:"RESI3YDRIA:\ BANNER & ADVOCATE].
Pre.byteriers Banner. Vol. V, No. 9.
Presbyterian advocate, Vol. XIX, No. 4. I
DAVID MeKINNEY, Editor and Proprietor.
TEILMS.-IN ADVANCE.
Original rattrg.
New Metrical Version.
PSALM IL
1. Why do the heathen tumult make?
Why such vain things have men devis'd ?
The kii , as combine, end rulers Mk°
Couusel egaiust the Lord sad Christ.
They say * 4 their hands we mean to break,
Thtir cords we mean to east away;'
❑e who in heaven sits, shall laugh,
Awi scorn them ill his judgment day.
Then shall he Ppenk to them in uratb,
Anil with his sore displensure fill;
Vlt hi.te I set my King on high,
Upon my Zlon's holy hill."
w tiros (I.eree I will make known;
The. L-rd heti' eurely raid to me,
Thou art toy w.ll.beloved Son,
This, flay hove I begotten thee."
the. nod I to thee eognge
The oat , oPS for thy heritage;
And extend
U3to ihe il's remotest tod."
T!rmi'it hrunk thcm, sad they ghnll be broke
with iron sceptre's heavy stroke;
shiver them in pieces, too,
potters their nuoir'd vessels do.
And vow, 0 kings, he wise, I say,
VI! 311 , 1g.Vg, hear the warning voice;
Save the Lord with fear to-day,
And _host with trembling, and rejoice
Kiss hoW THE SON, lest be, in wrath,
drive and drive you from the path;
For kindle soon his finger must:
Bles ,, ed ore they who in him trust!
Ver the Preaby terlan Danner aed Advocate.
Eaptitm.--.No. 5.
In the pr vious numbers, we have corn
„red the position assumed by the Baptists,
the command to baptize is a command to,
We trust that it has been made to ap-.
r, that the word, in Scripture usage, bus
the meaning they assign to it, but is ap.
led to any kind of washing, however par
!. Thee brethren, however, appeal to
instances of baptism recorded in the
Testament, as affording infallible proof
,t immersion was the primitive mode.
Surely,” say they, " immersion was prac
,d in the apostolic age, because we read
their baptizing at rivers." But who, I
:, is said to have baptized at a river ? No
but John the Baptist, and even be only
a short period, for we now find him re
,ed to .zEttou.—John iii: 23. I shall
y, in the proper place, that we are not
pattern after John's baptism, but after
t of Christ. But admitting, for argu
it's sake, that we are to follow John,
Ire is the proof that he immersed his
iples?
JOHN BAPTIZING AT JORDAN.
Our ,opponents say that he chose the Jer
i as the scene of his pious labors, because
u. river afforded deep water, suitable fur
„ring But if, as they allege, the city of
was FO well supplied with water,
those thousand persons could easily be
:reed in u few hours; and if, moreover,
y Jew throughout the length and
idth of the laud had convenient streams,
Doyle, in which to dip himself turd his
couch before every meal—where, rte
iog to their own showing, was the necese
of Jt,hu going to Jordan to immerse ?
thick we can furnish a much more sat
iny explanation of the matter. John
his appearance uniting the Jews, in WI-
Dt ul the prophecy, that he should be
voice of one crying in the wilderness."
wilderness of Judea, and, indeed, the
er ptirt, of that country, is well known
pte.rly supplied with water. There are
to :Jets ut any consequence; and these
lk.d up during the greater putt of the
that the necessary supplies for the
, to.kl for their &els and herds, must
ia !lied tre nt wells, dug at great expense.
the diffieulty tetween Abraham and
nekton about wells.—Gen. xxi : 25.
hence the disputes between Isaac's
uts and the men of Gerar, who said,
e. water is ourm."—Gen xxvi : 18-22.
Jutd.tri run along the border of the wil
,es ; and John very naturally chose the
of that river as the scene of his la
in nrder that the immense multitudes
resorted to him might obtain plentiful
lies of water for themselves, and for
beasts of burden. Even in this well
ed country, so selecting the ground for
rLeetint , :s, and other great assemblages
.eple, accommodations of that kind are
api eminent object. And it is within
htiewiedge of the writer, that during
great drought of 1854, our Baptist
treu themselves chose a particular local
e a grand Sabbath School celebration,
1,«41.t1 reference to a plentiful supply
, Icsottle water. And yet no initner
,to take place on the occasion. But
all the crowds that assemble at the
tutepeneetings, and Sabbath School
.tatiors, com pared with the multitudes
continually thronged around the fore
ir of our I.erd ? Is it at all surprising,
that he should take his station, for a
on the banks of the Jordan, and that
iacred writer should mention the fact,
it any reference to immersion ?
JOHN BAPTIZING AT :TENON.
Ls account of the mutter is confirmed
fact, that John so soon removed from
an to dEnop.—John Eusebius
Jerome, as quoted by CahnEt, Evay that
place was "eight miles from Beythopolis,
between Rabin and Jordan." The
(Ainott, or Ainvon) signifies the
ef Os, or the dove's eye spriv u ,
wa. , most probably selected by John, a%
iing plenty of wholesome water for the
tudcs, at a season when the water of
in was less palatable. For surely if
water for immersion was hi§ object, be
d not kayo a large river, and betake
to dipping the Jews in a spring.
" NUM WATER."
'ur opponents insist that ./Enon must have
chosen on account of facilities for dip
because we read that "there was
L o uter them" This language, in their
on, implies a far greater quantity of
than could have been required by the
"ONE THING IS NEEDFUL:" "ONE THING HAVE I DESIRED OF THE LORD:" "THIS ONE THING I DO."
largest assemblages of people, for their sub
sistence, for their daily purifications, and
for the animals on which they were con
veyed. " Much water," (Greek, hudata
polla,) in their imagination, is transformed
iuto a mighty roaring flood, like the Tigris
or Euphrates. Untortunately fur them, no
such large collection of waters can be found
in the wilderness of Judea. The same mode
of expression is used in Ezek. xis : 10, to
denote the little rills which nourish the
growing plants. Israel is there compared
to a vine, " fruitful and lull of branches,
by reason of many waters," (min rabic, Gr.
hudata polla.) eau the vine flourish against
" mighty, rushing fluods ?"
If John's object in going to Ramp, was
dipping, the language used by the sacred
writer appears somewhat strange, for much
water way yet be too 'shallow for immersion.
To suit the Baptist construction, the Evan
gelist, should have said, "John was baptiz
ing at .1-Enun, because there was deep water
there."
BAPTIZING IN JORDAN
It is urged, tuureover, that John bap
tized his converts in Jordan. But that
dues not prove that he iumersed the people.
It is a very CORILUOU thing for persons to go
into a river without going under the water.
But, say our Baptist friends, to baptize in
Jordan 'certainly means to plunge into
the water of Jordan. Is it so, iudeed ?
Then, when the Scripture says, " John did
baptize in the wilderness," (Mark i: 4)
the weaning is, " John did plunge the peo
ple into or under the wilderness!" The
Israelites were baptized in the Red Sea;
and were they plunged into the sea? On a
memorable occasion, God commanded the
priests, saying, " hen ye are come to the
brink of the water of Jordan, ye shall stand
still in Jordan,"—Josh. iii: 8. So is it that
in Scripture language the phrase zn Jordan
means simply at the brink of the water.
BAPTIZING IVITII. WATER.
However this may be, the very language
used by John forbids the idea that be bap
tized by immersion. He says, "I indeed
baptize you with water," (kndati) " but
he shall baptize you with the Holy Ghost
and with'-fire."—Luke iii: 16. Baptizing
with water no more signifies plunging in
water, than baptizing with the Holy Ghost
means a plunging into the Holy : Ghost.
We may further observe that the word
hudati, in the above passage, being in the
dative ease without a governing preposition,
literally signifies with water, and shows that
that element was applied to the persons, not
the persons to the element.
JERUSALEIVI AND ALL JUDEA. BAPTIZED
There is another insuperable difficulty
attending the supposition that John im•
messed. He exercised his ministry for a
period not exceeding eighteen months; and
yet, during that short period, "there went
oat unto him all the land of Judea, and
they of Jerusalem, and . were all baptized of
him."—Mark i: 5. Another Evangelist
says, " There went out to him Jerusalem
and all Judea, and all the regions round
about Jordan, and were baptized of him in
Jordan."—Matt. iii : 5, 6. That distin
guished Baptist, the Rev. Robert Hall,
speaking of John, says, " the number of
his converts was prodigious. The submis
sion to his institute appears to have been
almost national." The strong language of
the Scripture seems to imply that a majurity
of the Jewish people were baptized, and
that the ordinance was administered by
John himself. They "were all baptized of
him" (hup autou, by himself,) "in the
river of Jul i: 5 11 we sup
pose only a million of the Jews to have re
ceived the ordinance at his hands, and that
fur a whule }ear, he did nothing but bap
tize, the propiiitiun for each day would be
mare than 2,700. Nu human being could
immerse the tuurth put of that number fur
seven days in succession. Nur could any
wan live, standing mouth after mouth up to
his middle iu water. To obviate this last
difficulty, Dr. Carson supposes that John
managed to immerse his - converts without
wetting himself. His words are these :
" There is no reason to believe that John the
Baptist went into the water in baptizing.
He chose some place on the edge of the
Jordan, that admitted the immersion of the
person baptized, while the baptizer re
mained on the shure."—p. 131. This, in
deed, relieves one difficulty, but it creates
another fully as great. John, standing on a
steep bluff of the river, could easily push
down the Jews into deep water; but how
could be draw them out again ? And yet
that is one essential part of baptism by im
mersion. What machinery of pulleys,
cranes or sweeps did he use for that 'pur
pose ? Or did he plunge them down and
let them get out as best they could ?
Dr. Carson's suggestion is about as judi
cious as that of the worthy Baptist preacher
who supposed that the converts of John
might have taken their station in the Jordan
by hundreds at a time ; and then, at the
word of command, dived or dipped them
selves in the water. Thus, many thousands
could easily be immersed in a single day.
JOHN'S BAPTISM SUPERSEDED BY THAT OF
CHRIST.
After all, the mode in which John admin
istered baptism is to us of small importance.
We are not under obligation to copy his
baptism, but that of Christ. These two
institutes differ in several important par
ticulars.
First. John's baptism originated, not in
the authority of the Son, but of the Father.
John i : 33, "And I knew him not, but he
that sent me to baptize, the same said unto
me, upon whom thou shalt see the Spirit de
scending, the same is he which baptizeth
with the Holy Ghost." Christ's baptism
bad its origin in his own express command,
given after his resurrection : ." Go teach
all nations, baptizing them in the name
of the Father, and of the Son, and of the
Holy Ghost."
,Second. John's baptism was intended
for the Jews only. Christ's was designed
for all nations, according to the prediction
of Isaiah that he should "sprinkle many
nations."—Chap. lxii.
Third. John's baptism was designed to
prepare the way for the manifestation of
/Christ at a period when John himself did
'not know him John i: 18, "And I knew
him not, but that he should be made mani
fest unto Israel; therefore am I come bap
tizing with water!) baptism re
quireda twirled belief in himself, as a Divine
PUBLICATION OFFICE, GAZE : I r ,
FOR. THE WEEK ENDING SATU A Y N
•
tr ,
.6
Saviour, who had died and risen again, and
ascended to the Father.
Fourth. John's baptism was not admin
istered in the name of the Lord Jesus, or
in that of the Holy Ghost. See Acts
xix 2-5. Christ's baptism was per
formed in all three of the sacred names.
lb. John's baptism did not recognize
its subjects as members of the Christian
Church, and in this respect also differed
from Christian baptism. "Jerusalem and
all Judea, and the region round about
Jordan" were baptized by the Forerunner;
but did they therefore become members of
the Chri-tian . Church? If so, here is an
instance .of sudden apostacy without a
parallel in the history of the Church; for
no more than one hundred and twenty dis
ciples could be collected at Jerusalem at
the election of Matthias to the apostleship.
Indeed, no;hing can be wore absurd than
the idea that John shotild receive persons
into the Church, on a profession of faith in
Christ, at a time when John himself did not
know him.
THE CHRISTIAN FATHERS
The early Christian writers regarded. the
baptism of John and that of Christ as en
tirely distinct ordinances: Tertullian, com
menting on the re•baptism of the disciples
at Ephesus, remarks, " that the baptism of
John was different from that of Christ.
Paul said, With what baptism have ye been
baptized? And they said, John's. He
persuaded them to receive the baptism of
Christ."—Lib. do bopt.
Obrysostorn, on the same subject, says,
It was a bridge, which from the baptlain
of the Jews (i. e., proselyte baptism) made
a way to that of our Saviour. It was su
perior to the first, but inferior to the
second."
Augustine : "We read in the Acts of
the Apostles, that those were baptized by
Paul, who had already been baptized by
John, for no other reason but because the
baptism of John was not the baptism of
Christ." L. N. D.
For tho Presbyteriau Banner nod AdTocate.
Hindooism: Its Changes During the Last
half Century.
I have often heard it remarked, not
only by the Hindoos themselves, but also by
Protestants, that it is impossible for them to
change their long established customs, and
embrace Christianity ; that the universal
prevalence of caste and claim upon the son,
to pursue the same avocation in life as the
father, will never admit of Lny radical
change ; that such and such were the acts
and customs of their forefathers, and to de
viate
in the remotest from their example,
the most dire calamities would inevitably
follow. But such a view of the case is not
only unwarranted, but untenable. Protest
ants who have thus represented the matter;
are certainly either unacquainted with the
facts, or else they belong to that class who
know nothing of the promises of the Bible,
and are opposed 'to the spread of the glori
ous Gospel of God's. Son. That Hindooism
has undergone the most wonderful changes
during the last half century, I will now pro
ceed to show. Let us notice, first, the
changes that have taken place in the arti
cles of dress and household furniture. Half
a .century ago, the Hiudoos had but little,
if any turui.ure, and that of the rudest style.;
now, many wealthy Bubooe have their pal
aces tarnished to overflowing with the most
lashiouable and custly of English manufac
ture. Half a century ago, the sun-dial and
water cloak - were their only time-pieces;
now, clocks and watches, the most beautiful.
aud valuable, grace their drawing-rooms.
In articles of diebs, tuanv of the wealthy
wear English made cloths, in preference to
their own. Now, unary pursue occupations
which, but a very few sears ago, were en
tirely unknown in . this country. Half a
century ago, there were Le printed books in
the Bengalee language; now, thuusauds are
appearing at Calcutta annually. Half a cen
tury ago, no Hindu() ever thought of waking
himself acquainted with the English lan
guage; now, there, are hundreds in the-
English countino. r .houses of every large city
throughout the laud, who read, write, and
aptak the language fluently. For many gen
erations, the lliudous have been accustomed
to travel in rude country boats,' on foot, iu
palankins, or in cow-carts ; but now, the
must wonderful changes have been intro
duced even in this respect; now, it is not
uncommon to see the opulent seated iu
stately equippage, of English manufacture,
drawn by a pair of costly Arabian or English
steeds. The Government steamers that now
plough the thrice hallowed and bloody waters
of the Great Gauges are crowded with passen
gers. The railroad, even, that most modern
invention, they are taken with; and the
trains that now run between Calcutta and
Rareegunge, a distance of one hundred and
fifty miles, are filled to overflowing every
day. In the telegraph offices, too, they are
at their posts, contruling the wonderful
machine.
In a religious point of view, the result
has been the same. Half a century ago,
thousands of infants were thrown into the
; Hoagly (an out-let of the Ganges ) ) at the
great Sanger Make annually; but now not
one. Half a century ago, many widows
were annually burnt alive with the bodies
of their deceased husbands; but now the
remembrance even of this barbarous custom
seems to have been almost forgotten. For
merly it was thought a. very shocking thing
to touch the flesh or the hide of a dead
cow; but now many Brahmins even wear
shoes made .of cow hides instead of their
old wooden sandals. Only ten years, ago,
Bralaninism was so rife that the appearance
of one in the midst of a crowd addressed
by a Christian missionary, was sufficient to
dismiss the whole assembly, and leave the
earnest missionary without a hearer; now
not only the Brahmins themselves, but the
people listen attentively without molesta
tion. But a very few years ago, no Hin
doo would have ventured, through fear of
banishment from home, caste, and friends,
to recommend the marriage of widows; but
now, through petitions made by the Hip
does themselves, the Government, during
the present year, have passed an act mak
ing such marriage's hereafter legal. If we
lexamine into their ancient religious rites
and ceremonies, we find many not only un•
observed, but forgotten. Half a century
ago, how many native Chlistians were there
in Hindustan ? Now between Labor on
the North, and Calcutta on the South, there
are more than• 25,000 souls professing salve,.
t
tion through Jesus Christ. .alf a century
ago, how many schools wer herein which
a liberal education was impa. I Now, in
the North-West Province& tike there are
3,781 in full operation. ..this number,
87 are Government, with ~ 5,907 pupils;
33 are missionary, with 1,74 ;pupils ; 3,661
are common, with 40,181 pupils; waking a
grand total of 47,837 pupils. Ten years
,ia
ago there was out one girl school in all
ludia; now there are SeV al being con
ducted under the most fla Bring circuna
stauees. Such arc some oi the. post im
portant changes of Ilindootsin
.during the.
last fifty years. Christianity; is gradually .
working its way through the : multitudiuous
objects that oppose its progrEss, And light is
fast dispelling the moral dar4ess that hangs,
thick and dreadful over -ti': Iktrid, where,,
" every prospect pleases, un'o: °ply man is.,
vile." 11 the last lialteentas...aceoca,
plished so much, what ma :,. --:
.., •,:,,,
pest from the nest, with • . i , ..:tie
facilities fur moral and religioria 'education,
and the rapid progressof. Civilization and
Science ! Who shall now `Ski. that the close
of the nineteenth century shall not see the
whole fabric of Ilitidimisin, as well as Mo
hammedanism, dissolved, and remeinbered
only as one of the things that were ! Who
shall now predict that heathenism is too
strung for Christianity and civilization !
The past ignores such an assumption. The
present promises changes that will astonish
the whole world. Let the fiends of Christ,
therefore, rally all their strength around the
banner of the Cross; and let their prayers
ascend with one harmonious voice to Je
hovah of hosts, pleading th'at this glorious
work begun and so successfally carried on in
heathen lands, arid especially; in, India, may
be crowned with still more : success; that
more laborers he sent into, the harvest;
and we have the promise .that the work
shall be done, and " that his Word shall
accomplish that whereunto he hath sent it."
A. O. J.
Purrukhabad, North Ingia, Sept. 1.
For the Presbyterian Banner and Advocate
From the North-West.
Introductory—Dedication 03 riesbyterian Church
, in Princeton, Illinois—Order of Exercises—Con
stitution of Synod of Chicago—Adoption of the
Constitution of Theological Seminary for North
-West—Seven Synods Concur—Why ' was not
Missouri Invited'-4-c.
DR. KINNEY : vear is
always gratifying to the children of a com
mon Master, to hear reports of the success
of his cause in any part of his widely
extended vineyard. Permit - me, therefore,
through the columns of your paper, to
speak of a few matters in the North-Western
part of Illinois.
I had the pleasure, recently, of attending
the dedication of a house ofiworship erected
by the Presbyterian chtnrclai;of Princeton, of
which at present, the Rev J. C. Barr is
• the pastor. The house is alfine, large brick
edifice, fifty by eighty ; feet, than 4ie : gr99.tid+
of proportionate height; finisliTd
nished with no little taste; and surmounted
with a spire pointing to the skies, where
d welleth the Hope of Israel. This, it is
believed, is the largest, and in some respects
the best, church edifice in the new synod
of Chicago. Its cost, with furnace and
appliances, will not be far from *lO,OOO,
which the congregation meets, with little or
DO help from a foreign source. And yet
the congregation is not very large, nor are
there in it any persons of great wealth. It
is composed mostly of substantial farmers,
who, aided by nit ny liberal-minded persons
of the town, .have devoted a part of their
bountiful stores granted by the Lord of the
harvest, to the erection of this structure to
his name;
-
This church is the result of a movement
which took place some years since, which
resulted in the formation of a second Con
gregational church in Princeton, which
afterwards connected with the Old School
branch of the Presbyterian family. The
dedication took place upon the morning of
Thursday, the 16th day of October, and
notwithstanding the fact of its being upon
a week day, the ,house was filled with
a large and attentive audience. The order
of exercises were as follows:
Ist. Anthem, by the Choir. 2d. Invo
cation, by Rev. W. W. Harsha, of Dixon.
3d. Singing, 502 d Hymn, by the c -ngrega
don. 4th. Reading the Scriptures, by
Rev. Mr. Walker , of the M. B. Church.
sth. Prayer, by Rev. Mr. Keys, of the
Congreuational Church. 6th. Singing, 503 d
Hymn, by the congregation. 7th. Sermon,
by Rev. R. W. Henry, of tbe.South Pres
byterian church, Chicago. Bth. Dedicatory
Prayer, by the pastor, Rev. J. C. Barr.
9th. Address to the congregation, by Rev.
W. W. Harsha. 10th. Anthem, by the
Choir. 11th. Benediction, by the pastor.
The series throughout were interesting
and instructive, and were listened to by the
audience without apparent weariness. The
sermon by brother Henry was a noble
effort, founded upon the sth and 6th verses
of the 137th Psalm, in which the nature,
grounds and results of the Christian's love
for the Church were set forth. Brother H.
has a pleasing style, an • animated- and
earnest delivery, and a winning address,
which, if the Lord spares his life, will
enable him to do a good work in the
Master's service. His sermon up,,n this oc
casion will, I trust, be long remembered,
and its truths cherished and practiced.
It is proper to give to the choir their
meed of praise, as their tasteful performance
of the duty assigned them in these services
contributed very largely to the interest and
pleasure of the hour.
Brother
.
Brother Barr, who is the pastor of this
church, has a large and inviting field of labor,
and so far as we can judge, God is qualifying
him for the work. We think he has the love
and respect of the people of his charge, and
of the community, as he has the sympathy
and prayers of his co-Presbyters. May
thousands within the walls of that noble
edifice hear the word of life from his lips,
and hearing, live.
Upon the evening of the day of the dedi
cation, the three Presbyteries of Schuyler,
Chicago and Rock River, met in the newly
dedicated house, and by direction of the late
General Assembly, were constituted the
Synod of Chicago. Rev. J. Pillsbury being
Providentially prevented from attending,
Rev. I. N. Candee, D. D., the oldest min
ister present, preached a sermon, constituted
the Synod with prayer, and presided until a
Moderator was chosen. Rev. S. T. Wilson,
of Rook island, was chosen. the first Mod
SMITHFIELD ; PITTSBURGH, PA.
Li
BER 22, 1856.
E!!!
orator of this new Synod, and presided:with
dignity and urbanity during its sessions.
This body consists of fifty-eight ministers,
seventy-five churches, and has Within its
bounds about four thousand communicants.
Much business off-importance was trans' . l
acted, among : VP hieh,..vlits.th'e adoption of the
Constitution of the, , Theological
. Seminary
for the 'Nofili-West; This made the sev
enth'Synod'adoloting'it ; and if the Direc
tors make owige . selection of a site for the
Seminary, lvo• l iiiay, hope great results to fol..
lowits rento*al from, New Albany.
One of the members of the Synod of
Chicago proposed to instruct the directors
to invite the Synod of Missouri to co-oper
ate ; but the Motion was unfortunately lost.
An 01. ',lie is allowed_ to influence some
;hret , ' Eastern - Synods, and Missouri
must 'se:: : to be admitted before she can ma
ter this Sotherhood. of Synods in *Tying
forwat the ti4Ol:d.seal .adIF
'Or • • ie-Nor6--"i; • z' •• .
WbF, should not she, like other Synods,
be invited to engage ? The Directors meet
in Chicago, November 6th, when you may
perhaps hear from me again.
Yours, NORTH-WtST.
For the Presbyterian Banner and Advocate
A few plain Letters to a Young Friend,
just entered on the Ministry.
NO. I.
The subject of the letter I now address to
you, is rather an unusual one. If you do
not think it.of grave importance now, you
will, should you live as long as I have.
From some allusions made by you in our
conversation a day or two before your instal
lation, I infer you will not long remain a
single man. I do not suppose, however,
that you have already made choice of a com
panion. Your determination, however, is
to do so, as soon as "the way is clear."
Now, it is about this matter I address you.
You have frequently told me that you most
earnestly solicited .my counsel, in any way I
thought would promote your interests. Will
you permit me then, to say to you, that on
h e r, to whom you may join your earthly des
tiny, will depend in a very great degree,
your usefulness as a minister. To a man
who was mourning the death of a wife, and
saying, " she was the half of'the house,"
another' observed, "Ah I I know women
that are the whole of it." The "woman
whom you" may "take by the bind to be
your lawful and wedded wife, may make you,
under God, the half, (shall I say the whole ?)
of what you will be in some very important
respects, as a minister. Or she may (you
will pardon the expression,) under Beelze
bub, unmake you as to what you are now,
and are likely, under proper cultivation to
improve, to be, in many important re
spects. Said a minister to me, once at an
ordination, " I wish the Book enjoined it on
us to deliver a charge to the wife too." It
may be thought by you, young man,,a little
upcourteous to say it; but I wish so' top.
....cie 6 J...414a651ve•e0504,44411.4,114.442.%
then, you ask? Why, by all means make it
a matter of continued and earnest prayer.
A good wife is from the Lord. I need not
say to you, that she should be pious. Get
every evidence of this you can, before ad
dressing her. If you marry an ungodly wo
man it is exceedingly improbable, in my
humble judgment, that a minister's wife,
though she may become, she ever will be
come pious. After much observation, lam
persuaded, that but few who have entered
ministers houses unconverted brides, were
ever anything else than ungodly wives.
And what a trial it is to have one, let those
who have them say.
Need I say to you, my dear young broth
er, do not be a fortune-hunter. The dis
pleasure of God rests on such. I know a
few such wandering Ishmaelites whose bands
are offered to every rich woman; but, strange
as it may seem, though they are likely fel
lows, every woman's "hand is against
them." And there's a providence in it.
With regard to the "usual qualifications"
—beauty is fading, but an amiable temper,
and a cultivated understanding are substan
tial. Marry a woman of good common sense
and education. A well educated female is
more apt to studs to suit herself to her hus
band's peculiarities, than one who is great
ly ignorant.
I might thus go on and say, what .1 would
think, a hundred wise things about choosing
a wife—but there is one thing that I don't
want you to forget. That is this : after you
have got a wife, you may, yourself, to a
great extent, make her all she, will be to
you. "All men have not faith," and I tell
you that all men have not reason. There
are unreasonable husbands, as well as wives,
and a number of very unreasonable ones in the
ministry too. When you get a wife then,
John, " be not bitter against her"—be rea
sonable, be civil. And that is being a great
deal more than some people, that look mighty
civil, are. When you have made your
choice, and are established in the parsonage,
I will come and see you, and judge for my
self how far you have taken my counsel.
In the meantime, I shall frequently amuse
myself thinking what the effect on dear
Mrs. IL would be, if she saw this letter.
Believe me, she is one of the best of wives,
and does not sit for the picture of a bad one.
Truly yours.
From the Due West Telescope
Southern Thoughts on the Instruction of
Negroes.
It is pleasing to sec one and another of
the great and good among the true friends
of the South, and of the negroes in the
South, taking large, Christian views of our
obligations to the African in our midst. *
* * At any rate, our servants are not on
ly our property ; they are members of our
households, they are the companions of . our
children, as well as the tillers of our soil;
and we ought to stand by them, defend
them, improve them, make them happy and
useful, and fit them as best we can, for hap
piness and glaiy hereafter. * .* * We
are glad to find that such a feeling is grow
ing in the South: And we hope the day is
not far distant when those laws against al
lowing slaves to be taught to read, shall be
blotted from. our Statutes. They are ad
mitted to be a dead letter. Then why re
tain them ? If they do us no good they arm
our foes, and thus do us an injury.
Mr• Yeadon, who has long been editor of
the Charleston, (S. . C ,) Courier, and who
has just been elected to the Legislature,
heading the ticket, was. recently in. Boston.
Re galled on Theodore Parker, met Urals.
Lloyd: rarrison, and, in a conversation which
he reports, told them many plain truths'
about the South and her Institutions. In
the report of thakconversation we find the
following paragraPh,
As to SoathernArive :against , allowing
slaves to read and wilte, I stated that
knew:them to be a dead - le,tteilkuSoth Car
olina, and I believed them to'W.A . ' in the
entire South; and ihat, in ,South Carolina
many leading men were in4faVor, as I my
self was, of wiping those laws from our
Statute, book as contrary,to the spirit of Pro
testant Christianity, which could not canals
tently.permit the Bible to be a sealed book
to any human being, of any color or condi
tion. I added, I was not only , in favor of
allowing slaves to learn to read and write,
but that 'I believed no injury could result to
us from such a course, as our negroes were
a religious And even a superstitious race;`
e e 414; able to „read, they would
1.11 the, Bible, and
Hymn Book ! and that even inotird
pamphlets would circulate harmlessly among
them,
by either being unread, or neutralized
by the better and holier readings and teach
ings of the sacred volume. I was asked if
it was this last stated reason that had inclined
.my mind in favor of extending this privil
ege to the negroes r I answered no ; that I
hoped that I was actuated by a higher mo
tive—the spiritual welfare and eternal inter
est of the negroes. Here Mr. Garrison re
marked that neither the Charleston Courier,
not the Charleston Mercury would dare, or
venture, to maintain such sentiments. To
which I replied that they both would, and
the Courier should. Mr. Garrison still
doubted, but I insisted, and said time should
bring him proof of the correctness of my as
sertion. I was asked if these opinions of mine,
and the progress of missionary effort amen g the
slaves in the South, indicating that either I,
or the South, was acting with a view to the
ultimate emancipation of the negro race? I
answered, Not at all. They are wholly irre
spective of any such plan, which does not
enter at all into my mind, or the Southern
mind. Domestic slavery is regarded as the
perpetual and not thifavorable destiny of
the South, unless and untill it shall please
Providence, at some day, in the very remote
future, to extinguish it, or remove it, from
our borders, by an exodus greater, and as
miraculous as that of the Jews."
Let go all the Anchors.
There are some very good people who will
not sustain this or that benevolent enterprise
of the Church, because they regard it as
less important than some others. They will
not do anything for Foreign Missions, be
cause they think our own country should
first be evangelized. They will not sustain
Church Extension, becauFe they deem the
education of the ministry a paramount duty.
They withhold support from the superannu
ated servants of God, because they imagine
it- will do more good to seatterabiroad tracts
and - b
the ski 1 u mariner ose s • , • , •
winds are dashing on a lee-shore. He lets
go all anchors. If the kedge will noehold,
te best bower may. If . both theSe fail, the
sheet-anchor may arrest the drifting vessel.
If no one of these alone will suffice, they
altogether may save his life. So it is with
the benevolent enterprises of our Church.
They are all needed. They brace and stay
each other in the great work of arresting
souls drifting to ruin, and anchoring them
safe by the throne of God. Each may be
instrumental in saving some who would be
lost if it were wanting. Every church edi
fice erected, tends to raise np missionaries,
and colporteurs, and theological students.
Every church freed from debt is enabled to
contribute more liberally for the support of
all that is good.
RELIGION IN AMERICA.—It is estimated
by the Rev. Dr. Baird that, " including the
Roman Catholic priests and the Unitarian,
Universalist, and other heterodox preachers,
these is in the United States one preacher
for every 810 souls." The average salary of
these preachers is $5OO per year. More
than 1000 new church, edifices are erected
every year. Dr. Baird also estimates that
18,000,000 of the 26,500,000 people in the
United States, in 1855, were under the in
struction and influence of the "Evangeli
cal" churches; and 4,000,000 or 5,000,000
under the influence of the " non-Evangeli
cal bodies, of which the Roman Catholic is
by far the most numerous. The total Cost
of public worship in the United States, an
nually is set down at $25,000,000
Synod of Northern Indiana.
The Synod of Northern Indiana met in Craw
fordsville on Thursday, October 16th, 1856, and
was opened with a sermon by the Moderator,
from Matt. xxviil : 20: Lo, lam with you
alway, even to the end of the world."
Rev. Jonathan Edwards, D. D., was elected
Moderator, and W. Y. Allen and Levi Hughes,
Clerks.
Although the weather was delightful, the
health of the country unusually good, and the
place accessible by railroad, the attendance was
not large, there being an unusually small number
of Ruling Elders present. The subject of
securing a fuller attendance was discussed, and
Rev. J. C. Brown was appointed to address a letter
to the churches, urging them to send representa
tives. It is boped this may have the desired
effect, and that at our next meeting, we will have
a full representation.
Rev. Dr. Happersett addressed Synod, present
ing the claims of the Board of Missions, and the
following resolutions were adopted:
Resolved, That Synod have heard with interest,
the address of Rev. Dr. Happersett, and learn
with sorrow, that less than one thousand dollars
have been contributed by our churches to the
Board of Missions, and "that fully one-half of
them have contributed nothing during the year.
Resolved, That Synod highly approve of the ac
tion of the Board in dispensing with the use of
agents, and that we will endeavor, during the
current year, to secure a contribution to the
Board of Missions in every one of our churches.
Resolved, Synod having been supplied with
blanks for systematic efforts, we will endeavor to
make a fair trial of the plan for the ensuing year,
and it is hereby enjoined upon all the Presby
teries to take measures to bring this cause before
all the churches, and report at the next meeting
of Synod.
Rev. Dr. Thomas, of the Synod of Indiana,
presented the annual report of the . Directors of
New Albany Theological Seminary, accompanied
with some very appropriate remarks, after which
a constitution for a North-Western Theological
Seminary was read, contemplating a removal of
the New Albany Seminary to such a place as may
be agreed upon by the seven Synods uniting in
the enterprise.
The constitution was unanimously adopted,
and Revs. J. C. Brown, Levi .Hughes and J. B.
Crowe, with James M. Ray and Jesse L. Wil
liams, Esq., were appointed Directord of this
Synod.
The ilillawing anessanot vas ordered upon
Philadelphia, 27 South Tenth Street, below Chestnut.
By Nail, or at the Office, $1.50 per Year,
SEE PROSPECTUS
Delivered in the City, 1.75 "
WHOLE NO. 217.
the Presbyteries, to pay the traveling expenses
of Trustees for the ensuing year: Logansport,
$15.00 ; Lake, $9.50 ; Crawfordsville, $17.8%. ;
Fort Wayne, $10.00; Muncie, $9.60. (A sub
sequent change in the boundaries of Logansport
and Crawfordsville Presbyteries will make th.:
proportion to Logansport, $17,00, and Craw
fordsville, $15.32.)
It was resolved to overture the Board of Trus
tees of Hanover College and the Synod of
In
diana, to reduce the number of Trustees one-hall,
and also to request those bodies to devise meinb4
to pay the expenses of the Trustees who may at
tend the meetings of the Board.
The Stated Clerk read a communication from
the Sep/Lary of the Church Extension Commit
tee. Tfir following was the action of Synod:
In view of the fact that one-third of all tit,:
churches of this Synod have received aid from
the Church. Extension Fund, amounting in th.,
aggregate to $4;390, and but fifteen of our
churches have ever contributed to the cause, and
only to the amount of $150.38.
Resolved, That we do most earnestly enjoin
upon all our churches to take up collections fur
this
,cause, and so far as practicable, to do it on
the first Sabbath in November, according to the
was the aciion . ol, Hap -
over College : 1. We are gratified to learn ths., '
in the midst of all the difficulties of the year
past, the College has still been kept in operation,
and has accomplished so much good.
The attention of Synod is called to the fact
that the endowment pauses, when within a frac
tion of its completion. * * * That there
are $7,000 of unpaid salaries due the Professorz
for services rendered, and that but $203 of the.
amount pledged toward the President's salary for
this Synod, has been raised.
3. We would express real and profound sym
pathy with the President and Professors in their
arduous labors, deep discouragements, and reel
pecuniary wants.
4. We would record it as a shame to the Presby
terians of Indiana, before the world and Church
of God, that the President and Profedsors of their
College have been required to labor under such
distressing circumstances as have been revealed
to 1/F.
Rev. F. P. Cummins and Robert Irwin were
elected Trustees. The amount of $2,600, neces
sary. to complete the endowment, was raised in
notes on the spot, and the members of Synod
pledged themselves to immediate and earnest
efforts to raise to the amount of thirty cents per
member in all the churches - within our bounds,
to meet demands now urgently pressing upon the
finances of the College.
The Committee on the minutes of the General
Assembly reported : 1. Synod reiterated the call
of the Assembly for a day of, prayer, on the last.
Thursday of February, 1857„ 2. Recommended
the Presbyteries to take such order as will secure
the election of Deacons.. 3. Also to take action
whiz]] will secure contributions for widows and
orphans of deceased ministers. 4. Directing at
tention to action of Assembly on subject of in
stalling Ruling Elders, (page 529.) The bounda
ries of Logansport and Crawfordsville Presby
teries -were so changed as to transfer all the
churches in Clinton County to Logansport Pres
bytery, and between Logansport and Muncie as
to transfer Tipton County to Muncie Presbytery ;
Reir. John Dale was also transferred to Muncie
Presbytery. Ordered, that the pastoral letter of
the last General Assembly be read in all our
churches.
Resolved, That Synod has heard with the deep
est sorrow, the alarming increase of intemper
ance within our bounds, since the defeat of the
Temperance Law., In view of this we do earn
estly exhort 01l our members to exert all the
Moral and ,legal suasion possible, to arrest this
m'onstr'ous evil, iao Piolitto of niisieiy`• and crime,
to make • special mention of the remarkable and
universal preialence of good health throughout
our bounds daring the past year, in the merciful•
providence of God.
Synod closed its sessions on Monday evening,
with a vote of thanks to the kind friends of
Crawfordsville, who were unbounded in their hos
pitality to its members, •
$57.36 were raised at the anniversary on Mis
sions, on the Sabbath.
Adjourned to meet at South Bend on the third
Thursday of October, 1867, at seven o'clock,
P. M. E. W. WatunT, Stated Clerk.
For the Presbyterian banner aim Advocate.
Synod, of Ohio.
The Synod of Ohio commenced its annual Ses
sions in the Second Presbyterian church, Zanes
ville, Oct. 16th, 1856, at 7 o'clock P. M. The
opening sermon was preached by the Moderator,
Rev. J. D. Smith, from John xvii: 21, "That
they all may be one," &c.
Rev. Wm". M. Robinson was elected Moderator,
and Rev. J. E. Carson, and Rev. I. N. Shepherd,
were elected temporary Clerks, for the present
year.
There was but little business before the Synod,
of the ordinary character. The. Committee on
Bills and Overtures, and the Judicial Committee,
both reported, near the close of the meeting, that
no business had been put into their bands.
The attention of Synod was occupied principally
with the 'consideration of the question of a Synod
ical College. On this subject, an interesting dis
cussion took place, relating chiefly to the location
of said College. Three places were before Synod,
with definite proposals—Chillicothe, West Liber
ty, and Bellefontaine. In view of all considera
tions, and after mature deliberation, the proposal
of Chillicothe was deemed the best by Synod ;
and they decided in favor of this place as the loca
tion, by the following vote :—For Chillicothe, 42 ;
West Liberty, 35'; Bellefontaine, 3. If the Synod
of -Cincinnati should not concur in this decision,
it was provided that a convention of the two
Synods might be called.
The following resolutions were adopted, in re
ference to the contributions to the Boards, viz : -
1. That the Synod earnestly urge upon the
Presbyteries, to see that all the churches under
their care respectively, take up collections every
year, for each of the following causes, and at the
periods named, viz—For the Board of Publication
during April ; for the Board of Education, during
June ; for the Board of Church Extension, during
September; for the Board of Foreign Missions,
during November; and for the Board of Domestic
Missions, during January.
2. That the Synod do hereby urge upon all the
churches under their care, to inereaoe largely the
amount of their contributions to the several
causes named.
The following resolutions were adopted relative
to, the operations of the American Bible Society :
Resolved, That the Synod of Ohio has heard
with great pleasure of the resolution of the
Am. Bible Society, in humble reliance on Divine
aid, to enter upon, a second exploration of our entire
country, with the purpose of placing a copy of
the Sacred Volume, as early as practicable, in every
destitute household where there is a willingness
to receive it..
•Resolved, That this -Synod cordially commends
this work, and the Bible cause generally, to all its
ministers and congregations, and relies on them
heartily to co-operate with the friends of religion,
in .carrying forward so great an enterprise to en
tire completion.
Resolved, That this Synod has great pleasure in
bearing its testimony to the excellence of the
English translation of the Holy Scriptures, now
in general use, and circulated by the American
Bible Society.
Resolutions were passed, also, expressive of
Synod's interest and confidence in the Western
Theological Seminary, at Allegheny.
The special sermons before Synod, by Rev. J.
D. Smith, Rev. W. S. Kennedy, and Rev. F. T.
Brown, were of marked ability, and were re
quested for publication.
The presence of several brethren—ministers
and elders from other Synods—gave great pleas
ure to the members of Synod, and added consid
erably to the interest of the occasion.
After pleasant and harmonious Sessions, the
Synod adjourned on Tuesday afternoon, to mee t
nest year in Wooster.
By order of Hyped,
, . •
)L Hoop, &Aid Clark.