Presbyterian banner & advocate. (Pittsburgh, Pa.) 1855-1860, August 29, 1857, Image 2
have been made at their shrines ; Brahmins have been paid to pray for rain ! And what a rebuke is it, that the Sepoys in Bengal, who have mutinied, are the only class shut out from missionary influence ! Such is the retribution on guilty neglect and cow ardice ! By the most recent telegraph, we bear that Delhi is defended by 30,000 men, and that 3,000 rebels are encamped near the walls. A letter front Madras reports that Delhi is fallen, but this is not generally be lieved. Do not be surprised, in the present state of tbings, that wy letter begins and ends with India. l Aarater aul) Abbotatc, PITTSBURGH, AUGUST 29, 1857. Twang... $1.50, in advance; or in Clubs 111.26; or, delivered at residences of Subseri. berm, $1.75. See Prospectus, on Third Page. ENEW AL $ should be prompt; a little while "before the year expires, that we way nialte fill arrangements for a steady supply. THE' RED WRAPPER. indicates that we desire a. renewal. If, however, In the haste of mailing, this signal should be omitted, we hope our friends will still not forget us. RIGIIIITTANUM.S.—Send payment by safe hands, when convenient. Ors send by mail, enclosing with ordinary care, and troubling nobody with a knowledge of what you are doing. For a large amounts send a Draft, or large notes. For one or two palming. send Gold or small notes. TO MANE CUAISOIC, Send postage stamp*, or bettor still, send for more papers; say $S for Seventy inuabers, or 1111 for Thlrtr.thres nambars• DIRECT all Lotter* and Conimunleattons to REV. DAVID MoRINNIGT. Pittsbuxght Par PRINCETON THEOLOGICAL SEMINARY.- The next session of this institution will open on Wednesday, September 3d. The rooms of the Seminary have been furnished free of expense to the students, and board is afforded in the Refectory, at $2 per week. THEOLOGICAL SEMINARY, COLTIMEIA, Sou CAROLINA.—The next session will open on the Ist Monday in October, and continue eight months. Boarding and washing can be had from $8 to $lO per month. The appropriation for students destitute of means, is $2OO per annum. DEDICATION. The new and taiteful Presbyterian church, in Milton, Pa., was dedicated to the service of God, on Sabbath, the 16th inst. The sermon was preached by the Rev. Dr. McGill, of Princeton, and the pastor, Rev. Dr. Watson, nisde the ded icatory prayer. The sermon in the after noon was preached by Rev. Dr. Yeomans, of Danville, Pa. The services were solemn, and attended by a large and attentive audi ence. Another Youthful Xinister Called to his Reward. A short time ago, the Rev. J. M. Brown, D.D., of Kanawha, Va. ) lost his youngest son, Willie, by drowning. Now he is called to mourn the death of his eldest son, Rev. Samuel H. Brown, pastor of the united congregations of Frankford, Anthony's Creek ) and Spring Creek, on the first inst., in the 30th year of his age. Mr. Brown was a young man of great promise; and just previous to his illness, he had been laboring most earnestly in the revival at Lewisburg, Va. End of Volume Fifth. THREE numbers more will complete the Fifth Faunae of the .Presbyterian Banner. A large number of subscriptions will termi nate with the volume. We respectfully request a full and prompt renewal. If the list of subscribers is permitted to decline, the terms of subscription must be raised. We plead with our brethren of the Ministry and Eldership, and with all our friends, to lend us effective aid in furnishing to the churches a sound Presbyterian paper, truly good, and really cheap. President of Centre College, Ky. Rev. Lewis W. Green, President of Tran sylvania University, at Lexington, Ky., has be en elected President of Centre College, Ky., to supply the vacancy occasioned by the death of the lamented Rev. John C. Young, D. D. It is generally supposed the appointment will be accepted. Danville has been drawing largely on Lexington within a few months. Rev. Stephen Yerkes, elected a professor in the Danville Theologi cal Seminary, at the last meeting of the. Geneial Assembly, was_a professor in . Tra nsylvania University. Dr. Green is admira bly adapted for the position to which he has been called, in natural gifts, scholarship, and experience. _ Temperance. The, committee appointed by the friends of temperance in Chicago, in May last, have issued a call for a North American Conven tion of the friends of Temperance, to be held in that city on the 10th of November. It is intended to endeavor to initiate move runts that will revive an interest in the Temperance cause, which has been for some time languishing. A large and inter 'eating meeting was held at Saratoga, N. Y., to take into consideration the subject of ,Da venile Temperance organizations through out the,land. Addresses were made by E. C. Delays% Peter Sinclair, of Scotland, Dr. Marsh, .Rev.. 'Dr. Asa D. Smith, of New' York, and many other well known advocates of the cause. In the course of his remarks, Dr. Smith descanted on the importance of juvenile action and organization, as almost the only' thing to interest once more the higher classes. These were beginning to consider the Temperance cause, as obsolete, a thing gone by—good in its day, but over: It - watt• owing to the higher classes more than to'others that the Prohibitory law was not enforced in New York, and was repealed. Let the children of these classes become enlisted in the cause, and it will awaken a new and lively interest in the work as noth ing else can. Unfortunately a similar testimony can be borne by many others who have observed the progress of events. British India. The alarming condition of the army in the Bengal Presidency, and the deplorable consequences ensuing on the outbreak of the mutiny, have attracted all eyes toward the East. In our own country, as well as in England, there are many families who have tender pledges of affection in the very region where the dangers have been most immi nent; and as these devoted servants of the Great Master stand in such close connexion with Christianity on the one hand, and the native idolatries on the other band, they are all the more likely to be sufferers for the cause of the Gospel, in consequence of the direction which the popular fury has taken. In these circumstances, we have thought it appropriate to advert at some length to the condition of the British Empire in the East, with a view to give some general informa tion touching the history of the Company; the circumstances under which its posses sions have been acquired; the tenure by which these possessions are held, and the manner in which the momentous trusts re posed in the Indian authorities are adminis tered. We can only glance, in the most summary manner, at these subjects. We have before us a list of more than one hun dred and twenty volumes, many of them of great size, and filled with important statistical, legal, and historical matter, all devoted to the elucidation of the affairs of India, and yet some of. the most common place questions which ordinary readers might put in relation to the topics which we have here stated, could not, by a reader of these treatises, find a satisfactory answer. Should, then, our readers find that we have passed by much that they would have wished us to notice, they must remember the brief space which we can only afford for historical dis sertation. The discovery of the passage to India by way of the Cape of Good Hope, produced an intense impression on the mind of Western Europe. The eyes of traders and merchants were directed toward that land, which for ages had been a synonym for ex haustless wealth, gorgeous magnificence, and barbaric power. Vigorous efforts were ac cordingly made to organize associations for grasping the riches of the East. At this time the commercial spirit of Britain was beginning to display its vigor, and as the distance to India was so great, and the means needful to trade on a scale commensurate with the importance of the prize in view, were beyond the power of ordinary adven turers, an incorporation was secured; and on the 30th day of December, A.D. 1600, Queen Elizabeth signed the charter of the East India Company. The powers donated to these " merchant adventurers" to the East, were of the most wholesale character. They were not only recognized as the only lawful traders to the East from Britain, but they were also empowered to purchase or re ceive grants of lands from the native Princes for the erection of factories, and forts to protect them; and thus to secure all the in terests of their. trade. At the time of the issuing of this charter, such a grant from the Sovereign was considered sufficient for alllegal purposes, without any Parliamentary sanction. In process of time, however, this question was raised, and the validity of the charter came to be discussed because of the appearance in the East of other parties having licenies to trade, who were con sidered interlopers; and the controversy thus raised was continued during all the years of the Stuart dynasty. In 1693, in consequence of a failure to meet the interest on the stock of the Company, the charter became void; but it was restored again, with a proviso that:it might be abrogated by giving three years' notice. Owing to the exigencies of the State, another Company was originated, and the two struggled on with varying success, until, in 1708, they were united in one Society, through the in fluence of Lord Godolphin, by the act of the 6th of Queen Anne. Since the year 1767, the affairs of the Company have been frequently subjected to Parliamentary review and supervisift. The necessity tOr this legislation arose from the fact, that a trading company was rapidly ac quiring territorial dominion; and the con nexion of that Company with the imperial Government was continually embroiling it with foreign powers. The question which had thus arisen as to the possessory and gov ernmental rights of the Company over ter ritory, and the sovereign rights of the Crown over all the possessions of subjects, was felt to be one of vast legal importance. The Company contended that it was duly invested with sovereign rights over conquered or acquired territory; while opponents con tended that territory gained by subjects, of the Crown necessarily belonged to the Crown. In several acts of the Legislature the question was left unsettled, the Parlia mentary enactments only stipulating that the Company were guaranteed the tenure of their territorial possessions, reserving the rights and authority of the Crown without prejudice to any , of the immunities of the Company. In 1784, the celebrated India Bill of Mr. Pitt was carried, establishing the Board of Control, by means of which the procedure of the India Directors is sub jected to direct Imperial supervision. The working of this measure, so far as legislative and executive authority are concerned, has been such as to lead some of the most emi nent constitutional lawyers—such as Lord Kenycin, Chief Justice of the King's Bench, and Mr. Justice Lawrence—to affirm, that the East India Company was " a limb of the Government of the country, and that no distinction can be established between the offices held under the Company, and those held under the Government of the country." In 1833, the last great Parliamentary change in the Charter of the Company, was made. By the celebrated act of that year, the preamble of the Charter declared that all lands, territorial acquisitions, revenues, debts, monies, rents, &0., &c., which the Company then possessed, should remain and be invested in the hands of the Company, in trust for his Majesty and his heirs for the THE PRESBYTERIAN BANNER AND ADVOCATE. service of the Government of India. The ' supreme authority of the Home Government over Indian affairs, was thus clearly assumed and defined. The act, which contains one hundred and seventeen clauses, stipulates, very minutely, the powers of .the authorities in the different Presidencies, and of the Governor General and his Council. It pro. vides, also, that the Board of Control, in London, which is to supervise the orders of the Directors at home, and of the General Council in Calcutta, shall consist of such persons as his Majesty may appoint as a Board, together with the Lord President of the Council, the Lord Privy Seal, the first Lord of the Treasury, the principal Secreta ries of State, and the Chancellor of the Ex chequer. Without the sanction of this Board, the Governors and their Councils in the respective Presidencies, and the Court of Directors at the India House in Leaden Hall Street, are unable to invest their deter minations with the authority of law. We have thus, as briefly as possible, sketched the governmental character of this great corporation, in order that our readers may know in whose hands the sovereign power is actually lodged. - We have shown that the India Company was chartered on the last day of the six teenth century. , In 1616, the possessions gained in the Mogul's dominions were only Surat and Amadavad. On the Malabar coast they had (Wield, and Maxalipatam on the Coromandel coast. At the end of the seventeenth century, the English were set tled in Bengal at Calcutta, the French held Cliandernagore, and the Dutch were at Chinsurah, all on the Hoogly. One hun dred and fifty years from , the origin of the Company passed over, before any important tract or 'territory was possessed by it. The Directors and Ageuts pursued a pacific and commercial career, not manifesting a lust for conquest, nor even making formidable pro vision to protect the factories which they possessed. So remarkably was this the case, that in 1756, when Surajee Dowlah captured Calcutta, which is now the abode of more than a million of inhabitants, the European prisoners which he captured and immured in the•celebrated Black Hole, amounted only to one hundred and forty-six persons. The English Empire in India really dates from this period. War with France was imminent, and some troops had been sent to 1 the little fort of St. George, at Madras, be cause of its vicinity to the French settle ment at Pondicherry. These troops, at the urgent solicitation of the British merchants at Calcutta, were sent to protect their inter ests. Accordingly, nine hundred Europeans and fifteen hundred Sepoys were dispatched under CLIVE, who landed and defeated the forces sent against him, re-took Calcutta, as sumed the direction of affairs, and concluded a peace in which permission was gained to fortify Calcutta. When the war with France broke out, Surajee Dowlah cast in his lot with the French, but, before the wonderful genius of Clive, resistance was in vain. On the 22d of June, 1757, Clive found him self, with 900 Europeans, 2000 Sepoys, and six guns, opposed to 50,000 infantry, 8000 cavalry, and 50 guns, under French officers; yet he gained a wonderful victory. War being thus commenced, Clive, to use his own words, saw clearly that he could not stop, but must go on. On this observation, Alison judiciously observes, "This is pre cisely the language and principle of Napo leon; this necessity of advancing to avoid being destroyed, is the accompaniment of power founded on force in all ages. The British power in India was driven on to greatness by the same necessity which im pelled the European conquerer to Moscow and the Kremlin; it is the prodigious differ ence in the use they made of their power, even when' acquired by violence, which hitherto, at least, has saved them from the fate which so soon overtook him." Every subsequent collision of England with France, or any of the European powers, was sure to increase their entanglements in India. The native Princes that united with the enemies of England in order to expel them from the country, were sure in the end to be over thrown. Many of them again failed to car ry out the stipulations of treaties which they had formed, and here again a fertile cause for war and future annexation of territory, was found. The act which Mr. Pitt carried in 1784, and to which we have already referred, con tained the remarkable declaration, "that to pursue schemes of conquest and exten sion of diminion in India, are measures re pugnant to the wish, the honor, and the policy of this nation," and yet, at that time, the territories which had been acquired by Clive and Hastings, had been gained, as we have seen, mainly by efforts to preserve the immunities of the Company; and the Means which were essential to their reservation directly led to an extension of empire. Thus the war in 1789, under Lord Cornwal lis, with Tippoo, was provoked by that Chieftain's attack on Travancore. In 1799, and for several years subse quently, under the administration of Wel lesley, the French, the Mahrattas, and the celebrated leader, Tippoo, again involved the British in war. Then again, during the government of the Marquis of Hastings, the aggressions of the Nepaulese, the barbarous incursions of the Pindarries, the insincerity of the Mahrattas, and the treachery of the. Rajah of Nagpore, led to the operations of the veare 1814-1819. Thus it has been, that in the course of a century, when once the career of con quest was entered on in India, the arms of Britain have, with varying success, been mainly victorious; and at present, the Brit ish flag floats from the Himalaya Mountains to Cape Comorin, and from the Hindoo Koosh beyond the Indus, at Attack and Lahore, across the Bay of Bengal to Sings.- pore, at the extreme South of the Malayan peninsula. We search the records of anti quity in vain for any parallel to such an em pire. Rome never ruled over more than one hundred and twenty millions of people, and they were nearly all directly accessible, from the Mediterranean sea, as a centre of influ ence. In India, Britain has gained al dominion over nearly two hundred millions of souls, to reach whom her vessels of war have to traverse the ocean for nearly eight thousand miles. The <forces of Rome were nearly three centuries engaged in subduing the countries, which acknowledged their sway; while . a century hag sufficed to raise the power of Britain to such a perilous pre-eminence in Southern Asia. One of the strangest features of this great drama, will be seen in the fact, that Britain has mainly used a native army, to extend her dominion and consolidate her power, in the East: It was in 1747, at Bombay, that the Sepoy force was originated, when one hun• dred natives of Bombay, and four hundred from Tellieherry, mere trained and sent to aid the troops at Madras. From this small commencement the Indian army has been increased until it lately numbered, we believe, above three hundred thousand men. In Bengal, the troops had chiefly been com posed of the Brahminical caste; but, in the other Presidencies, the ranks are filled from all nations and religious persuasions. Hitherto, the service has_ been kept up by voluntary enrolment, and the fact that the service was sought after, will not appear surprising when we state, that compared with his brethren in his native village, the Sepoy was raised to wealth and dignity. Each private is attended by two servants, and in the field, each fighting man has, on an average, from four to five camp followers. Then, again, the pay is such as the Sepoy could not realize at home, while his life is in general an easy one; and he can confi dently look forward to a pension, at the end of his military service. The steady attach atent of the Sepoy force, to their British rulers, has again and again been displayed, in the most extraordinary manner; and nothing but the most culpable negligence, and unwarrantable neglect of obvious duty could have brought about the present mutiny. All the lamentable occurrences of the last two months bad been foreseen; the certainty of their advent had been foretold, and the means of averting the catastrophe had been specified. Terrible as the convul sion has been, we, are willing to view it as a storm, which sweeping through the heavens, carries with it the oppressive malaria, leaving a clear atmosphere behind. We believe that India is not yet to be lost as a field of Missions; and we confidently trust, that when these alarms have passed away, the result will be seen to be a more sure consolidation of European power in the country, and a safer field secured for the mission of the Gospel. India has always presented a difficult problem to the political economist. When Bengal was gained, by the Company, it was found that the land revenues were every where collected by Zemindars, who had charge of districts. These officers were paid a per oentage on all the rent which they collected. The cultivators evaded payment, the Zemindars were often oppressive, and military force"was called" in to'compel pay ment. Aware of the evils of this system, Lord Cornwallis, in 1793, effected a change. He vested the title of the lands in the Zemindars, constituting them great land lords, as in Britain the owners of estates are, and he obliged these proprietors to pay a land tax to the government. In this way the rent of two hundred thousand square miles of Bengal is collected. The former system was evil, and it is now seen that the one which was substituted for it is open to censure also. The European and Asiatic minds are accustomed to view things so differently that it is a vain attempt to seek to transform a Ilindoo into an English farmer, for it was found that the Zemindars abused their powers and ruined their tenants, wherever they could, in order to spend the money, thus gained, in extravagance and luxury. The late Sir Thomas Munroe, of Madras Presidency, aware of the evils of the Zemindar system, secured the adoption of a different system in that part of India. According to this plan, the ryot or cultivator of the soil, was considered the real land holder. The ryot was called on to pay a certain fixed rent for his tenure; and this plan has been found to be free from many of the evils of the Bengal system. The collection of this impost, however, is the difficulty arising from the extreme subdivi sion of landed property, and the hosts of agents and sub-agents, who are required for this office, and who prey on each other and on the finances,, are such that a change in the system is felt to be urgently demanded. This subject has been under the considera tion of the court of Directors for some time past and, we believe, that a different order of things is about to be inaugurated in this Presidency. A third system of land rents prevails in the upper districts of India. Each village forms a little community or republic by itself, and for the village and surrounding region a certain quit-rent is paid. The village elects a head man, who, collects the rent as agreed on; and who pays the min over to the Government official. The Government officer knows nothing of the cultivators of the soil. He only comes into contact with the head man of the village, from whom the rent is received. This is a prevailing insti tution in the East, and it seems to be freer from objections than either of the other systems, which have existed in Madras and Bengal. The revenue of the Company chiefly arises from the land tax, and from an impost on salt "and opium. For some years past the income has verged on £30,- 000,000; and for the last three years the expenditures have been within that sum. The numerous and expensive wars,[the enormous public works for the benefit of the people, in which the authorities have been engaged, have generally kept the expenditure ahead of the income. When Burke was assailing Hastings, he declared, that if the English were driven out of India, they would leave no better.traces of their dominion than the hyena, or the tiger. The condition of affairs in India has wonderfully changed since the days of Burke. The formation of canals, roads, bridges, aqueducts and harbors almost exceed belief. In 1831, under Lord W. Bentinek, there were constructed seventeen hundred and eighty-four miles of road; and ten thousand persons were employed on them. Since then, the bridges in the Madras Presidency, and the enormous pro vision made for irrigation, in the South of India, are on -a colossal scale. The canal, also, in the valley of the Ganges, and the military roads, connecting Calcutta with Delhi, Lahore, Attock and Peshawar at the gates of Cabul, together with the establish ment of the telegraphic lines, and the great arteries of railroads; from which branches are to run in different directiOns, are so many I evidences that the Government is now wonderfully alive to the best interests of India. That the mutiny will be overruled for b (rood • that it will lead to the re - organization of a proper force in Bengal, and to the exclusion of much that is weak and anti quated in the Presidencies, we confidently expect; and that it his stimulate the Governor General, and his Council, to push forward such national works as will minister to _national security, while they will benefit the people at large, we also believe; while, as we have repeatedly declared our conviction, to be, we doubt not, but that though the enemy meant the present distress to be for the overthrow of the Gospel, the result shall be otherwise; and in the shaking of the idolatries of India, at the present time, we see the advent of the time, when the people shall cast aside their idols, and hail the Gospel of t6ir salvation. To the Farmer. On our fourth page we give place to an article on "Barley Growing." It suggests a very important train of reflection. Farmers are responsible for their use of the soil. They are tenants for the Lord, and must account to hire; and the day of reckoning will come. They are bound to use, for the benefit of God's creation, the earth which he rents to them and blesses. His revealed word, right reason, and enlightened con science, are to guide them. The rule of right they now interpret, by which to order their ways; but he, also, will interpret, and will apply the rule, hereafter, when he comes to judge. And as his award will be eternal, it is the part of wisdom in them, now to interpret the rule as strictly as he is likely to do at that great day. It has been our advice, from the pulpit often, and in pastoral visitation, and we reiterate it, through the press; and it has been our' practice, too, for we have been favored with a small proprietory right in the soil; never to sell a bushel of grain to any one who would turn it into an, alcoholic drink. Never, never, since our attention was turned to the terrible injuries inflicted by strong drink, could We have any lot or part in its production. Double prices from the Brewer or the Distiller, could form no temptation. God's curse, we verily believe, would be upon us, in our person or property, or upon our children for whom we were endeavoring to acquire gain, if we should do so. And if not upon .us in this life, to chastise us, and bring us to repentance, it would be upon us in the life to come, to our unending and unspeakable woe. Barley is a good crop—good food for domestic animals. So, also, corn and rye are good. Let farmers raise them freely; but let them use the grain, which God in his kindness gives, as a reward to their industry, in such a way as to promote happi ness, and not misery, in the land which he blesses; in such a way as to elevate, and not depress, humanity; in such a way as to save and not to destroy the souls which he has made. Death of Thomas Dick, LL.D. This man, whose numerous writings have instructed and delighted so many, has died at his, cottage near Bronghty Ferry, in the vicinity of Glasgow, Scotland, at the age of 83 years. Dr. Dick was not an original thinker, or a learned theologian, but in pop ularizing science, and bringing it into the service of religion, he has had few equals. The circulation of his works both in Eng land and this country, has been immense. The foreign papers also announce the death of the Rev. W. J. Conybeare, well known in connexion with Howson, as the author of the Life and Epistles of St. Paul. Hanover College, Indiana The removal of the late President of this institution, the Rev. Jonathan. Edwards, D. D., to take charge of the West Arch Street church, in Philadelphia, seems to have stimulated the Trustees to renewed exer tions. At their late meeting they deter mined to complete, as soon as possible, the new College • edifice, which will cost $30,- ,000, which has been secured, with the ex ception of about $200., The selection of a President has been postponed for one year, and Professor Thompson has been appointed President pro tem. For the Presbyterian Banner and Advocate. - Fort Wayne Presbytery Held its meeting in Kendallville on the 11th inst. The Rev. William Bomar was chosen Modera tor, and George A. Irvin, Temporary Clerk. The Rev. Edward Wright was received from the Presbytery of Miami. His address is Auburn, Indiana. The West Arch Street church, Philadelphia, presented a call for the pastoral services of the Rev. Dr. J. Edwards. Dr. Edwards was accord ingly dismissed to the Presbytery of Philadelphia. The Rev. Cochran Forbes was called to the church of Kendallville, and during the sessions of Presbytery he was duly installed. On this oc casion, the Rev. Win. Boner presided, the Rev. E. Wright preached the sermon, and the Rev. T. N. Swan gave the proper charges. Presbytery altered the time of its stated meet ings to the first Tuesday of April and October in each year. The next stated meeting to be at New Lancaster. Mr. Boner was appointed to preach on the " Deaconship," and Mr Lowrie on the"" Office of the Holy Spirit," at the next stated meeting. Thanks were tendered to the Baptist denomina tion for the use of their house of worship, and to the people of Kendallvillle, for their hospitality. J. M. L., Stated Clerk. Whose despiseth little things, will never at tempt great things. Ecclesiastical. Rev. W. L. LYONS' Post Office address is changed from Vinton, Benton County, lowa, to Winterset, Madison County, -lowa. Rev. TREODORICK Pi YO pastor of the High Street Presbyterian church, Peters burg, Va., has been invited to take charge of the College church, Hampden Sidney, Va. Rev. D. E. li3wiNbs' Post Office address is changed from Somerset, Va., to Gordons vine, - Va. Rev.. J. M. HUMPHREYS' Post Office ad dress is changed from Blountville, Tenn. to Blacksburg, Va., where he is to be as sociated withthe Rev. Wir. P. HICKMAN in the management of a Female school. Rev. W. W. PHARR'S Post vane aaaress is changed from Oakland, Cabarras, N. C., to Statesville, N. C. Rev. ROBERT MITCHELL, a licentiate of the Presbytery of Ohio, has received a unan imous call to become the pastor of the First Presbyterian church, of Decatur, Indiana, where he has been laboring, as Stated Supply, during the past year. Rev. E. H. RUTHERFORD, a student of Danville Theological Seminary,. has be come Stated Supply of the Presbyterian church, at Vicksburg, Miss., which has been without a regular pastor since the death of Rev. B. H. Williams. EASTERN SUMMARY. BOSTON AND NEW ENGLAND. The Old and' Established Business Houses, of Boston, are generally considered very reliable and free , from the probability of failure. Yet, sometimes, failures occur here, as well as in other places, and among those least suspected. Last week a large firm failed for $500,000, in consequence of disastrous losses in the Sugar smoulation. And the suspension of this house brought down another, for about the same sum, to meet which there are assets to the amount of $250,000. A singular fatality seems to attend attempts at enormous and unreasona ble gains in the provision business, through out this country and Europe. The Poo• Drunkard is not altogether forgotten. In this busy and hurried day of ours, there are still hearts to feel for others' woes; there are yet hands ready to be stretched out for the relief of the needy. Last week an institution for the reformation of inebriates, was dedicated with becoming ceremonies, named ";Home for the Fallen." In time we hope to hear a good report of its success, although the difficulties in the way are many. The fact of the neglect into which the Divinity School at Cambridge has fallen, can be concealed no longer. The students are few and the influence exerted is but small, notwithstanding all the learning and advantages connected with it. In his inaugural discourse, the Rev. Dr. Ellis presented three alternatives with regard to the course to be pursued in reference to this School. First, it may drag along a listless and ineffective course, having but few students, and thus being let alone: Second, a bold and unshrinking avowal of the peculiar tenets of modern Unitarianism, in opposition to orthodoxy; and third, the employment of able and earnest men in the interest of all the leading Sects, after the manner of the German Universities, when pupils from the various denominations can be congregated, each one retaining his own peculiar views. Of these three alternatives Dr. Ellis chooses the last, and considers himself right in accepting his present appointment, became he can teach an unsec tarian theology. He distinctly avows him self uncommitted to any of the peculiar views of any denomination, and claims the right to change las prOadices,.bias, and even, convictions, "without penalty or justifi tion." In plain language he seems to avow himself destitute altogether of any settled religious opinions. Certainly a strange acknowledgment and wondrous recommen dation for a teacher of theology! On the Ist of January, 1857, there were ) in connexion with the general Congrega tional Association, of lifassachusetts, four hundred and seventy-two churches, three hundred and fifty pastors, sixty stated sup plies, and one hundred and fifty ministers 'without charge—making in all five hundred clergymen. The whole number of members was sixty-seven thousand six hundred and fifty-six, of whom twenty-one thousand and fifty-seven were males and forty-five thou sand five hundred and forty-eight females— more than two to one in favor of the females. There are seventy thousand one hundred and eighty-seven reported members of the Sab bath Schools, or an average of one hundred and forty-seven to each school. The four largest Sabbath Schools are the following : Pine Street church, Boston, . . . . . 730 Winthrop church, Charlestown, . . . 552 Maverick church, East Boston, . . . . 526 Winnisimmet church Chelsea, . . . . 502 The four oldest churches are the follow ing: West Barnitable, gathered at Southwark, London, . . ..... . . . 1616 Tabernacle church, Salem, . . August 6, 1629 First church, Lynn, . . . . . . . 1632 South Marshfield . . . . . . 1682 The four largest churches are the follow ing Park Street church, Boston, . . . . 705 Mt. Vernon church, " . - . . 666 First church; Pittsfield, . . 635 John Street, Lowell, • • • . . 518 Or deducting absent members, respective ly :—Five hundred and eighty-five, four hundred and eighty-nine, three hundred and fifteen, and three hundred and eighty-eight., The ministers who have been settled a half century or more, in one place are the following : Dr. Cooley of East Granville, settled, Rah. 3,1696 Dr. Snell of North Brookfield, " June 27, 1798 Mr. Braman of< Georgetown, " June, 7, 1799 Mr Emerson of South Reading, " Oct. 17, 1804 Dr. Emerson of Salem,, ''April 24, 1805 Mr. Kimball of Ipswic, " Oct. 8,'1806 Dr. Ely of Monson, Dec. 17, 1806 In the fourteen cities of Massachusetts, the proportion of Females to every one hun dred Males was, in 1855, as follows ; in Boston 108 ; Lowell 153 ; Worcester 104; Charlestown 102 ; Salem 120 ; Cambridge ]10; New Bedford 110; Roxbury 111; Lawrence 117; Lynn 111; Springfield:ll2; Newburyport 123; Fall River 116; 110. Not only have the Literary L ut i t ,„ : received largely from private also from the fostering hand of th e s tat , while it is to be greatly deplored tha t institution that has received most, under the control of those, whose rsii„i ru , sentiments are opposed to those large majority of the people of the Ct.l en . wealth. The indebtedness of the colleges of Massachusetts to the pub!,,, r . Bury, from which each has received suited in the following statement. ,t ; ,, : Harvard Harvard from its foundation, in 11;:.:1;, fore its charter; Williams, from its in 1793; and Amherst, from its eltit r 1825: Harvard, in 221 years, has $216,000, being 6977 per year; in 64 years, $46,500, $726 per year; 2,„: herst, in 32 years, $25,000, $7Bl per yel,r. Niss Mitchell, the famous Astro - new t Nantucket, is now abroad on a visit to different European Observatories. It been determined to erect or secure Observatory for herself at a cost of 8:10 1 , , by donations from friends and adaiir ti . Some ladies of Philadelphia have afro, ~ contributed one third of the sum, al , President Pierce, of Harvard and Edward Everett are engaged in sccurik the remainder. The New Englander has been purelm,': by 'Mr. Kingsley, son of the late Profe, Kingsley, who will henceforth be both pr, prictor and editor. He is said to be a fir scholar, possessed 'of large and correc• information, and to have enjoyed IL.. advantages of European travel. Arma ments have been made both in this couDt:-,- and Europe for obtaining able and int,2r eating articles from some of the ablim writers of the day. The Baptists of Connecticut have ova hundred and fourteen churches, eighty-m ) settled pastors, and a membership of sixteen thousand two hundred and thirty-one. There were added by baptism, last year, hundred and forty-one. This denomination has decreased somewhat in this State, swirl?, as it is said to emigration to other parts. Already six thousand looms have been stopped in the Cotton _Hills of New ..E;, 3 . land; and orders have been given for stow ing many more as soon as the present suppli. of yarn is exhausted. The cause is tx: found in the want of cotton, but in the great amount of cotton machinery employed. The supply of manufactured articles is to. great for the demand, at any thing remunerative prices, when the high priee3 of raw cotton is taken into account. it one time in England thirty thousand loran have been stopped from the same cause, an: the prices were quickly raised on account the curtailment of production. Through= the, Eastern States the crops have been unusually good. Never were the labors o! the farmer and gardener more amply repaid. NEW YORK. Thus far the Season has been remark:• bly healthy in this and all the large cities c the land. Wondrously have the peop: been protected from "the pestilence th walketh in darkness, and the destructic: that wasteth at noonday." The General °rash apprehended by many close and experienced observers of li, iness movements, has not happened. Thei have been heavy failures, and many suspen sions, and railroad securities are at a hear:: ' discount; but the general business of tea country has suffered no interruption. her buy as freely, invest as largely, and spetl as prodigally as ever. Every week brine: to light some new instance of dishonesty a the part of those entrusted with the mear.: of others because of the expensive style living adopted. One of the Clerks of the St. Nicholas Hotel has been arrester,. charged with embezzling funds to tie amount of from $30,000, to $lOO,OOO, anti has, confessed to - Wring $5,000. It is se?• posed that this want of integrity has bee: occasioned by expensive habits, and a de• termination to keep pace with others in t!•: dangerous race of fashion. The deluded followers of Walker continue, to, return in the greatest destitu tion, and :suffering severely from disease. Many of them are fohnd in the Park, gel' , ing to obtain the means of returning bore: and a large meeting has been held for the purpose of procuring means for their relief. If Walker should make another foray upon Central America, it is not probable that the present condition of those who ralliei around him in his first attempt, or his deser tion of them now, will be very strong sir. guments toward raising recruits. Mr. Peabody sailed in the Persia oal e d. nesday, the 19th inst. During his sojor= of about a year in this country, he travelec. 13,000 miles, and visited twenty-six SO' of the Union, and also the Canadas. is this time bis donations to various objEc' have amounted to nearly half a million; ll' subscribed $50,000 to the Atlantic graph Company, and gave $lO,OOO tow,' providing the Insurance on the cable. Ft' vious to his departure, a magnificent quent was given in honor of him, at New' port, It. 1., by Mr. Wetmore, of N. I . Over two thousand guests were invited. 1 : is said'that he intends to return after 2 1 riod of three years, and make his per''' . nent home in the land that gave him bull, During his progress through New au*" shire, he stopped at the same tavern wile' : in boyhood he had paid for his lodging °`': night, by working in the morning SCI evening. A vessel has been fez. some days cruising t? , - the coast of New Foundland, for the purr' of intercepting the fleet, consisting of vessels, engaged in laying the great Atla'' • ' Telegraphic Cable, which we hope will a-s‘ arrived, and completed safely its w 1 ' fore this issue reaches our readers• fleet left Cork on the 3d day of just three hundred and sixty-five years at:` : the sailing of Columbus from rios, Spain; and on the 7th, the shore.cal.l. IKE