Vanua -Id f4ii . ...A4te..
',
ri ;;;.1' ••-•,,, ...? • .
. ~ .
- -
pririmrin, JUKE 6,1858.
Mleitifhswilsrthipioadvansei or in Clubs
' - Ore daliVered sit'isteidences of ilubserie
bares *lads See iiircregautiss, oa Third Pages
IGX WIN Alb I should ,bal pronsytta littis
yoUr orsitiels tiaki &7
stake tun arrangsments for a steady supply.
Tag ItiIIirVirRAPPZIR indicates that We
desire a renewals If, lx?wyvalro,isktlissihsuste
OtatitedAirsi
bops out friends will still not [wriest nes I
lir44lT !V &No fra• — frAP* ll .. Parial_fPa 17 1 1 1!_to,
hands, wises convenient . Or, sand b y mail,
enclosing with ordinary cares and troubling
nobody with a lunowledgs of what'yosk -are
• doing. ForAllargesuaosuate sold a Drafts Or
largo noun. ror One or tyro paparessend Oold
er ; esultl notes.
Do MFAXE postage utalapst
ar
ails bet as°st~fl~ asid` ter Users paper*, may It
or SaireUttiniaisipsi di $1 Itirrthirtr•tiuree
10;11.10911 0 aikilsettere sad, cpsuisSissicUtiesiss
ti Alit* imtinitaireht
11013B#13111" , , 414LEGELFalt
This ißrest;ytery ,meet, on the Third
Titiadayil liinecand n'oton thwSepond.
Tikilaulamil.-41 - Will‘ be boric, in
mipidr,tls l t the General Assembly ' recom
mendeddoinineni be lead in. all
.
the churches as soon as convenient, after its
.leception.
Annivsn:=The edito! reached home a
few town, previously to the sending of 'the
preannt.iheepe e the rens. Pintnne rt to
look mei co#esliondence The ability with
which ,coadjittort have comittoted affairs ;Ilur
,ing his absence is, of course, highly gratily-
Matters laid.over for ltht'own'aye will
receive attention " as soon as practacable
Tux. Dl EssAu."-:—ThA m anew monthly,
,publifiked by Per by , ,Yaelsion, and edited
,by : William onant ) devoted to reviyale,
and religious progress among all Evangelical
denominations in our country: The May
Juimber contains a list of all the places vie
•
It'°#V'tlle general ew4eoeg, the present
y.oar; with numb.erol added to; the churches,
so',favaii known with a variety:of kindred
intilhgenee:l It will be sentmpackagei of
.ti
tweiity,‘ or morci post-free, at!tir#V cents;per
SIIIIIIM.
:..",.
..,
.. , , , ,i..r,'0h1g0ALX 1 4i4,6,4.„ p.:,‘
:.• '
- A few years ago, the Legislature of Ohio
.Ipaised'.2ctlitw investing • only In Iliwitees,
'chosen foi the purpose by the people of each
paru e
1...
ntar onureh, the ciontiol ebitioh
,gle i bes, &S. 'll6 latft:tegislatiitie',
t we-,2!red sorry to see, has, rei„x4e4, : the_act.
PwIRA 3 i4 4 49P Purcell, bnenniiaa i again the
sole ovnierofpall :tife veahestate" belonging
toihe Romai Oitholio
powei`
ft
bu ,n ot o din the
hands of any man, in a Riipuhiti.
B, r! - • •
• , 4 fq „
4ongwogetional :Theological: =Seminary:
Thi3Oongregationahste of: . Chieago 'have
sitileheicoeilaited then erreigeinente'for
apening the ,00ntemplated ,Sehool of Theo . !.
• -
_
Bard lof Threaten,- Rev.. Prof. 41:faven, of
A 'rnherakOollegeliasmi wad'elected Profedi
edi'Of Bey B:,
ifttr Pro fessor in
if9ateMALW'lre,gollegfwOhio,,:wali . e l 9 o 44
tftlirgoitaittiOf Biblical Literature ;'
Protullekrof Beloit' , (gOßega, ilofeaddr . of
Seigel Bitettiii;.
nom
t iL,116 , ::.
e ' CHloAcii).-;•-• -At the time of the remo.Otil of
Der. 11) ' r• - t
Dr. Rice to the North church, last Fell
there were only seventy members, 'now there
are . one`.hundred tend eighty. Filly-four
liditi• been -*erred on profession of faith;
11 4 6 b •
o:t ofthes e being men, an a number
Of 'Awn welt known in business circles. The
meetings 7 art ;still marked by (i. , ,deep and
tender = The i f eengregatiOn is,abont
taking / tWeps for the erectt - on of a new t w, rge,
•
and Colinnodioni.honseef wOrship.•
.YVAIIMEERY 071 ArritmengEs,
the' Upper .ehttrlh, forty five have
been = eoexved ` on offidth.
• it
Allegheny cemitery.
141. he report for 1857 is t ;before us. The
Ant -„ot- Incorporation ism - obtained VApril
24; 0 4:844, and the beautiful grounds were
aiiielidaittO.the,inirposes of sepnitnre , with
npproriate eeremoniol, on the 20th
of „September, ,-1845. The affairs seem , to
have :been edniirably managed. t puringthe
twelve years the receipts haVei been ' 's2o4,-
s66l46;itrd l ftndistouraments 4178, 1 983.86,
1 tAtit
$ 25 ) 28 ? , . 6 P: ThOwliolo
Igootor. otpint,firmiints, =including removals
froni grave laidi; haire been 5;637.- This
Onn4tot s y ordditable tii Manaunia,
.tkin9f to Pittsburgh and vicinity , and will
°ru t : I' place to vioito4,w44 great inter,
eat by the, stranger. For it,both nature and
art hive done Much. ,
ROMMIIMIII
=
New fichtiel Gehetal Assentldy.
This body [het Clucago, in pr. l'iltter-
Pdti'll chcroh, son the : th ult., at ;11 fditlioek
A. M., and wiiscopenedmithii:seimon;frodi
Act : 81; by the - 444e; SainiefV;Tisii
kieDl/1 of Oinanioati'Wdonitior of to
t
I a iu7 . ,' •
it,L4f.tft rolSPeunoing his text, , „ Dr..;Fisher
prodeededttd speak of the period'referred to
as the. Odra Alio first p er ei cli tioi , of ih e
Chiirch; after which, during a season of reit,
the greet - intertrAte - h f . -lie Christian Church
were consolidated and established. A time
t - a • tP 4.11•r.' - ' •
of quiet prnmotedthc e spreici of Christianity.
The ditiesinisicias then dir,i4e# into the
! Si Yieffit2 l B hi"e4 3 : , • - .‘lific -0
J. -
f The, condition;; of tontlict2;.in the
t Awn
-2'.l.:Thes condition of 'rest iisth'io , Church.
:of: the Sieritilmlimie
!04 8 i0 1 ? 4intds. t essential , the days of con
flict cr„otrinikin the.Churoh
Each division was disonseid at 46iiiidrep:.
abl° lengtlit''Tbe
it;t.l.49l4"elitt4ll - 0-
0.8141 and am K biutriesLinsleyi of Nei
- Y or kil l ourtiiii ) resbyter39 — wettiolioSeif Tett=
portiryl Viirkik'e= lielirum twor" 4`it%6
'
chooen se the next pitun lfmequlg
•t'• • 1. •-0
MEIIII
=I
PM
MO
::~:;:;
Editorial Correspondence.
Nw OnmaNs May 18, 1858.
The Assembly adjourned' to-day,,(rues
day,) at 8 o'clock P. M., after a session of
eleven business days, diligently occupied.
PROFESSOR FOR DANVILLE.
,
The first business of 'yesterday was the
election of a Professor of Ecclesiastical His
f9r the Seminary at Danville. The
nominations were all withdrawn, except that
of Rev. Joseph B. Stratton, D. 14., of Nat
chez. .111 r. Stritten was understood to be
the nominee of Directors, and was unan
imously elected. 'We hear it stated, that
there is very little probability of his accept
ing the office. The fact is, 'that the salary
of a Professor at Danville ($1,200,) is en
tirely too, low.: A family cannot there be
sustained .on it, comfortably. In• this re
titieot, it adapted onlyto'a'batohnlor, or a
man of wealth
CONCLUSION_ OF THE APPEAL CASE.
After ,the election in the morning, the
whole of Monday's session, together with :a
long sitting at night, Wei occupied' tith the
NeW..teiiel Unie. was . then committed.
The ComMittee's report was ' ,presented this
morning,. and two precious hours were again
eansutneit. Ales, for the Spirit of contro-
Verily I The apfaial Was sustained -pro
fornia. No censure is passed upon the low
er Corirts, and, none .upcin the Appellant.
No principle is settled, and no course of pro
ceeding established: It we ;light here utter.
a word " of eititice, we Would.. urge it upon
pastora,,'Sessions, and Presbyteries-I.st, to
settle matters privately, if ; ,practicable. 2d.
If there must do it efficiently,
vigorcintily, and fullf.` Let the origin be
fairly 'Stated.' Put every thing on record
which to the'entire and convincing
presentation of, the case .0 a higher Court.
3d. i Never appeal.; or, at the- most? Carry
your case itp=but one step. Rather suppose
your testimony is not convincing—isther
,sge s r wrong, t*tri,ppeatagain. ,
'ITHE-LAST. DAY OF THE SESSIONS;
•Tubsday-wasovith the, eiception of Ithe'
concluding of the Appeal case, in Wilier-
Messy *alba other days of this meet de.
meeting_of the
,Assembly. - Much
,business was, done; • and well done.= An:
,Appeal from Illinois *as referred I to the
next Assembly, under the hope that thedit.
fieulty may be previously arranged. ::Seiert;l
matters respecting Synodical lines, and new,
,Presbyteries,. were taken' .up , - , and passed;
'Ainong the litter, was' the re-Constituting of
the PreshyterY of Lewes. This PresbyteTy
is to embrace the Peninsula between 'the
Delawsre-and,Chesapeake Bays, , Twice or
•
thrice, previously r hasa Presbytery of this
lime; and in the - same region; been farmed;
soon to bb:dissolVed, the`event - P f toved.
Now, it, is hoped that the, organizatiTi is
,destined to , long life and usefulness
proposition to , muthorize , a So u th- Wes
tern; Esethaiie. COmmittee, of the Beard of
Domestic Missions, was the festure ., of penn 7
lier interest in ,tias:4liy'S proceedings,,;. The
Overture - ;was sent np i?y the Synods of Mis-
,
TALLADEGA., ALA., May 24th 1858.
__ _ - Ilawardictliqui...to-ont-xonr-ftitia....turnst,
ably and eloquently: The Dr . concluded homeward 1 There you contemplateloving
by moving to refer the subject to the, next friends, good ; neighbors, a brisiness - Which
Assemidy. ;He, was followed by-Dr ins- supplies' life's comforts:,'all things ii I
;
grave, in a- speech equally able and ardent,
• ' Sweet home I How, blissful, even though it
showing that 'the measure asked for would, :he amid the kindest entertainment abroad;
likely, be deeply injurious to• the ChurOit. and in the most delightful enjoyment .of
His arguments. were, pointed and profound. social intercourse with brethren of a kindred
Dr. Palme?s motion, ,to refer „to =the next spirit, and conscious, too, of being employed
Assembly, was adopted unanimously`; and, in the highest of all
_duties; still, how bliss
at the'suggestion Of Dr. Musgrave, the ful is it to contemplate your work well fin-
Board, was requested to inVestigata the ants= ishekand to let the heart, in its full of
.
jeer fally, and send up the results ,The, warm emotion, turn homeward?
proposition is one of deep importance ) and • Bat we cannot avoid `still thinking of the
the expectation is, that it will.be discussed Assembly. None who were favored with
in the Church jeurnals"' - ae well as investi- I being there are; likely to forget it; nor to
gated by'the Board, that , COnimisaioners to: think of it but with= gratitudel -' It' was a
the next - General Assembly may come to- !privilege. To most, it was sueli,in traveling
gether, fitted-for enlightened action. . thither. ,To all it was such, in being there.
, The' attendance of members was gririd; up To many it is doubtless mai, in their 'joitr
tit'the- conclusion. ` Scarcely any led
until'
' ryings home The impressions !eft upon on
thetenth` da y ; o the evening of,that day, ,cthe churches and tle community of
New
some fifty or sixty departed, leaving nearly i Orleans must be abiding and beneficial; and
two hundred up to ,theoloae. •-' • , - , 1 the influence . put forth upon men by the
The , Moderator resided with greatdig.. limy, will its good'seed bearing fruit.
,
riiti and ' bensioliince. "He: Made' Mani i
;,''.ln the Assembly a spirit of, union, grow
'friends, and Willl4rimeUtbered with mach igig, and strengthening, was eminently mani•
,PlOeSta•e- His parting , address to the As- I fest, as a pervading spirit in the Presbyterian
sembly, , wits,froma heart Which felt,• 'arid , to' I , Church. : And , it is a union on principle.
;whose`pulsations there :wris` a fervent --re= .1 There was present not a dissentient from the
!Tense. ' The Hymn,' ' : idoatrine and polity, ,of our Standards, nor
"Biest;he the tie that bizt4," , . , i from the acts and deliverances of former
was truly appropriate ;sand_'the prayer for Idays, as preserved in our -Records ; these
:the; members -and their tiliaigis and for t being> regarded as' all formed • Upon, and
Zion and the world - waii the' ex 4: a i f flowing from, and guided by Gods. Word
•. . . , ) p e il- on 0 . , '
the Christian's intense desires. • i and all:useful an 4 adapted to our dream
: Happy meeting I ,flappy from its limp- '`ata"-I,l' The true unity of the Presbyterian
lion till its close , With - Scarcely - a word—ea
, .': Church was , never more manifest: The
..." ' A 'A i ; ~i ; b , • • evidence aocumulatee - proving it to be
eept the ppea ' case----to mar t e universal i - a
enihynient. And happy also,; we tinA, will ' vital unity, embracing truth, purity', and
it prove in, ita n .rOsitits. The Lord bless
, , . ess his ;
peeple... .••,- : : ' .. ••• , Fj' There.were present;representative s from
; •'- ': Q:ENEitAI, SW/Au& ' twol of the New England States, -and from'
- • T 46 nurber incitteadaiice; in a place so" I"
~ all.. the Middle, Western, North-Western,
distant fromthe'ei k atri`of the eint l at4; was .1 Southern, and South-Western, even em
fair. 'Thu e ,we ru. j one ,hundre d a n d forty bracing California, and one also. from lndia,
• •
nine ministers and;: ninety-nine ,R c ii e g El., and not a word of strife, dissension, party
,ders—in all two glinadred and fortY,:eight him, nor localism. There were, on some
meridiem. ' Oar brethren ,of the Eldership:: aubjecta, differene,es of opinion and these
should not thitperinit their numbers to be, differences were
,freely expressed. There
' di "
i was scussion—some earnest dismission—
defective. , They are entitled.to an equality
:
in, the Assenihly, and their .preaence, is a g
' y. init no controvers There wasgreat free
duty ",,incumbent. -Of - the represents-tit:es,' dein' of thought and, utterance; but there
there Were, from:the North and North-West, was also quite as much of respect and. ad-
One
hundred andforty-on , and from the
hes
iv , e
ness. Every tendency to the centri-
South and South , We t, o ne hunAred .and , fugal, which might have been feared 'from
seven. Therexere vacant, eighty-six seats y lth e Bushings of unrestrained conceptions
ons
.liat'i,s,'•embracing the rights of India, Afri- 1, - arid free speech, - Was bound'down a •
nd re•
• ,• ,
oa,•' and the Pacific' boast .We ir r u a t . t ha t I.tamed to and around the one grand whole,
than - ambers' wiliotill inCrease. 'A' Idy of, Iby the attractions o f a common faith amt. a
' - ' I congenial hive. The General Assembly is
fi.ve hundred tillCdO business About as, rap
idly, an one of, half _ the,&ppeals and
Complaints being,teindnated before they LEAVING NEW ORLEANS.
reach the Assembly the transactions of a Oa the P. M. of Tuesday, the 180; the
:Church 'of 'a million `,Sf Members Will he Assembly, having, at 3 o'clock, completed
(about the same u those e f a ,c444 of:;n2e- their labors; having ,united in a song of
fo,nrh the number. , ; Let,ithen, the Assem-_ praisei heard , their" Moderator's parting grit
!
t hlyr continue to be a .representatidn Ifrom` illations and counsels, been commended to
Presbyteries. Let brethren in'laige nuin- God, by him,: in prayer for a h4py return
ibers, collect togetheOiomallitp# 0.,c0m. .0 their families.andAargesrfora prosperous
hnon count,!ma become acquainted, An . d. :journey to time's end, ant:Vier i hlissful , im.. ,
orm alkapliments.. The et:fonts aretbliwifal.i limortalitY, and havingireceived= his' benedio ,
lt.Thh-Harntony among the members • was Aide ' in A0'043116 Words; hastilY but' ardently
THE PRESBYTERIAN BANNER AND ADVOCATE.
delightful. Truly, our Church is a brother
hood, under. one God and Father of all,
guided by one Captain of Salvation, influ
enced by one spirit of truth and love. May
it be.ever.so I May, the Lord chase far from
us the spirit of discord. Having our affec
tions on things 'above, and heing concerned
for the salvation of men, localisms, section
alisms,, and Caesar's affairs, we can well
leave to others.
The Amount of Business done, and, as is
thought,. large. BSI
peoially did those active instrumentalities,
those right-hands bf our might, 'the Boards,
receive attention. The providing of minis
ters, the sending forth of laborers, the erec
tion of churches, and the production of a
wholesome literature,. are among the very
great works which our Church, in her or
ganized capacity, has to perform.
The .Hospitality, of .6740 '0710%4 hast!een
most happqy,, manifested. Never have we
seen kindness , manifested "to an Assembly,
excelling that shown , by this people. •So far
as we'ean learn, every Commissioner; every
• • 1 , •
representatiVe of the religious press, , every
clerical visitor, every person having business
with the Aisembly, and every wife, sister,
nr, daughter, attending with a Commissioner,
has been most kindly provided for and enter-1
,
tabled. "`
Committee of ArMagements deserire
especial thanks, and pre•eminently. their
Chairman, Rev. R..A. De Laney, not only for
the entertainment provided for. members
while here; but for a reduction of fares on
railroads and steamers, in coming and re
turning. Those reductions are of great ben
efit., They . are a demonstration -of respect
to the Gospel, on the part of the Companies
tendering' 'Thein, for--which expressions of
felt gratitude are che;rfully tendered, while
acknowledgments are made to Mr. De Lan
cy for marks of wise, andiaborious effort, in
successfully arranging for the enjoying:. of
04 benefit • • • .
May there. be many ' Assemblies, such and
still better. More wise yet, more holy, and
greatly larger -.in, , numbers. , Setting a still
improvecLetample, in their journeyirigs and
their tarryings. • Leaving an increasingly
happy influence behind them, and carrying
home, a yet pore elevated ohristian love. I
The blimate or New Orleans is delightful,
at this season`of the year. The skYla clear:
The day is not, in the shade oppressiVely
warm; and the nights are comfortably cool.
The, streets are dry, and, for the most part,
well Paved. There is much 'drainage in'the
city, brit net 'enough, 'nor is it well fqted.
The, ground has so little fall that
,draws
should be, well ; graded, perfectly, paved, and
closely '-covered. covered. Thus far in the season,
the city 'is very healthy, even to 'visitors,
and; as would seem' from the vast multi-,
tude of ; vivacious children which crowd ihe
doors . and . yards, it, is; salubrious to ?waxes,
all the year. . -
But we must bid good.bge to New Orleans,
and to the valued'' friends' who, Acre abide.
One.
embraced each other's hands in' a hearty
r ,ffgood• bye," and commenced preparations
for their departure. Quite a number got
off in the evening steamers, and the residue,
nearly all, would leave - the next 'day; and
every one, we. think, with increased love to.
his Church and - his brethren, and with sin
cerest benedictions upon hosts and hostesses,
and with Special thanksgivings to a benig
nant Providence.
INCIDENTS BY THE, WAY.
We 'embarked -On tiake Pontchartrain, at
SE. M., on the Florida, for Mobile. There
Was a very large company. The night was
clear and calm. There was preaching con
nected with the evening worship. The
ministers, elders, and their immediate
friends, numbered : some thirty persons, but
there, were more than five times that num
ber present. Mobile was reached 'early in
the 'morning. Them, by one of the ar
rangements which are adapted to try men's
patience, we were detained till evening.
The: La Grange, bound up the Mobile and
Alabama rivers, then received us, and bore
us onward. On it. also the'Gospel was
preached. The progress on this route is
slow. The > river is not wide, nor• are its
banks well cultivated. Some of us wished
to land at Selma, and take rail for the in
terior of Alabama: We reached the land
ing on Friday morning, just tkree-fourths
of an honr too late for the train, and had
hence to lie over till the nest day. The
others =aimed at Montgomery, in time for the
evening train, on the great route North.
They were likely to be an hour to; two hours
too late. They could, however,, drown dis
appointment and the desire of .progress,
by the enjoyment of a night of sweet rest,
while we poor fellows at Selma, must weary
ourselves with a whole day's doing nothing.
But it was not entirely a day of idleness,
either. Some epistles of love were sent to
friends. Parts of these notes to our read
ers were put on paper, to be ready for trans
mission. The Union Prayer:Meeting was
attended, where brethren in Christ were
told of the late large assemblage in .New
Orleans, of . the i4presentatives of the Pres
byterian Church from, the wholeland ; and
of Wtheir faith, and , harmony, and holy pur
pose ; and-of the revivals in the North;
and told, too, of the salvation that is in
Christ Jesus, and of his love and his pre
cious promises. And prayers, too, were
there offered by the travelers, jointly with
the residents. And at night a congregation
was ' addressed by Rev. Dr. Bowman, of
Georgia, in a good Gospel sermon. Who
can tell the, joy diffused among praying
people in this place, occasioned by this de
tention, andthe encouragement given them
to hold on 1" And who can predict the bliss.
ful results, both in this world and the world
to come 'God's counsel was in the boat's
slow progress. • 'He had a message in his
servants' hands, for the people, but the
bearers knew it not, until his providence
called for its deliverance. Then they knew,
and they fulfil!ed
_the trust with a ready
mind. -
Selma a small city, but very neat and
pleasant. The site is elevated; ground plot,
level; streets, wide and sandy, but well
shaded; buildings, comfortable; ohurehes,
small and attractive. It is the depot for a
large and Productive cotton district. Rail
roads are in progress connecting it with
Mississippi, Tennessee, and Northern Geor
gia. These, when completed, will make it
the shipping port, by steamboats, for a
largely increased amount of produce. It is
supplied with water by several artesian
wells. These are, in depth, from six hun
dred to one thousand feet, and give forth.
constant streams. The water is slightly
warm, and deeply impregnated with iron,
with a trace, of sulphur;,but it answers
well- most of the pprposes of an element
which is ever essential to life, both vege
table and' animal.
..Talladega is distant from Selma, about
one hundred and' ten miles, ninety of which
are traveled "by rail, on a road destined,
soon, to connect the Alabama and Tennessee
rivers. The land, for many miles from Sel
ma, is miserably poor, and illy cultivated,
and the little vegetation it afforded was
parched by 'drought. Wheat is cultivated,
but Pennsylvanians would think the crop
hardly worth the harvesting—a work in
which laborers are , already engaged. No
meadows nor fields of clover are to be seen.
The 'oats and corn are unpromising; and
even cotton gives ,forth, as yet, no bright
promise. On ,approaching Talladega, hOw- ,
ever, the country seemed much more pros
perms. Here. is an extensive valley of
limestone land.' There are many'large farms,
well improved. Corn iiinuM more promis
ing, and wheat fields indicate a yield of
twelve to fifteen bushels per:acre...
The town of Talladega is one of the larg
est and most flourishing in 'the interior of
the State. It contains.some fifteen hundred
inhabitants;: a Presbytetian, a Baptist, -and
a Methodist church, three Institutes for
females, and two for males ; a Court House,
and some fine private mansions. The Insti
tutes' buildings are fine, and well adapted
to the ends intended; but the church build
ings cannot be commended so highly. The
Presbyterian church is but the first edition,
small, rude,unseemly, and now abandoned.
The congregation worship in the delightful
Hall of the' Female Institute of the Synod
of Alabama. The people must build a new
church, and hasten also to fill it; and they
should haste , the more, and be the more
liberal, in that God granted to them a de
lightful refreshing, byy. the outpourieg of his
Spirit,
.during the last Winter. The pastor
of. this church,. Rev. Mr. MeCorkla, being
absent, it was the visitor's privilege to ad
dress his very attentive people, in both the
morning and the evening.
Oar next to our readers will be, we trust,
directly from the chair editorial.
CEEADIGE.—The Presbyterian church of
Hickman, Ky.,-has been received under the•
care of the Presbyters" of Paducah, from
the 146* Sdhooi.
United Presbyterian Church of North
, America.
Such is the title by which the United
Ecclesiastical bodies, the Associate and As
sociate Reformed. Presbyterians, or, as they
are more familiarly known in this region,
the Seceders and Unions, are to be known.
They were originally one, but owing to
causes upon which it is not necessary that
we should now enter, a separation took place
some seventy.five years ago. And although
the points of difference were not very appar.
ent to others, at least as to their importance,
nor were they very clearly defined in their
respective Standards, each party honestly,
firmly, and perseveringly held to its own
convictions. Yet manifestly such a state
of things limited and impeded greatly
the operations and influence of both. Their
adherents were generally found in the same
communities, and of those who had had the
same training, and who cherished like hal
lowed recollections of the past. Necessarily
rival churches sprang up in places where one
would have . been enough, and often both
were weak and inefficient, where one would
have been strong and influential. And the
natural consequences were jealousies, emula
tions, and often strifes, while there could be
no real and hearty co-operation in doing the
Church's work among the unevangelized at
home, and the heathen abroad. 'lt was to be
expected that there would be yearnings
after union, and, efforts to unite once more the
broken ; :bands,of ecclesiastical fellowship.
With the inevitable progress of events, the
necessity became more apparent, and some
twenty-two years ago the first steps were
taken,' though not without some trepidation
on: the part of the leaders in the movement,
and opposition on the. part of others. Va
rions schemes and legislative acts were pro
posed from time to time. But to bring two
ecclesiastical bodies together by means of
legislation, is no easy task; indeed it has
never been done on a large scale. The
usual method is by absorption—the larger
absorbing the smaller. And it frequently
seemed as if this would be the, only way in
which, the much desired result would be
brought about in this case. In the mean
time, the subject at intervals excited much
thought and discussion, and no doubt much
earnest prayer before God.. At length the
crisis seemed to have been reached, when
the basis of union proposed by a joint com
mittee of both bodies, was proposed, and
partially accepted, a year ago. The diffi
culties seemed to be in a great measure taken
out of the way, the spirit displayed was
commendable, and all things
. seemed to be
ready. Still there was a want; there was
not that hearty and loving embrace de
manded, and many hesitated, while others
held back. The friends of the measure
were naturally anxious for its success, and
looked forward 'to the meetings of the
respective Synods with great apprehension.
But in the meantime a work began through
out the land, that reached these separated
parts of one branch of the great family of
Christ. The e Holy Spirit came down in
F e tam. A - 00nVeuticrn—o!—tritvcro—Olturzhvor
in connexion with the New-Side Cove
nanters, was held.' in Xeniu, Ohio, last
Winter, for prayer and conference, which
adjourned to meet in Allegheny City,
previously to the assembling of the Synods.
And when ministers, elders, and private
Christians met around the mercy-seat, their
hearts were drawn together, their differences
began to vanish, and a brighter future seem
ed to open up before them. We honestly
believe that it was the presence and
power of the Holy Spirit in the meetings
of the Convention, and in answer to the
prayer, of faith, that led to the calm, and
Jet fervent discussion and mutual explana
tions which brought the bodies together
once more, with a very few dissenters on
either side. The consummation of the
work, in 'a state of religious feeling such as
existed some time ago, would have been
impossible ; no nicety, of definition or exact
ness of legislation, would have accomplished
it. And whatever of good there may be in
the new organization, (and no one can wish
for more good in it in the great field of the
world, than we do,)' is not owing to, might,
or power, or wisdom, but to the unusual dis
plays of the Holy Ghost at this time. Ev
ery spectator must have been struck with
the widely different manner of praying and
speaking, and how immeasurably ascendant
was . the avowed love to the Lord Jesus
Christ, and desire for his glory, when com
pared with forum . times. Concerning the
terms on which.the union is based, or the
prospects of harmonious working in the fu.-
tare, it is not for us tresay any thing; these
concern our brethren alone; and by Divine
assistance they are competent to the adjust
ment of their own scheme of operations,
without aid from others. All we do at
present, is to mention the .great fact that has
taken place, and to attribute the result to
the true cause—to note this as one of the
happy results of an outpouring of the Holy
Spirit from on high upon these divisions of
the Saoramental host.
The scene in City Hall will be long remem
bered by the multitudes of all branches of
the great. Presbyterian family present ; for
without any preconcerted action the family
likeness, family sympathies, and family ob
jects were strongly exhibited. May it have
been but the beginning of a yet closer fam
ily alliance ! We know not whether our
brethren will thank us for the expression of
such a hope or not, but we will nevertheless
indulge it and express it too whenever we
shall judge the occasion suitable. And al
though none of their speakers gave expres
sion to such 'a thought, we dettbt not it was
in the hearts of not a few who wept for
very joy. The effect of the,singing of the
one . hundredth Psalm, to the glOrions•
old tune, " Old Hundredth," by nearly
three thousand voices, can be better imag
ined than described. Never will our ears
forget the sound ; never will our hearts
forget the emotions stirred up as that mighty
column of praise ascended up to heaven. The
United Presbyterian Church of North Atter
at present compriiie, at least, Trclin
fifty thousand to fifty-five thousand commute
nicants; and if the new side Covenanters
should unite with them, which is very prob
able, the whole body will number from sixty
thousand to sixty-five thousand communi
cants—a body capable of great results for
Christ's crown and kingdom. Ou; brethren
will then permit us to say of their Church,
in words, whose paternity they will recog
nize :
"Therefore, I wish that peace may still
Within thy walls remain,
And ever may thy palaces
Prosperity retain."
Associate and Associate Reformed Synods.
We give below the Basis finally agreed
upon as the terms of union between these
two bodies :
WHEREAS, It is understood that the tes
timony submitted to the General Synod of
the Associate Reformed Church by the As
sociate Synod was proposed and accepted as
a term of communion, on the adoption of
which the union of the two Churches is to
be consummated. And,
WHEREAS, It is agreed between the two
churches that the fcrbearamee in love which
is required by the law of Gad, be exercised
toward any brethren who may not be able
fully to subscribe to the Standards of the
United Church, while they do not determin
edly oppose them, but follew the things
which make for peace, and things wherewith
one may edify another.
klved, That these Churches when uni
ted, shall be called the "United Presbyterian
Church of North America."
Resolved, That the respective Presbyteries
of these churches shall remain as presently
constituted until otherwise ordered las con
venience shall suggest.
• Resolved, That the supreme court of this
church shall be a General Assembly, to meet
annually, to be composed of delegates from
the respective Presbyteries, the number of
delegates to be according to the proportion
of the members constituting each Presby
tery, as now fixed by the rules of the Asso
ciate Reformed Church, until a change shall
be found expedient.
Resolved, That there shall be subordinate
Synods, and these shall be the same as those
now existine• 6 in the Associate Reformed
Church, to which Synods the different Pres
byteries in the Associate Church-shall attach
themselves for the present according to their
location, provided that the separate Synods
-and Presbyteries of the said Associate Re
formed"ind Associate Churches shall also
continue as at present constituted until other
wise directed.
Rewired, That the General and Subordi
.
nate Synods shall be regulated according to
the rules presently in force in the Associate
Reformed Church, until the United Church
shall see fit to alter such rules.
Resolved, That the different' .Boarda and
Institutions of the respective churches shall
not be affected by this union, but shall have
control of their funds, and retain all their
corporate or other rights and privileges, until
the interests of the Church shall require a
change.
Resolved, That these and other regula
tions found necessary, being agreed upon by
the respective Synods at the present meeting
in the City of Allegheny, the two Synods
shall meet at such a place as shall mutually
be agreed upon, and after addresses by Dr.
Rodgers, Dr. Pressly, Rev. Mr. Smart, and
Rev. Mr. Prestley, be constituted with
prayer by the senior Moderator, after which
a Moderator and Clark shall be chosen by
- thy - United Church. ----_ ___-___
Congregationalism and Presbyterianism.
It is worthy of note, how very frequently.
Congregational writers have expressed dis
satisfaction with their Form of Church Gov
ernment, and a preference for ours. Cotton
Mather says: •
" All our churches will acknowledge to me,
that it is an usual thing with a prudent and
faithful pastor, himself to single out some of
the more grave, solid, aged. brethren, in his
congregation, to assist him in many parts of
his work, on many occasions, in a year; nor
will such a pastor ordinarily do any import
ant thing in his government, without hav
ing first heard the counsels of such brethren.
In short, there are few discreet pastors, but
what make many occasionatruling elders ev
ery year. I say then, suppose the church,
by a vote, recommend some such brethren,
the fittest they have, unto •the stated assist
ance of their pastor in the church rule,
wherein they may be helps unto him. Ido
not, propose that they should be biennial or tri
ennial only, though I know very famous
churches throughout Europe have them so..
Yea, and what if they should by solemnfast
ing and prayer, be commended unto the
benediction of God, in what service they
have to do, what objection can be made
against the lawfulness ? I think none can
be made against the usefulness of such
,a
thing. Truly, for my part, if the fifth chap
ter of Ist Timothy would not bear me out,
when conscience both of my duty and my
wPakness made me desire such assistance, I
would see whether the first chapter of Deu
teronomy would not."
President Edwards, the great light of New
England, says, in his letters to Erskine,:
"I have long been out of conceit of our
unsettled, independent, confused way of
Church Government, and the Presbyterian ,
way has ever appeared to me the most
agreeable to - tlin,Word of God, and the rea
son and nature of things."—P. 412. - -
President Dwight, without any other in
dueement to declare in, favor of Ruling-El
ders, than that which the force of truth-pre
sented, declared :
"Ruling Elders are, in my apprehension,
Scriptural of f icers of the Christian Church,
and I cannot but think our dejection with
respect to these, from the practice of the first
settlers in. New England, an error in Ecclesi
astical government, &c."—iv. p. 399.
The little crew of the Mayflower had, an
Elder Brewster; and his pastor, John Rob,
inson, writing to,SirJohn Virolstenholme, in
1616, says :
" Touching the ecclesiastical ministry,
viz., of pastors for teaching, .Elders for rul
ing, and deacons for distributing the Church's
contributions, and also for the two sacra
ments, baptism, and the Lord's Supper, we
do wholly, and in all points, agree with the
French Reformed churches, according to
their published Confession of Faith. There
elders and deacons are annual, or, at the
most, for two or, three years ours perpet
ual."
In 1799, the question was proposed to
the " Old Hartford North Association,"
whether the Associated Churches of Connec
ticut were Congregational or not The an
swer given by the Association, then num
bering such men as the Rev. Drs. Strong,
Perkins, and Flint, is given below :
"This Association give information to all
Whom it-may concern, that the Constitution
of the Churches in the State of Connecticut,-
founded on the common usages, and the•
Confession of ,Faith,, Heads of Agreement,
and Articles of Charch .Discipline, adopted
at the earliest petiodnf the setAlemeAt.of the
State, is not Congregational, but contains
the essentials of the Government of th e
Church of Scotland, or [the] Presbytery -_u
Church in America, partcularly as it give s
a decisive power to ecclesiastical council;;
and a Consociation, consisting of ministers
and messengers, or a lay representation fro:ii
the churches, is possessed of substantially
the same authority as a Presbytery. Th e
judgments, decisions, and censures, in our
churches and in the Presbyterian, are mina.
ally deemed valid. The churches, there.
fore, in Connecticut at large, and in our di s .
trict in particular, are not now, and never
were, from the earliest period of our settle.
ment, Congregational churches, according
to the ideas and forms of church order c ea .
tained in the Book of Discipline, called th e
Cambridge Platform. There are, however,
scattered over the State, perhaps ten o r
twelve churches (unconsociated,) which are
properly called Congregational, agreeably 1. 0
the rules of the Church Discipline, in the
Book above mentioned. Sometimes, indecd,
the associated churches of Connecticut are
loosely and vaguely, though improperly,
termed Congregational. Willie our chmelies
in the State at large are, in the most essen
tial and important respects, the same as the
Presbyterian, still in minute and unimpor•
taut points of church order and discipline,
both we and the Presbyterian Church in
America acknowledge a difference."
Dr. Ebenezer Porter, late President of
Andover Theological Seminary, says, (see
p. 358, of his Memoir :) "They who know
me well, know that I have no narrow preju•
dices against Presbyterianism. It would
give me no pain to see New England, en
masse, Presbyterian in one year."
EASTERN SUMMARY.
BOSTON AND NEW ENGLAND
The Rear-Ad`mirad of the Turkish: Navy, with
his suite, in making the tbur of the United Sta:es,
h'as reached Boston, where the reception given,
him was certainly more delicate and refined tha n
the one with which he was greeted in the Empire
City. He was, entertained at the Revere House,
by a grand banquet tendered by the city govern.
merit, at which toasts were given and speeches
made by several distinguished gentlemen. In the
course of some graceful and eloquent remarks,
Mr. Fiverett took occasion to refute the report
that had been industriously circulated in certain
quarters, that their guest was not really an an.
thorized agent of the Ottoman government, by
saying that he had in his possession authentic
copies of letters from the present Prime Minister
of Turkey, known personally to him as the Turk.
ish Anibassador at London during his own
resi
dence,there, and also from the High Admiral of
the Turkish navy, both of whom recognize the
official character of Emir Bey, the Rear-admiral,
to this country.
The State Temperance Committee has set about
organizing a body in all the cities of the Common-
Wealth, who will use all their influence as voters
and citizens to secure the enforcement of the
Temperance laws. It does not appear that it is
intended to form any new party, but through
existing parties to secure proper legislation and
the proper execution of the laws. Indeed the
reign of terror has already commenced among
the venders of ardent spirits, for a spirit of the
most determined opposition has been aroused,
and the decision of Judge Shaw as to the right of
the officers to seize and destroy liquors kept for
illegal sale, has not been without effect.
The Boston Anniversaries have just closed. As
in New York, 'the Tract Society attracted most
attention. The Boston Society was instituted in
1814, and in 1825 became a " Branch of the Amer
ican Tract Society, established in New York."
This unity of operation, under the regulations
then agreed upon, has continued until the present
time. Previous to the meeting of the "Boston
Branch," some persons, dissatisfied with the
action of the Society at New York, issued a cir
cular to all whom they supposed like-minded with
themselves, soliciting their attendance. The con
sequence was a very large and a very stormy mee:-
ing. A series of resolutions was presented, pre
ceded by a preamble setting forth the grievances
of this Society from that at New York, and pro
viding for an immediate separation from all con
nexion with that body. The discussion was long,
vehement, and accompanied with much disorder.
At length the preamble, in which complaint was
made against the other Society for approving the
course of the Publishing Committee, a❑dinshieh
it was stated that greater harmony and efficiency
could be secured by the entire independence at tie
Boston Society, , was passed by a vote of 2.1-Ito
to 142. But the expediency of an entire strua
tion from , the New York Society, was referred to
the Executive Committee, now increased from
five to seven, to report next year. The Rev. J.
W. Alvord was chosen Secretary, instead of the
Rev. Seth Bliss. Many feel that a great wrong
was perpetrated after the election of the (ems,
and after the great body of the members had
retired, with the understanding that no more
business was to be transacted, and when few,
except extreme advocates for separation, were
present, in the passage of a resolution instruotig
the Executive Committee "to pay over no money
the American Tract Society at New York, eictft
for publications." Such conduct, with the inaßt•
standing stated above, cannot be defended. Flo--
ever, it is. probable that those opposed to this
order will transmit their contributions directly to
the Society at New York.
The Forty-Ninth Anniversary of the 'assail's
setts Bible Society, was held in the Central church,
Rev. Dr. Frothingham in the Chain In introduc
ing the exercises, he said, that in 1776, the Amer
kin Congress voted to import thirty thousaud
Bibles, to be distributed among 'the people;
that
the first Bible Society was formed in England in
1780, for distilbuting the Bible in the Army and
Navy; that the English Bible Society was organ
ized in 1804, and the American in 1817 ; and that
the English Bible Society had distributed forty
five millions of copies of the Bible, in one hundred
and seventy languages. According to the Annual
Report, during the year there have been issued,
from the Depository, 17,295 Bibles, 22,108 Testa
"debts, 3,723 Testaments 'with Roams, and 562
Psalme—together 44,008 volumes. Of these,
12,866 were gratuitously issued, 5,075 went to
seamen, 1,136 to the Sabbath School cause, ala
871 to city Missions. Of the whole number, 1 1 . -
998 were English books, and. :?.,010 o)9ther
guages.
The Boston Anniversary of the Souther; -lid
Society, for aiding destitute churches in the South
and South:West, was held in the
sa me place.
Raring the four years of the existence of this So
ciety. $.32,000 have been contributed to its funds,
one-third of which has come from New England.
The venerable Dr. Humphrey presided at the
Forty-Second Anniversary of the American Edn'
cation Society. He said that one-half of the wie
sionaries of the American Home Missionary Son
ety, and two-thirds of the missionaries of the
American Board of Foreign Missions, had re
ceived aid from the funds of this Society. De"
tvreen five thousand and six thousand young then
have been aided by its benefactions. The dia
barsepents during the year, to three hundred and
forty-five beneficiaries, in twenty-six institutions,
have been $22,756.5i. The Address was•by Rev.
S. Sweetser, D. D., of Worcester, on the theme,
"The Ministry, the Divinely Appointed agencY fir
Converting the World."
As might have been expeeted,from the statement
given in onr last, the Clerical Prayer-Meeting has