Presbyterian banner & advocate. (Pittsburgh, Pa.) 1855-1860, July 18, 1857, Image 2

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    Nana xnk PinTratt.
PITTSBUB,GH, JULY 18, 1857.
TERMS.--101.50, In advance; or in Club.
g 1.219; or, delivered at residences of Ouluicri..
berm, 'la& Agee FiCipisistnions "third Page.
It IC X kW AAA B.honld be prompt; a little
while before the year expires, that we may
make IWI arrangeMente for a stemly. supply.
Tilt ., RED WRAPPER inditeiee that we
desire a renewal. If, however, in the haste
of mailing, this signal ehonld be ontltted,_we
hope our friends will still not forget ns.
REMITTANCES.—Send payment by safe
hands, when convenient. Or, send by mail,
enclosing with ordinary care, and troubling
nobody with a knowledge of what you 'are
doing. For a large amount, wend a Draft, or
largo notes. For sneer two papers, send Gold
or small notes, •
TO MAKE OFIANGE, Mend postage stamps,
or batter AMA, send for =tore papersj may as
for Seventy numborgi Or $1 ifor Thirty.thre.
niunbers. .
musell Ru Lotter* and Dosomannitattono
to REV. DAVID lIMINNAIY. Pittsburgh,
BLOOMINGTON FEMALE SEMINARY, ILL
—The First Annual Circular is before us.
Rev.'lt. Conover is the Principal. There
have Veen fifty-six pupils in attendance.
, THE ; SOUTHERN .PRESBvrTERTAN The
vditorial department of this well conducted
journil, is to be strengthened by , the aeons
sionht Rev: Basile E. Laneau.
DECEASE Or REV. WILLIAM REID.-
, This Missionary brother, in Wisconsin, died
Suddenly about the twenty-fifth of last
month. A tribute of respect from his
Presbytery is given in another column.
liEvivAL.—The church of Beaver Creek,
Washington County, Va., under the pas
toral care of Rev. A. L. Hogshead, enjoys
gracious tokens of the Holy Spirit's pres
ence. Sixteen persona lately professed their
faith in Christ. Others are seriously im
pressed.
THE HISTORY OF JEFFERSON COLLEGE,
by Joseph Smith, D. D., is just issued. We
. .trust tkat order's will be sent in rapidly.
For tennii - , -- tiee — fistiar's advertisement.
A more full notice. will , appear,• in our Lit
'etary-eolunin; when we shall have had time
foi some examination of the work.
tNOX COLLEG; ll:L.—This Institution
possesses good buildings . and a large amount of
property, and has many of the elements of
success. Some difficulties, however, in the
Faculty, have marred its peace, and threaten
toimpede its progress (in usefulness.; The
Gitivw Watekman; ;July 2d ; infornis us,
that the matters of unpleasantness were
mainly between President Blanchard. and
Professor Gale. A meeting of the Trustees
failed to adopt a satisfactory minute on the
subject, and these officers both resigned.
Lafayette College.
The annual commencement in this insti
tution, will take place at .Easton, on the
29th instant. The Trustees meet on the
day previous (Tuesday) at 9 o'clock. For
some years' back these occasions have been
times of great interest; and we hope that
an' enlightened Christian public will find
there, this sear, the usual entertainment.
-
Commencement at Jefferson College
The exercises connected with the Com
mencement at Jefferson College, are as fol
lowS:
On Sabbath Auoust 2d a sermon will be
preached before the Religious Societies of
the College, by Rev..eTohn Douglas, of Pitts
burgh. On Tuesday evening, Aug. 4, the
Literary. Societies will be•addressed by Gov.
.Pollock. The Ceramencement takes place
tin` Wednesday, August 5; and there will be
aii addresi; on that" day, before the: AbutLni
Association, by, John E. Penney, Esq., of
Pittiburgh.
The Nebnlaf,Theory.
on our &Mil page, an excellent
article from the pen of Rev. R. Patterson,
' Ihis . subject. Many of our readeis, we
know, cannot peruse it With, much advaut
. age; but we regard it as a duty incumbent,
tuturnish a little strong meat for the fully
.grown, as well as much milk for the very
young. We trust that many of those whom
,God has favored: with high intellectual pow
ers, And with the best means Of cultivating
them, will choose our columns as the medium
of letting t6ir light Shine for the illUminat
mg
,of their fellow-men. And for ourselves,
it will be our, pleasure, always, to give able
articles, whether original or selected, for the
gratification of the thoroughly educated; as
well• as for the edifying of those who seek
primary instruction. - •
A Piision Seminary.
A correspondent of the Independent
thinks that Theological Seminaries are a
fixture upon the °hurdles. The churches
will have them. But he sees very great evil
in a mulitude of feeble institutions, and ima
gines that immense benefits would flow from
a few Fusion Seminaries, liberally endowed,
where, what the denominations hold in com
mon would be taught in common, but each
would have 'its own Theological Professor
to teach its own peculiarities. .As, however
the innovation would be too great to win a
general consent, he proposes "themearest ap
proach possible," by way of trial, doubtless,
and as a specimen. His suggestion is
"Thus, at Chicago, if the Baptists and.
Methodists have too few affinities with the
Old and the New School 'Presbyterian s and •
'the Congregationalists to be willing thus to
" Mei certainly nothing can be easier than for
the three latter bodies to, combine; nothing
easier,
,if they will. They earn the same
creed'; • their quarrels are sharp only because
they ire I brothers offended'
" There is wrong" he adds, " in the 'pres
ent and proposed waste of energies. What
' denomination is willing to bear the sin of
perpetuating the wrong? Which will show
'itself intent on better things-7"
We think it will be a long time before
tsueh a specimen,- upon &large scale and ern
, hiving orthodoxy, will be an actuality, and
',mew wilLhave zreatly.,'ehangild - if: it shall
operate harmonionslyond tar , the Ordination
of the truth.
" One out West."
We give place to the article over this sig
nature most cheerfully, so far as regards the
cause which the writer advocates; and yet
painfully, when we contemplate the unhappy
disposition which he manifests. Injurious
suspicion ought never to have a lodgment in
the Christian's mind. An unfavorable con
struction should never be put upon a broth
er's utterances, in advance of a dire neces
sity.— Unworthy motives belong not to
Presbyterians as a family, and neither truth
nor charity allow us to impute them to any
one of the fraternity, and especially not to a
whole Seminary and an extensive country,
till the evidence is irresistible.
Our correspondent, " Melanethon," of
June 27th, - whose article is criticised, is, a
devoted minister—the pastor of an excellent
country church. His labors' are 'abundant,
and have been greatly blessed. The Lord
has acknowledged him. He is incapable , of
the "personal and sectional selfishness" at
tributed to him. Grace forbids it, and he
has no motive, from either interest or posi
tion, impelling him in thatway. He is dis
cussing a great and important question, and
expr:sses the desires and feelings of tens of
thousands in our Church; and he would eli
cit truth from "abler Tens," himself
"prompted solely by a desire for the'welfare
of our Zion."- We Wish that "One out
West," while replying with all his vigor,
could have manifeSted less of a hasty spirit.
The cause which he advocates is so good,
and the arguments in favor of a Seminary in
the North-west are so numerous, and so very
strong, that he could have afforded to meet
"Melancthon" without any imputations,
other than the most honorable.
That " Melanethon " is not singular in
his opinions, he evinces by quoting the New
Fork Observer, a paper widely eirculated
and characterized by viewsnot less liberal
than those of any journal which can justly
lay claim to orthodoxy. Another paper,
very extensively read, thus speaks: "All
the denominations, are coming to rely on
Seminaries. Each denomination must have
ita OWTI, and every distinct region must have
its own. The quick result will be many
rival Snminaries'in each section of the land.
Most will be; feeble. The choicest talent
will be called off from our pulpits and col
lege faculties to expend itself on little de
tached groups of minds. The students
themselves will suffer for want of the stimu
lus and harmonizing power of numbers.
These evils are already felt, acknowledged,
deplored."
Our steady readers know, that after the
Assembly's vote to locate a Seminary at Dan
ville, the Banner was the very first journal
in the Church to propose " Another Semi
nary," to be located in the North-west; and
that it has, ever since, been the steady ad
vocate of such an. institution. The precise
time when it should be inaugurated, was not
made a point in the advocacy. That was
left, as also the place, to the wisdom of the
churches more immediately interested; but
the thing, and that with a wise promptitude
and a large liberality, was insisted on. And
it is still our unvarying conviction that We
were and are right in our views.' A Theo.
logical Seminary in the North-west, and that
of the "first class," is a necessity which
presses more and more; and the churches
will be greatly derelict in duty if five years
shall pass away before the Institution is fur
nished with good buildings, an able corps of
Professors,and a large list of students. just
think of the extended and flourishing States
of Indiana, Illinois, Wisconsin, lowa, Mis
souri, with their teeming millions and means
of immense 'Wealth; and then Minnesota,
just being added, and, , Kansas pressing on
closely, and Nebraska looming,up rapidly !
Taking but a glance 'at these; we say, erect
and endow allorth.western Seminary speed
ily. Let the work be done. Let it be off
the, artificers' hands, that a Far-west Schol
of the prophets may receive attention at the
earliest call.
But why this sensitiveness on the part of
a ONE " of our Western brethren ? Does
he consider the cause which , he espouses to
be so poor, that it cannot bear to be looked
at—cannot bear an investigating word ? We
do -not so regard it. We desire no better
theme than •it affords. Does our correspond
ent regard the operations of the region where
he resides, as not belonoing to the body—
the Church? Must 'his excitement, as he
would intimate .is the case with his brother's
calm inquiry, "be traced to personal or sec
tional selfishness"? Does he " advocate a
SECTIONAL enterprise ?' Ah' . Sectional !
So he says; but we trust that that word
speaks not his heart's emotions. He is a
brother whom we honor. We belieie he is
no sectionalist We believe he has too much
of the 'spirit,' of Christianity for ads. And
sure we are that multitudes of his brethren,
the ardent friends of a North-western Semi
nary, are not sectionalists; and that if they
thought that the spirit of the Chicago move
ment was mall, they would lay that spirit;
or they would . abandon that enterprise at
once, and begin anew. No : the North-wes
tern Seminary, whether to be conducted by
the Synods or to be guided by the Assem
bly, is to be a Presbyterian Institution; one
of a sisterhood in faith, order, love and good
works.. It will be a Seminary of the Church.
The noble-minded Christians there,- minis
ters and, laymen, will never consent to be
antagonistic to their brethren. Any one who
would attempt to put them in that attitude,
is likely to find himself in a very lean minor
ity.
Our correspondent's intimation that "Al
legheny Seminary herself wishes to keep her
embryo sister from being born," proceeds
from an entire. misconception. We do not
believe that there is a man, connected with
the Institution here that has such a fish.
And we know that the Professors, and many,
if not all of the Directors, and of the pastors in
and around 'our cities, are the,ardent friends
,of a Seminary in the North-west. They may
have some variations of judgment' as to the
best time, and the wisestplan; but as to the
thing; antt that'sbortly, therake; we believe,
unanimous. Even with "jMelanethon," it
THE PRESBYTERIAN 13ANNER AND ADVOCATE.
is only a question of time; and but a brief
time ; for he says : " May we not innocently
question the propriety of establishing, quite
so soon, another Theological School in the
North•webt ?"
Melanctlion " is doubtless a sincere
friend of Allegheny; but he differs from the
Faculty and the Directors in nearly every
point he has made—at least, so we believe;
and he certainly differs from us. But has
he not a right to his opinions? And may
he not, for once or twice, on subjects so im
portant, and where so many of Christ's peo
ple think with him, have a column in a
Church journal ? And may not an article,
temperately written and containing no here
sy, go forth without the immediate accompa
niment of an editorial caveat And espe
cially so where the sentiments of the paper
are well known ? Now, in this , case, every
candid and attentive reader knew well our
decjded friendship for a North-western Sem
inary, our advocacy of a corps of four Pro
fessors, and our opposition to the collection
of a very large number of students in one
Institution.' He knew that he was opposing
the editor's views, and, so also did our read
ers.
And what s'elftsh "' motive could there
be, tempting Allegheny to hostility against a
North-western enterprise? Every studentwho
comes here, meets a most cordial welcome.
All are glad to see him. But still, he brings
no fees. Instruction is gratuitous. We have
already nearly as many students as WC think
should be collected in one school. The coun
try of which Pittsburgh is a centre, stretch
ing to the Lakes, and half-way to Princeton,
Danville, and Chicago, is capable of fur
nishing, and soon will furnish, all the stu
dents we can accommodate and teach. There
is not a rational motive why we should op
pose a good Institution at. Chicago; but ev
ery feeling of magnanimity, and ecclesiasti
cal ambition, and sacred love, induces us to
wish succ'ess to our brethren in their great
and glorious enterprise.
And who are the people of the North-west?
Are they foes ? or aliens ? or strangers ?
Are they a rival sect ? No : they are our
Christian brethren, members of the same
Church. Mutual, participants in prosperity
and adversity. Their success is our glory
and joy. • And temporally speaking, their
connexion with us is most intimate. They
are bone of our bone and flesh of our flesh—
our brothers and sisters, our sons and daugh
ters and grand-children, our old neighbors and
friends. Many of our people have landed
property there. Many among us purpose
to remove thither. All, ablest, expect to
send a portion of their offspring there. Why,
with us, even selfishness would plead for
Christian institutions, of the very best char
acter, in that great and good land. And
seeing that our connexion with the country
is so intimate, and our interest, so deep, can
it be wondered at, and should it be objected
to, if we should occasionally give a word of
advice or of caution, or should express an
opinion or make a suggestion, or should
some times even utter a remonstrance against
what our experience has taught us to be an
error? Surely brethren will not think it
becoming in them, either to dictate our
speech or to impose upon us silence. They
cannot, be so unreasonable as to refuse us the
privilege of uttering our sentiments on what
are really our own affairs, as well as theirs.
But if they should occasionally spunk up,
and declaim against our "impertinence" and
interference, we will blame ourselves for not
having taught them better before we sent
them out to manage so large a concern; but
we will not cast them off; nor yet be silenced.
The tie shall not be broken, which binds
them and us together in one brotherhood in
Christ Jesus. They are ours, and we are
theirs; and all are Christ's.
In relation to the number of Seminaries,
there is one point in whicli we partially
agree with " Melancthon." The Union
Seminary and the Columbia might have been
one Institution. 'United, they have, as yet,
but about sixty students ; and they are not
likely to reach a hundred, for many years to
come. One School, with four Professors,
would have answered all their demands hith
erto, and for probably another generation.
But still, we most cheerfully leave the mat
ter to their own choice. They are endowing
both their SeminarieS with a noble Christian
liberality. And the time of four of the best
instructors is not lost, when expended on
even but thirty young men. About a dozen
of these will go out every year, bearing the
impress of their teachers, to write that char
acter upon myriads of immortals. How im
portant ! Four men would thus send forth
360 preachers in a generation.' They would
hence have lived to, great'pnrpose. And the
fact of a Seminary being located in any dis
trict, will cause many times four young men,
in thirty years, to enter the ministry, who
would not have entered but for that location.
Now, let " One out West," and all that
"public" of whom he speaks, know, assured
ly, that there is not connected with " Alle
gheny Seminary," 'a single desire in opposi
tion to "another . Theological Seminary in
the West." Christian principle forbids such
a• feeling; charity forbids it; ecclesiastical
ambition forbids it; family interests forbid
it. There is not a rational motive tempting
us to it. Our whole conduet and all our ut
terances repel the suspicion. Believing in
these principles, and regarding our brethren
who are connected with this Seminary as
intelligent Christians, and having much in
tercourse with them in all the easy and pleas
ant confidence of brotherhood, we speak thus
strongly. The earnest prayer of Christians
in this region is, God bless the West: give
her churches, Schools, Academies, Colleges,
a Seminary; and the outpouring of his Spr
it upon them all, making her the mother
and the happy home of untold millions of
his sons and daughters.
SPRINGFIELD FEMALE SEMINARY, °RIO.
,—There were in attendance at this 'restitu
tion, the last year, one hundred and sixty
two mils. The ettitalogue presents their
names, and othe i f desirable information re
garding the school.
New School Presbyterians.
Our brethren of the New School are ex
ceedingly agitated by the doings of their
late Assembly at Cleveland. Their papers
are filled with discussions, disclaimers, ex
planations, conjectures, and deprecations.
This, is very natural. The occasion needs
it. Into the controversy we would not en
ter. We have no partisan feelings in the
ease. should like to give our readers
pretty full' vieiv Ce what is done and eon
templated in a Church so nearly affiliated
with us, and whose rupture may affect us
most deeply; but matters past are so
differently interrireted, and the future, even
that which seems near, is still so conjec
tural, that we are deterred from any defi
nite effort. The Christian Observer, at
Philadelphia, maintains stoutly that a very
great wrong has been done, that abolitionism
is rampant in the Northern section of their
body, and that the Southern portion was ex
einded. , The Witness, at Knoxville, Tenn,
does not regard le paper passed by the As
sembly as an excision, nor as so very differ
ent in principle 4rom previous acts; but it
pleads for a 'divisfon, for - the sake of peace
and efficiency; ylthe American Presbyte
rian, the New 'York Evangelist, and the
Genesee. Evangelist, mourn the existing
state of things, deprecatedivisiop; maintain
that the ASseilibly did right, and affirm that
the action was not 'divisive, the paper
adopted being but a tekimony, and the
House being impelled by, the Southern mem
bers to bear that testimeny. E, , They maintain
that the Assembly 'did not &flare "slavery
a...sin in itself;" that they, and the majority
of the North are conservative And not abo
litionists; that 'there is no necessity for a
separation, so far as the great utSjority, both
North and. South are concerned''; and that
a separate organization will.be opposed by a
considerable potion even of the Southern
churches.
The American Presb,ygerian thus speaks
"In Delaware, Maryland,and the District of
Columbia, the feeling of almost every pastor,
is against the formation of a new Amembly,
nor is it probable that any of their churches
will enter into the effort to create such a
body. The distinction between the extreme
pro-slavery view and the old fashioned
Southern view of the subject, is by them
fully recognizept, and the latter class of
opinions avowed. These brethren do not
wish to take - a position endorsing extreme
views. The pastors and Sessions in the city
of Washington deprecate the agitation in
their churches, which must be produced by
the presence of the proposed Convention,
and prefer that it should meet elsewhere,
and have sent; as we are informed, a
written request to that effect.,
"In Virginia; the withdrawal .of the
Southern Commissioners, and the proposal
for a new Assembly, meets more favor.
" There is ne . probability that the Mis
souri churches ;rill be -represented in the
proposed convention, From Mississippi
and Kentucky, where sour churches are few
and small, we have not heard."
On the 'agitation of slavery in the As
sembly, which s the great point with the
Southerners, thy wishing a pledge from
the existing Asnibly, or otherwise the con
stitution of . a:'n Assembly, on the princi
ple that this s4ject l shall not be brought
up in the, body, the same paper thus defines
its position ; , 1 l a
" The ..Anteri n Presbyterian has not
taken ground in favor of a present or a fir.:
ture agitation efi slavery in the Assembly.
The position;it :his taken is, that Presbyte
rians ought not to submit, and that few of
them probably'll submit to go into an
Assembly based upon the principle that
ill
slavery shall no be discussed there, and
that no testimony shall be uttered in rela
tion to it, 'whaiever circumstances may
arise. The. edita of this paper consider
such a basis as 'an abandonment of the very
foundations of ' resbyterianism. Its in
dieatories . Must e left free to decide
whether they will iseuss any thing or not
discuss it The lright to discuss or testify
does not involialite continual or imprudent
exercise of thatLright. As an English wit
remarked, a Man does not want to be-tried
by jury, or brought up' on a habeas corpus,
because he "Maintain these inestimable
rights. So of freedom of speech and the
right of testifying. ' They are to be main
tained, but, to 'be wisely and prudently ex
ercised. To exclude the! isto establish a
spiritual despotism; to abuse them is to in
flict a serious
a injury upon mankind."
There is good deal of. uman nature
ft
here, exhibited; and of a fe ure, of human
nature, too, which is often strongly mani
fest, even , where sanctifilion has made
great progress. Therenreone of us who
like dictation—none of us willing to have
i n
our liberties of speech Festricted, even
though it be in . a direr on in• which we
may have not the least sire to use them.
We do not like to haVe limits prescribed,
farther thin our, own . pdgment, and our
feelings of propriety, and our gentlethanly
and Christian regard fOr others, may re
strict us. Hence, to 'attempt to form a
ChUrch or to hold a eh together by a
new 'law prohibitory of i ,all discussion of
some specified subject which confessedly
concerns social and Christian duties, and
which is' regulated by i)ivitie precepts,
must necessarily be unwise ( The attempt,
in an existing Church, must prove dis
tracting, if not divisive; and if it relate to
a new organization, its prespeets of a nu
merous, extended, and vigorous society, can
noti
be brilliant. True, the Papacy is such
an institution ;,but the spirit of Popery is
but illy adapted to,Presbyteriart minds.
The bonds of 'Christian love, a common
faith, good sense, mutual respect, and a
strong desire to be useful, keeping the unity
of the brotherhood in uninterrupted peace,
are the. best ligaments by which to hold
Christians together: These bonds are now,
happily, very strong in the Old School Pres
byterian Church, and afford .a guarantee to
all our people, that, however ardently we
are attached to the principle of an open
field for , free discussion, our cherished rights
will-not he exercised injuriously nor inju
diciously. With the present constituency,
our Assembly is ,as free from danger on this
score as any: large body well could he ; and
as we receive accesaioni only from our own
home:trained Sorts, from`
or, if we receive
others, we'do it - not in the Mass', but on in
dividual examinations in open Presbytery,
we are likely to maintain and perpetuate our
principles.
While, then, we look with interest upon
our brethren, among whom we daily min
gle, sympathizing in their sorrows, in
structed by their successes, and admonished
by the causes which produce discomfort and
distractions, we will meekly give thanks for
our internal peace, and our extended and
extending fields of, usefulness;, and will
prayerfully guard against the springing up
of any root of 'bitterness in our midst. In
tense engagedness in the salvation of men
—in spiritual things as unspeakably above
temporal things—will perpetuate a strong
attachment, and cause us to labor together
in harmony.
A Correction.
In reporting the discussion which took
place in the late General Assembly, on the
nomination made by the Committee for Di
rectors in the Western Theological Seminary,
the Presbyterian Herald mistook, entirely,
the remarks of Rev., I. N. Hays, of Carlisle.
We are enabled, from the best source, to
present the brother's sentiment, as then ut
tered, as follows
N. Hays remarked, that for some years
the ..yes , both of the churches and candi
dates in the bounds of the Carlisle Presbytery,
had been turned toward the Western Theo
logical Seminary; and that, consequently,
frequent inquiry was made as to its condition
and passing .history; and as they were in
the same State, and nearer to • Allegheny
than to Princeton, he thought it eminently
proper that there should be a representative
in the Board of Directors from that district,
and had himself even ventured to make the
suggestion. He hoped that the persons nom
inated would be elected.
Statistical Summary
Through the politeness of the Stated Clerk
of the General Assembly, we are enabled, in
advance of the appearance of the Minutes, to
give the creneral statistics of our Church.
The deaths' of ministers, forty-six, seem
numerous, but the proportion is small, being
bui. two per cent. on last year's list. This
would indicate an average ministerial life of
fifty years.
The proportion of baptisms of infants to
the number of communicants, is 1 to 18.82.
Last year, it was 1 to 18.77.
Compared with last year, the tables stand
thus :
Increase.—Synods, 1; Presbyteries, 7;
Licentiates, 17; Ministers, 91; Churches,
10'5; Licensures, 13; Ordinations, 20; In
stallations, 44; Churches organized, 24;
Ministers receivedfrom other denominations,
2; Dismissed to others, 4; Deceased, 8;
members added on examination, 685; on
certificate, 453 ; Baptized—adults, 157, in
fants 86; Contributions, for congregational
purposes, $228,139; 'to Boards, SLc., $120,-
045; miscellaneous, $24,058.
Decrease.—Candidates, 30; Pastoral re
lations dissolved, 7 ; Churches dissolved, 5.
Some of these figures of increase are quite
too small, but the comparison of the two years
is, upon the whole, favorable, except as re
lates to the number of candidates for the
ministry.. The decrease here is discourag
ing. It is in a place which affects the vital
interest of the Church. If the supply of la
borers shall fail, every thing else must soon
come short. Pray for laborers. Multiply
them. The Lord prospering Zion's efforts in
this line, will indicate his purpose of 'great
favors to her in her extension and spiritu
ality.
Associate Reformed Church.
By the published Minutes of the late
meeting of the General Synod of this
Church, in New'York, we learn that it em
braces 27 Presbyteries, 164 pastors, 54.
ministers unsettled, 38 licentiates, 26 can
didates, 380 congregations, and 30,055
communicants. The. Infant Baptisms were
one to a little less than fifteen communi
cants. The contributions to Missions aver
age thirty-two cents from each member.
EASTERN SUMMARY.
BOSTON AND NEW ENGLAND.
Notwithstanding excessive devotion to
material interests, the low state of piety in
the churches, mid the many prevalent errors,
The Missionary Spirit has not died out.
Almoit every month witnesses the departure
of some of the sons and daughters of the
Church, to make known the unsearchable
riches of Christ in heathen lands. On. Mon
day morning, the 6th inst., the following
persona, in connexion with the American
Board of Commissioners for Foreign Mis
.sions, sailed in the barque /Teary Hill,
Capt. Watson, for Smyrna: Rev. H. F.
Williams and Mrs. Williams, to Mosul;
Rev. J. Y. Leonard and Mrs. Leonard, to
the Northern Armenian Mission; Miss Sa
rah C. King, a daughter of Dr. Jonas King,
returning to her parents in Greece; and Miss
Bell, going to the Mission at Constantinople.
Mr. Williams has been in the Foreign field
for some, time; the others, except Miss
King, who is going home, go abroad for the
first time. Impressive religious services
were held on board previous to the depar
ture of the vessel. This missionary band is
accompanied by the Rev. Chauncey Eddy
and wife, long known as the efficient agent
of the Board in New England, for the bene
fit of his impaired health, and to visit a son
laboring as a missionary at Beirut.
Preaching has been resumed in the Open
Air on Boston Common, under the auspices
of the Young Men's Christian Association.
This service was conducted in the same
Place last. Summer. with good results. The
Rev. Mr. Cook has also commenced preach
ing in the open air, once every Sabbath, in
the town of Lynn. The Church cannot be
too active or too earnest in endeavoring to
arrest the attention of the careless multitudes
in every Scriptural way.
The Old South Church, around which so
many ecclesiastical and patriotic associations
of the past Clusteri has been among the hust
of the old churches to remove the square
pews, the high pulpit, and the sounding
board. At last, thorough internal changes
have been commenced. The high pulpit
has been removed; the upper gallery will be
narrowed, to admit the light to the one be
low; the ceiling will be stuccoed, and the
pews modernized. A new organ is also being
built. The whole cost of the entire repairs
will be about 810,000.
The committee, to whom was referred the
report on Infant Baptism, presented at the
meeting of the General Association at
Northampton, has reported. The neglect
of Infant Baptism it attributed, in great part,
to the low state of piety in the churches; to
the abuse of outward forms in some portions
of the Church, and to the want of a correct
knowledge of the nature and design of this
ordinance. The committee conclude their
able report by offering thb following resolu
tion, worthy of consideration by other
branches of the Church :
Resolved, That the benevolence of the
Gospel, the , recorded history of the interest
of God in the children of his people, the fit
ness of the rite to meet the necessities of the
parent's heart, the hope it inspires of the
salvation of our children, and the aid it is
calculated to afford in securing the welfare
of the rising generation and the perpetuation
of religion, should urge us to all diligence
in' honoring and sustaining Infant Baptism
as a favored ordinance in our churches.
A large and interesting meeting in behalf
of The Colonization Cause, was'lately held
in Plymouth, Mass. Some of the citizens
subscribed very liberally. The imp stance of
African Colonization, in a commercial as well
as religions point of view, is not yet prop
erly estimated. President Benson has seen
the exportation of Palm oil increase from
1,000 barrels to 10,000 per year:
A Son of Professor Stowe, a student of
Dartmouth College,• was drowned in the
Connecticut, on Friday, the 10th inst.
The present Senior Class, in Bowdoin Col
lege, is the largest that ever left the institu
tion it numbers 50.
Eliku Burritt, the advocate of peace, and
generally knovin as " The Learned Black
smith," has been for several months en
gaged in visiting some of the principal
cities, and in publishing his scheme for the
removal of. Slavery. He proposes that the
General Government should pay for all the
slaves that may be emancipated, from the
revenue of the publie lands; and that the
government should make this offer , to all the
Slave-States. He thinks it probable that the
smaller States would be the first to try the
experiment. Delaware has 2,000 slaves,
which would cost $500,000 : and Arkansas
had, in 1850, 47,000—the income from
the public lands last year, would pay for
their cost.' And the surplus now in the
United States Treasury would free every
slave in Missouri. According to Mr. Bur
ritt, a State might be redeemed from Slavery
every two years, without any additional tax
ation. The whole expense is estimated at
$875,000,000, less than England and France
expended in the late war with Russia.
Western Railroad Stock is not the only
stock rww at a discount. The following,
from the Boston Transcript, reveals a state
of things with respect to the Manufacturing
Companies of New England, which we did
not suppose existed :
"Out of fifty of the largegt manufactories
established in New England, the stock of
only six companies will sell at above par at
the present time. The Lowell Bleachery is
worth 20 per cent. above par, and the Mer
rimac at 8 per cent. advance. The present
selling price of the New England cotton and
wool corporations, is about fifty-two cents on
the dollar."
NEW YORK.
Some of the Principal Actors in the Riots
of the 4th have been arrested and brought
before the proper tribunal, where it is likely
to go hard with some of them.
The City continues quiet, and the Com
missioners are busily engaged in a re-organ
ization of the whole Police system, and the
appointment of proper officers; under whose
watch the lives and property of the citizens
will be protected. An order has been issued
for the closing of all the drinking houses on
the Sabbath, and a determination has been
expressed to have the order enforced. If
this be done, one great source of disturbance
and crime will be shut off.
The regular examinations of the Free
Academy, have - given proof of a higher de
gree of scholarship than was found to exist
in any previous year. Two hundred and
fifty-six candidates from the Public Schools
have already applied for admission at the
opening of the next session. The standard
of age has been raised one year, and the
course in the Grammar school has been ex
tended. This useful institution is open to
all possessed of sufficient merit. Its Profes
sorships and teachers are in advance of many
of our Colleges, and the standard of scholar
ship required is equal to most of them.
New York has but few public institutions
so well conducted, and so permanently and
widely beneficial as this.
The Five Points _Mission, some time ago,
received a donation of $20,000, which was
expended in removing the debt on the
building. But this gift has well nigh ru
ined the Mission ; for its friends, supposing
it well provided for, have withheld their
usual contributions. With how much
greater faeility can people be induced to
withhold their gifts, than to bestow them?
Some idea of the Greatness of the Busi
ness connected with this wonderful city,
may be obtained from the following statis
tics :
Sixty-seven railroad companies centre or
have their offices in New York ; there are
also seventy-six transport lines; one hun
dred and ninety expresses, American, for
eign, and city ; twelve telegraph lines ; and
twenty-three omnibus lines. There are
sixty banks; one hundred and ninety-seven
insurance . companies; two hundred and
sixty-nine newspapers and periodicals; thirty
benevolent societies; twenty-seven asylums;
fourteen hospitals ; and, fifteen public libra
ries, in the city.
At the last stated meeting of the Mana
gers of the American Bible Society, an ap
propriation of 39,000 was made for printing
the Armenio-Turkish. Scriptures at Con
ktantinopley under the direction of the
American missionaries, and of X 62,000 to the
Missionary Society of the Methodist 4 6.
copal Church, for printing and distributi t ,
the Scriptures in Germany.
The Rev. Dr. leg is making himself
heard in England. He attended lately a
meeting of the Evangelical Alliance, at
which he handled the High Church Epis
copalians of this country very severely. By
the way, in a speech made by the Rev. Mr.
Caswell, in the English Convocation, the
following account was given of the Ameri
can Episcopalian Church: Thirty-six bish
ops; nearly two thousand clergy; and prob
ably one hundred and thirty thousand com
municants.
The Rev. Mr. Tracy started on another
tour to the West, on the 3d inst., with sixty
boys gathered from the streets in New York,
to place them in new and respectable
homes, where it is to be hoped they will
acquire those habits of industry and moral
ity to which they have been hitherto
strangers.
PHILADELPHIA.
The Colored Free Masons of Philadel
phia have erected a new Hall, at a cost of
$13,500, which has just been dedicated.
The order was established by the highest
authority in England, through the institu
tion of the African lodge in Boston in 1784.
Moyamensing Prison is said to be in ad
mirable condition at present. The ex
penses for the last six months have been
$15,000 less than-during the same period
last year. At the present time it contains
four hundred and sixty-five untried prison
ers, and one hundred and twenty-eight
convicts.
At a late meeting of the Common Conn
cil, a Committee previously appointed re
ported, recommending the immediate con
struction of a New Bridge over the Schuyl
kill, at Chestnut Street. The report repre
sents the daily tonnage crossing at Market
Street to be 7,820 tons, not counting the
weight cf animals drawing vehicles. The
foot passengers average 17,558 daily, and
7,250 omnibuses and 4,179 other vehicles.
Our Methodist brethren 'have not grown
weary in the work of aura Extension
and chprch erection. On the 7th instant,
the corner stone of a new Methodist Epis
copal church was laid in South-Eighth
Street, above Franklin. And on the follow
big day, a similar ceremony was attended in
another part of the city.
Ecclesiastical.
Rev. W. 3. R - v - na, of Griffin, Ga.,has
been released from his pastoral charge,
and has accepted an appointment from
the Board of Publication, as Superin
tendent of Colportage for that State.
Mr. L. A. SIMONTON was ordained and in-
stalled at Sparta, Ga., by the Presbytery
of Hopewell, on the 21st ult.
Rev. JAN= SMITE, recently of Bridge
water, _Allegheny City Presbytery, has
received a unanimous call to the Presby
terian church of Mount Joy. His Post
Office address now is, Mount Joy, Lan:
caster County, Pa.
Rev. A. L. HOCISBEA_D, late of Covington,
Va.., has taken a charge in Washington
Connty, Va. His Post Office address is
Abingdon, in that County.
Rev. JAMES UAMPICELL'S Post Office
address is lowa Point, Kansas, whither
he lately removed from Jacksonville, Pa.
Mr. JACOB LEISOBLD and Mr. John Rans-
kers, Cremona, have been ordained by
the Presbytery of Dane.
Rev. JONATHAN EDWARDS, D. D., Presi
dent of South Hanover College, Indiana
has accepted the call from the West Areh
Street. Presbyterian church, Philadelphia.
Rev. JOEL K. LYLE has received a unani
mous call to become pastor of the united
churches of Horeb and Hopewell, made
vacant by the death of Rev. W. C.
Kniffm.
Mr. DONALD McLAwsw was ordained on the
Ist inst., by the Presbytery of New Bruns
wick, and installed pastor of the Tennent
church of Freehold, New Jersey.
Rev. JOHN F. COONS has removed from
Maysville to Covington, Ky.
Rev. JOHN APORAE has removed from
Cloverport, Ky., to Reading, Ohio, and
taken charge of the churches of Nest.
gomery and Reading.
Rev. J. TiimmeN HENDRICK has accepted
an invitation to supply, for one year, the
Zion church, near Columbia, Tenn. His
Post Office address is Ashwood.
Rev. J. M'NF.Ir. TURNER has accepted the
appointment of President of the State
Seminary, at. Tallahassee, Florida, and
the pastoral relation between him and the
church of Tallahassee, has been dia'
solved.
Rev. ROBERT W. ALLEN has received and
accepted a call to become pastor of the
church in Jacksonville; Illinois.
For the Presbyterian Banner and Advocate.
Presbytery of Dane.
REV. DAVID MCKINNEY:—The Presby
tery of Dane held its Annual Meeting ar
this place, on the 18th, 19th, and 90th ult.
The attendance was, from various causes)
small, there not being present more than
one-third of the members of the Presbytery.
There were ordained, to the Gospel min'
istry, two brethren, Jacob Leisoeld and John
Ranskus, both Germans. Rev. Jacob
Schwartz presided, and proposed the consd
tational questions. Rev. D. C. Lyon, d
Bedford .Presbytery, and Synodical Agent)
preached the sermon, by invitation. Rec.
Cyrus Nicholls made the Ordaining prarl•
Rev. John Bantly gave the Charge, in Ger'
man, to the candidates.
The whole was one of the most sole"
and interesting ordinations I ever witnessed.
There was received one German church ,
under the care of the Presbytery, and an 'P
plication made for an organization wog
the Germans in another place.
Oar churches all reported that they had
taken action on the subject. of Systematin
Benevolence, according to the recommend""
tion of the General Assembly. Oar nice'
ing was a very pleasant one, indeed. it i 5
to be regretted, that so frequently, our wet'
ings of Presbytery are so thinly a ttendq ,
and never shall we receive the full bench
t
of such meetings until our ministers resolvn
that nothing but the interpositions of Pre!:
deuce shall prevent them from attending,
to
the duty of being present, and our e burlb_D..
see to it that they are r epresented by an 1 ,1
der. " • B. PitlWrst
Stated Clerk.
Mineral Point Judy S, 1857.