'§antr anb /ha4lt.
}
DAVID MakrNNElri ~ . .k iN;'', l 9o. '''' —.—
TAMES ALLISON, Plionxims.
STEPHEN LITTLE, : .
PITTSBURGH, JUNE 18, 1869.
INERIIIIev. $1.50§ advaakeel in 0l }s
•I.Ai; or, delivered residwiiiii
bens SRO% ileopreepeettuk,
Rit ENV AL il should Ise promptOillittle
while before the year expires, that we tray
=matte tell arraisteneetits for *steady rayplys
SWIM AND WILAPPaIIt lanileatem that we
desire a renewal. Ifl hewevora In the halt*
Of =Win& this signal should ha omitted, we
hops our friends will Still trot Allot 'an
roortrrooxozo.—seed paylmonti by mate
hands, when somoosiont• Or} mend by milli
*nebulas with ordbuorY oath) and tronablhas
nobody with a knowledge of what yen are;
doing. !or a Urge entount, mend a Draft, or
large Row. For one ortwo papersoend Gold
or email
40 rocs OBIAZOIIe Bond postai. Stamp.
as better WU, mord for moor* palmitinAsp 4111
or Seventy marumboro• or Si for IVlalroir4lhroo
okusaborog
DIRAC. all LaMar, sad Oiniawanleatloni
to DAVID RisKIIINDY & Cth, Plttilourghe
Va.
CHURCH EXTENSION.—It is requested
that funds intended for this cause *ill be
paid to Mr. J. D. Williams, receiving ,
agent, ko.
TH)11 PRESBYTERIAN THEOLOGICAL SEM•
MART of THE Nouss-WEST.—We are re
quested to lay that the Board, of Direators
elected by the General Assembly,are re
quired by the Constitution to hold their first
meeting in the North ohureb, in the city of .
Chicago, on Tuesday morning, June '2Bth,
1859, at 10 o'clock. It is hoPed that every
member will be present.
AOKNOWLBDGMINT. —Mr. James D. Bell
of Prairie City, 111., desires us
, to make
his acknowledgment of receipt of the foll9W-i
ing sums : Per Rey. Wm. Lester,-from West
.eklexander church, /Ph, And -from West
Union, sll'.oo from Mr. 8.11.'8e11, West
Alexander $5 • and frbinForks of 'Wheel
ing, per Dr. ,-Rervey,, $1.6;00 Thapkk are
tendered, and they best .blessings desired
upon the kind donors. •
Liberality, and Aet t i i vity of British Chris-
Our London correspondent, thii week,
-
gives us most cheering mounts of the zeal,
liberality, and successful labors of Christians
in the.fatherland. The London MissionarT
Society is eminent. In the land of our an;
custom there is Taub of the
,'" salt of the
earth," and thence there shines,-with, great
radiance, the "light of the world." But
our foreign letter is so Uniformly attractive,
and so richly repays perusal, `that there is no
need for special calls of attention.
Rev. J. J. Marks.
The Quincy Whig notices, 'van — high
commendation, the parting address of Rev.
Mr. Marks, on the occasion of 'his leaving
that city. A large number of citizen's were
in attendance, who gave the follewink
premien of their feelings
Resolved, That the Rev. •J. J. Marks, in
leaving us, will carry our synipathies and
regrets to his newly chosen home in Pitts
burgh. The fidelity of his ministry, and
healthful influence . as . a 'citizen, during the
nineteen years. that have passed, are
. 00,
widely felt to need=winds, of praise,• and milli
remain as living memorials, commanding for
him and his family our affectionate and tin-.
ternal remembrance.
Church Dedicated.
As we leant from the Islander; the new
and beautiful edifice of the First . Preabyte-,
rian church, of Rook Island, 111., was , duly,
dedicated to the service, of Gaon Sabbath, .
the 6th inst. The morning service in the
other churches of the city, was generally
omitted, to allow of a union in'the
tion exercises. There were six, ministers ,
present, including Rev. Samuel T. Wilson,
the pastor. The sermon was preached by
Rev. R. W. Henry, of Chicago.
The outer measurement of the building
is seventy feet by one hundred and .five feet.
Height forty- five feet. Height of tower
ninety feet. It has one hundred and eigh
teen seats, and ishandsomely . finished. It
is, regarded as one of the fi nest chuirch-edi
floes in Illinois. Cost about 820,000.'; ; ;„``,
Mr. Wibsonts ministry has been greatly
successful.
Corner Stone Laid. '
We learn, by a private letter,, that the
corner stone for a .new church edifice for
the Presbyterian congregation of Wishing:
ton, Ohio, was laid on the 2d' init., with
appropriate ceremonies. In the centre of
the stone was deposited a glans vase, con-
tailing a list of the officers and members of
the church, the names of the builders, and
copies of the Banner and jeldeonate,:PrOlt
byterian, and the Presbyter.
The edifice is to be fifty , by eighty feet,
with basement above ground, ind finished
with a spire. .The congregation does not
ovezilow With wealth; but we know that a
,
frugal and industrious people, by, union,
seal, and perseverance, can do great tiling's;
and we - eoifidently z expect; ere long; to see
in Washington; a beautiful and well-Bibbed
temple consecrated to` Gbd, and entirely free
from the inoumbrince of debt. A people
who have a mind to work,,are always favored
of the Lord.
Education.
We enrich our columns, this week, with
very extended extracts from titer annual re
port of the Board of Education; :.The
Divine favor manifested to this arm of the
Oburch's operations, demands unfeigrie'd
thanksgiving. Without ministen, what
could be done I How could men hear, with
out a preacher ?` And who ighallpreaoh, But
the called of God ? And hori - doeis `God
•
call ? Always, uin all his providences, by
instrumentalities-
The lads noted, that when the Assembly
advised'an %Grease of appropriations to our
eindidites;ilie liberality of the churches
increased, and as applicariti(*have beconie
more numerene, the treasury ,han been more
bountifully replenished, are truly encourag
ing. God invites us to repose in Min;
The excellent working of
,the Siiternatic
Scheme, also calls for gratitude. Let pu
torti and Sessions be relied on. Let Chris
tina liberality be trusted, in the 'use of
proper importunity and a due circulation of
knowledge.. Every ebaroh can be speedily,
surely, and cheaply reached, by theme of
the periodical, the +Aron*, and ;the mail.
By' thine =let the wants of the .Board rbe
made known, and pastors and people mapbe
confidently expected to respond:
The disembly, Colonization, and .Br.
'Thoknweilli)ChuAh Idea:
N.
a Small part of "our last week's edition,
it was printed that the . Overture on Colon.
alt 'VTR loieeidbyfed. Wrwerelibt
in the House at the time ,of the final action
on the Subject, and were - misled by the Mis
take of the daily. The Overture was laid
kfraisetiablis, as ;weglefariiifiam several mem
bers who were present. __ We greatly regret
this. An effort was made so to dispose of
when it t'''El;ffittrintroduced, but was
then defeated by a vote of two to one. A
thin Assembly, desirous to adjourn, suffered
the subject to bernus laid aside rather than to
prolong debate,t or. to force a decision, where
:some good brethren had serious objections.
While the subject was up, it brotight out'
two very able speedhea from ThOinwell,
on ..the duties and pterogatiies of the
•Chnrch. A brief notice', of, them is. given
in our report of the proceedings. The sub.
stance is, that the Chnia: is a spiritual or
,ganizatfon, band simply Ate preach thepos
pel, and must, ~Etp.x Society,-have nothing,to
.'do with the affairis of this world—must ut
ter no' opinion relative' to!the conduat, aims,
'or pihiciples
, of govermient, or of any as.
sociation of Men.
We greatly admire' the abilities of Dr.
`Thornwelf,'and admit that there is much
truth in :his statement. Hut it not
• . .
truth ,carrie s i,isootrine quite too
far. The Church, though not of the , world,
is in the world: !She !.hal to' do her work
in 'the She its to hoth•teaohanci con-
vent the f world. She is deeply interested in
P a .
many,secular,things-,-, things without which
she cannot live, and things to neglect which,
she would `be dirdiet in 'duty. Dr. Thorn
well'e Position would deprive her of all
connexion with general education, to - either
aid, icounsel; oiwommend. It would utter
ly revolutionize heruchemes in' propagating
the Gespal'..among the heathen. All those
efforts, agricultural,' mechanical, and educa.
tional;,Which go to ~Promote , civilization- as
the. handmaid to religion, must, :under his
views, be4bandoned by our Boards.... '
We yield to none in our Nihon:
tion ,of .the Zpiritual 'character of the
'Church. •. She is,to know. nothing! but sis, it
may be , subservient to the converting of sin
ners and' , edifying of the saints; -but
her great'Work, spiritual as it and eon
nectedius it is with =Mortality is Connect
ed also with time. It has its. bearings. on
seculatitiee,.and. secularities have their in:.
fluences upon It brings her into contact
'with many `things earthly
.in some of their
-aspect!. , It imposes on her, most extensive ,
l obligations. She is , so connected with hu
:man institutions;` that - there are times , and
_missions when her voice must be heard.
Sin in high places, must be I.ebuked. She
must, ot not, men, whether the great or the
many, or Itotvever , associated,;;; tie , her.
handle , ' her Mouth. • To•-•;' carry
out ' the Idea h of I Dr: a Thoriniellf to_,;
its Joon] conelueions the Church must
.evaseMa MY for .the LdowPfall ,o.f-,6ra4 3 91
because •it is governmental; and for= , the
deetruction of. the Papacy, because the Pa.,:
ploy is , Verininch a temporality. She must
not express a, desire for the removal of any,
of
of the great barriers reared byte hands
despotic= and superstition, • to= oppose the
progress of the , Gospel,''Vecause all 'times are
the outgoings' of ledular associations: If
government sauetieus the desecration Of the ;
Sabbath, allows. the unrestricted sale of in, :
tOxicating diinks, licenses brothels, forbidsl.
the BibleAW-the Public Schools, prohibiter
,
preaching in the army and navy, or adopts' '
a hereticil 'state religion; the Church's' lips
are,sealed..• She must utter no cry of alarm,
mast:raise , n l o, warning and , no protesting
voice t 'Out upon such views tif the Church
as these; They accord not witle`our noble .
PresbytOlan history . . , They out up by the •
roots' all our Church efforts against associated,
sin, and in 'favor bf' associated humanity. •
We know that attempts are itoinetimoa
made, to drair the Church' aside from, her
proper work, and to enlist her in political or,:
other , secular partizanship. "Enemies 'en*
deliver to ensnare her. ' But while she -would
guer4!rinef , ,,these; not :adopt
principle that would eiclude her from
great portion, of her work. Fallen human
nature would like to have tte Church shit
her eyes : to its follies and its vices, and to
utter no • rebukes. Men would- put• them
selVeei into a position or conibinaiion where
tbiy'rnight go unreproired. But Christ will
not, permit s this. His Church must" idte
every .• , thing n mew here, which :he will
note , is therat his judgment, seat; whether
what they di/ I 'er what ihiy neglect io do. ^
She e mast pe u Vkilaced asshe is to in.,
Arad and rvarn beings. She
must-both preach-the Gospel Of"grace, and
reprove, rebuke and exhort.
It is true that , on the particular lubject
which droll' . out the, speeches of Dr. Thorn
well, there Lira - groat ditersity of opinion;
Rabid 'Aholitioniiii 'says that Colonization is
but noreenlu the hands of slavitholders,-
for the purpose. of, hiding . their designs.
The rabid Proi.Shwiery may. scouts the whole
enterprise, 'treating 'its' benevolence with
contempt. , And also there are many wise
and good men who entertain great doubts as
to the success of the nndertaking; especially
as to its ability, to bring to an end,: , or even
to diminish greatdegree,' the abhor.
rent 'stave traffic on ` the 'coasts of Africa
Bat such a re, not ()lir 4entWente.
are they the, sentiments of ;the r great Man ;
ofthhChristian pebple of this country; ,and
esOebiallyfire' tlibylebtthe sentiments of the
,
We '46' 'tot expect'
that Colonization will ever realize all that
ita'sanguine;fiiendi predict ; yet' e ,,
d(i •
. '"belia4re ' under Proper manage:
pent, • and DIN* btiing,,
will do much, :very much r .to explize , and,
Chzietianize '4fries, :. : and,to ' the .
eapieitY for 'self:government, of the negro
ra°C' 114411 elevate them, and give them
the Gospel. It also as far as it progresses
will, form-:an effective, harrier against the,
slave tindea traffic-utterly opposed to the
• of Child; Aidlripugnantr toT'alPthe
better feldings of man's nature. In pro.
meting the Colonization, enterprise;' Chris
tianspze ,doing an appropriate work. In its
eienligleputwmnt, 'the:ft:Whit and prie.
tiselluo humanity of the Saviour, when he
W 41 4 14060 ,doing" gook hailing the stoke ' :
relieving _the= distressed, and feeding:: the
hungry ; -end in its= opiritnal =department,
they, thiii ;Lord, - preach the :Gospel
Ike poor t ' tiof the'most powerful
anzihartes to ' Evangelical missionary enter
prise, :in on /otS,Pie poitdoenightedAtild
long neglected portions of the °aril; where
THE PRESBYTERIAN BANNER AND ADVOCATE
there are term of millions of the' most sus
ceptible of perishing human sails.
But we sttePend our remarks. - It was not
our object to discuss the slave trade, the
elm, it can" 'longer be
denled„ is attempted in various rioters,
and - which' Must' arouse the opposition and
indignation of the and Christian in
every ~*t. et the' ' Nor' :Yet did We
intend to discuss, extensively, the claims of
Colchizatien. , Oar purpose was to maintain
the: rights; 'duties 'arid prerogatives, of, the
Churoh of our Redeemer , whose kingdom
ruleth over all. We would express our
strong conviction, in which the great , mass
of they Christian community will unite with
us, , that the' Church hu a right, and it is
her duty When the occasion demands, to ex
press her mind, (which should conform to the
mind of Christ,) with regard to the obliga
tions cf her children_'toward institutions
'outside of her pale, but which bear upon
her interests and her work ; favorably or 11n.
favotably, and which concern. deeply, the
' cause of humanity—a cause which affected
the heart of our Saviour, and elicited tokens
of his kind emotion and wise beneficence.
For this right we shall ever plead, and .its
judicious exercise we shall .always advocate.
ILlfitence of,Missionariet.
Wherever Christianity goee, it enlightens
and elevates men ' The history of eighieeti
hundred ,years , proves this. Still, the work
is moderate, usually, in its programs. A.na
tion is but seldom born in a day. So Mad
eraie , iii7tha , -progress of missionary benefit,
and Witli:liinittle of a eharaeter to &sale
•• • •
the human eye, does it advance, that infidels
take occasiowto 'deride the cause, as though
the expectations of great ;good were all vain.
It is hence pleasing to have the Chriatian
accounts bf usefulness - ioUfitined l by the
testimony - of, scientific and observant travel
ars and 'statesmen. - .
The visit of. Hon. Wm. B. Reed, United
States Cmnniissioner to China,'gave> this
distinguished civilian an oppottnnity_ of
testing the ,practical ; results, of 'missionary .
labor; and he took , the occasion of a large,
meeting of merchants and scientifio men, at
the - Corn 'Exchange in Philadelphia, where
he ably` 'defended the treaty he had con
eluded, to - bear a candid , and honorable tes
timony in,fsvor of Mindoro.. - • _
We! quote from the .Presbyterian
One other word, and I have done. It has ref
()Tome to higher thoughts than any , connicted
with political or diplomatic success. No one can
pass even as short a time as I have done, in the:
dark, cold shadow of Pagan civilization, snob as'
is found in,Chiett, or Among what we may hope
to be the ruins ofliindoo or Mohammedan super
stition, - without new gratitude that his lot is oast
in a Christian land, and without the conviction
that there can be no true effective enlightenment
without Christianity ; and to speak more practi
cally still,. no one can see what I have, without
recognizing the linty of acknowledging the enor
moue debt of gratitude tolhose devoted men and
women who, as missionaries, are struggling for the
conversion and education of'the heathen, and our
obligation to sustainthem.. = „ =
I Weitt,to the East with no enthusiasm as to
missionary, enterprise. I come back with a fixed
conviction that, in its true and harmonizing
power, and lilts increasing influence on'coniraer
dial adventure, it iit; under Providence, the.great
spilt 'of civilisation; feel it my- ditty to
add, tbat everywhere, in Asia and Africa, among
the Carrel; in Natal, on the continent of, India,
among the forests of Oeylon,and over the vast
expanse of Mina, the testimony : to the - zeal and
success` of CountrYined as missionaries of
truth' is earnest and concurrent. I' heard it
everywhere, and from high authority./ Their
praises greeted me when
' after the dreariness, of
a long voyage; I put, my foot ashore at the Pipe
of Hood Hope, and when, nearly two years'after
wdrd; bade' farewell to Eatitern lands, my` last
delightful duty was to visit, and for imyself' see;
the, largest missionary school in,Egypt,:kept and
admirably by an Americana Phil-
adelphia womatillitins Dale) at ,Alexandria.
New School Progress,
The Independent, speaking :of the New
School. PreibiterieN says :
it This is the twenty.firet anniversary of the
Disruption by which the New School churches
beiame a separate body and assumed the status
and the responsibilities of a wdenornination"-;--
whatever that Word May 'he held tu'imply. It
must be oonfessedtthat its 'operations in a ~4den
omhaational capacity" do not strike us as at all
commensurate to its numbers and resources.. For
Hoine,Missions, under the euphemism of Church
Extension, (a Scottish term misapplied,y they
raised about $lO,OOO. The Publication Board
(called Permanent Committee in deference to a
traditional dislike, now obeelete, of ecolisiastiCal
g boards) received $9,938:27,1 Y. donation and be=
quest, and $19,878.99, from salei NiCks, in
cludiziethe- hymn-books used by the' denomina
tion, the ;copyright of which they bought of a
bookseller for a large sum; while the capital
fund of. $26,009, which they proposed to raise
still - lieks above $7 000 'of its completion:' The
eduCiation Of ministers is hi qUite an up - Organised
coaditicin, MICR is reported that the sums raised
by. various Synods and Presbyteries, - and 'the
friends of different Seminaries,-..amounted to
$30,000." •
The overture from the Free,Synoll to the
late :Assembly; at Wilmington; asking for
some farther action on the subjict of slavery,
as preparatory to their seeking a union with
that Asseinbly was referiedlo a committee
of conference.
Ifistorical , Society of Wooten" Penner
vania.
This Society_ met •last Tuesday evening,
and listened to adinteresiing and elahorate
address by the, 'Rev. Dr. HOWard; on Eu
ropean Discovery and Colonization, on this
Continent. In the course of the address,
the Dr. gave a graphic account of the, state
of. England and Francs in 1495-6; '
On motion of Mr. Bigham, the Rev. Dr.
Justin, of Efolyidaysbirg, ra., was invited
to deliver a lecture;at, some future time, on
a subject: of local ,historical importanee, in
the..iniestigation of which he ikreported to
be build) , engiged. The meetingi of this
Sociely,should be well attended; and its ob
jects should begreatly, encouraged.;
IIMMII!!
.BooleliasticaL
Mr. Brcw:silp W.mrss, a lieentiato of the
Classis . of Bergen; was ordained by the
'Preibytery of Tiosaio;•on •thel'-3let'itit:;
•and' inetalled paitor of 'the 'German 'Pres.
byterian church, Paierson, N., J.
Rev J. K. 'Ciiirdzit's Poet Office address
is ebanged :froan Williamsport, to
• Cumberland Md.
Rev. , th W. ZAUNIZER 7 B Post Offioe addrees
is changed from' Conneantville, Criwford
Co., Pi.; to Huntingdon;-Pa. • • ,
Rev W p. MoCARTNNY's; Post Office
di4es 'lB changed from Holliday's' COvel,
'Viiginia, to Glasgoi; Coluntibitina Co.
Rai. A.,flow, of. Abbeville, S. C., , it is
• said, intends. removing to Mobile, Ala., to
take charge of the GoVernment Street
church there.
WitsbN,- Lithopolia, Ohio,
l 'hai taken charge of Centre church. His
Pea' Offiaia Addiess is ^Pleasant Plains,
Sangamon Co,
Rev., SAMUEL 4. WORCESTER, for a third
of a century.missionary Among the .Oher
okees, died on the 20th of. May.
REM. =E. WI Wit/GET; one account of ill
healthilaileeri obliged to relinquish his
pastond duirea.at Delphi], Indiana, during,
the Summer. His Post Office address"
until.rsta SepteMber will" be Allegheny
City, Pa.
Parsokrow, N. J.—The .annual com
mencement the timelonored College at
this place, will , be held on the 29th of the
present month. Rev. J. H. Meßvaine,
of' Roolleiter,` New York, will delivqr
the address, .before : the Whig and Clio Socie
ties. The whole exercises promise to be
unusually interesting.
MIMI
EASTERN SUMMARY.
,:.4 1 Boatan and New sEngland.
Thlt Wheal lake has been raging in the modern
Athens.for seine time with.great.virulence. Mr.,
Morpny, the lion of the doy, has been feted,
toasted,
,dinnered ) and taken on pleasure excur
sions. Staid and sober citizens have gone into
ecstasies, reverend scholars have left their stud
ies to do honor to the chess champion, and access
to his presenoe by the unworthy, has been care
fully guarded. But the thing has gone: too far; .
the comic and farcical characters are beginning to
appear. Those who have been' engaged in these
ovations, may' expeot to be the targets for the
shots of many wits, for some months to come.
The Boston Courier explains the principle of this
Popular commotion on this wise:
The feeling which prompted the Athenians to
do such honor to Mr. Morphy was similar to that
which it seizes hold of anything that is an im
provement upon former things. As Boston
feasted Morphrfor being,a good chess-player, it
delights in honoring the man who makes a fast
yacht ' an improved pistol, or invents a new
method of tamingboraes."
Without entering into any discussion at pres
ent, of the merife or. demerits of the game of
chess, or without attempting to point, out Just
.now the dangers that may,be possibly connected
'with- it, or to which Wu:ay , be perverted, we
quote the remarks of the Courier on chess as an
intellectual game, of, which so much is now Writ
ten and•said .
"We cannot assent to the disposition manifest
ed, -naturally enough,. by distinguished chess
players tonutgoify their office and function. We
cannot admit that there is any necessary and in
evitable connexion between eminence, in, chess.
playing and general intellectual' superiority..
While it is , true tbatmany distinguished men have
been excellent chess players, it is nevertheless
'equally true that, the greates;chess-players have
never gni* evidence of conspicuous ability in any-,,
thingable. ""There were litany' Men'• at the Boston
banquet on Tuesday evening whom we should rank
in intellectual stature far above .Philidor, Mao
'donald, Des Chapelles, De la Bourdonnais, or any
other great name tit the annals of chess, whether
dead or living.
"The game of-chess is certainly an intellec- ,
Wel game ; so is whist, with, to be sure, an ele
ment of chance euperadded ;so is checkers. But,
it is'but a. game' after all;-and the best thing you
can say of it is that it is a very excellent con
.trivanee to enable idle men to get through the
lary 7 pacingitours.without damage to the pocket,
_the conscience or the constitution. It is, for, an
anatMement, the nearest possible approach to real
intellectual work. But it is a barren tree'; it
kbears the blossomslof entertainment, but not fruit
of utility— , lhe rest of mankind' are very little
benefited, mentally, morally, Or, materially, by
the diligent study of the game of chess by a
- To our taste, too, the spectacle of
- two men, especially, young men, crooking their
- spines for hours, 'and tying knots in their brains,
over a parcel of figures cut in white and red ivory,
isa little dreary; but this is merely a matter of
taste, and we are far from insisting that others
shall squara, their conduct by the' line of our
tastes.' -
The Great Hooaere Ibsen/ is a subject of free
quent conversation in many parts of the land,
but, after all, very little is known abroad of the
extent and difficulties of this' gigantic undertak
ing. It is about twenty-four thousand feet, or
more.than four Miles long, and is to be eighteen
feet high and fourteen wide. . As yet, only a pro
gress of three hundred feet has been, made at the
West, end, and tweivehundred at the East end,
that is, only one-siiteenth of the whole has been
Completed, while some of the difficulties must
necessarily : increase as the work advances. The
Irish workmen have been the cause of so much
trouble -that Weishiand Germans have been sub-
Stituted in their ,plffe.
We take the following_ interesting scrap of news
from the Boston Reea'rder: How great the advaM
,
tages of the prestmkover the past in thetranamis
sion of " news
In 111.8 the'itoefon Hews Letter which had been
printed on a half -Sheet of foolscap size,
was en
-
Urged so as . in reqhire a whole sheet. The pub
lisher - zutively , remarked ,thot it - was impossible
"with half a sheetin the week to carry on all
the public news of Europe, thoitgh hitherto all
those of Great' Britaih,`lreland, our own and our
neighboring Provinces' have been Yearly inserted."
He was now thirteen months behind hand with
Foreign Nine, and to make up the deficiency, and
'to make all "new that used formerly to be old,"
he resolvedio print a whole sheet every other
,week. ' What would our readerskthink of waiting
lourtesn montlis' '
or fourteen days or fourteen
hours, even, fortheir foreign news?
Little do those 'dwelling at a distance from the
sea board know of the Perils and Lases of those
'" who do business on great waters." The Meth
cester MassachusilisTelegraphpresents a list of one
hundred and ten , vessels, chiefly schooners, which
have been lostfrom the part of Gloucester within
the last thirty years, together with the names of
two
. hundred and ninety of the men on board
these vessels : . who were. lost; and, there were
fortY.two & others whose names have never been
'ascertained—making, a, total of three , hundred
- and thirtyteix persona:lost. Of this =caber, two
hundred and twenty-four. have been lost within
s the bast•ten 'years, or an average of twenty-two
livis during those years. - The year:lBs2 was the
most disastrous of any ; during that' year, thir.
teen :vessels were lost, (eight of them were
stranded, and five, having forty men on board,
were-never heard from,) the, value of which was
$42,200. Theis) facts show that the • business is
pursued it a yearly loss of twenty or more per
.
sonm'
Audi' :Tritereat has been ' a wakenedin 'der
• iffent'
parts of New.Bngland, by the visit of Mr. Wad :
.dingtoii, 4 l)aster of the original Faritin ishurdi,
SerintWarks• London:. This church was organised
,
in 1592, and the Bev. Francis Johnson was the,
first minister. In, the same• year, this church
,fordally asked permission to emigrate' to America,
but was refused. 4.sy of the Slot members , suf
fered imprisonment, and some of them:martyr
dom,. John ; Smyth; sho went frons• this church
;formed the church at Gains borough, from which
the church atfScrooby sprang.. Thus, by direct
emigradon,•andythrough its connexion with. Ley-•
den , and Scrooby, -this old- church is directly cone
nedted with Flymouth, Scituate, and Barnstable,
in Missabhusetts. The ancient church ' has "al- -
waYti'inainteined its separate existence, but with-'
'innrte house'of wor ship ` , baa-been
yea
loopy and now it is proposed 'to erect for this
congregation Memorial . Furitan church; at: a
) cosit'oi'oooo freiiimintribtitiiiiii made 'by the
of the his country
and elseiviere. e - "bite' many
valuable ietters andfiistorical dooume connect
ed the. earlytrials, perseontion„ nod'ximityr.
dein: of 'the confeesors of Non-eonfermitY.'
Ationg these is a letter'.from John Whist written
in prison. 1592, desiring to emigrate to Syria,
the, original petition of the church to _be allowed
to emigrate to America written in the same year
.and many interesting documents in, the hand?
writing of Richard Baxter, John . Eliot, and the
Mothers.' •
=RE
The'hopes entertained by seine that the War in
Eura**as about 'to; be Productive of immenie
advantages to this eonntry, do not seem about
to be speedily realized: Very , seldom does
it happen that the great calamities of any part of
the human family, result In any great and per
manent advantage to any other part, and it is
certainly'not humane, much, lees Christian, to en
tertain expectations of tuivantage from the mis
eries of others. , Still many speculators enter
tained the sanguine hoPe of such a revulsion of
trade in our favor at once, as would make.us im
mediate gainers. But however it may be in the
future, it is certain., that just at present the
oouptry as 'lnch is losing greatly in its specie, on
account of the European flifficulties. In Europe,
credit isldestroye4 t px. ,shaken, so that specie on
depositi.is rapidly 'withdrawn, and specie , is de
manded in payment for everything. In this way,.
gold and silver are withdrawn.,from, the great
a
'centres of trade , and there is large and con
Now York;
stunt drain from this country, to supply the de
ficiency in payment of our excessive importations.
Within five weeks $15,500,000 have been Shipped;
but such are the resources of the colntry, that
the New York banks show only a decrease of
about $300,000 in the same period. Specie has
been drawn from all parts of the country to re
pilot that taken to Europe. But still the ominous
fact remains that the country has within its
limits fifteen millions and a half less of gold and
silver, than it had a little more than a month ago.
And although Americans that have been winter
ing in. Italy, are getting out of that sunny land
.just"nerquickly as posiible, the rush of Ameilcans
for Europe, this Summer, is unprecedented.
The two steamers that left on Saturday week,
carried out six hundred and fifty passengers, a
large proportion of which consisted of families
from the South.
Dwellers in the Country have no adequate con
ception, of the vast population crowded into the
limits of some of the districts of this city.
According to a report lately made, in 1856, there
were in 19 wards 585,027 souls, and only 86,080
houses to shelter them in, or , an average of 15
persons in each house. But it is to be -kept in
mind that 24,466 of these dwellings shelter but
86,213 families, of 5 persons each, while the
remaining 11,628 houses have to accommodate
76,620 families, or more then 6 families to . each
tenement. But the farther we go into this report
the more startling the facts. There are 169
houses containing 14 families each; 289 houses
containing 16 families each ; 160 houses containing
20 families each; 26 houses containing 26
families each; one house containing 87 families,
and one 94 faMilies ! This last house, it is said,
was bnilt for the accommodatioa of 126 families,
and stands upon a plot of ground 60 feet wide by
260 deep. Can it be difficult to explain the cause
of ,so ',Much city mortality, in the face of facts
such,as these? Who should not be thankful for
a pure atmosphere and a little house that be cad
call his own!
A petition signed by hundreds of the most active,
enterPriiing, reliable, and *wealthy men of the
.city, has been presented to the Police Department, -
with respect M the Sunday Liquor- Tr*, asking
the execution of the laws &ready in existence,
and 'also the placing -Within every house where
liquor Meold, a copy of the laws on the subject,
so that those transgressing may know the penalty
they Meat%
The Address of the Ron. George Bancroft, on
the Rev. Jonathan ' Edwards, drew a large
audience to the rooms of the Historical Society.
Mr. Bancroft did full justice to the holy charac
ter and, exalted abilities of this great man; and
after having done this, he proceeded to state and
land the great doctrines Edwards so firmly be.
lieved and so ably taught,- and to speak of the
grist influence exerted by them. The speaker
concluded amid applause, and a motion was
,at
once made to give the author a vote of thanks
and aik a copy for publication, when the follow
ing little episode took place, that will show that
the Society would not be frightened out of its
propriety, even if one of its members did object
to the' praise bestowed on the doctiines of
Edwards : •
Mr: Voloom did not riselo oppose the motion,
but apart of the time he could not help - thinking
that they were in the Broadway Tabernacle.
But the people of Northampton could not stand
his doctrines— . - -
Mr. Bancroft (interrupting and continuing the
same sentence which Mr... Folsom left unfinisned,)
and were infinitely sorry when he left them,
wept over it, and repented it in sackcloth and
ashes from that day to this. (Continued and re
peated applause.) , s
The reply of Mr. Bancroft to Mr. - Folsom is
sufficient' answer to the witticisms of Dr. Holmes,
in a late number of the Atlantic Monthly.
.12 ev. Dr. Gregory T. Bedell, pastor of the
church of the . Ascension, in this city, has been
elected Assistant Bishop of the State of Ohio, on
account of the feeble health of Bishop Hollvaine,
Dr. Bedell is successor to Bishop Eastburn, of
Massachusetts, whom he succeeded about fifteen
, yearsi ago. Thus this church has lost two pastorS
in succession, to fill Episcopal Chairs; Dr. Bedell
received two-thirds of the - votes of both the clergy
and laity, on the first ballot, and was afterwards
declared unanimously elected. He is a Philadel
phian by -birth, and, like Bishop Mellvaine, is a
low Churchman of earnest Evangelical views.
, .
Philadelphia.
The people of this city are moving in the mat. ,
ter of Ocean Navigation. A Company has been
formed, called The Philadelphia and Crescent
Steamship Company," for the purpose of building
and running a line of steamers ketween this city
and-Liverpool, according to the patent of Capt.'
Randall, mentioned , by us some time:` ago. A
meeting of the Corporators is to be held on the
23d of the preeent month.
The Dimino' of. Hr. Wootoott from the office of
Postmaster, was occasioned by him levying a tax
Upon fiflY-seven of the employees, after exempt
ing thirteei others, to make good a deficiency of
$1,61.9.02, occurring through mistakes or pui
loining., Such con d uc t was viewed by the depart
meat at Washington, as' oppressive and most rep
x:ehensible.
The Annual meeting of the Pesmaylvattia,lfedi
cal Society was held last week. The opening ad
dress, was made by Dr. Smith,Cunningham, of
Beaver,. Pa.,.the president of the last meeting.
The Swedenborgian* of the 'United States were
also in convention for several days.
The Board of Controllers - of ^the Public Schools
have determined to organize a High School for
girls—the one for boys has been long in existence.
The Presbyterians of this city feel great interest
in the new Presbyterian church of Atlantic City,
New Jersey, which is to be dedicated on the 23d
instant.
For the Freebyterian Bannei and Advocate.
eport of J. D. Wil li ams,li
Teamorsaa or TIM BOARDS , or DONISTIO MIS
-__
imps !. EDUCATION , PUBLICATION, AND FUND
FOR StrP.NRAIMMAYND Murisrans AND Trivia
FAMILYNS, TOW MAY, 1859 . .
DOMESTIC MISSIONS.
SYNOD OF PITTEDIIIRGH.—BIairsviIIe Presbytery:
Johnstown church, $68,60. Ohio Pby : Pitts
burgh 2cl oh., (A Member,) 1.00 ; ' Pittsburgh
, 6th ob. Juvenile Missionary Society; to consti
tute Miss Henrietta Finley an Honorary Member,
66.85. Lebanon; 80.00. .Rectstetie ?by: Union
town ch., 80.00. Salsbury Pby
12.00 ;,Mt. Pleasant, 2.00; Boiling Spring, 6.00;
Parnassus, B:oo;:Warren, 11.86:
SYNOD OF AYANGRINY.—AIIegheny Pby : Per
.tcraville oh., 12 00 ; , Tarentum, 6.00. Allegheny
City P',by:, Central oh., 60.00.
&mon or WRDNLnio..—New Lisbon P'6y: Yel
low Creek ch.; 22:00. 1 1 : ,tu
SYNOD OP. Onro.—Narion 2 3 '6y: Kingston oh.,
6.88; Liberty oh., an Elder, 8.00; Brown, 8.88 ;
Richland, 2.50; Pisgah, 7.76; Little Mill Creek,
MisomAnnons.—Bequest of Joseph H. Laugh
lin, per J. Henderson adm'r, 100.00; Bliss A.
Glass, Hookstown, Po, 8.00.
EDUCATION. ' '
SYNOD or PITTBDURON.--Blairaville I"by : New
Alexandria ch., 26.28.
SYNOD . OF ALLZGHENY.--ARegheny P!by: Por
tersville oh., 12,00.; Tarentum, 4.00; Middlesex,
14:00. Beaver P'by : Clarksville, 10.00; Little
Beaver, 13.25;.Newcastle, 24.10.
SYNOD OP -
Wegee eh., 6.00; Morristown, 6.5 L
Sumo or Onzo.—.Marion Ploy: Kingston ch.,
1.00 ; Liberty, 11.00. Zanesville P'by : Zanes
vine let ch., 10.00.
PUBLICATION.
SYNOD- OF ALLECDINNY.—Atieghtny City Pby:
Sharpsburg Ch., 14,66.
SYNOD or OHlO.—Rechlorid : Ashland eh.,
27.'00. - • .
CHURCH EXTENSION
SYNOD OP. PITTSBURGIL—Saitsbur,q ?by: In
•
diana,oh„ 28 .
SYNOD OF ALLNGHIWY.—AIIegheny Ply: "Mid
diefiex oh., 6.00.
SYNOD OF WHNILING--NNO Lisbon Fby : Yel
low Creek ob., 19 00.
SYNOD or Onlo.--Marion .R'by: Brown, 8.20;
Radnor, 5.00.
SUPERANNUATED MINISTER! FUND.
SYNOD. • OP PIT'I'SDITRON,,--RedttONE .eby: MC
, Keesport lat. oh., 24,50. Clarion Brook
Lille oh., 10.01. '
SYNOD OP ALLIIGNINY..—Beaver P'Ey: Clarke
ville oh., 3:00. - •
Svroo or -WILISLING. Sleabenvills Pby
Harlem oh., 6.00; Bloomfield, 1.00. . • '
CLOTHING.
Ladies of Allegheny City, let ch., a Box,
TOTALS —Domestic Missions, $499.91; Educa
tion, $138.09; Publication, $41.66; Mural;
Extension, $56.20; Superannuated Ministers'
Fund, $45.41.
J. D. WILLIAMS, Bee. Agent,
114 Smithfield Street,
Pittsburgh, May 81, 1869.
For the Presbyterian Banner and Advneatet *
Report of H. Childs.
TeemcErßEß OP THE BOARD OP FOREIGN MIESPONS,
von May, 1859.
ALLEGHENY PRESBYTERY-HPortersville con
gregation, $2.00.
ALLEGHENY CITY PB'Y—Plains eong., 7.15 :
Bridgewater, 5.10 ; Central, 60.00.
BLAIRSVILLE PB'Y—Murraysville con., 12.75;
Beulah, 48.00; Congruity, 20 00; Poke Run,
60.00, $25 to educate David Kirkpatrle, in In
dia; Greensburg, 27.05.
CLARION MY—Bethesda cong, Ladies' Mis
sionary Society, 8.40; Concord, Ladies' Miss.
Soc., 9.00,
COSHOCTON i'l3T— r Cosbocton 88.00; Cod:too
t= Sabbath School, 15 00.
ERIE PHY—Fairfield 15.00.
KANSAS PB'Y—Kickapoo Mission, 12.30.
MARION PB'Y—lOngston, 6.89; Brown, 6.00;
Pisgah; 8.00 ; Little Mill Creek, LOU; Eden,
8 00 ; Delaware, Ist, 11.00.
OHIO PB'Y—Monongahela CRY, 90.00, of which
20.00 is from the Sabbath School, and to con
stitute Mrs. Ells. Lockhart, John Young, and
Dr. S. M. King, Life Members ; Fourth church,
Pittsburgh, 86.00 from Sabbath School, to ed
ucate an Indian boy named Samuel Fulton;
Canonsburg, Sabbath School, 10.00, and church
20.00.
SALTS BURG PB'Y-Elderaridge, 7 68; 011gaI,
11.00.
ST. CLAIRSVELLE Pl39r—Mt. Pleasant, 33.00.
WASHINGTON PWY—West 'Union, 12.00; Forks
of Wheeling, 35.50; Upper Buffalo,. 36.00.
WOOSTER MY—Wayne, 13.00 ; Chester, 15.21.
MISCELLANHOUS—Joe. Craig, Clayeville,
50 cts.; Robert Cellar, an elder in Liberty ch.i
8.00; Miss A. Glees, Hookstown, Pa., 3.00 ;-
Box Clothing from Scrub Grass and New Salem
cong's, valued at $lOO, of which $9O is from
the former, and the balance from the latter;
Box Clothing from Female Missionary Swint
of Bethel cong., yalued at $30.06<; Box Clothing
from Female Missionary Society of Gilgaloong.,
valued at $23.66
H. Clumps, Ireasurer.
Pittsburgh, Tune 4, 1859.
For the Preebyterian Banner and Advocate.
Narrative
Of the State`-of Religion adopted by the General
Assembly of the Presbyterian Church As the
United States, at their Sessione at Indianapolis,
May, 1859, and addreesed to the churchee undev
their care. -
The meeting of the General Assembly of the
Presbyterian Church in the United States may
be regarded as the general review of the armies
of our spiritual Israel. It must be admitted:that
there is something exceedingly interesting in such
an assemblage of the representatives of so many
Presbyteries and churches coming together from
all parts of this vast country—from the North
and the South, the Bast and the West—all
speaking the same language, forgetting those
sectional topics whioh excite and agitate other
bodies, and agreeing to attend to the one great
business assigned them by the Lord" Christ
—the proclamation of the glorious Gospel, and
the adoption of means and measures for filling
the world 'with the knowledge of the truth as it
is in Jesus..
The Assembly desire to render davout thanks
to God for the many tokens of his favor granted
to them during the past year. All the reports
sent up to us from the Presbyteries, together
with all the information incidentally imparted,
proclaim this one interesting fact, that the Church
of Jesus Christ under our immediate supervision
is advancing in the work committed 'to her by
her Great Head. Since the last Narrative was
sent down to the °burettes, our borders have been
enlarged by the formation of eleven new Presby
teries—a larger number than has ever been
formed during any previous year—and. by the
organization of new churches hi almost all 'the
Presbyteries. At the time when the - Assembly
held its sessions last year, a number of churches
were enjoying revivals of religion. The precious
fruits of those revivals have been gathered in,
and-many other churches have since ,been visited
by the'outpouring of God's gracious Spirit. One
hundred and twenty nine Presbyteries have sent
up Narratives to this Assembly. Of these, sixty
three report revivals .during the past year,
namely: Crawfordsville, North River, Luzerne,
Erie, Saltsburg, Lexington, Ogdensburg, Hunt
ingdon, Ebenezer,Hopewell, Washhigton„. Sid
ney, Maury , Bethl, Lafayette, Lake, Titscumbia,
St. Louis, Medina, Raritan, Buffalo City, Balti
more, _Genesee River, Passaic, Mississippi, Bea
ver, New Albany, Steubenville, West Lexington,
Flint River, Tuscaloosa, Sangamon, Tombeckbee,
-Albany, South Carolina, Memphis, Charleston;
Chickasaw, Hariony;Blairsville, Maumee,-Bliz
abethtown, Transylvania, Nassau, Wooster, Du
buque, Concord, Donegal, Orange,i Long Island,
Allegheny, Kaskaskia Fayetteville, Missouri,
Philadelphia, New irunswick, Ningpo West
Hanover, Winnebago, Marion, East Hanover,
the Second Presbytery of Philadelphia,. and
Cherokee. •
Among the Presbyteries that have enjoyed re
vivals we give a place to. Ningpo, in China, inas
much as when the Narrative from that Presbytery
`was written, seven members bad been received
into the church on a profession of faith, and
some ten or twelve were to be baptized on the
first Sabbath in „February. It is further stated
that from an institution under the management
of the Presbytery, one young, man has placed
himself under the care of the Presbytery. as a
candidate for the ministry, and it is hoped that
two or three others will follow his example.
Such is, indeed, cheering intelligence to come
from that distant land so long shut up in pagan
darkness. We think we may, justly report among
the revivals which have been enjoyed in our
Church, that wonderful, and in its' bearings
most important work of grace, on board of the
North Carolina," as a minister of our Church
was an active laborer , in that work, and as a
number' of the converts joined the Presbyterian
Chuich.
A large proportion of the other Presbyteries,
whilst they have not been visited by those marked
displays of the power of the
.Spirit, which are
usually denominated revivals, have, nevertheless,
been refreshed and strengthened. Indeed there .
are very few, if any, Presbyteries whiCh have
not reported conversions, and other evidences, of
the smiles of the Great Head of .the Church.
The Narratives which we have received, present
a number of interesting facts, which. We feel
bound to 'record.
L One of these is, that`all the churches which
were revived last year still retain the spirit of
those refreshing seasons. None 'of them appear
to have been visited with that re-acticin, aid for
mality, and deadness, which too fretittently follow
seasons of revival. The vital infruences_ of these
times of ' refreshing seeins to have. followed them
through the year ; and Whilst additione to those
churches are not as large as they were last year,
still the presence of the Divine
.Spirit has been•
manifest in the , spiritual life of Christians, and in
the harmony, and love, and joy, and activity in
the service of the Lord, which have pervaded the
churches. Perhaps there never has been a year
in the history of our Zion 'when the churches.
were so generally at peace,
with so' few roots of
bitterness springing up to trouble them.
2. Anotherlact in the history of odk Churelt
for the last year, which we feel bean& specially
to notice, is the general prevalence of spirit of
prayer. This has been manifested in the multi
plication of meetings for prayer,, and in the
unusually large numbers that have attended such
meetings, and the interest with which they have
atiended them. As we were bound- to "expect it
would be, God has heard the prayers of; his peo
ple, and answered them in the conversion of sin.
ners, antra's° in the peace, harmony, and spiritual
prosperity of the churches, and theta efficiency in
the various schemes for the promotion of the
cause of Christ.
8. Another interesting fact brought to view by
the Narratives, is the great attention which has
been paid by the Preshyteries and churches to
the religious instruction of youth. With com
paratively a few exceptions, the Presbyteries re
port flourishing Sabbath Schools and Bible
classes ; and many report catechetical instruc
tion, especially in the Catechisms of our Church.
This we are bound to regard as a mostimportant
movement in the right uireetion. It is but the
utterance of an oft-repeated truism - to say that
the youne, are the hope of the Church ; and that
if, before their minds are pre occupied by error,
they be imbued with Divine truth, they will not
onlybe secured against the wiles •of deceivers,
but will also be much more . likely, than others
not having enjoyed such instruction, to be truly
converted, brought into they fold of the Great
Shepherd and - Bishop of souls. In confirmation
of , these views, we remark that a number of the
Presbyteries in which revivals have been enjoyed
during the past year, state that the fruits of those
revivals have been gathered especially from Sab
bath Schools and Bible classes. - •
In'this connexion we mention that several of
the Presbyteries report revivals in Literary Insti
tutions more or less directly under their control,
and the important fact that numbers of young
men converted have dedicated themselves to the
work of the ministry; -
4. We have thought proper to bring specially
to notioe the faatlhat, in addition to prayer, the
means employed in producing the revivals report
ed . has been the plain and practical preaching of
the•doctrines - of the Word of God. Several Preek
byteries.mention specially expositm 'preaching
as,a;;means which tuts teen employed with evident
good results. The Assembly would take this
opportunity of recommending to the minister:s
under its- direction attention to this mode of
preaching, so well adapted to do honor to the•
Word of God, and which the Fathers of a pre
ceding age employed with such eminently good
effect.
5. Again, the Reports which have come up to
us show anincreasing attention to the spiritual
interents of the colored people. Fro* the Nar
ratives of the Southern Presbyteries, appears
that the Gospel is specially preached to them by
nearly. all their .pastors. We have before us
abruidant evidence• that the Gospel as thus
preached has not been unattended by the bless
ing of God; has heen received, in many inetan
oest by them in simplicity of faith, and has been.
made to them the power of God unto salvation.
It is our privilege to state the intereat'ng and
cheering fact, that eleven Presbyteries report re
vivals among the colored people, some of them
revivals in several churches. One church has for
eighteen months enjoyed a continuous revival; and *
as the fruits of that revival, as an expression or
their gratitude to the Lord for the great things
which he has done for them, they have contribu
ted a considerable sum to send the Gospel to their
benighted brethren in Africa.
6. The evidence before us, afforded by the
Narratives clearly indicates that the members of
the churches are grbwing in the grace of giving
to the cause of the Lord Jesus Christ, net indeed
so rapidly as oould be desired, yet evidently there
is advancement in this important matter. A con
siderable number of the Presbyteries report that
in obedience to the direction of the General As
sembly, they have inaugurated.plans of System
&tie contribution. We trust that the time is not
far distant when this matter shall be placed on
its only true and proper basis—when every mem
ber of the Church, whether rich or poor, young
or old, male or female, shall have the opportunity
of contributing to every good rause, and espe
cially to all those schemes of benevolent opera
tion in which our Church is engaged, and. when
all shall feel it to he their duty and their privi
lege to contributein proportion as the Lord has
blessed them. Whenever that 'point shall be
reached, then will our Church have all the meat a
needed to accomplish the great work assigned her
by her ascended Ring. Not only will her coffers
be filled with sufficient gold and silver, bat, what
is far more important, she will have the ministers
of the right kind, and in sufficient numbers.
Such a spirit and such action would not only be
the harbingers of one great glorious revival— they
would be such a revival, and would exercise on
Christians in every condition, these benign in
fluences which always attend genuine revivals.
Then would our fathers and mothers joyfully and
in faith give their eons and daughters to the ser
vice of the Lord, in whatever departments and in
whatever lands he Might see fit to employ them.
Then would our yoring men, in proportion as the
Lord has need of them, turn away from the calls
of ambition, and the calls of worldly emolument,
and devote themselves to the high and holy work
of preaching the Gospel. Whore heart does not
throb with exaotioss of delight at such , pros
pect as this ? What minister of. Christ, what
church4nember is there in our Zion, that will not
daily pray for, this most desirable-consummation,
and do all that he can to produce it?
7. There is Oho other important fact for the.
existence of which we would most render thanks
to the Lord, and to which we would , especially
direct the attention of the Church. The fact to
which we refer, we cannot better designate than
by denominating it the revival which has taken
place among the Ruling Elders of our Church.
The Eldership ie not only a great characteristic
feature of the Presbyterian Church, but also con
stitutes a part of her equipment for accomplish
ment of good, which, if properly employed, must
render the Presbyterian efficient beyond all other
Church organizations. Now, whilst it is true we
have ever had in our Church holding this office, a,
number of holy, intelligent, and diligent men,
who have faithfully and successfully discharged
the duties required of them, yet it must be ad
mitted that there have always been many others
who have failed: in any proper manner to come up
to the spirit, or perform the duties of their high
and holy calling. The Assembly rejoices in the
evidence before It that the Ruling Elders very ex
tensively are beginning to wake up to the im
mense responsibilities that rest upon them as
office-bearers in the house of God, are beginning
to seek for higher qualifications for the discharge
of the dillies of their office, arid are beginning to
enter upon the practice of those duties with in
creasing zeal, faithfulness, and efficiency_ The
evidences of this most important change, are,to be
found in those Conventions of Riding Elders
Which have been held in several Synods, and in
the frequent statements made by the Presbyteries
in their Narratives, that' Ruling Elders,• with
prompt zeal and activity, have aided the ministers
in the revivals with which the churches have
been blessed during the year. 'Phe Assembly
cannot but regard with great interest the Ruling
Elders' .Daily Prayer Meeting, that has been Whitt
during its sessions at this place, and express the
hope and prayer that the spirit of these meetings
may be carried down to all the Presbyteries, and
all the churches . , and that soon there may be es
lablished a Ruling Elders' Prayer-Meeting in
every churbh.
Whilst, the reports made .by the Presbyteries
present these encouraging facts, we are bound to
state that they contain others of a different char
acter—others which call for admonition on the
part of the Assembly, and for humiliation on the
part of all those members of the Church to whom
they relate. We mention one of this character,
which does, indeed, Carry all others in its train ;
many, of the Presbyteries deplore a prevalent
worldliness in some of their churches, and its
practical consequence, worldly conformity. The
avowed subjects of a Prince, who has declared
that his kingdom is not of this world, are found
bowing , at the shrine of the god of this world,
speaking the language, conforming to the customs,
and following the amusements of this world.
The Assembly would solemnly sheepish all Mem
bers of the Church who are acting in this way,
and remind them of the great evil whichthey are
of necessity doing, the reproach which they are
bringing on the cause of Christ, and the injury
which they are inflicting on the, souls of. men.
That professor of religion who lives in pursuit of
the vanities of a sinful world, conforms to its
maxims, adopts its policy, and indulges_ in its
amusements, is recreant to all the solemn vows
which he made when he entered the Church ; and,
without repentance, must be condemned , with the
world; and be assigned to afar more fearful des
tiny of woe than that which awaits' those who.
never professed 'to belong to the kingdom of
Christ.
Stich is a brief history of the spiritual progress
of our, Church during the past year. Like that
of individual Ehristian life, it is marked by lights
and shades. We have, as. a Church, sins over
which to mourn, and cause for humiliation in the
presence, of our Divine "Mester, and earnest sup.
plieatiott for pardon, wherein we have failed.to
accomplish all the good which, with the means
that he has placed in our hands, we might hive
accomplished. Still we have cause to thank God,
take Courage '
and.press forward in our work with
renewed zeal and confidence. Much; good, im
mortal good, has been done. The, bounds of our
field of operation have been enlarged, and ,many
souls have been brought out of the darkness of
sin into the light and liberty and blessedness of
the eons of God--souls -that will forever shine as
stars in the Redeemer's crown of glory.
Standing on the eminence which we now oc
cupy—the elose of one ecclesiastical year and the
commencement of another—let us for a few mo
ments survey the prospect that spreads out before
us, the field in which we are called to labor, the
work which we are called to do. Moat undoubt
edly ours is no contracted field. Our vast Re
public, composed of empire States, in its whole
extent invites and commands our occupancy.
God has, as we believe, entrusted us with the
means and agencies which alone can save it' from
the dangers to which it is exposed, and which,
noises counteracted by some such conservative
influence as , that which our Church is adapted
to exeroise, may at any time work the ruin of all
its most precious institutions'. But wide as this
field is, and important as these interests confes
sedly are; they sink into comparative insignifi-
Ganda in view of the whole field which our Church
is called to occupy, and the momentous interests
for which it is her especial duty to care and
labor. Her appropriate work is to give, as
speedily as possible, to the perishing millions in
our own land, and to the unnumbered. millions in
'milli/en lanes, the unsearchable riches of the
Gospel of the Lord Jesus Christ, for the lack of
which they are perishing. For the accomplish
ment of this great work we believe that our
Church 'is duly equipped. With her Boards of
Education, Domestic and Foreign Missions, Pub
lication, and Church Extension, with her institu
tions of learning and Theological Seminaries,
with her pious and educated ministry, With her
thousand& of holy and praying men and 'women,
and with the silver and gold in the possession of
her;members which they are bound to hold in
trust for her to he used as her Lord has need,
there,is no department in the great work of the
world's conversion on which she may not imme
diately enter. What we need is individual action
together with combined action. We need theta'
our ministers, Ruling Elders, churches, and
Church members shotud be fully awake to the
respOnsibility that rests upon them, and that they
ahead' perform with diligence and activity the
work which properly belongs to them in their
several spheres and stations. Then again, we
need that the thousands of our ministers, .Ruling
Elders, and Church members act in combination;
that they carry out practically and fully the sub
lime theory that our Church is a unit—one grand
army of the Lord, organized and equipped to con
tend with one common enemy, and accomplish
one great work—publish salvation to the world—
bear the standard of the Cross to
the utmost
bounds ,of earth. What we need beyond all things
else is believing prayer. Welive at en era of ,
prayer, a time of special prayer,, and of special
and-direct avower's' to . prayer. .From indications
given during the put two years,' may we not
hOpe that we are approaching , a new and wonder-