Namur gukcate.
PITTSBURGH, DECEMBER 27,1856
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DIRECT all Letters and Comnannlcatlonn
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Pa.
OUR LoNDON LETTER has not reached us,
the America beingdisabled by a storm, and
obliged to• return to England.
TEMPERANCE. CoNvßwrioN.—The New
York State Temperance Convention at Al
bany, last week, determined to prosecute
their labors for prohibition.
ACKNOWLEDGMENT.—We received, last
week, five dollars additional, for a Bell at the
Mission Station of Rev. Mr. Guthrie. We
need a few more such, to complete the
amount requisite.
'rah ,WESTERN UNIVERSITY.—,This liter
,
ary Institution, in our city, is increasing
in favor and promises great usefulness. The
University has met with several reverses; fire
especially having been its foe. The Faculty
are--President, Dr. M'Laren; Professors,
Messrs. M'Donsid Griggs, Griersoui and
Dense. The President has been engaged
in his work since Oct. 1855, but his formal
inauguration bad been deferred. It took
place last week, with appropriate ceremonies.
THE PRESBYTERIAN QUARTERLY RE
VIEW, for December, is on our • table. This
is an excellent number of an ably conducted
journal. The articles are all readable, and
some of them are the result of much inves
tigation. They are, I. Athanasitts in Con
test-with the Arians ; IL The Westminster
Review and Christian Missions (this is a
capital article), 111. Dueling; IV. Life
arid Times of Nicholas de Clemengis; V.
Recant Poetry; VI. Literary and Theologi
cal Intelligence.; VII. Notices of New
Books.
Oatechetical Exposition of the Romans.
The writer of this interesting series pro
poses to suspend his contributions for a time.
His object has been to present a brief but
clear exposition of the text, in a form adapt
ed to arrest the attention of the young, and
attach them to the truth. If an exposition
of the Epistle, on this plan, should be called
for to an encouraging , extent, the author
could be induced to prosecute the work.
A Church Destroyed.
On Sabbath, the I4th inst., a severe storm
. .
was 'experienced at Island Creek, Ohio,
which irreparably injured the Presbyterian
Church, of which Rev. M. A. Parkinson is
pastor. The gable end opposite the pulpit
was blown in, breaking through the ceiling,
and smashing a number of the pews. The
money loss to the congregation will be less
felt,, from the fact that they were preparing
to rebuild, next Summer ; but they are, by
this event, deprived at 'once of a place of
worship.
But a few persons had assembled at the
time, ,and hence • but little personal injury
was sustained. One only was hurt, and that
but alikhtly.
Revivals.
SALEth,VA.—About forty persons are re
garded as 'hopefully oouverted,and as many
more inquiring.
PITTSYLVANIA, VA.—The Central Pres
byterian tells of a meeting in progress, of
great promise. The Church was crowded,
and very many attended the inquiry confer
ences.
CciVINGTON, XCY.—In the pastoral charge
of Rev. J.ll. Woriell, it is stated that eight
persons have been received on examination,
and that others are inquiring.
JAM E 81313110, N. J.—A gracious manifes
,
tation of God's Spirit has been enjoyed in
this church for some weeks. Nineteen new
members were received on profession of their
faith, on the 7th inst.
MANALAPAN, N. J.—Much interest on
the subject of religion is spoken of, as mani
fest in this church,for some time. -Upwards
of a hundred at a time have attended the in
quiry meetings. There are estimated above
sixty hopeful conversions:
Modern Spiritualism, or Spirit Rapping.
We had suliposed this silly but hurtful
imposture well nigh dead. But it seems
that it still retains many deluded follow&s,
and that its consequences are no less ruin
ous than formerly. Last week the New
Ter); papers reported the death of a young
man of, fine culture, intellect, and promise,
bisenicide, owing to this insane delusion.
That city appears to be the, principal seat of
the operations of the spirit-rappers at
present, as it has been ever since the
Rochester excitement on •this subject, some
years ago. So serious_ has the matter be
come, that not a few of the clergy have felt
it to be their duty to expose and denounce
the `.whole system. Two discourses by the
Rev. Dr. 'Gordon, of that city, have been
published on the general subject. It was
announced that in his discourse on last Sab
bath evening, he would establish the fact
that," The spirits of the dead cannot, com
municate with the living nor re-visit the
earth, until the second coming of Christ."
How true is it still, " To the law and to the
testimony ; if ,they speak not according to,
this word, it is because there is no light, in
them."
The North British Review, Dr. Chalmers,
and the Theology of Scotland.
The number of the Korth British Re
view for November, commences with an
extended and elaborate leader on the works
of Dr. Chalmers. This article is in many
respects one of the most extraordinary and
significant which has ever appeared in that
miscellany. Popularly, the North British
is recognized, as the organ of the Free
Church of Scotland ; but if anything were
required in addition to the late disclaimers
which have been put forth on this point, to
satisfy the community that the popular creed
is incorrect, that evidence is afforded in this
review of the works of the latest of Scot
land's worthies . If such an article had
been written ten years ago, in an Irish or
American journal, it would have aroused a
storm of indignation all over "braid" Scot
land. Had such assaults been made in any
' periodical published out of Scotland, on the
mental characteristics, the attainments and
principles of Dr. Chalmers, together with
the Standards of the Theology of the, coun
try, the 'moorlands of the South, and the
hills of the North, would have bristled.with
warriors, starting forth to avenge the insult.
Had any English writer put forth such an
analysis of the powers of the great Scottish
preacher, it would have been attributed to
the influence of an aristocratic and prelatic
education, had he been a Churchman; or to
the jealousy and the narrow-minded sec
tarianism engendered 'by Voluntaryism, had
he spoken from the ranks of the Dissenters;
while a similar criticism, if from an Irish
source, would have been attributed to vanity
and mortification, in view of the recognized
greatness of Scotland's worthies.
We may be mistaken, but we apprehend
that the review in question is from the pen
of a Scottish writer; and if so, it clearly in
dicates that the mind of educated men in
Scotland, is beginning to drift away from
those ancient moorings, which were so long
recognized as a place of safety. It is a
matter of history, that in England when a
latitudinarian tendency in theology began to
appear among,the later Puritans, the great
men of that period foresaw that a prevalence
of such views would speedily divest their
sanctuaries of all their glory. The same
feeling prevailed in Ulster, when it was per
ceived that the principles of Mylne in Glas
gow, and others in Scotland, had been
adopted by those who were to become the
teachers of the Irish-Presbyterian people.
And so, also, at the present time there are
many in New England who foresee, with re
gret and sorrow, what the desolating effects
will be on the Church, if a swarm of pastors
are to be spread over the country,' infected
with the idealism and unsubstantial vanities
of philosophy, falsely so called, instead of
being the heralds of the old and unchange
able Gospel of Christ. With a similar feel
ing of apprehension, we doubt not there are
many in Scotland who already, as watchmen
on the walls of Zion, are beginning to blow
the trumpet, and to proclaim that an enemy
is at the door. Our readers will be able to
judge as to whether or not there is cause for
anxiety, when they are supplied with a
number of extracts frcm the review in ques
tion. Our space will prevent us from com
menting on these selections as we would de
sire.
After characterising Chalmers as a man
great in action—as the man to give the
needed and an irremstable impulse to what
ever he applied his Herculean shoulder—the
writer describes him as
Wanting almost entirely, as we shall have on
casion to show, the analytic faculty—wanting
also the severe critical faculty, and wholly want
ing that melancholic element which leads minds
severely reflective, to distrust obvious conclusions,
and to scrutinize all things that are offered to
their assent, Chabiers sent down his line into no
abyss. . He had no sympathy with minds
deeper rooted than his own, or more discrimina
tive, or more exact, or more analytic, or more
scrupulously honest toward their own misgivings.
Such minds, in approaching-his, would-quickly
discover that from him they would not receive the
aid they needed.
Elsewhere, in speaking of his adopting
and following the ideas of others, it is
added . :
But these legitimate borrowings are also char
acteristic of Chabner's order of intellect. Bold,
large in his grasp of subjects, statesman-like,
business-like, prompt to seize the salient points
of an argument, and singularly firm in his logical
hold of whatever he, held, he was not a sugges
tive, explorative, penetrative thinker". His in
tellectual habit was not that which impels or
which compels a man to pass his entire' material
of cogitation, even every atom of it, through his
own mind, and in doing so to make it his own."
Again we say, that if a few years ago any
except Scotchmen had put forth such in
sinuations, in which not only the acumen of
this great man is depreciated, but his moral
honesty is to a certain extent impugned, we
can imagine what excitement the literary
world of Scotland would have displayed.
There are weightier matters yet in store, in
which the cause of Gospel
_truth, as well as
the characteristios of Dr. Chalmers are in
terested. Adverting to certain chapters in
the treatise on cc Christian Evidences," we
are told that,
Coining, as they do, from a mind such as that
of Chalmers, they give weight and urgency, to
the demand of this present moment—that the
doctrine of inspiration should now at length be
set clear of the many confusions which still attach
to it ; and that this work should be so done as not
to leave staggering difficulties unnoticed and un
heeded; while a genuine and untroubled faith in the
authority of Scripture is brought to rest upon its
true grounds. This is a work for the under
taking of which'neither was the Christian world
in his time prepared, nor was Chalmers himself
specially .qualibed. It might be asked, is the
Christian world, even at this time, prepared for
entertaining, intelligently and reverentially, free
ly, boldly, and religiously, that great and ar
duous argument, which has so long stood waiting
its time, and which is to determine what we mean by
the hackneyed' terms, 'Revelation, and 'the Inspira
tion of Holy Scripture?
The italics are ours . , but we specially d o _
sire attention to be given to the solemn
character of the charges which this extract
involves. It would seem that not only Dr.
Chalmers, but also the great body of the
Church of Christ is in a fog and mystery on
the subjects of Inspiration and Revelation,
not really understanding what : is , a Revela,
lion, and. what is not, and consequently
'geing on from century to century, believing
anOintini, and yet in ignoiance as to the
foundation of „, Christian faith 2 In other
passages the author speaks out more ;dis. , .
tine*, and as in the extract already given,
THE PRESBYTERIAN 3ANNER AND ADVOCATE.
he puts Dr. Chalmers, and the great body of
professing Christians, into the same category,
and charges them equally with ignorance of
the truth, and even an unwillingness to
learn it; so, in the following passage, what
is affirmed of the man, must be held to be
true of all in the Church of Christ who are
described as agreeing with him in sentiment.
Again we have ventured to affirm of Chalmers'
doctrine of the Inspiration of the Scriptures, that
it is crude, inadmissible, unintelligible. This is
not all ; for it is such that, if it be insisted upon,
we must needs give in to the frivolous cavils of
writers like F. Newman, and must admit them to
be conclusive against the Divine origination of the
Bible.
It might, perhaps, puzzle the writer to tell
why any one should yield to a frivolous objec
tion ; but after having described the views
of Chalmers on the subject of Inspiration
as unintelligible, he' yet asserts that ire
was the man—every intelligent hearer felt
it with force, and 'every such reader of his
Discourses must feel it in measure—he was
the man, and why should we hesitate in
saying it 7—who was sent from above,' to
revive, to restore, and to re-establish, the
Christianity of Scotland?' And to swell
the coatradiction to the greatest magnitude,
he says, in the next paragraph—
Chalmers, as a preacher, was a great preacher
in this sense—that (for the most, part,) he occu
pied himself with First Truths, and treated them
with a boldness, and a force, and a largeness of
apprehension, which were in keeping with their
intrinsic importance.
If Chalmers and the Christian world are
in ignorance as to what is or is not a Reve
lation, and in confusion on the fundamntal
question of Inspiration, we should like to
know how he, or any man, could legitimate
ly, be said to know, with any accuracy, what
were First Truths, and what were of sec
ondary importance. His mind must have
been filled with doubt and anxiety if he rea
soned at all ; or if he adopted popular ideas
without any solid foundation, he only sub
jected himself to another difficulty equally
grave in its character.
The most significant part of this article,
and that part of it which bears on the The
ology of Scotland, remains to be noticed• It
occurs in the portion which is devoted to a
review of the "Institutes of Theology,"
and the "Prelections" on Butler, Paley, and
Hill. The author proposes to answer the
question, "What is the bearing of this body
of Divinity upon those Three Forms of
Christian opinion which, for some time past,
have been, and are now at this time, com
peting among us for the uppermost position ?
or, to be more cared, we should say, one
of them for continued existence, and the
other two for supremacy." We are left in
no doubt as to the essential character of
these three forms; for, in the next para
graph, we are informed that they are these :
First—and it is the elder of the three—Logical
Theology, or Christianity drawn forth into propo
sitions and into inferences, thence deduced by
methods of formal reasoning. The second . . .
is Philosophical Theology, or Christianity fash
ioned into conforinity, as far as possible, with the
notions and the tastes which distinguish Modern
Thought. The third is, or more
,properly it is
coming to be—Christianity derived ingenuously
and fearlessly from the Bible—Holy Scripture re
garded as the source of belief, and as the rule of
life.
By, the term, Logical Theology, the au
thor means the system of doctrine which 4s.
contained in the Westminster Standards, and
while he has no love for the second form, which
he elsewhere shows to be a negation of all
that is valuable in Christianity, he shows by
his definitions of the first and third forms,
that he believes the system of doctrine
taught in the Scottish Standards, not to be
ingenuously and fearlessly derived from
the Bible, and, therefore, these Standards
do not point out a correct rule of life.
Indeed, we are free to admit that there
is a candor and distinctness of utter
arm on the part of this writer, which we
often look,for in vain, even in the contribu
tors to the Westminster Review. The lit
erary stair, of that organ often deal in insin
uations, in vague generalities and sugges
tions of, doubts; but here all is plain. Not
only are we to believe that the Standards of
the Scottish Churches, and consequently of
the English, Irish, and American Presby
terian Churches, are not deduced from the
Bible ingenuously; but we are to receive it
as a fact, that these Standards are' becoming
obsolete; for, says this writer, " We have
alluded to the bearing of Chalmers' writings
upon the Three Theologies which now stand
in view of our British Christianity, namely,
the superannuated Logical, the modern
Philosophical, and the future Biblical."
We might here be permitted to ask the
author of this article, and the editoi of the
North. British Review, how it has come to
pass, that the doctrinal statements of the
Westminster Standards have become -super
annuated ? Is it a fact that the statements
contained in the Confession of Faith, and in
the Catechisms, on the Being and Attributes
of God, of the character of the Moral Law,
the condition of man as a guilty and corrupt
sinner, his need of salvation, the work of
Christ 'for the salvation - of sinners, and
his work in them by the Holy Spirit by
which they are sanctified—is it a fact that
the doctrines in the Confession on these
points are superannuated, or that they are
disingenuously deduced from Holy, Scrip
ture? If we are to believe this writer,
such is the case; for he further says
The Creeds and the Confessions of the Refor
mation era were, indeed, with scrupulous care,
based upon the authority of the " Holy Scrip
ture ;" and, looking at them simply as they stood
related to the manifold corruptions of the twelve
centuries preceding, they might well claim to be
Scriptural. But in what manner had they been
framed ? A certain class of texts (the italics are
the author's,) having been assumed as the ground
work of Christian belief, then a scheme of the
ology is, put together accordingly, whence, by
means of the deductive logic, all separate articles
of faith are to be derived. As to any passages
of Scripture which might seem to be of another
class, or, which do not easily fall into their places
in this scheme, they were. either ignored, or they
were controlled, and this to any extent that might
be asked for by the stern necessities of the syl
logistic method. •
Three things we have to say relative to
this extract. First, We protest, with up
lifted hands, againe the monstrous, the out
rageous attempt which is here made by a
nameless writer, to blackeu the reputation
of men profoundly learned in theology—
men famed for their holiness sand integrity
as well se for their attainmente--nien who
had no etude or unintelligible ideas of what
Inspiration and Revelation meant, and who
would have trembled at any idea of ignoring,
or controlling, or dealing falsely with Tan
WORD OF GOD. We protest against this
aspersion of character, and assert that the
statement thus recklessly put forth, is un
founded in fact, and cannot be sustained by
any adequate proof. The writings of the
Westminster Divines; their annotations;
their published works, and the literature of,
the age; all unite in showing that they
neither shut their eyes to any of the.con
tents of the Sacred Volume, nor did they
dare to ignore any of its teachings. They
knew that there was a system in the. Bible.
There is a system in Creation, a system in
Providence, and there is a system, in the
the economy of Redemption. If the Bi
ble contain a Revelation from God, it
must contain a system of Divine Truth, for
the Holy Spirit cannot, and will not, contra
dict himself. That the Standards of the
Presbyterian Church do contain a faithful
and clear condensation of the system of
Truth which is contained in the Bible, may,
be argued, not only from the fact that the
statements of these Standards are in accord
ance with the portions of the Word of God
which bear on the points defined, but also
from the fact, that, when the Bible, was
opened to Waldensians; to Germans, to
Frenchmen, to Dutchmen, as well as" to
British and American "Christians, theiryead
ing of the Sacred Volume, as expressed in
the symbols of their respective Churches,
was found to be uniform. Our second ob
servation on the above remarkable extract is.
this: We never have known an errorist,
nor a latitudinarian,' who did not dislike
logic and logical theology. We have never
I met an Arian or a Socinian, nor a person
who had loose views on Justification, or the
work of the Holy Spirit, who did not dread
logic. All Such men prefer holding to a
few isolated texts on which they affix a
meaning of their own, and then they boast
that their faith is founded on the Word of
God. Our third' remark is, that the con
structors of any Creed, or Confession, or
system of Articles, must do what this writer
appears to condemn. They must take certain
portions of Scripture as a ,basis for their
definitions on theological tenets. They must
collect the passages of Seripture, for instance,
on the attributes of d-oq, and according to
the , obvious meaning of these passages,
the dogmatic statement in the Creed will be
framed:
When we find this writer slandering the
dead, we need not be surprised at finding
him dealing unfairly with the living. It is
a fact patent and notorious to any one in or
out of the Churches of England and Scot
land, who can read and understand the mean
ing of their Standards, and who is con
versant with the writings of Bishop Butler,
that notwithstanding his clear-sightedness
in the department which is covered by his
"Analogy," yet his theology, so far as the
doctrine of Justification was concerned, was
of the most meagre' character. Indeed, the
the term meagre is a phrase too soft and
gentle to use in this connexion: Chalmers
had spoken of Butler's " meagre and mod
erate theology;" and this writer has the
audacity to affirm, that an'apologist for But
ler might retort against Chalmers, and de
clam, "that the ultra•orthodox are wont to
'keep out of sight,' or to evade the force of
those passages of Scripture to which their
Arminian antagonists make their appeal.
An exuberant or luscious orthodoxy is one
extreme, of which the meagre theology'
of the moderates is the other extreme ; our
protest is for Christianity derived from a
whole Bible.". Every reader of the whole
article on which we are commenting, and all
who knew the entire :candor and honesty
of Chalmers' character, will recognize the
injustice• and unkindness of the sneer; so
far as he is concerned; while the evangeli
cal writers and preachers of the present day,
can, ask the editor of this Review, with
abundant confidence, if his knowledge of
the literature of the ‘Church justifies this
author in asserting, and himself in publish
ing, what we do not hesitate to denounce as
untrue and calumnious.
The article from which our extracts have
been made, is in many places sufficiently
laudatory of Dr. Chalmers' works, in cer
tain respects; but his summing up yet re:
mains to be seen. What do our readers
think the ultimate judgment of this learned
reviewer is of the value to the Church, in
the future, of the twenty-five volumes which
the great Scottish preacher left behind him
Here it is
His Sermons, his Essays, his Expositions, and
his Institutes, might, to very good purpose, be
looked into and explored by the younger minis
ters of religion in Scotland, for the single purpose,
(the italics are the writer's,) of gathering into
one, the scattered' indications which they contain,
of his strong feeling, and 'deep conviction, on this
subject, namely, the too determinekve character
of the Christianity of Scotland ; or that exterior
rigidity which giires it an aspect differing by a
shade or so from the breadth, and the moral
beauty of the Christianity of the Gospel.
Want of space prevents us from giving
vent to the sentiments of just indignation
which we feel at the perusal of such a
scandalous passage. Happily, we are saved
the trouble of comment; for the next para
graph .but one supplies us with the following
remarkable utterance : " Chalmers did not
disallow (so far as we know,) any one of the
doctrinal elements of the Genevan faith."
Here we have this critic daubing and white
washing, making charges and withdrawing
them again. He feels that he contradicts
himself; and his effort to save his consistency
will raise him very deservedly to a position
as lofty asthat which Dr. Bushnell has
lately occupied. The famed distinctien of
this Divine, on the subject of the theology
of the intellect and that of the feelings, is
not more nonsensical and absurd, than
is the explanation by which this reviewer
blames and praises Dr. Chalmers, and yet
tries to save his, own consistency. Chalmers
" felt," says this writer, " though he did not
clearly apprehend the fact, that as the arti
cles which are the distinctions of that faith,
are worded pokntically, they are, thirefere,
although true—true rather in the controver
sial sense of an age of eager and desperate
contention, than in a sense purely biblical I 1"
On this extract, comment is needless.
We must" draw this notice to a close:
We had marked several other passages for
quotation, but must omit them for the
present, contenting ourselves with the fol
lowing morceau:
What, then, is it which we might have wished
Chalmers to do more than he,has done? What is
it which one who bad his ear Might have sug
gested to Lim to undertake? It was this—we
could have wished him to loosen, by a tittle, the
tightness of those logical theologies, which,
framed as they were in a disputatious age, have
now the effect of debarring us from the free and
fearless enjoyment of Holy Scripture. What we
need is, not that minimum of belief which some
ill-judging writers are now inviting us to accept ;
but that maximum of belief which an ingenuous
submission to the entire meaning of Scripture
would give us.
Will our readers believe, that after hav
ing stated the fact that Chalmers heartily
received the dectrinal Standards of the
Church, the next sentence which follows the
above is this : "This result Chalmers hon
estly and fervently desired, of which desire
the indications are frequent throughout his
writings !"
We shall wait to see how the Scottish
people,. and the ministers and members of
the Free Church, shall deal' with Professor
Fraser, in relation to the insertion of this
remarkable article..
Misrepresentation."
Under this heading we gave, on Nov.
15th, a vindication of the General Assem
bly against a charge, by the Reformed Pres
byter27an, of " inconsistency" in its action of
1818, and of a "direct contradiction" in that
of 1845 to that of 1818, on the subject of
Slavery. The Editor replied,in December,
with a commendable Christian spirit.
The Presbyterian of the West, however,
of Dec. 18th, publishes, with approbation
and a flourish of wonders, an article which
misrepresents us in the ease, even worse
than the Assembly bad been misrepresented.
We are not aware of having given any rea
son to any one, for this attempt to render us
odious. It may be that there is some jeal
ousy, or some scheming, the successful pros
ecution of which, demands that prejudice
should be excited against us in certain quar
ters. If so, we shall have to bear with it.
Such things do occur. Efforts to exhibit a
neighbor in an unfavorable light, however
pure he may be, are no new thing under the
sun. But it.may be only a misapprehension
on the part of both the correspondent and
the journal. We may not have spoken
so lucidly as we supposed we did, and their
extreme zeal for an important idea may have
prevented their noting our true position.
If so—if their love for truth in one aspect
blinded them to our real sentiments, they
will be glad to correct their mistake, and
will excuse the plainness of our speech;
and will forgive us, even though we should
manifest some indignation at their utter per
version of the manifest aim of our article.
We may give a specimen or two of our as
sailant's unfairness. He says, " Dr: McKin
ney gives up entirely that - noble testimony
of our Church against the evils of slavery."
Now, this is altogether a misstatement.
" Dr. McKinney" never did, and we trust
never will, give up that testimony—not an
iota of it. He always held to it; and has
oft reiterated it. We published it to the
world, with our approbation, when others
were silent; we, in the very article alluded
to, thank the Reformed Presbyterian for
publishing it; and we there urge it—the
whole of it—as " rational," " upright,"
thoroughly based on sound sense, and on the
foundation of the prophets and apostles."
How could any one then say, that we entirely
give it up I
Again, we' are represented thus "z "In
speaking of the Act of 1818, he says, the
Assembly did not say slavery;" it said the
voluntary enslaving '," How could the
man thus write, when it was as obvious as
noonday, that we were not speaking of the
Act, but of a sentence quoted from that Act.
The Assembly there condemns a thing most
strongly. What is that thing ? The As
sembly does not call it slavery. It says,
"the voluntary enslaving." Whether- the
brethren of that day understood their moth
er tongue, we need not affirm, but the truth
fulne.ss,of our remark, as to the words they
used, is indisputable. Why then pervert our
words ? The 'Act speaks of two things.
First, it speaks of the `"voluntary enslav
ing" of men; the Slave-trade was then notvery
long abolished; and the remembrance of it
was fresh with every one. Tins it utterly
condemn& It then proceeds to speak of
slavery, it being an existing evil, which the
Assembly deplores and' would eradicate, by
the power of truth and love.
The Assembly, as clearly as language can
express ideas; speaks of two things, or of
the same thing in two aspects. First, of
the reducing of free - men to a state of sla
very. This it calls a "voluntary enslaving,"
and describes it as " a gross violation of the
most sacred rights of human nature; as.ut
terly inconsistent with the • laws of God,"
and "totally irreconcilable with the sprit
and principles of the doctrines of Christ."
Now, could the Assembly tolerate in the
Churchmen habitually guilty orsuch a sin—
living in such a sin ! Impossible ! Then
the word "slavery," as used afterwards in
the Act, cannot be synonymous with "vol
untary enslaving," as first used. The As
sembly could not retain in communion, men
horrible in sin, as first described. Why,
even Congress, with all its faults, will not
bear with such in the country—will not
suffer them to live. The traffic, which
stimulates to the habitual practice of that
sin, is made PIRACY, and is made punish
able by death; and in the whole House of
Representatives, last week, there could
be found but eight votes against its re.con
demnation. And could the' Presbyterian
Church tolerate, and regulate within her
communion, and embrace in her bosom, men
living in such a sin ' ! Shame on those who
would charge upon hei such corruption.'
And Warne upon the journsds *hit% *wild
condemn as "hypercriticism" the clearing of
her from that charge.
The Assembly having thus summarily and
most sternly disposed of the enslaving of
men, proceeds to speak of the subject in its
second aspect, that is of Slavery—Slavery
as an existing institution. This it calls "a
paradox. in the moral system," and goes on I
for pages to deplore its evils, and to point
out and enjoin remedies. Read the whole I
Act, and note the consistency of its parts,
and its conformity to right reason and the
Holy Scriptures. Will not men discrimi- 1
nate ? Can they not bear to look at truth 1
in all her aspects ? What has blinded their
minds ? Will they not allow the Church
the use of language, and judge of her by I
what she really says ?
But possibly our contemporary regards
our opinion as of very great importance. It
would seem so from the editorial, and the
communication, and the promise from each,
of more such. It may hence be our duty
to speak yet again, and very explicitly; and
may be it will rejoice in an opportunity to
give to its readers our sentiments, just as we
state them. We shall try.
We are not in the habit of concealment ;
nor are we much troubled with fear, unless
it be the fear of doing wrong. But neither
do we think that a man should always prate;
and especially we do not allow any one to
dictate to us what we shall talk about, nor
When we shall speak. " A word in season,
how good it is 1" On the subject of Sla
very, we gave our sentiments very fully,
some time ago,' in a leading article. Then,
on the 11th of October last, exciting as were
the 'times, we, and we alone of all our
Church papers, gave the Minutes of the Gen_
eral Assembly on the subject. Then, on the
15th ult. we defended those Minutes against
charges made. That defense is now, most
'strangely, perverted into an opposition. To
correct the perversion, and as most pertinent
to the case as presented, we now say, that,
as respects the Slave Trade, or the "volun
tary enslaving" of men, the language of the
Assembly, in the first few sentences of the
Minute of 1818, expresses our views clearly.
As regards Slavery, its evils, temptations,
incidents, tendencies, the duties of parties
connected with it, and of others toward it,
&e., &0., the sentiments of the Assembly
are ours. They are correct and, well ut
tered. We hence adopt the whole Minute
I in all its force. As relates to ecclesiastical
duty toward masters, we approve of the As
sembly's action of 1845. It seems to us
Scriptural and wise. Next to the words of
inspiration by which, in all their fulness, we
would guide our faith' and learn our duty,
we know of no language which better ex
presses our views than, the documents re
ferred to. Those who have not the Banner
and Advocate of October 11, may perhaps find
access to the Assembly's new Digest, by Rev.
S. J. Baird, pp: 809-814. But, for a purer
exhibition of our belief, we refer to God's
precious Word, in Matt. vii.: 12 ; Luke
xvii 7-10; ,1. Cor. vii : 21-24 ; xii :
13; Gal. iii : 28; Eph. vi : 5-9; Col. iii :
22-25 ; iv : 1; 1. Tim. vi : 1-8; Titus
ii : 9, lir; Philemon 10-17; et, passim.
Let the reader turn to the places cited.
We do love to draw our principles from the
Sacred Oraeles,.and to purify and confirm
our faith by oft recurring thither. "To
the law and to the testimony." It is the
recourse of the man who loves light
and truth. If this statement is not suffi
ciently explicit, we know not what we can
do more. Those who will pervert this, would
pervert anything we Could say. Those who
cannot understand this, have some failing
about, their perceptive powers which it is
not in us to cure; and for us farther to at
tempt to discuss the subject, would likely be
but- a war of words and a stirring up of
strife, with no profit to Zion's unity, peace,
and'purity. And now we request our con
temporary, and our brother " Adelphos,"
and all others who may feel interested, to
examine carefully the solemnly expressed
and oft reiterated opinions of the ChUrch to
which we mutually belong; and to read the
Scriptures referred toi and to drink in the
whole spirit of the Gospel. They will then
know just what. we regard as an excellent
expression of our sentiments, and will feel
just as we wish to feel on this whole subject
of human relations.
The above paragraph is not so very, long
but our contemporary, which hail shown
so much interest in our opinions, can give it
to its readers. Doubtless, we might say, it
will be pleased to let them know just what
the Banner and Advocate thinks; and, lest
they might not have access to our files nor to
the Digest, it may accommodate them with
a full copy of the documents concerned;
and then tell them whether it and its cor
respondent believes also,- heartily, with the
Assembly.
THE BOARD OE DOMESTIC MISSIONS calls
earnestly and loudly for aid. At the cry of
the churches, the Board dispensed with col
lecting agents. Now, see the result. Wants
increase with the times, but the supply di
minishes. What is to be done ? Pastors must
bestir themselves. It is their work, and
appropriately theirs, to have the thing done,
and done rightly.
Ecclesiastical.
Rev. S. N. EVANS' Post Office address is
elianged from Stillwater, Minnesota Terri
tory, to Lane, Illinois. •
Mr. WILLIAM B. CRAIG has accepted a call
from the united churches of 13loomfield,
Sherman's Creek, and Mouth of Juniata
Pennsylvania.
Rev. J. P. CARTER, hiving accepted the
charge of the Ashman Institute, his Post
Office address will be -Oxford, Pennsyl
vania.
Mr. J. R STRAIN was ordained by the Pres
bytery of Carlisle, on the'9th inst., and
installed pastor of the churches of Millers
town and Ickesburg.
Rev. A. W. MILLER, of Charlotte, North
Carolina, has been called , to the Tabb
Street church, -Petersburg, Virginia.
Rev. Dr PALMER has " d his post slit
The Closing Year.
The year which is now drawing to a c'
has been fruitful in great events. The
tory imperfectly chronicled in our rr.
during its progress, is more important th
that recorded by the ablest historians
other days. So far as history is the guide
of our actions, those events are of Fara _
mount importance which are near to as ; and
most intimately connected with the int.-r
-ests of the Redeemer's kingdom. T hat
kingdom furnishes the central idea in rela.
tion to which the events of history are to b e
viewed, and by which their value may i t
determined. The philosophy of history.
about which so much has been vaguely sa id ,
I is contained in that simple and sublime ger ,.
eralization of the immortal Edwards, b,
which he regarded the history of the 1 1,1
as the history of Redemption. In its t ,
the distinction between civil and religi,
history disappears. Hence the histor : of
the world must be re-written, if the
rian would set forth the true cause 2
events, and the true end to which they
tending. Thus the religious journal
nishes to the present generation the 11.- A ,
important history, and to the future historiat
the most precious materials.
The two great political events of the pest
year were the conclusion of the Russiar
war, and the Presidential election. Thamah
that war is a very bloody and painful chapter
in the world's history, yet the result is a ma;-
. ter of joy to the philanthropist and Chris
tian. A check has been given to the ad
vances of that colossal power, whose shadow
gave protection to a superstition as baleful
And intolerant as that of Rome. The pride
of the followers of the false prophet has
been humbled. Channels have been opened
for the influx of European Protestant in
fluences, which must more and more prop rt
the way for the increasing success of
missions whose continued existence is per
haps the most interesting and important of
all the consequences of the triumph of
allied arms. Had Russia triumphed, our
missionaries would have been driven from
their fields of labor. Now, they are the hope
of Western Asia. Let us thank God that
blood has ceased to flow, and that the her
alds of salvation are permitted to proclaim
the joyful sound.
Oar own country has passed through a
conflict of opinion, interest and passion,
unequalled since the formation of our gov
ernment. Many feared that the result
would be the dissolution of the Union.
Many feared that the flame of civil war
kindled in Kansas, would spread till it envel
oped every portion of the land. All were
called upon to mourn for American blood,
shed by violence upon American soil.
But the election has taken place, and
order and quiet reign. To the asteni,h
mant of the nations who are ignorant of the
reverence for law and right which dwells in
the hearts of a vast majority of the Ameri
can people, the defeated party have promptly
acquiesced in the decision of a constitutional
majority. The waters of bitterness have, in
a great measure, ceased to flow. Through
out the country, there are unmistakeable
signs that soberer counsels are destined to
prevail, and that the fanatics of the North
and of the South will have little influence
in national affairs. There is good reason to
hope that the in-coming administration will
endeavor faithfully to uphold the supremacy
of the laws, and thus command the api,ro
bation, if not the active support of many
who had no share in placing it in power.
For our prospects for peace and order, and
good government, let us render devout
thanksgiving to the great Governor of the
-Nations.
- With respect to our own beloved Church,
the retrospect of the past year is pleasant.
No contentions haveldisturbed her peace, no
departures from'the faith have given occa
sions-for mourning. She presents her com
pact, united, conservatively-aggressive front,
and may thus be viewed in favorable con
trast with almost every portion of the mili
tant Church. True, we have to mourn the
too frequent absence of the converting in
fluences of the Holy Spirit; still, many
precious souls have been gathered into the
fold, and much has been done for the glory
of God.
Each family to which our sheet has been
a visitant, has a retrospect of mingled jay
and 'sorrow. Each family has bad a history
unknown in a great measure to the wore
without—a history of, the deepest interest
and import.
To some, it has been a year of joy. Pros
perity has, waited upon their efforts. New
relations have been formed—new objects of
affection Secured. The family circle remains
unbroken. The voice of gladness is heard
in their dwellings.
To others, it has been a year of sorrow.
Disappointmentshave met their hopes. Sick
ness has palsied the arm, and rendered even
life a birden. Afflictions have caused weep
and lamentation. There are vacant
places by the fire-side. Voices sweeter than
music to the ear of affection have been
hushed forever.
Let us remember that every event of
Providence has a voice of meaning ; and a
we call to mind all the way in which the Lord
has brought us during the year; as n'e
re-visit in memory the scenes of our
and of our sorrows, let us inquire what duty
of gratitude, or of humiliation, or subwis
siou; or self-denial, or benevolence, the deal
ingi' of Providence were intended to incul
cate. If bounties bestowed upon us have
been., wasted, and the afflictions sent us been
lost, let us hasten to humble ourselves before
him.
Each one has an individual retrospect
which will call for thanksgiving, and for
humiliation. Before the year shall come to
its close, let us carefully and solemnly review
its record. How many occasions for graft
tude will meet our view And yet, they
passed, perhaps, without calling forth a sm
gle expression of thanksgiving and praise.
How wonderful the -mercy of Him who has