Presbyterian banner & advocate., March 05, 1859, Image 1

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presbyt•riaa ESIIIIIIIrg V• 1. VIII. Nes 24.
prosibrioriam Advdpeate, Vol. XXI. 1110.19 I
DAVID MAINNEY and JAMES ALLISON, Editors.
CEENS.-13 ADVANCE.
ottrg.
To the Memory of Mre Theodore D, Wool-
sey,
I saw her in her morning bloom,
A blossom eweet anti fair;
The moth , r's pride, the light of home,
As pure as Summer air.
Again I saw, when years rolled on,
The hueband's lovely wife,
Whose matron graces as they shone,
Revealed her Christian life.
Years still rolled on—l saw her not,
She d welt no more on earth ;
In the grave yard lone—sacred spot—
Lies one of heavenly birth.
Dear sainted one, thou 'rt gone to dwell
In Christ the Saviour's arms.;
Thy perfect Joy no tongue can tell,
Thou 'ft free from sin's alarms.
The loved of earth are called away,
To bloom in light above,
Where saints amidst the bright array,
Now sing redeeming love.
A r ew Haven, Conn., Feb. 15th,1859.
For the Presbyterian Banner and Advocate.
Baptism of Minors.
MESSRS, EDITORS :—Your answer to the.
inquiry of your correspondent, "C.," inthe
Banner of the 19th inst., seems to me to be
light As corresponding with your views,
I herewith send, for the Banner, a report
made by a minority of a Committee appoint.
ed for the purpose, by the Presbytery of
Allegheny. The report of the majority of
the Committee, (which received . but three
.votes in the Presbytery,) opposed the Bap.
iism of any one on the faith of the parents,
that was over fourteen years of age.
A majority of the Presbytery seemed to
be in favor of the following report; but it
was deemed best to take no action on the
subject, at that time
Yours, truly,
MINORITY REPORT.
The relation of the children of God's Covenant
people to the Church, and the importance of
their receiving baptism, the Seal of the Covenant,
and of their being trained to serve God, are sub
jeats that have recently awakened much attention
and inquiry.
Nor can the question, (collateral though it may
appear to be,) at what age children may,recgive
the ordinance on the faith of their parents, be a
question of indifference. The question often
meets the pastor as a practical question,
on
which he must not only have an opinion, but on
which he must act.
On the one band he must beware of adminis
tering the seal of, the covenant to,those who have
no right to it; and on, the other, he must not
refuse the seal to =those that are, by the very
terms of the oovenant, included in its distia
guishing blessings. . It !becomes, therefore, a
question of-no stealtlnensleast.,—anci should com
mand the earnest'. :attention of parents,,minis
ters, and.church judicatories. The,Preyterian
Church has not clearly defined any definite age
beyond which believing prents 'May not , present
their children forhaptism.
The following conclusions, •however, may be
arrived at from the teachings of' the Word of,
God, and the Standards - of our Church: 1
1. Christian patents should present their chil
dren for baptism as , soon eater birth as oireum
stancea permit, The anoient requirement was,
that circumcision sh,ould !ordinarily take place on
the Bth day after the intones birth. Though'so
early an age may now often he inconvenient: for
baptism, yet parents should be instructed that 1
they, ought not to delay unnecessarily an ordi
nonce appointed by the great Read of the Church, I
and connected with,God's covenant bleesings.
2. Christian parents, that have neglected to
present their children for baptism at an early
age, either because laboring under false irnpres.
Mons of duty, or hecause but recently converted
themselves, should present for baptism all their
minor children, who are strictly under their con
trol, who are willing to receive the ordinance,
and whose conduct i 0 so without reproach that if
in Bill oommunion they would not merit the cen
sures of the ohurch.
This may be argued from the following consid
erations :
(1.) Believers under the old dispensation were
directed to have all the males under their guardi
anshipand, instruction, circumcised.—Gen, :vii :
1-14.
(2 linen proselytes to the Jewish religion
entered the . Church,, all their male children were
to becircumaised, of whatever age they might be,
if under the parents'- control. "When a stranger
shall sojourn with thee, and will keep the Pass
over to the Lord, let.akhis males be circumcised,
and then let him come near and beep it; and he
shall be as one that is born in the land."—Ex.
zit ; 48.
(3 ) Baptism is a
,seal of the same covenant
that aircurnoision was, and is not to be more
restricted in its application. The " Exposition
of the Contession of Faith," published by the
Presbyterian Board of Publioation, says; (p, 318.)
" That the promise •made to Abraham and his
seed is still endorsed to us, is evident from the
express deoleration of the Apostle Peter, (Acts
ii : 8A :)" The promise is unto you and to your
children." As all the members of the families of ,
believing parents were members of the Church
under the Old Testament, tua all are members
under the New Testament.
The Greek word,ohlldren, (teknois, sing. isknota, )
to whom the promise is made, includes the whole
family descending from believing parents, and is
never restricted to small children. , Had the prom•
ise been intended for was children only, a more
suitable word would have been teknoin, a diminit•
tive of leknon, orpaidion, a diminutive of paid, or
beenhos, all of which terms are used in the New
Testament to denote small children.
Teknon is the term uniformly used when the
subject of baptism or circumcision is spoken of in
relation to the young, exoept where house or
household, or some equivalent collective term is
employed.—Ste 1. Cor., vii: 14, where children
(tekna,) are said to be holy by 'virtue of their re
lative to a believing parent. Also, Acts xxi: 21.
(4 ) The practice of believers, both under the
Old and New Testament dispensation, was in ac.
cordance with the above principles- Ishmael,
thirteen years of age, and "all the men of Abra
ham's house," were circumcised in consequence
of Abraham's faith.:—Gen. xvii: 28-27,
When the circumcision of the young had been
neglected by
,the Israelites in the wilderness,
they were all circumcised at Gilgal, when they
entered Canaan —Josh, v : 2-9.
Corrcepondiog with these facts, households
were baptised by the apostles on the faith of
their parents. Snob were the households of
Lydia, (Acta soh 160 of the jailor_ • of Philippi,
(Acts xvi : 83 ) and of Stephanas, (1. Cor. i : 16 )
The word house, or household, (oikos) includes
all the children or a family under tbe Genteel of
their parents. It is never used to signify but
a.
portion of them.
Our Baptist brethren contend that there were
no small children in those families or households.
Shall we, on the other hand, contend that there
were no youth over twelve or fourteen years of
age?
These examples of, household •baptiem seem to
have been recorded expressly to teach us that
when parents are converted or brought into the .
Church, the whole household should btepresented
in the ordinance of baptism, unless disqualified
by disobedience or other immorality.
That the term house, or hOusehold, (oikos) in
eludes the larger, at well as the .emaller children
of II family, is evident from its use in the follow
ing passages of Scripture, viz c Luke xix f 9 ;
Acts x: 2;
xi: 14; 1. Tim. ii: 4,5, 12 ; v: 4.
(5.) The Standards of our Church teach that the
children of professors of the true religion are
members of the Church, and, as a consequence,
that they have a right to baptism. Our Confes
sion of Faith says
"The visible Church consists of all .those
throughout the world that profess the 'true re•
ligion, together with their obildrem"—Ch. xxv :
sec. 2
Definitienas are expected to be accurate, and
the word tt children ' would not. have been used
in so important a definition, had only little Chil
dren been intended. .
A similar definition is found in the, Larger
Catechism, answer to question 62; and in the
Form of Government, chap. ii : sec. 2. To pre
vent all mistake, the phrase is varied in the 4th
section of the 2d chapter of the Form of Govern=
went.."A particular church consists of a- num
ber of professing Christians, with their offspring,
voluntarily associated together," &c.. If "their
children" and "their offspring" mean only their
children under fourteen years of age, then no
accuracy belongs to the definitions of our
Standards. -'
(6.) Finally, the legal term "infant," when
our Standards were adopted, included all persons
in a' state of minority; and this is the legal mean
ing of the team etill. Blackstone says, (p. 4630:
"Full ace in male or female is twenty-one, years,
which age is completed on the day preceding the
anniversary of a person's birth, who till that
time is an infant, and so styled in law."
And the term seems to have'the same meaning
in our Standards, as appears from thaConfession
of Faith; chap. mill: sec. 6, and from the proof
texts under sec. 4 of the same chapter. Our
Confession says, that " . the grace - promiited " in
baptism is "exhibited and conferred to such
(whether of age or infants,) as that grace be
longeth unto.' This language clearly ,• implies
that those are all " infants" that are not ." of
age."
From these considerations ii would seem that
minor children strictly under the control of their
parents, are the eceletiastical, as well as the legal
infants of those families to which they belong,
and their pious parents have a right to their bap
tism. "The infants of such a'S are members . of
the visible Church are to be baptized."
The right...of the believing parent arises from
God's gracious covenant. And shall we restrict
the covenant of God? Shall we deny the seal to
those that are moral and obedient children, be
cause they cannot yet see their way clear to come
to the Lord's table ? Shall we throw them out of
the bosom of the Church and from the care and
watch of those.whose business it is;to guard, and
instruct, and feed the lambs of the flock Y --Why
oast them out to the dangers and temptations of
a world that lieth in wickedness; when the
covenant says that they have a place in the visi
ble Church, and a right to' her 'watch and care?
But it may be contended that our DireCtory for
Worship (chap, ix: sec. 1,2,) 'excludes children
from, the ordinance of baptism , after they arrive
at the " age of discretion," unless they'are bap
tized on their own faith.
LOYAL YOUNG.
But the Directory, in the chapter referred to,
relates entirely to the reception of young Chris
tians to -the sealing ordinancesti on their own faith.
It has no reference to "the 'duty 'and` privilege of
parents, or their covenant right toward their
children. While. God in his goodness allows
those that-have been out of his Church, and
so strangers to his covenant, if they believe
at an early age, to present thethselves for
baptism—the same goodness, so far from es
eluding the children , of believing parents at a
grpater age, allows theth in covenant loVe to re
ceive the seal, as under the former dispeniation.
Privileges are not abridged but extended, under
the New Testament Aispensation.
If, however, any have conscientious scruples
about baptizing, on the faith of the parent, chil
dren that have .arrived at 'Years 'of discretion,
they should not be required to do so. Desirable
as uniformity is, some latitude may sifely be
allowed for the diversity of views found among
brethren that agree in matters of essential im
portance, and which are more clearly revealed.
The following resolutions are , recommended for
the adoption of Presbytery;
Resolved, That covenant obligations require
Christian parents to have their children baptized
as soon after birth as circumstances permit.
Resolved, That if• the baptism of their ehildren
has for any reason been neglected, the same obli
gations require Christian parents to present for
baptism alt their minor children; strictly under
their oontrol, who are obedient, of irreproachable
character, and willing to receive the , ordinance.
The above is respectfully subMitted. * *
roe the Presbyterian Banner and Advocate.
Old Man's Creek, lowa.
This is a neighborhood eight miles West
of lowa City, where there has been Presby
terian preaching for a number of years.
The New School, at one time, occupied the -
ground, but for some cause measurably
abandoned it, when the Old took their place.
They made no attempt to organize a church
until last Fall, when a petition was sent to
Presbytery, and a committee appointed to
organize a church at their earliest conveni
ence. A meeting was held for that Purpose
the last day in het month. Thirteen mem
bers united in the organization. 'The elders
elected did not see their way clear to serve,
and by request their ordination was post
poned until Monday. Oa the Sabbath, the
Lord's Sapper was administered, and the
next day the elders were ordained and in
stalled_ Such was the evidende - of the pres
ence of the Spirit of God, that the meeting
was continued in the evening, when it was
manifested that several were anxious. There
were four who asked the prayers of God's
people. We then met every evening during
the week, and on the Sabbath, during which
time there were twenty hopeful conversions.
The whole neighborhood was moved. And
I sever saw awakened sinners give their
hearts to. Christ so readily.. Several were
found rising and asking for prayer one even
iug, and. the next were indulging a hope.
I could only account for this on the groupd
that protracted meetings had' not been heTa'
there by such as,never failed to, involve the
sinner in a mist respecting feeling and faith.
The truth was clearly and distinctly kept
before the mind, that there was no hope of
salvation but in Christ. And all tbat the
awakened sinner wee, able or requiredlo do,
was to give •his heart to him;at once. There
were two'who wished to be baptized. , In
affording an opportunity for them to unite
with the church, I simply announced if
there wereuthers , who wished to unite then,
we would give them the opportunity. And
-without even, thl. secondjutitatien, Acre
were eleven came forward, who were cor
dially received.
The little church is -now composed of
twenty four members. And several others
will unite the first opportunity. The season
throughput was one. of Special interest and
encoteragetnent; and by many, never to be
forgotten.
The last evening I recommended the
Banner and Advocate as a suitable journal
for converts, as - well as others, left a copy
with one of •the most influential men, and
trust that the response will be favorable.
Feb. 10, 1859 B—.
"ONE THING IS NEEDFUL:7' "ONE THING HAVE I DESIRED OF THE LORD:" "THIS ONE THING DO."
SOME men are as eoVetous as if they
were to live forever; and others as profuse,
as if, they were to, die the next moment.—
Aristotle.
PUBLICATION OFFICE, GAZETTE BUILDING, FIFTH STREET, ABOVE SMITHFIELD, PITTSBURGH, PA.
ID fr TURDAY, MARCH 5, 1859,
for the Presbyinriati Dinner and Advocate.
From Texas,
HOUSTOLT, Feb. 2, 1859
EDITORS - BANNER immense num
ber of immigrants are pouring , into our
State. They come. from almost every State
in the Union—the, North Western States
and Territories furnishing their quOta Our
mild climate and great agricultural and
stook;raisingadvantages, are attracting
tendon. 'Naas is rapidly becoming a great
wheatgrowing ,State.. The crop ,of , this
cereal :in _lB5B, amounted to about three
iiiiliign 'bdshels. Four millions are antini
patedlor 1859 = '
Oar population is now about six hundred
thousand, increasing at-the rate of_ono hun•
drcd thousand annually: There are in `the
State about 'sixty Presbyterian (0. 8')
min
isters, 'and - two thousand' communicanti.
The varibus religious denominations seem to
bs laboring with much union and harmony,
maid with encouraging success. Eight dis
tinct Railroads are being constructed' in the
State. Huston"ls 'the radiating pOint for
Railroads — Fertile soil' can> yet lie obtained
at`from one to three dollars per acre. c
For the Presbyterian Banner end advocgith
Things that I have Won4ered at,
That church members Would walk to the
house of
~ God the Sabbath, two or three.
'miles, and then sleep the whole time Of
'sermon, though the minister should expound
the Word ever so faithfully and interestingly.
That members, yes, even elders, would
come into clariroh L fifteen,tvienty, or thirty
minutes aftersoeivices , had commenced,
leaving the knotoing ones to conjectur&or
perhaps yrhisper that they, have carefitlly
guarded against pewsleeptug, by a too long
,protracted "Sabbath, morning nap."'
That prOfei3sing Christians should be te
nacious about little things of little import
ance, or even be greatly disturbed by these
little trifles, such as whether the Clerk sit
next to the pulpit, or back in the pew with
some gebd singers `around him, •or whether
he sing . Old Hundred to half , or quarter
notes.
Perhaps, Messrs. Editors, as you spend
most of your time in the city, Such wonders
hive not come under your observation:; , but
methinks &short sojourning in some parts of
the countrywouid,but too.soon convince you
of the truth„if tae above. W.G.S.
For the rrtaiwleriata Banner and Adnoato
.Toy in Heaven.'
My friend, perhaps you have wandered
far from the right - way. ' :YOU have foraaken
the counsels of a kirldlnother, whose earnest
prayer to God was for, your eonveraion.
And now , she has been removed by 'death,
and you are alone in the world. There is
no one now to restrain yen from walking in
the paths of evil, no kind voice to urge your
attention to sacred things.
Yet, do you not often feel with sorrow,
your present situation ?—your loneliness ?
" There is no one now," you say', - " to care
whether 'I am on the road to hell or' heaven,
to life or death. My mother does not now
weep over my hardness of heart, and :my
neglect of religion. She is in the. Company
of angels, and perhaps has forgotten her
wayward eon, who caused her so much sor
row while oh earth; there is no one now to
rejoice if do well, or,mourn'..my yielding
to temptation, Oh, if she were only, once
more with me, I would delight, to go , with
her in alt the holy duties and pleasures of
religion ; arid if I'am not already past hope,
the kind hand:that first 'direeted nip .feehle
steps in infancy, should now aid me to walk
in the way of salvation; but alas 1 ,e are
separated,now, and, I fear, forever I" -
And is it so? Can a mother though the
companion of angels, forget her erring son ?
Oh, no,- it cannot be; surely' if there 'could
be sorrow in heaven, it would be that, of the
parents of unconverted children.,
And you are not so far from her as you
suppose. This day you may fill her heart with
joy, add to her happiness, though among
the blest, and in the presence of the great
Redeemer This day if you will forsake
your inns, and become reconciled to God
through Christ, and trust in him as you'r
only hope of salvation, this' day aome'bright
winged, messenger, shall bear'the glad' news
to heaven, and ail the redeemed will rejoice,
and strike their harps . anew. For there is
'joy in heaven over one . sinner .that re
penteth, more than over ninety and nine
just persons which , need no ,repentanCe."—
Luke xv : 7.
" Turn to Christ your longing eyes,
View his bleeding sacrifice,
See in him your sins forgiven, -
Pardon; holiness, and heaven ;
Glorify the King of kings,
Take the peace the Gospel brings."
AQUILA
Pittiburgh., January, 1859. -
For tho Presbyterian Thinner and Advocate.
God's Providence.
How comfortable and consoling the idea,
of a Providence watching over us, in , all the
changes of ,life; how diernel and umaertain
our state, did not God govein the - Universe ?•
The belief in a* Piovidence enables 'us to
prosecute our course with steadfastness, to
live without harassing anxiety respecting the
present or the future,
.te,give ourselves up
to the management of a wise and holy GJd,
with oonfidenoe and hope.
The More we reflect, the. more we shall
be persuaded of the value of our -Saviour'il
advice, to seek first the,kingdorn. of God,
and the righteousness requireikuf
,him,; and
then, as a necessary coniequence 'of' this,
must, be the enjoyment of his protection and
the acquisition of all those things we stand
in need of. Oar security is undoubted, for
certainly shall those who love him and de
pend on him, have all things appointed for
their good. They may not indeed hive all
that they desire. They may meet with
many disappointments and have many diffi
culties to overcome, because God may please
to strengthen their trust by trial, and may
judge those things to be good for „ them,
which they dislike. But still, they may with
confidence believe, that every good and ne
-6essary gift' shall be bestowed on them, and
that,even those Misfortunes, which are the
natural consequences of their imprudence,
Or those difficulties which are incident to the
station in which. God has placed them, or
those afflictions which come upon them in
common with all men, shall work together
for their good. Let them seek the' favor of
God, and use prudently those lateens he hath
AN OLD TEXIAN
appointed for their support and comfort in .
this life, and
they have no cause to fear the
result. But let them also ,remerober,Ahat
Gid is in :all things to beacknowledged ) and,
his gifte,solictited; and therefore when tifey
trust in his Providence, they most alsepray
for his guidance and protiiction.
The people of God are promised food and
raiment ; but no more; and God will give
these in the best way. die hath appointed
that all who are able shall use the means of
procuring these by suitable labor, and that
those who are unable t iirork, shall be Islip.
plied by' others. Thar-who are - idle or
thoughtlestroan no more iblaire the promise
of supply, 'than those who :throw themselves
into a river, car,expect p,pt be . wet. But
those who use their,faeulties to'the best. ad
vantage, shall be ,provided with food= and
raiment. It is a part =of. - Christianity to be
if not . slothful in business," and, they who
'are Christians, may. rest assured, *that they
shall have their wants Eliplied. A Chris
tian, then, who faithful l yidoeihis duty,- and
exercises the faculties ehialiliveic liim,
may be sure, whether in health. or siekness
to be provided for because he-is under, the
care bt God himself. If he have only the:
necessaries of life, be concludes that more
is not good for him, an that the denial is
meant to teach him colltentment and wean
him from earth. , If he ,receive more, than'
'he is prottrieed, if he have- the comforts -as
well as the - necessarinp, of life, hp feels an
additional cause for, gratitilde and praise.
Safe andeentidebt'indeeniay that marl be,
Who trusts in> God. H) makes frequent ap
plication to God, for direction in his-judg
Anent, for a blessing on his labors,. and ,he, is
diligent in those, labors, knowing assuredly:
that they shall not bp in vain. Earth he
vietvaas a land 'of pilgrimage ; Gad es his
rod and staff; -Jeans as his , nverlasting Shep
herd, who will Safely conduct him -to the
land. ofand
rest a and.,
. B
f peace, to the habitation uN
of
is
From our London Correspondent
_
European Suspense-Prince Napoleon's Marriage—
Austrian Obstinacy —Napoieon'i'P BAT RIND SI ofil6
eralisin —The Coming Struggie--Antaysis of the
Queen's Speech—Rome Conteunteni=Succpsses in
India—lts Future Gobernmint =Doubtful State
meats as to Peace—Tracsty with Russiar—Abolition
of Negro Immigration: by, the Frcnel—Foreign
Treaties and Mexico—Reoni, and Proposed New
Laws—The -Prince Of; Wales: - RonteThe
" Univere and its Ropes-French Reformed
Churches—A Reformed Paster. • Explited. - and
Why—The Photographic 'Society,-I.lr. McLeod
—Mr. cobbet's Visit to .A.mericrk—The lonian
/stands.. " • -
LONDON, ifdbniaiy:4th, 1859
THE SIISP,ENSE and' pievilent.
throughout Europe, evert 5t11043 the first- 'of
January, has homy- somewhat mitigated, .
The . Opinion,e, of Turin tr, (st fh eial organ,)
stated last week, in 'canvassingquestion
of 'peace or war, tha ranee tiad consented
to 'certain coneessickikto Mciglamt, in.retitrn,
for the neutrality oWhat,Power
ian question, ~"
int
KRICIOE NAPOIMON 9 S MARRIAAE was eel.
ebrated on the 30th nit.;;:
AUSTRIA seems as obstinate as ever. in
reference-to her Italian possessions, and, her
determination to uphold the Pope is that'
inspired by bigoted attaptiment, on the part
of 'the; young . E4nror; to the Pope and
Popeiy, by joalougy of 'Fraiice i dud by latred
of Sardinia: 'As to Lombardy; one, of the
newspapers at Vienna, recommends,_ that;•
it necessary, "the hangman" should be ,
,Ailed into requisition. A Pariifpaper,'
"presses' commenting asks': Are not
Austria's greatest enemies to 'be • found at
hoiner ,it is impossible for.. true-born Brit
ons not to detest. a power, which is the, re
morseless foe of liberty—whioh murdered
Count Bathyani, and, by the 'help 'of the
traitor aeOrgeyr,ind Rutsian
trod down old Hungary and her Protestant
Church in the dust. , r
It is the policy of England, just now= '
and a moral duty, I think, also—to protest
against a breach of the peace of 'EUrope by
the French Emperor. His crusade forital,
ian .- liberty would be a. , great (sham, and
would'but fasten on the neck of Italy the
yoke of.a new bandage.. Torrents of blood
would be shed,, and milliens of treasure
wasted; and all "for an unprincipled` Am
bition's foul 'desigria. •
' The contest, :indeed, Beellid inevitible j
although it may be delayed. Guilty nations,
by mutual, slaughter, will be the, inflictors
of the righteous, jUdgMents which their own
wickedness has provoked. In the . storm,
old, despotisms; civil and ecclesiastical, will
be Uprooted,. and He who site upon the
floods, who.guides the whirl windand directs
the storm, .will work out his Own magnifr.•
' cent, designs. And yet, while we know
what Must be, and whatthe'fiaat
khan be, under His benignant 4eign, , our
hearts shrink from the dreads; reality,. .of a
great European ,con.vulsion ; and we are
ready t0,:0ry„,." Who shall live when God
doeth this?" .
THE QUEEN'S SPEECH, by which Parlia•
.utent WU opened yesterday, had been looked
for anxiously, in eonnexion with the topic)
of `peace or war. 'lt Was' tepid that she
would be able to .say 7 .thatpeacet would be
ifitieived:;: She does :not `say the. contrary,
but language used implies only that the
Eng* Cabinet are doing; and have dotiO,
their, best to prevent an outbreak in tEirope
" I receive'," she 'said, " from all foreign
Powers assurances Of their friendly feelings.
To.cultivite and confirm .those feelings, to "
maintainAvioiate the faith °TI
PF, ) 4 lc V real
ies, and to contribute,, as far as influence
can extend, to the preservation' of the gen
eral 'pettee, 'are the Objeets of roy , Unceasing
solicitude"
It remains to be seen whether the Queen's;
(( influence " will be of any, avail to prevent'
France and Sardinia beginning a bloody
struggle with Austria: The French Empe
ror is to open the Legislative Chambers on
the'7th inst., and it is upon - Vi -words, if he
will but speak out honestly and clearly, that
the issues of the : future depend. I still
think peace more likely than war, especially . ;
as France must go in'the hum of all Europe.
Prussia will stand by Austria, -in spite of
old jealousies. If she actually gent soldierd
to help Austria in. Italy,- (which'llardly
think possible,) France would try to cross
the. Rhine and occupy the Prussian Pro
vinces there.
That large contracts for saltpetre, to be
landed in. Sardinia, have been, made with
English-merchants by the French Govern
.
mint, is confidently affirmed,- The Morning
Advertiser (which , is somewhat credulous,)
affirms that within a very recent period en
English ship-owner has been aimed what
number of ships he could famish as trans-
ports br French troop, and that le might
name his own terms. I believe that, in the
end, it will be seen that the Emperor con•
eiders it his " destiny" to drive Austria,ont
of Italy, and that he does not cherish the
insane project, of invading England.
The leading topics of the Queen's speech,
id addition to our Foreign Relations, are as
follows:: She congratulates Parliament on
the internal state of the country—an the
diminution of pauperian; and crime, and a
spirit of general contentment. She reminds
them. "by the valor•of her troops; and
the skill-Of their counandirs," signal chas
tisement -has been inflicted on the mutineers
. - -
in India, and , expresses the hope, that ) ere
long, that,great KcriPiro shall be pazified—
that improvement 'shill be begin, and that
all traces of if the Prisent unhappy oonflioo
'shall te Obliterated'. ,
• The Qaeen;:alPo zdexago tht Proplatna-
Om, by.whose principles the ; G-overthnent of
India is in future to he guided,-aswell as
:Setting forth `"the clemency which she 'is
disposed to show toward those Who Might
have been seduced into revolt, hilt , who
might be willing—to , return .to their allegi.
arms?! 'z F, ";-.
Reference is *also rnaileAo the organization
of the new Constitutional ; Government in
Moldavia and Wallachia, and to a Treaty of
Commerce concluded with the Emperor . of
. The Queen 'speaks` in such `very
kindly terms on this last 'point, that Alik•
ander, - ofßussia,- I ,cannot but be :gratified.
She rejoices in " the complete , re establisk
mcnt of ,those Amicable relations, which,
Until their late unfortunate interraption had
long subsisted between us e to the advantage
of our-respective dominiono:"
-Certaiply.neither Russia nor England can
look bull onAhat terrible Crimean straggle,
without deep regret. The quarrel was forced
on the Western Powers by the Czar Ntoho
fas. Hie sen, 'the present OM, was always
opposed fp thie,war; as .was his larife. lit the
young'Czar visit ‘Franee and England this
year, as, is not improbable v hsts sure to, re•
oeiya a very warm .weboone in both coati-
The aholition of the System of negro
saligratieniliemfthe coast of Africa, by the
French 'Emperer, is referred to with great
satisfaction in the Queen's speech. The
hope is exirissed iltal - negotiations will end
?substitution - , oft a i4uly regulated
supply of substantially free labor."
Mexico is illiqed to, in connexion with
ei ihii‘wionks 'arid indignities`, o whichi Brit
ish resisleups - , have. been subjected , at. the
.hands j of -the „I two t.coptending Tartlets!?
l'hesthave been carried to marl an' extent,
that, after leng forbearande, ordeis have
been given to the Commander of this Naval
forces to dMhand and enforce due
' • •
The ins Tease Jof
_the Navy is resolved on.
The (laden recommends a temporary.,in
crease of expenditure, in order to the " re
conatruetion , rendered necessary by "the
universal' introdection. of steam power. "'-• It
fir said , that- a , loan iof £10,000,000 will be
contracted for, this purpose. The Qteen.
speaksthe general sentiment when she refers
to.the maintenance of a great and efficient
bfa'vyAS "of vital iniportance.P , ' • -
Thefuture' of Parliamentary legislation is
indicated by proposed Amendments in-our.
.laws,ofol3pkruptayAnd Insolvency, in,clas
sifyingliato sae,set of statutes the laws re
latiog to offences andierithes, for a new law
in` England'. (ginner to 'that established
raider I- the , Encumbered Estates Court in
Ireland;) fortenablingo the owners of land tor
obtain indefeasible titles to.their estates and
for registering the titles with, simplicity_and
safety.
lieform is referred to in guarded terms,
thus: "I cannot doubt but' that you :.will
give totthis; great subject, a ; ,degree, of ~palm
and impartial °consideration,, proportioned to
the magnitude ,of the interests involied in
the result ofydardiliqussiolis.".
ilApar,witli the - new Treaties
ofTcoMmeroce,Are mentioned with satisfacA`
tion. The speech concludes with an earnest
pram, ;" that your „counsels maybe so
guided es to insure ,'the stability of the
Throne, the maintenance And iinpreirement
Of Orircinstitiitioinc and: the-general - welfare
and happiness` of my: people."-
4 , •
THE VEINCE OE WALES has gone to
Rome to'Spend the Winter there,-atid to see;
the ruine' , of the days of the, CSasers.- Ile
travels incog, and twill live privately under
the governorship of a clerical titer. - Same
journale have expressed anxiety list he
should be corrupted - and fascinated by the
meretricious attraetionc: of:. Popery at its
head quartere.- The Times thoughtit neces.
saryi to notice • these ..objections,•aud made ,
light of thern. , It said, substantially, that
nowliite was itinniniStri more 'calculated (by
its misgovernment, &e ,) to disgust, than in
the:lion:Lan Statee. My own impressions are
that the main evil, suffered ,by the griace
will be the ,nntorious want of thoroughly
Evangelical teaching .and preaching in the
PrOtistantAilti:el,it Rome. " The yorith is
promisibg,, Wei, and apparently '"`slow,"
but he thinks deeply; and . masters -the sub
jects which he studies. . Hir is described as
mask amiable, and greatly beloved by hie
,parenbi and Oily, ,The; Univers tries to
persuade itself, in connexion with this visit
to Ronie, 'that, ere' long, Queen Victoria and
her— Court will submit to the Catholic'
Chfirch 1 What a splendid prize this,would
he, only„ there. is this; trifling exceßtion=
(the thou g ht, is not to be entertained,
and' the .Qdnen, detests both POpery and •
semi-Popery, - does her huibind,) if she
became a' Psydst, she would necessarily and
constitutionally forfeit, ; her, throne,! .. Even
the London Tablet ashamed of the,rutnor
set afloat by the Univers, and denies its
truth. It is this same Univ'eri which - thus
:glories in the servile subjeation put on the„
neck of Francis Joseph by the Concordat.
” No more splendid nor magniffeent mani
, festation could be Offered than this Con
cordat; by means' of which more than thirty'
million Catholids, headed; by their Euiperor,
have prostrated-themselves before the Vicar:
of .Jesus Christ, imploring his blessiug, and
:promising him obedience."
THE FRENCH REFORMED CHURCHES are.
estimated to have about one thousand pas.'
tors, arid thirteen:hundred places of worship,
with nearly as manysehoolg.: They. are thus
-divided. , Reformed . Church : —paid4y : the
State—pastors, 617 ; - places ; of worship,
1,045; schools, 1,139.. -Liitheran,lohurch
=OE
--also paid . by the State—pastors, 281
places of worship, 403 ; schools, 609.
About 120 pastors 'and '3OO places of wor-
ship, belong to nhirches not paid by the
'Government. All this looks well ; but one
qualified to speak, says "Many of these
,churches are dead in worldliness and Ration-
alisos, and among those who live, too much
energy is spent in petty questions, unworthy
of those"who have one thing to do . —tiplift
high. the light of Divine truth to a world
lying in utter darkness arouud. „
" Still, tiiere is a spark of energy
abroad among rill; we hear of partial revi•
vals in some places. In-Parts, our schools
are well filled, and in: no wise losers by the
, mass of. Romanist schools lately sprung, up
in a state of feverish terror around them.
Bibles are sold and tracts widely circulated
and snob seed must spring np in time. An
impulse is given to our' literature, which, is
producing some original 'works." (Trawls:-
dons on juvenile English books, and tracts
are not: suited to French taste.)
are wearied with translations, grateful
as we' haVelieen for them in' the abseiioii -
Frenbli productions."
A Reformed -pastor having adopted Bap
tist views s; been removed from the
Protestant (Established) Church by Impe
rial decree., He had been requested CO _
re
sign, but would not Preabyterihn churchess
or`Syii4ids, in the exercise of 'ecclesiastical
discipline , Inight
.act . thus, 'and . Baptist
churches could not recognize a Pedobaptist
as one of 0/#l..pastors, , But one does not.
like to See the Suite clinking in to eject' a
pastor, Ovid tbough he 'continued to held
place in a Churcii of ;ivhogrentire Creed. he
wag- no longer , robeliever. • .
`THE PEIOTOCIEAPHIC SOCIETY now
holding its annual exhibition.. To the
amazing progress .of the art. of. photograpliy,
brief notice was madein my . QuarterlY No
ties of Art, &o. Bdt eihibitidn'Vot
only brings outllie triumphs of .the Art in a
manner' hitherto unparalleled, but also proves
by:its ckel
41, .Xceuvres,here, thatyi . ,u! the. Times
. expressos. ." the. photographer_ must . .1)e
a master of the laws . of peripectiveAight
and. shade, color and compoiiticin, 7 -iti hiss
'than thoie of photographic ohetnistry.".
The student of fine art can-now receive
from son, painting, singular. aid...As shown
by, the copies of the ',Cartoons atHanapton-
Court, it is superior to engraving; 'at 'least
in thecolor - tv
'ease of works where is no of
primary importancs. Architecture, also,
profits , by photography. Here .aruillustra•
tions from Egypt, ancient and modern,, sod
from the templehnilding4 of Southern In.:
dia, inclidirig the temples palaces,
of the 'anio:M NamMedan' Scalp
tare finds' giaaterrhelp - from photography
than even painting does, in-the rendering of
busts, :statuary, and antiquefieade, 'Be,iiineni
calls it pits F la', xtt bringing the,strao
tire of geological 4elcs,'Sve., is well se a m
reprelluoing the mariels . Of * - rdier4oops,
by'whioh 'the t Whilderfal - -meehanism :orthe
fly's hair brushosiotthe distil
of the grassee van be stodipilAwithpatliffort,
and at, leisure. , Then, we find photogiaphy
applied with great success to agricultural
niichiriery, to - botany, `to fores'and'Ufoves,
e 0 thelrery viraXres as they curl their heads,"
and " the .jangle And cocoa-nut palm grove,
which lift theit dry spikes of foliage : and
their colanioar stems into the clear Indian
sky." 'it is remarkable still tfo 'Ariaitiesrt
applied to the forwarding of ine'difial'acienoe,
_
photographs "being taken from the insane,
illustrating in a useful, aS . well as novel
manner, the ,various _stages of mania, from
the sullen and despaiTing up to the eteite
nient of •
"Moody madness laughing wild,
Amid seierest woes. ' ,
I wish the foregaing to be considered as a
supplement to- tbe ..necessarill,,ineagre - re-,
marks on in the recent Quarterly
, No,
doe. lam sorry to add ` thatlie'Stireoseopic:
branch of photography is beginning to be
abased for evil add lictiktious purposes. In
the Wiling - - thoroughfares are= mxhibited
slides suggestive of what is bad.. ; ... The
Time.s steroly condemns this,, and says:
" There is a ; great danger: that photography,
by, the disgemilAtion of this' class of works,
,will be -fostering a worse taste thin the
worst schdol of painting ever over
can spread. , The,. same renuark applies,
though in less degree, to the taldeaux
2? iva A ts, to which a certain class of pho
tographers devote thernselveli." Such eon
denination,,l trust, will . tea in the proper
quarter, and abate the rising. evil.'
.
THE REV. DR. NeIRMAN 'MoLrob made
a 'beautiful- speech at the Barns Festival, at
Glasgow. lie said : "The songs. of Barns
are like the elinstrin'spirlis which flash along
the Atlantic cable across the
c.thorighbess'between us may-be 'cast " these
unite heatt and leart,'so that long as'they
,
Sootoloieri Can never 'forget "auld
actinaititanitti; or &the days along - gran'
Then came? !' . noble ~: T estimony, marked' by
,great moral courege, doing flip . etieAkerim
mortal honor , and finding an : echo in the
hearts of multitudes.
" And yet, sir, how can a clergyman of
groo,' , forget, or fail to express his deep
sorrow on such an 00 oagion0 agion as l the
,present,
for some things Which Burns has Written,
and.. deserve the "uncompromising con
demnation *of
_those who love him list.
"I, am not called 'on to pass r any judgment
on him as a man, but only as a writer; and
with reference to some of his, poem's', from
my, heart I say itfor his own sake, for the
asks Of my country,, fin. the sake of right
eeniness more than all—=would Goa they
were never written , never printed, and never
read I And I would rejoice to see, as the
result of these festivals in honor of Burns,
a centenary , editiOn of his p vats from which
everything, would, be exclUded *doh a
Christian father could net read Aleud'in his
familY eircle,or the Christian' cotter on his
g Saturday 'night' to his eons anddiughters."
, .
SOine attempted to hub these , admirable
sentiments but they were oierpowered by
cheering. And to the lase,senten,ces, as
follows, there was nought added but "loud
Applause
" One thing I feel assured of is, that
. rightitonslY to condemn , whatever is Won : ,
sistent with purity and piety, • while it cannot"
lessen one ray-of his genius,, is at once ' the
best proof we can give of, our reg,ard,for4his
memory, ond.,the telt sacrifice we can offer ."
to - his depsrted spirit. It that spirit, ia cog
nizant g what is Aone on earth, moat °or
- tainly snake ; jadgment must be, inisceerd
' anee with-its - most solemu convictions and
.11303 t earAfs4,lolthe.,!-'l:=
fiffi
BEM
Philadelphia,~ South West Corner of Seventh and Chestnut Streets.
By Will, or et the Office, $1.50 per Tlrt I BEE PROSPZOTIIII.
Delivered in the City, 2,00
EllEB
WHOLE NO. 836
Ma. COBSET, it is said, is about to pay a
-visit to the United States of America.
General Storks takes the place of Mr. Glad
stone, as .Lord High Commissioner of the
lonian Islands. The Legislature of the lat
ter has unanimously demanded to be united
with Greece. This will not be granted.
Affliction
We argue: 4 coa.nnot G-od brinz, us to
heaven with ease and prosperity ?" Who
donbteth bat he can? But his infinite wis
dom deoreeth the contrary; and though we
Cannot see the reasan r yet he bath the most
just It is reftson: 4 your part now to believe,
'ar
and suffer, rah Op el and wait on. Whether
comes.to his.ohildren with a rod or with
a erowm, he (lames himself with it, it is
well. Widionae, welcome, thaw,' what way !
rower thoit - come; if we - get a . eight of thee 1
And sure I :am, it is better toe siek, prc
vidingiehrist' one to .ttus bedside, and say,
" Courage, I atn.tity saJvation;" than to en
joy healthand:nover Jae visited by Gad.—
Rugterford.
Facts and gleanings
MAN bath only in himself a remedy for
all wants, saving only a want of grace.
THE world IS a great tread mill, which
turns all the- time, and leaves no choice but
to sink or climb.
BLESSED .ai:e they who see the day of
glory, but more blessed are they who con
tribute to its approach.—Abp. Seeker.
tin that has never prayed can tilsver,cott
°pip), and i he ,who" has
,prayed aright can
never fcrget,how much iS to be gained by
player -?)r': I r akng •
THE POVERTY OF BLINDNESS-We-say
of the blind man, from whom the visible
world is shut out, that he is poorer by half
the Aworld than the mm who see,. 0 ye
epiritually blind, ye indeed, are poorer than
we by,a whole world 1-- Tirol/wk.
MrsstoNaurns.—lt is stated that the New
Sohool branch of
,the Preebyterian Ckaroh
has forty-eight missionaries in various parts
of the world—Africa, Turkey, Armenia,
Kyria,lAssyria, Persia, India, &.). This is
tins the ratio of one missionary for every
.twenty eight s ministers, and one for every
two thousand ,five hundred members.
• LIE ;LOVE of GOD —Blessed be God, he
iovei not aeoording to our deserts, hat' ac•
cording to our rieeessity I It is-not writ
ten his bleed cid 'cleanse front all evil we
biit'ithat lie neee. *,* • * * any
chatiVeri ,within unopecced yet to us;
we 'see bat through the erevics; yet ,his
blood,geie entrance and drowns all.—Lidy
Pow ersootort.
C I ATTIALTOISM —The Lmdon Times rep
reserits the boasted progress of the Catho
lic' Chitich in E ogland, as amounting to little
iirbothitig; =they haye -gained a few noted
converts, batitre constantly losing the slight
hold they have- had on the' people, and do
not now constitute one. per cent. of the peo
;plewof Eogland. In Ireland, too, Pr)tes
tanisMis gaining so Tepidly from the Catho
lics, As-td excite the alarm of the Pope.
Artintirra.—Dr. Pratt, in writing from
Marash, in Northern Armenia, speaks of the
great change which five years has wrought
there. He says: " Last Sabbath, nineteen
were received to Church fellowship; making
the -wholenimber ninety six—all gathered
in 'four years. I saw a sea of six hundred
faces before me; five years ago the most was
sixty. The community now numbers nine
'hundred -Protestant souls • then it was less
.than forty. What a work 'to- be engaged
in!"
- 'UNION OF NEW AND OLD SOSOOL IN
O . ALIFORNIA.-A, writer in the Pacific,
says :
"My belief is, that on the part of the
members, of the . Synod of Alta, California,
New School, now and on the part of the
ciiniches . eouneeted with it, that willingness
is the 'unanimous :feeling. Others may
speak for themselves, bat I am greatly mis
`taken jf this is not so. If this be true, the
'reason that those , two brandies of Christ's
*:"Cliureh are not one, is not to be fonad in the
New School."
1 A CHRISTIAN ALL OVER.—Says a young
man recently, in writing home to his friend;
from a situation in a large city' mercantile
house, "It has been my lot to be associated
in business successively with several mer.
chants, all a:them. members of Christian
ohurohes; ibut I am constrained to say that
Mr. 8. 3 , the man with whom I am now em
ployed," is , the first'` one of them all who
realligoierne himself by his religion in his
brishietis transactions. He does this sternly
and:faithfully, and I. call him a Christi=
add goer:", A high compliment this to Mr.
S., but alas l that he should seem to stand
alone among so many. One is - found to give
lory to gad, but " where are the nine !"
'4 l ' eligtha HeWcl.:
t:.
TRIP LIGHTLY.
Trip lightly over trouble,
Trip over wrong;
We only make grief double
‘ - `By dwelling on it long.
Why,olasp woe's hand so tightly?
Why sigh.eer blossoms dead?
*rhy °ling to forms unsightly ?
Why not seekjoy instead?
Trip lightly over sorrow,
hough'this day may be dark,
The sun may shine to morrow,
•Aidigaily sing the lark;
•• Fair hope has not departed,
Though roses may have fled;
Then never be down hearted,
But look for joy instead.
Christian Peace.
Let tne,praise God for having turned mo
from a lige L 9f woe to the enjoyment of peace
and hope. Th e work is real. I eta no
more doubt at than eau "doubt my own
excaten'oe". , The whole current of my de
stieslis altered. lam walking quite another
~way. I have stVeOsed view of god and di-
Tine things. Ail;bow great is his excellence I
I,find my hiO4a i lieil for want of words to
praise according to his elthellent greatness.
Ildoked forwa7d to conforaiity to him as the
giiitsend, of existenoe, :and my asenrence
was full. I .saido almost in tears: " Who
—shall separate me from the love of Christ ?
Shall tribulation, of distress, or persecution,
or famine, or nakedness, or peril, or sword T . '
Henry Afaitin.
!ti34 f'l3 .gt.l *-
EMI
W