VrobittrOtt ginner.
PITTSBURGH, SATURDAY, JUNE 16, 1860.
OUR ;
Our thanks are due to the many minis
ters, elderc;and others, Who have interest
ed themselves in extending the circulation
of our paper, since it appeared in the new
dress and with the other improvements.
We trust that they will continue their ef
-forts, And "that many others among the
clergy and laity will do likewise. A little
exertion on the part of our patrons would
place additional hundreds on our list in a
few days, and be the means of doing much
geed, to multitudes. Show this number to
your neighbors, and explain to them the
advantages of a religious newspaper such
as ours to themselves and their families.
Make the attempt and you will be surprised
at your success. Probably in no other way
. could a part of a 'day be spent more use
fully; Ind often a leisure moment will be
sufficient.
REVIVIR AT ATHENS, OHIO,
The following, to the Senior editor,
*care permitted to publish. We are to be
an'" eniample." Our light is to "shine
before men." Thus we glorify God, and
extend ,our usefulness
A ATHENS, OHIO, June 4th, 1860
"'DEAR BROTHER :—As an encourage
ment to prayer, and to concerted effort, and
also'that greater praise may 'redound to
Jesus. Christ, I would recount God's met.
cies. Yesterday we enjoyed a precious
communion season in our church, at which
tirrie fifteen individuals came forward and
publicly , entered into covenant with the
Lord and with his people. Two others
would have been with them had it not been
thatfeeble health, and a heavy rain, which
fell' all the morning, kept them away from
the house of God.
" These fifteen, together with fifty-four,
at our last communion, six weeks since,
and-four received by the Session, but not
present yesterday, aie the fruits, so far as
gathered, of the precious revival with
which• God has recently visited our church.
"Tbe Methodist church, here, has not
been passed by. Quite a number have been
added 'there. Of the seventy-three who
have been received into our Church, thirty
nine were heads of families, seventeen
males and twenty-two females. Of those
publicly admitted, thirty-two received the
rite of baptism. More than one-half of
tbe whole number were over twenty-five
years of . age. Nine were over fifty years.
(Four of these were backsliders of long
standing.) , All classes of character were
represented; the moralist, the skeptic, the
inebriate, (two only,) the fashionable
drinker, (four ) ) the profane, the intensely
worldly, and those who were lovely in all
the externals of a Christian education, but
yet destitute of the one thing '—a heart
devoted to Christ. But a blessed change
has passed over all: How mightily God
works when he comes among a people..
`-"My brother, Rev. Dr. E. P. PRATT, of
Portsmouth, Ohio, labored with us, with
great acceptance, between thrbe and four
weeks.
"Rev. Dr,; R. L: STANTON, of Chillicothe,
was; With , me`three or four days; and Bro.
MErtwni,• of Amesville, for a short time.
Both rendered efficient aid.
" For several weeks we had prayer-meet
ings every morning, and public - worship
every night. Our morning prayer-meetings
still continue. I have witnessed blessed
revivals before; but never has it been my
privilege to see so powerful a manifestation
of the presence of the" Holy Spirit. How
small man seems, and how great God ap
pears at such a time. I knew, but never
feet before as I then felt, and now feel that
f n
the soul t at is born again Is 'BORN of
Gon.' ,y professing Christians learned
anew the fficacy of direct personal effort,
and the omnipotency of fervent prayer.
" Remember us in prayer, and praise the
Lordlor his goodness. Yours, truly,
ig X. H. PRATT."
AGITATION A BENEFIT.
In many cases, both in the natural and
social world, entire Stillness induces speedy
corruption. Agitation is indispensable to
the preservation of soundness and purity.
And it is so also in spiritual things, so long
as they Have their abode on earth. God
has chosen agitation as the common lot of
his Zion, in her whole history. It was
not only the pool of Bethesda that needed
to be stirred up, in order to a healing iglu-.
ence. Man needs it. The Church needs
Our readers will recollect some accounts
which, we published, a few months ago, of
an ordination by• the Association of Hart
ford, where a young man of doubtful or
thodoxy was inducted into the ministry.
The expose was made by a Presbyterian
minister who was present' at the' young
man's examination. The first result was,
a very great clamor, and exceedingly severe
censures in the public journals, upon the
gentleman who brought the matter to no
tice. 13ut other events already indicate
that he'fdid a good work. Wholesome
fruit already' appears. More caution is be
ing used Examinations are being made
more strict,and,,doubtful eases are being
rejected or .deferred.
The Hartford! . Times; of June 2d, thus
speaks
" The Congregational Society in Man
&ester, is' quite excited over "the action of
the Ecclesiastical Council which, met in
that place on Thursday, to ordain the new
pastor chosen by the Society, the Rev. Mr.
DonsiAN. Although the Society (a large
and important one,) are unanimous for Mr.
Donala,m, yet the Council refused to ordain
him. The alleged reason was, that in his
examination they had obliged him, by, close
questioning, to admit that he was not clear
in his own mind, on certain doctrinal points.
These points (which we believe, relate to
certain accepted but abstruse and little-un
derstood notions concerning the exact na
ture of the Trinity, Szc.,) are ,not consid
• ered by kr. D.'s friende as being in any
sense vital, or affecting in any degree his
• standing as an orthodox believer in the es
sential points of the New-England creed.
They are precisely the sante on which Dr.
bitatiLvE and other disciples of the rigid
old' East Windsor school of theology op 7
posed the ordination of the Rev. Mr. PARK
-131, of the
,Hartford South church, last
• January; and it is maintained by Mr. Don-
MAN'S friends, that the delegates who com
posed the Council, were influenced in their
unexpected action, by a reluctance to over
ride Dr. Vzitainam's precedent on that oc
casion. It was not a fhll Council; and the
Society, as soon as the decision was an
nounced, at once gave notice of, anolher
meeting, on Monday, to call another Coun
-,cil. They expect the second Council will
•act in a less -arbitary and illiberal spirit,
sand ordain - .the minister they want. If
:not, they are determined to; ave him at,
any rate, and will take measures to mom
their object without the agency, of the
1835 AND 1860.
In the year of our Lord 1835, ,the Gen
eral Assembly of the Presbyterian Church
in the United States, met, for the first
time, out of the City of Philadelphia.
That year may be noted as an epoch in
Presbyterian Chureh history, and in the
Ecclesiastical history of . Pittsburgh. Con
gregationalism had been making its inroads
upon our Church for's, generation, and was
likely to subvert some of our distinctive
and fundamental principles. The similar
ity in'doctrinal sentiments between the or
thodox churches of New England, and the
Presbyterians, and the fact that multitudes
of New Englanders were perpetually mov
ing Southward and Westward;induced the
two bodies, in 1801, to enter into a Plan of
Unlink. According to this plan, a church
might he Cong,regational in its organization
and government, and also, with its minister,
belong, at the same time, to a Presby
tery. 'Churches of this mongrel character
multiplied rapidly, till, in ''the 'course of
thirty years, they formed the main part of
funr Synods ;. and their representatives
came to have great influence in the meet
ings of the General Assembly., •
But not only through the. Pla n. of Union
did Congregationalism make its inroads
• into Presbyterianism. A.ctive men, mainly
of that east of Mind, got up the American
Education SodietY; and the Ainerican
Home Missionary Society. These Associ
ations obtained the distinctive appellation
of 'Voluntary. There was no Ecclesiasti
cal control; no amenability to a Church.
Whoever would pay the entrance feeinight
have meinbership. Their funds were
raised, partly from the members, but mainly
by collectionsin the churches. These As
sociations showed much zeal: They made
great pretensions to benevolence, and made
corresponding demands upon the liberality
of the people. But their practical influ
ence was deleterious to Presbyterianism;
and to separate from them and maintain
'our own institutions became an indispen
sable duty. •
In 1834., the Assembly refused to testify
against serious errors which had begun to
prevail in the Presbyterian Church, and
whose prevalence was both facilitated and
protected by the Plan of Union, and by
the two Voluntary Societies above named
—not only refused to testify against the
errors, but refused to put the motion on
record, and also refused to admit to record
a protest on the subject. The
, protestors,
then, with others who' were at the Assem
bly, 'adopted and' published a paper called,
" The Act and Testinumy," and invited a
Convention of true, and heart-whole Pres
byterians, from all the Presbyteries, to
take into consideration impending dangers,
and devise a remedy. That Convention
met in Pittsburgh, in 1835, one'week be
fore 'the meeting of the first Assembly here.
At it, measures were suggested, which were
adopted by the Assembly, and which three
years later, resulted in a total separation of
the. Congregational element from our, branch
of the Presbyterian family. ,Hence we
mark the year namedns ^an epoch. Then
the Assembly first met out of Philadelphia,
and in Pittsburgh; and then, after much
earnest, deliberation, the purpose was set=
tied, and measures adopted to stop the pro
gress of error, and restore the Church to
its true Presbyterian standing.
But in the separation which .resulted,
Congregationalists ,did not go out. alone.
Multitudes of Presbyterians went with
them. They were wedded to "liberal sen
timents," "moderation," "expansive char
ity," and especially to the Voluntary As
sOciations. The retiring portion at once
organized a General Assembly: They
really wished the name of Presbyterians,
and a majority of them wished to be such
in truth. They even claimed., for a time,
to be The Presbyterian Church. But they
had trouble, trouble, trouble. The elements
would not coalesce. Some of the leading Con
gregationalists retired; bid still the Volun
tary Societies gave trouble. They were not
adapted to. make Presbyterians. Through
them the Church could not do her proper
work. She needed'her own as Af
ter long endurance, she organized Educa
tion, Publication, and Church Extension
Committees. But she '
was still a partner
in the American Home Missionary Society,
This Society had , been the most annoying
to the mother Church, and one of the main
causes of the division; and it continued to
be, and still is, to the new organization, a
principal source of annoyance. It must
be gotton rid of. Peace and prosperity
cannot be the lot of a Presbyterian people,
while it is their dependence for missionary .
management artd labor.
And'now it so happens, or rather is so
ordered in the dispensations of Providence,
that in 'the year 1860, just a quarter of a
century from the former epoch, the New
School General Assembly meets, for the
first time, in Pittsburgh; and .this same
subject of Ecelesi4tical action is the great
theme, and the difficulties with , this same
American Home Missionary Society,,are
the grand point. Its, subserviency to Con
gregationalism, its ill adaptation to Pres
byterian
. work, and how to get rid of, it,
"and to substitute for it a true,. Church
agency, are the subjects which occuppthe
hearts, lips, and time of the Assembly.
And the result is, as in the former case,
but with much greater unanimity, a con
viction that to separate is a duty. But
this part of the •subject we will narrate in
the words of one of their own -members.
A gentleman whom the New-York Ob
server speaks of as " one of the most dis
tinguished members" of the late New-
School Assembly' in our city, thus writes
to that jeurnaq •
" The chief subject,, which engrossed
their attention, and has eharactelized their
action, was the necessity fbr instituting
measures for a denominational prosecution
of the work of Home Missions. ...This was
known to be the great busittess,of this As
sembly, before they met and throughout
their sessions.. Every man felt the pres
sure, and seemed, to be looking, ,consulting,
and deliberating for the path of duty. It
was regarded as a painful necessity, and
nobly was the crisis met and. passed.
"It is worthy of remark that one of the
subjects to which the attention of the first
General Assembly that ever met at Pitts
burgh was called, by the Memorial of the
Act and Testimony Convention,' was the
separation of the Presbyterian Church
from other kindred denominations, in the
work: of spreading the Gospel. It was
honestly apprehended by some, at that day,
that the organism of Voluntary'Societies,
if not docked . and resisted, would, ere
PRESBYTEWAN) BANNER.---SATURDA Yk.r.JTJNE 16 1860.
long, prescribe laws to the Chnrclyind ef
fectually 'Control het': Nor should
it be forgotten that the principal offender,
at that period, was the American Home
Missionary Society, which, under the Sec
retaryship of the Rev. ABSALOM PETERS,
V.D., had obtained, in less than ten years
from its birth, a precocity of growth, and
power quite unprecedhnted in the histoiy ,
of Domestic Missions.
"The great argument of the Act and Tes
timony men of the day was, that the Church
should be free to do her own work' in her
own way, natrammelled :by entangling al
liances. This very argument has now heed
taken up by the very men, some of them,
who were the staunchest friends of Volun
tary Societies, and loudest in the praise of
the American Home Missionary Society.
It is not to be denied, and cannot be, con
cealed, that a great change has come over
the minds of the first and foremost, of our
ministers, in respect to ; this vital interest.
Most thoroughly has the, experiment been
tried of denominational cotiperation in the
work of Domestic Missions--an experiment
prolonged, through a ;period of one-fourth
of a centnry—honestly and persistently
tried, and the, result is seen in the remark
able paper reported by the Special Commit
tee of fifteen. The proposition, often
thought of and spot eno..! privately and in
more limited, circles, has now been dis
tinctly and openly brought forward,hy the
collected wisdom of the Church in. General
Assembly, and with one voice adopted,' to
institute proceedings for the separation of
our Church from.other denominations in
the work of, gome Missions, and - to do - that
work in our own way, by organisms pro
vided by an ecclesiastical policy..
"Nor should the coincidence be passed by
that this event °emirs 'On the occasion of
the first meeting bf our branch of the
Church irilGeneral Assembly, at. Pitts
burgh, at the, expiration of the, first quar
ter of the century from the former move
ment of the undivided Church. And the
proposition is now entertained with. vastly
less opposition, with a far more unanimous
conviction of its wisdom ,, and a more ready
•
concurrence: on the ,part of the minority
(if, indeed,, any minority existed,) than
when it was first introduced in 1835. It is
not necessary to inquire into, the causes of
this change. As observers of God's provi
dence, we simply record the fact. But
the change itself is one of the most marked
events of a day prolific in changes and
great events. It settles,' beyond a ques
tion, the thorough Presbyterianism of, the
denomination. They who, once doubted
can doubt no mere:
This - is candid. And it is what should
be expected of Chrietian men. They
make a full trial. TheY add twenty-five
long years of experiment, guided, by, their
own wisdom and tempered by their own
forbearance and charity, and they now state
their clear'atid strong conviction. They
who once doubted, can doubt, no, min.!!
The writer quoted, goes °nye speak of
the "most cordial .welcome.'' with which
the Assembly was received "in this ancient
home- of orthodoxy." He also repeats
some utterances relative to a re-union, ;and
concludes by giving his own, opinion thus
"The two Churches are one in doctrine
and policy, and cannot very -long be kept
from an organic unity." •
We do not hope, in the few .years which
may be allotted to us, to see organic unity.
'We could not•advise an attemptein that di
rection, just now. But We do hope te'find
steadily increasing manifestations of Chris
tian confidenc.e and brotherly love; and that
the next generation will know of Old
School and New School Presbyterians, only
as they Shall Consult historic annals.
I THOUGHTFUL PEOPLE
" A word in season, how goad it is !"' A
gift in season is also good. Its seasonable
ness, makes it doubly precious. • Country
pastors need especially to be remembered
and made to share in their people's liberal
ity. Rev. JA.:KEs G - REENE, of Mahaska
County, lowa, writes to us
"I hope it may not be construed into
egotism if I ask, you to allow me the priv
ilege of paying a justly earned tribute of
gratitude, for a token of regard which the
people of my charge showed me last Satu
rday. It waslhe day previous to our, com
munion, ,when, at the dismission of the
congregation,ia-request was made for them
to resume their seats, and :according to un
derstanding the eldest membet, as the or
gan of the whole, presented. me with a
very elegant saddle and bridle, with all ap
propriate rigging to complete a full equip
page for a horsel as also a variety:. of ad
ditional accommodations for the comfort of
my, family.", , • .
The good. done by such a present is not
easily estimated. '
ARRIVED OUT
The Rev:' DAvm R. KERR, RR, due
of the editors of the United Presbyterian,
writes to that paper Announcing his safe
arrival at tiverpool. The voyage was
made in the steamship. City
,oje
And although several clergymen were on
board, the only religious service allowed on
the Sabbath was the reading of the Epis
copal service, by the Captain. The reading
was in excellent hyle, and a part of the
Company responded with great promptness.
But the remainder of the Sabbath was
spent by the Captain;and those of hie pas
sengers loudest, i,n their responAes, with
more hilarity and festivity than were usual
on other days;:.and the Captain very soon
proved himself to be a very profane Man.
If is, too bad to haVe a religious service
made a farce froin being cenditeted by such
a man. The reason why none of the , cler
gymen on board were invited to conduct a
religious worship or preset was; that 7 not a.
single one of therri could claiMto belong to
the 4 i ApostoliCal !Succession.",
We note this fact that those of our;read
ers intending to take a trip to Europe May
avoid this line where the only ,religious
courtesy extended is to EpiscopalianS,' and
when the feelings of the fpious are .out
raged by being compelled to absent,them
selves altogether, or to attend a Aligious
service Condlieted by a wicked man.
For die Preebyferian Banner
Acknowledgment.
Mrsans. Entrails :--.Please acknowledge the
folloWing contributions to the Board of Colport
age, during the month of May":
George's Creek congregation, Redstone
Presbytery • - - $7 .0 0
Freedom .song., Allegheny .City Presby-,.
tery 4.00
Concord tong., .Allegheny City, Presby
.
tery 1.00
Total
' $12.00
JOHN CuLniarson, Librarian.
TILE success of the-ministry will alwsys
depend, humanly speaking, upon •the fervor
with which the Divinty of Christ is, pre
sented to the mind of man.—Parsons.
TRADITION , is more frequently the linen.'
tor, of fiction thaw prifierver of 'truth.
EASTERN- mi ARM:
130 NY ON AIM NE Tir.p.LVGLAIVD.
The Librarian of Harvard College, Mr.
Srur.ar, is engagedin collecting materials for a
work that will contain the lives of all the gradu
ates of that institution, upon the, plan of the cel
ebrated work. Of _Mr l Wood,! entitled -4 Athenao
Oxoniensis." If the undertaking be faithfully
completed, the early history, while under the
control of the Puritan'Clergy, will.be an exceed
ingly interesting' record Of foinex'Aimes. And
whit ismore,. the 'prineiplei upon which 'this
UniversitY'Was founded• will be"seen to have been
widely different from those
. upon which it is at
present conducted. •
Mr. Gronor TicKnon has just presented to
the Public' Library of I3Oston, two thousand
volumes, chiefly .standard works of reference- in
andient and modern languages. Thii is another
or those ;noble -setsthat make the name of Mr.
Ticknor iso fragrant. ' In his letter announcing
this donathm,. he dwells tiPon the necessity of
- adding, to public libraries large collections
, cif
batiks whiCh do not circulate, but are to be kept
continually on the shelves for immediate refee
'ince by scholars and antiquarians: One great
defect in our American libraries, is the want of
standard' books for reference. The shelves groan
'under the weight of poPular publications; bUt
are greaili deficient in those of a 'high oi;der.
• The; Boston; Tr:at:Wier has, for some time, been
in ;the habit of 'PUBLISHING A„ SERMON every
week, generally one; of henry, -Ward Beecher's.
, This journal now: offers twenty-five dollars_ for
each of 'such discourses as may be suitable for
their columns, and,they may be able•to find room
to ; insert.' The publishers do not desire to con
fine the sera:tens to` any partieular denomination.
Here is an oPportunity for Clergynien that deSire,
to appear in: print, and who may be 'able to com
ply with the proposed conditions.
After the revocation of the EDIOT, OF NANTES,
a number of French Protestant refuge4s came to
Boston, and were organized into a church. The
pastor .f this cLurph. Was the beloved Pierre
Daill6. To 'discover the grave , of this excelle,nt
man, has long been ,an object of searchby, , thase
who lave held his name.and memory : in high re
spect: At length the discovery has been made,
an .account ; of which We take from the Emden
Pianscript, , - • .
Not - many weeks ago, the huMble-foot-,sstone,
which in part served to denote the last resting
place of this estimable pastor, was accidentally
, diged - Veretrin the Granary Burial Ground, where
for many years , it , had been entirely hid front
View, being covered by. the SOH. and sods of that
sacred enclosure. can "flow be seen, restored
to public view, scarcely two rods *Cm the entrance
gate to the cemetery , , at' one of the corners
formed by one Of the numerous by-bit - did noddle
main avenue of the yard. But the headstone ,is
not there, vi ol
It has remaitaed- for another:accident, to dis
close this , morning` of the much
sought-for memorial, witieli the friends of,the
deceased - had placed-4m Ida' grave - to designate
the exact sbot , orlia interment: While laborers
:wore •entployed in excavating a cellar. on , thepld
Emmons estate, in
,Pleasant Street, now In pos
session of: pr. Brew, they suddenly ,struck upon
the stone, Whiclq'for Sortie, iniknearn reason,' had
been rentoVed years ago to that remote plane.
:Measures .will betaken that the newly-discovered
relic be restored,' as nearly as possible, to, its
true place in, the Granary Burying Ground.
. The Ray. ISAAC S. IiALLOCII, wliOse chaiacter
was so greatly„jeoparded some- . time ago,- but
who so signally refuted' the charges , made against
him, both before the courts . 'and in public esti-
Mation, has left Boston for the - present Air
leavenwoith, Kansas, where he will , act:as chief
'manager , and agent of the 'American :13aptist
Home Miesionary Society.. His friends , hai'e
volunteered to contribute $75,600 to him
a 'church in this 'O4; if at any period he will
consent to retern. it is tiq; at all iinProbable
;that so libeialen'offer will be accepted.
The church to be served by Dr. .Hurrxxonow,
is to be , called gmanuel, and preparations are
keingmade to-qemPlence service as soon as. the
Doctor is admitted to orders.
' THEODORE PARXER,'Whein various ways has
been - so cOnspicuons heforethe publie'for many
year's, is 'llO more. He died at Flore,rice, Italy,
on the 10th of May. ..;His Towers of ,mind were
no doubt very considerable, but he:owes what
everok 'distinction he may here attained, More
to his extravagances,his oppositions to the corn
nionlY'reeeived opinions of religious people,' his
hatred of DiVirte truth, and the bitterness of his
language, than" to any inherent' greatness. ';ln
social' life he was kind' and agreeable, and his
personal character was never 'impeached. But
he was'an infidel of the worst clasi. It is"use
less for anyone to' atterept, to deny this, or' to
gloss over hip character in this,respect; now that
he is gone: - He was a public man; ha,boidly
and pretentiously declared his convictions, such
as they. were were, he sowed the fatal, seed broad
cast, and its destructive influence will be long
felt in=-Manyhearts, and in: many caininunities.
In his "Experience a's a Minister," ha 'Speaks
of the Bible' as "an anonymous Hebrew and
Greek 'book." Ifi the same , production he speaks
of the :character and= influence of :the Bible in
this wise
" If I wished' to teach the nobleness of man,
the,' Old Testament, and New were there with
dreadful condeinnations of •htunin nature ;, dlcl I
speak of God's love .for all men, the. Bible was
full of ghastly things—ehosen people, hell, devil,
damnation—to prove that_, he loved only a few,
and them not overmuch. Did I encourage 'free
indiiiduality of soul", such as thegreet Bible men
theniselveS had, asking all 'to be Christians , as
Jesus was a Christ—there were texts of bondage,
commanding a belief in this or that absurdity.
there tiial o virtue but the Sthitures meld furnish
an- argument . against it
- Can anything be more revolting to "One who
•
believes and knows' that the Bible is God' s liirord ?
Ia
"All the six great historic forms of religion—
the • Brahminic, "B.ebrevr; Claisie, Buddhistic,
•Christiani.Mohathmedan--profess to have come
miraculotisly from. God, not normally from man;
and,. spite of the, excellence which they ,contairi,
arid the vast service the humblest of them has
dbne, yet each / nutlet, ere long, yi.ove a hindrance to
human toelAt.e, each. claims to be a Finnlity, and
makes•the whole'of humati'reature wait up= an
accident, Of "human hi:rid—and that accident the
aanie single man.", .
Here he planta riatianity upon the • same
,basis with Brahminiam, Buddhism, and
.4loham
medanism, and attributes it to the same outlier
iv and excellence, and nothing more. ..ilow.can
one holding such sentiments be called Christian,
by the ntrhost possible stretch of charity? With
regard to his own,position says: •
• " X.have 4 . eparted from the fundamental•prin
ciple of the Catholics and, tbe , Pretestants,, de
nied the fact of a Miraculous 'Revelation, giVen
exclusively to Jeirs and' Christians,' denied the
claim to stipCrnatural au'thority, and utterly •utterly broke
with that vicariousness which puts an alleged
Revelation:, in. place of Aommon sense,_ and. the
blood of a crucified Jew. instead of excellence -of
character." ' • ,
Now in all thse sayings of Mr. Parker, and
. ,
in soores of others that might be se l e cted, he does
not carricature any systeni Ortkeobity, ,or any
huutatietatiou of the •Bible; but the Bible
ritikif. • not ,believe in
either; but only in the "Abso
lute Religion," aa he ossteefvad.them, to be. The
spectacle is a sad One. . ; B110" . i t tisr all, it is only
a legitimate and inevitable outgrowth of that,
systeni of " Liberal Chriatitinity,"t .which' boasts
such great things in the,se days, and which acts
aa'ao opiate to so many consciences. This was
'franklyacknowledged by the Rev. J. Freeman
:ciiiikt iii'the late Unitarian Faitival In Speak
ing.of Mr. Parker, he said :
"In many things he differed fromus; in many
th'ings we differed from. 'him; but, after all, he
was the fruit of our body.' If he Went further,
and ifin going •further be went 'away from 'us,
still, be was in the line of our tradition, and .he
believed himself faithful to the principles which
he had been taught while he, was in this borne."
Such; then, ;is the ripoweCtimit of our .Amer
loan "Liberal Christianity, B',
.Mr. Parker left behind no connected. system,
.f 6 he had none. . The Society-he- gathered will
'goon be dispersed. ; But ;the 4inbeliefs: (for .he ;had
;juybefie,fs,) he proMulgated, Williong continue to'
dip 'their fatal , work. llowever,.;lhe citadel• of
tftallatands tiria; no weapon formed against ,
Iris the find:4l4;re the
121/2
shame and confusion of face to all the enemies
tof th xutti, as iL is in Jesus. ~'
It is now potiftderitly believed that the GREAT
EASTERN will,'in due time, reach this port. She
was to have sailed last Sattirday,
‘ and unless
some accident ' intervene , 'her arrival will soon
be announced: In the meantime the people of
Portland, are deeply chagrined that their $60,000
dock prepared for her reception, is lying there
rotting and useless. But they are consoling
themselves with the thought that she is likely to
stick fait in the mud of New-York bay.
The matter of ,the location of the Naw-Yonx
posr-Orries. has been at length settled by 'the
purchase of the present site, which was original
-1;, occupied bye Reformed Dutch church, the ed
ifice of which is now used by , the . Post-Office,
for the 'sum. of $260,000 ; the Government giving
$200,000, and! the down-town-merchants contrib
uting the remaining $50,000. '
Mr. Derby has broken ground for his. new
AAr GAi.LEIRT, on Broadway, near . St Thomas
church. This gallery :will be thirty-five feet
wide and two hundred feet long. The design. is
said to be a Nery fine one. It will be completed
by SepteMber, when the Dusseldorf collection,
originally brought to this country at an expense
of nearly $200,000, by the late. John G. I3oker,
whose daughter married "John Dean, the coach
man," with many other valuable paintings, will
be removed to it
The SUNDAY THDATIES are in a fair way of
being, put, down The ventilations of the:Sun
.
day press , , and the , swaggerings of lqger-beer ora
tors, seem powerless to avert • the imperions .de
meads of public opinion.., The Grand Jury .has
, indicted several of, the proprietors and : actors ;
aid.' legal proceedings , have been. instituted to
•vacate the licensee of several large • establish
ments that have been-, offending in this way.
The police are increasingly , activain this matter,
and-the entire American 'part of the ,community
seems twbe.annit in the determination to' pre
serve public peace and order on the holy Sabbath.
And the•course of the leading daily Tapers, with
the exception.trf tha irerdld, , during: this contest,
;has been 'most commendable.
The WERKE"! TRIBUNE has certainly fiecome a
a power m the land- :It has ,now reached the
enormous circulation of two hundred and eighty
, six
.thousand seven hundred and fifty,, nearly
one-thhld of which is ,confined to the Stater of
New-York. :Pennsylvania takes` twenty-seven
_ thousand one hundred and four copies, ind Ohio
twenty-five thousand nine hundred and .forty
nine. And as the circulation goes up, so does
thO price of adVertising. A 'few weeks ago it
was $1 per line for a single insertion, now it is
and $1.59 for l preferred Owes. The par
Value of the shares of the Tribate establishment
was originally $l,OOO, but ; it is said'that a single
Mare cannot now be purchased for three times
this amount. The principal : editor, Horace
Greeley, is just nOtienjoying the congratulatiOns
Of his friends and the denunciations of his oppo-.
nents, for the part he took in, the Chicago Con
vention. But. politics is not the only field in
"which Air. Greeley labors ; he is a many-sided
man, ready for any thing that turns :up. Last
, wack,he was in Boston,presiding over a Univer
salist festival. Now, however expert Xr. Greeley
maybe in political eXposition, we never supposed
,hitri quite equal to Scott, Henry, -Olshausen, or
Stier,.as an:expounder of Scripture: But in his
addresato hisUniversalist -brethren , and sisters
he perpetrated a criticism with which the world
! should certainly, he . made acquainted. In , that
speech-he expressed-the •profound opinion. that
the essential idea of taw Lord's' Sapp& contemplated
-a _social collation in' ainly. After • that . let our
standard Biblical commentators hide their "dim
inished heads." But seriously,' " whit arrant
nonsense' do intelpgent mart utter when they
venture upon the explanation of 'sacred things,-
which they have not studied,. and With whose
-spirit they are
.unacquainted: In politics Horace
Greeley may be an oracle; but henceforth let him
eschew theology.
Mr. CooswExx.; ,Librarian"fei the Astor
Library, is ahOutto leave for a_ trip to Europe,
on account .of impaired health. But he hopes
to make his visit abroad in many ways service
able to the Library,. to which he seems , to have
delratedlis whole being.
The ARCTIC COMiIITTEZ of:the American. Ge
ographical Society hip' published a circular, in
- whiCh it is stated that the . atnoinit nice/wart to
furnishithe Arctic Exploration of 1.11r.:4.48, has.
:bein4ubseribed, a , nd that ' the Expedition will
-..steirtter Smith's Sound On the 20th inst. The
crew consists of fifteen men, and must be provi
eigied.for • three years. Boston give a stout
.. orift,"Philadelphia : forwarded a liberal subscrip
tion, and the merchants of NeW York will lay in
supply of flour, rice, coffee, black tea, ,
sugar, molasses, butter, cheese, lard, beans and'
• peas, and dry fruit; preserved meats and vege
tables, beef, pork,. lime juiceand pickles, malt,.
biscitill, A .l4utime gunpowder ,, shot, caps, lead_ and "guns, whale oil , flannel. blankets, buffalo robes;"fur and, coal.
Thar." Sonsmrtrmr, istnalcasr" .has. reached h
weekly:cireulation: . of-thirti thousand; in addi
thin' to itifverrlastO 44chanie list. This is the.
sixteenth. jeer of this. joUrnal that has done so
much to aid American invention; to make known.
the pr,ogrpse.of art and science . in ; their practical
application, and to convey ; tumflrl informaion of
all hinds to the : people.. , The terms are $2.00
per annum; mosey nell laid out. . ;
' The' Clismism'COSTiinssas of the Methodist'
Episcopal thnich, - at Buffalo, displaced the Rev.
Abel Stevens, 'D.D., the accoMiliihed 'editor of.
the Christian Advocate and Journal, by the elec-'
. .
tion of the' Rev. E. Thompson D.D., who has ,
been for several years 'President of the Ohio
University, at Athens, '014: Dr. Stevens took
special pleasure in running a tilt against any
thing savoring of Calvinism , wheiever it could
be scented Ott. • But, notwithstanding all this,
he was =able and aceemplished editor, and his
successor. 111:find jt no easy task to keep that
paper,upl.ethe,atantlard.it attained under the late
.editor:. The change was brought about owing to
dissatisfaction with the course of Dr. Stevens on
the sla.very.question. Dr. 'Thompson was chosen .
by the majority because, considered a
,more
‘, progressive " man than the other: What will
be the final. result of the agitation now fairly
commenced in that large body,' it is: difficult to
foresee. The older and abler part, of the minis
try are firm in their preference for the Discipline
of the Church as' it•has heretofore stood ; but the
younger portion of the ministry are untiring in
their efforts for a more stringent • Anti-Slavery
" Rule."
By the way, itis reported Quit a number of
leading laymen the 'Methodist Chnichin
city and vicinity have determined "to establish ah
independent Methodist weekly, hit. the advocacy of
the views of the more conservative portion,of the
Church, and that Dr. Stevens will'he invited to
occupy the editarial . chair: If this design should
be carried intOoffectohe Christian 4dvocatc and
Journal may find formidable .competitor in its
The absorbing torso of bat week was the ex-.
pected arrival of the, II ....A 6 ANSeS? ,EIIIIIABSY, which
actually took place on last Saturday. On ths4•
day„but little of the usual business was trans 7
acted. There seemed to be no disposition to
or, buy; all were absorbed in the matter of the
Japanese, and every attention was bestowed on
these strangers. So much has been written and.
said about these persons, that people in thito
country have lost sight of the fact that these na
' tional guests are heathens.. Nor is it just now'
perfectly evident what effect the troatanentre-'
ceived by them ‘in this. country may hive , upon
their disposition toward, our missionaries. They'
are desirous of seeing our: natural 'wonders, our
large cities, Four. magnificent internal' improve-'
ments, our works of art., and our places of amusc4
merit, but therpersistently refuse to 'enter any'
of our I:ohm-611es, , or. , listen to any' instructions
concerning the' Chrilatian religion. The' follow..
cincenhit this matter aerfSectid
NEW-7ORK•
=MI
.s~':
last week in both the intelligencer and Constitution,
of Washington City::
"We are authorized to. state thait sundry per-
BOBS interested in. the • spiritual welfare of the
Japanese Embassy, having tendered to them
copies of the Bible and other books of a religious
character, and also an invitation to attend public
worship at the Capitol, it became the duty of the.
United States Commissioner in charge of . the
Eatiassy to aieertain their - views on , the subject!
The offer of these books and the, invitation, to
attend•publie worship was communicated to e
Envoys. In reply they stated , that, but one reli
gion is, known andacknowledged by the laws of
Japan;'that they are forbidden in 'oily manner
to take part in or be present at'the celebiratiOnof
any other; and, while expressing their acknowl
edgments for the interest and kind intentions
.of
their American friends, they respectfully decline
entering into any conversation or receiving any
books of ti'religious character, or being present
at any of the religious solerimities to which they
have been or may be invited. After this expres
sion of, their , views they were , assured that, while
it was the duty, of the officer Jn . charge to com
11111Dillte to them these offers and invitations, it
was not the desire; of the Government in any way
to force their inclinations, and that iheir' Wishes
wouldi be respected; at which they expressed
,their, gratification. It will thus,be. seen that all
religious communications have been formally de
-dined."
Philadelphia has lost one of its wealthiest and
most enterprising citizens, in, the death of GEORGE
W. CARPENTER, Esc, .on the 7th inst., at his
residence in Germantown, in the fifty-eighth
year of his age. He was educated at the Ger
mantown Academy, but entered a drug store at
the age of eighteen, for the , purpose of learning
the business.. A few years afterwards he com
menced business on his own account, on the spot
where his great drug warehouse, the largest in
the city, now stands. His residence, at German
, town, was palatial; and adorned with all that
taste could suggest and money purchase. lie
was deeply interested in the progress, of the
Natural Sciences, was , a contributor to. several
well known periodicals, anti Treasurer of the Phil
adelphia Academy of Natural Sciences, for a pe
.riod of thirty-two years. In the beginning his
capital;as small, and he never received' by in
heritance 'a .single dollar; •so that his colossal
fortune' was the result of solid Philadelphia thrift.
'He was front its inception, a Director of the
Pennsylvania-Bailroad; he was also a' Director
in sit. other' Railroads, in different parts of the
State one' Bank, and one Insurance Office.
:He owned no less than four hundred dwellings,
Storei, and factories, in Philadelphia, and' bad
three, agents for the collection of rents, who
madedaily returns to him. How he a
„
accom
plished such vast amount of work, was a mar
vel to Moat men. But he sunk under thiburden
at last.
A very, handsome Monument has been erected
to the memory of the late Ron. ROBERT P. Con
, Tap, at South : Lanrel Hill Cemetery. The cost,
which was twO thousand dollars, was met by a
,few of his friends and acquaintances.
The "Thrum Tzar," belonging *to the Young
Men's Christian Association, his-been puts - up at
'Eleirenth and 'Fitzwater Streets. Lent week
there Wits'religibus - services in it as follows:
Monday' evening, at eight o'clock, , sermon by
Rev. J.' B. Dales, D.D.; Tuesdi evening, ser
mon
by Per J. H. Kennard, D. 4 . Wednesday,
short addresses by :lay members ; Thursday,
sermon by Rev. W. P. Breed; Friday, Union
Prayer-Meeting ; and on Saturday afternoon; at
fire o'clock, a meeting forchildrem, •
, The,meeting of the &non OF: TEE AEI'OIIEIEIO
DUTCH CROBOH, which convened last week, was
an, occasion of -much interest. This Church,
though confined to comparatively small limits, is
wealthynnd spirited: Last year it expended over
$30,000 in the .iiorli.of 'Foreign Missions, and
will need $45,000 this year for the F same. Object.
.
The Laths.Lunrsaax Srgon was in session
at the same time: This body had tmder consid-
Oration the Propriety'of rendering the Catechism
Of the Church, iinoin 'as "Luther's ghOrier
Catechisin,"`uniforni in the German and English
languages A iesolution was also adopted that
baptism( could, only be admMistered :by ordained
ministers,, eicept in cases " of
,neeessity, when it
might, be performed , by a private, member. In
such instances, however, ministerial notification
must be given.
For the Preabyterlan Banner.
Proposed Week of Prayer for , Our Country.
•
MESSPIi
S. ..biDIT ORS :---It was, long ago
,aaked,, Can anything good wine out of
Nazareth?. but circumstances afterward an
swered. that lineation so. coMpletely, that
.'.we ought not now to pay,-inticli regard to
the importance - of a place in considering
the merit of an idea. The place from
whichthe - follaving . 1(i - whit - ion comes has
no claims 'Coinparisii with' the Fulton
Street Trayer-Meeting; but the proposal,
I trist, will not, be slighted for that reason.
We all reinember iioW 'our brethren at
Loiliana few in number and far away, were
lediiy.dod's providence to propose a 'week
Of prayer; how God put it into the hearts
of hundreds of thOusanda to respend to
the Call; arid how the blessed results
already appear, and may long continue to
increase ! Encouraged by , -this example,
the Daily•Prayer-Ateeting in this place has
.adopted this resplOop, which I send you.
Tray. pUblish
• ;,.invite attention
. to it;
'and. let us fee milli of Christians pre
smiting their Anita . afipplicittions to God.
flesplved, That this ; mo.eting . devote; the
first .week in. July, commencing. with..,the
first. Sabbath in the month;, to . prayer ,for
:our .country, especially in view of the. reat
„political excitement. which is extending
over the„land, that God's people , may be
kept.from sinful participation in it . ; that
they Asy :he gitided in,theiractiOn for.the
good of ; his causo; that those who may be
placed in authority over us may .be men
who shall role in ; righteousness; and that
our Redeemer's cause , may, lie, glorified in
the result of the coming.. election. Also,
that we invite all„Ohurches: and prayer
meetings, throughout the., hind le...unite
with us. , ;B. '1. 5 /A.Rit t i.qa, Secretary,
Quincy, 111., June. 6 .42" :00 41 ... •
. .
..
The season of prayer here proposed will
include the 4th of quly. :.31.ay we not hope
that all- Christian hearts, on that day, will
remember our country's need and,: danger I
If, they do, there will be hope for us.
The. Chiniqtry , Colonies.
AOTTOB OF THE O. S. GENERAL ASSEMBLY.
PRINCETON, June 4, 1860.
At the
,requect of severe members of'
'the Assembly, the subscriber takes this
itiethod of. calling the attention of the min
isters,"elifers and members of the Presbyte-
Church to the ° action of `the General
iiukeimbly at Rochester, with regard to the
'work •of God among the 'll l Omai3ists of
Canadian French on in Illin'oid; in con
neicion with the labors .of .the Rev. Mr.
Chiniquy., No subject so prefoUndly
reeved the heart of the Assembly. The
Report of
. its Cemniittee,'azia. the resolu
tions founded upon it; ,so cordially ,and
unarariouilY' adopted`' by that Venerable
bodk ) speak for dtemielves. The response
Of the moment, amounting to over 68,000,
in donatiOns an4.piedgee, shows the.extent
o Which the Christian senaibilitiee`pr this
great
b ody were stirred by . the primentation
of the reMarkable' facts involved' in the
case. It to'be doubted 'that the like
'Presentation of 'facts to all ehirches
'woad' 'call forth a like 'respOn'se.' This
`would Bet this wonderful work of God free
from the pecuniary ernbairsainaents which
'no* jeopardise it; and such pecl;Lli
aiity of the present eitiginry; 'that 'donation s
or loans' are valuible'in proßCiiion'lo.the
promp'titud'e with which they are giieri.
The tirgerioyl#' the easels so great, that
the ASsenab% passed a vote requesting the
Oomidssioners immediately to = brieg
'the i l i lieVtethe'ioofep a' 4stera and-Sessionief
l'frediyieeii,to:whiek they
bspectively bgingi
iidaY
the journals circulating in our
Church. The special object of this enun
ciation is, to ask = the attention of all our
ministers, elders and churches to the action
of the General Assembly in the case; and,
that without waiting for further notice.
they will .carryout: the recommendation of
that body, by making a speedy contribution
to this object. Donations for the relief of
the , temporal necessitietrof -this people can
be remitted to Rev. Wm. M. Scott. D. D.,
of Chicago, or to any other member of the
Ceininittee of the Presbytery of Chicago,
appointed to this work 'Donations for
the - strictly spiritual service connected with
this great enterprise, can be given to the
Various ~Boards .of the Church severally
charged with,these affairs.
. , LYMAN H. A.TWATER,
Chairman of the Assembly's Committee in
reference to-this-subject.
For the Presbyterran Banner.
Incidents and sights of a: Pleasant Trip,
May is the month for travel. Beauty,
joy, life everywhere. Flowers, fragrance,
birds and music fill the soul of the ob
server with delight A field of gratifies
tion seems spread for each sense. Such
sights,' sounds, and sweetness should trans
port fikeleart, and fill it with wonder, love,
and praise to Him vilose* bounties and
mercies fill the world. ,
Such were our reflections, not long
since, as, on a lovely Morning, we started
on a pleasure trip through Eastern Ohio
and Western Virginia. Coming to a
county town, we halted to await the ;train.
As usual, many persons were here,"saunter
ing around. Among these, a few lawyers.
Court over, and their pockets- full, they
seemed,happy and social. The first saluta
tions passed, "and a professional twit or two
mutually exchanged, we take seats under
an umbraaeous tree and enter into eon
.
versation more serious and protracted.
Theology was the Topic. These limbs of
the law, like most of their craft, fancied
they knew much—indeed o//—about this
great subject, when in fact they knew but
precious little. One of them in particu
lar, made the dogmatical and false affirma
tion that there -was not a clergyman in all
Christendom that either understood or
could explain the primitive character of the
Divine law, or the unbending demands of
Ood's juetite.
"And why ?" asked we. ,
44 . 1kcause, " answered he, they hare
not stUdied the force of forensic terms, and
of, 'course must be unacquainted with the
true nature of Divine jurisprudence."
And are vou sure that you lawyers fully
understand these points ?"
",Certainly—.most do; all, at least, who
hare mastered the 6nrriculant of our law
1 • .t
schools:" -
" Well - but do you understand these
things better than Divines?"
" Yes ; much better than any minister I
ever heard try to explain them."
"And' hOw many haie you ever heard
attempt an exPosition of this kind ?"
After, a pause / he said, "Old Mr. —,
and and Rev„ Mr. - ; but
they all Made signal failures."
"Are •lawyers, then, better theologians
than niiiiisters
"Th r all that pertains, to, legal justice and
equity, they are." .
"Does the human explain the Divine
lawn"
" Most certainly."
f 4 But is not the Divite the fountain, the
basis, and the very essence of the human ?"
This he granted freely.
" Howls it, then;" we asked, "that those
who look at the stream, know more about
the fountain than those who are at it? And
that those in the dark garret understand
the:toundation better than those who have
spent years of diligence in examining it ?
Thai those who ,study the surface of things .
are far more likely to be, wise than those
who learn their essence ? The fact, sir, is,
students of your schools see only the rills
—we the rivers of eternal! . rectitude that
flow, clear as crystal, through' the wide
plains of that Theology forindin the Word
of God. We study !he irt4,you the
shadow of it. Our thonghti clusteturound
ingots—ye:us, grains of goici. We are
taught to see the eternal God in all his re
lations to man—but you to regard little
else than • a - few:of those supposed claims
that one sinful mortal may have upon
anether. We investigate the.'whole tree—
root, trunk, branch; foliage, and fruit—you
one of its
,shoots,'Only. ()us is a major
study- 7 19nm, but a minor, 'How haps it,
then, that,,yon, as lawyers,' know so much
about the natrire of primitiTe justice, and
the '.absolate necessity - of, rendering a full
satiitactinii to` infringedan aw, prior to a
'free' release from its claims, and we, as
ministers, so little; especially *hen it is re
nienaberalUiat many of the students of
our Seininaries have the subject of human
law included in, their theological courses?
The'faet is, sir, you are mistaken in your
,viewii. O f'tlie knowledge of ministers gen
erally, this great subject; for no one of
us can preach salvation through the atone
ment of our 'Lord Jesns Christ, until we
have first 'mastered this yery matter of
which you say as a class we are ignorant I"
Buttlie_cars collie, and end our'dispute.
In starting to_ the train,
,urged him to
attend 'Church better, to listen - more atten
tively to what was- there Said, to be more
charitable and lintable,; . and less selfish, and
Satisfied Withlis own':real or supposed at
tainments; and that, then, the day might
come when'he,yreitidbe willing to acknowl
edge tat niest miniaters possessed an intel
lectual, andeven forenSic culture, equal to
his owns add at 'whose'feet he might
hit, and learn of things pertaining to his
eternal `peace.
SO bidding these lawyers adieu off we
went, in bedy,
r with the train, but our -
thoughts - still ling4red about our legal
;friend, and others othiS ilk who are puffed
`up and koilai inA. 1 .416i owing everything,
fact •
in knowing next' to nothing of the
great plan of .salvation. Suchi
man—
poor, self-conceite,d man, on matters spir
itual'ao Divine?', 'ea; reader, if you are
a minister, neyer covet „a church located in
a little conrity town, where:swarms of John
!‘, 4ttOrneys-rat-Ltv," live, or rather
spending the almost unbrol-en leisure
of their :lives in quilablings ablaut, matters
'both sacred, and profane, ; thus corrupting
,the young and ionorant around them, and
so_poisoning society as to render it, almost
; impervious most pointed of p u lpit
appeals, and Causing the most faithful and
gifted of Christ's ambassadOrs 'often to ex
claim, " Who is sufficient for these thin es ?"
.No, reader ;, ask after no such a position,
„
unless. yen,knowyourself to be possessed,
both mentally and morally,' of the two in
dispensable - the - Modern ar
'reoreri StrOng'bctek,. 2 anil a' keen edge
loveand Ingle.
But' on,
.0:; on we go, over trestles,
across bridgeS,lhrough tunnels, along em
bankments, iliktoot, amid the rush and
rattle of thOoceasion, lawyers * and their
abstractions are forgotten.
We come to a station and stop. NY
seat-companion hioking inquiringly from
the windOwremarked, " Where is the
•
place Nyhere those meteoric stones fell?"
The place; Said we, is some 'dist an c e from
tliis,`but I can s ow you a ona-fide me
teorite ; - for I have a leur-ponxid one along
in my carpet-bag."So I took it out, and
Mien *hat a rush troni all parts of the ear
to see it ! Some Joeked astonished, some
incredidous—all admired
,this iron-coated
blneke*f granite:'," The common inquiry of
the'unscientifieWas, " Where
,did it come
from?" Welt' ye learned in - philosophic
can ye tell us ? Or is the. origin of
Welerelite ja. insolvable enigma of your
Orland it be Said t Unkildwn it
J. W