E 3 E i : , T , R . N . i R & ADVOCATE. Prembytorloak Saisser, Vol. VI. 110. 38. PrombytOriall Advooato. VOl4l 1114 No. 33.1 DAVID MeENNEL Editor and Proprietor. 7:RE,118.-IN ADVANCE. Original ottrg. Spring-Time, AY MARTHA L. COOK I), gentle Spring, thy sunny light Spreads happiness around; There's beauty now in every sight, Mesielu every Bowl. ThTweloome smile awakes to bloom Each lowly flower of earth ; Each streamlet, from its icy tomb; Breaks forth in soands of mirth. I hear the murmur of the bee, Borne on the Bouthern breeze ; And songs of birds, all blithe and free, Amid the budding trees. - How sweetly breaks the morning light Upon the Eastern ky ! How softlY fades the gloom of night,' When day's Gallia dawn is nigh ! Hail, glorious sun! whose constant light Bath never ceased to shine; As day succeeds, the gloom of night, In harmony Divine. Year after year the harvest fields Their bounty still bestow; The clustering vine its treasure yields, Fair flowers forever grow. Rich blessings round our daily path In swift succession rise ; Bach hour some new-found pleasure bath, Bright joy that never dies. So bath it been, and may we plead, Great' God,. thy meroy still ; • Bend us a gift for every need, A. balm for every ill. And while the rolling years advance, And we thy blessings share; . 0, give us hearts of 'gratitude, To thank thee for thy care. Lebanon, Pa., - Afarch 151 k, 1858. Der aid Presbyterian Banner and Advocate. Pastoral Letter.. The Presbytery of Redstone deem it proper to address a Pastoral Letter to you, the churches under our care, relating to the religious edueation of your youth. Our airci is to present you spotless unto . Christ; and we learn from his holy . Word that,the proper culture of the youth, whom he has committed 'to your care,, is regarded by him an' net iehly irnportant for their wel fare, but is' also inseparably Connected by him with your own spiritual - well-being.— Song : 8. Whilst, therefore, you accredit us as God's ministers, laboring for your, good, ; you will not fail to receive from us affection ate instruction and assistance, and, if need be, faithful admonition. We specify a fov'partioulars. First. God has placed the' responsibility Of L IU training of your youth mainly upon yen. Shall they receive any culture or- shalt they be- per mitted to remain in all the ignorance and. rudeness of uncultivated nature? are ques tions for you to answer. -And this =is 'true both as to the kind, as well as _the degree, of education. Shall it relate only to the body? or shall it also inolude the mind ? Shall it appertain only to time and " things seen and temporal?" or 401 it be adapted to prepare your precious yoith for eternal life and hap piness ? Dear brethren, when we reflect upon this weighty responsibility that rests upon you,., and then advert to the fact that many parents seem unconscious that their children have mental oapaoities, and immortal souls also,' we are pained and cannot refrain. When' we know that God holds parents responsible for the guidance and control of their e.hil dren in this high interest, and also knew that often they perniit the caprices and uu intelligent preferences of their youth to shape their entire , fiture destinies in this respect, feellhat we would he false to our trust in general, and false to our duty to you in partieular, if we did not , earnestly protest against Buell a , weak•minded, l and guilty compliance. When 'you, dear 'parents, are called to give account of this' abused trust, ,will it justify, you to say, " Co, my child was so bent upon it, and his young companions were so impel.- tunste, that I had to yield." Would , it not be more worthy of your profession and priv ileges to say, respecting each member of rue_ " How can I best promote God's glory as to this child, and how secure its highest welfare ? Shall I 'strive to prepare it phystoally, •mentally, and. religiously, for some high Ober° of usefulnees or shall I content myself' with the thought that God has intended iV for • the mere purposes of an animal life, and, therefore, abandon it to-its own 'will?" And if the -way should open up that your child.may receiva.a thorough edu cation, does not this responsibility, 'require you to watch over every step of its progress? Will it allow you to trust to the mere pop lar fame of an, institution of learning, and there send. your precious but'eadly suseepti.., ble offspring with. no Adequate vouchers, as to the example and the precepts which must mould their morals and habits ? Will not this responsibility require you to go with your sons and daughters' to the boarding hoUses, which, for a time, muit be their homes; not mainly to see that they have suitable food' and lodging, but chiefly to see if God worshipped there, and to know, as well es you may be able, what is the character of those who are to be the in timate companions of your children? Will it permit you to send them 'where there is mental training only, be it ever so extended and thorOugh, and the heart's training en tirely neglected Or will this divinely imposed responsibility .permit - you to send where the religious training—if there be anything that claims that appellation—is in many important respects contrary to your own enlightened convictions of truth and duty? If thus you act; beloved parents, , the rendering of your account to , Ged must , he a. matter of grief and not of joy to you. But we hope better things or you though we thus speak, for such a course of conduot would be a plain violation oflour solemn vows, when you publicly covenanted, in bap tism, to bring up your children "'bl i the nur ture and adthenition of the Lord."'''' Second. , ',We entreat you to set - a „higher value o n an... : Rxtended education of- your youth. Wellman) of course, sueh edu cation as a nidriVanfr intelligent crestUr should receive. Be not discouraged because the cost will be considerable. A cheap edu cdtion is, ordinarily, worse than worthless, because it is insufficient, and precludes the possibility of a better one; whilst a judicious expenditure here, even if it be large, is the beet possible investment. We deprecate the narrow•minded policy which is content with au inferior article because it costs less than a superior one ; and especially is this policy disastrous when it consigns a hopeful youth Ito comparative obscurity, and abates his hap piness and .nsefulness through his entire future life. And we are not without evi -denoe that, in some cases, this unfortunate policy exists amongst us. Does any one bear the name -of Presbyterian who. would abandon the thorough.and enduring educa tion of our tried, and accredited : schools,_ because, forsooth, it may costa few dollars more per annum than at some other institu tions. May the day never dawn when such a sordid policy shall'find many to adopt it. Our Presbyterian birthright of eminence in solid learning cost our fathers and mothers' too dearly, and is in itself too valuable to be thus basely sold for the paltry sum by which it exceeds, in cost, the cheaper and inferior learning, which impudently• exalts itself. We hula thousand fold bather see the stand ard of educational requirement raised higher and let the cost rise proportionally, than that any one requirement be'omitted and the cost abated. "it cannot be valued with the gold of Ophir, with the precious onyx, or the sapphire. The gold and the crystal can not equal it; and the exebangei of it shall not be for jewels of most tine gold.• .No mention, shall be made, of coral or ; of pearls; for the price of wisdom is above rubies!! If God in his wisdom withholds -a liberal education from your child, receive the ,dis pensation with meekness and with, perfect assurance that this is best; but see well to it, dear parents, that you do ,not needlessly withhold this priceless inheritance and give, in its stead, the greatly inferior value—the , money which it would• have cost. See well to it also that you do not abate the happi ness and the =usefulness of your child, by giving an inferior education when a trifling addition in cost would have more amply fur nished him for life's duties and• enjoyments. , Again we entreat you Ao set a higher valua tion upon a thorough symmetrical education than you do upon the pecuniary cost of it. The third point in this epistle is to remind you, that there is a proper spirit of denomi national loyalty, which is as needful in' the different branches of the church as national loyalty is in the • different States and Empires of the world. The great family of.mankind ; is best cared for when each division of it is most faithful to- its own, particular.interests. The same principle holds good in the house- , hold of faith. Let each branch of the Church look well after its own interests, and :the whole -body will be best conserved. What then shall be said of the 'wlidorn and the loyalty of those membeni of Otiichureites who ignore Ourowir institutions of learning and patronize thoSe which are not in any , degree responsible to us, nor manageable by our control, - and which indeed- teach dec. trines and =practices will& are, in important respects, directly opposed to our- faith and practice ? , The limits of a Pastoral Letter,- do-not permit us more than just *to ,advert ,t 0..: the cruelty and peril of exposing , tender, and , susceptible youth in this manner. Neither can we more than mention that sad domestic disbord and a scattering of families amongst different denominations, often has been super imbibed' by thig thoughtless and pernicious . conduct. But we must not close without asking a serious thoUght upon this view of your duty to your brethren, viz.--'--If some Imay abandon our own system and' prefer' others, why not all? In that Cage, what' must become of the-institutions founded - 'by Aie prayerful and strenuous efforts of our fathers, and which have ,been baptized by. the outpourings of the Holy Spirit, and abundantly owned of God as fountains of saving influences, both for the State and for the Churoli ? What would be your sentence in the case, should the ministers, of our denomination, give their influence to insti tutions whose character. was either unknown, or negative, or considerably oppqsed to the Standards they have vowed to suppert No doubt your verdict would be cendemna don and punishment to the extent of the law; nor can we think of a' syllable that could be uttered, why your sentence shoUld not be executed. Now it requires no subtle nor 'lengthy 'argument to show that it is worse for you, the people, thus to act; for the influence of ministers in this matter is mainly advisory and indirect, -but yours is absolute and libel: After a great expenditure of time, money, and effort, we have established nnuter,.;us institutions of loarning of every grade; some of Which are fully under our ecelesiastioal control; and many others, perhaps in no respect inferior to these, are modeled and carried on much as we would desire them , to be. Some of them have endured the trial of many years. We have scrutinized them closely and afterwards intelligently and eon scientiously commended them. You will not ,then be surprised to hear. us say that we esteem it disloyal to your Church, and a positiye breach of good"laith, to.prefer, other institutions, to our own. If in , any. impor tant respects our own are unsuitable—and this has often occuried—is it not the dictate of common sense that you should take steps to correct whatever may be defective ; for they are - our own',' we can do with them as we please; and we surely have both the skill and the ability to mould them' according to our pleasure. But surely we shall not be'so insane as to abandon , them, ,because they have defects and thus break a right arm of our strength and efficiency. - We desire these considerations to have effect, so far as they are applicable, upon our Presbyterial Academy. of Dunlap's Creek. Its constitution was moulded .by our own hands. Its literary and religious.charaoter has our unqualified confidence and approba; tion. Its students are found amongsti.the foremest wherever 'they go ; and already some of them have received the highest honors of the colleges in which they have completed their classic studies; and a goodly: proportion of them are already, laboring in the great Gospel vineyard, "enduring hard nese.as good soldiers ; Whilst others of them are ,pressing forward with the same aims, hopes, and prospects. Its teachers are of ourselvei; they are brethren, beloved, .hon ored, and confided in. And above all, the 4,, Holy Spirit has:Set to lASI Seal, so that, we "ONE THING IS NEEDFUL:" "ONE THING HAVE I DESIRED OF THE LORD:" "THIS ONE THING I DO." PUBLICATION OFFICE, GAZETTE BUILDING, FIFTH STREET, ABOVE SMITHFIELD, PITTSBURGH, PA. FOR THE WEEK ENDING SATURDAY, JUNE 12, 1858. can now say of numerous ones, " This and that man was born in her;" and our faith is that "The Highest himself shall establish her." This institution has had to contend against low views and parsimonious action, and to struggle with the various trials inci dent to the beginning of nearly all •similar irkstitUtinns. But we know of nothing con nected with it which Should discourage its friends, or abate our prayers and efforts on its behalf. And when parents shall duly appreciate their responsibility to. God in reference, to the religious, edneatien of their children ; when they shall learn to estimate the intelleCtual and moral elevation of, their children above money ;`and when` they Alan learn that a true cheartalloyalty to their own Presbyterian heritage is the best charity, and the i best way to, promote the true unity of the Church, of Christ; then this Academy,, and all Our institutions - of learning where a thorough synitnetriell 'education -'is given; shalbprosper; and the :beauty of the Lord our God shall be ,upon up. • Resolved, That a copy of this Pa.stnraj, Letter be sent to the Presbyprian Ranier and Advocate, with a request that it be pub -, • r fished. ' Resolved; That this Letter be, : read from all the pulpits of this Presbytery. • By order of Presbytery., C. C RIGdS, Cler Highland University. LOCATION. Ea= It is located in the North-Eastern part of, Kansas, Territory, in Donipban Qounty ;:,two miles West of the lowa and Sae - Mission, and five miles South-West of lowa Poietpon 'the Missouri river ; and twenty-five, mile's West of SL ,Joseph, -on tlae -highways leading . to the South-Pass in the Rocky Mountains ) ; .and very near =what is f . oundi by calculation,, to be the Nery centre of i the United States, with, its: Territories. 'The Missouri riverls now the .11ighwayof access to thisregion, but the liannibal;and St. Joseph Asilread, to bei completed, in a few months, will be the direct route ,from the East ORIGIN. For more that twenty years, the -Board of le °relax' Missions has had. a Mission - in - this Vicinity. This has been a point of attraction for literary and pions persons, who under stood well the importance of laying an early and . ample 'foundation for literary institui tines in a new couritrY: In May, 1857; a school' was nomineficed at Highland, (the location ofthe PrehentTniversity,)' by the Rev. „William McGOokin, and continued by' the Rev. Janies Campbell; and in the Frill of the same year,Abilsehobl; together with the imprevements, was. received under the care of the Highland Presbytery,'under the title of the Presbyterial Acadein,y. This .Preshytery, at', its regialar meeting in - Nov verriber last, elected the &flowing' persoe's %Board of Trustees - for , the - future .manage. ment'OUtlie Low=' rie, Gen:' John Bayless, 'Bev.' C.' Van Rens selaer, IX D:; Rev, J. Carripbell; Rev: G. Graham, .C. B. Campbell, 'Esq.; E. M. Hubbard, Esq., and '',Rev. S. M. WHAT THIS nOA.D HAS DONE. On, the 19th of November hat, this ,Boa . cd met, , and was regularly organize ,by, the election of a President, Seeietary, and Treas urer. They also appointed an,effmientThiild ing dominittee. This Committee hive, already entered into_ arrangements and con tracts for the _enlargement of the buildings to the value of six thousand 'doliarsiwith view to a' further milargement,, as 'will be seen hereafter. , Th,e school has,heen•well sustained, and is now in a very prosperous condition. It was the request of the Pies bytery that this Bard shonld' 'obtain from the Territorial Legislature, a charter, so as to hold: , the property ,and manage the bus iness as a body corporate. ;A liberal-, charter has been obtained,_ under ~,the title of the Highland, University, and the fifth section, ,provides :that the higher judieitnre of the' Church may at ;any, time, take the oversight of this institution. WHAT THIS BOARD PROPOSE TO•PO. This will best appear bymil.' extract from their 'Own minutes. At a regular meeting of the Board, held , in January, the following preamble and resolutions were unanimously adapted; •as will'appear on, pages 10 and Il of their minutes, Nis. , • i gi =Asa thorough and Christian education is sedond only to a , preached`. . Gospel'. in the world's redemption, and at Highland affords one of the most lovely and healthful locations for a-Literary Institution; ;and as the, Town Council of ffighland have ge.nerously offered eight contiguous blocks in the most elevated, and desirable, part of the town, to any who will, in the course ofthree years, erect,suit able, buildings thereon, for a Literary Insti tution, at a cosi of ,not less than six thousand dollars.,; and as the said Town Council offers, additionally to the above, six shares, oiforty lots, in said town ;therefore, Resolvid; That . We "accept the offer of the TOWII ' ' ' "'Resolved, That we 'engage, with Divine assistance, to erect said buildings, and haVe them ready to be Occupied'by November Ist, 1858. • - " That these buildings shall be incipient of buildings and improvements) worth 425,00 Q, which-we willy by •Divine. aid, have completed in three years from November, 1858. - ",Resolved, That we will furnish a, Chemi cal and Philosophical Apparatus, at the time last specified, posting not less than. '4,1,090," OPINIONS OF THE PRESS. Several editors' of public journals have been pleased to notice this effort favorably. The -first is from the Presbyterian Expo'siter. In introducing to his readers a circular sent out by this Board, Dr: Rice is pleased to .say : tc llighland. Universuy.—lt is- difficult, to over-estimate the importance of literary in , sautions of whigh character, =under sound re ligious influeneep in our newiTerritories and= States. ,Society isin its. forming state, and , it may be moulded aright with one,.tenth the expense and labor which will he required to remould it after it has been formed under wrong influencek We are, ;therefore,, deeply interested, as we, think our readers will be, in,the followin , ; - communication from our brthren in. ditPias- They )3ave , begun their work at the right time, and in the right way, and if ..they go forward:energet ically, as they have commeneed, they will' acooniplish a great - work' for the oe!t,use -of true religion sound` learning a+, molt?' the blessed fruits of which will be gathered in coming generations. Most heartily do we bid them ' God speed,' 'and most earnestly do we eeelnencl filen. nt oiYri et,l- -.ilriz.e to our brethren in Oder 'parts f the States ." •The second is from the Si. toils Presky terian; and is as followil ' "We invite special at n ion to an interest= ing letter'from Kansas, n another column ft. will 'be! seen that Presbyterianiana is setting its,foot,, in the ht way, upon the virgin soil of ti;tat,fair T ~ttery,,,soi s i o on, we i i r belieic;:tobe a free s' State. This' persuasion we hair never' intirraitied,,, amid- all , the light. ands slide of tarepstrite;; of which it has been,, the cuiahappy:theatre:, The Educational i . enterprpo.therp, se favors; . , bly and wisely begun, 1011 gom,m u oult i inelf, to the liberality of 'the ChitrCh. . The „men, wb o 'have' it. in hand "are l yimrtby Of i ih r e'tniiit' implicit-confidence', and ' their tCharailterqn-'i fluenee, and energy, will, under the bleic 'llOg,of God, insure its utirnato i stkocess!ti, ; Literary, ,institutions T arp, a _1ie:4444,a blessingwhenever and wherever Planted, and a better service cannot" ae` iliiideredV Our fallen 'rice than t 6 pia' raitirfoiterqlfeise institutions , under' the j fire :slight of idle blessed. Gospel, i And , 1 t e , soonenthntle ju,r..= stit'utions are ; planted, t 4 better. ~,Some may, Say that the present effo t , is tounarly- 7 - 7 bet- 1 1 [Cr *ait'a little till' ski y is'beitir formed and established: 'Bath' - is , abouf thesamil' as to, say, let ;the enetnyihavei ,a, little pore. tune s to sow, .his.: seed, and strengthen, the, 'roots'and.develop the fruits otignoranor and sin. ' :Whenever and wherever men With depraved hearts nre•fetind-theartS that will 'object to theie,institutio4i, or say that they are too =soon at work—there is the place, and , then the:time =to conquence. Others may, say this is Fup l on ; 'n scale , q3tite too large for. a y •couritii i en new-that it savors more of ilik ulation 'or romance ' then `Saber realitY,leons& quent, upon :.a real-necessity. . But who 1 cant keep up with the wonderful speed ; of these .latter, : days i ? ~..Who; . can, meet too rapidly, with these institutionS, the increasing de mantis of the Mighty West,? When we look 'at our Central position, ands "reflect: that already the Pacific coast is filled with a teeming population, whose ; only land outlet is in ,this direction, .andwhenwe see,the thousands from the East ,moving toward us, it behooves us to iay broat, l and2deep;` ant early; those-foundations" at literary institu tions which are , to -meet;3thel wants of ,sue,- nerdiPg.generationsp mori!.t, ~ _ i Here we would affeetioretelx o call theat-, tendon 'ofthe friends of order, peace, and piety, tothe stateef things In iCanses. Per : naore'vthantw6 years this; his heen strictly in, many parts,of it; a deldtot battle.: - True; not Much blood has!beenppilt, , ,yet the pile,- my of that is ..good hm i o . far stirreenp, the public Mind, and ,pridneed'eueli altate' of turmoil and coninsion, , ) that' many' of the Lord'siiervants. have. , been , . deterred ifrom. :coming to settle here, noditol prevent .those already ,hpte from,doing the:good:they migYt i have done., '''et,, all this- time, that ,nrch, enemy 'has been lndiiiiriously and enceese fully sowing' his'own seed, and fortifyieglie strongholds. . ' , And now could we ,receiie but the one-tenth of the pecuniary aid that has been given .bythese contending parties. to , carry, their ptirposes, we would have _no difficalty'in accomplishing' With' ease 4.116' utmost Me , now 'propose told. Whin will we learn:to dd.right :things in si'.. right way? ; We will rather give crar;t4olloodBto,„aecular_ , t plish au object, at the point of the,. bayonet, , 1 than our teni to accomplish a nobler work through the lahore:Of love : , - A le* literary institutions such 'as We Pre . ; Pose to build under sound religibus iniluenee,' lobated at different-pointsoverthis Territory, Will do more l toiniakeiKaneasmhatoitiesuight , to be. than would all the military breast = works ; and battlements of Sabastopol. - i _ ,We could wish, too, that our belnved Church would r"ealize'ind c inVdie her Pear ~ion and priVilegeS in Ake' - Teintoryt `Heir couservatlie , ands uniform, ~ and: prudent , emirs°, on the vexed ;; , question of .slavelry whichwhich. has so long troubled., our land, has ..has , - --, 11 oFt . ~. ;confidence of to,her 'alarm share of the confidenee of all parties, ' so, that she 'an moveivith freedom hi every-direction.- • Her ministers' and -servants -Who , exemplify her noble' posi tion,l are uniformly j well received o byalldpar 7 , 'ties, and her institutions will looked. upon with Confidence and favor. i ' 'Aid now is her 'favored seed.timein 'this ‘TeriitorY.'' if Wok will no*, while-the country ie so Much in ifir infancy, plant,' tlibughitimay , be,with'hut , a feeble hand, ,filiese :institutions, an., arpple harvest may be well ; secured for ages to .come; and_ the increase - `of 'of 'irtore Wan One' 'hundred fold will be secured, eventually, to the benevolent funds' of ourlehurch., - J , -.. , = Mani inqUities `are Made `'respecting the country in general, and-this point in partici= ular. The following may ,meetthe, inquiries of some, and from the,presepre of;other . „mat T ters , this may he . all: the answer; we mill' be able to send to many letters , of , unitary .on, , this subject. The, country , mny be regarded as very healthy; perhaps none more sp the West. For. more, than . twentyyears the, large ,mission familyhas enjoyed generabgeOd: health. The climate is rather variable, sub-, jest to frequent changes of temperature, but; generally dry , and pleaSant, with t hiit fog _or gloomy weather. Winds, are fre 7 ,.. quently.high, but not more so; than is ,com 7 mon to all open prairie, countries .It is strictly a:prairie, eountry,,and therefOrP,,tiln; "m her is in many places scarce, Those ing from prairie ppnntries, say there is thriher, enough, tatkilp.thosefrom timbered regions complain .of a scarcity.., Near .to' the Missouri , river, and ,large- streams, , timber Away! abounds,,, and on-the small.streams there „is 'always some. jt, is, found, that timher,,can be