ATER
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ADITOCATL
• , erlan Banner, Vol, V 9 No, 38,
" ONE THING IS NEEDFUL: " " ONE THING HAVE I D.OSIRED OF THE LORD: " " THIS ONE THING I DO. "
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MeKINNEY, Editor and Proprietor.
N ADVANCE.
I a c p actrg.
are the Dead which Die in the
Lord."
on Pnt mos isle resounding,
to the joyful lays ;
l's tidings there abounding,
s wail is turned to praise.
)3 , in the commission,
on Mercy's wings she flies,
) mirth the heavenly mission,
'd the righteous when he dies."
ve exile hears the story,
rseention's galling chain,
n wreath of glory,
t as a diadem.
expands with love's emotion,
faith do realize,
may be IL troubled ocean,
the righleoas when ho dies."
I
henven'srevelation,
from the courts on high;
NOICU of inspiration,
'd the Christian when he dies."
e Spirit is repenting,
rib's cares his soul shall rise,
Rath his bliss completing,
d the Christian when he dies."
e Prl 43/terlan Harmer and Advocate.
nfant Baptism —No. 2.
ier oridenee that infant baptism
unknown in the primitive ages of
," we refer to the
'I3IONY OF TERTULLIAN.
tiarkable man, born fifty years
postolio age, was first a heathen.
where he embraced Christianity,
appear, though as a writer be
chiefly in the beginning of the
-ury. He held and taught the
't, baptism cleanses from the guilt
offenses; but that sins committed
.siu are next to anpardonable.
his own doctrine to its practical
pleaded for the delay of baptism
)so of life, or at least till the mit
si of temptation had passed, in
;, by a single operation, the sins of
might all be washed away.
re," says he, "according to every
iiition and disposition, and also
the delaying of baptism is more
especially in the case of little
He then specifies a large class
dievers, wham he would dissuade
)aching the sacred font. "For
ion," says be, "unmarried per
, to be kept off, who are likely to
temptation; as well as those who
:r married, on account of their
, ripeness; as those in widoWhood,
miss of their partner ; until they
rry or are confirmed 5n corgi-
Ilif//, Vol. I , pp. 98, 94. On
.mony of Tertullian we have three
He urges the delay of baptism in
of infants and unmarried adults
le to delay, affords the strongest
,idence that the baptism of infants,
unmarried adults, was the popular
in his day. For why seek to
from a usage which had never
The Baptista are not correct in
,he denied infant baptism. He
against the baptism of infants,
ist that of unmarried adults. He
;e both the one and the other
n case of sickness and danger of
ce did not say that the standing
the Church in regard to infants, or
is unlawful, or that it was of re.
0, or a novelty unknown to the
This it would have suited his
to say, if he could say hi but
l not. On the contrary, be advo
ay in the cases specified, because
ned that thereby the parties would
less guilt during the period inter
mtween their baptism and death,
1 more sure of salvation. This was
hose odd notions for which that
3 remarkable.
If the Baptists will infer from
given by Tertullian, that infant
ras unknown in the Apostolie age,
also infer that the baptism of un
tdults was equally unknown at the
lad.
TESTIMONY OF lIVENAEIJS. -
din; to a still earlier period, we
Irenaeus, Bishop of Lyons, who
bout sixty seven years after the
1. He tells us how eagerly he lie
) the instructions of Polyearp, the
of St. John. "I remember," says
a discourse concerning the converse
had with John the Apostle, and
ho had seen the Lord ; how he re
their discourses, and what he heard
ao were eye-witnesses of the Word
P.:'y of our Lord, and of his mira
c' :cc: ins." This Irense.us, in his
heresy, writes thus : "He
to save all persons by himself :
;71 , 1 by him are regenerated unto
rtmicz Atur ix. Deum;) infants, and
Child r en, and youths, and
,Jersur.s."—Lit. 11. c. 39.
phrase, " rogencrated unto God,"
.y all the ancient fathers to signify
,p6ste, iu conformity to. their no-
Christ's meaning, when he said,
a man be born of water," &o.
iw what Irenaeus meant by the
fur he has told us himself. "Christ,"
"committing to his disciples the
of reyeneruelleg unto God, said unto
Go teach all nations, baptizing
" o. 19. Justin
also, speaking of the reception of
tea into the Church, says : " They
nerated (cumgennontai) in the same
epeneration in which we were re
f ; fur they are washed with water
lie of the Father, and of the Son,
Hely Ghost."—Apol. 1., ad Ant.
r BAPTISM NOT AN INNOVATION.
of no importance, in the present die
whether the primitive fathers used
properly or improperly. It is not
ieir opinions that we are now eon
, but with their testimony to a matter
That Irenaeus used the phrase,
aerated untzr God," to signify
.water
i s so clear and incontestablediet
L i ng Baptist, !Titers will not verituret
to deny it,. In what light, then, are we to
regard that bold and confident assertion
with which wo are so often greeted, that
\in
fant baptis is an innovation of Popery,
unknown in he primitive ages? Is it not
evidently an nfounded calumny, supported
alone by prejudice and bigotry, but contra
dicted by the whole tenor of ecclesiastical
history ? Here is Irenseus, of Lyons, who
may be called a spiritual grandchild f the
Apostle John—a man who made eager in
quiry, and treasured up the conversations
which the blessed martyr Polyearp repeated
from the Apostles. He is a competent and
disinterested witness to facts; and his lan
guage proves that the baptism of infante
was an established usage of the Church in
his days. Then the famous Origen, with
his line of Christian ancestors reaching
back to the times of the Apostles; testifies
again and again, that infants were baptized
according to the rule of the universal
Church ; nay, that the Church bad received
a tradition, or order from the Apostles, to
baptize infants. In this testimony, all the
early Christian writers unite ; and such, a
phenomenon as a Church or society of men
denying the lawfulness of infant baptism, is
unheard of for more than a thousand years
after Christ. Of a truth, that man must be
fast bound in. the fetters of unconquerable
prejudice, who, in view of all the facts in
the case, will deny that the baptism of in
fants was practiced from the times of the
ApoStles.
THE APOSTLES NOT BAPTISTS
Our opponents claim that the Apostles
preached and practiced according to the
principles of ,the Baptists. But if so, how
came it to pass that almost immediately after
their death, a great, sudden, and radical
change, in a matter of such vast importance,
took place throughout the whole Christian
world? How could so complete : a transition
from the baptism of none but adults, to that
of infants, be brought about in the space of
a few years, without the slightest opposition
being heard of, from any quarter? How
was it that before the Apostles were fairly
cold in their graves, - a revolution should be
effected, so silently that the best informed
men in after times were entirely ignorant of
it ? Did the gates of hell so suddenly and
universally prevail against the Church, that
not one of Timothy's ig faithful men " was
found to raise his protesting voice against
the wide spread corruption ? Why was •it
that not a single sect, or Church, or Society,
remained to testify to the ages following,
that the Apostles were Baptists ?
AN ILLUSTRATION.
Let us suppose, for a moment, that the
great body of the Baptist Church in the
United States should, in the course of fifty
or a hundred years, become Pedobaptists.
Could so important a change in the body
take place without a fierce and protracted
struggle, such as would be strongly marked
in the page of history ? And would not
some fragments of that large denomination
be seen to cling with increased obstinacy to
the old principles, -and remain to testify
against the defection of their brethren Y
And then, if some future historian should
pretend that the Baptist Church had never
changed—that it had always, and from the
first, practiced infant baptism—how easy it
would be to silence the assertion by an ap
peal to the records of the sharp contro
versy which attended the change, and to
the little surviving churches which re
mained faithful to the ancient discipline.
Let us now apply the illustration to the
case in hand. From fifty to a hundred
years after the Apostles, we find infant
baptism universally prevailing in the Church.
No writer of that, nor indeed of any sub
sequent age, was aware that the lawfulness
of the practice had ever been disputed, or
that any change in that respect had ever
taken place. All believed that the usage
had been handed down from the Apostles
themselves. The beet informed writers of
that period had never heard of any one,
claiming to be a Christian, who denied the
lawfulness of infant baptism. Such are the
facts in the case ; and now let me ask, is
there even a possibility that the Apostles
could have preached and taught in accord
ance with Baptist principles Of all in
credible things in the world, that is ,the
most incredible.
Pressed with the 'weightof this argument,
our opponents reply that the Scriptures are
the only infallible guide, in matters of re
ligion. We cheerfully grant it; but would
respectfully ask them, in what way are we
to arrive at the true meaning of the Scrip
tures? If we shut our eyes against all
the light obtained from historical research,
we shall find many parts of the sacred vol
ume utterly unintelligible. The history of
the Christian Church, while it enables•us to
settle the authenticity and Divine authority
of Scripture, at the same time sheds abun
dant light on its meaning. Availing our
selves of this and other helps to interpreta
tion, we design, in the next numbers, to
prove, by the sacred oracles, that infants
were baptized by authority of the Apostles
themselves. - L. N. D.
Per the Presbyterian Banner and advocate
Religion;
OR, LETTERS TO A FRIEND ON THE DOCTRINES AND
DUTIES OF THE BIBLE.
Letter'lX.—A Review
Of his own will begat he us with the word of
truth, that we should be a kind of first fruits
of his creatures.--JArdas r. 18.
NY DEAR Eark.ND:—To return from my
wanderings : I have spoken of God—his
personality, his character, and his law..
This law, I have shown to be binding upon
us all. But we have broken it; and hence
are sinners. I have spoken .of the nature
and desert of sin, and of our exposure
to the wrath and curse of God on account
of sin. It has been shown that you, my+
dear friend, are a fallen being; that your
nature is corrupt; and that, as a sinner, you
are condemned by the law of God. And
what follows? Why, two things:
First, The necessity of regeneration by
the Holy Ghost; and,
Second, The necessity of justification by
Jesus Christ.
The necessity of regeneration has already
b e en considered. I design now to speak of
its nature, the Agent in it, the means, and
the end or design. These are the points in
troduced by the words quoted from James
1: 18, a s explained in a former letter; and
it ,may be well to consider them briefly,
that we, May t know something, of what the
,Sa v i a *
,flawi. ri Then tOst,.l)e
PUBLICATION OFFICE, GAZETTE BUILDING, FIFTH STREET, ABOVE SMITHFIELD, PITTSBURGH, PA.
FOR THE WEEK ENDING SATURDAY, MAY 30, 1857.
. born again.—John iii: 7. The subject has
a personal application to us all ; and it is
wise for us to give our serious attention to
it; and the better to understand what fol
lows, we will look 'again, briefly, by way of
review, at the necessity of regeneration.
Ye must be born again—must be—why ?
Why is it necessary?'
Regeneration is shown to be necessary,
because we, are sinners. We are fallen from
original righteousness; and the fall has
brought us "into an estate of sin and mis
ery."—Short. Cat., Ques. 17. Our very
natures are depraved,, our understandings
darkened, our wills enslaved, our mind and
conscience i : 12-16. We
have no delight in the service of God, nor
in his law,'nor have we any fitness or prepa
rationlor his service. Till renewed, we
have nothing spiritually good; we may have
amiable qualities , and moral excellences, but
no spiritual goodness—no - holiness. The
doctrine of total depravity is not that men
are as bad as they can 'be, nor that all
men are alike bad, but that no man, in his
natural and unrenewed state, has any true
evangelical holiness; all men are, by nature,
destitute of righteousness; till renewed, no
man has any spiritual goodness—no holiness.
Of course, there is, and can be, no' fitness
for heaven without regeneration; for the
carnal mind is enmity against God; for it is
not subject to the law of God,; neither, in
deed, can be.—Rom. viii : 6-8. And
there can be no union with Christ withmit
the new birth; for it is the Spirit's work to
unite the soul to Christ bTfaith in effectual
calling, or regeneration. These considera
tions, and others, show the absolute neces
sity of regeneration. Ye must be born
again.—John iii: 1-10. Read Isa. i., and
Hymn 46. YOURS, TRULY.
For the Presbyterian Banner and Advmate.
Pennsylvania Colonization Society.
STATEMENT
The entire contributions from Pennsyl
vania for Colonization purposes, during the
year ending January 1, 1857, were $lO,-
067.37.
During the past year : a noble ship has
been built, for the use of-the American Col
onization Society, at a cost of about $42,-
000, toward which Mr. John Stevens, of
Talbot Co., Maryland, gave $36,000. The
ship which bears the name of the daughter
(Mary Caroline Stevens,) of the generous
donor, has large iron water•tanke, a library,
and all the conveniences needed for the
comfort of the colonists. Last January the
ship sailed, for the first time, with three hun
dred and fiftytbree emigrants; the home
ward voyage was made in thirty days. To
morrow, the 15th inst., the Stevens starts
again on her errand of mercy. About five
hundred applications have been made for
passage, but only three hundred can be ac
commodated. Perhaps some generous citi-
zen of Pennsylvania may be prompted to
make_a
About twelve thousand people of color
have left our shores for Africa. More than
half 'of them were emancipated for the pur
pose. In and around the _Republic of Li
beria, native tribes numbering about two hun
dred thousand souls have acknowledged the
government, thus opening an inviting field
for the civilization and evangelization of na
tive Africans.
The Republic of Liberia has been recog
nized by Great. Britain, France, Prussia,
Belgium and Brazil. During the past year,
treaties of amity and commerce have been
ratified with the Free Hanseatio Towns of
Lubec, Bremen and Hamburg.
Two receptacles have been prepared and
sent to Liberia, for the use of emigrants.
They are named Tracy and Brewster, the
latter in honor of a liberal citizen of Pennsyl
vania. The cost was $12,000.
An interior settlement has been establish
ed, fifty miles from Monrovia, •under most
favorable circumstances.
Materials have been shipped from Boston
for the erection of the Liberia College edi
fice. The late President of the Republic of
Liberia, Hon. Joseph J. Roberts, has ac
cepted the Presidency of the College. The
Institution will be located on the. St. Paul's
river; about twelve miles from Monrovia;
the edifice, &e , will coat about twenty thou
sand dollars.
The. recent difficulties at Cape Palmas, be
tween the Maryland colony and the natives,
have been happily adjusted and the Mary
land Colony will be annexed to Liberia.
A monthly line of steamers leaves London
for Liberia and other portions of the coast.
The Republic of Liberia stands as a bea
con light on the shores of Africa. Cheered,
by God's blessing upon our past efforts, we
confidently labor. Our motto shall ever be,
"Peace on Earth, and good will: to men."
May the day speedily come, when the flag
of the " 'United States of Africa" may float
in every port.
For the Presbyterian Banner and Advocate.
American Sunday School Union.
The Thirty-third Anniversary of this im
portant Institution was held inPhiladelphia,
on the evening of the 12th inst.,
in the
capacious Hall of Dr. Jayne; Ambrose
White, Esq., in the Chair. Earnest and
appropriate addresses were delivered by the
Rev. Dr. Brantley, Rev. Mr. Jenkins, Rev.
Mr. Breed, and Abraham Martin, Esq., to
which the large and intelligent audience
listened with marked attention. The open.
ingand concluding, religious exercises were
conducted by the Rev. Dr. Stork, and the
Rt. Rev. Bishop Eastburn. The abstract
of the Annual Report was read by the Rev.
R. B. Westbrook, Secretary of Missions,
from which the following facts are gathered:
The receipts in the Missionary depart
ment have been : Irr donations, $71,982.37;
in. legacies, $11,945.87, and, a balance on
hand from last year, being specially desig
nated by the donors, $769.43, making the
total resources of the department for the
year, $84,697.67.
This, sum has been, faithfully appropriated
in accordance with the wishes, of the donors.
A large corps of Missionaries have been sent
forth into twenty-six different States and
Territories, who have established more than
eighteen hundred new schools, gathered into
them about eighty thousand children, and
secured for the instruction of these children
over thirteen thousand toachers—supplying
poor and needy schools and children with
books, and other Sunday Scheel requisites.
In addition, to planting these'new sehohls,
they have yisited, supplied with bonka, and
'M kt — aaidiCed neatly ,three t)ioussnd
Sunday Schools, containing more than one
hundred thousand children,--making a total
of Sunday Schools, organized and aided, of
nearly five thousand.
, rt _
...
If we take into our esti ate the result, of
the last six years, we find that the Society
has organized in that tirob' through the di
rect labors of its Missionaries, more than
twelve thousand new Sneday,Schools con
taining about, seventy-eigt thousand teach
ers, and nearly five hund id. thousand chil
dren. k .
The Missionary labors the'Society are
entirely distinct from the fiblishing depart
ment. Indeed, the latte 'S quite Subordi
nate to the former. Agra isaionary laid
tution, the Society has -t . chief objects:
First, To open new Su Jay Schoolalin
neighborhoods- and , settle hats. where they
i t
would hot otherwise be eshtlished . ; :visiting
and reviving old Sunda OITA. ~. Azill'
Seepnd, To, supply ~them
rying on the schoolasuen fiilly;when thus
begun. .
All Donations Imade ,t 4. the : Seeiety are
scrupulously applied to the objects desig
nated by the donors. In iio, case , are they
applied to, carry on the Kiblicatiort • depart
ment of the Society's opereions. ,
The Publishing department, hai distributed
during the past year, books, &c., to the
amount of $177,563.13.
.; ,
It should be remembered,in this connex
ion, that it is the policy arthe Society so to
arrange the price of books as to merely slis
tain, and enlarge, as occasion may require,
this branch of its operations,` and-not with
a view of creating a revenue for the Mission
ary department..
The Society now publish' a complete Li
brary for Sunday Sehobls;'containing eight
hundred and forty-one volumes, and'four
seleotions frdm the general :Library,'Of one
hundred volumes each, for $10; Alao, two
" Five Dollar .invenila 'Libraries," of
seventy-five volumes :eachl Child's - -Home
Library, fifty volumes, $3.501 three Tillage
and Family Libraries, twenty-four volumes,
$3 each ; and the Child'a Cabinet Library,
fifty volumes, $2.50.
The' Sunday &hoot Jciitinal;and Ruth's
Penny Gazette, are published' as formerly;
and in order to increase the usefulness of
the latter, and to bring it within the reach
of all, the price of subscription has been
reduced to Ten Cents per annum, where one
. -
hundred copies are taken.
A full report of the Society's operations
may be obtained gratuitouslyyupon applica
tion at any of the depositories.
From our London Correspondent.
Further Notices, of
,the Organ Debate in the English
Synod—Reaignation of a Minister in Consequence
—Mr. Binney on Religious' Worship, and on' St.
Paul's Life and Labors—An-Epic Poem Sug
gested—Agitation against. Anonymous writing in
Nciospapere—Lady Franklin and anew Polar
Expedition—Sir John FrankUn's Piety—The
Denison Case—Exchange of . Livings = English
Feeling as to M0T740711:877i and, the'action of
,the
Washington Adrainistratgia-Opening` de
New Parliament—Election of Speaker—Russia
and France.
LoNnoN, May 1, 1857
My last letter was- chiefly occupied 'With
the proceedings of the English Presbyterian
Synod at Newcastle. These proceedings,
especially in connexion with what is called
"TEE GREAT ORGAN CONTROVERSY,"
lave excited considerable interest through
out the country, and the Times has In
serted.the resolutions :debated, in full, to
aether, with the result. Stich notices on
the part of that journal are unusual. I
think that there will be sufficient interest in
the minds of your readers to justify the In
sertion of the motions and 'results in the
Banner and Advocate:
4ev. Win. Chalmers proposed the following mo
tion :
""Dismiss the reference--find'that the use Of
instrumental musio in public worship, though not
without precedent, is not in accordance with the
ordinary practice of this' Church, and ought not
to be introduced in any case, without the per
mission craved and obtained of the Supreme
Court; and enjoin Presbyterians to take order
accordingly. lint 'with regard to the oases of St
John's, Warrington, and St. George's Liverpool,
inasmuch as instrumental musio had been intro
duced into them by the sanction, express or hi
plied, of the Presbytery of Lancashire, and is
agreeable to the feelings and wishes of said con
gregations, While its prohibition would disturb
their, peace, destroy their prosperity, and endan
ger their very existence, the Synod instruct the
Presbytery of . Lanoashire to take no further action
in regard to them, and renew its injunctions to
all Presbyteries to take steps, as far as practi
cable, to encourage and cultivate the harmonious
exercise of vocal praise."
Rev. Mr. Anderson, of Morpeth, seconded the
motion.
Rev. Mr. Duncan, of• Newcastle, then rose to
propose the following amendment
" The Synod having heard the statement of
the reference and of the relatiVe diesents, agree
to maintain the declaratory deliverance regarding
the use of instrumental music in publio 'worship,
as having timed, to all' the congregations within
its bounds, dismiss the dissents end -complaints;
and enjoin the Presbytery to take, order that in
struments shall forthwith cease in St. George's,
Liverpool, and St. Jelin's. Warrington."
Rev. Mr. Bannatyne seconded the motion.
The Clerk `(Rev: George J. C. Duncan,) pro
posed the following motion, which wag seconded
by Col. Anderson:
" Sustain the reference, find that the Session
of St. George's ought to have received the Pres
bytery's committee appointed to confer with them,
and to have deferred to the Prebbytery's brotherly
desire to reason and remonstrate with them on
the nee of an organ in public worship, and that
they are answerable for having failed so to do ;
find that an organ was used in St. John's, War
rington, at the time when it was received into
this Church, and that an organ was introduced into
St. George's, Liverpool in 1853, with the consent
and sanction of the Presbytery' of Lancashire,
and the Synod declare that such use is not ap
proved by this Church. But in consideration of
the peculiarities' and specialties of these 'cases
which render them exceptional and incapable of
being hereafter precedents, authorize the Presby•
tory of Lancashire to forbear further proceedings
in hoc tau for, silencing the instruments now,in
use in their congregations ; desire the Presbytery
and all other Presbyteries of this Church care
fully to obtemper the finding of last Synod on
the introduction of instruments in the public
worship of God, and further to take notice that
- on: no pretence such instruments be elsewhere
sanctioned in the, public worship of God."
On the vote being taken on the two amend
lnents, the number stood as follows :—Por the
Clerk's motion, sixty-seven; for Mr. Dunoan's
thirty-eight.
Dr Munro said he begged to protest and dis
sent against this vote.
On the vote on the motion of Mr. Chalmers and
the Clerk's amendment, , the former was carried
by a majority of four, the numbers being fifty
three against forty-nine. '
Rev. Mr. Duncan said he begged to enter the
protest and dissent of himself, and all those who
agreed with him, against the vote; and invited
his ebpporters to Meet him to•morro*morning, in
tae vestry, to consider what steps they otight
.to
take:. '
; I
Di „„„.
Dir. innean, one of the ministeroont ffew-
castle, took very high ground as to the absolute
unlawfulness of instrumental music, and con
trasted its absence in the Puritan and Pres
byterian Churches of the olden time, with
the Clara of England's assumed power
" to 'decree rites and ceremonies," as an es
sential i eharacteristic'of our system - Before
the meeting" - of Synod, a paniphlet was pub
lished and circulated gratuitously all over
the Church, entitled " Hearts and Voices,
the only Musical Instruments of"the New
Testament 'Church." The author is Ithe
Rev. Alex. 'M. Bannatyne, Warenford,
Northumberland. He pursues his argu
ment under six heads,viz.f : -Scripture ;
,The Subordinate •Standards.; t Presbyterian
Worship ; The Ordination Vow ; Eccle
siastical History ; amt Common Sense. It
is written in a tone, of intense earnestness
anfl,sknoerith and not .without ingenuity
Ui.ifkitiPYijhtilta.4 4 mßNME4, l AiMx
crinfluenes, cur 7ministers and
elders, which Were already made up either
on one side or the other. The author at
tempts, as was done by Dr. Munro, of Man
chester, last year,, to prove from 'Scripture
that instrumental music was identified with
sacrifice, under the Old Testament dis
pensation, and that consequently now it
has necessarily passed away with the typical
and Sacrificial ceremony.' I • qtiestion if this
view be reeeived,.except 'by a few. There
remain, therefore, virtually two . parties.
Ist. Thoie who think the use of organs un
constitutional, as well as inexpedient, unedify
ing, ands sensuous in 'their tendency. '2d.
Those who think that there is nothing un
lawful in the use of organs, and, on the
whole, would prefer them when used as a
help tomocal praise. This party believe that
on'the same principle of adaptation to Eng
ieh tastes on which a hymn-book. has been
adopted, an organ would be beneficial and
. expedient. ,
There are those, also, who resented the
apparent or real contempt of Synodical au
thority by the congregation at Liverpool,
and.therefore were.prepared to, vote accord
ingly. But they satisfied themselves with
voting,for 'the Clerk's motion, which was
more stringent and condemnatory than, that
which was carried - by so small a majoyity.
But, for the absence of several parties who
had been obliged to leave for ,home, the
Clerk's motion'wOuld have been passeii.
The ultra party, if I may so speak, en
tered a strong dissent, on the Minutes,
against the motion that was carried. But,
at first some of theta contemplated aban
doning the Church 'altogether. Only one
minister, however, took a step somewhat
akin to this uncalledfor step,as I believe—
the Rev. Thomas Alexander, minister at
Chelsea, London. Heis one of the younger
brethren, ardent and impetuous; and .on
the ground that the constitution of the
Church was changed, he. tendered his
resignation of his offices in various Commit
tees of the Church, on Friday last, to the
Synod. Had. Mr. Aleiander .consnlted hiain
timato of:Edinbuigh, I
believe he would have counseled him to re
main at his post 'in all Committees, as
his Christian liberty is by no means placed
in jeopardy by any decision at which, the
Synod has arrived. Ido not believe that
the organ question will permanently agitate
the Presbyterian Church in England.
I referred, in my last, to the presence of
the Rev. T. Rikxxv, of London, at New
castle, during the period of the Synod's
meeting. He was in the House at the close
of the debate on the organ question, and
expressed to me his satisfaction and admira
tion of the orderly mode in which the de
bate had been conducted, and 'in which the
vote was taken. Certainly there is some
thing very - impressive and solemn in the
deliberate way in which a Court of Christ
gives forth its mind-on axagitated and im
portant question. It is especially so in
cases of highest interest, ,when. vital 'ques
tions are at stake. Such , was the case at
the memorable Synod of Ulster, twenty
seven Years ; ago, when Arianism =was un
masked ; as also ,at, Edinburgh, where I
heard the venerable Gordon, as Moderator,
pronounce, at two o'clock, in the morning,
in a crowded and silenced Assembly, a sol
emn sentence of deposition -on,the recreant
Strathboo - ie ministers, who had disobeyed
their Mother Church, and surrendered her in
dependence at the bidding of the Civil Courts.
And such—last, and most glorious of all—was
the case when; in 1843, Welsh (throwing
down the "Claim of. Rights" on the table in
SL Andrew's church,) left the Lord Com
missioner and the Moderator in dismay, and
'with °halters, Can'dlisla, Cunningham, and
hundreds more, marched down the hill
(humbled before ekaltation) to the Canon-
Mills Hall; there to'constitute the first
General -Amiably of the Free Church of
Scotland.
Mr. Binney, in connexion with the ordi
nation service of a Dissenting minister at
Newcastle r gave e utterance to, sentiments of
great weight as to the tendency to make
preaching almost every thing, to the neg
lect of worship. In a lecture delivered by
him on " The. Life and Labors of the Apos
tle Paul," he ~playfully suggested a topic
for an Epic Poem, the voyage of Paul to
Italy—the shipwreck and safe landing of
the first Christian missionary to Europe.
Certainly the theme would not be unworthy
of another Milton or Pollok.
As to the WAR IN CHINA, it seems to as
sume wider dimensions. The Europeans on
board an English steamer, under the Por
tuguese flag, had been murdered by' the
Chinese paa:.engers and crew. The Govern
ment Contractor's store-houses atHong-Kong
had been burnt, and seven hundred barrels
of flour destroyed. The Chinese in Sara
wak, Borneo, had risen on the 17th of Feb
ruary, and massacred several Europeans.
Sir James Brooke saved his life by swim
ming across
.a creek. One of the. Borneo
Company's steamers subsequently arrived at
Sarawak, and with the aid of. Sir James, at
the head of a body of Malays and Dyaks,
destroyed two thousand Chinese. Thus the
horrid past3ions of war are raging in all
their malignity, and it is not improbable
that the conflagration will spread madden
bly, before the expedition from England
can arrive. It is likely that our troops in
Persia will be dispatched direct to Canton.
It is to be hoped that the United Stites
Commissioner :to China, although he may
be instructed to avoid simnel alliance with
the European powers, = may see cause, with
out any conscientious difference, to co
operate with 'them. Whether -the opium'
trade -will be, put down ,l -more than :
e 1 l a gues
'
viOnji , Putvit at great maw in, the ,hia:
tory of China, and He who is the God of
providence, as well as of grace, should be
earnestly implored to overrule all for the
glory of his name, and the spread of his
truth among the millions of China. The
French Pays has "a communication from.
London," iu which it is said the expedi
tionary force. will amount to twenty thou
sand men, and that the English intend to
capture and
.fortify the island of Formosa.
A °Trims AGITATION, of a small kind,
is now ,abroad; the object of which is to lead
to the overthrow : of the anonymous style of;
editorial,articles in the public papers. The
attempt, quite a;vain,one ! itr!England. In
Paris, each writer must sign-his name to his'
article, because ImperiaLdespetism demands
it. But here, and in America, while
many cases the "we," - which speaks.*
Oitit , P4l'ol -
. 1 1 very man
readerawun4*.wm.ll36toa
*werght tothe remarks made, yet` it is desira
ble, even in BOW of ahuses, to preserve the
present mode of writing The Times oft--
times groisly abuses it; but; on the other
hand, where arguments are put forward; the
public had better weigh them on their own
merits, undistracted in their reading of an
article, by reference to, the individual writer.
It would ;be here regarded as a badge of
slavery, to be compelled to put the writer's
name to the .article;, and that, alone, is suf
ficient
,to render it unpopular and, unde
sirable.
A new gnaker MP..,Mr . Pease com
plained, the other day; that while the Prime
Minister might be impeached for treason,
and royalty 'itself had its constitutional
limits, when , " they came to' speak of the
mythical' we,' which crushed or elevated
by every turn of the fly-wheel, we knew not
what reasonable check there was upon - it,
whsn•it exceeded its legitimate functions."
Again: " When he saw the press beginning
to make up the budget of -the Chancellor of
the Exchequer, attempting to make' War
or peace, or disposed to institute a system of
theology for the world., then, he thought, it
would- be well for Englishmen not to rest too
securely—not to rely too implicitly on every
thing that was said by the press.' •
All this is evidently aimed at the Times,
by one of a .defeated, and, on the whole; a
deservedly beaten party, The. Times has
done grievous wrong to truth and to duty
oftentimes; but, let it be remembered, that
it addresses a people who likeits intellectual
power, but do not necessarily believe in
its dicta. I could give many instances of
its attempti to run down good men, and good
causes, where it has signally failed. The
Sabbath is still conserved from, the desecra
tion which the Times advocated. Lord
,John Russel. is still a power in the State,
'and, the hoPe of political reformers, in spite
of the " Thunderer ." and so good sense,
and the spread of education and religion,
and an edlicated, national conseience, checks
and controls even the oracle of Printing
Xfonse_Square. .
This subject,' adarit, is capable of plata&
ble arguments 'on either 'side. 'But- it •is
somewhat ridieulous.that the.l.ilforndtirStar,
iwhich rants furiously in favor of throwing
off the anonymous in writing, preserves pit
in all its articles, as do also the correspond
ents of the same Cobden journal who are
urging •this change. I. suspect that with
such persons, the mask which covers them
is very like in its effects to the wigs and
gowns, which give popular: dignity to our
Judges and Barristers. And if withdrawn,
suspect that most of these. writers--small
men r intellectually—would feel much in the
plight of the Barristers at the Four Courts,
Dublin, when the room, containing , their
wigs and gowns, was overflowed. by a rise in
the. Liffey, and when the witty Curran,
wiinse unimposing and diminutive appear
arm was mach helped by.his official address,
stood up in the Court of Chancery, as a
very common-place figure, and began his.
address to the Lord Chancellor in words
announcing the presence, to "My Lord," of
"what remains of me!"
The news of the DEATH O DR. KANE
was received with sincere sorrow ,in this
country. Lady Franklin, with .a deathless
zeal and affection, which only a wife ami a
woman could cherish, has ventured almost
all her means on a last expedition to search
after Sir John Franklin. It is still stoutly
argued, that 'some of his party, or he him
self, mayyet be alive among the ESquimaux.
The Times, = while praising the ardor of the
lady, has always deprecated any fresh ex
posure of human life. I believe it hai33ex
pressed -the mind of the country at large.
It is a, great _comfort to know that, like
Parry and Ross, Franklin was an 'earnest
Christian. The following, lately published,
gives a pleasing-proof : of. this:
That Sir John Franklin •was good as well 'as
great, is conclusively proved by an extract read
at a meeting, in Lincoln, to promote a monument
in his honor, front a letter addressed by him to
his sister in 1845—one of the last, it is believed,
ever traced by his hand, which had reached. its
destination :
The appearance, dress, and manners of the
Esquinianx, bespeak that care is taken of them
by the Government. Several of them can read
the Bible with ease; and I am told that when the
families are all collected, the citildren , are obliged
to attend school daily. How delightful it ta.lo
know that the Gospel is spreading far and wide,
and will do so till its blessed truths are disseini-
nated through the globe. Every ship in Wise
days ought to go forth to strange lands, bearing
among its officers a missionary spirit ; and may
GOd grant such a spirit on, board this ship ! It is
my desire to cultivate this feeling, and I am en
couraged to hope that we have tenon gst us some who
will aid me in this duty. We have Divine service
twice on each Sunday, and I never witnessed a
more attentive congregation than we, have. May
the seed sown, fall upon good • ground, and bring
forth fruit abundantly to Godischonor and glory!
It is understood that the expedition will
confine its explorations to a comparatively
limited district; and it is hoped that at least
the wreoks and relics of the Erebus and
Terror will be discovered. Several eminent
persons have come forward 'to help; and
Captain McClure is to command the discov
ery 'ship. The. Times distinctly" warns the
officers,ithat if they return not, no expedi
tion will be sent out after them. It seems a
very rash affair, and .looks something like a
tempting of Providence.
The CASE OF ARCHDEACON LP.FINLON has
assumed another phase, and onelavorable to
him. The Archbishop of Canterbury had
pronounced him guilty of heresy, and con
demned him to be deprived Of his ecclesias
tical appointments. Thereupon the Denison
::party .appealed to another Bee:esiastical
'Court, which , decides that; becausw the
»laileged 'offence wasmotiComplaitied-toPuritil
;two; yea allefrirewaraiStiMiinthe
Philadelphia, 111 South Tenth Street, below Chestnut
By Mail, or at the Office, $1.50 per Year, t
SEE PROSPECTUS.
Delivered in the City, 1.75 " "
action is not tenable in law ! And now,
last of the easels appealed to the Judi
cial Committee of- the Privy Council. If
that tribunal decide on the point of time, in
faVor of the Archdeacon, he, remains; in the
Church, a rampant and unpunishedfierefic,
to the scandal of the noblest and-bestinihe
-land.- 'Could anything better infiltrate, not
only " the glorious uncertainty of the law,"
but also the miserable bondage in which the
State Church is •placed?
I see in yesterday's Times, an advertise -
ment from a clergyman, proposing AN Ex-
ORANGE Or LiviNG, to the following effect
"Excellence of hog" and situatiouls offered
in'exehange for lar ger income. Thom is a
very superior house, together With the natu
ral beaut -of the situation and excellent
por ion are respects 4 e' e. e
"net animal value • of this tionapting rash
is X. 450.
•
The proposed action of the - United•States
Government, against THE MORMONS in
the Salt Lake region, gives• great satisfac
tion in this country. It is , surely not, to be
endured by a Christian nation, like yours,
that a nest of robbers and adulterers, With
their murdering band of Danites,`shall set
all law at defiance. •Fri. worse • are they
than any pirates, or ordinary plunderers;
and the bondage and misery endured by the
female victims whom they have, led thither
from this country, must be terrible. Judge
Drummonds" report, tas inserted at length in
our: papers, clearly shows that foul murders
have been perpetrated on the Territorial
Secretary, and others; and it would give
unmixed satisfaction to all lovers of justice
here, to know that Governor Young r if
cognizantuf the atrocities, after being duly
tried and convicted, were to,be brought to
die scaffold. Surely even in this world,
punishment is reserved for " such" (as the
Timies calls it,) " a huge den of vice and
wickedness."
THE NEW PARLIAMENT met yesterday,
for the election of a Speaker, in the place
of Mr. Le Fevre ' now created a Peer. The
honor has been bestowed, by . a unanimous
vote, on Mr.. Evelyn Denison, wbo:se quail
fications are highly spoken of. The real
business of the Session does not begin for
another week.
The DUCHESS of GLOUCESTER, aunt to
the Queen, and the last surviving daughter
of - Ge'orge is dead. She was a
lady of great amiability, and profuse in tter
charities.
The GRAND DUKE CONSTANTINE, is in
France. His reception at Paris will be
magnificent. The Emperor of France is
very anxious that no political significance
should be attached to it.. : Bat the Russians
; t,heir partisnns in, the Yrench
Court are numerous; and thbVinillitiject
is, WI alienate France from the English Al
liance.
lads ad - ettanings.
DIFFICULTY of attainment is commonly
proportioned to excellency of object.
RomE.—Keep your store of smiles and
kindest thoughts for home; give to the world
only those which are to spare.
TAKE CARE.—A. person who tells you
of the faults of others; intends to tell others
of your,faults. Have a care how you listen.
IF Tama were no enemy in the world,
nor devil in . hell, we carry that within us,
that,. if let loose, will trouble us more than
all the world beside.
CERISTIAN Lovs..—The more believers
love God, the more they love one another;
as the, lines of a circle, the nearer they come
to, the centre, the nearer they come to each
other.---Charnock.
THE CROWN.—To win a SOHI is your no
blest prize, an&the greater number you win,
the greater and richer will be that " crown
f rejoicing,--"' which you will' wear in the
day of the Lord.
DEFECTIVE RV/MON.—A. religion that
never suffices to, govern a man, will never
suffice to- save him; that which does not
sufficiently distinguish one from a wicked
'world, will never distingtiish him from a
perishing world.-11arse.
_PRAYER.—Bowed knees and beautiful
words cannot make prayer; but earnest de
sires from a heart bowed by love, inspired
by God's ;Holy Spirit, and thirsting for God,
the living God, will do it, anywhere, or in
any place, at any time.—Dr. Cumming.
A LOVING HEART.
Give me a loving heart !
To cheer me' on my way,
Throi this dark world of sin and pain,
To one of endless day.
For nought can calm the troubled breast,
Or holier balm impart,
TO the life-weary pilgrim here,
Than one true loving heart
GRACE NOT SELF. Infinite toil would
not enable you to sweep away a mist; but
by ascending a little, you may often look
over it altogether. So it is with our moral
improvement; we wrestle fiercely with a
vicious habit, which would have no hold
upon us if we ascend into a higher atmos
phere.
JOHN REEVE was accosted in the
Ken
sington road by an elderly man, with a
small bottle of gin in his hand
" Pray, sir, I beg your pardon, is this the
way to the poor house.?"
John gave him a look of clerical dignity,
and pointing to the bottle, very gravely
said
":No sir;.but that is I"
A LIVELY EMBLEM OF frEAVEN.-Oh
what cheerfulness, strength, and pleasure
did the primitive Christians reap from the
unity of their hearts, in the way and wor
ship, of God ! Next to the delight of im
mediate communion with God himself, there
is none like that which arises from the
harinonious exercise of the graces of the
saints in their mutual duties and communion
,one with another. How are, their spiritrde-
Ahted and refreshed by it ! What, a :live
ly emblem is there of heaven ! The Courts
of princes afford no such deligl4.-AF7av,..
0. 244