amttr anb (I.bfbacate.
PITTSBURGH, MARCH 14,1857.
TERMS...III. I )O.' in advance; or in Clubs,
0144; or, delivered at residence. of Subtler!.
bens! •1.73. See Prospectus. on Third Page.
it Al hi row AAA S should be prompt; a little
while borers' the year expires, that we may
Make full arrangements for & steady supply.
THE RED WRAPPER indicates that ws
desire arenewal. If, however. in-the haste
of this Areal should be omitted. we
hops our friends will still not forget us.
REMITTANCES.--Send payment by safe
hands, when convenient. Or, send by Man,
enclosing with ordinary care, and troubling
nobody with a knowledge of what you are
doing. Per a largo amount, send a Drafty or
large notes. Porous or two paper., send Hold
or small notes.
TO MAKE CHAMOIS, Send posing* stamps,
or blotter stilly mend for more paper's; sal 'fl
for Soirontyntumbsroy or SI for Tldrtysthrso
stitnibersy
DIRECT aU Lotter* sad Communications
to REV. DAVID MeIEINNEY. Pittabourghy
' '
CALIFORNIA:--RC I 7. Dr. Happersett left
New York, on the sth lust , in the steamer
Illinois, for San Francisco. He jvcs on behalf
of the Board of Domestic Missions, on a
tour of visitation and exploration.
Rev. Mr. Fairbairn, of Texas, sailed in
company with Dr. Happersett, and will
probably'remain there.
REFERENCE BIBLES.—A good Reference
Bible should be a part of the'furnishing of
every Christian's house: - Lee's work; - ad
vertised in our columns by Mr. Renton', is
vefy highly recommended. We have had
one of them on our table for some weeks,
and, as far as we hive had occasion to use
it, We find it excellent.
The Oeneeee Evaegelist.
The . Rev. D. C. Hotighten has, taken, the
editorial charge of this excellent journal.
The Evangelist is !sustained mainly by the
Western Synods (Nei! Sehool) of New York.
Its support has' not been very ample. Its
spirit hasheen fraternal, and the new editor
encourages Ss to expect no deterioration.
A Missionary Deceased.
The Rev. Philip Condit, of the Presby
tery of Oregon, +died'on the 29th of Novem
ber, 1856, of typhoid fever. He was about
fifty years of age, and bid been, a faithful
and devoted missionary. Another is needed
to occupy his placc; and many more to do
the greet work demanded in that newly set
tled but extensive country.
Revivals. ,
WHITE CLAY CREEK, DEL —l-See letter
of Mr. Vallandigham.
AMONG "THE BLkOKS.—The Southern
Presbyterian: tells of some forty colored per
sons added to the Anson Street church,
Charleston; and of fifteen or twenty appli
cants for admission. Great care seems to be
bestowed in giving instruction to these mem
bers. To the Wsppetaw eongregation there
are thirty-five or.forty applicants, of the same
class of persons, for communion privileges.
At Harris' Neck, 'Ga., twenty-twe were re
ceived to the communion, in january.
Hiitiq of the Presbyterian Chwoh.
The work, on this subject by the late Rev.
Richard Webster, is now nearly through the
press. We have= received a few of the
sheets printed. The Manuscript was in
trusted to the care of an industrious and ac
complished literary gentleman, and is being
published with great accuracy...
We anticipate a very extended sale; from
thvalue. of the work h and the Anown fact
that - the profits will accrue to the family of
the deceased ; and also from the facilities to
be afforded to the Aurelia for obtaining it,
a number of Synods, if we remember right,
having passed resolutions requesting the
Board of. Publication to have it circutated
by their Colporteum:
The iiew President.
Mr. Buchanan was duly inducted into
offor r on the '4th. inst. An immense con
course* of people were in the Capital, and
festivities abounded.
The new President enters office somewhat
trammeled by party, and heir to some diffi
culties; but he has also many things
in his favor; and a righteous administration
is the * subject of hope. His religious train
, ing was in, the Presbyterian Church,' and. in
it he his habitually attended on public wor
ship ia, herce, well instructed in
Chrm
tian morality; and the seeds, early sown and
long nurtured; may be expected to produce
rich fruit in his advancing age.
The 'lnaugural is an able paper. The
President pledges himself to one term. He
strongly advocates popular sovereignty. New
States, he says, should be admitted, with or
without slavery, as the people may choose.
go, '4,11i upon every Union-loving man to
'e'iert; his influence to supprees the agitation
of slavery, as a political question. He would
regard disunion as a parent of terrific evils.
The dOvernment he would preserve free
from the taint, or even the suspicion of cor
ruption. The increase of the . Navy and
maritime defences is recommended; also, an
.equitable tariff- of duties on imports. He
faiOrs a. railroad to the Pacific coast:
He says it is our glory that we have ac
, quired territory, not by conquest, but by
equitable purchase. The continuance of
this policy he recommends. His invocation
of. the Divine blessing is candid and rever
_•,ential..,
The Cabinet nailed by Mr. Buchanan has
;been .confirmed 'by the Senate. The pa
pers mostly speak respectable, in
tab*, and not ultra in .polities; but think
there' ikpo danger of the Chief Magistrate
being- . eclipsed by the members of his
Council.
The Nsident, Couneil,Congress, Judges,
and all in authority, have the earnest
Irwin of God's people :for the& guidance.
4 gllkased is that people r wboee 4041 is the
Lord:" It is by bin: that princes aeign and
tulers decree justice. ttaie ishO*Juut in an
thwity should be the. SUbjacti of thnelt and
earnest prayer.
Baptism—The Princeton Review—Status
of Infants—Duty to the Bcptized.
The leading article in the January num
ber of the Princeton Review, has elicited
much attention, and has prompted to no little
inquiry. What, the; Church asks, is the
opinion of this truly excellent and extensive
ly influential journal, on a subject so deeply
vital as the condition and prospects of her
offspring ? The difficulty occurs mainly in a
feweentences, and relates to the status of the
infants of believers, and the grounds of their
being admitted to baptism. On page 22, we
read :
"2. Those incapable of such profession, (the
intelligent profession of adults who are brought in
from the world,) may be visibly members of the
Church, by virtue of God's revealed covenant, or
promise to be their God. This is precisely the
case with infants and the ground of their baptism.
But, in either arise, membership in the visible
Church is founded on a.presumptive membership in
the invisible, until its subjects, by acts incom
patible * thereto : nth, prove the contrary, and thus,
to the eye of man, forfeit titeir standing among
God's visible people."
And, again, on page 23
All this imports nothing less than a presump
tion that the children of the Church are, and will
prove to be, the real children - of Ged, until they
dispel that presumption, by their misconduct."
Now, the difficulty arises from the sense
which the words "invisible Church" are
used. Who compose the invisible. Church ?
Commonly, l as we think, the phrase is un
derstood to mean the regenerate—those now
living and actually renewed in Christ. If
such he the signification, the Review is
wrong—deeply wrong. It teaches a per
nicious error; an error which must be death
bringing in its influence. And so our cor
respondent "A. 8.," of last week, under
stood the Reviewer. And so others, minis
ters as well as laymen, have understood him.
And his words, "are, and will prove to
be, the real children of God," authorize
such an understanding. And the expla.
nation attempted in the Presbyterian,
of February 7th, rather implies that
HE so understood himself ; by his crit
icism on. the word presume, and his al
tering the connective AND as quoted above,
into ,on.—"are, OR will prove to be the real
children of God"—thus 'apparently wishing
to change his ground. We were, therefore,
pleased to receive the article of "A. B."
It contends for precious truth, and is adapted
to draw attention , to a subject which is much
neglected, but which is of unspeakable im
portance. It is a word in season.
But the phrase, "invisible Church," has
a meaning far more extended and compre
hensive than that given above. We under
stand it as meaning the elect of God—the
iffnle family of the redeemed in Christ, in
past ages, at the present time, and for the
ages to come. So it is .used by the Old
theologians, and it is so defined in our
Standards
" The catholic or universal Church, which is
INVISIBLE, consists of the whole number of the elect,
that have been,
are, or shall be gathered into one ,
under Christ, the head thereof."-Confession
Faith. Chap. 25. See. 1.
4f Q. 64. What is the invisible Church 7"
"A. The invisible Church is the whole number
of the ELECT, that have been, are, or shall be
gathered into one, under Christ the head."—
Larger Catechism.
And thus we would think,that the writer in
the Review, notwithstanding his failure to
r atty so, and his seeming desire to shift his
ground, used the expression—we judge thus
because he had just quoted (on page 18)
the definition above given from the Stand
ards; because he admits that the children
of believers are born in sin;,because he
denies baptismal regeneration; because he
does not use the word regenerate, nor any of
its synonyms, in speaking of the state of
believers' children by birth; and because he
,urges, on the part of parents and the Church,
the use of those means which, by God's ap
pointment and with his blessing, will be
effectual 'in bringing the young under the
power of the Gospel, and to a meetness for
heaven.
Taking, then, the " invisible Church" to
mean "the whole number of the elect,"
may we not' most truthfully affirm, the
presumptive membership of the infants
of believers ? Is the presumption not
very , strong, that they belong to the
,elect of God, who were given to Christ, and
whom also he will bring? They are, con
lessedly, in the visible Church. He has
`gilen them their being 'as members of a
Christian household, and under the cove
nant of proufise. He has appointed for
them, and gives to them, the seal of the
covenant. He has secured to them a know
ledge of the way of life, Gospel calls, and*
the influence of the society of Christians.
He has given, on their behalf, exceedingly
precious promises. May we not then hope
—confidently hope—that he designs yet
more; that he purposes to bless to them the
privileges already given, and make them
really, individually, experimentally, par- 1
takers of hie saving grace ? 14lay we not,
then, presume, without being chargeable
with an unirarrantabte presumption, thatthe,
children of •believers belong to the invisible
Church, that is, are of the elect of God Y
And may we not, regarding them as in the
Covenant, affix the covenant seal, and train
them, and teach them accordingly, in the
full expectation that the benefits will be ap
plied'and enjoyed in regeneration, edifica
tion and glory?
Against this view it is - objected, we know,
that if parents are taught to regard ._their
children'as belonging to the invisible Church,
they will be tempted to think that their
salvation is sure; that Christ will see to it,
some how, that they shall be converted and
fitted for heaven, even though their parents
neglect their training; and objected 'also,
that children will conclude that,, at some
day, they will be brought into the right
path, 'and that' hence, for the present, they
may'defer faith and repentance, and may
please themselves 14 sip. True; the doe. :
trine is thus abused; the unsanotified-heart
thus reasons. But the same objection lies
against the doctrine's of God's decrees, and
human helplessness, and the Divine sini-
ereignty in grace—against all the distinctive
doctrines of Calvinism—in objection which
We need not now. discuss,. Presbyterians
already know well that it is futile: But the
objection, sweeping as it is,' does not lie
THE PRESBYTERIAN BANNER AND ADVOCATE.
even in appearance, against the statement in
the Review; for it is there said, not that
the children of believers are really members
of the invisible Church, but, that the pre
sumption is that they are such. And on
this presumption, and the strong evidence
which sustains it, they are baptized; just
as we baptize au adult on the profession of
his faith; not because we know certainly
that he is one of Christ's elect, and hence an
heir of what is signified, in, baptism; hut be
cause we have the 'evidence which authorizes
a charitable judgment that he is.
A word on the comparative strength of
the evidence which authorizes the charitable
judgment, in behalf of the 'infant members
of the Church, and of adults offering them
selves from the world on profession may
not be amiss. We regard the former as de
cidedly the more hopeful. We have there,
the covenant of promise, and much confi
dence that the subjects of baptism will have
their minds imbued, in their tenderest years,
with God's truth. The seeds of pure know
ledge will be implanted and nurtured.
Christ and his Word will have the earliest
access to the soul. They will be taught,
prayed for, restrained, directed.. They will
be, in, the family, the Sabbath School and the
Church, the companions jof the saints.
Their enlightened and quickened conscience,
their earliest judgments,ana strongest
will be all in ,favor of holiness, and
against things sinful. They will spring sip
as willows by ..the water eourse.s. _Whe.reas,
in those who present themselves , from the
world, we contemplate minds but little in
structed, hearts hardened, a conscience
blunted, but now impelled, hopefully we say,
by the Spirit of grace, but possibly,, alio by
sudden fear, or hy some earthly end, to con
fess Christ. We rejoice in the slightest in
dication that a sinner may be turning to
God, and when the evideaces are many
and strong, we exult in the wondrous grace ;
but still, with far more confidence of hope
do we regard the children of the. Church.
And this confidence is not, with us, based
on theory'alone. It has been our privilege
to do pastoral , and our observation
leads us to say, with much, more confidence
respecting the children of the Churel, these
hopefully ARE, AN]) WILL PROVE a'HEM
SELVES TO BE the real children of God, than
we could'say the same of those offering them
selves from the world.
The visible Church embraces the mem
bers of the invisible who are on earth, and
who are really regenerate at the time being.
It embraced them all, or nearly all; for our
Confession well says, "Out of it there is no
ordinary possibility of salvation."—Chap.
25; Sec. 2. It, however, embraces more
than these ; but it is the Church of Christ,
BECAUSE it embraces these. These are his
people. It embraces really three classes of
persons, of whom, and to whom we can
speak distinctively, ,but whom we cannot
distinguish personally, so as to name them
one by one with confidence. 1. There are
the regenerate, already real Christians;
embracing, as we trust, many of the adult
and some of the infant members. 2.` There
are the unregenerate, who belong also to the
elect of God, the invisible Church, and are
yet to• be converted. In this class we enu
merate a multitude of the infants and
youth ; with some of the adults born within
her pale, and a few who may ,have professed
without true conversion, ; but who will ; yet
enjoy saving grace. iB. There are the un
regenerate, who will continue unbelieving
and perish in their, sin. These are 'the tares
among" the wheat,; the bad fish caught in
the Gospel .net : ; the seed in stony places.
This class embraces hypocritical professord;
adults who, like Esau, have sold their birth
right, though they retain the name,`; and
possibly some infant members, who will
choose the world as their portion, and delay
repentance, and resist the Spirit, and finally
sink in woe. But all of these three elasses
have membership in the visible Church
.
on. the presumption, before man, that they
are really members of ' the Church invisible,
either already regenerate, or to become so.
They all have, before men, some claims ;
some presumptive evidence in their favor.
And as man cannot see the heart and din
criminate unerringly, they are permitted to
remain; all growing together, in the' visible
Chinch, till the harvest.
And this thought, that the children of
the Church do, very likely, belong' to the
number of the ELECT who shall be gathered
in; does not.paralyze, nor render indifferent,
either a living Church or a believing parent.
It is rather one of the greatest incentives to
activity. It.makes them feel a confidence
that their labor will not be in vain, in the
Lord. Tell the husbtiudman that he shall
havethe rain from heaven and the fruitful
season, And you will not thereby induce him
to neglect. his' tillage: Ile will but the more
diligently plow his ffelds, and'sew his - broad
acres with the choicest seed. 'And shall the
spiritual husbandman, the believing Church,
and the godly parent, cease to teach and
pray, to guide, guard and nurture, because
God claims.the children as his heritage, and
says, "I will pour my Spirit upon thy seed,
and my blessing upon thine offspring?"
Surely not. .The clearer the premise and
the brighter the hope, the more industriously
will the true believer attend to those things
which God has made to be the medium of
the obtaining of what is desired.
There are those who abuse God's prom
ises, but shall we, therefore, ignore them ?
Because some pervert the truth, shall we,
therefore, suppress it? So did not. Paul.
Let us, then, manfully stand up for the'
whole of Christian doetrine, and rejoice in
all the Gospel promiies, to ourselves and to
our children. To conclude that children
will be saved, simply because they are born
of Christian parents, or that baptism is re
generation, is a 'death-bringing error, but
to value highly their birthright, and to have
a strong contelence that they may of
God's elect, Already regenerate or to be con
verted, and to feel assured that'the faithful
discharge of our duty toward themwilrbe
bletimd to their ealiation,is soul-inspiring.
We find in the promisee of him who is
faithful, the strongest incentive to Christian
activity.
Our, renders will feel, their obligation to
fc A. 8.," for his able and lucid article, be
fore alluded to; refuting the Jewish, Ro
manist, and Puseyite error of hereditary cav
ing grace---and,,there may be really more of
that mischievous doctrine in our own Church
than we are aware of ; for how else than on
such a, presumption can we account for the
fatal neglect of parents, to seek the regen
eration of their'children ; and how else ex
plain the indifference of Church officers to
the long-continued heedlessness of the
young, in the 'matter of experimental re
ligion ! We should be pleased to hear
from our correspondent again.
We all believe that our children (i. e.,
believers' children,) have their birthright
membership in the visible Church; and
we hope; under , God's promise and by
his blessing, that they will, by a living faith
in Christ, prove themselves to be members
of the Church invisible. We acknowledge
that they have not 'spiritual life by their
natural birth; but' we seek it for them; and
we teach, them to seek it. Verily they must
be born again. Regeneration they need—
they cannot see heaven without it. Shall
they have it'? - How ? Of God, surely;
and of God accordance with his
promise ;.-that as; - through fa i th, prayer, in
struction, government, and all fidelity, on
the part of the parents and the Church.
Parental duty is often made a subject of in
,
struction. It is discussed, and feelingly and
earnestly urged, by both the pulpit and the
press. ,We do, not dwell upon it now. .But
we ask, what is the DUTY OF THE CHORCH
toward her children, born in her pale, and
having their rights recognized ,by her• in
baptism ? And what are their rights ?
Have they a right to all :her benefits ?—and
here privileges ? Have they, among their
franchises, a tight 'to baptism for their
children; and to a seat at her table when
she spreads . the Supper of her Lord ? If
so, how do they, secure the enjoyment of
these 7 If they may not have them on de
mand, how have they forfeited their claim ?
These are important questions. Correct and
lucid answers are needed.
And another question is pressingly im
portant : Is the Church bound, in the dis
charge of her whole duty toward these, her
children, to do anything more for them than
she does, for the children of unbelievers ?
Common sense, as well as the Gospel, says,
Yes; they have q claim upon her, and she
is bound to a special attention. Does she,
then, discharge her duty toward them specifi
cally as hers—hers by birth and baptism ?
Wherein does she discharge it? What
does she more for them than others? Let the
acts of her faithfulness be told; or let her
sin be reproved.
Is GOVEKNMENT a part of ate Chureles
duty toward' the baptized ? It is an ac
knowledged duty, on the part of the
parents and also on the part of the
Church, toward ,her communing members.
But is it not equally so toward her baptized
members ? Good government is a blessing,
and the whole household should enjoy its
benefits!
And is not that part of government which
is called discipline, a duty, also, when there
is ,a willfully errini one -Is it-not enjoined?
Is it not .made a very impOrtant means of
graceY And does the Chinch , perform this
duty toward her. baptized members? If so,
how ? .and wherein ? •
•• A correct idea-of the 'STATUS of our off
spring, in the Church, we regard as highly
important Xis worthy, our earnest inves
tigations. FAA a wise and diligent use of
ALL the means of God's appointment, for
their regeneration and everlasting salvation,
We regard:as still More valuable and to a
Aim , fidelity therein, we would incite our
selves and others.
For the Presbyterlan Banner and Advocate.
Revival in, Little Aughwiek, Pa.
REV. DR. Ar KlNNEy—Dear sir :
You will doubtless be interested to hear of
a remarkable work of grace in Little Augh
wick church, (Shade Gap, Pa.) Rev. Mr.
Thompson preached, by appointment, on the
3d Sabbath of February. Mr. Woods, the
Principal of the Milnwood Academy, think
ing that there was some hope of good to the
students, requested Mr. T. to remain and
preach on Monday. That night the inter
est was very deep--many were la tears.
Fifteen students responded to an invitation
to come out as inquirers. Rev. Mr. Shelf
fer aided in the exercise from Thursday till
the Sabbath; Dr. Woods on Sabbath and
Monday. Mr. S. returned, and continued
the meeting till Thursday night, Feb. 26.
There were, in all, fifty-two inquirers.
At -first, the interest was principally with
the students; bueonthe finit Thursday night
of the meeting, it began rapidly to spread
among the people. Though a generous and
interested congregation - made every reason
able effort, by letter and messengers, to have
more ministerial aid, yet, except three days,
each one who served was alone ii conduct
ing this great -work. The nearest brother
was sick; others were so engaged at home,
that they could -not come, and the pastor
was away on a Visit to Ireland for his health.
Ai the- meetings closed on the day appointed
for prayer <for colleges ((dosed for want of
any one to continue them longer;) and as
the people had been without preaching. on
the Sabbath, and have but little prospect
that their beloved pastor will ever be-able to
resume`his labors in their midst; 'is it not a
solemn appeal for the prayers of God's
ministers and people, to the Lord of- the
harvest, for more ,laborers? But how en
couraging I The Lord, in the field" where
the lamented M'Grinnis once prayed, and
wept, and labored, has anticipated the pray
ers of the churches on last Thursday. Who
can tell but- a new recruit may come to fill
the vacant places, from those, whose hearts
the Lord has touched ? Were ten, or even
five, of these fifieen students to devote them
selves to the work of preaching Christ, what
a reward for the few nights of weeping, and
th&few days of toil, of the people of Shade
Gap, and the ministers who were with them!
Bat, to save one soulis better •than to gain
mountains 'of gold and silver. How, then,
can pen of man describe the result of a,
work where scores' are rejoicing in the par
don of sin, and in the hopes of the Gospel
UNITS.
For the Presbyterian Banner and Advocate.
Revival at White Clay Creek,
NEIVAIIK, DEL., March 8, 1857
REV. AND DEAN BEOTBEIC:—.I have read, with
much interest, the accounts, which, of late, have
so frequently appeared in your paper, of revivals
in various sections of our beloved Zion. Such ac
counts are cheering and encouraging to God's
ministers and people. It is with devout thank
fulness I desire to record the goodness of God to
my own charge, in again granting us a gracious
visitation. On the 27th of November, we com
menced a series of meetings in White Clay Creek
church, which were continued for two weeks.
Late numbers attended, and God graciously
granted an outporing of the Spirit. Christians
were revived; and many sinners were awakened,
and, as we trust, converted unto God. Some
sixty persons attended the inquiry meetings;
more than fifty of whom are indulging a hope.
Among them are the aged, the middle-aged, and
the young ; the children of the church, and some
who, until recently, were utterly indifferent to re
ligious privileges, and seldom sought an oppor
tunity to enjoy them.
The meetings were distinguished for deep
seriousness and solemnity; we could truly say
with the patriarch, 4 , Verily God is here !" The
people almost unanimously laid aside their world
ly business, and day after day, for two weeks,
came up to the house of God; they found it good
•to be there.
The interest extended to Newark; and daily
services were held for a week in the town, which
were attended with the Divine blessing. Quite a
number were, as we believe; brought to a saving
knowledge'of the truth; among them several very
promising young men who are students in the
College.
To
. several of the neighboring , brethren, more
particularly, the Rev. Messrs. Rankin, Squie,r,
and Marshall, I am indebted for aid kindly render
ed in conducting the services of the interesting
occasion. . L. VALLANDIGHAM.
Eastern Correspondence.
Naw*Yoa.K, March 7, 1857
Mn. Enron:—ln considering the preva
lence of crime, we must take into the account
the publicity given to, it by the Press. It is
sought out with eagerness, and described
in minute detail. HoWever revolting to delicacy
or decency, however horrible .or trivial, it
is set . forth without scruple or reserve, in re
ports of trials, in racy editorials, in city 6 . items,"
or in simple narrative, until public attention is
not only arrested, but often fixed and absorbed
by its occurrence. During the fortnight, for.ex
ample, in which the Coroner was, investigating the
murder of Burdell, the daily papers of this city
Were almost literally filled with details of the pro
ceedings, with rumors about the parties impli
cated, and theories as to its cause or commission.
Some papers are devoted entirely to police reports
or details of crime, while the staple of the news
given by many others, consists mainly of the same
material. It is no wonder therefore, that crime
should seem to be fearfully prevalent when city
and country are thus ransacked for fresh instan
ces of its commission; and when every offence, real
or imaginary, of Sufficient consequence to come be
fore a court, 'or even to be talked of in a neigh!
borhood, is seized by the press, and published to
the world. The prominence it receives, probably
contributes to its increase; at all events, reveals
to the public its most threatening aspect.
On the other hand, little is said in these saute
papers about efforts for its suppression, or about
the prevalence of religion; The sermons preach
ed; the prayers offered, the Bibles distributed,
the visits made to the ignorant or vicious are
not of a
_character to awaken interest, and are;
therefore - , unsought for and unnoticed. When a
new church is opened, or a liberal donation made,
-when there is an'effort to relieve physical suffer
ing, or to supply the peor with work, it may be
briefly , commended as patriotic and charitable.
But strictly religious enterprises and efforts are
not
,appreciated. - They are often carictured. and
despised, as untimely or needless, though in fact,
they are most essential and effective. " The
kingdom of God coineth not with observation."
"It is not of this world," while its progress is
silent and secret as the "little leaven that leaven
eth
the wholelump." ,- •
These remarks -have been partly suggested by
the - late Reports of the New York city Tract and
New York: Bible Societies. ~Both of these are
auxiliary to their respective parent Societies ;
both are-sustained by the churches generally of
different denominations; and both are doing a
quiet,' but blessed_work, chiefly among thepodr,
the vicious,..and the suffering. The City Tract
is in effect a city Missionary Society, though it
was organized to "promote Evangelical religion
and sound morality by the circulation of religious
tracts" in the city. During the past year, it em
ployed twenty-six missionaries, whioh number is
now increased to twenty-nine. Three of these
labor for the`German population. Two for the
newly arrived 'emigrants, whom they meet at
Castle Garden, and pray 'and talk with, in their
native languages. There is one each, tan, for sea
men, for Jews, for Swedish, and for French resi
dents. These missionaries are aided by a corps
of visitors of all evangeliCal denominations, and
averaging, the past year, one thousand and sixty
seven in number. They may be regarded as
among the most active, and devoted members of
our Churchee who are . constrained to their self
denying work by the love of Christ. Their tracts
are supplied 'them 'by the 'missionaries froth the
publications of the parent Society, and are left
monthly, and as far as may be, at every houSe in
the city. To the dwellings of the wealthier
classes; the visitor does not usually have personal
access ; the printed page must pay its monthly
visit in silence. But in the 'Crowded dwellings of
the poor, he often passes from room to room, and
is sometimes permitted to speak words of comfort
or warning to their inmates. Though numbers
slight, perhaps resent or revile his message; he
finds Others disposed to listen, and by repeated
efforts and other agencies, rejoices Over a few, at
least, who are led to repentance. Besides' the
distribution of Tracts and Bibles, District prayer
meetings, are held by the aid of the missionaries,
who also visit the sick and officiate at funerals,
where the family is attached, as often happens to
no congregation. By their connexion with' the
Association for the poor, which they serveas dis
trict secretaries, sometimes elk) as almoners of
the wealthy, they are often permitted to supply
the temperal wants of the destitute.. In , the
lower wards of the city; from which evangelical
churches have removed, though the - population
has increased, Mission Stations for, religious
meetings and, Sabbath Schools are sustained. The
prisons, hospitals, asylums and alms-houses are
also -visited, and the inmates afforded the oppor
tunity of religious conversation, and supplied
with tracts and books In these latter institu
tions; there is, a population estimated at . thirty
thousand;, enough in itself to form a. goodly city;
and affording: a wide field for Christian effort,
Made up, as it is, chiefly of the ignorant, degraded
and vicious, and'Who, without this and siiniiar
ageacie s;' might safely say, "No man cares for
our souls.'
,This rapid glance at the labors of the Society,
shows.the.wide sego and as importance of its
operations. It preachei Christ by , the printed
page or living voice, to the various classes, and
in the different languages that make up our
heterogeneous population. It goes down to the
dregs of society, to the criminal, as well as the
unfortunate, to young and old, and offers to all
the wards of eternal life. It stimulates the piety
of the churobea through the personal labors of
their members, enlarges their Sabbath Schools
and congregations, and adds occasionally to their
numbers " such as shall be •saved." It comforts
the sorrowing, feeds the hungry, clothes the
naked, and provides friends and homes for the
fatherless and forsaken. And though some would
say the Church should do all this without the in
tervention of , a voluntary Society, how could it
otherwise secure the cordial co-operation of-dif
ferent denominations, or be accomplished in -so
general and effective a manner ? 'Who will not
say it is a "good'work," by whatever agency it
is pertained, and contribute hie prayers and
benefaction for its success ?
The'City Bible Society occupies essentially the
same field, and labors for the same clas.ses, though
its chief aim is to supply the destitute with...the
Scriptures. It employs two agents, one for the
English and the other for the German and French.
resident population, with' others for emigrants,
seamen, &cc. A regular visitation from ward to
ward, and house to house, is adopted. The whole
city has in this way already been, canvassed, and
a second' exploration is now in progress. Some
interesting facts are stated in connexion with this
work. Among the foreigners, for example, 9,594
families were visited, of , which I,7BB'were found
destitute of the Scriptures ; 642 refused them,
and 718 were supplied. A uniform decrease in
the per tentage of refusalik of the Bible. is'reliort
ed among the English-Speaking population, and
an increase in the per tentage of destitution sup-
plied. Among Romanists: generally, there is.- a
growing !disposition to, possess the Scriptures,
and among intelligent Germans, esieciaihr the
righi'of the priesthood;,O prohildt-their cirettla-'
troll, is seriously questioned. One of them”ii:
marked, u If it was well for the priests to have
the Bible, it was well for .the people likewise."
They mark its influence on Protestants, and many
gladly receive it for themselves ; some, it is
hoped, become savingly interested in its truths.
As evidence of the greater readiness of Roman
ists to accept the Scriptures, it appears from a
comparison of the two distributions in the same
wards, that at the first, the-number who refused,
was 2,454; at the second, the number was only
1,696 ; showing a decrease of 758.
The receiple,of this Society for the past year,
were $21,755.44, of which $3,160.84, were paid
over to the parent Society, after defraying all ex
penses, including $13.387.41 for the purchase of
the 62,865 Bibles and Testaments distributed.
Yours, &c. B.
A Cuuncit BURNT.—The First Presby
terian Church in Clevelaud (New School,)
was burned on the 7th inst. It cost $60.-
000, and was a new building. Insured for
$30,000.
Ecclesiastical.
Rev. SAMUEL FINLEY, of Antrim, Ohio,
has been called to the Sixth Presbyterian
church, in this city.
Rev. JACOB WIN'TERS had been unanimously
called .to the Presbyterian church of
Union, (the late Rev. Dr. Hendron's,) in
Augusta. Va.
Rev. aHOMPSON Rownals Post Office ad
dress is changed from St. Anthony's Falls,
'Minnesota, to Bloomington, Hennepin
County, Minnesota.
Rev. F. SEBUM has declined the call to
Piqua, Ohio. Hence that church is still
vacant.
Rev. JAMES ADAMS, late of Monticello, N.
Y., died in Jefferson County, Miss., on
the 7th ult.
Rev. J. G. SCOTT has accepted a call to the
church at Westfield. His Post Office is
Mt. Jackson, Pa.
Mr. .HENRY R. AVERY was ordained on the
24th ult., by the Presbytery of New
Brunswick, and installed at Squan Vil
lage, N. J.
From our London Correspondent.
A Visit to the "Times" Office—lts Site—lts Of
fices—Circulation—Printing Presses—Machinery
—Second Edition— Editors -- Comspondetats—
Reporters-- Compositors -- Proprietors—A pro
posed Rival to the " Times"—The "Dial," and
its Objects—" The Statidar.d," and " The Ban
ner"—The Recent Meeting of the Congregational
Union—Policy of Suppression--Presbyterianism
and Independency—The British Quarierly on the
Inspiration of the Scriptures—Opening of Portia
,meat—Charge against the Ministry—The Income
Taz—The Hudson's Bay Company—Decrease of
Crime—lmprisonment and Transportationßeer
Shops, and Crime—State Aid to Reformatories.
LONDON, February 13, 1857
A VISIT TO THE " TIMES " OFFICE has
been recently paid by me, accompanied by
a number of friends.
Buried oat of sight, save to an eye
glancing from the globe or gallery of the
dome of St. Paul's Cathedral, and undis
turbed by the roar and rush of London's
mighty thoroughfare, though these are near
at hand, Printing-House Yard=a, small
square, with the Times' offices and build
ings occupying its Western and Eastern
fronts—seems to court seoresy and silence.
Yet, from thence is discharged, each day, a
park of political and intellectual artillery,
the " thunder" of which wakes up the at
tention of the whole civilized world. Leav
ing Ludgate Hill, and turning down
Pilgrim Street, (once, no doubt, the scene
of processions and pilgrimages to Old St.
Paul's, in the palmy days of Romanian in
England,) we wend our way through nar
row streets, and past the Apothecary's Hall,
until we reach Printing-House Square. As
you enter, you see one door to the left, on
the Northern side, and another door •open,
from which parties come out rither numer
ously. The last mentioned is the adver
tising office, whither servants out of place,
and governesses wanting situations, as well
as the clerks and agents of all kinds of mer
chants, shippers, and tradesmen, flock daily.
Except for servants, to whom the charge for
the " Want Places" column is one shilling
and six-pence, the cost of an advertisement
is rather heavy. Keep under forty lines,
and you pay four shillings (01.00) a line, and
so on in proportion. But then, if it is worth
while to advertise at all, do it in the Times,
for with its circulation of from fifty thousand
to sixty thousand copies every day, and theSe
read by perhaps a million of people, you are
sure to get publicity, in a sense known only
to the Times.
We enter the other door armed with an
order. One of my flock is here, as an old
compositor, steady and experienced. We
are asked to turn aside to the right, and to
wait for a gentleman, who will shot , us over
the building.
In this room, we see a series of very large
and fine printing presses; but although still
used for minor printing, yet somewhat out
'of date, by reason of modern improvements
as we shall soon disc Over.
A polite person comes to us, and becomes
our conductor. The hour is at hand, when
the second edition of the Times, containing,
last evening's lg.tter from the Paris Cor
respondent, and the most recent telegraphic
news from all quarters of the globe, is about
to be thrown off. And so we are taken into
the printing rooms. These (two in number,)
are large apartments, almost filled by_ma.
chinery, which virtually consists of a series
of cylinders, with blocks and types affixed,
and separate tables in each recess. Here
are wheels within wheels
"A mighty maze, but not without a plan!" •
Both these machines are driven by steam;
and Mr. Applegarth gives his name to them.
He was the first who' invented' machinery
for printing detached pieces Of . cotton, of
different colors. • But mark those men rush
ing into the adjoining room, with vast bales
of paper, as yet unstained,-on their shoul
ders. ome with ua, and let us ascend
these iron steps. We now stand on the top,
and overlooking the whole of the machinery,
.whicivin a few • minutes, is set in motion.
Here are nine men at the top, and nine men
at the tables below. Of those at the top,
each man feeds, as it were, the cylinder
nearest to him' with a sheet of 'the 'White
paper; it is drawn in, disappears, and presto I
see how it falls into the hands of the man
at the table, fully printed ! •
Here our attendant • tells us, that some
times a coat has , been caught. and drawn in
by the cylinder, instead of the sheet' " : 1 0n
one occasion, a workman sitting at the table
below, and expecting the usual-descending
sheet from above, to his horror, found a coat
coming out upon his outstretched hands.;
and' expecting a man = in it, or after it, he
fainted away! •
=ln fifteen minutes, at most, the entire
second :edition;" of several thousand copies,
are thrown off, and the machinery is suddenlv
arrested. But early this morning it was
hard at work . , throwing off• its tens of thou
sands, for town circulation and the early
•Before: we leave; "let Ann. eye rest
on that remarkable contrivance= of a vast
ink • reservoir, which; frourthe' top and the
centre of each m aehinerfinipplies the whole
cylinders with' the i nk - ilotle:necessary for
printing ! . '•
• I shall net dwell onWhat we saw in other
parts of the Times' buildings. We came
into contact with the compositors, in their
different apartments, "setting up" and prt.-
paring for next day's paper. The nutnl e r
of these is about one hundred and liftv
Great care is taken of their health, especial•
]y in seasons of epidemics. They have,
also, large pay, and many privileges.
Let me now ask your readers to walk with
me, in- imagination, through those large sub
terranean apartments where the stock o f
paper is kept, and where we see how, by a
dip in a large cistern, the paper, quire by
quire, is damped, and made ready for the
press. I may mention, that the size of the
paper is thirty-seven inches by forty-nine.
The quires are passed through water at the
rate of four thousand per hour; then they
are parted and pressed, and kept ready
for use.
Last of all, we see the long desks, and
the side rooms, into which—especially when
Parliament is sitting—reporters rush at
all hours of the night, to wiite out " copy."
And now take a last glance. Do you see
that narrow passage, and at the end of it,
that wainscoted, yellow door ? Dare not to
approach. - _ _ _
Proctil este profagli 1"
Behind that door sits enthroned the Editor
of the Times ! Prespme not to enter these
" Penetralia Vestce," nor to invade this
Olympus of the Thunderer.
Mr. De Lane is the resident editor and
manager, but he writes but little. Mr.
Moseley, a clergyman and canoe of St.
'Paul's, a fine scholar, a caustic wit, writes
most of the leaders on religious questions.
It is said he is a large proprietor of the 01)-
salver, a well-known kS'unday paper ! lie
has no sympathy with Popery, but he de
fends Maynooth; and as the brother-in-law
of Dr. Newman, did his best to defend him,
also, in the celebrated proseeution of that
gentleman for libel, by Dr. Achiili, a few
years ago.. As to Maynooth, he defends the
status quo, and reviles Spooner, and the
"Ultra-Protestants." When he likes, he
can scathe the Pope and: his myrmidons;
and, to his honor, he took up heartily the
cause of the Madim. But, then, not lone
after, he ridiculed Miss Cunningham, who
was expelled in Tuscany for circulating
tracts and Bibles. Earnest evangelism he
thinks rather vulgar, and fair game for mirth
and mockery., When he is on your side,
you are in raptures at such eloquent utter
ances of your deepest convictions; when
against you, you are angry at the sophistry
which makes " the bad appear the better
reason "
As to other editors and writers for the
Times, they are numerous.
Mr. Lowe, until he became Tice Presi
dent of the Board of Trade, wrote first class
artieles on the Colonies, especially on Aus.
tralia, where be won his earliest laurels.
Perhaps he writes occasionally still.
Others deal with prisons and reformato
ries ; and on these subjects, the Times has
written nobly. A staff of waiters is main
tained, of, the highest order, and at any cost_
Thus there are theatrical crities; thus there
are " Times Correspondents," and " Com
missioners!' in all the chief places of the
Coptinent, as well as,in Australia, New York,
and elsewhere.
The Times is both a wonder and a power.
It owes its culmination mainly to the energy
of one man, the late Mr. John Walter—
vast in his breadth of view, with immense
energy, ready for any expenditure necessary
to completeness ' The son of this strong
willed man is a large, but not the only pro
prietor. A fabulous capital must be invested:
in the Tinier, and half a share would make
a man 'easy for life.
A NATIONAL NYVSPAPER LiBAGVE COM.-
PANY has been formed. It proposes to
establish a first-class daily jonrnal, as a rival
to the Times. The teapital is to be pro
gressively raised to 4500,000, and upwards,
as may, be necessary, in shares of £lO each,
deposit £2 per share.. The paper is not to
be published until at least twenty thousand
shareholders are obtained..
The proposal is startling, and the difficul
ties in the way of success seem formidable.
The originators, professing to be " a combi
nation of earnest and truth-loving men,"
have resolved to issue a paper, " which shall
be the organ, not of, intriguing expediency
and temporizing policy, but of righteous
principle; not of cabinets ane dynasties, but
of the people and nationalities.'
"It will estimate and discuss all ques
tions, social', political and ecclesiastical, not
in the spirit of class, party, or sect, but ac
cording to truth and fact, in the light of
equal justice, unswerving, honest, and Chris
tian ethics."
Its leading aims are to be the diffusion of
sound education, the promotion of the arts
and sciences, and the encouragement of a
healthy literature, in connexion with popu
lar liberty ; the fostering' of a high moral
One in all public, questions, public retrench
ment, administrative reform, and true par
liamentary reform, growing out of a social
and moral regeneration of the masses.
Religious Equality, and the abolition of
all unjust ecclesiastical restrictions and im
positions are to be advocated. Besides these
objects, amendment of the law, " Rational
Temperance, Sanitary Improvement, an en
lightened observance of the Weekly Day of
Rest," together with a peace policy, as far
as poesible—are also embraced. And ne
' man is to be without a tribunal of o ppca;
from any newspaper abuse and condemna
tion, and that formed by a vast constituency.
But how is this vast constituency to be
secured ? Whence are to come the funds for
that first class staff of writers, at home and
abroad, who are to give success to " Tr
Dial r First, they will not start at al
without, a large capital,. .and, with such n
large body of shareholders widely diffused
over the kingdom, none liable for more than
their own shares, and none permitted CO
take but a'few shares, a vast constituency by
themselves, and then friends must be mea'
ted. "Hundreds of thousands will, on the
principle of sympathy, as well' as proprietor,:
ship, be ready to hail its first appearance.'"
Well ! is it likely to succeed ? Although
Lagree with the main features of its pro
gramme, and proposed teachings, yeti think
the task almost impracticable. People now
who differ from the ~Times, must see it, are
read it, even c um gran
salis, and oft
times condemning. Then there is a east
e/er gY . PoWer, which would be either actively
hostile, or passively indifferent to the
Pied-'!,,and its aims; and so would be a
largO both '..—Church laymen, both Tractarian
and sEvangelical, many of them wealthy.
Moreovej the paper would:, not be fashion
able. It would be sound on many em s ;
tione—far sounder than the Times—an °
might have first talent to serve it as well'
But whether the same practical adopiali°
of that taent as ihe
manages to
cure, is is very doubtful. Times
It smacks too truth
of Dissent for a multitude.
Still, the promoters are sanguine, and are
enlisting a large constituency. They do DO'
expect to be ready to publish for a year, ,Q T
rather -two years. Time will test " Pl e
.Dial," if it becomes " The Deal"‘"
esse. Time will test the Times also.
Ifly opinion is, that the Times will
prove with the improvement of the age.
and the advance of religion. Certainly tb
Press needs to be thoroughly purified, sou