagan authors signifies a
; in the New Testament it is put for
Luke i : 37 ; " With God nothing
pen, re ma) shall be impossible."
, nds of similar examples can readily
ince& Indeed, all the Jews who
in G!eek (except Josephus, who
exclusively for the Gentiles, and
a classical style,) othployed Hebrew
and used words in a sense quite op
to classical usage. In this particular
ostics seem to have imitated those
of their nation who preceded them.
wrote what may be called Jewish
and deviated almost as far';from
purity as German-English varies from
' , ince of Addison. Both Origen and
conk admit the charge of homeliness,
n their day against the style of the
;s, and treat it as an encomium.
Philo., Ô. iv. Chrys. from. 3, in
STA mENT CREEK NOT CLASSICAL.
this subject, Dr. George Campbell
as fol hms :
~ with the greatest justice, it is de
;rid a peculiar idiom, being not only
and iThuldaic phrases put in Greek
Jut even single Greek words used in
in which they never occur in the
of ryfofane authors." Prd. Dissent.
1, See. 13.
- -;Al use, both in Greek and in
wit only in this study sometimes
le, Litt may even mislead. The
and the classical are often very
Dissert. 2, Part 2, Sec. 2.
as published by Professor Stuart,
as follows :
question as to the idiom of the New
At, turns on the use of such words
tses us designate those objects that
tics are accustomed to designate ;
question here is, whether such
the New Testament are used in the
, se which the Greeks attached to
4 , The question being thus
d defined, we deny, without hesi•
tat the diction of the New Testa
,ure Greek, and contend that it' is
after the Hebrew, not only in sin.
is, phrases and figures of speech,
, e general texture of the language."
• parts of the New Testament can
itd in no other way than by means
:brew. Moreover, in many pal.:
'e would urise an absurd and ridicu
lug if they should be interpreted
to a pure Greek idiom, as appears
‘:toaples produced by Werenfels,"
pp. 56, 57.
usage," says Professor Stuart,
tver h very certain in respect to the
of a word in the New Testament,
)es not know that a multitude of
words have received their coloring
icular, meaniu g from the Hebrew,
f ro m • the Greek classics ? Does
/od) ouranos,(lA•,v,n) sarx, (flesh)
faith) dikaiosune, (righteousness)
:r words almost without number, ex
a.nings which conform to the Greek
or which in several respects can
illustrated by them ? ,Nbt at all,
iow can you be over-confident in the
ion of the classical meanin g o f
where the word is employed in y e _
:o a rite that is purely Christian?
ouficlence is indeed too common;
not the more rational, nor the tome
ig, on that account."
moreover, to be observed that the
,reeks never used boptizo with refer
religious washings, but always with
se to the common affairs of life. On
3r hand, the Jewish writers (except
is, who wrote only for the pagans,)
pplied the word to the common
f life, but always to religious wash
cow, it is well known that words
e meaning as applied to common
and another quite different mean-
"ONE THING IS NEEDFUL:" "ONE THING HAVE 1 DE''
ing as applied to matters of religion. The
English word communicate, for instance, in
common usage signifies to impart to others;
in, a religious sense it means to partake of
the Lord's Supper. Take anatber example.
The word conversation, in its common ac
ceptation, means familiar discourse; in
religion it signifies conduct, deportment.
The same general remark will apply to all
languages and religions. Now, as the Apos
tles always used the word baptizo in a re
ligious sense, it follows that its use by the
heathen writers is not a safe guide to its
meaning in the New Testament.
How, then, it will be asked, are we to
ascertain the meaning of religious terms in
the Scriptures? I answer chiefly by Scrip
ture itself. Take, for example, the word
deipnon, (supper) found in 1. Con xi : 20.
This word, in iti classical acceptation, sig
nifies a full meal, taken for bodily nourikh
ment. But is that the meaning here ? By
looking at the connexion we find, on the
contrary, that it means the participation of a
small portion of bread and wine, remem
brance of Christ. So, also, with the word
baptize. We have already produced several
instances in the New Testament where, from
the connexion in which it stands, it is plain
t'-at it cannot signify to dip. We freely
admit that the word, in the heathen classics,
does usually signify to immerse, or rather to
sink to the bottom. But this is not always
the case, as will appear from a few examples.
Plutarch, speaking of a Roman general
who was wounded in battle, says, " He set
up a trophy, on which, having baptized his
hand, (ebapteto ten cheira,) he wrote this
inscription," &c. He did not dip his hand
in blood, but only moistened his fingers with
it, in order to write.
Hippocrates directs a patient, if his
blister plaster should be too painful, "to
baptize it with breast-milk or Egyptian
ointment." He did not mean that it should
be immersed in breast-milk.
Thais, the courtezan, is spoken of as
"having baptized (baptisasa) Alexander
with much wine." Cono. Harm/. 50.
Surely she did not immerse him in a cask
of wine.
Enough has been said to show the rash
ness of those who affirm that the Greek
classical authors always used baptize in the
sense of dipping, that the Apostles wrote
in classical Greek, and that they used the word
in the classical sense. We have seen that
all these assertions are contrary to truth;
and yet, upon so airy a foundation, the Bap
tists build their assumption that immersion
is essential to valid baptism, and boast that
they are the only baptized Christians., and
the only worthy communicants on earth !
THE WORD lapio
This word, though never applied to the
ordinance of baptism, is often referred to as
decisive of the meaning of baptizo. Bapto
is the root of baptizo, just as the English
word chasten is the root of chastise. The
two Greek words have about the same mean
ing, and it may therefore be agreeable to the
reader to see a few examples of the use of
bapto.
Aristotle speaking of a berry says, " When
rubbed, it baptizes (Lapel) the hand."
De Amim.
"It baptizes (baptei) the hair." Dios°
Lib. 1.
" Some say, 0 Nicylla, that you baptize
(se baptein) your hair." Spiry. Coll. Bent.
cum. Callim. Lond. 1741 p. 189.
Aristophenes, in reference to the painted
face of a comedian, says he was "baptized
(baptomenos) with tawdry colors." Hipp.
Lib. 1.
"The lake was baptized (ebapteto) with
the purple blood." Horn. Batrom. line
218. Homer is speaking of the blood of a
frog.
In these, and many other cases, bapio
may have the signification of moisten, stain
or dye, but cannot mean co dip. Who would
speak of a man immersing his hand by
squeezing a berry, of a comedian's face as
dipped in paint, or of a lake as immersed in
the blood of a frog ?
NEBUCHADNEZZAR BAPTIZED WITH DEW.
The above examples are taken from
heathen authors. We shall add iwo "others,
found in the Septuagint and the Book of
Daniel ; the one in chapter iv : 33, and the
other in chapter v : 21. In both placFs it
is said of king Nebuchadnezzar, that " his
body was baptized (ebaphe) with the dew of
heaven." Common sense will determine
whether by immersion or by sprinkling.
We may add that a figurative baptism is
out of the question here, for the poor mon
arch must have found the wetting a sad
reality.
Bebammenon, one of the inflections of
bapto, occurs in Rev. xix : 13, "And he
was clothed with a vesture baptized (bebam
manor') with blood." Origen, in giving
the substance of this passage, uses the word
errantismenon, sprinkled, instead of bap
tised, thus showing that in the opinion of
this celebrated Greek author, bapto means
to sprinkle. Did Origen understand his
mother tongue? I will add that in the
three most ancient versions of the New Tes
tament, viz : the Peshito Syriac, the Ethio
pic and the Vulgate, this same word is
translated sprinkled.
THE LEXICONS
In support of their position that baptizo
always !nears to dip, our Baptist friends ap
peal to the lexicons or dictionaries of the
Greek language. We shall' see, however,
that though the lexicons for the most part
simply give us the meanings of words as used
in classical authors, and as applied in a
sense not religious, yet they will not by any
means sustain our opponents. So far from
it that Dr. Carson, their ablest champion,
after asserting that baptizo always means to
dip, confesses that all the " lexicographers
and commentators are against him in that
opinion." Page 79.
The following authors of lexicons, among
other definitions of bablizo, give wash and
cleanse, viz : Scapula, Hedericus, Stephauts,
Schrevelins, Parkhurst, Suidas, Schleusner,
Robinson, Groves, Ewing, Bretschneider,
Wall, Stokius, Greenfield.
Suidas, one of the oldest lexicographers,
gives moisten (madefacio) among the mean
ings of baptize.
Scbleusner, in his lexicon of the New'
Testament, gives immerse (immergo) as one
definition of the word, but then adds, In
this sense, however, it is never used in the
New Testament, although it is so used rather
frequently in Greek authors." He then
gives the following meanings, to wash (lavo)
, to imbue, (iwbuo) to pour out (profundo.)
PUBLICATION OFFICE, GAZETTE BUILDING, FIFTH S
.;
.11 : • A
Greville Ewing, besides the usual mean
ings, gives the following : " I cover par
tially with water, I wet." He also assigns
the following definition to bapto, viz : "'To
wet by affusion, effusion, perfusion ; by
sprinkling, daubing, friction or immersion."
Grk. and Eng. Lex.
No lexicon can be produced which does
not give wash as an important meaning of
baptizo. And washing, as every one knows,
is not the same thing as dipping. It is
true, anything may be dipped in order to
cleanse it, but washing !hes not commonly im
ply dipping. If a writer states that it is a
custom of Americans to wash themselves, or
to wash as soon as they rise in the morning,
we do not take him to mean that they im
merse themselves. If we order a child to
wash his face, we will not think of punish
ing him if he does not dip his face in the
water. If this be true in regard to ordi
nary .washings, much more, is, it true in
respect to a religious washing, which i 4 not
designed for " the putting away of the filth
of the flesh," but for an emblem or sign of
inward purity, and which may, therefore, be
properly performed by the application of the
smallest quantity of water.
"Bat if the Saviour did not command
dipping, why did not the Apostles, instead
of baptizo, use the word lotto, which means
to wash, without respect to mode ?" I
answer, the reasons are. obvious. Lo•uo was
a word which was constantly applied to
ordinary washings. Baptizo, on the con
trary, had long been employed by the Jews
in a sacred sense, to express washings of a
religious kind. " They found it so em
ployed, and therefore selected it to denote
the ordinance of baptism." L. N. D.
Per the Presbyterian Banner and Advocate
The Sorrows of Life.
There, are a great many causes of sorrow
in this world. flow often we are brought
to feel the truth of the Scripture, " Man is
born to trouble, as the sparks are to fly up
ward." No age, sex, or condition is free
from this " common lot of mortals,". and
each one thinks he has his share; and some
times, in tire wickedness of our hearts, we
are prone to say, Surely, we have more
than our share." Frequently, in the an
ticipation of some expected enjoyment, we
think when that is in our possession, we will
have nothing but pleasure:; and often that
very thing becomes the source of our great
est sorrow. Though disappointments are
bard for human nature to _bear, yet it is well
for us we are sometimes disappointed.
There are sorrows peculiar to the men of
the world ; those who seek their happiness
only in this world, are disappointed. Alas!
how great is their disappointment ! and
where will they find relief When the dark
cloud of adversity hangs over them, where
will they find a :leiter'? When near and
dear friends are taken away by death, they
can have no hope . of meeting them again in
peace. All is dark andgloomy, and their
sorroW, 0 fro* deep I; -•- - • '
But there are also sorrows peculiar to the
Christian. Re cannot but mourn and weep
when he sees near and dear friends around
him perishing in sin; but yet it is a relief
to him to bear them in the aims of his faith
to the foot of the cross of that Saviour who
has said, "Ask, and it shall be given you."
When in this world he is separated from
Christian friends whose society ho loves,
does he not feel sorrowful ? But when he
hears them say, " Methinks there is a spirit
land, where we shall meet, never to part
again," is not his sorrow mingled with joy?
When the Christian sees the dark cloud of
adversity gathering around him, he feels
sorrowful; but yet he can say, " My God
directs the storm ;" ai..d when his Christian
friends are taken away by death, human na
ture cannot be else' than sorrowful; but yet
he looks forward to the morning of the
resurrection, when he shall meet them again,
where there is no death. The Christian has
sorrows which the world knows not of.
'Many are his secret struggles and strivings
with sin; and that is a true saying, "No
sorrow is so deep as hidden sorrow." Often
we see persons who appear all mirth—all
cheerfulness—but whose very soul is har
rowed up with sorrow.
"If every man's internal care
Were written on his brow,
How many woulcl our pity share,
Who have our envy now."
What a soul-stirring truth! How full of
meaning The pleasures of this life are
fleeting; ,but, thanks be to God, the sorrows
of life are, to the Christian, quite as fleeting.
Yes, though he may have sorrow until the
day of his death, he knows that it is then
forever at an end, and that everlasting joy
shall thence be his portion. " For I reckon,
that the sufferings of this present time are
not worthy to be compared with the glory
which shall be revealed in us,"
For the Preebyterian Banner. and Advocate.
PreabYteliaßißitt is Conneetiemt
At the':recerit , meeting of the. Presbytery
of Connecticut, a new church was added' to
their number—the Presbyterian church of
Deep River. Rev: G. W. Connitt, formerly
of the Congregational body, was received as
a member of Presbytery, and installed over
the above church.
As the Independent has brought this case
before the public, it is proper to state 'the
facts connected with it. peep River is a
part of the town of Saybrook. The Con
gregational church of , the place, formed
some years since under the unhappy system
which throws no guards around a chard!),
passed under the pernicious influence of the
New Haven theology. With this, a part of
the congregation never were satisfied; and
it was the New School theology, as stated
publicly by a venerable deacon of the
church, that divided the church. The ele
ments still remained together, however. A
year or so since, they called the Rev. Mr.
Connitt to be their pastor. Mr. C. was a
young man, to whose " conscientiousness,
ability, and fidelity, as a good and worthy
minister of Jesus Christ," the Consociation
that recently dismissed him from the church,
"found great satisfaction in bearing their
testimony." Mr. C., however, was a strict
Calvinist; and it soon became evident that
his doctrines would not be tolerated by the
New School portion of the church. The
Consociation was convened. Mr. Connitt
desired to be tried by the professed Stand
ard of the churches—the Saybrook plat
form. This was denied ; and without en
tering into'the merits of the case at all, the
Consociation dissolved the relation, on the
grounds that this was ace(
gain" between the partA
wished it. "You are to dcr l ,
to do," said one of the me
Connitt's opposers, to the (
they did it. A minority o
withdrew; and after a car
sideration, and " having
fined the principles of fait
of the Presbyterian Chu
convinced "that the trutl
would be more surely pr
i
kingdom of Christy more ;.1
thereby," resolved to appi
as a Presbyterian churck,
tion was effected, and thri'
Elders chosen, and. or&
The formal union with P
taken place, and a pastor ,
cordially united, has br
them. We have only
speed in the cause of trm
ness, and to extend to tl
Christian fellowship,. ay'
eration.
The installation servit took place on the
l y
9th ult., and were Aitt.,9 ded by brethren
from the New York Bras tery, and by sev
eral Congregational mill 'tars, who sympa
thize with the doctrin and order of the
I
Presbyterian Church. ' e exercises were
as follows :—Sermon by, Rev. Dr. Phillips,
of New York. Constitu Tonal Questions, by
the Moderator. Charge to the Pastor, by
Rev. T. S. Childs. C.ha,,,ge to the People,
by Rev. Dr. newit. .
In the evening, Dr.
of the most interesting
which we have ever Este]
It was not untimely. NI
is the rejection of this,
paved the way for the v
ical error with which
flooded; and the restore
to its true place, would
dead to the churches he
For the Presbyterian B
Scriptural
The present state ci this question is in
teresting. The efforts: aking in different
branches of the Pres e. , ,terian Church, to
secure a revised . Psalrno y,, true to the Scrip-
tare originals, on thi.; :tie hand, and more
suited to be sung on tiKother hand, are re-
markable. The chur 'es which have ad
hered to Rouse, or the,'hottish Church ver
sion, find a call amongt t for a version more
rhythmical, without, h", - ug less literal. If
such a version can' 131: produced, it is pre
sumed that a great. an cknowledged want
in those churches will. r: met. At the same
time, our New School",lrethren are moving
in the direction of Da - d's Psalms, and are
going so far as to sug, est the propriety of
chanting them, from ou prose version. The
Associate Reformed • urch are propsn
oio•
... r,
the same difficult chan r i The 0. a General
Assembly, at Baltimoi
e' rose
years since,
ordered a selection of ,earose%Esal to be
'set to - music - F.4M .rii1:14;44.-ite...7-Hyrnn
Book, for the purpose of being used in pub
lic worship. Though this was not done, the
movement was strikingly in the same direc
tion as we have noticed. At the present
time, a Committee of the Associate Re
formed Church have it in charge to bring
forward a revised version, or selection of
versions, more suited to the want; while in
Carolina, the adherents of Rouse; (the As
sociate Reformed Synod, of the South,) are
moving for a union with our own Church,
(the Synod of South Carolina,) in the settle
ment of this question. Added to all this, is
the step taken by our Assembly of late, in
incorporating with our own Book, fifty selec
tions from the Rouse version.
Nothing is plainer, from all these indica
tions, than the prevalent disposition in the
churches of our Presbyterian sisterhood, to
attain to some common ground in this mat
ter. We, who have so long sung Watt's
Psalms, as to love them quite as much as
any can• love Rouse's, ought, nevertheless,
ty concede that Watts fails in faithfulness
to the original. lie often leaves out much
of the Psalm altogether; often varies from
the literal sense; often introduces other sen
timents—all good, it may be admitted, but
not all from David's Psalms. On the other
side, it will be granted that the metrical
form of Rouse, &c., is not all that could be
desired. And if a version could be pro
duced, which should be directly from the
original, with a fair poetical structure adapt
ed to be sung without violence to the taste
or to the orderliness of this department of
worship, it would be acknowledged as a
great service done to the Church at large.
It is a crying shame that the great Pres
byterian body, sympathizing in the doctrine
and order of Christ's house, should be kept
asunder by this master of Psalmody, as by
iron bars and gates.
I propose to furnish your readers occasional
specimens of such a truly literal version as
can fairly be claimed, with an effort to make
the rhythm,more suited to be sung without
any sacrifice of the inspired sentiment.
See head of first column for Psalm Ist.
MATTFE.
For the Presbyterian Banner and Advocate
Presbytery of B4ohland.
The Presbytery of Richland held its semi
annual meeting at Mount Vernon, on the 14th
and 15th of October. There were present eleven
ministers and nine Ruling Elders. Rev. J. M.
Dinsmore was chosen Moderator, and Rev. S. R.
Hughes Temporary Clerk. The Rev. J. P. Cald
well was received from the Presbytery of
Zanesville.
Mr. Burgess was taken under the care of Pres
bytery, as a candidate for licensure. Rev. T. P:
Caldwell accepted n call from the church of Fred
erickton, and will be installed pastor of that
church on the 12th of November, by a Committee
of Presbytery.
Presbytery adopted the following minute in
reference to the death of Rev. S. M oo d y
WHEREAS, It has pleaSed the great Head of the
Church, since our last regular meeting, to re
move from earth - the Rev. S. Moody, a member
of this Presbytery, he being drowned in attempt
ing to cross the Ohio River; therefore,
iiesotvect, That brother S. Moody, by the
amenity of his manners, and his faithfulness and
ability as a minister and Presbyter, greatly en
deared himself to all his brethren.
Reaolved, That we sincerely•sympathise with
his family and pastoral charge, in their sudden
and sore bereavement.
Resolved, That we are all called upon by this
unexpected and fearful Providence, to increased
earnestness and diligence in doing what our hands
find to do in the work of the ministry.
Resolved, That a copy of these resolutions be
sent to the bereaved family bf brother Moody.
The Rev. John Robinson, of Ashland, was
elected Treasurer of Presbytery, and the under
signed Stated Clerk.
J. P. CALnwarr., Stated Clerk.
RED OF THE LORD:" "THIS ONE THING I DO."
EET, ABOVE SMITHFIELD, PITTSBURGH, PA.
DAY, NOVEMBER S, 1856.
ing to a "bar
and a majority
at we want you
'violent of Mr.
sociation • and
he church then
it and full con
:'9.yerfully exam-
Ind government
and being
is it is in Jesus
.ved, and the
ply established
,or organization
The organiza
4valuable ltuiiug
ied July 27th.
tbytery has now
whom they are
installed. over.
*'sh
a hi;
'oroir
' • . '
twit preached one
d able sermons to
• d ; on Imputation,.
verily believe it
doctrine that has
:t mass of theolog
w England is now
on of this doctrine
le as life froth the
Z. Z.
er and Advocate
almody.
Going in at the Eleventh Sour.
"And about the eleventh hour he went
out, and found others standing idle, and he
saith unto them, Why stand ye here all the
day idle ? "—Matthew xx : 6.
An old sailor, who was very ragged, and
whose white head spoke the lapse of many
years, was leaning against a post, in conver
sation with another sailor. A member of
the Bethel Union 'spoke to them, and par
ticularly invited the old man to attend the
prayer-meeting. Ms companion, after hear
ing the nature of the invitation said,
"Thomas go in. Come ! come ! man, go
into the meeting : it won't hurt you."
" Puh 1 puh I ' cried the old seaman, "I
should not know what- to do with myself.
I never go to Church'. or prayer-meetings;
besides lam too old. lam upwards of sev
enty, and I am very wicked, and have always
bier.t.oo,late fer tiggingin:
After '.moment's Taw ) .ffkg 'alelnper
looking with pity upon the old veteran,
answered,
"You are the very man the prayer-meet
ing is held for." '
"How so ? " he asked; with much sur-
prise.
" Because Jesus Christ came into the
world to save the chief of sinners. When
young, I suppose you were tewpted to think
it would be time enough to be religious when
you came to be old ?"
" Ah ! that I did," replied the sailor.
"Now you are old, and -you say it is too
late. Listen no longer to these suggestions;
come with me; no time is to be lost; for
Jesus is waiting to save you, poor sinner, or
he would have sent you to that place where
hope never comes, before this. Your sins
deserve it." "
His companion then said, " Thomas, go to
the prayer-meeting. You have need, at
your time of life, to. prepare to die."
He went, and attended regularly. Some
time after he was asked, " Well, my a c ed
friend, do you think you are too much in
years to be saved ? too old in sin for the
blood of Christ to cleanse you ?"
" No sir," said he; " I bless God I do
feel hope, - a blessed hope, which I would
not give for worlds—a hope which en
courages me to think that God will be mer
ciful to me, and pardon me, old sinner as I
am.".— (Arista/in Advocate.
How the President and Vice PreSident are
Elected.
The following is a summary of the con
stitutional requirements and acts ofUongress
upon the election of President and Vice
President of the United States :
1. The electors, are chosen by the votes of
the people on first Tuesday after the first
Monday in Nove,mber.,
2. Electors meet on the first Wednesday
in December, and cast their votes. They
then sign: three„ certificates a naes
'S'enger with one copy to the 'President's:4lle
Senate at Washington before the first Wed
rusday in January—another by mail to the
same person, and the third deliver to the
United States District Judge where electors
meet.
3. Each State provides by law for filling
any vacancy in the Board of ele,ctors, occa
sioned by absence, death, or resignation.
Such of the electors as are present are gen
erally authorized to fill any vacancy.
4. The Governors give notice to electors
of their election before the first Wednesday
in December.
5. On the second Wednesday in Februa
ry, Congress shall be in session and open
the returns. The President of the Senate
shall in the presende of the House of Rep
resentatives, open the certificates of returns,
and count the votes. The person having
the greatest number of votes for Presi
dent shall be the President if such number
be a majority of the whole number• of elee
ters appointed. And if no person have
such majority then from the persons having
the highest number, not exceeding three, on
the list of those voted for as President, the
House of Representatives shall choose im
mediately, by ballot, the President; but in
choosing the President the votes shall be ta
ken by States, the representation from each
State having one vote ; a quorum for this pur
pose shall consist of a member or members
from two-thirds of the States, and a majori
ty of all the States shall be necessary to a
choice.
G If the choice devolve upon the House
of Representatives, and they fail to wake a
choice before the 4th of March next fol
lowing, the. Vice President is to act as Presi
dent.
7. A Vice President may be elected, or
chosen by the Senate, as above provided,
before an election or choice of President.
8. The day fixed by Act of Congress for
opening and counting the votes of the elec
tors, and in ease of its being necessary, for
the .election of President by the House of
Representatives, and of Vice President by
the Senate of the 'United States, is the se
cond Wednesday in February, after the ap
pointment of electors.
9. There is no constitutional provision for
the case where there is neither a President
or Vice President elected or chosen, in the
manner directed by the Constitution. The
Act of Congress of 1782, provides, that under
such circumstances, there shall be a new
election.
Preaching.
The vice of preaching at present, in most
of our pulpits, is that we do not aim correct
ly. We strive to please the few, and not
the many; and the result is that the con
science of both parties is unmoved. The
pulpit is, dying of the proprieties. We
dare not introduce an anecdote into a ser
mon. ' We shrink from an illustration un
less we can count it classical. We are averse
even to the delineation of character, lest we
should detract from the dignity of the pul
pit. When a man is afraid' of loosing his
dignity by attending to his own business, we
generally think he has very little to lose.
We fear that the pulpit is liable to create a
similar impression. Look at the highest ex
ample of preachers. How simple is the
teaching of Christ, how, perfectly adapted
to the audience by which he was surrounded.
How it abounds in illustrations, parables,
and even every-day proverbs, so that the
common people heard him gladly. Paul
tells us himself how he preached in Corinth,
and. Ephesus, and he is surely a good model
for . a cultivated man.. Look at Bunyan, one
of the most eloquent and effective preach
ers of his time, how plain, how simple, how
earnest, and yet how full of incident and il
lustration were his discourses. Observe
President Davies, how plain, forcible, ear
nest, and direct were his discourses. We
sacrifice vivacity and interest to a vague pe
dantic notion of what is proper for the pul
pit,.as though a preacher of the Gospel were
lecturing to a class on the proprieties of
rhetoric. Is it not time that a change came
over us, and that a preacher aimed more at
interesting and converting men, and less at
the reputation of refinement of style, and
exquisiteness of propriety ? A minister
once said that a sermon without a fault
would spoil a revival. Are not such ser
mons the reason why revivals, are so rare
among us ?—Dr. Wayland.
Anniversary of the Lathes' Relief Associ-
4ssociatien for Relief of the Toor,7',,was held
in .Iccelsior Hall, on Tuesday evening, October
7th, 1856.
Hon. Thomas M. Howe acted as Chairman, and
R. H. Davis, Secretary.
The meeting was opened with prayer by Rev.
Mr. Paxton.
The following reports were then read by the
Secretary :
MANAGERS' AND SECRETARY'S REPORT
The Managers of the Allegheny Ladies' Asso
ciation for the Relief of the Poor having brought
to a close the labors of another 'Winter report—
that during the past year we have distributed
7,700 bushels of coal, 2,600 poundS of flour, 125
pairs of shoes, 119 quarts of beans, 44 pounds: of
sugar, 47 pounds of coffee, 12 pounds of tea, 55
bushels of corn meal, 30 gallons molasses, 38
bushels potatoes, 23 pohnds rice, 4 pounds can
dles, 24 pounds soap, LI pounds bacon, 25 pounds
fresh meat, 62 pounds buckwheat flour, and $l5
- worth of groceries to the sick, not enumerated,
639 yards of calico, 251 yards of muslin, 44 yards
Kentucky jeans, 79 yards red flannel, 267 yards
Canton flannel.
Given from the private resources of the Managers.
—256 garments, $35.47 in money, and provisions
not reported.
Donations Received and Distributed.-50 pounds
cotton batting, 27 yards calico, 6 yards Kentucky
jeans, 16 comforts, 12 caps, 16 bonnets, 10 men's
coats, 2 blankets, 1 bed, 43 pieces wearing ap
parel, and various kinds of provisions.
The past Winter has been remarkable for the
severity and long continuance of cold. The
heavens have frowned, above, and the earth has
been bound in icy fetters, yet plenty of food and
employment has prevented the extreme sufferings
of the previous year. The cry of misery has not
so often greeted the ear and pained the heart of
the passer by ; yet those who "go in search of
poverty that pines unseen, and will not ask," can
tell of want and sickness, and unrequited toil, of
patient martyr wives,
and cold and hungry chil
dren, in the desolate homes of those who spend
their earnings for that poison which destroys both
happiness and hope. They can tell of widows
toiling on, to feed and clothe the little ones whom
death has rendered fatherless; of childless wid
ows sitting in their solitary homes, whom disease,
and age, and poverty have rendered desolate. Of
some whose days of labor have been succeeded
by nights of watchfulness over the invalid of
years, slowly but surely descending to the grave.
They can tell the countless forms which human
misery takes, of sighs, and tears, and groans
wrung from the hearts of those innocent of crime.
It has been the privilege of the ladies of the As
sociation to comfort and relieve many such. The
interchange of feelings, the outgoing of words
of confidence and sympathy, have strengthened
the chords which bind human hearts together;
have stimulated the unfortunate and fallen to re
newed efforts. Conscious of the watchful care of
a friend who has relieved their wants, and taken
a kind interest in them, they have a motive which
incites them to deserve commendation. The de
sire to elevate them in the scale of society; to
inspire them with self-respect; and to direct
them as fellow heirs of immortality to the cross
of Christ, as the only hope of 'the sinner, has, in,
some cases, been fulfilled.
The members of this Assoolation ' in the name
M
of their aster, would render thanks to the many
kind friends who have supplied them with the
means of doing good. "Blessed is he that con
sidereth the poor; the Lord will deliver him in
the time of trouble." Who that has been a faith
ful steward of God's bounties has' not felt the
sweetness of- that promise ? The poor are to be
continued among us, and so the bounty must be
continued. The law of love written on the heart,
and the principles of the Gospel prevailing, give
an assurance that funds will not be wanting for
the carrying on of this good work. It is expect
ed that some change or modification of plan will
be made, which shall throw on their own resources,
indolent or improvident persons, who do not make
the necessary exertions, during Summer to pro
vide for coming wants. It is a delicate thing to dis
criminate; but there are those to whom it is no
charity to give. One object of this Society hos
been to discourage street begging. It is a diffi
eitlt task to deter those with whom it has become
a habit; but, through the instrumentality of this
Association, many children have been rescued from
the hopeless ruin it would have brought.
It is human to err, and the judgment may have
been .too lenient in some cases, and too severe in
others; but the aim has been cautiously and
kindly to dispense charity to the deserving. If,
in some instances, mistakes may have been made,
perhaps the very failing has leaned to virtue's
side. The wise man says, " Who so stoppeth his
ears at the cry of the poor, shall also cry himself,
but shall not be heard," and "the rich and the poor
meet together—the Lord is the maker of them
TREABDICER'S REPORT.
Mary J. Hays, in account with the Ladies' Asso
ciation for the Relief of the Poor of Allegheny
County :
Dn.
Oct. 6„ 1855. To balance in die
Treasury, $ 57:44
*arch 27, '56. ',To gentlemen's .
eabseriptions to date, 697.87
March 27, '56. To general' sab-
sorip'n and donations to date, 154.00
March 27, '54. To fines, 12.88
• 5922.19
CL
Oct. 6, 1855. To expenses of
Annual Meeting, $ 3.75
Oct. 6, 1855. To Ashworth's bill
of previous year, 13.40
March 27, 1856. Cash paid for
coal to date, 476.12
March 27, '56. Cash paid for
groceries to date, 100.86
March 27, '56. Cash paid for dry
goods, to date 124.60
March 27, '56. Cash paid for
shoes to date, 08.05
March 27, '56. Cash paid for
sewing to date, 3.41
March 27, '66. To cash given to
Sexton, 3.00
After the reading of the Reports, Constitution
and By-Laws of the Association, Rev. Dr. Pres
ly delivered the annual address.
• Rev. Dr. Elliott and Rev. Mr. Pixton'also ad
dressed the- audience. •
The addresses were all highly interesting, and
the meeting altogether a very pleasant one.
Those who failed to attend this anniversary, de
nied themselves more than they are aware of.
The following board of officers were elected to
serve during the ensuing year:
President—Mrs. William Robinson.
Vice President—Mrs. Alexander McClurg.
Secretary—Mrs. J. F. McLaren.
Treasurer—Mrs. R. S. Hays.
Managers—Mrs. James Breading, Mrs. John
Patterson, Mrs. John Irwin, Mrs. Dr. Hussey,
Mrs. Palmer, Miss Gordon, Mrs. Wade, Miss
Herron, Mrs. Gibson,
,Miss Massey, Mrs. F. R.
Brunet, Mrs. Trevor, Mrs. Kramer, Mrs. Butler,
Mrs: Eiehbaum, Miss- Anderson, Miss Wotring,
Philadelphia, 27 South Tenth Street, below Chestnut.
By Mail, or at the Office, $1.50 per Year
SEE rumens.
Delivered in. the City, 1.75
To THE PASTORS AND SESSIONS OF OUR
CHURCHES :—Dear Brethren :—The present finan
cial condition of the Board of Domestic Missions
impels us to remind the churches of the necessity
of prompt and liberal contributions, to enable the
Board to carry on the immense and important
work committed to their care. The large aug
mentation in the number of our missionaries, and
the increased average appropriation made toward
their support, have required much larger con
tributions from the churches than heretofore.
But, while our payments have been very heavy,
our receipts have been comparatively light. The
payments for the single week last past, amounted
to more than one-third of what we have in hand ;
so that, at the same rate, there is not enough money
in the treasury, at present, to last for three weeks !
As we have no collecting agents in the field, we
respectfully and earnestly request the pastors and
Sessions of all our churches to take up collections
for the Board, if they have not already done so,
and to forward them at their earliest convenience.
Our weekly payments are so large, that unless
our receipts are speedily and largely augmented,
weshall not be able to meet our accruing lia
bilities. G. W. MusomavE, Cor. Seeretary.
WHOLE NO. 215.
Miss Warner, Mrs. McCoigne.
On motion or Mr. Gibson, it was
Resolved, That a committee of two from each
ward be appointed for the purpose of procuring
subscriptions in aid of this Association.
The Chair appointed the following commit
tees:
First Ward: Robert S: Hays and James Gib
son. Second Ward : Henry P. Schwartz and B.
H. Davie. Third Ward : James Parks,Jr., and
R. C. Gray. Fourth Ward: Allen lamer and
F. R. Brunot.
On motion, the proceedings and reports were
directed to be published in all our papers.
A collection was lifted, and the annual sub
scription-book opened under very favorable au
spices.
The meeting closeewith n benediction by - Rey.
Mr. Paxton. T. M. Ifown, Chairman.
R. H. Davis, Secretary.
Per the Presbyterian Banner and Advocate.
Synod of Chicago.
The new Synod of Chicago was organized in
accordance with an order of the General Assent-
Ae Pres-
*Tie - R.76%15y _
appointed by the General. Assembly, Princeten,
October 16, 1856, at 7 o'clock?. M. In the
absence of the Rev. Ithamar Pillsbury, the
opening sermon was preached by Rev. Isaac N.
Candee, D. D., the oldest minister present.
After sermon, the above-named Presbyteries
were called to order, and were constitated as the
Synod of Chicago, by prayer.
The Rev. S. T. Wilson, of Rock Island, was
elected Moderator, and Revs. G. P. Goodhue and
R. C. Matthews were chosen Clerks. '
Several items of general interest may be noted.
In regard to the founding of a Theological
Seminary in the North-west, entire unanimity
was manifested, and the constitution piesented
by the Rev. Dr. Stevenson, of New Albany, and
adopted by several other Synods, was unanimous
ly adopted, with an amendment proposed by the
Synod of lowa.
The Directors chosen by the Synod were
Ministers, Robert C. Matthews and Samuel T
Wilson, and Elder Charles A. Spring.
The subject of establishing a religious period
ical within the bounds of the Synod, was pre
sented by the Committee on Bills and Overtures.
The principal item of interest is in the first reso
lution of the Committee's report.
Resolved, That a Committee be appointed to
correspond with the editors of some of the exist
ing weekly religious papers, with the view of ob
taining a transfer of some paper already existing
to a position within our bounds, so that it may
be employed as the organ of our Synod. And,
if this shall be found impracticable, to ascertain
the practicability of the establishment of a new
paper, and report the same to the next meeting
of Synod.
The persons chosen as Direct Ors of the new
Seminary were appointed this Committee.
The subject of Systematic Benevolence occu
pied a large share of the attention of Synod.
The admirable plan of Mr. Spring, of Chicago,
was highly recommended to the consideration of
all our churches.
On Sabbath afternoon the Sacrament of the
Lord's Supper was administered, and it was truly
"a feast of fat things" to our souls. The Mis
sionary meeting in the evening of the same day
was unusually interesting. The large house was
filled, and stirring addresses were delivered by
three returned missionaries from China, Rev. M.
S. Culbertson, who intends soon to. return to
Ningpo, and Rev. H. A. Brown and A. W. Loomis,
now members of our Synod.
The State of Religion in our churches gener
ally, was represented as being in a lamentably
low condition. Politics and a thirst for gain
seem to hove seized the public mind;and of this
spirit the members of our churches have largely
partaken. Consequently, vital godliness lan
guishes.
Synod had a delightful meeting, and the breth
ren have gone to their homes refreshed and com
forted, and we trust, girded for vigorous onslaugh
on the kingdom of darkness.
Synod adjourned on Monday, to meet at Dixon,
111., on Thursday, the 15th day of October, 1857,
at 7 o'clock P. M.
I. N. CARDxF., Stated Clerk
For the Presbyterian Banner and Advocate.
Synod of Cincinnati.
NARRATIVE OF TIEEI STATE OF RELIGION.
After a free conversation on the state of re
ligion, the following narrative was approved, and
directed to be published in the Presbyterian of the
West. And the editor of the Presbyterian Banner,
Pittsburgh, was requested to copy it.
From the statements made by the members on
this subject, Synod arrived at the following re
sults:
let. That to a very large extent, the churches
within our bounds have been furnished with a
regular uninterrupted ministry of the Word and
ordinances, during the past year.
2d. That meetings for prayer, catechetical in
structions, Sabbath Schools, Bible Classes, and
the monthly concert of prayer for the convertion
of the world, have been to a good degree main
tained.
3d. That throughout the bounds of Synod, at
tendance on the public ministry of the Word has
considerably enlarged, especially in those places
where new edifices, such as those contemplated
in the Church Extension plan, have been erected
—a fact which Synod gladly records, as an incen
tive to liberality in promoting that important
cause.
4th. That the majority of the churches within
our bounds, while comparatively in a healthy
condition, are yet without any special tokens of
the Divine presence. The absence of the Holy
Spirit in his reviving influences, was the repeated
lament, in the pastors' reports.
To this, however, there were some cheering
exceptions. Synod was gladdened to hear what
the Lord had done for the churches of Xenia,
Lebanon, Bethel, Hamilton, Buck Creek, Urbana,
Bloomingburg, Seventh church, Cincinnati, and
West Liberty, whose aggregate additions during
the current year amount to nearly four hundred
souls; for which the Synod will doubtless thank
God, and take courage.
sth. Thatin conformity with the measures and
motives for. Systematic Benevolence, suggested
by the General Assembly; the churches of this
Synod are tooking Up to a sense of responsibility
and right appreciation of duty in this momentous
matter. And the Synod, as expressive of their
conviction of duty, and of their ground of hope
for Zion's increase, would close their narrative
in the wonts of the Prophet: "Bring ye all the
tithes into the store-house, that there may be
meat in my house;
and prove me now herewith,
smith the Lord of Hosts, if I will not open you
the windows of heaven, and pour you out a bles
sing that there shall not be room enough to re
ceive it."
For the Presbyterian Banner and Advocate.
Board of Missions—Need of Funds.
MISSION ROOMS,
Philadelphia, Nov. 1, 1856. f