'.§arqqr 4d, „::'Pk#tiOt.,,,
PITTSBURGH, STARCH 27, 1858.
Tiejange.. $1.50, in advance; or In Club.
$1.251 or, dolloorod at rortdoncso of Bilbao,la
borai 01.75. fa Prospectus, on Third Pogo.
It EN LW AL N should bo prompt; a tittle
whit* lbofors the rear expires, that ws missy
soaks fall arrangwasats for a stoadysupply,
,
THOLIONitiiintAPPER aiips' WS
deals* a rosiswah IL however% fanlike hastit
•f mann& this signs! !ibc"lgi. be °anted, ws
hogs oar friends will still not forgot as.
RIIIIITTANCES.—Send payment by safe
hands, when convenient. Or, mood by ' ataii,
oneleming with ordinary ears, and troubling
nobody with a knowledge of What , You are
doing. Pore large amount, egad a Draft, or
large notes. Per one or two paperr,send Gold
or snail note*.
TO MAIM MANGE, Send postage stamps,
Or better Still, send for Mori leaping; say' OS
or Seventy annabirsior lir fir Thirtysthree
numbers.
DIRECT an Letter. antkponoinudeations
to ART. DAVID IicKINEIIT. Pittsburgh,
General Assembly.
The General Assembly of the ; , Presbyterian
Church in the United States of America will, hold
i re next meeting in the First Piesbyterbm chuich,
'New Orleans, tit b'clock A. M.; on Thurid'ay,
the 6th of Maynext; and Will be opened with a
sermon by the Rev. Courtlaud Van Rensselaer,
D Moderator,of the last Assembly.
The Committee of Commissions will meet
in the Lecture room of the church, on the Wednes.
day evening preceding, at 8 o'clock, to receive
Commissions, and on Thursday morning, the day
of the meeting, at 9 o'clock, for the same purpose.
JOHN I.IIY33URN ' Stated clerk,
ALEXANDER T. MCGILL. Permanent Clerk.
P. B.—Stated Clerks 'of ' Presbyteries are re
speotfullylequested to make ont their lists of per
sons entitled _to the Minutes on a separate sheet,
and to said that, tiwtlier with' moneys for the
.Minutes, 't:o G. H. VAN GILDED., LEsq., Philadel
phia, Treasurer of the ,GeneradAseembly. ?
Tait PRESBYTERIAN EXPOSITOR. baa DOW
reached its , fourth number and may be
regarded as, fairly und9r way, and as one of
the periodicals of our Church.
ArtAniow CoLrzoz.—The Board, of
Trustees :will meet in the Prayer Hall, on
'Wednesday, 'the Slat day of March, inst.,
at 10 o'ctock A M. The meenbers are re
quited to be punctual in their attendance.
JAMES M'PULLOUGM,
Secretary ot the .Board.
Canomburg, March Bth, 18_58.
MED
CHURCH EXTENSION.—We are requested
to say , that T. H. Nevin, Esq., No. HT
'Liberty Street,'Pittsburgh, Pa., will here
after act as the Receiving Agent at Pitts
burfkof-the Gerierar Aiiternhlfs Church
Extension Committee. Contributors to the
~funds H of fhe doninii4Oo t will please send
their donations to Mr. Nevin.
Railroad Favors.
Matiy' of the 'Railroads kindly tendered
to limbers 'of the General "Assembly of our
Church, in years past, return , tickets, free,
they haying
,paid full fare on the road in
going. Now, the recipients of a favor ought
' not to lie too nice in , suggesting a ,ohnice
manner of its bestowal; and yet a- dorrec
pendent remarks to our • Railroad friends,
that, on the principle of doing a kindness,
the effect will be greatly inereased . if they
would sell tickets to members , 'going or re
returning, ; at, half.priee. Then, in many
eases, members . will return, by a different
route from thaiin which they-went, for the
sake of extending theii knowledge of the
eountt7.
•
We have nn
,dem , and to make, and will
aceept,,, for oursOlyes and brethren, eneh
courtesies as may be ,obeerfully tendered,
in going to and returning from • the , next
Asumply. The meeting will °our in 'New
'Orleans on the first Thursday in May mkt.
Union Not 'Likely.
The Presbyterian Fitness (New School)
"The feeling of the Convention, (at
Richmond,) we ; think, was that , .re-union
would be desirable,provided ,the Old School
Assembly could be induced to, acknowledge
their fault, and make such concessions as
we mild; consistently accept. The members
of our churches desire re-union with, the . Old
School just , as they desire union among all
Christiana. They would rejoice to see all
denominations agreed, and acting in concert
for the world's conversion. They
gladly see their Old School " brethren give
up th 44 false doctrines and return to the
constititibii of tile Church of their fathf3rs;
and these things done, ihey would gladly
uniteiiith them" •
We-suppose the Witnes . g to be , entirely
uorrect r inithis conjecture: The debates at
Richmond =abundantly charged the • Old
Elohdof-With "'false daiitibies;" • and a de
partirefroin the " Constitution." ' Of'course
then; -the two'bodies hold tadifirene doc
trines. Renee ihei•C union - • and
•
for the coming Nashville Synod to prepote
snob, a.thing, ,could hardly be regarded as
respectful or bicoming.•
A'groftkioiihiiitesign'ed:
Rev. §tewart Robinson, .D. D., has re
signed his Chair in the Seminary at Dan
ville. The cause of the ; resignation we have
not seen stated. The Presbyterian Herald,
In announcing the event, remarks : '
ic It has been broug'h ' t' about, not by any
want of lois to the work to which he was
calldd t or Success in it, but fioni a change in
birpnvitte,rblations, over which`he had no
c ontiol;'and Which he could net `foiesie at
the time' of his entrance upon his Priifestor
ship. All tfie'friends of the Institution, so
far as we knoW, Who . , are familiar with the
facts in the ease, jus tify' his course, hoWever
much, under other circumstances, they
might desire that he, should remain. He
has given universal satisfaatio,ll aa a Profes
sor, to both students and ,Ilirestora, and all
will part with him with . regret He has
been unanimously called to became, pastor
of the Second Presbyterian , churc h in this
city, and though he has not signified his
acceptanps'af the call, it is generally sup
posed that 'he
_will accept, and enter upon
his duties, as pastor soon after 'the close of
the session att Danville!'
To fill the vacancy will `be an item of
business for . the next Asitinibly which had
not been anticipate& It was .but at the,
time of the last , Assembly that the ,Profiis
oar's Inaugural. Was delivered though,
yeas previously, he had been elected.
The New School South.
The near approach of the time ormeeting
appointed at Nashville, for the New School
South, to determine whether they, shall be
and remain a separate body, or shall sock a
union with the Generale Assembly, excites
partizans among them intensely. Their
journals, the Observer, at'Philadelphia, and
the Witness, at Knoxville, abound in their
labors to accomplish the organization of a
Operate body . . In, this we trust that they
will be entirely successful—not that we tip
, prove of the 'spirit exhibited, or the means
used; but because we disapprove of these,
I and because we are filly persuaded that
there, are deep differences between some of
their party= and us; differences so serious
that for, the two bodies to unite and commin
gle, would produce utter discord, and make
necessary a speedy separation.
'We know that there are many of the New
School' who are with us in sentiment and
feeling, and whom we could receive with
entire cordiality and confidence; and the fact
that some of these wish to come to us e makes
the leaders of the Richmond and Nashville
movement the more desperate. They would
stir, up all unkind feelings against us, and
not only so, but they .would alienate usfroui
them. They make statements such that
they know well that if we regard them as
expressing 'the doctrinal sentiments, the
principles and feelings of their people, 'we
would reject a union even if proposeil; as
was contemplated and ordered by the Con
vention at Richmond.' ' •
As a - specimen 'of the efforts to which we
allude, we shall give some quotations from
the Witness, of March, 16th. That paper,
in its leading article, gives ten " Reasons for
not joining the Old School. Two of these
are the following
"1. There are doctrinal differences be
tween the Old School 'and the New; the
very same which'existed prior to the division
in 1837, and which the Old &hoot then
thought sufficient to justify our forcible ejec
tion! That the same, differences exist now,
in the two denominations. as a whole, is ev
ident from the facts, first, that they preach
and teach differently on the Atonement, on
Original:Sin, on Ilunian Ability, &e., &c.;
second, that the -01dSchool, by anthoritY of
their General Assembly, continue to publish
on these subjects, the same errors against
which the New School have always pro
tested;:third, that the Old School have re
cently tried and condemned a member of
their own body, .for preaching the. New
School doctrine of Atonement.
"2. Therei are differences between the
Old and New Schools, as to the manner of
receiving the Confession of Faith. The Old
School insists on all their ministers adopting,
the Confession, in its very letter—" cover
and all,"-- - the doctrine of, non elect infants
included. The New School only receive it
.as a general system of doctrines, acknowl
edging that there are some things in it,
which, if rigidly interpreted, they do not
believe. And this, .it should be remem
bered, was the manner of subscription among
the fathers of Presbyterianism in the earliest
times."
Here is`a distinct affirmation of doctrinal
differencedifferences in 1837, and differ-
Mmes'still existing—differenees on doctrines
ao deep and vital to the Christian system, as
those of "Atonement, Original ,in, Hu
man Depravity, ct-c., &c." What an ad
mission; after all that used to be said I ',lt
is, however, a truth. The differnee did,
and, does, exist. And then we differ as to
irt the manner of receiving the Confession of
Faith ;" they receiving it-" only as a general
eaten& of doctrines." ".There are some
things in it, which; if rigidly interpreted,
they do not believe —the things above
stated among the number; 'and, how many
More we . know not, and norm can tell.
Of the other Rea:lens - WC give the head
ings. They are
"3. The Old and_New Schools differ on
important constitutional principles.
"4. There is a wide dissimilarity of tem . -
per in the twobodies.
5. lie-union with the,Old School, on the
terms proposed by them, would be a sin• in
the sight of God, if, we rightly read the
bible.
" 6. To go into the Old School Assembly,
through the only door opened to us—the
_
door of examinationsvould be to violate
the established laws of the Presbyterian
Church.
"7. Union„with the Old School would
not promote the peace or efficiency of our
body or theirs.
" S. Still anotho reason why we should
not unite with the Old School, and .a very im
portant one, is, that it would inflict a seri
ous injury upon them.
"9. We are opposed, to re-union at pres
ent, because = it would, injure us, 'as well as
the Old School.
f , 16., The last reason for opposing re
union which we have to offer, is no less im
portant, in the estimation of many, than
those we.have already proposed. The Old
School position on Slavery is, not sound.
We know what we say. It is not e -it is not
—it is not."
These reasons are elaborated, illuntrated
and enforced by remarks not always correct
in •fact nor exemplary in spirit. Bat,
though the remarks appended are, many of
them, incorrect, the reasons themselves em
brace much truth. They should hence be
prevalent with those who , hold them, and
should make them utterly ashamed to tender
a union. It could be regarded only as a
mockery. And the reasons certainly should
be equally prevalent with us, inducing us to
decline any tender which may be made.
The Auotations we have given prove, most
abundantly, the necessity for the Old School's
adhering rigidly to the rule of examination.
That rule hurts no true man. Let it stand.
Enforce it honestly.
Routes to the next . Assembly.
'A number of inquiries are made respect•
ing the route, and means of travel, from
Pittsburgh to New Orleans, which may be
'most desirable for members of the next Gen.
eral Assembly.
A very comfortable and the least expen.
sive mode would be, if the stage of water
shall be favorable, to ship on a steamer at
, this place. We have been oinking inquiry,
and learn that it is highly probable that the
navigation will be adequate at„the time de.
sued -the latterof
part April. An excel.
lent'steamer left here on Wednesday °f-last
;vieekti far"` New 'Orleans: £She ~is expeetpd
back in due time to accommodate the mem.
F.HE PRESBYTERIAN BANNER AND AD V °CATE.
bets to the Assembly. Her Captain agreed,
on our suggestion, that he would arrange
for stopping for members at suitable points
on the way, to be named in time, and would
rest with his passengers on tie Sabbath.
We shall hope to arrange for a lovely com
pany and a delightful passage, under the fa
vor of a kind Providence.
A second plan would be, to arrange simi
larly for a steamer to leave Louisville, be
low the Falls, at the proper time; and to
concentrate there and at Cairo,. by Railroad:
The Presbyterian Herald of the 18th,
speaks discouragingly of this plan, unless there
shall be immediate and extensive concert.
This is hardly practicable in the circum
stances, and-the steamboat captains of Louis
ville seem unwilling, without a pledge of re
muneration, to incur the expense, (two to
four hundred dollars) of lying by r the
Sabbath.. We have written to brother Hill
on the subject.
A third plan is, to take the ears for Cairo,
and a steamer thence.
A fourth plan, to take the oars for. Saint
Louis, and the regular packet which sails
thence for New Orleans, on alternate days.
The last plant would be-the most eipen
sive, but sire'and speedy:-
The third would not differ much from the
St. Louis route.. It might be a little speed
ier and a little cheaper. It is the more com
mon route of business travel.
The second might be made to embrace
some of the advantages of the first, and to
diminish the disadvantages of the• others.
We hope, however, that the first will suc
ceed, and shall endeavor to keep COMMiB
- duly informed of the arrangements
proposed, and of the times of starting.
The Articles of the Episcopal Church are
Caloinistio.
The Central Pre.sbyterian has a capital
leader on this subject. The Church Jour
nal, (Episcopal) of New York, being inter
rogated by a correspondent, on the ground
that " many good church people are always
perplexed by Article XVII, thinking• it to
bear a strong Calvinistic tinge," and' being
asked for its opinion, sets to work to find the
" five points" of Calvinism in the Article,
and can discover only one of them, that is,
predestination;'and that one it endeavors,
by some curt remarks, to explain away.
The folly of High Churchmen in denying
the Calvanistic character of their Articles,
has always appeared to us , very strange. A
comparison of theme with our Confession of
Faith shows that if the latter is Calvinistic,
so is the former.
The similarity, in more than one of the
five points, may, be seen in the following
quotations :
cowrissioN OP FAITH
Chop. VI. 1. Our first
parents being seduced by
the subtlety and tempta
tion of ratan, sinned in
eating the forbidden'
fruit. They being the'
root of mankind, the
guilt of this sin was im
puted,and the same death
in sin and corrupted na
tare conveyed to all their
posterity. Every sin
doth in its own nature
bring guilt upon the sin
ner, whereby be is bound
over to the wrath'of God
and curse of the law,
and so made subject to
death, with all miseries,
spiritual, temporal and
eternal. ,
Chap. IX. 8. Man by
his fall into a state of
sin bath lost all ability of
will to any spiritual good
accompanying; so as a
natural man, being alto•
gether averse from that
good, and dead in sin,
is not able by his own
strength to convert him
self,- or, to prepare him•
self thereunto.
Chap. 111. 1. God
from all etornity did by
'the moat wise and holy
counsel of hiaown will,
freely and'unchangeably
ordain, whatsoever comes
to pass ; yet so as there
by, neither is God the
author of sin, nor is vie
knee offered to the will of
the creatures. 3. By the
decree of God for the
, manifeetation of his own
glory; some men and
anyeis are predesiinated
unto everlasting life, and
others foreordained to
everlasting death. 6.
AB God hath appointed
the elect unto glory, so
bath he :by the eternal
and most free purpose of
his willjoreordained all
themeans thereunto. 7
The. rest of mankind,
God iss . pleased accord
ing to the ansesichable
counsel of his own will,
whereby he extendeth or
withholdeth mercy as he
pleaseth, to pass by, and
to ordain them to dis
lonor and wrath for their
sins, to the praise, of his
: glorious justice.
The Centraf f after giving these quotations,
appends the following remarks :
"In what the Journal calls the 'storm of
High. Calvinism which involved the Church
of England at the time'these Articles were
gotten up;' it may be well that the reader
should be reminded of what are called 'the
Lambeth Articles' which serve to, illustrate
those of the thirty-nine already quoted, and
which are declared to be 'not new laws, but
explications of the doctrines professed in
the Church of England and already estab
lished by the laws of the land! Of these
Articles we need only quote two or three.
4. 'Those who are not predestinated to sal.
vation shall necessarily be damned for their
sins! 5. " A true, living and justifying
faith, and the Spirit of God justifying, is
not extinguished, falleth not away, it Van
isheth not away in the elect, neither finally
nor totally.' 6. 'A man truly faithful, that
is such a one as is endued with justifying
faith, is certain with full assurance of faith,
of the remission of his sins, and of his ever=
lasting salvation in Christ.' Now these Ar
ticles which are quite Calvinistic enough,
were signed by Whitgift, Archbishop, of
Canterbury; Hatton, Archbishop of York,
Bancroft, Bishop of London, Matthew, of
Durham, Bilson, of Winchester, with five
other Bishops, together with a number of
Divines ' who were chiefly deans. And it
may be further noticed that when William
Barrett, Fellow of Caine College, Cambridge,
preached a sermon hefore the Universily, in
which he denied the absolute decree of rep
robation without respect to sin,'and the cer
tainty of faith; 'affirming . that Christians
might fall: from grace; he had to niaktv a
public recantation of hie heresy, which was
ITHH THIRTY• NINR ANTI-
UM
IX. Original sin stand
uth not in the following
of Adam, but it is in the
fault and . corruption of
the nature of every man
that naturally 'is engen
dered of the offspring,of
Adam, whereby man is
very far gone from orig.
final righteousness,' and
is of his own nature in
clined to evil, so that the
flesh lusteth away con
trary to the Spirit, and
therefore in every person,
born into this world, .it
deaerveth God's wrath and
damnation.
The condition of
man after the fall of Ad
am is such, that he can
not turn and prepare
himself, by his own nat
ural strength and good
works to faith and calliiig
upon God : Wherefore
we have no power .to do
good works pleasant and
acoeptable to God, with
out the graoe of God, by
Christ preventing us, that
we may have, a good will,
and working with us
when we have that, good
will.
%TM_ Predestination
to life is the everlasting
purpoSent God, whereby
I (before the foUndatiOne of
the world were laid,)`he
bath constantly decreed
by his counsel,'•seoret to
us, to deliver. from curse
and damnation those whom
he hothctlosin in Christ,
art. of • ,
mankind, and -- to
• bring theni - by Christ to
everlasting • ia/vation as
vessels made to honor.
Wherefore they. who be
endued With so excellent
a benefit of . God,beeidled
according to God's pnr-
I pose by his Spirit work
ing in -due season ;, they
through grace obey the call,
they be justified freely ;
they be made - tons of 'God
by adoption; they . be
made like the imagelf
his.. only begotten Son
Jeeps Christ; they- walk
religiOnely in. good
troika and at length, by
iGod'e blessing,. they :at
tain to everlasting felic
ity.
drawn up for hiin to read by the Heads of
the University.. Nor should it be forgotten
that Calvin's Institutes Was then the text
book in both Universities. Still further,
Heylin, the biographer of Laud, himself an
Arminian, says of the seventeenth Article-:
In this definition there are these things to
be observed : 1. That predestination loth
presuppose a curse or state of damnation in
which all aistrnkind was presented to the
sight of God. 2. That it is an act of his
from everlasting. 3. That he founded it
and resolved it in the man and mediator
JetiUsbhrist,"gOrn for the purpose and per
formance. 4. That it was of some special
ones alone, elect, called forth and reserved
in Christ, and not generally extended to all
mankind. 5: That being thus elected in
Christ, they shall be brought by Christ to
everlasting salvation. 'Leaving reprobation
to be gathered upon logical inferences from
that which is delivered on the point of elec
tion, for contrariorunt contra:Ha est ratio."
The Calvinism of the thirty-nine articles
is manifest, and Evangelical men in the
Episcopal church, both in England • and
America, maintain the fact, and advoeate the
same doctrinal.faith as do Presbyterians, on
the subject of man's salvation. •
Revivals.
••PITTSBURGEL—The daily prayer•meetings
are' kept up in the Central church, in • the
Bethel, and in the Central church, Alle
gheny, with much interest ; and there are
still inquirers in the First and Second
churches, and a pleasing attention to the
ordinances in the Fourth and Sixth.
•
„,
MCDLEESPORT, PA.--;The pastor, nev.
F. Wilson, says:
" We have admitted on examination, thir
ty five (five of whom were baptized;) five
from other churches; restored one who had
been suspended for considerable time; some
fourteen others intend uniting with us as
soon as they obtain their certificates ; some
others will unite soon on examination; oth
ers are under deep conviction. Pastor, Elders,
and members have , been', revived, and sinners
convicted and converted. To God be all
the glory!'
FREEPORT AND SLATEDION, PA.—See
letter of Rev. W. F. Kean.
BRIDGEWATER, 8A.4--See letter of D.
A. 0..
(
DONEGAL UNIIROII, BLAIRSVILLE PRES
BYTERY.—From the pastor, Rev. J. A.
Brown, we learn that soMe mercy drops have
fallen upon this portion lof the Lord's heri
tage. Social meetings l for prayer are at
tended with greatly I increased interest.
Preaching is attended with a more than
usually solemn quiet and stillness. Personal
examinations and secret prayer abound.
These all indicate that the Lord is there.
At a late communion, fourteen persons were
received on examination.
SEWICKLEY, ALLEGHENY CITY P.RESBY
TERY.—On Sabbath last, 'iighteen, new com
municants were received on examination, of
whom four were baptized. There are still
about the same number of persons seriously
inquiring, who will soon, we trust, find the
way of life, and rejoice in Christian fellow-
;`IOWA.—On the 6th of
March; thirty persons were received on ex
amination, and, united in commemorating the
Saviour's love; three of these were baptized,
and fifteen were heads of families. Letter
next week.
LOUISVILLE, KY.—The Presbyterian Her
ald informs us that on Sabbath the 14th,
in the Chestnut Street Church, Rev. L. J.
Halsey,.D.D., pastor, thirty-one new con
verts stood in front of the pulpit, to receive
the ordinance of baptism The scene must
have been most imriressive. It is a rare
thing for so many, not in the line of the
covenant and signed with its seal, to be
brought thus together to the enjoyment of a:
hope in Christ.
BOWLING GREEN AND PADUCAH, KY.—
Refreshing; are enjoyed+ in these churches.
CINCINNATI, OHIO.---The Presbyterian
of the West gives favorable accounts of the
, daily and evening prayer - meetings. It
'speaks of revivals at Oxford, Kenton, Pleas
ant Ridge, and Circleville.
Sr. LOUIS, Mo.—The religions interest
continues. The evening meetings are kept
up in several of the churches.
Ministers Deceased.
REv. GEORGE C. FLEMING died at Mag
nolia) Florida, on the 15th of February. He
was born at St.. Augustine, Fla., and was in
his 36th year at the time of his decease. He
studied medicine, and practiced for a short
,time; then, studied Theology, at. Princeton
Seminary. He was paator of the church at
St. Mary's, Ga.
REV. WILLIAM'S. MORRISON.—This 03X
cellent brother died at New Berlin, Pa., on
the 18th of March, in the 87th year of his
age. His health had been delicite for a
considerable time, •and for that reason he
had obtained. a release from hi s pastoral
charge : , at Shade Gap, Pa. A more ex.
tended notice will appear next week.
Rev: DANL. DERIIELLE. died suddenly near
Fayetteville, N. C., on* the' 4th inst. He
was alone in his buggy, and, as is supposed,
was attacked with apoplexy. His horse and
buggy were found, off the road, entangled
in fallen timber, and 'he •lying dead in the
vehicle. Hee was about sixty years of age,
and had been, for ten years, the Agent of
the American Bible Society for the State of
North Carolina. •
Mr. Deruelle studied Theology at Prince.
ton. ° His first charge was at Montrose, Pa.
He was, for some timc, pastor of the Pres
byterian church in Washington, Pa.; then
connected with the Board of Education (we
believe) and resident in Philadelphia; then
pastor of the church in South Trenton, N.
J. He , was, an earnest and able . preacher.
He , leaves a wife and five children, who
reside in Princeton, N. J.
ror the Presb,yteriatit Banner and Advocate.
`Revival at Bridgewater.
BRIDOZWATER, PA., March 22,1858.
Rev. an Dear Brother =« The Lord
liath done great things for us, whereof we
are glad." Thirty.one persons bare united
with us on profession of faith, and on yes
terday took their seats at the Lord's table
for thefirst 'time. It was a solemn arid in
,1
teresting , oec t itsion, and will be long remem
bered 'by 'tbia-people:-- Our -meetings are
still in progress. Yours, truly, D.A.O.
For the Preabyterlan Banner and Advocate
Letter from Dr. Breckinridge.
DANVILLE, Kr., March 19, 1858.
RRV. DR. MCKINNEY—Dear Sir:—lt is only
to-day that I have received your note of the 4th
inst., and your paper of the 6th. They probably
arrived here very soon after I left this place, two
weeks ago, on a visit designed to last a few days,
but extended by severe sickness, from which I
have not yet recovered, to two weeks.
Your published article and your private note,
are in very remarkable contrast with the conduct
of /fr...r. Tones Smyth, (the North Carolina Pas
tor.) Yon have had, before this, reason, as you
supposed, to complain of my treatment of you, as
harsh, if not unkind ; and yet you have acted in a
matter in which my character was at stake, justly
and considerately toward me. He, with many
professions of habitual admiration for me, unpro 2
yoked, and personally an entire stranger to me,
assails me under a mask, with the utmost exhibi
ilea of personal malignity, and without regard to
any thing but the self-conceit and malevolence
which seem to prompt him. That I may render
justice in both quarters, I offer to you my thanks,
and my acknowledgments of high consideration,
not for the judgment you render, but for the np
right spirit - with which you render it ; and I offer
to the public, accompanied with - Whatever weight
may belong to my name and character, the two
lettere which accompany this communication, that
Mr. J. Jones Smyth may receive, while be does,
what he professes to consider, justice. The re
ceipt of your , private note is the immediate reason
why I send these two letters for, publication
in your paper. They came into my hands along
with your note, and, of ccurse, belong to the pub
lics, who have a perfect right to know who this
great light is. You will see that, according to
the testimony of others, it is the old story of the
fellow who was detected with stolen goods, cry
ing, ,4 stop thief;" while, according to his own
explanation, a miracle worthy of the Jesuits,
whom he imitates—perhaps serves—was wrought
in his case ; namely, that, he and the sainted
MoCheyne, each without the knowledge of the
other, took down, with verbal' accuracy, diverd
sermons, from Expository Lectures, delivered by
Dr. Welsh, to them at different times ; and yet,
his was still his! The conduct of the editors of
the North Carolina Presbyterian, in first publish
ing, and then endorsing this attack of this person
upon me, without any of them giving me the least
intimation who he was, renders it impossible for
me to extend to them tbe courtesy of asking the
use of their columns under such an influence; or
recognizing any of them in any' light, except that
of persons seeking my disgrace, by means whose
supposed efficacy is all they care about. You
will observe that I omit the name of the gentle
man to whom Mr. J. Jones Smyth writes, and
no writes tome. . Mr. J. Jones Smyth can make
the name public, if he likes.
PETERSBURG, Va., March 3d, 1858.
DR. B.II.I3CSINRIDGE:—Dear Sir :—I read, in the
Presbyterian, of the 20th of February, a notice of
some correspondent of the North Carolina, Pres
byterian paper, charging you with plagiarism. I
met Mr. Hugh Nelson, one of the elders of the
First church here, and told him that it could be
AD other person than Mr. J. Jones Smyth, al
though I had not heard such an intimation. In
the Presbyterian of 27th, I read the communica
tion of S. B. J. I find he says it is a North Car
olina, pastor ; and to-day I have it from undoubted
authority that I was right in my suspicion. In
1848 I was a member of the First Presbyterian
church in this city, and when our beloved John
Leyburn, oar pastor, left us, this Mr. Smyth lec
tured for us occasionally. I think one night ini
mediately preceding lecture night, I read in my
family circle the twenty-fourth sermon of the
Rev. Robert Murray MeCheyne ; text: Song of
Solomon ii :8, 17. The next night he lectured for
us. Mrs. was with me, and much to my sur
prise he commenced, and delivered, I may say ver
batim, the above named sermon, without saying one
word about its being another's property After we
went home we referred to it again, and found we
were not mistaken in any one point in the dis
course. The next morning I took the book of
sermons and went to Mr. Samuel Donnell with it,
(he being Mr. Smyth's' particular friend and
associate,) and asked him if he would not like "to
read that beautiful lecture delivered to us last
night by J. Jones Smyth. He said he would. I
produced the book, opened to it; be read, and said
it was a fact. I then gave him the book and
asked him to give it to Mr. Smyth, that I re
quested him to read it, which he did ; and the en
closed letter to you is_ what he sent to me. I did
not go to see Mr. 8., and Mr. S. did not come to
see me. I send you this letter to show you what
he says he thinks of a plagiarist, and how sacred
he looks on the ministerial office.
My Dear Sir, I am : a stranger to you. I do
not wish . to injure Mr. S. or any one living; but
justice is what I hope I love; and if I did not feel
that it was my duty to give you this information
I would not do it. lam an elder in Dr. Pryor's
church in this city, the Second church. Dr.
Burner knows who I am, or, my former pastor,
Rev. John Leyburn. I remain yours with much
respect,
INSTITIME, Nov. 30, 1848
DEAR SIR :—To my very great astonishment,
my friend, Mr. S. Donnell, informed me, yester
day, that the same lecture which I delivered on
Tuesday evening, was contained in .a .volume of
Posthumous Sermons of Rev. R. M. MoCheyne,
late of Dundee, Scotland. As it was'the first time
I had heard of the existence of such a book, I
asked the favor of looking at it. My lecture I
took from the short-hand notes I made of Dr.
Welsh's series of expository lectures, which he
delivered to, the Divinity students in the Univer
sity of Edinburgh, in the Winter of 1838. And
as these lectures are repeated to the different
classes as they come under the Piofessor's charge,
so various ministers have an opportunity of hear
ing, and noting them down. Mr. McCheyne was
taught by the same men from whom I learned my
Theology, and I am very sure that he never would
have consented to .the publication of sermons
taken from his Professor's notes without explana
tion, had it pleased the Lord to prolong his useful
life. As' I consider it a grievous stain upon any
man's character to be liable to the charge of ap
prop iating another's property, whether it be the
produce of his bodily or mental exertions, I have
thought it right to trouble you with this explana
tion, assuring you that I have never owned nor
seen a copy of MdCheyne's sermons, save the one
which Mr. Donnell brought, and told me Was
yours. The subject and substance of thatlecture,
and some others, I took from my note-books,
which, in short hand, you can at any time see,
only honoring me with a call, either at the Died
tuts or my residence. That same lecture I find,
on recurring to my memorandum book, I deliver
ed—though without any written notes—about
three and a half years ago, in the Presbyterian
church in Winchester. If you had come to me as
a brother in Christ, and told me your charge of
plagiarism at first, I could have at onceAby means
of those stubborn facts, dates, have convinced you
that it was impotisible for me to copy McChe.yne ;
and now I must beg that you will do me the favor
and justice of accompanying with this explanation
whatever remarks you may have any where
made regarding my honesty.
Ai I am comparatively a stranger in Petersburg
and to the congregation, such a charge is a very
heavy one. I feel satisfied that where and by
whom lam known it would not be credited. I
have written to a friend in New York for a oopy
of MoCheyne's Sermons for the purpose of seeing
whether any other of his published discourses are
from the same source, from which I feel at per
fect liberty to draw for aid in expository lectures.
I have no notes of sermons by the Professors. I
prefer this private mode of explanation -to the
making a public explanation in the lecture room.
A minister'e character is a very sacred thing, and,
therefore, I hope you will see the propriety, ^ fot
the sake of Christ's cause, of my making this ex
planationto you, as only on that account, I should
not condescend to notice any charge brought
against me.
I am, very sincerely,
Your brother in. Christian bonds,
J. Jonas SMYTH
E sq .
P. B.—l asked Mr. Donnell's permission to use
his.name as .I have done, and lie tells me that you
were good enough to say that it was as my friend
you came to him, and, therefore you will not con
sider that there is any reflection conveyed in the
remark made in -the'preceding page, in line six
teen. • J. J.:B.
With referenee to the charges made against me
by Mr. J. .Tones Smyth—and endorsed by the
North Carolina Presbyterian, and by the nine ed
itors a the American Presbyterian, beaded by the
Rev 1:i: T. Wallace, of Philadelphia, and by the
Christian Intelligencer, of New York, in the inter
est of Rationalistic butcheries of our English
Bible, and by others, perhaps, of whom I have
no knowledge—it may be proper for me to add a
very few words, if you will do me the favor to
print them. The original charges were, under
various forms, these two : 1. That• my method
was anticipated by Chalmers. 2. That the sub
stance of two Chapters (the XVIII. and XIX.,) was
taken from Stapfer. But the forms of these
charges soon settled into the one form—that the
substance of the Book itself, was plagiarized from
Stapfer, and the method of it was plagiarized
from Chalmers. All that I have answered to such
charges was, that they were false and malicionE,
in letter and in spirit ; that the whole attack was
a conspiracy for definite and wicked ends—fero
cious in its manner, infamous in its concep
tion, and that I could treat it no otherwise,
than I would treat a brutal attempt at person
al assassination. I can say nothing else. If
there is any thing certain under the sun, it is,
that the substance of the whole book—good and
bad—is mine, and is not Stapfer's ; and that the
method of the whole book is mine, and is not
Chalmers'. In my letter to Rev. Dr. Hill, I
stated that I had never even had Chalmers' In
stitutes of Theology in my hands; and that the
charge of plagiarizing from him was, therefore,
merely absurd. Since then, I have examined
Chalmers' system carefully ; and am obliged to
say that the allegation that there is any similar
ity, even between his method and mine, can be
founded only in pure incapacity to understand
either of them, or in mere inveterate habits of
untruth. As to the Stapfer part of the case,
besides the fall notice I gave in my Preliminary
Words; besides , the dishonest translations and
collocations of Mr. J. Jones Smyth ; besides the
taking by Stapfer, from others, of every thing he
bad, with more freedom than I have taken any thing
from him ; besides the limited extent and wholly
subordinate nature of such of his details as I used
at all; besides the wicked exaggerations of Mr.
Smyth, and the abominable falsehoods of his
equally unscrupulous endorsers; there is a re
mark, touching the whole matter, so obvious and
so decisive, that I wonder it did not occur to Mr.
Smyth himself, even through all his massive
self-conceit and ignorance. The volume I have
published was, on its face, designed to be a state
ment—not experimental—not controversial—but
purely and strictly abstract-scientific. I. set out to
prove—by the testimony of God, and of pure rea
son—a system of positive truth unto salvation. I
reserved the experimental part to a second book;
the controversial part to a third book. In the
first, or purely abstract part, already published,
and in the second, or purely experimental part,
next to be published, God's Word, and pure rea
son, could alone be of any authority. In them,
why should any human being's opinion previously
expressed—any human being's name—be cited,
as such, any more than in a Geometry ? Above
RR human beings, what title had they (Stapfer
amongst the rest,) to special mention, who bore
to certain parts of the subject a relation, at the
very highest, similar to that borne by a Diction
ary to a language, or an Arithmetic to an ac
count? The course -I actually took, is the only
one, I confidently assert, that became me as a
scholar, as a modest man, or as the author of a
work, avowedly designed, not to create or invent
any thing, but to recast, restate a sublime science,
by a. natural, simple method, responsive to its
own nature. And las confidently assert that the
charges which have been made against me are
amongst the highest evidences of the necessity of
the work I have done; for they show the de
plorable ignorance of those who pretended to
know, and the deplorable wickedness of those
who pretended to believe. What is this, that the
pretended teachers of God's people should assail
a book, the truth of ,which they do not call in
question ; and upon pretexts the most stupid or
the most wicked, assail the personal character of
its author, without controverting the smallest
thing in the book, which he ever claimed as pecu
liarly his own ? And is the getting of this dead fly,
this ancient and apparently habitual plagiarist,
into the ointment of the apothecary, to make it
all stink ?
I reiterate' what I said in my letter to Dr. Hill,
that I will not defend my own work: it is my
personal character that I desire to place in its
true light; my personal assailants that I desire
should understand the disdain with which I look
upon their malice and falsehood. My book is at
the disposal- of men, to use or abuse, as suits
their humor. I am doing my best to make the
second volume superior to the first; the third
superior to the eecond. These miserable revilers
were never in my contemplation; when I dedicated
My first volume to "Me penitent and believing fol
lowers of the Saviour of sinners." From them, I
have nothing but applause; applause as far
above my merits, as these rancorous attacks are
beyond my weaknesses and errors.
Your brother in Christ,
ROST. J. BRECKLNRIDGE.
EASTERN SUMMAR Y.•
BOSTON AND NEW ENGLAND.
Business is not remarkably active in Bos
ton this Spring. &lei are fewer in number
and smaller in amount than usual. Symp
toms of restored confidence and increased
activity do not appear as quickly as in New
York. And at no time within a quarter of
a century have there been so few vessels in
port as just now.
In this old Commonwealth, it has been
customary to remove Qbnoxious Judges, by
"address." That is, both Houses of the
Legislature unite in addressing the Governor,
asking him to remove the objectionable
_Judge. This was done last year with re
spect to Judge Loring, but Gov. Gardner
refused to sanction the action of the Legis
lature. This year, the " address" again
'passed both Houses, and Gov. Banks has corn
. plied. The offence of Judge Loring, in the
eyes of the Legislature and the people, was
his delivering up a slave, under the Fugitive
Slave Law; but the main ground assumed by
the Governor for his action, is based upon
a statute of Massachusetts, which forbids a
judicial officer of the Commonwealth to hold
at the same time the office of 'United States
Commissioner.
Hon. A. H. Nelson, Chief Justice of the
Supreme Court of the State, has resigned on
account of ill health. Since his elevation
to the Bench, he has discharged the duties
of his office 'with great promptness and
marked ability.
Great complaint is made that the Govern
ment has failed to pay, promptly, the last
month's dues to the Employees at the
Charlestown Navy Yard and the Custom
House. The government purse does not
seem to be, by any means, so Plethoric as
at some former periods.
Zion's Herald and Wesleyan, Journal,
the organ of the Methodist Episcopal Church
for this quarter, reports a falling off , of one
thousand subscribers from last year, and,
says that the restoration of these and an i , -
crease of two thousand more, will he
sary to enable the paper to pay expensts.
The Saloject of Religion continues to r e .
ceive much attention, and several
prayer-meetings are held in different parts of
the city. Religion has become the -`rent
topic of conversation, not only in th e
but also in the store, and along the streets,
by thousands who, a little while azo, b e.
stowed no thought on such matters. A r a
the influence is spreading rapidly ioto th e
adjacent towns. This awakened spirit is r nry
encouraging, but not a few who have lzrl
large and varied experience in revivals, ti ,,
ties the absence of the peculiar and d,_, p
solemnity usually witnessed in a pots- el l: el
work of grace. Individuals can be found
who have been deeply and awfully i tt .
pressed, but appearances do not indie;ts
this in the great mass who attend and i n .
quire, to the extent desirable. Yet no e lle
doubts that this is a work of God, and that
great and lasting good has been done. And
the hope is entertained that the present is
only a preparatory movement for a a q ,
abundant appearance of the Divine pm,
and glory, when deeper and morethorozi
convictions will be seen among sinners, no,
when there will be far more brokennes s f,f
heart among Christians.
The United Ejorts of the Churches in
districting the city for the purpose of reach.
ing all the children by means of Sablath
Schools, meets with much encourage ment.
The Methodists declined, at 'first, to unite
in this work with the other denorcinatinn i ,
but they have now determined to act in con
cert with the other Churches.
In this city and vicinity, many conmeza.
bons are without Regular Pastors, and depot
for the ministrations of the Word upon oc
casional supplies. This is a miserable .y
-tern, under under which, ordinarily, no church can
long prosper. And the number of unem
ployed ministers is still greater. At a cer
tain bookstore, applications by churches, and
by ministers without regular pastoral emplo:.-
ment, are left; and on one Saturday, not
long since, more than twenty ministers
plied, beyond the supplies needed. At the
present time, there are fourteen hundred
Congregational churches in New England,
of which two hundred and fifty are vacant.
Many of the latter are exceedingly small,
and great care is necessary to preserve not a
feW of them from entire extinction.
'Williams College has received a welcome
Token of Affection from Nathan Jacks,n,
Esq., of New York, in the shape of 814 ;
ON in cash, and nine acres of land adjoin
ing the College building, with saitable
improvements, worth some 56,000. The
particular object to which this donation is
to be applied, is to found a profes:c.rship far
teaching Christian Theology, and branches
of knowledge connected therewith, and also
to aid in the education of sons of mission
aries, and others desirous of entering the
Christian ministry.
NEW YORK
Decided Activity is seen in the circles of
trade. The sales of cotton and provisions
have been very large. And it is encour-
aging to know that there is no over trading;
no forcing of goods into the market beyond
the demand; no unhealthy competition.
And the ruinous system of long credits has,
for the most part, ceased. The secular pr
pets notice the increase of advertising, as a
certain: evidence of activity in brushns - i.
The Times says that at no former peFiod
have its receipts for advertisements been so
large. The amount of shipping in port,
one day last week, was five h2ndred and
fifty-three.
The Mayor continues active in ferntin;
out and seizing lottery ticket venders, and
the keepers of gambling houses. These
have been plague spots in this great city.
They have carried infection into every con
dition of life. And while the present move
ment will not, in all probability, remove
them, altogether. It may do much to lessen
the number and restrain the nefarious
by the increased danger of detection and
punishment.
St. Patrick's •Day passed off with the
usual hilarity on the part of the Irish
Roman Catholics. The usual ampunt of
whiskey was imbibed, the usual amount of
drunkenness was seen, and the usual enter
tainments were given by the different Irish
Catholic Societies. St. Patrick, as he is
called, was a very 'different person from
what his most devout admirers now sop7-1.5e
him to be; and his sentiments with regard
to the papacy were 'widely different from
theirs.
Dr. Cheever's Congregation is still dis
turbed; and late events have proved that
the boast of peace and.quiet was altogether
premature. At a late meeting, application
was made, by letter, from fifty persons, ask
ing letters of dismission from the church, be
cause of the course taken by the pastor in
the persistent and, as they aline, offensive
treatment of persons and churches, in his
discussions of the slavery question in the
pulpit. This application gave rise to ;oral
and prolonged debate, and at length its final
disposition was postponed to a future meet
ing. To understand this, we must keep It'
mind that in Congregational churches, of
which this is one, members are received and
dismissed by a vote of the congregation, and
not by the action of a Session, as in Presby
terian churches.
The receipts of The American, Tract
Society are less, by - $30,000, for the lot
eleven months, than for the same time iast ,
year, while the grants have been largely in
creased. To dispense with collecting agents
seems to be a great object in all the large
religious Societies. The Old School Pro
byterian Church led the way in this work,
some time ago, and other Churches and So
cieties are following her iu this, as well as
in many other things.
The American 'Bible Society has under
consideration a resolution, providing for din•
penning with collecting agents. The annual