RES tYTERIAN 1 A NNF I ,II & ADVOCATE.
Presbyterian. Bonner, Vol. VI. *O. 39.
PrombytorloO Adooooto. Vol• XX, Mo. 34.1
DAVID MeKINNEY, Editor and Proprietor.
:!RMS.-.-IN ADVANCE.
Original Vottrg.
Thanksgiving.
BY. A. 1101.1GH
Give thanks to God for life; for the fresh air;
For the pure waters, and the glad green earth ;
For the blue sky, with myriad stars so fair;
For the glad vein of song, and innocent mirth.
Give thanks to God, my little fair-haired child,
For the soft lips that kiss, the arms that press;
The loving voice, with cadence sweet and mild,
For morning welcome and good-night oaress.
Thank God for sight, that shows the smiling lip ;
For hearing, that gives sweetness to the hymn,
With which the Christian mother Booths to sleep
The cradled infant, in the twilight dim.
Thank God for friends, thou to whom friends are
given,
And thou to whom this blest boon is denied:
Thank God for his beet gift, a Friend in heaven,
Who, out of his great love, hath suffered and
died.
Thank God for clouds, e'en though they veil the
sun,
And seem to darken all the cheerful scene
Thou shalt see rain bows when the storm is done,
And heaven seem brighter blue, and earth more
green.
Thank Sim for all; be every breath a prayer,
And every word an anthem to his praise;
So, bo our voices tuned, their part to bear
In adding melody to angel's lays.
Por the Presbyterian Banner and Advocate
Letter to the ITrirevived.
It is •important, at all times, to inquire
the reasons of our want of spiritual bless
ings. God, of course, is sovereign in the
dispensations of his grace, as in the arrange
ments of his providence; but he has given
us so many tokens of good, and so many
promises of blessing, that when we find
we are not enjoying the full measure of
grace, we may at once conclude the fault is
in ourselves, and it becomes us to set about
finding the particular sin that keeps us away
from God.
But in such a time as this, when revivals
seem to be the rule, rather than the excep
tion, it is peculiarly appropriate for every
church and every.individual remaining in a
state of apathy, .or even in merely an ordi
nary state of life, to inquire what is the
cause. I would not be understood as in
sisting on any extraordinary excitements;
on the contrary, if we lived up to the full
extent of Christian privileges, in a constant
state of life and activity, such awakenings
would never occur. If we were never dead,
we would not need to be revived. But
when we are dead, and continue so, it be
comes us, as I said before, to examine our
selves for the reason.
Now I don't pretend to know what is the
reason in every ease; the reasons are no
doubt various; brit in some, and I think
not a few, ; ; it seems elear enough. The
language of Soripture, giving the reason,
Mal. iii : 8-12, is stronger than I would
dare' use without the Divine warrant :
" Will a man rob GOD." Read the, whole
passage, you that have been passed y, and
see if you do not find a key to your condition
and its remedy.
If I told you you stole from men, you
would be indignant. If I made good the
charge, you would be ashamed. But lam
persuaded there are hundreds and thousands
who are robbing God year after year, and
yet with a bold face come up to his house
and expect to be blessed.
Now I hold from the Word of God him
self, that no church, and no individual,
has any right to look for a blessing till he
brings all the tithes into the store house of
the Lord. It is little better than presump.
tion, to expect to enjoy religion on earth,
and hope to get to heaven at last, while
you treat the means of grace with contempt,
by starving your own minister, and refusing
to give more than mere mite to send the
Gospel to others. But you say, I give as
much as I can spare, Blessed Saviour !
Is it come to this ? After all thy groans,
and tears, and blood for thy Church, must
thy cause wait on what they can spare
Why, don't you know that after you have
given all you have to God, you owe him
your own selves also? You are just as much
called on to sacrifice all to Christ, as minis
ters are. You are just as much called to
preach the Gospel'as the band of martyrs
who gave their lives in India. Not all of
you personally, of course, but by your
means. I don't pretend to dictate the
amount any man should give. But I know
a young man with not a bit more grace than
you should have, who left a luxurious home,
and a clear income of two thousand dollars
a year, to wear out years of his life in study,
and then go and preach to some people who
will perhaps grudgingly spare him four or
five hundred. Do any of you do as much?
I know a minister of great talents' and
remarkable industry, in one of our wealthy
farming regions, who after laboring and
practising the most rigid economy for nearly
twenty years, is to-day worth lees money
than when he began, and is now, with gray
head, staring in the face the prospect of
leaving his family penniless; yet in any
other profession, be would long ago have
been independent. Do any of you sacrifice
so much ? '
I know a congregation of poor negro
slaves, who contrive, by working extra
hours, to pay yearly more than a dollar
apiece to the cause of Missions. In pro
portion to your privileges and blessings, do
way of you do so much ?
If you are not actuated by love of Christ
and his cause 'to give freely, for shame do
not regulate your duty by the lame and the
blind you may happen to snare, lest it be
better for Sodom in , that day than , for you.
You had better he Sepoys in the wake of
Nena Sahib, than to sit under the droppings
of the sanctuary and yet ROB GOD.
I am led to address you in this manner,
partly by the fact that this gracious revival
seems due, in some measure, under God, to
the financial affliction; teachirig men that
religion is far better than gold. Hence,
I infer, that those who are not revived, have
not yet fully auknowledged and acted upon
this lesson. But, partly, also, from carefully
observiig those churches that are • not re
vived, I find them the most penurious and
illiberal ) and I 'cannot resist the conclusion
that these two things are inseparably con
nected. Brethren, by the love of the Church
—by the love of Christ—by the love of
your own souls—l entreat you to bring all
the tithes into the storehouse, and prove
God therewith, whether he will not pour yon
out a blessing till there be not room to con
tain it.
Some of these thoughts may seem harsh;
but, in the first place, they are not as severe
as the words of the Bible; and, in the second
place, I am not a minister, and, of course,
you will not blame me with a selfish motive.
Hoping you may repent before your candle
stick is removed out of its place, I am truly
and sincerely yours, M.
For the Presbyterian Banner and Advocate
&Minn Institute.
The Trustees of the Ashmun Institute
would again respectfully invite attention to
that enterprise. It has been, by Divine
favor,
conducted successfully to the close of
another session. At the public) examination,
the pupils acquitted themselves in a highly
satisfactory manner, giving pleasing evidence
of their capacity and industry—an earnest
of future usefulness. By leave of Provi
dence, at the close of the next annual ses
sion, three or four of the students will sail
as missionaries to Liberia. It is gratifying
also to be able to state, that such is the in
fluence which these young men are exerting
among their own people in this region, that
several respectable families are preparing to
go with them as permanent emigrants to
•Liberia.
Several churches and many individuals in
Western Pennsylvania, and elsewhere, very
kindly made contributions to the funds of
the Institute, during the month of July,
last year. For that aid they are very grate
ful ; and they would now ask a like favor
next month.
Contributions made to the Ashmun Insti
tute, not only promote the best interests of
the colored people in this country, but also
directly sustain the cause of the Gospel, and
of Christian education in Africa. Contri
butions may be left with Mr. J. D. Wil
liams, 114 Smithfield Street, Pittsburgh, or
sent to J. P. CARTER,
Pregident Ashmun' Institute.
Oxford, Pa , June Bth, 1858.
Ear the Presbyterian Banner anti Advocate.
An Extract from the Minutes of the Pres-
bytery of Cedar.
The Presbytery of Cedar met in Vinton,
on the Ist inst. There was bearly a quorum
present.
Mr. James Kirk was received from the
Presbytery of Winchester. He accepted
the call from the church of Vinton, and
was ordained and installed. Rev. F. A.
Shearer preached the ordination sermon;
Rev. Luther Dodd presided, proposed the
constitutional questions, offered the ordain
ing player, and gave the charge to the
pastor • and Rev. Alex. S Marshall deliv
ered the charge to the people.
The place of the next stated meeting of
Presbytery was changed to Cedar Rapids, to
meet on Tuesday, at 7 o'clock P. M., pre
ceding the last Thursday of September.
F. A. SHEARER, Stated Clerk.
The Company of Heaven,
It is pleasant, amidst the jars and discords
of this lower world, to meet and mingle with
the great and good and noble spirits that are
to be found among us, and so refresh the
weary, world-worn mind by association with
the pun and holy hearted; after the busy
cares and petty trials of this work-day world
are over, to sit down quietly by the fireside,
or among the two or three who have met
together, and converse of that home to
which each closing day is bringing us nearer,
and toward which our unite hearts and
hopes are tending.
And if the communion of saints on earth
is so sweer, if the society of the good and
lovely is so to be desired, what must it be to
mingle in the grand assemblage above I
Heaven has been gathering to itself through
countless ages, whatever has been congenial
to its nature, and enriching itself with the
spoils of earth. Whatever we look upon as
holy and excellent, elevated and worthy to
lie loved in the character of man, is found
gathered and still gathering in that multitude
which no man can number in the city of the
living God, in the heavenly Jerusalem.
From every century, every generation,
out of every people, and nation, and kindred,
and tongue, since the world began, a long
procession has ascended, and still past on
ward, comprising all that is best, and noblest,
and brightest in man, all that is holy, all
that is true, all that makes earth safe and
pleasant to dwell in, and joining itself to
that Church of the first-born, which is writ
ten in heaven, and to the spirits of just men
made perfect. There. are those whom we
have known and loved. The hoary head
walking among us for so many years in ways
of wisdom, the soldier of the cross, who had
learnt to live not unto himself, but unto Him
who died—the gentle, pure-hearted, loving
ones—the tender infant—all taking their
place in the ranks of those who are without
fault before the throne. Once safe within
those portals, how glorious their communion,
how pure their intercourse. Nothing but
holiness, and happiness, and love, bind to
gether the' family of heaven. Is this ,the
companionship in which to trust to spend
our eternal years 7 What,manner of persons
ought we, then, to be, in all holy conversa
tion and godliness, looking for, and hasten
ing unto the day when we, too, shall join in
that innumerable multitude, and unite with
them in the ever new song of praise to Him
who hath covered us with righteousness,
and made us meet to become partakers of the
inheritance of the saints in' light.—Chris
tian, Witness.
Nirth and Xedieine.
I know of nothing equal to a cheerful
and even mirthful conversation for restoring
the tone of mind• and body, when both have
been overdone. Some great and good men,
on whom very heavy cares and toils have
been laid, manifest a constitutional tendency
to relax into mirth when their work is over.
Narrow minds denounce the incongruity;
large hearts own God's goodness in the fact,
and rejoice in the wise provision made for
prolonging useful lives. Mirth, after ex
hanstiveloil, is one of nature's instinctive
efforts to heal the part which has been
rooked or bruised.
"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 19, 185 S.
From our London Correspondent.
Grand Battle of Parties—Scene in' the Peers—The
Spectators and the Actors—Shaftsbury, Ellen,•
borough, Argyle, and Derby—The Division—The
Battle in the Commons—The Ultra• Liberals Di
vided—Rumgrs from India—The Expected
ion—Dissolution, or not?—The " Times," the
Derby-Day, and Lord Derby and the Turf—Mr.
Layard on India—Science, Professor Horse ' and
the Telegraph—A New Discovery—May Meet
ings—London Missionary Society—Young Hen's
Annual Breakfast—Revival, and Young Men in
London—The U. P. Synod and the Organ Ques
tion—Free Church Assembly—France, the Sword,
and the Pen—The European Peace-Maker—Post
script.
LONDON, May 21st, 1858
The GRAND BATTLE OF PARTIES has
been fought out since the dispatch of my
last letter, in the House of Commons. On
the evening of the 14th inst., Lord Shafts
bury moved, in the House of Peers, a series
of resolutions, disapproving the premature
publication of the secret dispatch of Lord
Ellenborough to Lord Canning, as calculated
to weaken his authority, and to " encourage
those now in arms against this country."'
It was with difficulty that I was able to
obtain an entrance into the gallery of the
Peers, so great was the rush of persons anx
ious to be present. The House was even
more crowded than on the first night of the
session. The space in front of the Throne,
appropriated to the eldest sons of Peers, and
to persons of distinction, was thronged.
Amor , those in that locality, I observed the
bent figure and hoary head of the Dean of
St. Pauls, the Rev. H. Milmann, a name
not unknown in literature. Around the la
dies' gallery.there were about one hundred
of the female aristocracy, including the
Duchess of Sutherland, and her daughter,
the Duchess of Argyle, who waited till after
the speech of the young, yellow-haired
Duke---the son-in-law of the one and the
husband of the other, and then, apparently
relieved and gratified by the "good deliver
ance" of the speaker, they went away. The
ladies of the family of the American Ambas
sador, were also in the same gallery. Mr.
Dallas, himself, was absent.
-The moment Lord Shaftsbury advanced
to the table, there was a general " hush "
signal given, and his opening sentences,
disclaiming, as in the presence of God, all
party ends, were delivered amid the intense
silence of the great assembly. His speech
lasted about an hour and a half. It was ar
gumentative and cumulative in its character
and force. He fastened on the Cabinet, as
such, the responsibility of the 'rash act of
Loth Ellenborough, even although he had
resigned. He argued that the " confisca
tion ' proclaimed by Lord Canning was not
of the lands of the two millions of Oude
proprietors, but only of the property of six
hundred persons, most of whom had been in
arms against England: He dwelt on the
danger of the disapproving dispatch being
translated into ten or twelve native lan
guages, and teaching the dethroned princes
of annexed States that it was their legiti
mate right to rebel against Britain. He ex
pressed great fears as to the 'mischievous
effects of the rebuke administered to Lord
Canning, not forgetting that our officers and
soldiers would be disgusted to find that
they, who were spending their best blood
for, their country, were virtually traduced as
freebooters.
Lord S. was vehemently cheered, both
during his speech and at its close. It was
telling and powerful. Indeed the excite
ment was quite universal in the ordinarily
calm and dignified House of Peers.
Immediately after the mover of the reso
lution, up rose the author of all the disturb
ance, Lord Ellenborough. He is tall in
figure, but stoops considerably. Neverthe
less, his voice, his arm, his eye, all indicate
physical vigor. He spoke on this occasion
in an impassioned manner, and, to do him
justice, he dealt little in personalities. He
struck hard, however, at "evil counsels,"
to which he attributed Lord Canning's se
vere proclamation, and not to that nobleman
himself. Therefore he hoped that the dis
patch would lead him to cast away the evil
counselors, and instead of resigning, cause
him to take the course of mercy which Gov
ern.ment had indicated. He drew an alarm
ing picture of the scattered position of our
army, and of the peril of rousing to the fury
of despair the people of Oude. He believed
that the proclamation of Lord Canning had
placed him " amid a sea of fire."
The Duke of Argyle's speech was de
livered with fluency z but his youthful ap
pearance detracted from its weight. He
warmly defended Lord Canning. Following
him came a Ministerialist, the Earl of Car
narvon, who, in a speech comparatively fee
ble, supported his party.
The new Lord Chancellor stood forth
stoutly and ably, to prove that the Cabinet
was not responsible for Lord Ellenbor
ough's dispatch, and that, on the merits of
the question,
the rebuke administered was
justifiable. Lord Derby praised Lord Can
ning for the whole of his past policy, save
in the one matter of the proclamation, and
concluded by moving "the previous ques
tion," not venturing to meet the resolutions
with a direct negation. The result WIEI, that
he succeded in securing some votes, which
otherwise he would have lost, including that
of Lord Aberdeen, and, by a majority of nine
votes, the " previous question" was carried.
The battle in the Commons was begun on
the same evening, as was that in the Lords.
Mr. Cardwell, member for Oxford, and of
the Peelite party, moved a vote of censure
on the Government, for the transmission and
publication of the dispatch. An amend
ment was offered, disapproving of all that
Lord C. had done, save the issuing of the
proclamation. Mr. Lindsay, one of the
Whig-Radicals, indicated by his speech, the
split in the section to which he belonged,
inasmuch as, while some were for the mo
tion, others, like himself, preferred, for the
sake of keeping out Palmerston and the
Whigs, to retain the Derby Cabinet in pow
er. Lord John Russell, between whom and
Palmerston a truce has been patched up,
came out strongly in support. of Lord Can
ning.
Thus, for a number of nights, the debate
has gone on. Meantime, letters from India,
and newspapers too, arrive, and seem to in
dicate, [that Lord Canning's proclamation
was intended to confiscate the whole of
Onde to the British Government; and also
asserting that both Sir J. Outram and Sir
J. Lawrence disapproved of it. Strange to
say, however, as yet, Lord Canning's prom-,
ised explanation of the nature of the procla
mation has not arrived. To•naght, the divis
ion will be taken. In all probability the
Cabinet will be beaten, and ,Parliament be ;
dissolved, if the Queen consent. If not, she
will send for Lord John ettssell, or Lord
Palmerston, and we shall probably have a
more liberal Cabinet than has been since
that of the Reform Bill. L
In the midst of the week'O'debate, inter
posed "THE DERBY-DAY," the great annual
horse-race at Epsom, twenty miles from
town. The House of ConAons adjourned
for it, over Wednesday. Anil the Times of
that moving thus scoffed ti k T., or d Derby,
whose horse, " Toxopholite".Was to run :
"To-day, the question is wlher Toxopho
lite is the fastest horse in troonntry; on
Friday, the question is, wbe i his master
is the best man for the Divider. It is
shrewdly observed that th4Stake in both
cases is £5,000," (£5,000 thsf stakes," and
the same sum the Premier's '`salary,} '" but
honor is above all reckoning. ' Profane peo
ple wickedly suggest that Lord D. cares._
more for the success of his liCrse than for
that of his Administration; tifid that if Tox
opholite wins to-day, he cares not who wins
on Friday." Toxopholite was beaten, to the
his master's sore dismay. He has, I believe,
f
impoverished himself by hispassion for the
turf. He sets a very bad sample to the
people.
A certain effect on public opinion has
been produced by MR. LAYARD'S ADDRESS
on the affairs of India, from" Which he has
recently returned. He is 'well known to
your readers in connexion with the discov
ery of the Nineveh marbles~:, As a politi
cian, he has always appeared 'to many, as to
myself, rash, and not to be depended on as
to judgment and discretion. Therefore, cum
grano salis, we take his statements with re
gard to the causes of the mutiny. It was
not the cartridges; that was only .a pretext.
Annexation was the great leading cause, to
which are to be added interference with na
tive customs of the law of adoption, and the
allowing widows to marry. He acquitted
the missionaries of all blame, and thinks the
rebellion' not a mere military mutiny.
To the calm atmosphere of ScrEN - OE, let
me now pass from the stormy regions of pol
itics. The French Government has ini
tiated a European movement to, express,
practically, the gratitude due to Professor
Morse, for his discovery of the electric tele=
graph. • But just at the same moment, the
present system of telegraphs , seems on• the
point of undergoing a complete transforma
tion. Experiments have hoeit made at the
office of the Noniteur, to test the invention
of M. 'de Lucy Fossarien, by which every
kind of dispatch, in whatever language, can
be re.produeed with mathematical precision
and identity. A transmetteur and recepteur
appear to have been invented, by the latter
of which the writing of the former is re-pro
duced, with an exactness and rapidity, of
which the photographic process can alone
convey a correct notion.
Another still more expeditious method is
said to have been' discovered the Abbe
Cassell, of Florence. By this, fac similes
of manuscripts and drawings, colored or
otherwise,
upon common paper, steeped in
a certain liquid, can be transmitted to any
distance. The machinery is self-acting and
altogether independent of manipulation.
The paper requiring to be telegraphed,' is
wrapped round a cylinder at one station,
and another paper, similarly prepared, is
rolled round a cylinder at, the other station.
The machinery is put in motion, and a fac
simile of whatever is contained on the one
paper is immediately - re-produced on the
other.
The LONDON MISSIONARY SOCIETY held
its annual meeting last-week, in Exeter Hall,
which was crowded. .The Chairman was
Mr. Frank Crossley, a member of Parlia
ment, who referred with severity, in his
opening remarks, to the speech of Lord
Ellenborongh last year, condemning Lord
Canning for subscribing to a Missionary
Society. ca There was," said the speaker,
" no office, either in this country or in others,
which it was right for a Christian man to
accept, where he could not only own the
Lord of Life and Glory whom he served,
but also out of his own means subscribe
for others receiving the same benefit as
himself. The noble Lord had once been
Governer General. Let them see what he
did in that position. He never gave a single
sixpence to any Missionary Society. But
he, gave money to a large extent out of the
taxes of the country, to pander to native
idolatry." You will see in these words the
dislike and apprehension cherished byEvan
gelical Christians against Lord Elleuborough,
in connexion with India as a field of
Missions.
The Report indicated that already, in
answer to an appeal for twenty additional
missionaries for India, £ll,OOO had been
contributed, and the full sum required will,
by the end of the year, be forthcoming.
The total annual income was £72,996, being
an increase of. £6,659. The ordained mis
sionaries amount to one hundred and sixty
two, among whom there has not been a sin
gle death during the year. In Tahiti, Un
der the French Protectorate, the mission
ary is forbidden. to preach to the native
Christians ! So much for Popery and its
toleration. The missionary, however, has
charge of a Bible depot and of dip press,
by which last he defends the truth, and
animates native pastors and churches.
Generally, in the South Seas, the Churches
4, have rest, and walking in the fear
of the Lord and in the comfort of the
Holy Ghost, are edified and multiplied."
In Kaffirland, the social condition of the
people is improving, and the churches have
received numerous additions. The cele
brated missionary, Robert Moffat, the father
in-law of Dr. Livingstone, has completed the
translation of the Sortptures into the-
Sichuana language, an achievement the im-
I portance of which is inestimable. The
Sichuana is, with certain modifications, em
phatically the language of South Africa.
Moffat, hearing of the intention to plant a
mission in connexion with Livingstone's ex
pedition, in Central Africa, started on a
journey of six hundred miles, to secure the
countenance of the Chief of the Matabell.
In China, the missions were well sustained,
_and had been specially at Amoy, where the
whole converts of all Societies, including
those of our English Presbyterian Mission,
amount to four hundred Christian Chinese.
Referring to India, the Report indicated
that native Christians had stood fast to the
British standard, and had suffered for Christ:
Mr. Mullins, a missionary from India, in his
speech, gave an affecting account of. the
massacre of the four American Presbyterian
missionaries. "The Churches of America,"
he said, " had come forth and supplied
many able men." This speaker strongly
urged increase of funds, and denounced the
enormous sums laid out on Congregational
chapels at home, with their " towers and
spires," and "the heads of bishops and
the busts of angels, as large as life." There
is some reason for his censure, I assure you.
The ANNUAL PUBLIC BREAKFAST of
The Young Men's Christian Association,
took place on Thursday week, at six, o'clock
in the morning. Two rooms were filled by
young men, and Lord Radstook presided.
The point of interest was the revival of re
ligion, in connexion with an address deliv
ered by the Rev. Mr. Rooker, now of Lon
don, but for fourteen years an ,Episcopal
clergymen in the, United States. Be de
scribed
,former revivals in which he had
taken...part, and where intense spiritual anx,
iety prevailed. He said, with regard to the
present awakening; that he had received
letters from Bishop M'llvai no and Dr. Tyng,
confirming the report of its, genuineness.
It was• a remarkable fact that the movement
commenced Outside the*Churches, that the.
instrumentality had chiefly been that of
laymen, and among them the members of
the American Young. Men's Christian Asso
ciation had stood prominent." Speaking of
the use of means, they were, in conjunction
with the preaching of the ord—for it was
the Gospel only which was the power of
God unto salvation—united, combined efforts
of prayer. To illustrate the benefits which
rested on, such united supplication, he men
tioned that a year and a half ago he had
established a Sunday evening (after service,)
prayer-meeting, in connexion with' his own
church, mainly led and conduCted by young
men of the Association. Last year, thirty
persons, and since the first of January,
twenty-four had been brought savingly to
Christ, as the firuit of this meeting. He
concluded by inculcating the cultivation of
such a spirit of earnest, united, persevering
prayer, as might lead to the same blessed
results in this country, as in America.
The UNITED PRESBYTERIAN SYNOD, at
its recent annual meeting at Edinburgh, de
oided, by, a large majority, to adhere to its
former decision, disallowing the use of
organs in public worship. Conscience was
pleaded by some, and usage and expediency
were given by others, as their reasons for
this view. . The subject came up for discus
sion, in 'connexion with a new church at
Glasgow, where an email had been intro
duced, and used at the week-day services
and prayer-meetings.
- The GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE FREE
CHURCH or SCOTLAND :is now in session at
Edinburgh. Dr. Beith, of Stirling, is the
new Moderator. I hope to send you some
notices of the proceedings, which no doubt,
as usual, will be interesting. Dr. D. V.
M'Lean 'has left town in order to be present.
He has been usefully employed 'here -in stir
ring up Evangelical Christians on the sub
ject of religions revival, which acquires
increased interest and importance each suc
ceeding week. There are, I trust, unmis
takable symptoms of the approach of a sea
son of blessing. God's . • people are more
earnest, and united prayer in several dis
tricts of the metropolis is begun.
IN FRANCE, a very bitter feeling, against
Imperialism and the army has been pro
duced by a duel, in which the editor of
Figaro (tInS Paris Punch,) was almost
killed by a sub-lieutenant. He had ridi
culed the subalterns, and no less than forty
of them appeared on the ground, one • after
another, determined to fight until he fell.
The breach between the Emperor and the
middle class is growing wider. Two oppo
sition, deputies to the Constituent Assembly
have been chosen in spite of Court influ
ence, one in Parts and another in one of the
Departments.
The Emperor still plays the part of peace
maker in Europe. Turkey has been- at
tacking the Montenegrins, and has bad a
small army well nigh annihilated by them.
Now France, in concert with the great
powers, compells her to arrange for the set
tlement of disputed boundaries. J.W.
P. S.—Cardinal Wiseman is reported to
be in a dangerous state of health. His
disease is said to be diabetes, which is gen
erally fatal.
A dissolution of Parliament, followed by
a general election, seems to many now
almost certain. The effect on trade and
commerce, in that ease, would be very. inju
rious. But a Member of Parliament, for
an English county has this moment , assured
me that the Government will have a majority
tonight:
Little Thihge.
Springs are little things, but they are
sources of large streams; a helm is a little
thing, but, it governs the course of the ship;
a bridle.bit is a little thing, but see its use
and power; nails and pegs are little things,
but they hold the parts of large buildings
together; a word, a look, a smile, a frown—
all are little things, but powerful for good
or evil. Think of this, and mind the little
things. • Pay that little debt; it's a promise,
redeem it ; it's a shilling, hand it over; you
know not what important events hang upon
it. Keep your word sacredly, keep it to
children ; they will mark it sooner than any
one else; and the effects will probably be as
lasting as life. Mind the little things.—'The
Standard Bearer.
A Talent too much Exercised
There are some Christians who seem to
have a peculiar talent, for discovering un
pleasant things. They see every imperfec
tion and fault in churches and individuals,
and worry themselves with a thousand discov
eries that others never notice. They see but
little to praise, because they are always hunt
ing for something to condemn. Others mist
think as they think, feel as they feel, and
act as they would have them act, or they
are the subjects of severe criticism or un
charitable censure. The exercise of this
talent is not always edifying, nor is the
spirit which prompts it infallible evidence of
high attainments in piety. It fails often to
promote the end in view, and seldom se
cures that peace ) harmony and love favors
ble to Christian enjoyment. True Christian
charity covers, or passes by, many human
infirmities, ,‘ is not easily provoked, think
eth no evil;' but the exercise of the talent
of which we speak, and which is easily
cultivated, because the' natural soil, of the
human beart is so favorable to its growth,
and the field of its exercise so fruitful, is
not a promoter of this charity.
Christian reader, have you this talent ?
Earthly considerations may cause you to
cultivate and exercise it freely, but celestial
grace alone can furnish that restraint that
would promote your own_ peace and useful
ness. For burying this " talent," you will
never be called to an account. It is a part
of that old Adam which said in the garden,
g , she gave me, and I did eat it."—True
Witness.
A New Preacher.
We must have a new preacher. Why?
Because the old one is worn out—his
preaching is so commonplace—he has no en
ergy—religion does not flourish—there are
no additions to the church- 7 4m members
are all asleep, or spiritually dead. -*We can
not.stand it any lenger,qo ~see, things goon
in this way. We must' dismiss our minister
and get one that will awaken the church
and stir up the people.
Truly, this is wanted, and suppose you
and .I do it; we can do it as effectually as a
new preacher, and• we are bound by stronger
ties to do it. If we are sufficiently awake
for the mak, let us go round and visit every
member of the church ; re-organize our
prayer-meeting, and get them to it ; be
there ourselves regularly and punctually,
and first, pray for ourselves and then .pray
for our ,minister, and my word for it, such a
day will not dawn, ere you hear his clarion
voice at a pitch that would startle you.
How can he preach to stocks and stones
better, and with more energy than he does?
But as soon as he sees that we are, alive, and
hungry for the Word, a fountain will be
opened to him from which he will draw and
feed us to the full with food that we shall
relish, and on which we shall grow and
thrive. It is " like priest, like people,"
the world over, and the reverse is equally
true. Now if the church wilt change its
complexion and the minister does not, it
will exhibit the strongest evidence why he
should be dismissed. • A dead preacher, any
day and any where, is good enough for a
dead, people, and without the aid of the
Spirit, a minister might as well undertake
to resuscitate a dead man as such a church.
Man or man's preaching is not going to
do it; it may stimulate for a while, but the
disease still remains; it requires a different
remedy altogether to effect a cure.
A case in point. A preacher bad been
pastor of a New England church for a number
of years. The church had got into a cold,
dead state; though they had grown so much
wiser than their teacher, they could see no
remedy but to substitute for their minister
one of more talent and zeal. This being,
concluded upon as the only alternative, their
conclusion was communicated to their min
ister; he heard it with a heavy heart—the
fond and cherished associations that he had
formed in the younger days of his ministry,
were all to be broken off—the ties that bound
his heart to a loved people must now be
severed, and a new home and new associates
sought. The sheep of his fold and the lambs
of his flock that he had for so long a time,
and with so mach tenderness, borne in his
arms, must now be assigned to another shep
herd ; but for Christ's sake, and for the
spiritual welfare of his dear people, he was
willing to be sacrificed on the altar of,
separation—" he, was willing to suffer all
things lest he should hinder the Gospel of
Chriat," among a people who lay so near his
heart. Ms church in turn , felt a deep sym
pathy for him, and they agreed to have a
weely meeting for prayer, the burthen of
which should be, that God would diret their
minister to a point where he would'be use
ful and happy. This meeting should be
kept a secret even from him, and none ad
mitted but the members of the church. At
the time they went to this prayer.meeting
he went into his study to prepare for the
coming Sabbath'; his room was fill of the
Spirit of God it came down upon him like
a torrent. On the following Sabbath he went
and delivered his message , as he had never
delivered it before, and they heard as tLey
never heard before. They continued their
prayer for their minister, God heard and
'answered it by directing him •to the, place
where he could be useful and happy, and
that place was, where be had placed hiat
years before, and where he remained until
be went to his grave, wading through revi
val after revival. LAY PREACHER.
Valuable Newspaper File.
A highly valuable work .haolecently been
added to the library of Congressa com
plete file of the London Gazette from 1656
to the present tbne. This is the only com
plete file in existence, and was obtained
through Risk Sons, of London ' the English
agents of the • Library. The Royal Libra
ry of Great Britain made several ineffectu
al attempts to obtain this work, but the
prize was borne off by Brother Jonathan.
The Gazette has been for two hundred years
the official journal of the British Govern
ment, and in it are first published all civil,
military and naval appointments, resign%-
tions, deaths and dismissals— , all bankrupt
cies, proclamations, ordinances, and dis
patches from military and naval officers in
command on foreign stations.
The history of the whole civilized world
for the last two centuries, in which Eng
land has borne so important a part, is con
tained-in this journal. There we find the
original record off the battles .of Blenheim,
Boyne, Fontenoy, Minden, Ramillies, Que.
bee, Bunker Hill, Saratoga, Yorktown, and
Waterloo; and the great sea fights of Cam
perdown, Aboukir, St. Vincent, Copenha
gen Trafalgar, and Navarino. The deaths
of iVolfe, Howe, and Nelson—the appoint.
ments and promotions of Wellington, Moore,
Smith, Pigot, Beresford, Cathcart, and other
heroes, whose names will be readily ring
gested to the reader.
BE TRUTHFUL WITH. CHILDREN.'—Some
people tell lies to children with a view of
enjoying a laugh at their credulity. This ,
is to make a mock at sin, and they are fools
who do it. The tendency in a child to be
lieve whatever it is told, is of God fOr good.
It is lovely. It seems a shadow of primeval
innocence glancing by. We should rever
ence a , , child's simplicity. Touch it only
with truth.. Be not the first to. quench that
lovely truthfulness by fabiehoods.
BE great students of the cross of Christ;
it is the - great means of resisting-Satan.
Philadelphia, 111 South Tenth Street, below Chestnut,
By Mail, or at the Office, $1.50 pli! Year, I e g g paospEorre i
Delivered in the City, 1.76
WHOLE NO. 299
The Best Sermons.
We are too often ready to judge that to
be the best sermon, which has many strange
thoughts in it, many fine hints, and some
grand and pslite sentiments. But a Chris
tian in his best temper of mind will say,
" That is a good sermon which brings my
heart nearer to God, which makes the grace
of Christ sweet to my soul, and the com
mands of Christ easy and delightful; that is
an excellent discourse indeed which enables
me to mortify some unruly sin, to vanquish
a strong temptation, and weans me from all
the enticements of this lower world; that.
which bears me up above all the disquietudes
of life, which fits me for the hour of death,
and makes me ready and desirous to appear
before Christ Jesus my Lord."
farts an Oltaitings.
TN the worst of times there is still more
cause to complain of an evil heart, than of
an evil and corrupt world.
HAPPINESS is a perfume that one cannot
shed over another without a few drops fall
ing on one's self. -
ENVY AND PITY.—We see how muoh a
man has, and therefore we envy him; did
we see how little he enjoys, we should rather
pity him.—Seed.
HELP NEEDED.—
The heathen perish : day by day
Thousands on thousands pass away;
0 Christians, to their rescue fly,
Preach• Jesus to them ere they die.
Wealth, labor, talents, freely give;
Yea, life itself, that they may live
What bath the Saviour done for yon?
And what for him will ye not do Y
When with labor and toil the spirit's op
pressed,
And the soul from its sighing demandeth a
rest,
With arms wide extended my Saviour ap-
pears,
Invites me to rest and to banish my fears.
Rest, rest, sweet, sweet rest
On thy bosom, dear Savionr,l lean me to rest.
A GOOD M&N.—" Our preacher is a good
man." So said a member of the Church
to a Presiding Elder not long since, with
whom he was resting for an hour at noon.
The remark was not intended as a reflection
upon others, brit Siniply as a religious and
just eulogy upon the preacher referred to.
It was made for cause. It is suggestive.
The preacher had made a pastoral visit at,
that house, and prayed with the family, a
thing unknown during former pastorates.
This Christian woman uttered a precious,
teaching, warning sentiment. May all the
people be able to amy l for the same reason,
" Oar preacher is a good man."
THE Nzw BlRTH.—Shortly after the cel
ebrated Sammerfield came to this country,
the young preacher, on some public occa
sion, met a distinguished doctor of theolo
gy, who said to him
" Mr. Summerfield, where were you born,
sir?"
"I was born," said he, "in Dublin and
Liverpool."
"Ah I how can that be ?" inquired the
doctor.
The boy preacher paused a moment and
answered
" Art thou a master in Israel, and under
-
*rudest not these things ?"
SEEKING. FORGIVENESS. How many
times have I gone mourning through the
day for. some hasty outburst of anger, and
dared not lift my voice to God in prayer for
forgiveness and
. peace of mind. I would
feel that I had sinned, and had no longer
an interest at the throne of grace. And
yet, as the day wore away, and whatever
had caused those feelings of unbappinerar
had somewhat faded from memory, I have
gone to God at last in real penitence and
contrition, and oonfeesed my sins and fonnd
mercy. But how ranch better would it
have been, had I done then as my after ex
perience has taught me to do—to go to God
at once, and be =Hayed of my burden.
THE VERY: SAME ; SWORD.- 0 This," said
the Sacristan, "is the sword with which
Braaten was about to slay the ass."
" The very one, is -it?" he replied.
"It was brought from Palestine many
years, ago."
"Who brought it thence ?"
"One of the Cardinals who had been on
a visit to Jerusalem."
" You think there can be no mistake that
this is the identical sword ?"
"The very sword. You can't doubt the
holy Church, can you 7" crossing himself.
The Church says this is Balsam's sword,
does it ?"
" Yee, yes, do you still doubt ?"
" Thußible does not say Balsam had a
sword, but only that he wished for one."
" True true • but t then this is the ,very
sward he wished for!"
THE. OLD NEGRO'S LOG/O.—A man ones
asked an old negro why he believed in God.
" Sir," he answered, " I see one' man get
sick, the doctor comes to him, gives him
medicine ; the next day he is better • he
gives him another dose, it does him go od ;
he keeps on till he gets well: Another man
gets sick like the first one; the doctor
cornea_; he gives him the same sort of medi
cine.; it does him no good; he gets worse;
he gives him more; but he gets worse all the
while till he dies. Now that man's time to
die had come, and all the doctors in the
world mild not cure him. One year I work
in the cornfield, plough deep, dig up gram,
and make nothing but nubbins. Next year
I work the same. way . ,'the rain and dew
comes, and I make a crop. I have been
here going hard upon fifty years. Every
day since I have been in this world, I see
the sun rise in the East and set in the West.
The North star stands where it did the first
time I even saw it; the seven stars in 4 tloh'e
Coffin' keep in the same path in the sky,
and never turn out . It ain't so with Mies
works. He makes clocks and watches; they
run well for awhile, but they get out Of fix,
and stand stook still.. But the sun, moon,
and stars keep on the same way all the
while.
There is a Power which makee one
man die, and another get well ; Mitt erode
the rain and
keeps everything in motion."'
j