Ell
Would he had another life to.live—another life' to
spend in the ministry of reconciliation. My
brethren seek pitty your.% own hearts. Prize
the ministry for its Auth and its .enjoy meats ;
prize it for its toils; consecrate all, you are and
have to this great work. Labor on to the last
breath. Prophesy even upon the dry bones ; the
power from: on highthe breath of the Lord will
make them live. There is a better time coming
for the Chnrclr.. He was.' looking for days of
mercy—for days of the power of the right hand
of God. They will not be long delayed—Pray
for them-'=•-labor for them. Never was there a
ministry so well •qualified for the work' of the
Great Master, as that Which he (the speaker) was
leaving behind him. He thanked God for such
a ministry, - and prayed that they might be plen
tifully endowed with his Holy Spirit. And now,
brethren, I'leave you: My voice you will never
hear again; your faces I will look upon no more.
God of all'gfatte; 'bless you and keep you. Fare
well; beloved' brethren, my last farewell—fare
well.
Amid. tearful. silence. Dr. EDGAR led in prayer.
After this, an aged Elder ' Mr. Isaac'. Srcier.n,
from `Mississippi, said that he could not keep
silence. In 1812 he had heard Dr. Spam° preach
his first'sermon after ordination, from 1. C or. :2,
" For I determined not to know anything among
yon, Save Jesus Christ, and him crucified.'
Under God Dr. SPITING had been the means of
bringing birn to the Saviour of sinners; and on
the day - he united with the MIMI, the Dr.
preached front—" Fear not little flock." From
that day to this his heart was knit. with that of
Dr. SPRING, though far removed from him. And
how in company' with his former pastor, he looked
upon 'the 'General Assembly for the last time.
Witlfibb parting counsel of that pastor, be co
incided most earnestly. As Dr. SPIUNG said, r
Will never. see Your face again in this wbrld; but
we will all meet in heaven. Farewell, for the
last time. Again, I say, dearest brethren, fare
well. .•
The rersOmbiance of this hour will ever be
cherished by those present.
The remainder of the Report of the Committee
on ;he Board' of Domestic Missions, appointed
last year; was then taken up.
On motiOn , of Mr. YERMILTE, the second reso=
lotion, which recommended that no change be
made; at:pieSent, in the location of the Board,
was passed. : "
The third resolution, whieh was that there be
no Executive Committee except- the one at Phila
delphia,' andt'that the Executive Committee at
Louisville beabolished, was next considered.
Rev. J. It "Baca, Chairman of the Committee
at LOuisVille; Opposed: Re said that this Pent
mittee had been in existence for fifteen yearS,
and hnd worked well. If the abolition of the
Committee was now pressed, he would insist on
the right of discussing the subject in full, what
ever time might be necessary.
Mr. Vartmwre said that since this Seemed to
be an oractiiikOqnge, and therefore inconsistent
with' the first'resolution passed, he would move
to lay it on the' iable.
Mr. Di:Lk:Nosy inquired if there was any pro
vision in the original constitution of the Board
for'two heads, or -which is the same thing, for
two Executive Committees,
Dr. BO . ARDMAN protested against laying aside
any part of, the report in this summary manner.
It was not courteous to" the Committee ; it was
unworthy of the General Assembly. Some mem
bers of ths Committee had travelled hundreds of
miles hi the performance - of the duties of, their
appointment. The Executive Conunittee had
been instituted Merely as an experiment; and
many gentlemen at the West, Missionaries and
otherS, thought:it worked injuriously.
Dr. CHEESEXAN said the Board at Philadelphia
agreed with the sentiment of the report, but did
not wish to press it if too violently opposed.
The fourth - 'resolution, that there be an Ad
visory Comiiitttee at San Francisco, was then
considered.
And the resolution recommending that there
be one Secretary at Philadelphia, and one travel
ling Secretary, was brought forward.
Mr. VSII:3III,YE moved that the question be
divided, and that the first part of the resolution
be adopted.. .
At this point, Dr. CHEESEMAN moved, as a sub
stitute, that'the Assembly approves of the exist
ing arrangement,'whioh'divides the duties in and
out of the office equally, .between the two Secre
taries. •
1)r. Ttionriwszt. warned the mover against the
danger of asking any' such action as that con
templated in the resolution at this stage of the
proceedings. It was enough that the report of
the Board was approved without asking the As
sembly' to' do anything more. Such a course
might prove very prejudicial::•
at'. SPRING then waved that this whole matter
be laid on the table for the present. Carried;
the members becoming exceedingly impatient for
adjournnie*t.
The Moderator announced Messrs. Dr. Locke,
Coe, Dr. Dickson, and Dr. Junkin, as the Com
mittee on Systematic Benevolence, according to
the provisions of the resolution previously
passed..
Dr. Wm. A SCOTT called. the attention of the
Assembly, andthrough the Assembly the Board
of Domestic Missions, tq the great fields open
for inissionary effort in Utah, Arizonia, and New
Mexico. In coming to this Assembly he had
travelled three thousand miles through territory
belonging to the United States, and into which
vast multitudes, were rushing, and along the en
tire route there was but one minister that could
have greeted' him:
Judge LORD said that, he had a motion to
make, at the request of a number of members,
Upon which we were better prepared to vote,
alter the full: discussion that had taken place,
than the next :Assembly could possibly be. If
any debate was likely to be called forth, he hoped
the proposition would be voted down at once:'
He moved: that the members of the' Boards of
Foreign Missions, Domestic Missions, Education,:
and Publication, be reduced from ninety-six• to
forty-eight, one-foarth to be elected annually.
The operation was to begin next year, when
twelve members instead of. twenty-four would be
elected; and; in, four ...years ;the: entire change
would be made.
Laid on , the table, on . motion of Mr. Har,Li-
Dr. B. M..SBEITIL said it.'was generally his for
tune to be placed on Committees, all the members
of which disagreed with him. This was the case
with the Committee of which he had been made
Chairman this morning. The Committee opposed
him. He found all the members So strangely and
pertinaciously.rebellious that he could not bring
them to his way of thinking. The Committee had
prepared a report'and ordered him to present it,
although , be•iliad :another and , far better report
in his 'pocketp .to which they , would not
agree. He then..presented the Report of the
Committee, which recommended that the Reiised
Book of Discipline be recommitted; that it be
corrected,' printed; and distributed to the Stated
Clerks of Presbyteries, by whom it is to be dis
tributed among the members of the Presbyteries,
previous to ithe :Spring meetings ; and that the
Committee be.enlarged by the addition of three
ministers andthree Ruling Elders. The report
was adopted. • .
Dr. E. T. Baran moved that this Committee be
also chargedmith the 'duties of such articles as
may be necessary, if, any- be deemed advisable,
on the relation of baptized children to the
Church; and the training to which they are en
titled; also that the'memorial from the Presby
tery of Tombeckbee ' on this subject, be referred
to this Committee. Adopted.
Dr. THORNWELL inquired whether the Com
mittee on the Revised Book of Discipline should
also have the Form Of Government so far under
consideration as may be necessary to , report
Changes therein; that it may be made conforma
ble to the changes recommended in the Book of
Discipline. He Was answered in the affirma
tive.
The Conimittee on Bills and Overtures report
ed the mernorial from the 'Presbytery of Kaskes- ,
kis, asking the Boards to 'publish their "Rules"
in the Appendil to' the 'Minutes this year, and
onee'every five years hereafter.
' The Committee recommended that the request
be gritnted.
Lownan rePlied that he could not see any
necessity 'for this action,; nor could he under-
Stand Whit Was'desired. The Boardof Foreign
Missions had no other "Rules" than those pub
lished every year.
The report was laid on the table. '
Dr. E. T. Bantu asked leave to withdraw the
memorial fican the Presbytery of Tombeekbee,
on the Dembasion' of the Ministry. Granted.
The COMmittee cin,Bills and Overtures report-.
ed an Overture hiking if an ordained minister,
wbo has been chosen by the people for this pur
pose, can be allowed to sit as a Ruling Elder in
the Presbytery with which he is connected.
The Committee 'recommended that this be an
swered in the negative.
Dr. Roams said he hoPed the Assembly would
pause
,before adopting such a recommendation as
this. " There was nothing in the nature of Pres
bytertanism or in the Constitution of our Church
to forbid an ordained minister from sitting as a
Ruling Elder in any of our Church Courts. On
the contrary; ministers sit as Ruling Elders in
theMoUrtS of the Scottish Presbyterian Church
to this day.
Dr. THORNWELL confirmed the remarks of Dr:
Hodge. To pals such a recommendation as this
would be an unwarranted invasion.
The report was laid on the table. •
The same Committee also reported concerning
the memorial from the Presbyterian Historical
Society, approving of its objects, and commend
ing it. to the' favorable consideration of the
churches.
The following additions were then announced
to the Committee on the Revised Book. of
cipliiie
Rays., Dr. Peck. Mr. Paxton, Dr. Snodgrass;
with 'Ruling Elders, H. K. Clark, Soon, Lord, and
Mr:Perrin.
On motion, the Moderator was also added.
The ddiamitt'eti ort the Church Comnieutury
I=
was directed to publish its report two months be
fore the meeting of the next Assembly.
The Report of the Committee on the Incorpor
ation of churches in the State of Neiv-York; was
recommitted to the same Committee, With in
structions to report to the next General As
sembly.
Hon. WAvrEn Lewitt . ; from the Committee on
the Home and Forel:On Record reported, yeferring
" this Whble matter to the Secretaries of the
Boards, with instructions that if they do`not ar
rive at. some satisfactory conclusion, to report to
the next General Assembly, giving all the various
considerations and suggestions that are to be
taken into account in disposing of'the subject.
Dr. TILIORNWELL said that the prospect of sepa
ration filled him with a sadness his tongue could
not express, but the time had arrived when this
event must take place. He therefore moved that
the Rev. Dr. M'llvaine be permitted to express
to the Assembly the feelings of the people of Ro,
chester with respect to this meeting. Carried;
Dr. MclLvAixs said that .the 'Committee of
Arrangements had most unexpectedly requested
this .service of him a few minutes ago. He could
say but a word. His heart - was too full to allow
the utterance of his lips. The place - where the
Assembly had met, was the original " Plam of
Union " ground; but the expectations of him
self and others had been snore than realized.
There was not a person in Roche.ster that did
not regret the departure of the members of the
Assembly. Its influence in softening acerbities
had been greater, than any. of its member from
a distance could possibly know. The intercourse
with persons from different parts of the Church
and different sections, of the country, had ,been
productive of the happiest effect upon the people
and the churches. Long would the remembrance
of this meeting be cherished.
A vote of thanks was ,then unanimously And
most cordially passed to_ the Comniittee of Ar
rangements, for their kind and • constant attention,
to the people of 'Rochester for their hospitality,
and to the Railroad Companies that favored the
members of the Assembly.
On motion of Dr. THORNWELL, the 'Assembly
then adjourned to meet' in the 7th Presbyterian
church, Philo, ielphia on 'the 3d Thursday - of
May, 1861. The whole Assembly then united in
singing the hymn,''.
Blest be the tie that binds" &e.
the
,entire congregation rising. Closed with
prayer and the Benediction, by the llioderator.
tirtslipterian Yiaittttr.
PITTSBURGH, SATURDAY, JUNE 9, MO.
'United Synod (N. S. Sontl).—This body
concluded its annual sessions, in five busi
ness days. The meetings seem to have
been pleasant The parts are homogeneous,
and the body is small. It has,• however, a
large field'in which to labor and grow. Its
next meeting, as we noted last week, is to
be held in• Richmond, Va.
MARRIAGE FEES.
These are always regarded as a gratuity
to the minister. Sometiines they are quite
liberal, and make something of an item in
supplying contingencies to the minister, or
in furnishing the good'wife with pin-money.
Ordinarily, however, they amount to no
great sum; and people often monstrously
over estimate the amount thus received by
their pastor.
The following incident we cut from an
exchange
MARRIAGE FEES.—A correspondent of
the New Orleans Christian Advowte gives
a chapter of personal experience as follows:
"Au old particular friend got me to go to
a distant county to marry him. I had an
awful time getting there. The bride was
handsome, intelligent, and her parents well
'off; splendid time. After supper, the bap
py bridegroom came to me, called me,
`brother,' ,for he was a member of the
Church How much do I owe you ?' I
don't charge for marrying people.' But
you shall not come so far, and have so much
trouble, for nothing; I will give you some
thing handsome in the morning.' Next
morning he came to me again, talked large
ly, but would do something at another time.
Next Fall I was holding a protracted meet-.
ing in his neighborhood he overtook me
going to church ; he told me how much he
loved me, had not forgot my marrying him,
was going to make me a nice present.
Next day he came to me at church, smil
ing, and said, 4 I told you you should not
marry me for nothing, and handed me .a
dollar; and from the airs he put on, one
might have thought he had endowed me
with a fortune. Next day the steward
came to me and asked if this man had not
paid me a dollar quarterage ; said he had
told him so when called upon for his quar
terage, saying, " I have paid him." I ex
plained, and told him to put it down as a
quarterage."
NEW-LIGHT IN OLD PATE
This is the title of a Bernier' preached in
Onarga, Illinois, by the Rev. HENRY M.
BACON, at the dedication of the Presbyte
rian church in that place. The Presbyte
rians of the North-west are subjected to a
constant struggle against the Progressives.
There are men, and they abound there,
who think that new discoveries are being
continually made, and are still to be made,
in relicrion. This is a fond idea of self-suf
ficient humanity., It is not from God.
With the patriarchs, discoveries were to be
made. With the Jewish Church there was
a rational ex.pectation of progreSsion. At
those times revelation was in progress. Then
there were prophets in being, and prophets
were still to be sent;.and then especially
was the Prince of Teachers, the Son of God,
expected.
But the "'book of Revelation has been
long'since closed. To this nothing is to be
added. The: system of heavenly truth, as
divinely revealed, is perfect, and the wise
inquiry now is, "How readest thou ?"
Mr. BACON thus speaks of the reckless
spirit of the age :
" Every notion, every opinion, every be-'
lief is summoned to'the bar of human ma
son, and required to produce the title, bY
which it holds it place in the regard of
men. No prescription of antiquity, no in
vestiture with religious reverence, can save
a doctrine from being buffeted by rude
hands, or at the very best, from being
scrutinized by keen eyes. No matter through
what ages it ,may have borne rule, or by
what multitudes of men it may have been,
or is now implicitly believed and devoutly
cherished, the time may be near at hand
when it, too, shall be overborne and tram
pled under foot in, this restless march of
intellect. Indeed, there are some whose
chief, if not their only reason for the re
jeetioir of certain opinions is, that they
have come down to us from former times,
or are held by the majority of those about
them. Their idea of progress is not the
acquisition of new truth, but the rejection
of old. As if one must dig out his eyes
because a telescope has been invented; or
refuse to look at the flower that blossoms
at his feet, because the nebula in Orion has
been resolved. These people are rich-be
cause they have thrown away the old gems,
worn and polished by the current of time,
and have supplied themselves with paste
diamonds of the latest style. And even
among those who would despise, as all think
ing men must, this puerile progress, which
prefers a new toy to an old treasure, tbere
is yet at times such heedless haste, as leads
to the rejection - of that which is old be
cause it is old. Surely, in this free,
thinking age, one may be allowed to', sus
pect that when men rush on in this sPirit,
there is likely to be very little actual ad
, Vandemerit!'“
PRESBYTERIAN 'BANNER.-
THE GEMERWMEMBLY
After having.given a full account of the
proceeding's or this venerable body, a :re
view of some important matters may not
be out of place. The attendance was un
usually large, from all parts of our count
try, while there were representati'ves on the'
floor from India and Siam, and a visitor
was present who is one of our missionaries
in South America. Such a Church as this,
comprising two thousand six hundred min
isters, threvthousand six hundred church-
es, and nearly three hundred thousand coin=
municants, with all the appliances, neck : -
sal,. for carrying forward the work of evan
gelization in all parts of the world, en
,
trusted with a high mission and a glorions
work ; and woe to her if unfaithful to her
obligations.
Those who have been in the habit of
being present at the meetings of our As
sembly every year for a long period, say
that the meeting just ended has been dis
tinguished for the uniform courtesy and
Christian spiriethatattended all the, pro
ceedings., There seemed to be an earnest
desire on the part of every one to avpid
every thing that would give needless Of
fence. At the same time there waslno
truckling. Both on the platform and in
the, pews there was an evident. determina
tion to adhere -firmly to. what each•one con
ceived to be true and right. And there
was also a manifest disposition to respect
the opinions and convictions of onelart 7 ,
othe'r: Ample'eVidence of this Vi4s'aiford-'
ed in the patience and attention with iv - flch
speakers were heard for hours, but whose
views were afterwards repudiated by oirer
whelming majorities.
The great subject of discussion was the
instrumentalities employed by the Church
for doing the, aggressive work of her King
and Head. This unavoidably led to a con
sideration of the idea of the Church La
subject that is still very imperfectly under
stood, and still more 'imperfectly developed
in practice.
Drs. Tuonprw.trx, SMITH, and ADGER,
would haVe every Presbvtery do the mis
sionary work within its own limits, to its
utmost capacity; and then have the stronger
Presbyteries contribute of their superfluity,
both as to men and means, in aid .of the
Weaker. And then, instead of our present
arrangements of Boards and •Executive
Committees, they would have a small Com
mittee appointed directly by the Assembly.
The latter they assert to be the only Scrip
tural method, while they declare our pres
ent system anti-Presbyterian, unscriptural,
and dangerous.
While the vote against their views was
one of the most dedisive that :has been
given on a test question for many a day,
yet the debate was by no means unproduc
tive of benefit.' The great charge brought
against the present system was, that the.
Boards were too far removed from the
Church—and in a manner independent of
the Assembly. This led to a determina
tion to remove all occasion for such a
charge, by ordering the records of the
Boards to' be brought to the Assembly
for review, just as the Synods review. the
proceedings of Presbyteries, and the As
sembly the proceedings of Synods:
This is a measure•for which many have
long contended, who entirely disagree with
the main position of our Southern breth
ren ; but, the - most persistent opposition was
arrayed against it on the part of a few, who
seemed to think that the Church had no.
right to know exactly what its servants were
doing and the manner in which they were
doing it.
But the demand - could no longer be re
sisted ; the, call, was too laud and too ear
nest to be unheeded. And even those who
ridiculed it, when argument failed, so long
as there was the least probability of suc
cess, hastened to be the first to offer terms
o f capitulation.
One day Dr. %MEN - M. KREBS, standing
on the platform beside the Moderator; de
nounced this review of, the proceedings of I
the Boards as unnecessary and impractica
ble. Among other things, he said ,that in
bringing the Minutes of the Board of
Domestic Missions every year to the As
sembly, it would be necessary to charter a
special train, an Adams Express car, Or an
ox-team, (the climax is not ours but' Dr.
KREBS',) and that when they arrived, Amy
would form. a huge pile, when laid on'the
platform, hiding Moderator, clerks,
.and
speaker from view ! How surprised ; and
gratified were we, two days afterwardi, to
see this same Dr. KREBS arise in his place'
and hear him move that these MinuteS be
sent up to the Assembly every year, :that
tine Secretaries inform members of Their
election to the Board, of , the. tim4! , 'of,
meeting, and the subjects to be consilred
at those meetings ; and that the Commit
tees of the Assembly to which the proceed
ings of the different Boards are referred, be
directed to call the attention of the Assem
bly to all the various things of importance.
What a change in two. days ! Verily, the
world moves ! And not a single one was
found bold enough to oppose the movement,
which many, some time ago, said to be so
highly objectionable. The propositimi*as
adopted unanimously, as was right and prop
er. And new we trust our brethren from
the South will allow us rest in this matter,
that the Boards' will address themselves
more vigorously than ever to their respec
tive duties, and that every church, and
every member of the Church, will come to
their aid by benevolence, prayers,' and
faith.
Another notable feature, was the re
assertion of a principle that many supposed
had been abandoned last year, owing to
the precipitancy with which the subject of
Colonization was disposed of, and the rea
sons given for such action. We refer now
to the right and duty of the Church to
protest against all heresy and all sin, by
whomsoever held or committed, and to ex
press its opinion concerning the various
organizations having for their end the good
of man and the glory of God, even though
they may not be directly under the special
control of the Church. Any who . may
have been grieved at the indication of
a disposition to abandon the position so
long held with respect to the functions of
the Church, will be rejoiced to read the
resolution contained in the proceedings of
Tuesday, ,which' re-affirms most distinetly
the old and true principle. And any, who
may have been disposed to exult at the ap
parent defection; and from this to presage
evil to our Church; will learn that their
expectations are v
Slave Tfoe, Qo
our ChurOh*hi sp.O
staken. But the re
!teiple that seemed to
r 4 last year, was of
e; aud:thii has been
mphatieally.. It cer
necessary for, our As
in its belief that the
.ans .is , a part of the
language not to be
assertion of the pr
have been abando
the utrnost importa
done clearly and
tainly would not b
sembly to declare
Epistle to the
Canon of Soriptur
senibly has spoke
so frequently of the
o ization, and Temper
unnecessary for it to be
'Lees on these subjects
things should be eon-
Slave Trade; Col
awe, certaml,
repeating its utte
every year. ,Sun.
sidered settled.
Je was recognized in the
the "'Presbyterian His
his is , a new enterprise,
ormal.notice.
The same princ*
action concerning
torical Society."
and merited some ,
The re-commit • ent, of. the " Revised
Book of • Discipli ," was wise. Notwith
standing the tale.. employed, and the time
given, there is sti 1 much room.for improve
ment. The addit ons made to the Commit
tee, the suggestions already thrown out,
and the opportunity for reflection, may lead
to the preparation of a " Bonk:" on which
the Church , can unite; , or to an adherence.to
the one now in' use: But we very much
doubt Whether ltiyfamonnt of argumenta
tion can, induce the Assembly : , to send down
a " Book " to the P r esiffteries, in which
the . relation of aptized children to 'the
Church is scifi - nth as it is in the second
section of the first chapter of the present
Revised Bonk.
The election of additional Professors for
three of our: Theological Seminaries, was
naturally a subject in which the whole
Church felt a great interest. And the re
suit in each case was altogether.unanimous.
All the Professors, chosen have had eonsid-
arable pastoral experience, and yet they are
all young enough to be able to make high
attainments in their respective departments.
And`to the credit of the last Assembly
it must be said Aat there was no hasty
legislation. Even the great desire for ad
journment did not bring about any prema
ture determinations.: New measures, or
measures not'suifiCiently considered,
.could
be postponed to another year. To have
them passed on the spur of the moment,
was dangerous . . • The lesson of last year
Was not forgotten.
Never did an Assembly separate in
which there'wats stronger or tenderer affec
tion among its members. There were no
heart-burnings to smother, no wounds to
heal.. Christian love filled every;heart.
'WHAT DOES IT , MEAN ?
Some weeks avo, in noticing the remark
of the Central Presbyterian that " slavery
is a civil institution with which the Church
has no right to interfere,'? we said
"Are the slaves human beings? If so,
the Church is bound to seek their enlight
enment, conversion, and edification. Are
the masters members of the Church ? She
is then bound .to see that ,they keep all the
commandments 'of God. The Church then
has a right to interfere with slavery."
To this the Central responds :
" It is an absurdity Without a parallel, to
argue that the Church has a right to inter
with slavery, which is a civil • relation,
because she , is bound to seek the enlight
&uncut, conversion and edification of those
who are slaves as well as of those who are
free.
What our contemporary means by " slav
ery and:" 'civil" in the above, we do not
exactly know. If slavery is a mere ab
straction, and " civil" a mere le&islative
act, neither of them affecting persons, nei
ther of them giving rights', nor taking
away rights, nor, ,affecting man's moral con
duet--that is, his conduct toward , his fel
low-men and toward the knowledge and
worship of his God—then we may be
wrong, and the Central may be correct.
But if by "civil institution " we are to un
derstand a law, giving one man poWer over
his fellow-man's person, so as to make the
latter a cilatfel of the former, arid if slay
.
ery is the carrying out of that law by the
master----Lruling his servant; giving him no
right in nor control over his person, time,
or the fruits of his toil ; selling from him
his children ; into distant and perpetual
bondage ; denying him the sacredness of
marriage; separating him from the Woman,
whom he claims as his wife,' byselling the
one or the other to a far-of master ; pre
venting him from learning to read; and
so shUttinc , him out' from a perusal of God's
Word and from all `the joy and; edification
which comes from the glorious- arts 'of
writing and printing : ; and 'keeping him
from' worship, or restrieting his worship
according to the Master's whim anffpleas
ure—if this is slavery, then we say again,
the Church has a right to interfere with
slavery. Not only has she the right, but
she is bound to interfere with such iniquity
and oppression. She is bound to bear her
teatiniony against the " civil institution
as she did' in, her 'Act of 1818, and often,
since. And if she has among her mem
.
bers, masters and servants, she is bound in
the due use of the authority Which God
has given her, to assert and maintain to
each their Tight, as sensitive, intelligent,
and immortal beings whoiii God 'has made
of "one blood," and whom, by regeneration
and adoption, he has made brethren.
Now just take "
a ,sample . of the princi
ples' upon which the Central reasons.
"But this. is not all. If the Banner's
conclusiOn is legitimate that 'the Church
has a right to interfere with slavery,' it
subordinates the civil to the ecclesiastical.
It creates the Church into an umpire to
decide on, the expediency or legitimacy not
only of slavery, but of all other civil insti
tutions. It was bad enough when the ec
clesiastical was subordinate to the civil.
Bilt it is downright Popery in its most ob
jectionable form, when it is reversed as the.
Banner would reverse it, by giving the
Church the right to interfere with 'a civil
institution."
"It was bad enough when the eccle
siastical was - subordinate to the civil. But,
it is downright Popery, in, the, most objec
tionable form, when it is reversed." ! That
ecclesiastical law being of God, and
civil institutions being of man, there should
be no interference. Let God enact as be
pleases, and man ordain as he pleases; but
it there shOuld be a difference between
the two; let man's will control. That man
by his institutions, should annul God's
lair- is, to these jure divine Presbyte
rians, tolerable; but for God's law to pro
n Ounce on the righteousnies or unright
eousnees "of man's •enaettnentsii and of man's
SATURD_A Y, JVNE 9., Is6o.
n. - Concerning the
tion, and Temperance,-
;n• repeatedly, and in
And after the As-
conduct under his enactments, is not to be
endured Alae l for slavery I How it
blinds the intellect and vitiates the powers
of moral perceptien ! According to it,
men need but enter into a civil community.
They may then enact laws—" civil institu
tions"—to please themselves; and after
wards, as individuals, they may enjoy the
benefit of those institutions, free from re
ligious responsibility. The ministers of
Christ may then not reprove. F The Church
of Christ mirk, then be Silent. The
com
munity, the civil power, has constituted the
relation—it may be slavery, polygamy, or
what not—and the Church must' not utter
a' 'word. It is an, absurdity -without a
parallel, to argue that the Chairch kas a
right to interfere Leith a civil relation.
Alas I
God has ordained .the relation* of masters
and servants, -Let these, on both sides,
be guided by the rules which God has g,iV
en; but let no Christian, and especially no
Presbyterian, think that a civil institution
can relieve him from any duty which God
has,enjoined, or confer upon.him any pow
er over his fellow-man, which God has not
given.'
Now, as we are, at a loss about under
standing abstractions, the :Central is re
quested, in its next utterances, to. speak of
persons. 'What rights and powers Ido the
civil institution, to which it alludes, give
a man over'his fellows ? And to what are
the negroes actually subjected, under that
insfiration - r — We - ean—then - better -judge.
whether there is any thing in slavery with,
which the'Churei should interfere. The
last Assembly has admirably declared our
sentiments relative, to, the power. of :the
Church <in human affairs, and. there we
would rejoice to leave the matter at 'rest';
but if they must agitate, we' entreat them
to leave their abst,ractions, and discuss the
realities of life.
THE UNITED PRESBYTERIAN CRUM.
The General Assembly of this Church,
meeting in Philadelphia; iconcluded its la
bor's on , the evening' of Wednesday, May
30th. The principal items of business, in
addition to those we alluded to, last week,
we now notice, briefly.
Onthe question of participating with
otheFOliristians iii 'Woi•ship, the' folio Wing
action was taken :
" Is it consistent with our standards for
our ministers to enter into any arrange
,
meats to unite in the public or social wor
ship of God, where human compositions are
employed as the matter of r praise ?'
"To this your Cominitteo recommend the
following answer:
"It is not consistent with our profession
to enter into any arrangements by which
we may in any sense, sanction, or approve
of the
_use of human composition in the
worship of God."
This seems to be plain, and yet, there is
in it an evasion, which men who would
have the reputation of being " strait-for
ward " should try to avoid. The inquirers
ask whether it is consistent to unite in
worship where human compositions , are
used. The answer says, it is not consistent
to sanction or . approve of the use of human
composition. The answer does not meet
the question. A simple yes, .or no, would
have been direct and lucid. •
It was agreed that covenanting is a Chris
tian. 'duty, but "that there is nothing in the
dispensations of Divine Providence toward
us as a Church, of such a peculiar charac
ter as' to furnish a call to engage in the ob
servance of the duty of public, Social cove
nanting with God at the present time."
The matter of Psalmody gave, the
,As
sembly no little trouble. The minds of the,
brethren are, evidently, ill at ease, on the
subject. Some would have a new transla
tion'; others desire an emendation of
Rotsz ; others would adopt the version of
Prof. A.BN.Eu JON - Es. After very many
words, it was agreed that the Committee of
Revision, appointed last year, shall prose
cute their labors, and report to the next
Assembly.
The good rule, which we spoke of last
Week, requiring a: 9najority nfrthe Cominis
sioners to form a quorum, was reconsidered,
and altered so as to' require'' but' one-third:
It was resolved that theAsiembly deem
it ittexudient to address, at present,,a let
ter to the 'Presbyterian Assemblies, Old
and New School, and the Synod of the
Free Presbyterian Chnreh, urging' them to
the consideration of our views on the sub
ject of. Psalmody.
Thelast Thursday in, February 'was set
apart as "a day of prayer for Colleges and
Seminaries. ' ,
The meeting seems to have been pleas
ant.. The interest markifested in behalf of
Missions indicates much life in the body.
There is abundant — Rim:a - for all Christ's ser-
vents to labor in his immense 'fields; and
those who4oil most assiduously, , under the
Husbandman's own wise guidance, will re
ceive the largest wage,s.
THE. METHODIST CHURCH NORTH, AND,
SLAVERY.
The Conference at Buffalo has, by a vote
of one hundred and fifty-fourth fifty-sev,en,
more than two thirds, altered the rule' of
the Church, on the subje - ct of Slavery, so
as to read thus:
Question.-- , --What shall be done for the
extirpation of the evil of Slavery?
Answer.—We declare that we are as
much as ever convinced of the great .evil
of Slavery.' We believe that the buying, ,
selling, or holding of human beings; to be
used as chattels, is inconsistent with the
Golden Rule, and with that rule in our
Discipline which requires all who desire to
continue among :us to "do no harm, and to
avoid evil of every kind." We therefore
affectionately, admonish all our preachers
and people to keep themselves pure from
this great evil, and to seek` its extirpation
by all lawful and Christian means.
This is to go down to the Annual• Con
ferences for confirmation, and if 'adopted
and made binding,it is likely to cause an
other division in the Church. There May,
however, be a door of .escape, and.it may
have been prepared by design. The words,
"to be used as chattels," are an ainendment
introduced near the close of the:discussion,
and their influence, under a fair interpre:
tation, will be to justify the holding of
slaves, to be used as servants. If this shall
be the recognized meaning of the rule, and
if the duties flowing s from the relation of
master and, servant, as they are sanctioned
in Scripture, shall be duly fulfilled, the
the Church may still abide in unity, and
enjoy peadb. ,The master's legal right, he
may never exercise, beyond Scriptural sane
tions, and thus far his brethren are hound
to permitits ertjoymeet. 'Happy *ill if-be
in that Church, and in all Churches, if
masters and servants will mutually conform
to the rules which are divinely given, and
if their brethren will not interfere with
them to the disturbing of their peace, and
mutual confidence.
EDITORIAL MANDE.
We see in the Pittsburgh - Christiav, Ad
vocate, the announcement that Rev. ISAAC
N. BAMD, D. D., retires from the editorial
department of that journal, and that his
place is to be filled by Rev. SAMUEL FI,
NESIIIT. This 'change takes place in ac
cordance with the will of the General Con
ference. The Methodist Advocates all be
long to the Church, and the editors receive
their appointment 'frpm the Quadrennial
Assembly of the ministerial representatives.
With Mr. NESBIT we have no acquaint
ance; but he, having the confidence of his
ChUrch, comes with a recommendation en=
titling him to a kind reception. Dr.
BAIRD has conducted the Advocate for the
last four years, with great ability. His
entire editorial course has evinced the gen
tleman and the Christian. He haioccupied
a room on the same floor, in the same
building, with ourselves.' The same press
has turned out our journals. - Our private
intercourse has been as courteous, and as
free from jars, as has been our journalism.
Dr. BAIRD gives his "Farewell" to his
readers, in this week's issue. It presents
a brief resume _ of his editorial toil. •He
found himself, as independent and ,right
eous journalists usually are, unacceptable
to extremists. The Slavery question has
been 'the main disturbing element, and he
has managed the matter so successfully,
"that violent and extreme men of both
sides have reached the conclusion that he
is • not the man to suit them." We are
Pleased to find that in retiring from the
paper, he does not leave the city. He will
abide here, in a pastoral charge.
ECCLESIASTICAL.
Mr. JOHN G. CONDIT was' licensed to
preach the Gospel by the: Presbytery of
Erie,. at its meeting, APril Ilth. "At
the same meeting; Rev. HUEY NVAWELL
was received from the' Presbytery of
lowa, and Rev; A. C; JUNICIN, from the
Presbytery of Baltimore.
Bev. AUSTIN WARNE - WS. Post Office ad
, dress,is changed from New Bloomfield,
Missouri, to Dover, Lafayette County,
Missouri.
Rev. T. M. CUNNINGHAM, Of the First
church, Indianapolis, Indiana, has re
ceived and accepted a call to- the South
church, Chicago, made vacant by the res 2
ignation of Rev. R. W. Henry.
Mr. JAMES A. REED, of the Presbytery of
Huntingdon, has received and accepted
unanimous call from the First Presby-
, terian church of Wooster, Ohio.
Rev. J. J. HAMILTON was installed over
the 'Middle Tuscarora church, Hunting
don 'Presbytery, on , the 16th inst. .The
congregation was very large. It is im
proving in all appearances of religious
- prosperity.'
Rev. E. TRIMBLE was installed pastor
of the. church at 'jaclison, Tenn., on Sat
nrda:y the 12th inst by a committee of
•
the Presbytery of the Western District.
Rev. BENNETT W. MOSELEY was installed
pastor, of the church of Wylleysburg,
Charlotte County, Va., by the Presby
tery of Roanoke, on the 26th -ult.
Rev. DAVID FAIRLEY was installed pastor
of Chin a 'Grove church, by the. Presby
tery of Fayetteville,' on the 26th ult.
Rev. JAS._ A. MOT VE having taken chaxge
of the churches of St. Anthony and Min
neapolis, requests editors and-correspond
ents to change his address from Frank
lin Ind to Minneapolis Minnesota.
Rev. W. IL VAN DORAN has`heen called
•to the First' church, Richmond, Ind. -
Rev. pf. R. WILSON, D. D., has received a
'unanimous call from the church of Mans-
field, Ohio, after having supplied,thezn
for six months.
Rev. WILLIAM BILTEHICEN'S Post Office ad
dress is changed from Granville, Wis
consin, to Ifinotta, Minnesota. Mr.
suehren is now laboring among the Ger
man population of -the latter place.
Rev. W. M. SMYTHE'S Post Office address
is Dayton, Marengii County, Alabama..
Rev. IL G. ROBERTSON was received from
the Presbytery of Argyle, United Pres
byterian Church, by the Presbytery of
Troy, on the 9th ult., and installed pas
tor of the Park church, Troy, N. Y.
Mr.'HENnv KElGwrti,'a licentiate of the
- Presbytery' of Louisiille, has received
and . accepted an invitation to supply the
church of Cahaba, Alabama, for six
months.
Rev. H. L VENABL - E was installed pastor
of Oak - land church, Illinois, on. the 19th
Mr. R. K. SMOOT was ordained and 'in
stalled pastor of the church at Bowling
Green, Kentucky, by the Presbytery of
Muhlenburg, on the 20th ult.
Rev. E. C. TRIMBLE was installed, pastor
of the church in Jackson, Tennessee, on
the 12th nit.
Rev. T. B. - BALoR has accepted the invi
tation of the . First. church, Prince Wil
liam, Va., to become their stated supply.
Rev. J. C. STEWART'S Post Office address
is changed from Bridpwater, Burke
County, N. C.,-to Asheville, N. C.
For the Presbyterian Banner.
.
~: Report of 1,. D.. Williams.,
Treasurer ta:the•Board of Domestic Missions, Edu
, cation, , TUblication, and .Pand ' fo . r Super
annuated. Ministers, for Hay, tsp. '
DOMESTIC 1118310.2575.
'SYNOD OF PITTiNtrRGEL—OItio Presbyter?' :
Temperanceville church, $12.50; Chartiers,
31.80. Redstone Presbytery•: ;,;
49.05; West Newton; 7.00.. Blairsville Presby.
ter?': Johnstown, 68.21,; • Salem, 16.55. Clarion
Presbytery : Concord, 5.10.
..
SYNOD OP ALLEGHENY.--Bearer Presbytery:
Pulaski church, $4.00.
SYNOD OF WHERLING.-1 1 Telo Lisbon Presbytery
Yellow Creek, church, $21.60.; . Newton, 6.00;
Steubenville , Pre.sbytery : Carrolton, 3.89 ; Har-,
lem, 9.00; New Harrisburg, 2.00.
SYNOD OF ORlO. — Zanesville'Presbytery: DUn;
can's Falls church, $3.00. Richland Presbytery:
Savannah, 13.07. Hocking Presbytery: Mt. Car-
mel 5.15.
SYNOD OF NORTHERN INDIANA.--Fort Wayne,
Presbytery Pleasant Ridge church, $5.75.
MISCELLANNOITS.--Red.stone ' Presbytery: Re
hoboth church, for Father Chiniquy, $59.30. ''
EDUCATION:
SYNOD of PITTSBIIiirdi.---Ohlo Presbytery : First
church, Pittsburgh, $211.60. Beikkine Presby
tery: Long Run, 21.11. Bktirsville Presbytery:
New, Alexandria, 23.60. Clarion Presbytery:
Concord, 100 ; Licking, (Males, $B, Females,'
$16,) 23.00.
SYNOD 'OF ALVEGABNY.—Beaver .Presbytery :
PUlanki church, $4.00. Allegheny Presbytery
Middlesex, 6.00 ; Freeport., 15.75 Slate Lick,
17.30.
SYNOD or Wanstano.- - --Steubenvige Presbytely :
Carrolton church,44.49.
TOTALB.--Domestic Missions, $258:07; Edu
cation, $327.75. •
J: D. Wxxxains, , Receiving Agent,
• 11 4 , Stoititfield- Street. •
Mat,3l, 186 ii.
• Report:of B. Childs, •
Treasurer of Me. Board of Foreign Missions, for
.May, 1860.
Blairsville Presbytery—Beulal► congregation,
$52.65; Johnstown, 52.25. $104.90.
Washington Presbytery ilookstown cong.,.
$B.OO.
Redstone Presbytery—Uniontown oong., 51.86;
Tent cong., 23.00; Do. do., Ladies Sewing So
ciety, 16.00. $66,86.
Allegheny Presbytery---Middlesex cong., (2.00
from Anna and Westanna Diann,) ;14.00; West
minster, 2.62 ; Glade Run, 2.72 ; Buffalo, 2.66.
$22.00..
Erie Presbytery—Georgetown .00ng., $30.00.
Steubenville Presbytery—Oak Ridge cong.,
$17.00.
Ohio PresbYtery—Sharon cong., '25.00;
Run, 13.25; Fourth church, Pittsburgh, to
educate "SamudFulton," India, 36.00. $74.25.
St. Clairsville Presbytery—Nottingham cong.,
$45.00.
Clarion Presbytery—Leatherwood cong., $9.00.
Saltsburg Presbytery —Eldersridge cong.,
$9.12.
Miscellaneous--Jos. Craig, Claysville, Wash
ington County, Pa., . 50c.; " Beta Rho," Hoga,
111., 2.00; "Mrs. J. H.," Newton, lowa, 2.00; One
Box Clothing from Central church, Pittsburgh,
for Rev. Mr. Hodgkin, Choctaw Nation, valued
at $70.00.
H. Cairns; Receiving Agent
Nay 31, 1860
For the PreebYterian Banner
Letters
Of the Rev.' ,lohn Smith, a Presbyterian Minister,
to his brother, the Rev. Peter Smith, a Methodist
Preacher.
LETTER 1 VIII.
REV. PETER SMITH :—Dear Brother :
The Apostle Paul opens one of his noble
Epistles by blessing God the Father for
choosing. believers in Christ before the
foundation:-of the world, and for predes
tinating them to, the adoption of children
according to the good pleasure of his will.
The text stands in the first chapter of
Ephesians, the fourth, and fifth, verses. It
is the language of rapturous praise—the
lively expression of a soul burdened with
a sense of-the 'unspeakable majesty and
mercy of God. What follows is reason of
the highest order, reason penetrated and
glowing with the fire of holy passion.
But this is a text which there is ground to
believe is seldom or never handled in _Ar
minian pulpits for simple edification. Of
the thousands of Methodist churches in
America, where is one that ever joins in
.praising Gbd because he 'chose them in
Christ before the fbundation of the world ?
'Where is one that is ever tamr.ht to do
this? Where -is , -one that could - be per
suaded to do this ? no not rather such ex
pressions aWaken emotions just the opposite
of those that were kindled in the breast of
the inspired Apostle? To a candid Ar
minian, the words predestined, chosen,
elect, as they are- met with in the Scri
ptures must, it seems t to me, be, a perfect
puzzle. He himself never employs, them
in, prayer, iiever, ..employs them in praise,
never employs them for the purpose of edi
fication. -He has in truth no use for them,
and there is, Consequently no proper place
for them in his system of theology. He
sees and feeli
,this. These terms are to
him what the words hell, hell-fire, everlast.
ing punishment, are to the Universalist.
He, would .willingly dispense with them.
And y - ,et ;there they stand in , the Bible.
They ,mean : somethin ° c , • but nothing that
wit and ingenuity can do is omitted to ex
plain away , their meaning, which is in
itself so plain and striking.
In. the , political world, the word election
is in very common use, and no grown-up
person ever falls, into a mistake as to its
proper ; signification. And but for the in
veterate force of prejudice, no grown-up
person would ever fall into a mistake as to
its meaning in the Bible. Election among
men ,implies
First, That ;there are pertain persons
chosen. If nobody is chosen, we say there
is no election.
Secondly, That there is some definite'
end or, object for which they are
,;chosen;
thus, such and such men are elected f to the
State Lecislature, others to be MembAra of
Congress, and so on.
Thirdly, - That there are qualified elwtors
who make the choice, who chOose;= who
elect
Fourthly, That there are certain reasons
which influence the majority of the electors
in choosing the persons that are elected.
Fifthly, That there is a certain' definite
time :when the :choice is made; thus on
such a day of' such a month, an election
takes place.
Now what is so plain and easy to under
stand in political matters is:just as plain and
simple'in matters of religiose =There are
certain persons chosen. Paul,.speaking of
himself and the Epikesian Christians,: says,
He ,hath chosen us in Christ. But all true
believers were chosen in the same way, and
are in, the Scriptures styled the elect, the
election. "If it were possible„they would
deceive the :very elect ?' " Shall.not God
avenge his own .elect , ?" " Who shall lay
anything to the charge of God's elect ?"
" Put on, therefore, as .the elect of God,.
bowels Of, mercies." " The ,election hat,h
obtained the rest were blinded." -At
the, end of ; the world, a certain,number, no
doubt a very large number,, of the human
race will be received into.heaven r to be for
ever glorified with the Savionr: But, whom
he glorified them .he also justified, and
whom he justified them.he also called, and
whom he „called them,lia.also predestinated
to be conforited to the image of his Son.
There wai a definite end to which they
were chosen) namely, to be holy and
blameless it love. To God, mankind ap
peared in prospect what they, now axe in
fact —a race Of rebels, all, to an individual,
disposed to despise his commands and re
sist his authority, and;,. all most justly' ex
posed to endless wrath. From this mass
of moral corruption and guilt,' hosts innu
merable as the sands ort the shores of the
sea, .were predestinated . to the adoption of
children, and chosen to be holy, and.:without
blame before him in love.
There was a certain peried when the
election took place. It, was not, in time
but befere tie began ; not 'after but be-
A r e the foundation of the world. It was
in,that awful iperiod. of the .Past to which
the SaViClUi" , refers in that remarkable
prayer; "'Glorify thou me, 0 Father, with
the glory which I had with thee before the
world-was;" infinite ages before the first
ray of created 'light had penetrated the
darkness of 'chaos, or the first anthem
of praise had broken the silence of eter
nity.'._.
There was one Elector, and but one, God.
Not a single passage in the Bible teaches
that Christians elected themselves. Row
could they choose themselies before the
foundation of the world.? - God only has
the right 'to 'choose; and he 'claims this
right. " I will' have 'nerdy on whom I
will have mercy, and I hive compas
sion on whom' I will have' compassion."
God' only "has the povier choose. _troth
not the potter power over the clay to make
one Vessel' untolionor and another to dis
honor ?" To choose sinners in Christ im
plies also r the'pewer to raise them from the
dead both in a-spiritual and natural sense,
and . this, power resides only in the arm of
Omnipetepoe. Christians are styled God's
elect, and they would not be so denomina
ted' if God had' not elected them.
There;were certain reasons which influ
enced the Divine Mind in this election. But
they are ;not given. It does not comport
with the majesty of ee. Eternal Father to
desetid to 'en explanation of his conduct.
It is eneugh for us to know that such was
his sovereign, will and pleasure. The ar
gunt, of all others, the most powerful to
sway' the judgment and to command the
obedience 0f.,, all - the principalities and
pewers of he,aventis this—such is the will
o - God. What satisfies an arehaneel
Piir the Presbyterian Blunter