gut Nana alt ' 3 4 I l'.Prrratraes. MNU:kitY-8;'181191' , %1MM0.... IWO§ in savanna' or la Clubs 01.231 or. delivered sit residences of Onlesaric hers, *145., ,Bas e s sospeetus, OM Third ?ay. nal* sat atoll little while before the year expires, that we neon snake fill arrangements fora steady supply. TM' AIM trU, 41 . 44 •1411kat we deebie' hoss•vssisi mamas, this signal ahweld be eialteed § we hope our mot forget *go RIMITIVANCRA.—iIestI payment by rats liaxsils, values deareadeat. Or, load by aaallo eaelorlagarolth brdfa eare'e and troubling leabiely ern % a kaaewleilipeof whet you are dildatr• 'Far a large wereviat, read a ',rap, or 'aria netars )rereaeortw*Pallinv9 ool4l EW A, or smell stetime . • TO KAMA 08ATO14 load pootogostoogios *w **Wifir WM; 'lna Wow lobwww 14&" , rwt "VMS or Soirtuatyniumbeirs, or $1 row 711 00, 07040 DITIRIO7 sU risttorti mind poilOookiikanaii I* UV. DAVID lIMINNEV: VUltoblarigko' Aos.Nolainten4ifi.We have' .ieee~neil from " Will WiiheiP and paid to thi Board of Domeatt% Nistionfh. tea dollars. THE Day , UNION PBAYERIMEETING iW now held in the ' Protestant Methodist church, Fifth Street: The k invitation is to'' all. tarry the' 'hour, - hide r an hour, or as, long as your oireumstanoes will permit Lmornare.—Rey, Marks is deliver ing, in the Central church, this , city,. a course of deeply interesting and{ instructive. Lectures, on Jerusalem , Palestine , and the' adjacent ecnntries, Theiio well worthy' the atterkon.il thereoinrauniti =I TXAMILANOS. —A Cooveption of -the friends of Temperance will-ber held in the Presbyterian church of ,Seltebotz,...Pe., 'on Thursday ) January 20thi qit 'lO • o'clock A.: M. Able addressee will be- delivered'.on the ocoreien. AcKriowmpaluEn.r. 7 --Mr 4ohn Culbert"- son, Librarian, acknowledges the following contributions to the, Board of Colportage : Mt. Proipect Church, Washington Presby tery, el j Little Beaver' Church; Litti? Beaver Presbytery, $6 00 A, New-Zilifwe ,Conte*plated. At a meeting , of the ''Directors of the Western Theological SeMinaiy, on'Tuesday, the 4th inst., ajroposition was Made, by a lady, through , a Alistinguished clergyman of. Ohio, to supply, thelitoard with .$6,000, ,for the erection of allow building on.the Semi-' nary grounds; to''be 'divided and 'fitted up foe studying rooms and dermitories for the students.' The offer was thankfully ac cepted, and a Conimitlee,!kppointe n d to carry into effect, withou t 404 1 the design, of the benevolent donor. , This liberality, we trust, will be an.ade guide stimulant to 'the churches to speedily, execute their priiiiese, as expressed by the Synods, of endowing, fully, the Fourth Pro... fessorship. The great increase ; la the num-,- bey of students renders the ,contemplated building an immedlite necessity. rtalso' givea full employment 'to' four Profes sors, and henc e urges upon the., churches the' speedy completion of the endowment which ' isfrequired-for their suatentation. i'olhe Our Oar liadi friends are kindly and earnestly requested to read, ,on . , our fourth • page, the/ appeal made* them by onr•London Coffee. pondent, and to 'ironiply with it most heir& ily and liberallyy. He r pis a very important . post in London. PreabYterianismthere, is not the religion of the rich or •thwpowerful. Our. brethren •in that . city , are- rather the poor, and relarge portion' of our Correspond ent's large congregation, are the 'transient.' But, to have a clinreh; induces more to , be come resident. The influence of our, 'Cor respondent, ins.lsustaining , and promoting true Hvarrgelical Presbyterianism; in .Lon don and in 'England, is 'very great; fond vibe does ricitf — Wiehlthit it Shalliloilish ?` Now, will not American Ladies cover the , American Table spoken ! of, bountifully, with their gifts ind rich-handy-work ? Wye trust they will.: ,, They` - will be doing • . good, and honoring:their country. ")! ' ! These whO s pCnnot: , eonTenieittly,scrid, , to George 4.),dtuari,p6 9. , can send to us, .and we will earefillly i t forward. Bend ~ soom The time of need approaches. ..• We 444 , gentlemen ' s kindness, in aid' the ' pastor ' favor We speolaki, •Enoburagement. We are; just now, receiving some fine list's of subscribers : From many of churches increased .numbers are coming. A .bnither called, this week,,with seventy.three aiames, being an increase of ten over 'last year. Another, in sending ' on his list; says : ft Please announce the reception of new subsoribers, from Ohio, and tell the whole world: to -take the Banner and , Advocate." We trued that our readers, pastors and el dere, especially,wily exert their influence` in our keep uP the eieelleuce of cur journal and ~,not to raise the price, ,re quires decided ,demonstrations of friendship; and as old - friends' and occasionally, one beiomes offended at our'` indeiendent course and our straight•forward and unflinch ing'fidelity, new ones are needed. We try to render it: &nano. to peotie for their money, and 'tofehurch. offleers for their toil on our behalf. What is the worth, in ya family, of, a well c onducted religions journid? What is the valve, in a congregation .of fifty or a hundred, well Stored papers, arriv lag weekly for's whole year,'ind year aftim Year T Who shall tell ? Just , look at' the increase of knowledge given; and the Qom fort imparted, and the" intelligence; and the benevolent emotions' indueed and fostered, and tinitheridity proMeie4, and the help to genera 4nefilon, and ginl,governmeu, A nd the aid heavenward, and then reckon up, if you can, tat:papal; value':-to-the familyand the eongiegationl to the` Church-41)&1'0re, and to the people of their charge. JINNI The British Quarterlies Foils considerable time past, we; imie been anxious to find room for a more length eneolAxtiole than , our 'column of llook_No. Saes usually contains, on the reissues by Leonard Scott & Co.; of 11/ackwood'S 3141-' wine, and the four leading British Reviews. From time to, time , we,have presented the headings 'of the 'different articles in these journals to our readers, with commendatory notices in - twhich':' the respective characters of these great' 'organs were displayed ; but there are so manyof our readers,- who either pass by the column of a newspaper which is devOtedio'new publications, or who, if • they, glance at the names of, the , books, pass on to ether subjects; from the suspicion , that the object of a Book Notice is to commend all and sundry of the publications that may find their way to an editor's table; that, we have wished to solicit the attention of a.. readers to a few thoughts on the surpassing merits of these publidations. The'seaton of the year is a suitable one, either for the formation of new clubs,or for individual subscribers to forward to the pub , lishers their addresses and their, subscrip 7 Lions. And:here we -confidentlystate dur firm *conviction, that as many of our rtiaders' as " will take'our advice, and either originate' a alrib,,pr become subscribers, on. their own'• behalf—and whew the• Reviews reach , thena, be at pains to read the different articles in 'a thoughtful find that we have placed them under a weighty obligation, by our suggestion, that they sheuld i study. these Unparalleled vehicles. of modern _literature-, We mean =to to utter no disparagement against our Om serial literature, .when we place "these Reviews on such,a)ofty pedestal. • Nor do we in -any way, depreciate the °apse ity of the 'American• mind.' little reflec tion Will ServiSlo'shOw our,readers why it is' that these organs which have nOw attained to „a ; venerable age, are, and must be, une qualled, either in the New orr in the Old World, whether we'taka our own:country, or France, Germany, Prussia, -or any Euro peari nation into the consideration. ' MEE For • centuries the, English mind has en joyed thelnealculable advantage of.animer one class of• endowed Schools, scattered over the country, where Classical Literature is cultivated with wondrous success ,ThAmps ters and Autors in these Seminaries, are Classical. iaholari of 'the kigheit oider: They are fimiliar with the whille curia Cali:an of Greek ,and Roman literCture. Many ,of them indeed are as familiar with, the learning of the - past, as they are with-the' subjects of the present age: In these In-c n ions e sons of rich ommoners who are to inherit the estates of 'their fathers the sons of wealthy merchants, whose means are almost fabulous; the heirs of Noblemen, who Fare to take.their place as Incitribbist -Parliarnent,or to be heard at the bar; • - or - to distinguish`themselves by flood or field, are, found,,congregated. They are not , sent, to these Institutions for some three: or four months, to obtain a smattering of -knowledge, and then t( run iiii`rePidly, through a College with a long Prospedis and a Faculty short of hands, r • d over-worked because of &tan. vial pressu On ,the, other ; hand, they, re main until , laving reaehed'the liighast form, they: are • drafted. off` either to Oxford •or Cimbridge, 'where'' their inental"culture''' is extended farther' still. Let our, readers now, consider what must, - be the effect of such training on the thou- Saida who hafelaiesuch sAsintidition,.and who aftinwards, find their Wei to the 'Bar the „Pulpit,, AM Senate, the Army, oi,the Navy, after >;a long additional , profesaional training: Consider, again, the 'thousands scattered overall the Empire, who ire:living: in alimintleisure,ind who haVe ilar training in early life; who are literary,. _ in •their tastes and habits, and who :will de., viand a literature of the highest ` order. The abupdamie of their means!enables them: to pay the most „extravagant .priges,,f6r l Pliant ; folios and,goodly quartos, as, welt for the more ordinary sizetiotdommon.place literature ) Then,Pgaini look- at the` stances of Great Britain, withlleitis' tory' rirreing down •over< so nsany!ages fromthe antiquity of the put; With its endless ' jeets:‘offamily kenealogy, political party,, refigionsadivisions77Antiquarian,,Parliemen ! , Wily,: Collegiate, Revolutionary, Royalist, and Roundhead,' rural life.ind eity , Misery;: With humanity every forth s and Condition,. from the princely ranli'aia yoYidafflueoS,of; the .Noblemolgwn • to thcsdegradation a pnd wants of the homeless .beggar; -with sher: Cob.; onies,'lgirdlingi 'the:earth, and her treaties'' bringing ''her` 'into political rellitiOn every `civilized.natian, rind then,whep the ; fact is super-added, that.this restless, agitat-, ing, bus Y-minded, progressive' and educatedi 'maple enjoy the utmost ireedoin of the press, anda healthy utterance of literary J ana political opinion, and; it would be passing, strange if the. everyday literature Of emoh a people' wire oravammon order. In : France,: the people have not` the !noney to'huy such a literature There is a want of scholastic tfaining to produce it, and ; , there is in, abienee, of that national freedom; the pba- Beni= ' ', 43f which,, will -alone:enable the' philosophic' mind to discuss thee — questions that bear on man's intellectual 'and moral welfare, for time and for , eternity Neither has , Germanyi with its: Universities and, profoundly learned mew, the healthful free dan and manifold stimulante, that are pos :nesse& by the British mind, to intellectual boldness and literary success. Neither Lae Aussie, nor any ether Edropean land. ; The Anglo.Baxon l or the Celtic 'element. 'among our ; people is in, no way inferior so far, as grasp or' power is:noncerned, to the 'itooknt the parent home..' , : But 'our antivity. Ans Ashen ) and it, must, mune, :a, different direction for a considerable We have' new 'States to found, and empires ' of freemen , to' create, by siibping the wildeiness, and 34kiei,the, deeeit Ple abode 'Of ,a'n Wight. tined aud energetic people. We our rivers to turn intojtighways, :and 'our rail roads testreteh front eiean-to ()Casa. We ,have 'dine to' keep our sons, 'fot . years,' T H K PRESBYTERIAN BANNER AND ADVOCATE. learning the rxdrrutiaa of Latin Prosody, and filling their reilidi‘with the graceful beauties of the Grecian: poets. There is work for them to do. They are called for by compan ions Who are battling with life, and whodeed their aid 'and' effort as coworkers in the onward struggle. They are, carried forward on the swelling tide. oftzt enornmusly,pro gressive civilization, and thud thai advancement has been, and must be, mainly physjog and social while,„ in .. .Evlnnd ri the odellition - of her people;' and theirscorinetionf with the-..provisions-.of the past,,,has made: her sons, in such vast numbers, men of learning, fitted for enlightening other lands on subjects that require ,the graces of high culture combined with profound thought. The working of the British Constitution, also, and the division of her people into political parties I and riligiods sects, favors 21 promotion of vigorous serial literature. While occurring publications and philosophi cal subjects generally.were to occupy a place i on "the Pages of the Edinburgh Review,, its originators intended mainly, by its brilliant, daring essays, to tell on theToryiron of , the day, and thuslo remove those governmental restrictions whichthey believed to jwoof of character with A the age. So, also, in the case of Blackzoood's "•'Magazine, ands the Quarterly Review; Poetry, Antiquarian subjeetS, kthics; Travels, the whole range of learning might, be introduced into their articles, but one thing never to be forgotten, was the, conservation of all that. was believed to be sound, and essential to the British Constitution. Progress theidreaded, dnless it was progress of a very Slow and safe order. If the Edinburgh was the impulsive steam enaine .the- embodiment' of an onward force that that wits moving, among therriesses, the latter, acted as the break, and the', fly-wheel thatiestrained or regulated all tendencies to irregular' of excessive' "motion But in all hie' lands, there be fband a 'class of minds disposed travel out of the beaten track, both-in politics, and ; religion. So it has , -been'-in Britain, and hence the it "'party' there hwie had their organ; and the whole fellowahip of letters despite its more than covertinfidelity,and insinuat ing Latitudinarianism, have been constrained ; to admire the power of the•Westatinster Re- view • Our readers who will reflect on, the Objects, to be loubserved 4 by'- such organs, Ism well: understand how itches come to pass,rthat the, brightest min& of Britain haire been andstill are the Oontributens to their pages. That a present member of the Cabinet is a Monthly, writer for Blackwood ; that's late editor of the :Edinburgh -leaves that literary , thione whiOh he adorned, to beeoinefOhancellor of Herltlejesq's Exchequer, and that a proprietor of the Westminster should, as coloniahSecretary, have.been entrusted with the destinies of= Britain'slfty or allay Colo nice, are suggestive of" reasons Why :the, Navy the Army, , the. Justiciary—all classes and interests in the Kingdom, , and in Chris-, iendoin—should aoknowleAge the power of these journals, in which snob mighty ques tions are discilised by glint Minds. Bo also, it easy to perceive how it comes ,to , pass, that such enormous sums as , contribu- : tors receive for , their.zessaysp are paid •by the promoters and Publishers of these jour.. nals. The questions -at issue, the conse quences, to, the ; , pohtical party if, Recess is attained, the importance* , of procuring , the' highest talent that money , can, command ;c these and other • considerations unite in . securing'a•liberal scale of remuneration un heard of in the world of letters until these' organs appeared. - We need not' detain our :reiders by3_de tailing the characters of these Reviews , Most ersons who glance at ` newspapers ;_' hem that the , old and , venerable Edinurgis is • the mouth , pieee of ithe Whig. party Lairsdowns, of . Brissells,' Sydney ' Smiths, and Brpughanis of the day. Opposed to c a nimPO;questions of ,Choral ' , "„4 tatrr • the Quarterly. has been, . and = still is, Pie= representative .of ="f the flee old .English; Gentleman; all of * • tha, olden thii"—the suPPeit4:' ef 'a strong goVetiunent in the State, and the, staunch unswerving friend of the Church. latterly, this journal has, taken - a <deoisive statr, against ry the puling, eilley party:of 'Puseyites are ' striving to play' at Popery in the bosom of, the Estab: lishmeni and while xt is thus au oppenent of. ,1",. sox-heed % vinegar,. Puritanism," it hi , equillyithe , foe =of Popery as the enemy of. Britain's Weak MEE Before, the establishment of the North British Review, several of the. writers of thee= Edinburgh; °S had touched; the ~s ubject of Christianity with ;the .hand :of an Esau;' rather than With that of w.2 ,00 h- Sootfand felt thati,eipecially on Church: politics and ewEvangelical subjects, the name of. Bain-, burgh must not be misrepresented, and, se ,e6rdinglY, the 'North- British - ReView corn= ;inerieed career: „It is not and never has :been, the order of <the Pee phuroh, has beenerroneomily suppoied. Free Church , 'men have written' for 4' it, but. many of ‘ its contributors areEngliehmen ,and Churah4 men; object of the Review being a fair oAhihition of bilroli , PAlitios and of ;Evangelical matters in connexion with the Jauhjeets thatlshoulit adorn a literary Review. In the case of the Weitminster, there axe )times when we confess our indignation is istirred. - .lts:wily mode :of presenting.dan tgerous matter, especially. in its review of 'Contemporaneous Literature is most ,but on the other hand the wondrous character of its, leading articles is such, that we fear F literary:men will, feel called on to glance at its pages. Perhaps . the ?Wet)! of , Moitreadeis will be 'found in the fact that all really, educated,Men will, 'because' of 'their knowledge, be able to detect the ene, my, -and to _understand the mile as to griand against it in due time. Subscribers' to these Reviews and ! Black- PqAtailh Piti*nuanY eight dollars for, their, copies; while, the American publisher offers them the five for the ' serail 'sum of ten `dollars, leaving subi scribers to pay an additional Wile of post= ' = age . Those whlifave made themselves fa . miller' with 'theise great Masters of serial literature, will require no incitement from us to induce theta tmkeep,np their acquaint ance withtheir pages ;lola We 'are eatießell that asopany ofour. friends -and ,readers B-8 will be at the troub le to organize a club, will feel under' 'weighty obligation to us for ourowell-afeant `saggestion. -How many intelligent. sons :of farmers and of persons in bnsikess, could„thus,, by the . application, of merg-4 I v two' 'dollars, according 'to the_size_of, the_club,_enlighten their mindtf, cultivate their literary taste, and use an in. strumentality 'that would expand their views of - men and things, instead' of wasting their time on smile miserable novel, or unreliable political sheet, or on the - columns of a love and murder newspaper ! It is useless for any one to say that these journals "are foreign-that their writers don't understand us, or ,our institutions—do n i t write for us--don't touch the subjects that interest and profit :us. This is not so; The subscribers and ' , readers- of these Reviews, know that it hi riot no, and that the :reading and staidying of these orpns, helps them in, no ordinary degree, ,to-a, right conception of the very, qUebtions that have- to be debated by Americansf on- American soil. The ob jeotion inerelY proceeds from ignorance. It is seldom heard, from tjie learned men of 1303011, Xale,Princetoni Philadelphia, New. York, or Washington. And even those' who urge it, n'ease`to do so when ever they dip Inici the fountain and' taste of thC liv ing ;hiring. ' We are,now•at the beginning of the •year, the semon'for < commencing is subscription list. , . Ilow many will, 'after reading this az tick, communicate "with' the publishers, Leonard. Scott & Co:, New York and de sire them_jofurnish them with.these Re., views 7. 'Wit trust that a goodly number may 'adopt our advice, and thus' help 'the; publishers pay' the large sum which they annually contribite 'fo' the, parties on , other side of 'the Ooean, for - the advanced iheets from which-the American reader is , supplied. Wastininster, Assembly. The list of names in the Ordinance con vening the: Assembly, • amounts to one bun dred and fifty-one, consisting of ten Lords; twenty Commoners as lay-assessors, .and one =hundred and :twenty-one,ministers. The , honesty of intention entertained by theletiders in themovement, maybe learned from 'the fact that men of all shades of opin ion in matters of Church-government were , emhraced in : the order. - !' Four bishops were named; while some of , the , otheis were known to ,be favorable tie a moderate Episcopacy, , • ,-• othere to Independency, , and others to Pres byterianism. The , great object evidently was, to have a fair discussion, - and to, arrive at just conclusions concerning the important Matteni in' dispute. As might have been eiiitiOted,. Church party were olisinoronst,and persistent, in their opposition to the proposed Assembly,, for they affirmed the abolition of • the hier archy, as they litiderithiOd' it, to btra fore gone conclusion. Accordingly, wily:one of the bishops named atteiided tho .. 4*g of the Assembly, and .be. onlyveoutinued l for One day; while another excu, se&himself on account of necessary duty. And twenty-five of thze :- o4linally summoned declined to attend,. beisiiiip it was . not . a convocation called by the. Sing, and because his Majesty, Charles 1., very decidedly condemned the Scottish League and'Ootienent of this num ber, ionr afterwards boniiinetbiish Ops.. At this point, it "will be proper. correct 'two mistakes that are still retained by many.. For even to • this d 4 there can be found , those who should know better, but Who in; ally believe that invited to this Assembly did attend," `were ready dissenters frotri j the Episcopal ghu eh, and revolutionists in the State. To the-41f % it is replied,.. that the:ministers ve;ere; au ' ; Episcopal orders; except: the Snot* swho could r ePtiali; but not vote' in' The laws and ;iliti,biOhops had foug'bofoin cant out all, the )ion-eonformists., Ar4".ati l palamy mays', "'They ;who made np the. Aisi sernbly at Westminster, nnd 'who, through' the land;Were the honor of the Parliatient'a.. party, were; almost all sitikiti,h4tillthn - O;', 'conformed p aud took.,thoge, things .: to. be•htwz ful in eaiscof Y necessity, but longed,to hive, that = neteesityf , iimoved." - dn thie~ they: 'agreed , 'ilia:l'll64ly with . the ear ls' English ' : ll,4fofineie, than With the""lfigkOh y lliek" rkt:ty of our own ,day. Beoause ziona,, .of the Fathers! of t. the English Chureit.held.*tink l Bishops were a distinct order frOui Preaby-. Uric ands` had" over them jute vino, and directly . from God ;" but that .. Prelacy teas , merely of human institfecic) l ni l and appointed to secure order and.4recieney, in. the Church. • . , , • 'Alf opntt . ary doner:lks 'Was oritly.prritil l • .g4e.a i9=',4i,p'..'fits)i,: . o - th,inliiii,tiglijih, •Churob . by iti t uie'init", in' 183 1 14, aiiigins • !Malkin tb.,Arohbishop Whits* ? t Buts.'it . eniain r fitiTor the infalhous , tispiPlulinOthei tieniury;iii'attenipt to', inriiilla sentiment as a law of the Church, and of the land. To e the„,,Rslond abate, it is answered; that the Assembly was called according: to law,' by the 'representatives of the people duly met in Parliament. 'And owing to the state of things en existing in both Ch u rch ad State l it , ' cult to see how's full ei.- 41 in premien of, the mind of the people, ::with re stiouit to 'the . inibjeetk=involved, could. haire bee* secured *." any, other _ 'Way, 'Yet' it must.hi oiinfeieeda4 this corilliiiiiin'*ith. the Parliament, did,..ntore, than ,ailY *ln.: else to embarrass .and retard the - delibeira;' , tions - of .he 'Assembly, and tn=pirent the' mitire,'Snecess of its iesUlti iii theliiigatiti' of f great Britain, at that time', . , . . ~.: .Ittrthe meantime, after the Assemhlytlia4 been: called, it Was deemed advisable ova.: Ore:the oaoperstion taut assistance, of 'the 139"otebt,„ ., '4.1#44urste'''' ' 'ri! and one lay Mani bearing an, hp,9rlii# name —= Sir lieniy , yane, the younger—went to , Sootland to propose a basiir.of union by - a , civil league. But-the: Scot C h. iniisted that ' the union 'should be consummated by a religious bond, and pro posed the Celebrated: e‘ Solemn League and Covenant," (of which we hepe,to have.some thing to say not many weeks hence,) which Oonyention of , Estates and the General sembly." This was accepted, and sworn and subscribed by both Houses of Parlia• merit Snd 'the Assembly at Westminster, on the 25th of September, 1643. This act gave. t Ict ., W,, c tO proceedings 'Of the 'Aeseinbly; for. inistead , . of :busying _itself, as at first,_ correegng Ahu Thirty- Nine Articles, it now began seriously to oarry out the purposes of the Solemn League. • ' Owing tb the negotiations already nom ' menced, the.kleoloh . sent fonr id,thsir ablest ministers ;and, three of their most honored laymen, to be present'at the opening of the Assembly. , 'And on the Ist of July, 164.3, the angina AsseMbly met- in Henry the Seventh's chapel ; the members wearing not the Cionimil habits, but dressed in black 'coats and bands, after the manner of the Contimentil.Tionistante.. The deliberations twee was' eniin:ently proper, With• fasting and devotional services, solemn Ind tender. 'These services were protracted .to 'a length that would be considered utterly ineneniablein our times, but in them there to have been no weariness on that day. And well Might men abasethemeelven very low before God, and lingerlong ironnd, the Meroyseat, who were about to-engage in such a momentous work as that' to Which' they had set themselves. In the farat'plakiej, . . „. there Was a brief prayer ; prayer of 'two hours, in length,; then. asermon,of one hour ; then a Psalm; then a prayer of two hours; then a sermon; of one hour ; then a Psahn, and the Benedio- It was.very BooLevident that the Presby,. terian element Wet: largely. -predominant. Opposed to thii, were the advocaten'of Ppie copaey, who, however, soon withdrew; the Erastians, who contended that the State .. and the Church must be necessarilysone—!, that the government-of the two arable, and' that all :Church government` should . be in the hinds of civil rulers; and the. Independents, who maintained , not only that the Church was independent of the State, but that each aspirate church was indepmdent of all other ehurches, except in the way of advice. Media these last had been compelled, by the i Persecution of the bishops, to pass over to Holland;where they became acquainted and charmed with the Congregational form of Church government. The Erastians, at first, numbered three, but Owing to the death of one of these, one cler gyman and one layman were the sole' advo cates of that system. But these were men of renewn—Dr 7 Lightfoot, and the , cele brated. John Seldan—and they were backed by the outside pressure from Parliament, the most of Whose members were,. according to Bailie, 14- downrigli,t.EMetiana." The'ln .dependents were, at first; only,,fiie3 but they .afterwards increased, 41- seven, d finally,to eleven. But some ot &enema* men of greatlearning and wonderfolebility. • However, Piesbyterianism was So largely, in the mikirity, both in numbers, learning, and inflnenoe, that it had everything pretty imeh , to its own liking. . . . , . The ohief:topicri,of discussion were these: 1. Whatsre heeilifrot bearers in a PT9PPIIy constituted Christian Church 7_, :2. The,neces eity for ordination, and whether it , ought to Eplicemal; Preabyterial, or Cokiiregstron al;: 3., Whether Discipline was solelY jdOe Church,Oorufbi,...4o . hy Divine, authority; or, inbjeot oivil.coritrol. 4. Chtroh ,Gov ernment--whither Episcopal, Presbyterian, 'ort - CongrigatioUll. - ' Con?ession -of Faith and ; Concerning the Confession , . . and the , Oiteldiksin, there was. no. difference . of opinion t 7except in 'the matter of disoip. gne;iwhidlkitke Congregationalists did not ' like, EraOtions warmly: ? posed. #4 . tfieTrefil)yerianetie‘n, - 44071: , ; inaintaineAti!s.ol;ii,raJan i s 07,4*, q, King and Head of his: atcre s h; Aar, not, only :is a elOdeOCof faith' a n d iiactice, 440 has ,v;lsO appointed government in, di , hi nd of Church 4ffif#::6; dAtiao Its* .oii; • However, it wind not be suppoaedt that the whole time was. oicupied With' debates, but by far•thei gieiter portion Was di4414 • as O t was, A,jo quiet,. studious, and, Over : fui labor • by: committe ea, to • wii.oui , :the:,* fciroiit parts were committed, atid:whokfrota. time Width!, reported the of their • laiii j iVtli l of whole 'Aisthibriiiithi every. sentence t , • ; ..1) UP. • 4 • 7 n was weigbed.und,teited ,tho. *saps of. Scripture zbrought.foriaid itc#B. sappBi~. ~' Ao,,Aireitory, l for, !Woish.ip ) . and : thaMoinm.oflOhnich Government,' were - toot presented to Farrliament and apprOvedi at A nd • Voareyer griii.4ight be the disagreamerite with ; ireePeet„;:trA4.9kiiiil(GoVeinni vat, and Diseiplinp r ilmme walihe most perfect agree went With. limpict. rid:the •dootiiries con !Wiled in' the "Oclnfestarcin• and the Catechism, *all Parties. Tiii:dinfdiiioir of Faith was, submitted to,P4.l4inent in December, 1646 the Shorter Catechism-in : 2November, 1617,; and the, Larger, , in• .Apri4 1618. These Standards •wirie • adopted by Parliament,' with' the'exciiiiiticr orthe Chapters cOneern , ing the Magistrate, which were too stringent for the Erastianisni of that body. Stich was the origin of those Standards which. have stood the test of more than two centuries; which are now received as the gnat formula "iee of doctrine and government,by the'..Pres7; , byterianrof. England, Ireland, Scotland; and ; ; the United' States, and which have ..exerted inch an untold influence on otifei dhureher,', and upon civil government. Chid' 'Justice Tilghman asserted that the structure of ourl !National. Government was greiatlylndebted to the • Presbyterian Form of Government.; :Arid we have been , told, ou high authmityi 'that the gifted Hamilton, while".Writliette. Constitution of the United Stitsw tad our Form of Church Government eonstaitly be 'fore him. • And what a wondrous coniloend.of Chrid tin - doctrine is contained in the Confession and Catechisms) He who merely gives them a place, in his library, or only . consults them oc'easionally and cursorily, can know lint' 'little of their rearwotth, 'the amazing amount of erudition and labor ex pended in their preparation. We refer not merely to their high Biblical character, to their unsurpassed logical accuracy, or their. unequalled precision in the statement of truth, but also to the fact that they are "the deliverance of the Assembly on all the chief controversies which had previously agi taxed the Christian Church, though without their being expressly named." Indeed, not a few propositions in the. Confession cannot be understood properly, without considerable acquaintance with the controversies to which, they refer. There fore, it cannot be unreasonable to ask the increasing attention of ministers, elders, and private members to these glorious Standards. Nor can it be thought presumptuoui for us to inquire why this Confession and these Catechisms should not be found among thp Class books in our Theological Seminaries? Certainly none of the compends or systems of Theoloey usually put into the hands of the students, earl be at all compared to our own:venerable Stapdards. And we predict that the Seminary, in our Church, that first gives the 'prominence to which it is entitled • to the 'study of otir own Standards, will cone fer a benefit, upon its - students, and upon the people to whom` they will afterwards ter, that will not be lightly prized. In ; another article, we will give an ac count of some of the leading members of the Assembly, and of its dissoluttin. Approbation. It isxlwa,ys pleasing to have the approba, thin of those for whom we labor, and ape oially is it so in times'of trial. In'all the late - disoussion, we had testimonials sustaining us, in our ,efforts to promote efficiency and economy-in. the management of our Church affairs. - And-still we are receiving multi tudes of declarations in oar favor. This is more than we could have claimed for what we did, but it is what we had - reason to ex pect for our intentions. Surely those who Maintain that missionary contributions are donations to the Lord' .4 cctuse, and who urge the mite, even ftom, the poorest of the widows, must approve of all right efforts to, suppress wastefulness in: the using of the funds. Oar brethren; now 91keered with the result thus;far, will permit us, often and earnestly, to, urge the enlarging of their gifts, and spe cially. to the Domestic Board. Let not the cause decline. , :THE MARTYRED- MISSIONARIBS.--We, last - week, noticed, at some extent, the ap. pearnliee orthis well:got-up and deeply in. teresting, work. .We recur to it to say, that it is for sale at the Presbyterian Book &mos, St. Clair'Street, in this We hope the calls and orders for it will bamany. EASTERN'SIIKMARY. BOSTON AND. NEW ENGLAND. , • Quite an Exciting 'Controversy has f been carried on for some time, between,Mr. Wil lis of Boston, and Mr. Monte, of the New York Observer, . concerning the origin of, the BOston Recorder. Each claims • to have been the originator, and' that the Recorder . was the " firstreligious newspaper `" in the United Stat'es. A late number of the Con gmationalist reviews the whole controversy * at great length,, and gives its judgment. inf4,4tror of the claims of 'Mr. Willis, father of the Home .rournal. 4hen it priceeds to,discuss the claim of the 'Recorder tohe the oldest religions ,newspa per in the world. By a religious:newspaper, the Congregationalist understands not a paiiel:Which gives only religious intelligence, but a:news paper, coinplete in every depart ;mot of news, ; but on a, religious, ,instead * of a political or literary basis. According ,to this definition, 'the Congregationalist 'shows that'' our ; venerable Sad admired Ifriend thi Recorder, was not the first,re- Iligions newspaper in this country.; ,The Christian History was 'published - in , Boston ai:early as 1743. And- the Religioue Re tn,mbretueer was published in Philadelphia :in 1813. the ; first nuniber- of ;the Boston Recorder , was not issued. until 1816. Noris the Recorder,. according to the. COn grightioniiiist; the oldest religious newspaper now existence For the Herald of Gc,s i pal Liberty, still * issued, was published at I Portsmouth, N. H., imlBoB. t But there is another paper 'that can certainly claim -a. greater .age than -'the Boston Recorder, but ; because it appeared,';and still , continues in the. West,,,it has escaped the attention of those engaged in the discussion in the'East. Pei It - can be scarcely` imagined that a little town in Ohio would send forth a religious Mier before, the ancient, wealthy, andlit ; entry city , of Beston,,wljv so many stirring appeals have often bee ads in behalf of the destitute West Neverthelees, the fact iti l eertaiii. 7 ' The first` number of" the Weekly Recorder was pabltsli~ed an,Chillicothe , Ofijoi on, the sth of July, 1814, by the Rev. John Andrews, 'of- the Presbyterianehurch., The character of the -paper was deseribedatt tf Coinbining religions litSrary , civil, sad general intelligence,' : And, at the ; close of the first volume, the Editor, who' died in Pittsburglv a few -years ago, ibis' 'expressed himself We account it a high and uMf.p'eakablo privi lege:4 of which we are' unworthy; fa have so favor able and opportunity of prcimulgating the glorious things win& God has done, and is still doing in the world, for, the, honor j of his great name, and the spiritual' illmnirnition ° and everlasting salva tion of benightecl, perishing sinners. To him let the praisei he - itieribed forever. This paper was 'afterwards removed to Pittsburgh, mid continued to be published under the names of the 'Weekly Recordery The ChilistiarkHerald, and the,Presbpterian .Advocate,-and is now issued under the name of 'the Pre.shkerian'ilittiaeKa n d Advocate. So that • with all dui defirence wee of the Banner must say to, you, of the Bolithii* Recorder., we amyoun Senior. , •,? i The Boston Public. Library, after beinm: v :,~; ~.;.~~ dosed for a time, has been re-opened. The building fOr its accommodation is one of the most substantial in the city. it has now seventy thousand eight hundred and fifty one VOlumeireflideks, and seventeen sand nine hundred and eighty-three pamph lets. Of thee, (hiring the last three years, fifty-four thousand six hundred and eighteen volumes have been presented by Mr. Bates, its greatest benefactor. .The accessions from all sources, during the past year, have been fifteen thousand one hundred and sixty three volumes, and one thousand eight hun dred and sixty-five pamphlets. It is sup. posed that the regular annual' increase hereafter, from the permanent fund,. will not fall much below five thousand or six thousand volumes. Mr. John Sibley, the Librarian .of Har vard College, has been engaged, for: many years, in gathering up materials for a com plete and elaborate biography of all the graduates of that Institution. The work is in a state of great Thrwardness, and will be published las soon as , practiCahle. Such a ,Work will be full of great interest, not only to the friends, graduates, and 'patrons of this ancient seat of learning, but also to all who take an interest in College affairs, and indeed to all intelligent •readers. • . The Boston organ of avowed Infidelity, has lately given a report, occupying ten columns, of that ridiculous failure to attract numbers, awaken attention, or excite oppo sition, made by the. Convention of infidels, from all parts of the United States, at Phil adelphia, of ,which we' gave an account in our letter from Philadelphia, in October. The Constitution, with the signatures, is. given, and comthences, " We, the Infidels of the 'United States," while there are . only twenty-eight names out of the limits of Philadelphia. -. The Scripture Argument for Future Endless Punishment, by'Dr. N. Adams, has .been,publisited, and along with it a letter from ,Theodore Parker, coneedhig the just nese and conclusiveness, of the• point estab lished on Scriptural grounds, as Scripture is understpod by those who admit its plenary inspiration; but at the same time he.takes refuge under the shelter afforded - him by his skeptical views of Inspiration. Truly, a. convenient method of .beating-:. a retreat, when hard-pressed ! From thestatisties of the-Congregation alists'- of New :England, it appears that eleven' thousand five hundred and twelve rnemberehave been added to their churches 'in 'the year ending June, 1858, aOinst seven thousand four hundred and seventy removed. Net gain, four thousand. and •forty.two, making one hundred tt.r.id. eighty six thousand four hundred members in one thousand four hundred and ten churches. NEW YORE. The' Business of the - Year. closed very. quietly, and with encouraging prospects for the future.: , Confidence has been in a:great measure restored, and indicatiOns of a, gen eral .revivals of business are beginning to appear. The usual number of changes in old firms, - ind. is large number of new firms, are announced. The manner in which the Sabbath is observed...by a large -part of the German potulation,ls beginning to excite ..- Very gen e& remark. In the lower part of the city, they have their theatres open, their concerts. . iisiprogress, and lager beer saloons, drinking billiard rooms, and card 'tables, in full operation. And as a necessary 'cense +Fiction, the results are, moat deplorable. These things, connected with the revelry in other places, and by people of various nationalities present an appalling picture of Sabbath desecration, and give occasion for' the followi ng comment by, the intelligencer When you have finished the survey, and. reached, your home, you will have seen more peo ple at'theatres and drinking'-saloons, and gamb ling places-=open to the public, and 'without the' least' oonceidment—than were gathered , in the Academy. of Music,Cooper Institute, and the National, Theatre, to listen io the preaching of the' Gosperon the same evening. And yea will cease your marvels that the records of crime are so extended: in the columns of our Monday and Tuesday, journals. ' The men and' boys.• who break the Sabbath, and drink,. and gamble, fur nish the shooters, and stabbers, and,burglars, and thieves, With whom the policelave to do. And they will have a 'Plenty to-do in eatehing, and punishing there; until the=peopl,wvise in their might,, and determine. that the Sunday liquor traf,fic, shall be suppressed. This•scatters to the winds the argument& used by pseudo-philanthropists in favor of making the 'Sabbath a day of recreation, viewed merely in its •iverldly. aspect. For in this 'country, at Jeast, Sabbath recreation, as understoodby those who deny the sane. tity'of the Sabbath; has uniformly ended in Sabbath dissipation. The :Quarantine Buildings, on Staten Island, have - a fair prospect. of remaking undistitrhed by the 'excitedpopulace for . some time, and the serTieus of the soldiery Will in all probability, berewth , ed but a little : longer. An Angineer of high re pute has suggested the happy idea, of constructing an island on the Orchard Shoals, iii thelower Bay, of Elie acres in extent. .11e contends that , an island can be madelat an expense of. about $135,000., or $27 1 ,900 per acre. Civil engineering is ac complishing wonders in these times, and may be able to do this s but the expectations entertained so sanguinely by this engineer, respecting•the cost, are certainly doomed to disappointment. Old Ocean will not be de prived'Of his rights, and be driven off five ,N- • - acres. of his domain, for the paltry ,era tion of $135,0,00. The Century, ~ projected by Thomas Atc •Elrath, Esq., well known 'as one of the original proprietors of' , the New York Tri bune, has made its firskappearanee. It is a large quarto', after thasolid-looking English model, ably written; and dignified in tone. If the patronage should be sufficient, and the future numbers equal to the one already promisee to be a power in the land. The 44M:fuer (Baptist,) says that in the three principal Baptist Theological Scalia ries—Wwton, Hamilton, and Rochester— ten Triifessors instruct less than half the nunaber of students instructed by four Pro-
Significant historical Pennsylvania newspapers