1573
11
Namur Nintatti
PITTSBURGH, FEBRUARY 28, 1857.
$1.500n advanbo, or in Clubs,
01.25; or, donvorntat rooldence• of Subscrl.
beim, $1.78• Siiirioopectug g on Third Page.
R ENEW AY. it should be prompt; a little
while before the year expires, that we may
seeks full arrangeasente for Yi steady supply.
'nit WED WRAPPER indicates that we
desire a renewal. If, however, in the haste
of lIIIMUND this signal should be omitted, we
hop, orir i friends wilLatill not forget us.
REMITTANCES.—Send payment by safe
hands, when convenient. Or, send by mall,
Ansoloeing with ordinary care, and troubling
nobody wide a knowledge of what you are
doing. For a large amount, send a Draft, or
large notes. Dor one or two Papers, send Gold
or small notes.
TO MARE %LANGE, Send postage stamps,
or better still, Maid for more- papers; my IR
per Seirenty mmabers. or $1 for Thlrtpathres
numbers.
`DIRECT sdl Lottery and Consunnaleallons
to REV. DAVID iIeICINNEY.' Pittsburgh,
Pa.
Aciumwrxmantrxr...--We have received
from a "A Subscriber," Oregon, Mo , $2.53
for Mission, at _Little Traverse, Michigan.
FAMILY hrsTßucTioN.—See some excel
lent• 'remarks on this subject, in the article
onlabbath Schools, on first page.
. ,
WESTERN THEOLOGICAL x SEMINARY.-
Directors will please see "Notices," for
time of meeting.
BOARD OF EDUCATION.--We were sorry
not to receive the Secretaries' communica
tion, in time for last week's issue. We in
vite to it the reader's attention, and liberal
good will.
ECCLESIASTICAL CORRESPONDENCE- - I%e
IlemPshire East Association, ; by ,a vote of
eight to five, .ott the 10th inst., resolied,
that it was " inexpedient that the General
Association should longer continue its cor
respondence:with the General Assemblies of
the Presbyterian Church." •
Dr. Elisha Kent Kane.
This enterprising explorer is no more on
earth.
He died at 'Havana, on the 10th
inst. ' , His remains have arrived at New
Orleans, on the way to Philadelphia. Death
is, no respecter of, persons.
Allegheny Bible ociety.
Thl Anniversary of this. Society was held
in Dr. .Rogers' Church, Allegheny City, on
Tuesday evening of last week. Dr; Jacobus
in the Chair. The 'Report stated : families
visifeil, '2099 ; destitute, 224; supplied, 80;
refused, 144; Bibles and Testaments sold,
'559 • denated, 427 received , 81,797; ex
pended, $1,681.. Addresses were, delivered
- by Prof. Burrows of the Methodist Episcopal
'Church, and. Rev. John M'Millen, of the
'Associate Reforined Church.
Revivals.
IIiIiNDOTA ILL.—See letter of gg North-
West.
MONONGAHELA CITY, PA =The church
in this place, under the pastoral care of Rev.
John Kerr, isenjoying a precious refresh
from the
GREEinTELD , CHURCH. --This church,
under the care' o f. Rev. David Monfort, has
been mud' blessed of late. - Eighteen have
lately been addellto it by examination.
DurfcaNToN, ILL.—The church' under
the pastoralcare , of Rev. J. G. Howell, has
been:,the : recipient of revival blessings.
Nineteen'inembers have been added on a
profession'of their faith in the Redeemer.
_HAbas.az, Mo.;—The church, in this
place, served 'by Rev. Mr. Fdreman, has
been 'enjoying'a precious revival. The pas
tor to the St. Louis Presbyterian,
"The interest begun aniong the members
about the time of my return from Synod,
last Fall , and has been gradually increasing
ever since."
TUSCARORA; PA.---We have an interest•
ing.'statement of the revival in this church,
which will aipear next week,
VALPARAISO, 'IND.—We have just 're
; ceiVed informition of a precious work of
grace in Lake. Presbytery., The letter will
'be given in our next. The Divine kindness,
though entirely unmerited, is vouchsafed to
-Zion, in answer to earnest prayer and faith
ful service.' -
Aspooiate Reformed Synod ofthe South.
The movement toward, a Union of this or-,
tbodox Fresbyterian body,, with the General
'Assembly, is not yet suspended. A leading
inquiry is, to, ascertain precisely the point,
or points, of dillnrence: It has been asked
on our part, whether there is any thing be
sides the Pub:wily question, which would
be in the way of Union. This has been re
ferred, bythe Synod, we believe, to the Pres
byteriee' embraced in it for an answer. From
some artielelf in the Due West .Telescope, we
perceive : that the • Communion question is
regarded. as also a difficulty. A writer says :
" Do not out Old`School Brethren hold and
-practice open ; Communion, and we close
.or restricted, Communion? Is this a tri
lling difference ? -Or is it known that one
party will forbear with the other, touching
thispoint ?" Forbearance is the 'custom al
ready, in the,General Assembly. Some of
the:churches practice what is called "close
communion," while'. others invite to the
Lord's' table; with them, any members of
" Evangelical Churches," who may be provi
.
dentially present. On the part of the' As
. 'nimbly, then, Ahere would be no difficulty.
"Churches of the Asiociate Reformed Synod,
after ; uniting with is could practice as they
now do, undisturbed. ,But if the ,Synod
should insist upon. thevadoptien of a rule
which would abibfge the , liberty enjoyed by
our churches at present, if would, doubtless,
constitute an .effectual bar against itnien.
But it seems to us that our, brethren might
,embrace us. with Ecclesiastical cordiality ;
.continuing to us the liberty, on this • point,
,which we now enjoy, and we graiting to
Abem,..freedom of conscience in:the mode
which they prefer.
Family Warship.
A young man, in a literary institution,
partly to enable him to maintain a profitable
religious conversation, and convince gain
sayers, and partly, we may suppose, to learn
what may be his own duty on a future con
tingency, addresses to us the following let
ter :
" Du. MCKINNEY :—ln conversing with
a friend, some time since, on 4 the duties of
a Christi .n,' the subject of family prayer
was introduced, and reference was made to
an elder of the Church, who 'lid not have
a family altar, for the reason that he could
never find a command in God's Word which
strictly enjoined it as a duty. Now, for the
benefit of such, as well as for the, gratifica
tion of others who may receive such Gospel
truths in their simplicity, I kindly request
of you, or some other willing adviser, to
give us the reasons why a Christian should
pray'in his family; and be assured of the
•grateful acknowledgments of one who de
lights to subscribe himself,
"AN INQUIRING LEARNER."
The duty of prayer is clearly written in
God's Word, and is deeply impressed on the
human heart. Most, if not all men feel, in
a day of need, that they should pray; and
those who have been well instructed, have
much difficulty in quieting conscienee, while
they .are 'negligent. The limes and modes,
and the companies which tilhould unite in
this exercise are also very clearly indicated
in Scripture and by common sense. We know
that men, often task their ingenuity, and
sometimes with eonsideraple success, to die-,
cover reasons why they may be. excused.
They would repelthe importunities of con
science, urging them to the service. This
is especially the case with young heads of
families; . and sometimes it is so with 'even
hoary.headed elders. Alas, that men should
be so unwise. 'No justifying excuse can, be
found:
Family • worship comprises instruction,
praise, and 'prayer. Instruction is given in
the devout reading of God's Word. Praise
is rendered in the singing of sacred melo
dies.. Prayer is effered in addressing God on
his- throne of grace. Where the musical
powers granted to the household are not ad
equate to render singing a profitable exer
cise to the understanding, and a means of el
evating the affections, praise is rendered by
special earnestness in thanksgiving, mingled
With pefitions'in prayer. The head of the
family, whether male, or female, directs in
the exercises, and• commonly is the leader
in all the parts, being the one placed in au
thority and held responsible by God, for the
full and proper performance of the duty.
The times at which family. warship is to
be performed, are the morning and evening
of ..ntch day. This is indicated by the ne
cessities of the mind. To be kept in a right
frame, and to increase in knowledge and de
votion, it needs frequent communings with
God.; and the morning and evening are the
times best adapted to edification. Then the
family are together and the feelings more
calm and solemn. Then there is , the most
leisure, and the brief period requisite for
the service will then least interfere with
other duties, which are also incumbent.
These are the times, also, which were indica
ted by Israel's God in the appointment of
the daily sacrifice. It was to be, morning
and evening. And these, also, are hours
prescribed for special instruction in the
things of God, where he engages covenant
blessings from generation to generation,.
" Thou shalt teach them' diligently unto thy
Children * * * when thou lyest
down and when thou risest up." See Deut.
vi :."1-9 ; xi : 18-21.
The benefits of family worship, when riAt
ly performed, are greater than can be ex
pressed. The knowledge of God, and• of
moral and social' duties,' which is. thereby
communicated, is immense. Two, chapters
of God's own moM precious Word devoutly
read,every day, cannot but enlighten the
understanding in all which that Word con
tains ; and it embraCes our duty to God and
our duty to man. And such a presentation
of truth must quicken the conscience as well
as instruct the intellect. It is God, who
made man, speaking to the soul which him
self hath formed. And it must also have
the happiest influence on the social rela
tions., A common Lord is teaching his peo
ple, bidding them regard each other as mem
bers of one family, made of one blood. Ev
eryman is a neighbor; each huntart being is a
brother, By this daily reading of the Scrip
tures, every child is taught ; taught with
the opening and close of each day it lives,
from the earliest buddings of intellect up to
full manhood, and thence while life lasts;
taught in all social and Christian duties, in
faith and repentance, in love and good
works.
Family prayer is, a great benefit. It is
often, we acknowledge, rather a dull matter.
There is a languor, a:formality, a repetition
which permits the minds of the participants
to wander, or puts their eyes to sleep. Such
is weak humanity, and so little do those
who lead, endeavor to stir up the gift
that is in them. And yet, with all draw
backs, family prayer has an influence greatly
for good. / The very fact of t.. setting apart
the season, never to be neglected, and of
the whole household' selemely bowing their
knees before God, and uttering words to
him, has its influence—an influence, deep
and abiding. The family which shall do so
will be more sober, more respectful of sacred
things and human rights, more orderly in
all of life's affairs, than therwould be if the
altered service were utterly, neglected. And
though often listless, yet, sometimes they will
really feel and truly pray; and they will, as a
result of the exercise, respect each other more,
and love each:: other with greater purity.
And there will be more of peace in that
house.: The very thought that they are to
engage in worship, or, the near approach of
the. appointed hour when they must - go to
gether before God, who demands peace and
love and who cannot, be, mocked, will quell
many an angry emotion, and bring re
ientance for many an unkind word. It
willrecall the erring to a kind embrace, and
induce:to a re-union of :hearts, those bound
by ,tht.deareat ,ties, but who were in danger:
THE PRESBYTERIAN BANNER AND ADVOCATE.
of falling into unholy strife and lasting
alienations.
Families have common wants to be sup
plied from God's rich bounties, and they
enjoy mercies in common for which to give
thanks. There are sins common to all the
members of a household, and their interests
throughout are very extensively the same.
They shout 1, therefore, go together to God
in thanksgiving and prayer. Every father
of a family, and mother, also, is charged
with immortal souls; to be enlightened. and'
saved; and 'ditty cannot possibly be -per
formed, while instruction and prayer are
neglected, God's sore displeasure will be
upon the households which refuse to worship
him. iHe will pour out his fury upon the
heathen that know him not, and upon the
families that call not 'upon his name. (Jer.
x: 25.)
Family worship is then the dictate of our
better nature, and the law of revelation.
The richest blessings are connected with its
due performance, and awful curses result
from its neglect. Let these all be regarded
as reasons and motives urging to the dis
charae of the duty.
There'are many professors.of religion, we
know, who have no family altar; and there
are even spiritual officers in the Church who
do not' guide their households in an offering
of the merning and evening sacrifice. We
would not pass upon all such, the sentence
of exclusion. Some of them regard their
condition as a painful•necessity, which they
deeply deplore. They think they canna.
They should try, and persevere, in. trying.
Men's gifts differ; but let them reflect on
the fact, that God's Word demands that even
the one talent shall be used. He is
righteous. He asks only in accordance
with what he has given; - but so far he in
sists peremptorily. ' He claims the honest,
diligent, conscientious use of what: he has
given.. Let him have that, and you will
find a rich reward. If strict in his requisi
tions, he is still no hard Master. The
feeblest may serve him to a full acceptance.
The Seelliar Press, and the Religious.
The ability with which the daily press,
in our country is conducted, is wonderful.
It is an Encyclopedia of knowledge on Sei
mace, Commerce, Agriculture, History, Gov
ernment—on almost all subjects of living
interest. And yet there is attached to it ) ,
very exteasively, a sad blemish—there is a
want of the living principles of Gospel mo
rality- 7 a virus of iniquity, poisoning the
fountains of social purity, and corrupting
minds which it is the effort of;the parent
and the Church to imbue with the spirit'of
Christianity.
Orie of the things, to which exception may
be, justly taken, is well presented by the
American PreEibyterian. Our contempora
ry remarks
" What shall we say of our consistency in
allowing the editors of newspapers in New
York and Philadelphia, to print, and send, to
our families the most disgusting details of
crimes which we will not so much as men
tion to them? , What shall we say of our
morality when we not only allow it, butpay
them for doing it.
"It was once the derision of America
abroad, her pride at home, that purity of
thonght . and speech was carried to the, verge,
if not within the limits of, prudery. But, if
the daily press, is to pour into our houses a
ceaseless flood of illustrations of _vice in all
its details, , transcripts of every page that de
files, the police reports .9f our cities, narra
tives of every ,charge of bestial lust, true or
untrue, that finds utterance in any part of
the land, tberi,may we bid farewell to our
ancient fame, and hope soon to boast of the
morality of Paris without the refinement
that gilds its deformity. It will not do to
pass this matter over lightly. We are in
danger of Suffering to a fearful extent from
this source. Every good man should throw
his influence against its incoming.
"It has been said that since the Burdell
murder, the circulation of the New York
papers has increased two hundred thousand.
Whether this be so, we know not—nor do
we mean to say
. that this is the worst
reading that well-known papers in New
York and Philadelphia have sent into our
households—but we have here the secret 'of
the thing. It pays to give the details of
vice, and they are given. Some journals,
too devoid of any moral character to be in
jure,d by the practice, by pandering to the
vicious tastes of htimanity, run up their sales.
Respectable journals cannot be outdone;
their subscribers must not be allowed to go
to other pipers for the news, and they too join
in, Until we now scarce know where to turn
to find a secular paper that should be allosied
to come within the doors of a Christian
household. Both in the columns appropria
ted to news, and in those sold to their ad
vertisers,' are matters that breathe the spirit
of Satan, and that are doing his work. The
vapors of the pit exhale from them, and yet
we make them the companions of our chil
dren.
"With shame do we acknowledge the
justice of the following gentle rebuke from
Canada, found in the columns of the Mon
treal Witness
" 'We deeply regret to see reports of
trials and examinations, involving matters
of the most indecent and revolting descrip
tion, published at full length in several
American papers—the New York Tribune
being one of them. It makes one shudder
for the future of society, to reflect that these
abominable details are going into hundreds
of thousands of families, where they will—
unless the papers containing them are im
media.tely put in the fire, as they deserve
be read by the young of both sexes. Surely
parents should be careful what papers they
allow to come into their houses.'
This fact makes it the more incumbent on
parents to furnish their families with RELl
mous journals'; and it urges upon the
Christian press the importance of making the
weekly sheet the vehicle of much general
information. The young,, and the females
in the household, should be furnished with
information on all matters of living interest,
and should have it 'conveyed to them in
pure channels, and without any polluting as•
sociatione. ;This is now done, to a great extent,
by some our of religous papers. We ourselves
aim at it. A Buffalo paper, discoursing on
this subject, says :
"There is no amount of reading so attrctive,
so various, so rich, and so cheap, as that which
is afforded in one of our first-clasi religious
weekly newspapers. We have instances be
fore us, either, of ,which will'make good our
assertion. Take the New York Observer,
Advocate and Journal, Evangelist, Intelle
gencer, Examiner, the Western Advocate;
and some others we might name. These
papers contain a vast amount of reading
matter, with variety enough to satisfy the
most fastidious taste. In their departments
may be found religious intelligence, literary
articles, discussions on the arts and sciences,
travels, biography, poetry,
; sketches of char
acter, labored argument on the most ab
struce subjects, departments for the youth
and the aged, for parents and children, re
view of the markets, the currency of the
country, digests of national and state affairs,
foreign correspondence, itgriculture, history,
philosophy, general news, and, in fact, on ; all
subjects which relate to man, the world,
heaven, or hell. The variety of the reli
gios newspaper is astonishing, and far be
pond anything which appears in any other
class of newspaper reading. No person can
place a dozen of our leading journals before
his eyes, and give theM anything like an
intelligent exatnination, without being amaz
ed at the prodigious amount of labor re
quired to sustain the variety and intense in
terest which they present. The religious
press of this country admits of no parallel
in the world."
The journals here named, are all ably con
ducted, and some of them are mammoth
sheets; adapted to thase who have large
means and much , Families in oth
er circumstances will derive more benefit
from a less amount of reading matter, provi
ded it be of the right kind ; and to this end
the patrons and conductors of the press
should mutually strive ; the latter by an
earnest consecration of their energies, and
the former by giving .s.circulation adequate
to sustain the labor - ,and expense. And
whatever a man may think needful fOr his
office or for the club room, he should per
mit nothing but that wliich is free from mor
al pollution to enter the sanctuary of his
domicil, where he would have naught to
abide and flourish hitt purity and love. -
London. Heathenism.
Under this heading the London Christian
Times gives us some account of the
City Mission . ; an admirable institution, we
should infer from what is; told of its works.
Under its influence there has been an in
crease, in the last year, of three hundred
and eighty-one in the number of Sabbath
keeping cabs ; one thousand one hundred
and fifty couples who had lived together un
lawfully, were induced to marry; eleven
thousand five hundred and sixty•four chil
dren were sent to Sunday-and daily schools;
and five thousand eight, hundred and sixty
nine communicants were added to Christian
Churches.
In speaking of the enndition of the city,
the Times says :
•
Experience is opening her '.eyes to the real
state of the cane, and teaching us that millions of
people on-the Continent absent themselves from
the ordinances even of the spurious Christianity,
wherein they have been schooled to ungodliness,
and that in our own Protestant country, and
specially ,in the heart of the wealthiest and
proudest city in the world, there are myriads
upon myriads of real heathens Not only are
they thieves, drunkards, and-prostitutes, but they
are 'born, and live, and die; in a state of utter
separation from the elementary observances of
Christianity. They have^ cohabitation without
marriage-the London costermongers being an
example, since hardly one, tenth of their couples
have taken on them the, marriage tie. Their
children are not bap ized, +nor does it ever enter
into the thoughts of man or,woman, among them,
to seek admission into the Christian Church by
baptism. The sacred names which Christendom
riveres are, with them, mere terms of blasphemy.
Prayer they know not. _Churchee they never
enter. The ministers of religion they look upon
with a set antipathy, and. if 011 c such desires
access or.toleration amohg - thein, he must, put, off
his usual 'dress and assume the habit and style
of a layman. In short, the worship, the ministers,
the sacraments, of Christianity, are openly-re
jected ; and sad and hu.nilating as is the con
fession, consistency with .all that is taught in
every denomination requires us, to confess that
these are heathens, in the full and natural ac
ceptation of the word. '
This is a sad picture, and likely not at all
overdrawn. If we look at the ignorance,
vice, degiadation,—the real heathenism—
which may be found in our own city; at the
greater amount and of an awfully deeper
dye, which is to be found in the larger city
of Philadelphia; and at the still . far worse
state of things in New York, we cannot
doubt the truthfulness of the statement
made relative to London, where the people
number some two and a =half millions.
Large cities are the most awful sinks of
pollution on earth ; and they offer the most
needy missionary fields. While, then, we send
the Gospel to the heathen afar off, we must
not ignore Our home wants.
Intercourse with Africa.
Under this head, in, our news department,
we give some facts, and our thoughts thereon.
We there present the subject in its peen
niary and social aspects. But it is also
intimately connected with religion. It
would tend greatly to the Christianizing of
Africa. It is true, that trade, in its own
operations, does not tend to the cherishing
of a devotional spirit, but rather the con
trary;;and yet trade is ever.found connected
with' revealed religion. -It needs, for its
sustentation, the morality of religion; and,
in this case, it would give facilities to
Christians to reach the African people, with
their books and institutions. The light of
Divine truth, and the labors of Christian
teachers would be found side by side with
commerce in its advances, and would be
bleased of. God to the conversion of the
nations. Africa would be made, to stretch
forth her hands unto God. We shall hope to
see Christian people insist upon it, that
their, representatives shall favor the measure.
Superior, Wisconsin.
This is a town of three years old, and
numbering one thousand five hundred in
habitant& It is situated at the West end
of Lake Superior, and on. the Southern
shoies of the Bays. of Superior and AlLiles.
The site is said to be beautiful, being a plot
of five thousand acres, eleVated thirty-four
feet above the water, and with a gradual rise.
The prospect is delightful. The climate is
favorable to health. The mines of copper,
iron', and lead, the lumber, and the products
of a rich agricultural and grazing country,
and its being at the extreme Western point
of Lake navigation, must render it a place
of- great importance. Its growth must be
rapid, and a rivalry in trade can hardly,
from its situation, be anticipated.
We are pleased,to see, aa noted in another
column, that this place is a'ready occupied
by our Church, and is enjoying Divine fa
vors. Such a place well merits the atten
tion of our Board of Missions. An early
occupation of a country, and of, the places
which must become centres of influence in
that country, is the imperative duty of God's
people ; and a duty to be discharged spe
cially by those entrusted With the conduct
ing of our aggressive operations, in extend
ing Zion.
Catalogue of Western Theological Semi-
nary.
The Triennial Catalogue, just issued, pre
sents a succinct history of the instruction
in this Institution--its officers and students.
Rev. Jacob Janeway, D. D., was the first
Professor. He was appointed in 1828; and
resigned in 1829. Rev. Luther Halsey,
D. D., was in the Seminary from 1829 till
1837; Rev. John W. Nevin, D. D., from
1829 till 1836, as Instructor, and thence till
1840, as Professor; Rev: Lewis Green,
D. D., from 1840 till 1847.; and Rev. A. T.
McGill, D. D., from 1841 till 1854. Of
the present Professors, Dr. Elliott was ap
pointed in 1836, Dr. Jacobus in 1851, and
Dr. Planter in 1854.
The whole number of Alumni is four
hundred and forty-nine; of whom there
have deceased seventy one. '
The present number of students is—Res*
idents, five; Senior Class, nineteen; Middle
Class, thirty two;' Junior Class, twenty-five;
making a total of eighty.one.•
The Institution enjoys largely the favors
of a kind Providence, and has the confidence
of the churches. The appropriate work of
a Fourth Professor is divided among the
three above named; they being aided by
S. J. Wilson, A: M., as assistant in Hebrew
and History. An endowment of another
Professorship and the appointment of a Pro
fessor would add still more to the efficiency
of the Seminary.
Amerim Tract Society.
At the stated meeting of the Executive
Committee on the 16th inst., the Rev.
Knox iu the chair, the receipts for ten
months had been equal, 'Within $6OO, to the
same months of last year Correspondence
had been had with our. Foreign Mission
Boards, and , in view of the various applica
tions received from foreign stations, $2,500
were appropriated for missions of different
denominations in China; $1,300 for Siam,
Assam, and Burmab ; $2,000 for Northern
India; $2,700 for missions in Southern India;
$3,900 for the Nestorians, Armenians,
Syria, and Greece; $1,500 for . France;
and $3,600 for Germany, Italy, and other
countries of Europe; making in all $lB,OOO,
which is to be remitted before April 1,
when the Society's year ends.
For the Presbyterian Banner and - Advocate.
Board of Education.
PRESBYTERIAN EDUCATION. ROOMS,
Philadelphia, Feb. 17th 1857
•
Some fifteen months ago, a special appeal
was made to the churches in behalf of the
Board'of,Education for funds—the first of
the kind in nine years. That appeal was
responded to with promptness and liberali
ty. Tile pecuniary pressure' of the 'Board
was relieved, and the year closed with a
small balance in the treasury. We had
hoped until now that we should be able to
meet the demands of the current year, by
the ordinary and spontaneous benevolence
of our churches. But our year is so nearly
closed, and so many of the churches have
thus far withheld their collections, that we
are constrained to make known our wants,
and to request them earnestly' to take such
action in the case as they may deem best
'Our treasury is overdrawn, and we shall
need, within the next two months, not less
than ten thousand dollars in order to meet
our rq..ular appropriationa, to say nothing
of several urgent applications for spepial
'aid, which we are desirous, -if possible, to
grant. •
•
The concert of prayer for colleges on the
last Thursday of February will afford a
suitable occasion to remind our people of
the duty of giving as well as praying for
this object. We, therefore, respectfully re
quest our brethren in the ministry, in
churches where the'.annual collection for
the Board of Education has not been taken
up, to appoint the Sabbath succeeding the
last Thursday of February, or as SOO7l after .
as practicable, as the time for this collection.
To the observance of that day of prayer the
attention of the churches has already been
called; and a higher call to the observance
of this concert than the recommendation of
any ecclesiastical court, is manifest in the
repeated answers which have been given to
the prayers of God's people in the conver
sion of young men in our colleges and other
schools. We hope this appointment will
not be forgotten or neglected by any of
our churches. What a glorious accession
would be made to the "sacramental host,"
if the two hundred and fifty thousand young
men in our colleges and academies, with
the four millions in our common schools,
should be made the Isubjects of Divine
grace !
But in our prayers for their conversion,
remember that several hundreds already
converted in answer to your former prayers,
are members of
to,
Institutions, and are
called of God to devote themselves to the
Gospel ministry, but without the requisite
pecuniary ability to meet their current ex
penses. Shall they suspend their studies,
or suffer an intolerable pressure of personal
want in their persevering and self-denying
efforts to continue them,' or will you not,
dear brethren, come to their relief, by con
tributing what is necessary to enable the'
Board Of Education to pay the small pit
tance which has been promised for their
benefit?
A recurrence to the monthly reports of
our treasurer in the Home and Foreign Re
cord, discloses the fact that some large sec
tions of the Church have contributed very
little to the Board during, •the current year.
One reason doubtless is, that they are rais
ing funds on a large scale for educational
purposes in their own localities. We rejoice
in these efforts. The promotion< of the ob
jects contemplated by them, constitutes a
part of the work committed. by the General
Assembly to the Board of Education.
We regret that 'a much larger amount
than is .now received, does not pass through
our treasury for these objects. It would de
light our hearts to have it-• in our power to
aid, •by direct appropriations, as we are doing
indirectly,to a considerable degree, our in
stitutions of learning. But the aid ex
tended to these was not designed by the
Assembly to diminish- the resources of the
Board for aiding candidates for the Gospel
ministry. And we seriously submit the
question to those brethren who are engaged
in the' noble work of endowing Colleges)
Academies, and Theological Seminaries,
whether these efforts ought to interrupt
the annual collections for the ministerial
fund? They may form a -valid reason for
contributing less, but not as we think, for
omitting these collections altogether: If
all the churches in our communion would
contribute annually to this cause according
to their ability, the Board would be relieved
from embarrassment, and special appeals for
funds would be no longer necessary.
TRE SECRETARIES OF THE
BOARD OF EDUCATION
For the Presbyterian Banner and Advocate.
Clititch at T;6wisbzirg,Ta.
A meeting of the Presbyterian congrega
tion of Lewisburg, Pa., called for the pur
pose of securing the concurrence of the con
gregation in asking from •Presbytery, at the
request of their pastor, Rev. James Clark,
D. D.; a dissolution of the pastoral relation,
wawbeld.on the 16th inst. On motion, the
following Preamble and Resolutions were
unanimously adopted:
WIINREAS, Our pastor, the Rev. James Clark,
D. D., having signified to this congregation, his
sense of duty in the .circumstancea of himself
and. family; and having expressed his wish to
withdraw, for a year, from the labors of publicly
preaching the Gospel, and having requested us to
concur with him in asking' of Presbytery, ,a
dissolution of the tender and sacred relations
existing between him and 113, we deem it proper
to express our views and feelings in reference to
his request; therefore,
Resolved, That we render thanks to our Creator
and Redeemer for the harmony and kind affec
tion, which, through the entire pastorate. of Dr.
Clark, in this congregation, have characterized
the relations we have sustained, and the inter
course we have bad with one another.
Resolvid, That we acknowledge, with gratitude,
to the Lord of Zion, the favor with which, during
the past year, as well as during former;years, he
has crowned the labors of our befoved pastor, in
the ingathering of a goodly number into the mem
bership of the Church. ,
Resolved, That, as Dr. Clark has expressed to
us, affectionately, his views of duty, and has sig
nified to us his intention to ask leave of Presby
tery to resign his pastoral charge, we would re
gard, with unfeigned respect, his convictions of
duty on this subject; and, while we would have
Nsrilliugly and gladly retained our beloved pastor
in the relation which he sustains to this church,
and in his labors in the service of the Master
among us, yet, in compliance with his request,
we will throw no obstacle in his way ; but will
join him in asking of Presbytery, a dissolution of
the relation in which he stands to us, as pastor
of this church. , .
Resolved, That we commend our beloved . pastor
and his family, to the mercies of a covenant
keeping, and gracious God; and our prayer as
cends for the continuance of his usefulness and
comfort, wherever his lot may be cast.
Resolved, That copies of these Resolutions be
forwarded to Editors of the Presbyterian 'and
Presbyterian Banner and Advocate, for publication.
ROBERT H. LAIRD, Pres't.
John Rando?ph, Sec'y.
Tor the Presbyterian Banner and Advocate.
Death of Rev. -John Brittain.
MR. EDITOR :---I am directed by the
Presbytery of Winnebago, to send you the
following Minute adopted by them at their
last stated meeting, at Fond du Lac, Jan.
31st, 1857 : '
Presbytery having received the mournful in
telligence of the death of Rev. John Brittain, a
member of this Presbytery, do adopt the follow
ing resolutions
Resolved,, That we regard the removal of this
able and efficient laborer from the midst of this
wide and destitute missionary field, as one of
those mysterious dispensations of Divine Provi
deuce which we cannot understand, and which we
will not question. We - can only say, and we de
sire to say, in a submissive spirit, " The will of
the Lord be done."
Resolved, That we - deem it appropriate to this
occasion, to express our sense of the severe loss
we have sustained, as a Presbytery and a Church,
in the death of this brother, whom we regarded
as a man of superior intellectual endowments,
high moral culture, and a deep and earnest piety.
Eminently successful as an instructor of youth,
capable as a preacher, and possessing a self
denying missionary spirit.
He came into this North- Western field when our
Church here was, in its infancy.. He was one of
the origined members -of this Presbytery. Be
made many sacrifices, and performed .much
missionary labor in laying the foundations of our
Churoh in Wisconsin: To us he seemed peculiar
ly fitted for usefulness here. But "He who
seeth not as man seeth;" hath called him away
in the prime of life,'and in the midst of his labors,
and permitted him to enter into his rest.
Resolved, That while we thus mourn the loss of
a brother, whom we loved, and a fellow-laborer,
whose services vre so highly prized, we would, at
the same time, rejoice that to him so happy a de
liverence has been given. His calm and peaceful
death bore a precious testimony to the power and
faithfulness of that Saviour vrhom he preached,
and in whom we believe ; and our prayer is, that
this bereavement may be 'sanctified to our
spiritual good. We would •recognise in it the
voice of the Master, saying unto us, "Be ye
also ready."
Resolved, That we sympathise with the relatives
and friends of Brother Brittain in the loss they
have sustained, and commend them the con-
soling truths and promises of God's Word.
Resolved, That the Stated Clerk be directed to
forward a copy of these resolutions to the re
latives of Mr. Brittain, to Rev. B. Phillips, under
whose hospitable roof our brother breathed his
last, and to the religious press. •
H. M. ROBERTSON, Stated Clerk.'
EcelesiasticaL
Rev. J. G..SCOTT has received and accepted
a call to the church of Westfield, and de
sires to be addressed, hereafter, at Mount
Jackson, Lawrence County, Pa., instead
of New Matarnoras, Ohio.
Rev. JAMES L. RODGERS, late of Mt., Joy,
Pa., has united with the Presbytery of
Rock River, and received a call to Stirl
ing, Illinois.
Rev. J. W. STROWIIER„ of Searcy, Ark.,
has removed to Brownsville, Tenn. Cor
respondents will please address hint ac
cordingly.
Rev. Gni). Bunnowr,s, D. D., has been
called to the church at Newtown, Pa.
Rev. THOMAS MeCottmrcx. has received a
call to Runterstown, Pa.
Eastern Correspondence.
NEW Yoiuc, Feb. 21,1857.
MR. EDITOR :—Tbe corporators of Trinity
church must find themselves in an unenvia-
ble position in administering the great trust
committed to their Charge. If they, have
souls, or t•ensibilities—of which, fortunately
for them, corporations are thought to be-desti
tute—they must be kept in a continual worry,
from t l .e frequent attacks made upon their
administration, or efforts to wrest the pro
party from their control. These attacks and
efforts indicate a jealousy of their growing
wealth, and an opposition to their general
policy, which is presumed to aim at an in
crease of their power, by the. accumulation
of their property, and by rendering the
churches which they aid, dependent on
their bounty. They may be partly explain
ed, too, by the desire that is no doubt felt
among those who hope to' share the spoils,
that this great property may, by some pro
cess:it: forfeited to the State, and on the
part of others that it should be divided
among all the Episcopal churches `'of this
city. History shows'the danger, to society,
as well as to the Church, of the increase of
ecclesiastical wealth in the hands - of a few,
with its consequent s pirituardespotism; while
the fears of the people, on this . subject, have
taken shape in the laws, passed two or three
years ago, to prohibit .Romish Bishops from
holding m their Valve; or exercising
uncontrolled authority over the property or
their Church, in their dioceses. The
of our institutions, teo, is opposed to ne,n( P.
olies in religion, as well as in 1.m.kt,,,
while w( a]th and power are, in thernsel7r,,
apt to excite envy and suspicion. It is not
surprising, therefore, that Trinity should hi
watched with a jealous eye, or her rides be
coveted by the needy and grasping. This
vigilance may, however, become excessi ve ,
if it does not read to positive injusti ce.
There is, indeed, -a tendency in this matter,
as in others, to extremes. We see it in the
prejudice that prevails, not oLly against
permanent investments, for religious uses,
but against the bequeathing of property f or
benevolent ends. It has become the rule to
contest a man's will, whatever the circum
stances under which it was made, if it is
largely in favor of charitable, particulary
of religious objects ; as though the fact o f
such liberality, was, in itself, evidence of
incompetency. And- while it is, no doubt,
,a 44 more excellent way," for the rich to
disburse their gifts during their life, if pos
sible, rather than at death, such an interfe
.rence with their wishes is often unreasona
ble and oppressive. The agitation in re
gard to Trinity , church, has grown out of her
good fortune, rather than any perversion of
their trust, on the part of the corporators.
Her original property was "the King's
farm,' the gift of the ,English Crown to the
Episcopalians of this city. No one, of course,
dreamed that what was then mere "pasture
and potato fields," would so soon be covered
with " merchant palaces." It consisted, as
appears from a report recently made to the
New York Senate, of 2,068 lots, 318 of
which have been given away, 1,059 sold,
and the remainder, 691, continue in posses
sion of the church. The present value of
her productive property, according to Trini
ty herself, is a little over a million of dollars;
according•to the report referred to, it is over
font millions '
while another million, it
claims, should be added -on the score of her
interest in St. John's Park, and her mort
gages on the sixty six churches to which she
has loaned money, but from:which„ however,
she takes no interest. Prior to 1814, her
property, it seems, was liberally applied for
the benefit of all the Episcopal churches in
this city, agreeable to the terms of the be
quest. By an act of the Legislature, that,
year r tlae title of her corporation ' and conse
quently its power, was changed from " The
Rector and Inhabitants," to " the Rector,
Church. warden., and Vestry-men. of. Trinity
church, in. the city of New York" This
change was made with the understanding
that she would continue to divide her corpo
rators; build, set • off, and endow new
chuches, so as to keep pace with the popu
lation; and thus gradually " break•down"
her vast estate, instead of suffering it to in
crease. The report states that these expec
tations have been disappointed. She has
not divided her corporators. She has not
set off, or endowed any chapel with a compe
tent estate in land. She has built no free
church since 1814, or, indeed, at any time,
while she has expended, in aid of such
churchei, only eleven hundred dollars' du
ring the last five. years. She has abandoned
her policy of giving away land, and now makes
onlypeeuniary grants, in two forms, either an
annual stipend to the Rector of a parish,.
revocable at pleasure, or a grant to the par
ish, secured by a mortgage, bearing interest,
thotigh the interest is not collected, but suffer
ed to accumulate She has founded no institu.
tion of charity for the poor, though she has
recently completed an up town chapel, at a
cost of two hundred and thirty-seven 'thou
sand dollars
In reply to these charges, it is urged by
" a member of the Episcopal Church," that
Trinity is a striking example of a missionary
and free church—indeed, has no parallel in
this" respect among the churches of the
land. While others hive removed from the
lower to the upper part : of the city, she re
mains, .with the two Chapels, St. Paul's
and St. John's, in the midst of a population
destitute of religious ordinances, and ninny
of them in great poverty. Her doors are
open from morning to night, in Summer and
Winter, and 'throughout the whole year.
Every proper effort is made to induce the
attendance of the poor. Clergymen and
Sextons are in readiness to answer their de
mands. Their wants are provided for, and
their children instructed. That Trinity,
with her two Chapels, is essentially free, is.
shown moreover from the statement, that
the whole amount of their pew rents does
not pay one-half the cost of their music;
while their nine clergymen, with their lay
assistants, are sustained by the funds of the
Corporation. -As to her retaining, instead
of selling or donating her real estate, this it
is claimed, is a question of policy, to be de
termined by those who are entrusted with
its management. While her efforts to keep
pace with the growth of the population, are
probably exhausted by the new Chapel, with
its vast expenditure and lavish appointments,
Trinity has, unquestionably, contributed to
"the improvement:" of the city by her
splendid edifices She is also to be com
mended for continuing her labors and
worship in the lower part of the city, which
has been almost abandoned
_by other
Churches, thOugh the population has in
creased. but at what a ,great expense is-
her .extensive establishment sustained, and
how limited are the results, compared with
what a different policy might produce ?
How many of the poor actually worship in
her cathedral, and what does she effect for
the spread of religion, commensurate with
her resources ? Her 'want of good faith,
which the report to the Senate alleges,
may be a misapprehension, for it has been
recommitted, not discussed or adopted ;
but her history illustrates the undesirable
ness, if not the danger, of rich ecclesiastical
corporations. A plethora of money in the
Church, like a plethora of blood in the body,
produces inactivity, if it does not tend to
corruption. Jealousy and mistrust are more
its natural fruits, than love and self-denial.
The liberality Of many is restrained by
knolledge of its ability, or by its parsi
monious example; while individuals, or even
the - state is tempted to covet its possessions,
Or stumbled at its pokey. , At all events,
Episcopacy has gained little in this city by
the wealth of Trinity; for with all the
preitige and power which it has given, it
now numbers fewer , churches than belong
to the Presbyterian body, which was planted
in the midst of persecution, and has been
dependenf'for its support on the voluntary
contributions of its adherents.
Rumanista has revealed something of its
animus, in connexion with the Irish riot in
Hudson City, N. J. Two priests were call
ed upon to administer the rites of their
Church to two of the wounded men, who
were thought to be dying. When sum
moned as witnesses by the authorities, and
urged to disclose what they knew of the
guilty parties, they refused to testify on the
ground that the Confessional is sacred, and
they ought not to be required to reveal its
secrets. They profess the most unbounded
allegiance to the State, but cannot belive it
to be any part of their civil duty to use the
knowledge'they thus acquire to aid it in the
detection of crime. Such a perversion of
the Confessional would convert it into a
system of espionage, as a secret police, under
the garb df religion; anti thereby destroy all