uA ' ; f r V* lil egatt attl;(- DVotait, A r PITiBBI7RGH, JANUARY 24,1857. 0/41Ipt advance ; or In Clubs el .gli; daliriiredid residencies of lhalaserie bora, 111.111. dee Prospectus, 011 Third Pages RHi li SW AL II should be prompt; e little 111'1141, "prima tbe' glair isidway that we sway soaks full arrangements for a steady supply. MORA 143111.-WRAPPWL Indicates that Iwo dudre a renewals tro however, In the baits, ar attOthlt signal illosidlbs omitted* we harm our Mends WU, sill' not forget aks. REMITTANCEIL—ben payment by safe hands, when convenient.. Or s mood by enclosing with ordinary care, and troubling 11 11101661* wtti a.:linivviedge of what you are ein& Per is large amount, send a Drafts or wisp Ko i n e. Par sensor two papersoend Gold or, small notes. TO MaKla CIIANO*I Bend postage itaropo, or . ll4llei 'kith send for more papiras say $5l Sorsaitylossaborog or $1 for Thlityothooo AU-Lottoro outdDoausannicatiooo to LIAM DAVID .11161MNAIre Pittsburgh. A.OKNOWIaLDOMENT.—Received of " ; A !Orient," aiid paid over twenty dollars for Foieig t h ‘Missions. THEOLOGHOAL SEBSINARY OF THE NORTH- WgsT.—As may be 'omen in our "Notices," the-Directorit of this Institution are to Meet in the North Presbyterian Church, Chicago on tuasday the 3d day of Pebruary next. !/13usiness of vital importance," Bays the President of the Board, "demands the preE ence of 'every member." THE UNITED PRESBYTERIAN of the West, is the name of a new paper, pub• lished at Monmouth, 111., DAVID MAODILL, D. D., Editor;. the first , No. of which is now'before us. It is a sheet of 'a.bout the medium size of religious papers, and prom ises fairly for usefulness. It will maintain the sentiments of the Associate Reformed Presbyterian church. It has our cordial welcome. CHANGE OF INAME.—The Legislature of Pennsylvania, being duly requested, have changed the name of the "Board of Mis sions" of the G-eneral Assembly, to the Board of Domestic _Missions. The former was, until now, the carpiwate title. Tustom has been fixing upon the institution the latter title; and it Is, by proper authority, henceforth legalized. RE viv AL KERRY COUNTY, PA.-By a letter from Rev. L. W. Williams, Landis burg, Pa. we are pleased to learn, that there is a most , precious and wonderful out-pour , , ing of the Spirit of God upon two of the ,churches under his care. In one of them, forty-four persons have been awakened and hopefully brought to Christ, and twenty nine in the" other. The Work was still in pro gress, and communion occasions were con templated shortly. • May the Lord's favor continue, and be greatly extended. Tireath of Dr. Harris. Dr. John -Harris, 'President of New' Col legei London, has`ceased froth his:labors. His works remain, a monument to perpetu ate his memory, and a means of benefit to many generitions. He is best known to American' Christians by his prize essay en titled llianiiizOn; 'Work which has put forth a decided'inftnentie: in favor of systematic beneficence. Another excellent work of his, is The Greta Teacher. A third iniportant production is . spokeuof as having been . nearly completed, of, which " Pre-Aciamite Earth," " Man PrimevaV and " Patriarchy " are sections. He was. but in his 53a year at thii time' of his death. • A Sabbath for. Printers. It is well known that, in offices of daily morning papers, the compositors havebeen, and mostly are still,-employed a large por tion of the Sabbath. For this there is no real necessity. Good managentent, with proper diligence on weekday hare, r oan ac song& ,all ;the work. We., are hence pleased to we the following announcement by the Philadelphia Daily Times : "The office of the Times will be closed at eleven o'clock this ( Saturday), evening, and will not be opened till kalf-past twelve o'clock A. M., Monday morning. In making the abos arrangement, we wish our friends and patrons to understand that the Times will be issued and served at the usual hair on Monday morning, contain ing all the news by telegraph and otherwise, preeisoly, tke same as if the office were.open during the day. On the Londou Times, and, other papers in that city, labor is sus pended. on the Sabbath. We believe it can be .done on the Morning Times, ,without keeping from our readers the news which they, have been 4tecustomed to have spread *before them on Monday morning." Extravagant language is , very Mitch ,the habit cif `the timee. Newspapers are. great. ly blamed for it; and they, are deepltguil til ` But.) l eY, rt,te' nor yet oheigiable` with :dereliction in this line; neither in their editorials, nor in the pieces whieh'they admit. Even this extravagances thet utter in: their adveitising polumns, are emcee n, in social' intercourse, and by pepplemet censorious <the print tea. , But' we do not excuse the, latter. They are, or: should be, the F ' of propriety. They jpeek to many, and it'is theizi'dity to reprove. They , should henoe be eiamplee.,,,li , accordance with this sai l tin/out are pleased to see, quoted from remarks by a member befor the Aisociated Sea the, fellewing uski e ry offensive feature of the journal= ism, .of, the ; day is the system, of universal sudindiemiminate 'puffing' of every, person and thingfor which some ;slight equivalent may have been given. The, public are fast losing,ennfideneein editor's , notiees of 'exhi bitione, booktyquaek medicines, charlatans, and .humbugs; ; and,until the press shakes off the habit, and abandons the idea that everything,, good, bad, or indifferent, has to be cominended; ,fori a' -notice of which they have,bein .jightly, , eomplimented, the read. ere;ef think the "Peeelikiweted no, omen aptiees very pooriy , ...aboupied; , ,aini ry prpperly give up paying Any Woe .l4°A,,t9•.**.t!t ==llWWZ=l=6=2 Reference Bibles; Dr.tee'siofEdinburgh.* In the study of the Sibla f iire are:to make it, as ranch as possible, its own interpreter. Passages in which it speaks of the same, or , of similar%subjeete,. are •to be compared. What it says of a subject ,ineidentally, is to be interpreted by what it says, on the same subject, directly.. What it says on a doc trine or duty in one connexion, is to be col lated with the manner in which the same is set forth in 'other connexions. It is hence manifest that to, get a proper knowledge of the Scriptuxes,, an µ immense work.; and that if each one is to commence the task of himself, without any aid from those who have "searched"' before him, his attain ments must come far short of perfectness , so extensive is Revelation, so ,many things does it embrace, so frequently and , ; in such. • varied combinations and associations are truths presented. Theßible, in all its parts. possesses a The Author of:each portien is one and, the same. But God spoke at sundry times, and in divers man ners—by prophets, evangelists, and apostles —by direct utterances, by types; by para- Mee,' and by providential teachings. All these are to be read, stadied, compared, and, made to interpret. and illustrate' etch other. What a task ! Who has the mind ! Andlhe leisure Not one'in ten thou Sand, if unaided. But now, happily, it is not with us as it was with men of old. Then, they were obliged to receive truth and rebukes, almost entirely from the herald's lips.. The Word was written, but copies were few, and ac cess to them was difficult. Now, they are many, and in the hands of all. And God in his good providence, is daily increasing the facilities for the study of his Word. The acquisitions of the wise, the learned and the industrious, are recorded, and systematised, and printed, and sent everywhere. Among these works, of immense value, and the re sult of great labor, and directly adapted to render, it possible for every man of ordinary power and culture of intellect to make Revelation its own interpreter to him, are REFERENCE BIBLES. Reference Bibles are numerous, and of very unequal value. In some, the parallel passages noted are so very few, that they aid the investigator but little ; while in others they are so numerous as to deter-any but the man of patient toil, from examining them. To make a Reference Bible that shall be really truthful, requires a very great deal of honest impartiality, as well as knowledge and perspicacity. The References are a commentary on the text, and they may be so selected asto mislead and pervert. The y may be so made as to-favor Calvinism, Armin ianism; Unitarianism, or any other peculi arity of religious sentiment whose advocates are wont to refer to Scripture as their sup porter. Such will refer to passages which seem to sustain their own views, and will keep out of sight such as would present truth in its , varied but • fuller aspects. We may illustrate by an, example : Take jam x: 30, "I and my Father are one." .The Unitarian' will refer you to I Cor. iii : 8,, "Now be that planteth 'and he that water eth are one; ; " and Gal. iii: 28, 4 ' Ye are all one in Christ Jeans." The Trinitarian will refer you to • John xvii 11, "Holy Father, keep through thine own name, thbse whom thou hest given me, that they may be ONE, AS WE ARE;" and v. 22,' "The glory which thou bast given me, I have given them; that they may , be ONE, EVEN AS WE ARE ONE;" X : 38, " ; The Father is in me,, "and :I ,in him ;" : 23, " That all men should honor the Son; even as they honor the Father ;" xtv 9, 10, " I are in the Father and the Fathnr in ;me;" and he !quid likely add, Matt , xi : 27 ; xxviii : .19; John i : 1,2; xvi : 15; 1. Tim. iii: 10; Titus ii: 13 ; 1 John v : 7;20'; and other passages, proving the eqUality of the Son with the Father, and . the unity of the .godhead. We have. here presented a strong case, in illustration; but it is barely a sample of what may be done by triithful collations, or by wrong, or partial, or mixed references, putting the inquirer in the way .of. error; by misleading him, confusing him, or insinuating doubts, in regard to the di 'Tinily of Christ,' the -dootrines of redemp tion, election, man's sinfulness, human inability, or any other important Scriptural truth. These remarks have been suggested by a communication, presented in another col umn, from Cowa!l L Co., of Edinburgh, the publishers of Lee's Reference Bible. This communication was occasioned by a paragraph in our London Correspondence, in our issue of Nov. 29th, which is as followi The Witness has dealt very severely with • a new Reference Bible, edited by Dr. Robert Lee, ,a clergyman of the Establishment in:Edinburgh, Whose lindenolee are toward Germanism He has thrust out the references usually` found' in our Bible, and substituted other's, which are designed to give another interpretation of'xnany important texts from`thatf , ordinarily received. Some of' these bear on the person of the Saviour. A note ble instance ; is that in "I. know that my Redeemer liveth," &e. in which:the ,only refer given is 30' xiii :: .10-17, by which he would have it: understood that only Job's tem poral restoration was meant,, and not lhe doe -trine'of his faith in one who would redeem him from the grave: An apologist for Dr: Lee lets out the secret, that the latter does not hold that the resurrection of the dead is taught in the Old Testament! There seem good reasons to suspect that, as' to the evidence for Christ's Deity, and work, front the Old, Testament, it is regarded as naLwhere there are not express quotations in the New! A semi-skeptical Scottish artist not long since gave me some indicationsof the'very tendencies of this'gentleman, which to a Certain class of minds are very attractive: Thus'dangers thicken on every, hand The very 'air seems poisoned with heresy, and , ; numbers of professed Christians suspect no danger, and are being drawn into the Snare. This is brief, but plain and severe • and ifit is a mistake should be, promptly cor reeled. We hence give the publishers a place in our first issue After the reception of We trust that' will be care- fully read. It seems fair •We ,have also before us documents signed by .numbers of intelligent and highly respected clergymen .of the Scottish Churchei commending ;the iaTuailHovi:./31iaxs, with theidsraeinal Rderessee Rersaed f an4—implroved. alguto. By Robert 'Zdatabuigh, Published by cOtilift ipAttt#l l ,yo:, sold ty Wn!. l S. io ff=iE=l fa!==ifi I I D s¢iv OK AND ADVOCATE. work—especially the plan - of the work.' The Bible, in two sizes, is imputed:. A copy; is before us, pocket size, and neatly execur-, ted. It will doubtless be issued in large numbersl and - the high testimonials in its', favor will procure for it an extensive sale. It then bedomes the Christian press to deal with it uprightly and fearlessly. Its, adapts-, tion to influence is great. If good, it should be aided; if evil, it should be hindered, by being exposed * The inany duties and. cares which devolve upon the . e,dllor of ,a weekly, journal, do ~not permit him personally to give such a work the full and minute examination' which >the case demands. We hence refer the task to our'ministerial brethren who may have more leigure ; and especially to lip, Professor s of Theology and of. Biblical Literature in our Seminaries; who are not. only instructora, hitt also watchmen placed on the highest towers in OM. Zion. The value of a good Reference Bible ,we estimate more- highly than we can tell. Every family should y have one, and every minister More than we. prefer, and have mainly used, is, Scott's. Some object to Scott'aßeferences,thatt,hey . are too numerous.. - They are not so, for our taste. -. The linae:.exPended in examining theta:o4'bn any passage,We regard`AS well employed. And there 'is, safety_ in_ having them numerous. The very matter of their number brings before us the subject inves tigated, in a variety of aspects, and helps to as tire us that we have really the mind of the Spirit. These references are found in most of the editions. of the, author's Comnientary, but there they are in volumes so ninnerous'ind large that the use of them is inconVenient. 'While a stUdent, we found theiw .in an Octavo, (W..W. Wood ward'a.) The edition is out of prink We have often since sought for it, or something similar to it, to present, to a friend, but sought in vaiw, and have wondered why such a treasure was not on the shelf of every bookseller. if all were like ourselves, our Board Might, with great benefit; furnish the; work , but tastes differ.t IP regard to Dr. Lee's work, we leave for, the present, under the remarks of our correspondent, and of the publishers. But I.to our readers we recommend • a'diligent•pe mai of the 'Scriptures.' TIN' Reference I Bibles and consult Commentaries as aida— as suggestiire of thought—but seek the Spirit's illumination in a careful . reading of the Word, chapter by chapter, and follow his guidance in dOotrine . and duty. *On the passage above quoted (John x.: 30, Dr. Lee gives as references, Xohn xvii : 11, 22 4. : 8 ; Gal. iii: 28. fWe 9hould be greatly obliged to our Board of Publication, for a good Reference Bible. The plan of Lee's we regard as excellent. The References are not crowded. into the margin, but follow each verse, in a smaller- type. If Scott's are considerated too numerous, they might be're- vised and abridged;.and if imperfect, the defi ciencies might be supplied; 'but if abridged, it should be done sparingly, as Well as judiciously. We like copious references, that we may be satis fied that the full exhibition of the Divine teach ings,on the subject , examined, is before us.. And there might be two classes of references, the one to passages more nearly parallel, the other to those"more remote and suggestive. The former might-be placed, as are Lee's, immediately fol lowing each verse, and serving for a more hurried examination ; the latter in the margin, and to be used When the subject could be fully investigated. A good Reference Bible and a Commentary, adapted to families and Sabbath Schools, are desiderata in the Presbyterian Church, and should be promptly supplied .by our Board. It is to meet the demands and supply the wants of the Church, as would not be met by the trade gener ally, that the Board was organized, and' endowed with such,liberality: We know that the duty 'we here suggest is exceedingly difficult, but it in volves no impossibility ; and, we urge it ou behalf of the myriads ,of, our retired families, who are in moderate circumstances and of the tens of myriads of our rising race. , ' Death of .Hugh This distinguished Scottish Geologist and defender of the Bible and its' precioui truths, is now no rriore a dweller on , earth. He com menced life in what are called its lower walks. His first training, along with common family and Christian instruction, was in the school of hard industry, but soon, from working in a quarry and dressing stone, be became one of the most distinguished in the walks of science. He early and ably espoused the cause of the Free Church, and was made Editor of its leading piper, the Witness. He is 'now gone; and, the circumstances of his, death add greatly to the sadness felt at his loss. He evidently died by his own hand, and there is not a witness to tell us how, or why. But the absenoe of all mo tive and of all predisposition to such an act, and the excellence of his Christian charac ter, afford to us the 'assurance that it was not of design. . The`London Christian Times thus speaks of ,the event: We regret to annonnee the sudden death of - Mr. ,Hrigh the, , well-known•writer on geology and editor, of the Witness newspaper. Mr. Mil ler wife found lying dead on the floor of his bed room, on, Wednesday morning, shot' through the heart with 'a pistol bullet.: 'That he died .by his own hand there seems to:be no:doubt,hut the oh ,eumstances, under which the ; melancholy event :happened do xiot lead to the supposition that his death was an act of intentional suicide. Yor some time past Mr. Miller had been in a seine what indifferent state of healtty brought on by over study in the preparation of a new work, on geology. He suffered considerably froin nervous •excitement,: and, though at all times a man of ec centric manners, an unusual strangeness Was re-, marked by his acquaintancei3. The evening before his death he was to have delivered a lecture on "The Mosaic Creation" to "an audience' at Portobello, a bathing-place in the neighborhood of Edinburgh, where he resided. Re had prepared the lecture, but the state of his health prevented his deliVering it, and it was read in his absence by a friend. In the course of the day; Mr. Miller saw his med ical adviser ' to whom he complained of headache, brought on by the want of refreshing sleep. Fol lowing the direction's he received, he took a *arm bath and retired to rest at an early hour. He had for some time been in the habit of keeping a loaded revolver in his bed-room, having, it is said, a strong apprehension of danger from, house breakers, for which, in reality, there was some reason, as an attempt was made not' very long ago to break into his valuable museum. No' ex plosion was heard during the night, and it was not till the morning that the ,body was 'found;,ly ing ,near the bath-room. These circumstances seem to proVe" that 'the melancholy event was purely accidental, while the state of Mr. Miller's' mind, as well as his general character and posi tion, preclude the idea or preme4itixtid or inten tional self-destruction. , ' ' The keeping of deadly" weapons in a bed rocou may, sometimes, beAznectessity. Bat it% is a dangerous oneid The thing shoidd never be done by those eubjeof to night ar The `danger toy therneelves, and to such Ns' may occupy the semi apartment with tkem, ,or may enter t.heir room to bring, friendly relief, is immi nent. We bow'submisaiNiely, and would learn to release the - mind, in due season, from in tense study, to keep dangerous weapons at a distance in our sleeping hours, and, above all; to be prepared to meet our God . !at his summons, however sudden. The 'Presidency of Jefferson College. Last, week we announced the fact, that. REV. Dr. Alden kid been unanimously elected President of Jefferson College. The friends of the College will be pleased to learn that he, has 'concluded to accept the iippointment; and will enter, upon the dis charge of the duties of the office as soon as his relations to Lafayette College can be ter minated, without detriment to that Institu tion. At fartheii, it, is expected he will enter upon his work at Jefferson, at the com mencement of the term, in May ,next. We learn" that the retirement of Dr. Brown from the Presidency will not separate him from tie Institution which owes so much to , his services, and to those of his venerated father. He will remain connected with the Institution; and will perform, as a Professor, such services as his health may allow. Dr. 'Alden has, for more than, four years, held, in the College of the Synod of Phila delphia, . a Professorship, to which he' was appointed by a unanimous vote of the Synod, and of the Trustees` f the College. Though Dr. Alden had served the cause of education for many years ,without the bounds of .the Presbyterian Church, in one of the best Eastern Colleges, yet the Synod were satis fied of his, continued attachment to the doc trines, government, and usages of the Pres byterian Church, in which he was educated, both as to his Collegiate and Theological Course, and hence did not hesitate to commit, to his hands. the -Professorship most intimately connected with the forma tion of, opinion—that of .Mental and Moral Philosophy. He, has also carefUlly inst. noted each Senior Class in. Lafayette, in the Con fession of Faith, with the Commentary pub lished by the Board of Publication; and we have learned that the young men have been quite as much ; interested in that study as in any .part of the College Course., Dr. Alden had his Collegiate Course in Union College, and his Theological at Princeton and it is well known that he has been steadily oppose& to all those' measures' and Isms which are disap prove& of, by , the various Presbyterian bodies who have been accustomed to patron ize. the College ozor.,,which`ho is called to preside. We trust that they will give him a cordial wele,ome, and an efficient support. - •; New-Yesi's Donations. Not a few of the pastors in city churches seem, to haye been very kindly reinembered by their people at,.the beginning of the year. The Rev. Dr. Budington, pastor of a Congregational church in Brooklyn, was , presented with $500,,as an evidence of the , lively interest felt,by his people in his min istry and himself. , • The Rev. Dr. Cheever received a purse containing $4OO, and his wife one contain ing $2OO, together with an elegant piece of furniture. The hev. T. L. Onyler, pastor of a Reformed .Dutch Church, in. New York, has politely informed the public that " his congregation, without consulting af word with the paster,had taken the gross liberty of raising his salary." Dr. Boardman of our own Church, , about the same time, re ceived a present $lO,OOO from his people to aid him' in the purchase of a suitable dwelling. And the .New York. Tipxes re ports that the Rev. Dr "klagie, pastor of the First church in Elizabethtown, . N. J., re ceived'a purse of - $2,500. No doubt there were many other instances of equal liberali ty which we have not noticed. But we are afraid that inany,learned, worthy and devo ted pastors in country and village churehts, eking out a living from very small salariesi have not fared e,orrespondingly. well. In some of these places the people have mani fested their regard for him who breaks unto them the bread of life, by donations some what liberal.; but in many places nothing has been done. But it is not too late yet; "material aid" of this kind is always in season. Let something be done in this way . now; and as soon as possible let the salaries of pastors be raised, that they may have an adequate support, and many blessings will rest upon the pepple. The Board of Publication—An Easy and Simple Method , of Oolportage. The. following 'letter is from a layman, who - is a decided friend of Church efficiency; and advocate for the Circulation of religions knowledge : . .Our; Board of Publication is making commendable efforts, by CWportage, to circulate their books. But Colportage cannot be expected to do a tithe of the work which is needed. We do not ask it to attempt the whole work-of distribution. We do not regard it as at all in the, line of ,ditty, nor the best for edification, that the Board should send ce:lporteurs into regularly or . ganized and well established churches'. We are, just, es lunch opposed to sending paid , colporteurs there as we are' to sending paid. colleoting'agents. In either, case, a distant Board is sending, at a great expense,' abor; ers to do what the 'Pastor, and. Elders, and Deacons, and Female helpers should do,. as a. matter of official and wield duty,' and of Christian love; and which they could do incomparably better than can a stranger. The-Oan.sngested by our correspondent is excellent. , But - there may be 'other good plans. We, would urge no special form of doing the thing ; but let it be done, and done' thorinighly. - 0 for Wise, zealous, de voted, working Church officers, and labor ing praying and libeisl Christians ! EDITORTitI3 m i of our Boar4of , - Publication, as a lever of great moi. 7 al power requires no proof. But our` people shmild,liear in Mind that its measure f use fulness just cornmeri- surate with the extent to whiebits books are circulated. The Board, therefore, may issue a list of as excellent publieations_ as ever went forth from the press : hut if the peo ple have no means of easy access to the cen tral depository, the books Will groan on the shelves, : and our people not be benefitted. It is wise, therefore, in the Board, to organ ize a system of Colportage, by means of which its publications are brought home to every family.within the colporteur's field of operation. But let any one think for a mo ment of the numbers of our ,churches, and the extent of territory over 'which they are spread, and he will easily see that a great numbereour people can - never be supplied by these agents of the Board.. 'For these, some other plan must be devised. The fol lowing is suggested During the Winter months our rural population' have very little work to do. How easy would it be for two young men in each of our country congregations to put a horse to a: light wagon, and visit. every family in the congregation, and supply them with reading for the Winter, with books se lected from the catalogue published by our Board ! The pastor, from his acquaintance with the people, their tastes, wants, and de gree of intelligence, could make out a list of such books as he thought might be . de sirable. One of each might be ordered at first, and could be' carried around as sam ples; then, after the whole congregation had been canvassed, an order could be sent on to the nearest depository to be filled. On the ar rival of the books ' they could be all distrib uted on the first Sabbath, after service, at the' church. • This plant is simple, and very easy of execution, and can be easily repeated every year; and 'thus can till of our families be kept constantly supplied with religious read ing of the most profitable character. The only possible objection that can be urged against it, is the trouble of canvassing the congregation. But when we look at the amount of labor performed by our politi cians in the late Presidential canvass, thin sinks into insignificance. I was- told by a prominent member of one of the political parties, that they had, by a sub-divisiou of labor, canvassed every tozonskip in the coun try, and every block in the' cities, in the large State of Pennsylvania, so thoroughly that they could tell to within a few hundred votes how many each party could poll, be fore the election took place. Now, "they do it to obtain a corruptible crown, but we an incorruptible." If this can be done by the adherents of a political party, whose main inducement is place and power, surely there can be found'in every congregation s two persons, at least, who will undertake like labor to supply their brethren in the Lord with the " bread of life." ' Western Missouri The following letter gives information from a region, of which we are pleased: to hear. True, we heard much of it during the last year, but it was in a line quite unfavorable. Let us now learn something of the good , which is being do,ne ; and of the prospects, of things still better; and of the :wants, the desires, and the facilities. GREENFIELD, Dade Co., Mo., Jan. 5. REV. Da. M.'KINNEY :—I am some times, led to think ,that less is said in the re ligious newspapers, ,of Western Missonri, than almost any other portion of our coun try. feel tempted to say a few, things of what the Lord has done for, the land 'where 'he has placed my home, at least for a time. We are probably not advancing as are other Western states, in the cause, of correct re ligious sentiment. . In . 1843 or 1844, the Synod of Missouri set off four. or five min isters, and a 'few churches, on their Western border, as the Presbytery of Upper Mis souri. As late as 1849 there were not more than nine ministers and perhaps six teen churches. Last September our num bers were twenty ministers, (excluding two missionaries among the Indiana) living in. Missouri, and above forty churches. At the request of Presbytery, Synod, in. Octo ber, divided it, making tbe Missouri river the line. The, North side retains the name 'of Upper Missouri, and South is called the Presbytery of Lafayette. Ministers, churches and members are, nearly equal in each. Of the last, in the, two Presbyteries, there are about tielve hundred. We hope, ere long together with a Presbytery in Kansas, to be organized into a Synod. The Presbytery authorized by the last General Assembly in Kansas is said to be not yet organized. But there are - there now, in cluding the missionaries to, the Indians, four or five ministers; who might, be eon . strtuted a Presbytery by proper authority. IS it ,the work of the General Assembly, or rather of the Synod of Missouri ? Our Free List." " Tbrough•the kindness of a few liberal and enlightenediriends;•we have been enabled to cir culate weekly, during,the past year, nearly three hundred copies of The Missionary to worthy but struggling ministers, missionaries and willows, and to colleges, seminaries, reading-rooms and charitable institutions of our own and other churches. No list has given us greater pleasure or yielded more abundantly than this. We Lave received letter after letter of thanks, while in many instances its perusal has been instrumental in'doing much good by awakening an interest for the suffering, strengthening the hands of the mis sionary, and making the widow's heart to sing for joy." . . Thus discourses our neighbor the Mis sionary We - wish that we could use siini lar language: And why should we not be so enabled The Presbyterian , Ohurchhas many members , who possess wealth, and many , widows, enfeebled; members, and min isters who are , poor, and'to whom, with their Nannies, the weedy visits 'of the Banner and Advocate would be -a great consolation, and. the means of invaluable instruction. In what way, then, ektld a few dollars be more' beneficially disties'ed, of than through the medium we offer Y The Witness Newspaper, Bainburgh, and Dr, Lee's Reference Bible. . , EDINBURGH, Dec. 24, 1856. TO THE EDITOR. OR THE BANNER AND AD VOCATE NEWSPAPER, PITTSBURGH, PA. Sir:—Oar attention has been directed to a;notice in , your paper of the 29th Novem ber, of, an attack by the Witßess upon an edition of the Bible, lately published by.us, with References. Collated and , Revised by Dr. R. Lee, lirofessor , of Criticism in the University , of Edinburgh. As , the tone of your remarks. is calculated to throw diseredit upon the work, and 'imputes un sound views 'of Christian doctrine to the editor, we beg to lay the facts of the case before you. About three years itgo we purposed inh lishing a new edition of <the Bible,. with References and being aware that numer ous errors have froin time to time crept into our ordinary editions, we arranged: with for. taat`io them, pia4ing bia haids, for that purpose the , 'Lova - I:Quarto Bibl published at Oxford, with Riferencei by Dr. Blaney. On publiCation, we submitted the work to .;a numerouS body of clergymen, of all denominations, in';this country. From one hundred and twenty-five of them we had letters of commendation. Five ob jected to the new method adopted in print ing the References—one objected to the reference at Job xis: 25; and from another we had the substance of the articles in the Witness, to which you refer--containing, however, several loose charges not appearing there; for instance, under 1. John v: 20, Dr. Lee refers to. Isaiah xliv : 6; to suit his purpose, the reviewer quoted the first para graph, of Isa. xliv : 5 ; applying that in illustration of Jude iv. " Again—to illus trate Col. i : 16, be applied references given Under 1. Cor vii : 6. In another place, he accuses , Dr. Lee of suppressing the refer ences in Canue's Bible, (an old work not consulted,) at the latter clause of the verse, John x , : 15. On turning to Canne's Bible, we found no reference to exist there. Fur ther, we found the great bulk of the refer ences objected to, to be those existing in our ordinary Bibles. Such as it was, we sub mitted the paper to two clergymen of the Free Church, who obliged us by a careful revision of the Bible. We were aasuredby both, that the allegations of the writer were unfounded. The %dead= assumed greater gravity, upon the appearance of the articles in the Witness We had no reason to doubt Dr. Lee's faithfulness in the discharge of his task, and were well aware of the great labor and pains he had taken; but we had no disposition to trifle with, or treat lightly, charges of such serious import, and again solicited the opinions of a number of our most eminent Divines; one of whom, a member of the Free Chureh, got several of his brethren to assist him in collating and comparing the References. We were grati fied to'receive from all an assurance, that the insinuations in the Witness were unfounded. But as it appeared to some that unfavorable inferences might be drawn from the Refer ence at Job xix : 25, we represented that to Dr. Lee, who at once assented to a change, and has furnished us with an additional 'body of References to verses 25, 26, and 27, amongst which it may be sufficient to par ticularize 1. Cor..xv : 49-57. The neces sary alterations are being made at press; and our intention is, to print cancels, and insert in what remains of the edition; It is a fact, however singular, that amongst those who appeared swayed by the articles in the Witness, we did not find one who had exam ined the Bible for himself. - We have in such cases invariably supplied copies, with a request that faults might he *Anted out to us, receiving promises of compliance in return. Although the work has been thus in the hands of its opponents for :some time, we'are yet without 'a single note or comment upon it from any one of their number. Surely that heresy must be more than hidden which escapes would-be willing detection. The Witness spoke of the easy mindedness which had led 'so many of our clergy, upon what' he presumed slight ex amination, to express a favorable opinion of the work. We can only say that not one 'of them has desired to retract what he said; but several of the most eminent have as sured us that they have regularly used the. Bible in their study, with a' growing con- - vietion of its appropriateness and value. `But for the delicacy of mixing up gentle men in' an unpleasant controversy, we could exhibit names that would stagger credence in any anonymous writer. Without presuming that the References are bit - Maculate, we be lieve that by their publication we have added something of valuelo our common stock of Biblical lore. They carry with them no ordinary amount of approval. We have faith in the discernment of a candid public to let the matter rest there ;. if error can be pointed out to us, we are ready to' correct, and will thankfully acknowledge the atten tion. J. F. G Respecting. Dr. Lee personally, we submit that it requires more than the opinion of any semi-skeptical. Scottish artist to attach heresy to any clergyman appointed to •a charge in Edinburgh, and subsequently nominated, solely on account of his talents and learning, to fill the Chair of Professor of Biblical Criticism and Biblical Antiqui ties in our University. It were strange, in deed, even in, a more lax state of religions opinion than *e trust exists in this country, could any man retain such , a position, and either hold or teach the opinion insinuated by the writer in the Witness. There are few able men without detractors, and Dr. Lee may be no exception ; but whatever his opinions , may be, we are fully assured that he has edited the Bible in question with care and, good judgment; framing the References so as to be a real ,benefit - to the reader. We hope, on a careful inspection of the work, you will come to the same con clusion as one of our most eminent Divines here, (not of the Established Church,) who, after the controversy, Wrote us : " You may be sure I set to work very religiously to compare the pa&sages adduced by the critic in, support of his very serious charges. What, was my relief to find that the whole affair was a mere briatumfteinten, the result of some good man's over-hasty zeal to get a hit at an ecclesiastical adversary." 'The • References are framed with a strict regard to the original Scriptures—a principle the value of which will be apparent to every student; but a fact that must be kept - in mind in any article of criticism ; disregard Of it has led the writer in the Witness astray on points at ,variance with the ,opinion of correct and competent scholars: We remain sir, your obedient sry ts e , Cow - ,56 Co per D. Nichol. For the Pregibyterlas Banner and'Advocato. Acknowledginent. CARILICRAELS, Jan, 16,,1857. Ray. Da. APKINNHY :—lf in the view of the Divine Redeemer, a kind office done to himself by Mary of Bethany was worthy of permanent record 'as a memorial of her affectionate devotion to him; and if, in the judgment of the Apostle of .the Gentiles, the ministering , of the Philippian Church seasonably to his temporal necessities, was worthy of honorable mention in the Epistle addressed to them; the undersigned, through the medium of your columns, may be • allowed to mention a recent very seasonable gift of about , ninety, dollars from the people of his charge, This he does, merely as expressive of has grati tude to them, and to the great Giver of every geed and perfect gift. Such instances of kind ness not only evince a generous people's appre ciation of the religion of Christ, but, in the Apostle's view, are an odor of a sweet, smell, a sacrifice acceptable, well pleasing to God. 'for the Preebyterten Benner. end Advocate. • HoLunaysncren, Jan. 15, 1857. , Du. Wirassity :—A, series of religious exer cises, extending over a week, has just closed in Phis, yOur former pastbral charge. We thinkiti,- , ided good has resulted, not only to somewhOltaie tot professed Christ, but more especially atitongst he people of God--in reviving their.greees, and timmating them to more devotedness and indus lrY in Christ's work. Certainly if the• Gospel, as preached during , this week, " behid; jeis hid to hem that are lost ;" for it, was most lucidly and iithfully preached. The pastorl ,- Was aided by orethren AfLean,•Clark, Hughes, `and Elliott, and „Welly by Rev. A. P. Ilapper,i4l. D.,. of Canton. This beloved brot4r,,Preached eight solemn ? lucid and impressive' sermons to us, l ith'ark earnestness and, iffeetion of manner that t/ill make him long andlenderly remembered. t,, The Lord's. Suppermai4 administered on Sob nath, with set addition to the communida of six. A handsome collection for the Board of Fore;; r. Missions SILB made, and on Monday the Aunivi-i -eery of the Female Missionary Society celebrut , Dr. Happer delivering an address. It is a w Ln .' der to me, and to many, how our foreign sionaries, without opportunities of cultivating thr, art and practice of preaching, and who mostly g n out at so early a period of their ministry, so F . O , become effective preachers in their own language, to home congregations. Busied for years in the study of foreign language, preaching mostly in a foreign language, and rarely in their own, a n d then to small gatherings of people, it would be unreasonable to expect much readiness and Ml pressiveness of elocution; and yet with a very few months' practice, most of them can hold their place beside our best preachers. Why is it! It is because their whole heart is in the work ; god earnestness in the work controls and stimulates all their powers. Let home preachers take a hint and learn a lesson from this. Brother flapper gave s lecture .on China and the Chinese, the evening before hid departure, a; the request of a number of our citizens; and it was truly a treat. For an hour and a half he held a large audience in fixed and unflagging et . tention; and whilst as a literary, political and statistical discourse it abounded with interest and information; it was a telling argument for Christian Missions. It elicited a spontaneous v ale of thanks from the auditory, and, in addition, two resolutions, unanimously passed, expressive, lit, of increased interest in China as a field of Chris tian enterprise, and 2d, of disapprobation of tie iniquitr us noun ahead opipm trade, as carried etc by nominally Christian nations, and in violation of the laws of China. It is our opinion that British philanthropists can with a bad grace talk of our curse, whilst they make no resistance to that dreadful iniquity, the Bast India opium trade. ALIQCIS. Rev. H. H. WELLES' Pcßt. Office a4liim.s is changed fromlliingston to Forty Fort, Pa. Mr. G. W. MECHLIN, licentiate of Alle gheny Presbytery, has received and ac cepted calls from the united churches of Glade Run and Concord, Presbytery of Saltsburg. His Post Office is Dayton, Pa. Mr. JAMES SINCLAIR and Mr. PETER VEEDER, members ~f the Senior Class :n the Western Theoltrzical Seminary, w€ re licensed by the Prt ,bytery of Ohio, at its late meeting. Mr. I. N. McKincEy, licentiate of the Prss_ bytery of East Alabama, has been reefored by the Presbytery . of Ohio. and bss cepted a call to M. , etGur's church. His ordination is to take place at the Rtsted meeting of Presbyter) in April. Rev. C. B. KING . S address is Savant Rev. DAVID MAGLIE, who bas served 11. e Union Church, Philadelphia, for s. n,, time, was installed on the 13th inst. Rev. GEORGE C HICKMAN ; of Port 11..1, N. Y.; has removed to Portage 4. Wisconsin,' to take charge of the du . eb there. '; Eastern Corref pondenee NEW YORK Jan. 17, IS. - .7 MR. EDITOR Y;ung ro's• dam Association in , titis .rt some stirring meetings lately, and uti -;.e are still in : prospect. A series of lutions,:: embodying essentially the -,:,ws held by the Republican party in the late, election„ were.. sometime since, 'me, duced, and though opposed by nay of the ablest and wisest of the members, 5' ILE of, vrltom concur in the sentiments theyex press,, thee effort to lay them on the z.Lie was, unsuccessful. There was a spirited bate on the occasion, but the friends of the resolutions prevailed, and next week is 4- pointed for their discussion. Some appre hension is felt lest the ,subject of coutenti thud introduced should not only distract Ile harmony, but destroy the usefulness of Ztt. Association. The impropriety of this Oit went is so obvious,that the eyes of Bowe its advocates may e opened, if their zePi not moderated,, previous to the discues,i:. As a Society , for mutual improvement. .11 embracing men of different political pat t.es, as well as of different religious opinioti;l it cannot be wise to force on a contest which can hardly fail to result in strife and ale-na tion. Though slavery be " the sum of all villanies," does it opine within the province of the Association to pronounce its et..n detanation Cannot its members maintain a good conscience without committing it to the, views of one or anether of the prettil ing political parties? Why not. allow it to put• smelts legitimate ,ends in peace, and free. if possible, from that spirit of partizanship which is so baneful in its tendency, though so rife in our country ? Surely there isel:l be some relati ns of life -and of society which it cannot disturb. But if it has air, ciy separated Churches, it will not be surprising if it should divide this Society. Its pl:- cal effects have been _already felt in u• eluding one of the daily papers from the reading.room, on the ground of its immor ality ; really, no doubt, on account Of itS political sentiments. If it is to sit in jack went on the Press; and to banish all paper` which are obnoxious to any of its member , probably few of any description will be left for their perusal, Certainly, in the view le _many, the paper excluded is far less innivra , or objectionable than others which have Eli 't been assailed. The Directors, indeed, leva ordered it be restored; but its mere eselu , sion, and the pertinacity with which this step was defended, shows the hold whleb party spirit has upon some of its members, and augurs unfavorably for its future tar. inony. The question suggests itself whether , after all, these Associations are called foe by ,the exigencies of society, or as fruitful I good as they are liable to evil ? The to ligious instruction and Social elevation ut the young men of our oitie's are most de sirable objects. But can they not be a , effectually secured : through existing x . - tions as through these Associations ? Ti rapid . . and geperal formation throttelx: the.couniry, seems to imply their necesci: but novelties are always taking, and it vex' net be wonderful if ; they should decline ,rapidly as they have risen. There is a tv'o ,iieucy to multiply Societies for every voi'e.rY of object, while they sometimes conflict wit" each other, or, are so nearly allied in I-Ei r _aims, as to be, needlessly numerous and es pensive. They sometimes, too, assume t h e inefficiency of the, Church of Christ to ac complish the same ends, if they co nal ab solutely ignorn,its existence. .... N a y ' , to apply these remarks to young °l.°Oo Christian Associations, without an view of disparaging their usefulness, but rattiqrju, the way of inquiry, would not the. W: 1 . 1 4 : time, energy and • money expendo d aponthem, yield more pleasing and peru°" ,neat results, if employed in existing insetu [ 'times ? Every city, for example, has Libra ries and societies which would furnish is men with equal, generally with perior literary advantages, to any they L' 3 Le enjoy through their agency; while several churches are capable of inet",u,' ,- : their social and religious wants as e ffect without, as with their assistance. And the objection to them is that they in a niesi.o e .. .ignore these churches and cripple l a-e 2; energies, by withdrawing from them abs and influence r which might be more profic,i; I bly expended through their agency: ... '.Church of. Christ, is not only a Divine stitution, ;and therefore imperative in claims upon us, bat it is' susceptible et J. M'Clawrocr. Ecclesiastical.
Significant historical Pennsylvania newspapers