Presbyterian banner & advocate. (Pittsburgh, Pa.) 1855-1860, August 21, 1858, Image 2

Below is the OCR text representation for this newspapers page. It is also available as plain text as well as XML.

    Vatliar an Attbaratt.
PITTSBURGH, AUGUST 21, 1858.
trjeujgg„... SIAS, in advance; or in Cli.lbe
gI.SS; or, delivered at residences of Subset'.
here, 01.V6. See Prospeetni, on Third Page.
it MN 'MAL S should be yrosePts a little
While before the year orpirei, tJupt we Ilia,
make fall arrangesassits fora steady supply.
TER RED WRAPPER indleatee that we
desire a renewal. If, however, In the haste
of saaillsig, should be oinitted, we
hope our friendareirill still slot forget as.
SLICIUTTADOEL—Send payment hy safe
hands, when convenient. Or, send by detail,
enclosing will. annual? Early and troubling
nobody with a knocirledis of what ion. are
doh*. Par a /large amount, send a Draft, or
large note& leer *neer two papersoend Gold
notes.
•
TO MAKE 011ANCIE, I Send postage stamips,
or imet,sr still, send for mere papers; say $
or Seventy inuabere, or ill , for Thirtr.three
wavalwra.
DIRECT all Letters and Conimennicatlenas
to Ray. DAVID EcKIIINEY. Pittsburgh,
Pa.
Te*iphic Communication Complete.
The Queen of England and the President
of the United Staten.
The Atlantic Cable is now in working
order. Messages pass and re-pass from Va
lencia Bay, Ireland, to Trinity Bay, New
foundland, a distance of one thousand nine
hundred and fifty miles in an air line, bat some
two thousand three hundred miles by the
submerged cable, and thence, either, way,
through both continents. It is the wonder
of wonders, in the combinations of Science
and Art.
The following are the messages first trans
mitted
MESSAGE FROM THE BRITISH TO THE
AMERICAN DIRECTORS.
To the 1314otors of the 41glatitic Teleira . ph Co., 17. Y.:
Europe and America are united by tele
graph. Glory to God in the highest,
Mad on earth peace, good will toward men.
(Signed,) DIENCTONS ATLANTIC TBLIONAPN
COMPANY, GRIM Bun Ana.
QUEEN'S MESSAGE.
re the Honorale the President of the United
Saes:
Ifir Majesty desires to congratulate She
President - upon the suocessful completion of
this great international work, in which the
Queen has takenttke deepest interest. The
Queen is convinced that the President will
join with her in fervently hoping that the
electric cable, which now connects . Great
Britain with the. United States, will prove
an additional link between the nations,
whose friendship is founded upon their com
mon interest and reciprocal esteem. The
Queen has much pleasure in thus communi
cating with, the President, and renewing. to
him her wishes for the prosperity of the
United States.
THE PRESIDENT'S REPLY.
WASHINGTON CITT, August 16th, 1858
The President cordially reciprocates the
congratulations' of Her Maiesty, the Queen,
on . the success oethe great international en
terprise, accomplished by the science, skill,
and indomitable energy of the two countries.
It is a triumph more glorious, because more
useful; than was ever won by the conquer.
or on the 'field of battle. May the At
lantic Telegraph under the blessing of
Heiven, prove to be a bond of perpetual
peace and friendship between the kindred
nations, and an instrument destined by • Di
vine Providenee to'diffuse religion, civilize•
tion, , liberty, and law thrOughout the world.
In this view, will not all the nations of
Christendom spontaneously unite in the de
claration that 'it shall'be forever neutral, and
that its communications shall be held sacred
in the places, of their destination, in the
midst of hostilities.
The Queen's congratulation is becoming
the head . of a noble-minded, frank, and
friendlY people. The President's response
is the Troper sentiment , of the elected chief
of a ,:great, free, magnanimous, Christian
nation'. To the President's patriotic, pious,
and peaceful prayer, every enlightened soul
must j oy, AMEN.
The Western University.
We learn that Rev. John F. McLaren,
D. D., bas resigned the Presidency of this
Institution, which is located in our city.
This is a subject for regret , Dr. McLaren
took charge of it at a time: when it was
greatly depressed. Under him it revived,
and flourished. He occupied the important
post for about three years. We : have not
heard of the choice, of a successor ,• but hope
that the Trustees will be guided aright.
The •:University is a school of , great import-
SIM to Pittsburgh.
Highland, Kansas.
The Presbyterians of this place are en
,
gaged in the tounding of's, University.
Their aim is good, and :their plans seem to
be judicious. To help them, is to advance
thetuttise Of true' religion, as. , well' as of lit
craft:ire and good social Order. Rev. James
Campbell, .the Agent of the Inititution, has
been in Eastern` Pa., where he received
much encouragement. He is' now visiting
soire of therchurehes in Western Pa. We
hope that he will be kindly received, and
that many will tike a share in helping on.
ward the new institution. Now is the time
when aid VW be most efficient.
SIXOND CEURCK I The
work upon the foundation of a new. edifice,
by this enterprising People, has been com
menced It is expected that the walls will
be erected, F ew ) , for the roof, by the close
of the year.
IHE COMMITTEE appointed by. the Gen
eral Assembly of 1857, to revis e th e B oo k
of Discipline, has been' holding a mee ti ng i n.
Philadelphia. The restili:of
,thei r Mo re i s
before us, in slips from „the: ; .Preskyterian
office, but it arrived after our columns were
full. Next week the document shall linear.
Ray. JAMES 'K. Bun= Ydied at the
Tesidenen ion -in-law Rev. N. L Bine,
D.D , in Clitaago, on the 2 8 th, ..lie+vras
-
in the;74th yomx of Ms age., Be was an
able and learned man, a Virginian ;by birth,
but vent 'most °- of his 'ministerial life in
Kentucky.
rawassoft PATTEisorr,lormerly 'of Jo&
faro College, Pa., and now of - Oakland
.College, Mina., hae reonntly 'yop,Olootod to
,the Chair ofMatheioatioa,il e
/ego, Sy.
The Asihciate Secretaryship Farther Dis
enssed.—The Presbyterian and its Cor
respoiMence.
It is greatly to be regretted that princi
ples, and lines of policy, cannot be discussed
without personalities. Where the latter are
introduced, there is always a disturbing ele
ment. But " offences must come," and it is
wise to bear them meekly.
A writer, cowardly because concealed,
assaults us in the Presbyterian of July 31st,
over the falsely-assumed name of "Western
Pennsylvinia,"—falsely, we say, because we
are sure that this region entertains not such
sentiments, and would not clandestinely do
such a thing. We give the article, in full,
on our first page. We gave Dr. Krebs' ar
ticle. We have nought to conceal ; and no
end to gain, personally.. • Our brethren are
to decide on their Church. policy. To do
this wisely, they * need information. Our
readers know how to appreciate fairness and
honesty in a journal. We are in their hands
for, use. When they need us,no longer we
will assign our post to others. While we
are the Banner-bearer, and the Advocate of
Presbyterianism, we trust that we shall be
made, and kept, wise, pfndent, and faithful.
To the assault we responded, as was our
right, in the columns of the journal in which
it was made. The name of our assailant
was unjustly withheld. We had a right to
it. But still, we wrote over our own proper
signature. Our response we mean now to
present; but we must first give the Presby
terian's notice of us. It says:
We mast be permitted, in' all fraternal kind
ness, to say, that cnnsidering the sensitiveness of
Dr. McKinney to any remarks reflecting on his
own public conduct, it is to be regretted that he
has not been more chary of the feelings of others.
His allusions to the Board of Missions as packed
for the purpose of shielding Dr. Happersett ; his
unkind and undeserved censure of Dr.- Rapper
sett himself, and especially his reference to private
conversations of Dr. McDowell, and the implied
suspicion that he was actuated by an unworthy
motive in giving his vote, are not only Unkind,
but far more severe, as personalities, than any
thing to be found in the communication of "West
ern Pennsylvania."
Our contemporary should have thought of
"severe personalities," before it published,
those of its correppondent.' It is the cause
of what we have said. It should have re
jeoted an article containing the names of
third persons, when it knew assuredly that a
defense must necessarily involve the bring
ing forth and explaining of facts and history
in which those names, were involved. No
assailant is justifiable in so using, without
permission, the names of third persons; and
no journal can be excused for publishing
the assault, without tlu consent of the per
sons whose names are so used. That con
sent we had a right to presume, in the cir
cumstances, was obtained. If it was not,
the Presbyterian has done to some gentle
men, and especially to the Associate Secre
tary, a monstrous injustice. It should clothe
itself in sack-cloth and bathe in tears. But
we have no idea that our contemporary was
guilty of such injustice. The person most
deeply interested was near to it, and is its
peculiar friend; and if he did not hand in
the article, or if it did not consult him, it at
least knew, as we well know, that it was
publishing his sentiments, and that, too, in
words very, similar to those which himself
had used.
In the article to which we allude, it
will be seen :by the reader that we ,are°
charged with doing injustice to a" worthy
and efficient Assistant Secretary," and, to
"all the Boards," and as being "desirous
to avoid responsibility," as "disingenuous
and unfair," as "influenced by a spirit of
radicalism and demagopseism," as " Absa
lomishi" (?) and all to the injury of the
cause we- advocate, as well as to our own
personal damage.
A defense in such a case, and specially
the defense of our cause, must necessa
rily bring into view the acts and efficiency
of the incumbent, an and, with relation to
the office under consideration, and only in
this aspect did we make any personal allu
sions; and the conduct of an incumbent in
and with regard to his office, is always a
proper subject of investigation by hia con
stituent& And as Dr. McDowell is quoted
against us, very wrongfully, a correction of
that error must,- of course, involve the use
of his name. And we used it with all re•
Bret, and without the slightest imputation
of an " unworthy motive."
Our response in the Presbyterian, is as
follows
RESPONSE TO' ts WESTERN PENNSYLVA—
, NIA" ON THE ASSOCIATE 'SECRETARY—
SHIP.
MESSRS. EDITORS :-4n the Presbyterian
of july 31st, I find , au article imputing to t
me very unworthy motives, and an injurious
course, in the General Assembly and in the
Board of Domestic Missions, on the subject
of the Associate Secretaryship. The writer ..
also makes a free use of the names of other •
brethren. I may `be', obliged to use one of
those names in my response.
I have not a particle of interest in the
subject, beyond that of any other minister. I
No salary; -no office, either possessed or
sought for, by either self or friend ; no ob
ligation to repay; no favor to ask; no dis
appointment to grieve over. The part I
take is prompted simply by a sense of duty,
in the position in which God has placed me..
Now, what has the undersigned done ?
I. He was made by his Presbytery a
member of the late General Assembly, to
take part in any business which might come
befere it, and to originate business where he •
might be persuaded that the interests of the
Church needed it. In ' the progress of af
fairs, he was made Chairman of the Com
mittee on Domestic Missions. The Board's
report was put into his hands. A Wernher of
the Committee brought forward the Asso.
ciateship, as being now rendered needless.
Inquiry was made. The Corresponding
Secretary was interrogated. The Committee
became unanimous in their conviction that
the office should be abolished. They so re- ,
ported it -to the House, putting the matter
in the form of a proposition to the Board,
=rather than es an. order, it being thus more
Pburteons.. In defending the report, the
!Chairman made a personal allusion. He
but exercised a right. He but tried, faith
fully, and with due respect to all concerned,
4,o.diecharge a duty. And must he now be
abused,for ite--mierepresented, maligned in
social intereonne, defamed iu private letters,
and reproached in a leading journal of the
'Church ? Ifinteh is to he the ease; where
is: the freedom or an , Assembly ? ' If Presby
teriane will-tolerite thiry'altio, , whither. have
IRE PRESBYTERIAN "Ilk NER AND A DVOCATE.
they fallen ! If a member who but exer
cises his rights, without an offensive word,
may be thus persecuted, what will follow?
There is a principle at stake.
2. This same member of the Assembly is
also a member of the Board of Domestic
Missions. He attends the Annual Meeting.
He takes part in discussing the important
question. He treats it altogether imperson•
ally. He votes in accordance with a delib
eratively formed opinion, using all the helps
to knowledge to which be, can find access.
Is he for this to be defamed ?
3. This samo;person , happens to piublish
a religious journal, to which thousands of
Presbyterians look for information. They
expect to be, fairly and with due fullness,
informed on Church matters. The editor
gives an honest report of what occurred.
He informs his readers of facts and princi
ples needful on their part, to a judgment
which shall be according, to truth. Was
there in all this anything deserving the
casting out of his name as evil ? Must bad
motives be invented to account fora faithful
discharge of duty?, The.grand, distinctive
thing which lie has done, beyond others who
spake and voted as he did, is, that he
informed the churches, with an honest full
ness, of what was said, done, and involved
in the case. But fidelity to his trust made
this as really incumbent on him as was any
part of the transaction. When our journal
ists can, from any pressure, be induced to
keep secret important facts and principles
involved in our Church transactions, an evil
day will have come.
But why should all this difficulty have
arisen, from a bare suggestion of the Assem
bly to one of its own Boards, of an inquiry
into the necessity of continuing an office ?
Did tie Assembly transcend its power ? Or
had the incumbent a right which might be
jeoparded ? It would, seem so. He is un
willing to give up his place. But how can
he retain it? Those who know best, regard
the office, as things are, as an incumbranee.
If gey are to decide, the office will be abol
ished. The Board meets. There is a crowd;
an excitement; deep sympathy. Members
not present for years previously, are there.
The story of a deep plot has been in circa
lotion. " Whispers ' have moved Dr.
Krebs. "Surmises affect Dr. Snodgrass.
Fears for _all the Boards agitate others.
These things have procured an attendance,
and they now prompt speeches, and will
soon determine votes. • Previously, howev
er, to the discussion, Dr. Happersett hands
in a paper declining a reelection. This is
ordered on record. Now the incumbent
being voluntarily out of the way, no one
need, to get clear of him, vote to abolish the
office; and no one need discuss qualifica
tions, nor oppose a compliment, whether in
the shape of a resolution or of a formal re
election.
Well, the vote comes—fourteen to four•
teen—a, tie. The President, Dr. John Mc-
Dowell, has, to decide .the question. How
will be vote? Surely Dr. McDowell has a
naind.ef his own, on a subject which he un
,derstamds so well; and he has declared his
mind, too. He has, for long, been deeply
, dissatisfied with things as they are. On
this =very forenoon he had an earnest con
versation with a member of the Board, (the
present writer,) deeply deploring the status
, que. Surely then, as the office, is now in
his power, its abolition is certain. A word
will do it. But hold, Dr. McDowell, an ar
ilent friend to the Church and the Boards,
has just been led to contemplate what might
be , done in this office, and to retrenchment of the
, dezver to the other Boards, if retrenchment
shall be begun in this one ; and he sees that
the incumbent has declined a re-election—
there is a vacancy. He then calmly tells
the iskeeting that he came there with the
purpose of voting to abolish the office, hut
now fie believes he will sustain it; and soon
he resigns the Chair to the Vice President,
.and cleaves the room. I state facts.
The argument from the three Secretaries
in the Board of Foreign Missions, is insp.
,plicaists here, owing to the vastly different,
distant, extended, and diversified operations.
To that from the three Secretaries in the
Board of Education, I respond, judge of
each •case from, its own merits.
Our brother has made this, by himself
'and his friends, so much of a personal mat
ter, -hos spoken so freely of others, and has
put ix such large claims for his ability, his
labors, and his efficiency in the Board, that
we may be , pardoned if we, also, speak a
little •an this subject. Mr. Happersett was
an agent during the Secretaryship of Dr.
William A. McDowell. When that good
mans health was failing seriously, the agent
neva employed, when need was, to assist.him
in the -office. Bat the work did not still go
on satisfactorily; and an effort was made to
'obtain 1)r. Krebs, or Dr. Musgrave, or Dr.
Benkna. Neither of these would accept.
Finally Dr. McDowell resigned. This was
March 20th, 1850, as we learned from the
records at the late meeting of the Board.
Dr. Q. C. Jones was elected May Bth, 1850,
but did
.not enter upon the duties of his
Girton titl the following October. On the
17th ef June, 1850, Mr. Happersett was
elated Assistant Secretary. It was then in
an interregnum, that he obtained his appoint
ment. We thought, knowing that he as
sisted Secretary McDowell, that he had got
his advancement thus early. But we were
mistaken in our chronology. No Corres
,ponding Secretary is responsible for this
move. It would not have been made, if it
had been deferred till Secretary Jones ar
rived. Pr. Jones then regarded, and till
this day, after all his experience, regards, a
second Secretaryship„in that Board, as use
less. Se he states -in a letter of last June,
which was called out by Dr.. Happersett
himself.
' But Dr. Jones' health also fails, and he
Wishes to retire. Who shall fill his place ?
Shall it be the tried and experienced Assist
ant?.No, it was not assistance, not Clerk
ship, not letter•writing, but mind, mind,
mind, with true industry, that is wanted.
Dr. G-. W. Musgrave is then oalled
In the meantime, Dr. Happersett has had
the care of the then small business of
Church Extension—a work yet to become
exceedingly great, as we hope. This work
is to be enlarged, and the Assembly, in May,
/855, creates for it a new Board, or Com
mittee, and transfers it. But the Assembly
does not transfer the Secretary, nor do the
new Curators of this important interest call
him. His work then being gone, (for the
work of the Board of Domestic Missions, in
stead of being diversified, like that. of For
eign Missions, so as to need .a third Secre
tary, has been concentrated and simplified;
so as to dispense with the lecond, leaving a
necessity for but one,) his work being taken
away, his retirement seemed inevitable. But
no; not yet. An expedient is discovered.
Enough friends get together to make a dem
onstration, and to so far control affairs that
an Associateship is created—a new kind of
agency—a place is made for the man.
Three years roll round, and that naughty
Assembly again interferes. It has estab
lished a Systematic Benevolence Scheme,
which is now found to work so happily that.
all traveling agencies can be dispensed with.
Synods and Presbyteries- do not wish any
longer to pay.men who know no more than
themselves, for coming` far to makelfteen
minutes' speeches. Pastors have got tired
collecting money to be consumed in paying
for expensive visits. . They will attend to
their own work. Pastors and Elders, in
Assembly met, send down a proposition to
the Board, saying, in substance, we see no
use for this offiee. If you have no need for
it, dispense with it, and apply the money
now consumed upon it to the sustaining of
more missionaries. Well, what say the Board
—the working Board—the Executive Com
mittee ? Why, these men, who have the
transacting of the business, who have the
assigning to the Assediate of his work, and
the noting of its practical value, say, at once,
dispense with it. They say, abolish the
office. And in this sentiment there is, in
the Committee, a remarkable unanimity
One member is absent when the vote is
taken, but he is understood to agree in sen
timent with his brethren. One vptes not to
abolish, but his sentiments in regard to the
incumbent we have already shown. Thus
the, whole Executive Cemmittee, nine good
men, having the very best opportunities of
knowledge, his directors and coworkers,
say, the office, as filled is not needed
What, in the face of all this testimony, is
the value of a man's own utterances in his
own favor? Great fear is expressed for
"all the Boards of the Church," lest they
be injured by these inquiries. Now we
have no idea that the Boards are such rick
etty concerns
• as to be overthrown by this
slight "tempest." We regard them as sub
stantial structures, well founded. We look
upon their damage as to come, not from any
"radical," or ",demagogue," or "panic
maker." They are too highly important to
the Church's best interests, and too deeply
rooted in her heart's love, to be thus hurt.
No: their danger is from quite another
quarter—from corruption, or inefficiency,
or disobedience—froth becoming the means
uf place and profit for men, rather than
the working agents of the Church.' From
such deterioration we would save them.
IKeep them pure, and you may defy all
forces. God will be with them. And
Ito keep them pure, there must be no sine
cures and no nepotism, and no concealment.
SIT LUX..
For our part, we regard our Boards as all
essential. And we think that all are sub
stantially well conducted And jest as they
are we sustain them heartily. We commend
them - to the churches. We bring forward
their cause, monthly, and much oftener.
We say to the churches, sustain them well.
Look at them. Scrutinize them. Keep
th m so that they will bear inspection.
They nan bear to be exhibited. To speak
of their principles and their doings, will not
create a panic in the churches. And -we
insist that they must live in the light, and
so live that light cannot bring shame. This
is true friendship. This is the attachment
which God approves. The timidity of your
correspondent is a sad evidence of his opin
ion of these loved agencies Our opinion
of them is vastly higher. The vote in, the
General Assembly, sending down the propo
sition, we cannot but consider a most em
phatic declaration, that in regard to the out
wolk, an Associate Secretary is no longer
needed. The happy working of the Syste
matic Benevolence Scheme, it gives as the
reason. This feature in the resolution, it
loudly refused to erase. The proposition as
already intimated, was, that if the office was
not needed for in-door work, or for some
purpose which the Assembly could not see,
it should be abolished ; and those who know
what the in-door work is, and what all the
work is, say, decidedly, • that they see no need
for its continuance. Our position is then
made, good. A second Secretary in the
I Board of Domestic Missions is an office not
needed, and one which the Church does not
desire. DAVID MCKINNEY.'
August 6,1858.
There are several things in our assailants'
article which we did not note above, for fear
of being tedious. To one of them we shall
now allude briefly.
The injurious effects of agitation are pa
thetically lamented. Wby then did not the
Associate Secretary think of this in time,
and permit the Board in the ordinary way,
to act on the Assembly's proposition ?
And why did not the assumed " Western
Pennsylvania," think of this, when he
penned his.article, endeavoring to make both
us and our calm appear odious 7 And where
was the Presbyterian's reflective powers,
when it published the assault? Did they
think that we would prove craven ? Upon
them, then, be the responsibility.
But we have no idea of injurious results.
An occasional airing is useful. A breeze
often does great good ; and even a storm
may become a necessity; doing some injury,
but resulting in much benefit. If there
were no possibility of effecting a change
otherwise, contributions might, by some, he
withheld; but the indications of relief, in
the regular way of Church action, are now
so obvious, that every congregation may
pour with increased liberality, its benefac
tions into the Board's treasury. Give, say
we, and give cheerfully, for one year at least,
while you insist that your donations shall be
righteously appropriated.
Allegheny Theological Seminary.
To answer numerous inquiries, we would
state that the next session of the Western
Theological Seminary, at Allegheny, will
commence on Monday, the 13th of Septem
ber, with an address from Rev. Dr. Elliott.
We learn that the accession will be very
large, and this well appointed Institution of
our Church will probably have over a hun
dred students for the next term. The fa
cilities now offered, are second to none in
the land.
We regard it an importantfeature that all
the students are not roomed in the same
building, nor a majority of them. Rooms
for a portion are provided in the Seminary
edifice, well furnished and free of charge;
while other rooms in desirable families, are
procured for others, and made free also to
such as need. It strikes us moreover as a
very excellent .and valuable arrangement,
that instead of forming the students into a
separate congregation on the Sabbath, they
are introduced to the various churchei of
both cities, and engage actively in Sabbath
Schools and social meetings.
Besides, we learn on inquiry, that the ex
penses are brought within 'the reach of the
poorest student, and the deficit of any is
supplied from a private fund, contributed
by friends of the Seminary; so that none
need be hindered on the score of means.
Beard in select families can be had at
$1.75 to $2 00, and the total expense is
brought within $lOO for the Seminary. term.
Preaching without Notes, and Debating
Extemporaneously, are weekly exercises, in
which all engage from the beginning—no
manuscript being allowed in the desk; while
written Sermons and Lectures are required
by the Professors for special criticism.
Give and Strive.
We trust that the friends of Domestic i
Missions will not withhold nor diminish
their contributions, while an effort at reform
in expenditures is being made. That i
would be an effective way of securing a
change, but it would be attended with great
injury. And it is not needful. The As
sembly is right; and the working Board are
right. The evil will hence soon be corrected
in a legitimate way. Then discuss the
subject. Speak out Let light shine. And
still contribute—and give, a little the more
largely in that a supernumerary must be
temporarily supported. Do not let the toil
ing missionaries suffer, nor feeble congrega
tions lose their pastors. Give, steadily and
liberally, while you contend manfully for
economy and efficiency. Let the next col
lection be the largest sum ever sent in. Show
that the Systematic Scheme will work
BIBLE CONVENTION.—About sixty dele
gates from Bible Societies in SoutL Caro
lina, met in Abbeville, on the 28th of July.
A delightful meeting was bad. Important
resolutions were pas?ed, recommending the
use of the Bible in common schools, the
putting of a copy into the hands of every
foreigner who comes to reside in the United
States, and the liberal contribution of funds
to the cause The Southern Presbyterian
anticipates happy results.
In the City
PHILADELPHIA, August 16, 1858.
DEAR BANNER :-My last was from the
mountains, and spake of cool and refreshing
breezes, restoring life and activity to the
weary. But this week we can only speak of
these as things of the past, rendered all the
more delightful by contrast with the present.
For, as we near the city which still boasts
that it was founded by the wise, the pure,
and the good Wm. Penn, and which con
tends stoutly that the declarations of Ma
canlay concerning him are foul aspersions on
his character, we begin to breathe another
atmosphere—heated, sultry, and dusty. For
the city lies on a flat plain, upon which
the glaring sun looks down all the day,
having naught to intercept his burning rays,
while, the reflections from ten thousand ob
jects render the beat all the more intense;
and the eyes become pained at beholding
row after row of the cleanest red btiok walls,
of the whitest doors and shutters, and of the
most unsullied marble steps No doubt
these all seem neat and tidy, and are indica
tive not only of wealth and grandeur, but
also of the most watchful and untiring
cleanliness. But with this August sun
pouring down upon them and around, them,
the eye must at times become weary with
the light, whilst the perspiration starting
from every pore, makes the hospitable rooms
of the Merchants' Hotel, and the shady re
treats of Germantown friends, doubly ac
ceptable.
Well do we know how justly the people
of this.great city are entitled to the estima
tion in which they are held abroad forintel-
ligence, good taste, elegance in dress and
equipage, for the possession of every con
venience of domestic life, and for the splen
dor of many of their private residences.
But, notwithstanding all this, we could
never see the propriety of building that part
of the foundation of a house between the
ground and that which is to compose the
superstructure, of marble, or even making
the front of the first story of this material,
while the remainder, of however many sto
ries it is to consist, is composed of earthen
bricks. We may be over fastidious, or
there may be an architectural insight which
we do not possess, but to us there does seem
to be no great congruity in such an arrange-
ment. And whenever we see it, we are
strongly reminded' of the incompatibility
between silk stockings and tow pantaloons,
at the same time,4snd on the same person.
However, it is very evident that a change
is gradually taking place in this feature, that
has so long characterized the architecture of
this staid, sober, and, opulent city. The
brown stone front is rapidly displacing the
brick and marble, and unbroken uniformity
is no longer sought, but carefully avoided.
Great multitudes have been "out of
town," as the phrase is, and, as a matter of
course, the churches have been much
thinned. And a goodly number of the
pastors are, or have been, absent, for rest, to
repair the exhaustions or labor, and to fit
themselves to enter again upon their work,
with renewed energy and faithfulness: Dr.
Boardman is at the Virginia Springs ; Dr.
Cheesernan is, or has been, at his old home
in Western New York. Dr. Shields is
"away down East," in the vicinity of Bos
ton. Dr. Wadsworth is somewhere in New
England; Dr. Edwards has just returned
from the Commencement exercises at Han
over College, the scene of his former labors;
and Dr. Clarke is in New Hampshire. SO
that, owing to the absence of pastors and
people, two of the churches are generally
found worshipping together, for a few weeks.
The Secretaries of the Boards are at their
posts, with the exception of Dr. Van Rens
selaer, who has stolen a few days to linger
around Lake George, his mueh•loved re
treat, and of which he has become the
genial historian.
The Committee appointed by the General
Assembly of 1857, for the revision of our
Book of Discipline—the Second Book of our
Governmental Standards—at length met,
and was in session several days. The Com
mitts consisted of Rev. Drs. Tbornwell, R.
Breckinridge, James Hoge, Hodge,
Swift, and McGill; and Hon. Messrs.
Shorewood, Allen, and Leavitt; all of whom
were present except Judge Allen, who,
owing to some mistake, did not receive the
necessary information, and Judge Leavitt,
who was unavoidably . prevented. The dis
cussions Concerning Proposed changes, were
long, earnest, and, as might be expected E IisTER N, s
U M M A ii Y,
from the character of the Committee, able;
,
while the results were mainly, if indeed not BOSTON AND NE W ENGL AND
The great recent event, in this reole e- .
altogether, 111:18IIi110119 What these ohnges I
t i me, the Anniversa r y and Semi' Uenteoni,it ;t are will be made FAH° at the proper
Andaver. The Seminary at A.ndover i ,i — ,
and be brought before the Church for con
pride of New England
sideration.orthodoxy, s '
?oldest institution of the kind in the 17o:e-;
lt, is c
Brit it may not be out of place to notice,
States. Previously t - Nee 1. i ; 1
that one of the emepdations proposed, is a .rt - ,_,,,, taereoe.c,l stt;
clear definition of thut question which has had been partially attended to in Cole,
of and Universities, and young- !Bea fin
-
awakened a discussion in every meeting
a Presbytery, Synod, or General Assembly, their course nod!r private etitien
in cases of , Phillips Academy at Andover preced e d
at which we have been present,
Seminary a few years, in the010 ,, i... :,.
appeal, viz , "Who are the original par.
atractien, and may be considered th,• e- r , „
ties?" The Committee proposes to state def
,7
initely, that the parties who originate a of the latter; but so few were its Ding,;,.
case and so modest were the aspinneq .%
case at first, viz , the prosecutor and the
. 1 ,,,
accused, shall be considered the original 'the founders of the Seminary, that Dr.
parties throughout, in all appeals to higher uel Spring, of Newberryport, who wis thP (r ,
igivator, if not the founder of the I.
ii ,
Courts. The friends of different members
of the Committee have caused photographs , tioo, said he hoped the day tvould cos,;
pot ,. when there -would be as many as ( ~i t „ .
of each of them to be taken, for the
d
pose of having a combined Photograph of dents there assembled far instruction !
the whole Committee, as it eat around a About the time pf the founding of the f o .
table in a room of the Presbyterian Board stitntion, the Calvinists of New En o „ d
of Publication. were divided into High and Low; the 1,,,.
A great and cheering degree of religious
interest still continues, notwithstanding the
temporary absence of some of the pastors,
and many of the people. The Word of
God is not bound; it still has free course ;
and is glorified. In most of the churches
new cases of awakening are continually oe•
ourring, and in several, most promising indi
cations of the presence and power of the
Holy Spirit are seen. A Union prayer-meet
log of the different Presbyterian churches
is held every Thursday evening at 5 o'clock,
in addition to the regular weekly services in
each church. The daily.prayer meeting at
Jayne?s Hall, from 12 to 1 o'clock, is still
attended, notwithstanding the heat and
the absence of many, by from-five hundred
to six hundred, every day. And today,
at least twenty five hundred people were
present, and addresses were made by Rev.
Messrs. Chambers and Nevin, and George
H. Stuart, giving most encouraging accounts
of the progress of the good work in different
places lately visited by the speakers. Surely
a spectacle such as this has never been seen
here before. Twenty-five hundred people
assembled in the very heart of the business
part, of the city, to sing, pray, exhort, and
hear, for one hour, at mid day, and that too
just at the opening of the Fall trade, when
all afe eager and active in their varied pur
suits.
In more thin a dozen of the Engine and
Hose houses, prayer meetings, attended by
large 'and interested crowds, are still held.
While, in the large tent now standing at the
corner of Broad and Poplar Sts ~the Gospel is
generally preached every day, and one or
two meetings for prayer are held. On Sab
baths, the congregations at the tent are
enormous; and evidences of the most happy
effects of the ministrations in this place, are
continually appealing.
The Young Men's Christian Asssociation
have undertaken the erection of a suitable
building, and the collection of a Library.
In aid of these objects, George IL Stulit
has now on exhibition, in Parkinson's old
Saloon, on Chestnut Street above Tenth, his
Agava Americana, or Century Plant, which
was taken from the splendid collection of Ca
leb Cope, and which now, after about ninety
five years of authenticated existence, blooms
for the first and last time; for it exhausts
itself in its one splendid growth and bloom
ing. Since June the stem has shot up
about twenty feet, and at its top there are
seventeen braLcbes heavily laden with buds
and flowers. The flower resembles the
flower of the Wild Cucumber more than any
thing we can now think of, and the odor is
not unlike that emitted by the Wild Cucum
ber in the flowering season. It will be visited
and admired by great multitudes Another
specimen bloomed and died here in 1816.
It is a great wonder, but widely different in
growth and appearance from the descriptions
we have heard of it in the pulpit and on the
rostrum.
The whole endowment of the Theological
Department, has been about $-150 000.
There are 820.000 set apart as a fund for
the increase of the Library, and $30.000 for
assisting indigent students About $150,-
000 are available for the support of the Pm
fessors, who are now five in number And
still the Trustees say that the Institution
needs more funds, and they are determined
to raise them. A fire-proof Library building,
which will probably cost some $30,000,
they need, and mean to have. This mani
fests a right spirit Would that such a
i
Ecclesiastical, , spirit was manifest among all who claim to
be disciples and servants of Him who has
Rev. Joust S. WILSON, D D., has received
a unanimous call from the church of At the first rightful claim, as being Lord of al!.
lanta, Ga. - The foregoing notice we compile from a
Rev. ROBERT L. BELEM. has received a long report in the Boston Recorder.
unanimous call from. the First church, The .Recorder of last week concludes
New Albany, la. I the publication of Prof Shedd's Essay on
Rev. Jowl DONALDSON has removed from the subject of Original Sin. It is an able
Salem, Kentucky, to Cape Girardeau, treatise, and it has importance from the
Missouri.
1 Professor's position at Andover. We regard
- Rev J. M. WORRALL, of Covington,
Ky., it as not entirely sound, but it may be read
has been elected President of Austin Col- i
lege, Huntsville, Texas, in place of the late with great advantage by the enlightened
Dr. Baker. i and rightly balanced mind. It is pntl shed,
lin connexion with other Essays and DIE'
Rev THOMAS G. SMITH has removed from -
Cincinnati, Ohio, to Roscoe, Winnebago courses, in a volume, and is for sale by
County, 111. GOULD & LINCOLN, Boston.
Rev J. HALSTED CARROLL, late of New' Rev. Sylvanus Cobb, one of the ablest
Jersey, having removed to Aiken, S. 0 , theologians among the Universalist cler-qh
correspondents will address him a t the has invited the Rev. Dr. Nehemiah Adams
latter place. -
to prove the Scripturalness of endless pun
Rev. J C. Ra.sassy has accepted a call to the ishtnent in the columns of the Otti , tion
First church, Lynchburg, Va. ' Freeman, which Mr. Cobb edits. Pr. Ad
Rev. H. N. WILSON, D D.. of the Presby tams has accepted the iovitation, and in '
tery of Newton, has, had his relation 3 1 r.
changed to the Dutch Reformed church few weeks will enter upon his work.
Cobb will of course reply to the arguments
at New Brunswick, N. J. ,
~i -, '
Rev. J. rr.INSTED'S pastoral relaton to the ' of Dr. Adams.
Westminster church, Keokuk, lowa, h as Graduates are proceeding from our
been dissolved. Mr Urnsted's adress, ern Colleges, in large numbers Yale ih ' s
for the present, is Keokuk, lowa just sent out one hundred; and Willi ms
Rev. A. NI BEVERIDGE, formerly of Hoo- ( 'College, and the University of Verli ant i
sick Falls, New York, was installed pas- their usual numbers.
tar of the First Presbyterian church, in NEW YORK.
Lansingburgb, New. York, on the 14th.
ult. . The matter of absorbing interest in Ne w
d
-,..... - York has been, for many days, The At/" t:
Interesting Results in Wilmington, N. C. Ca bp The whole cintory, ,
The Presbyterian church in Wilmington, , M e rsantile.
Scientific, Literary, Political, and Chrigi
North Carolina, of which the Rev. M. B. feels deeply on this subject; but the C..EI--
Grier is pastor '
for some time past has been mercial Metropolis, on account of the pro'
greatly blessed of God. Sixty-two persons
have been received on profession of their • mooted,
' prietory interest there held, and the activiry
in the work, and the trade to be pr
faith. At the suggestion of the pastor, and
as a thank offerinv for their special mereies feels the must deeply. There is to be 2
the congregation ° are erecting a very neat great display on the arrival of the ..Wagara ,
and commodious building for a Mission and another on the reception of Qa een
church, in which there will ultimately be an
organization for a Second church. A very wakening
Victoria's message to President Buchanan
earnest and liberal spirit has been maui The accounts of the Refigi'mrs A .
i.
fasted in- this movement, the necessaryfundsare s
till cheering. This city, and I'llil. °e
. ~ -
1 being promptly subscribed. .
I phia, seem to he chosen places of the abode
More nest week.
mer being more commonly drsigoated H. p
kinaians. Each party had c.inceiv e d t h e
idea of forming a Seminary, and, their t a r .
poses becoming known to each other, an ef
fort was set on foot to unite their eo, re.4-s
in one. This was finally accomplished tut
with great difficulty. Dr Pearson,
most deeply interested in the event, was
obliged to make thirty six visits to Dr,
Spring, n t Newberryport, before he coed
accomplish the object
The deaths of students connected with th e
Institution, within the last fifty yeirs, his
been four hundred and seventeen, or Aim
one-fifth of the whole number that have here
pursued their theological studies. Theieul
ing founders of this Seminary were the Ld
i
vocates of Foreign and Domestic Missiets.
The Seminary came into existence just i n
time to meet the demands created by the
awakened interest in Missions. Hence the
streams of the Gospel first flowed from the
American Churches into heathen lands.
Men from here were pioneers in Burmah, in
Ceylon, in Armenia, in Palestine, in China,
in South Africa, in the Sandwich Islands,
and the South Western wilds. One hundrui
and forty-two missionaries have been sect
from this Institution. About one half 0 °
these are still in the field. Brethren thence
have been engaged in translating fourteen
different languages. This Seminary has fur
nished seven Secretaries for various Mis
sionary Societies, and sixty six Agents.
Twenty nine of the missionaries have died
abroad in the field The longest peried of
missonary life is in India. This Seminary
has given to Wabash College two Presi
dents and three Professors. Ohio College
has received four Professors. Other colleges
in the West are indebted to the same source
for Presidents and Professors. Andover has
given- to other institutions nineteen Presi
dents and forty four Professors Three bun
' dred missionaries bave gone forth from this
place to fields in the West, over all the ex
tended regions.
I Rev. Dr. Waldo, now some ninety six
years of age, was present, and took part is
the exercises. An earnest tribute of re
spect was paid to the memories of Dv.
Spring, Pearson, Wood, Stuart, Porter, Em
erson, Bartlett, Brown, Norris, and others,
the founders and Professors Among the
prominent speakers, we find the names of
Dre Asa D. Smith, Hawea,'Anderson, N.
Adams, W. Adams, Wayland, Bacon, and
Blagden.