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Accommodation Texts.
DEAn B-- congratulate you on
your having, reached the position to which
your hypes have so long been directed.
You have passed through the long prepara
tory masa of study and discipline; you
have been licensed, ordained, and installed
pastor 'of a flock. You are, fairly started
in the work of the ministry. Work you
will find it, if you honestly discharge the
duties of' the pastoral office.
Your principal anxiety and labor, in the
outset, will be directed to the
,preparation
of sermons. With your views, this will be
arduouk but p/eapant work. You have a
higher standard 'of measurernent than the
judgment-of . your hearers, and are in no
. of .nustaking a glib tongue for a
(hear mind, ,nor a big noise for great preach
ing. One of your difficulties will be the
selection of texts; just as the boy, at the
Academy finds the choosing of a subject
the great stumbling-block of his genius,
when writing his early compositions. This
appears to him like a barricade placed upon
the borders, of the ample field of thought,
in which he thinks he could expatiate with
ease and delight, if only that impediment
were removed. Ido not object to a young
preacher's taking easy texts, or texts that
every other preacher has used before him,
and of which all his hearers know the
meaning and the application as well as he
does. But I would not have him restrict
himself, in perpetuity, to these; for how
then shall his people make progress in the
knowledge of God's Word ? How shall he
make progress himself? This may be
done, indeed, if he avail himself of the
traditionary privilege of wandering from
his text, in the course of his sermon, to
the benefit of his hearers as well as to his
own enlargement. Herein we have the
advantage of the boy at the Academy, who
feels aolemnlybound to stay near his subject,
though it should be to him like the rock to
Prometheus.
It has been a question whether texts of
Scripture should ever be used, especially as
the basis of sermons, in a sense different
from that which their inspired writers ob
viously meant to convey by them. The
practice of using texts in this fanciful
way, has prevailed extensively at some, pe
riods of the Church's history. Nor is it
yet altogether obsolete. Some minds are,
naturally, or ty an unfortunate early bias,
addicted to oddities of thoughts and ab
normal associations, of ideas. Some minds,
also, observe the real meaning and senti
ment of writers, especially of Scripture
writers, less than the collocation, or the
mere sound, of their words. Hence they
draw meanings from their words which
they never intended to utter. Hence melee
fanciful accommodations, forced analogies,
unexpected turns of thought, and incon
gruities pressed into fellowship, which may
amuse or astonish, but cannot be approved
as an exercise of religious instruction.
It is well known that ridicule, of hurtful
efficiency, has often been turned upon, re
ligion, by burlesque interpretations, and
even by forced and incongruous applica
tions of Scripture phrases. People find it
hard to treat with veneration what they
have laughed at. Ludicrous or offensive
associations of thought with a Scripture
'expression, are not easily dismissed even
when the will concurs with the effort.
Many a ,Ohristian has bitterly lamented the
unintentional hearing of a jest or a comical
expressionOn unhappy connexion with a
Bible phrase .or a religious exercise.:, But
'can that perversion of a sacred writer's
meaning, which is injurious when done in
sport and irony, .be edifying when done
with solemn face in the pulpit ?
The object of preaching is mainly to in
struct and improve the hearers, in the
knowledge of Gad's Word and will. The
" accommodation" method ignores this ob
ject wholly, so far as the text is concerned.
And its efficiency, if it have any, depends
on the hearers' ignorance of the true mean
ing and connexion of the passage. It sup
poses them to be ignorant, and aims, during
the illusive exercise, to keep them so.
For example, at the funeral of a little boy,
the following text was announced: " For
perhaps he therefore departed for a season,
that thou shouldst receive him forever."
It liar very pat, indeed, as to its sound.
An excellent and comforting discourse fol
lowed it. But was there not something
like fraud N in impressing , that text into that
service ? Were not Paul's words, in refer
ence to a fugitive servant, tortured to make
them give testimony on this occasion ?
How much more appropriate and legitimate
would have been the affecting words of
David's grief and faith, on the death of his
child : " I shall go to him, but he shall not
return to me." Suppose the parents
Should turn, after the funeral, to the two
passages in God's Word ; from which would
they derive most consolation?
This practice among preachers has, prob
ably, occasioned a similar practice, among
people, in the use of the Scripture texts
and phrases. Some of these are used in
applications, almost ludicrously foreign to
their Scriptural connexion. What but
traditional usage could ever have put into
the lips of dying Christians, the impatient
expression of the mother of Sisera, " Why
is his chariot so long in coming?" And
what else could have led ministers to an
nounce the origin and importance of their
mission, in the words of Ehud, a treacher
ous murderer: "I have a message from
God unto thee." It is hardly necessary to
say, that for the expression of all religions
emotions and purposes, legitimate Scrip
ture expressions abound.
Another egregious wrong is done to the
Scriptures and to the people of God, by
forcing independent historical events into
conjunction, as designed illustrations of
Scripture. For example, the slaying of
three thousand persons, for idolatry, at the
foot of Mount Sinai, and the conversion of
three thousand on the day of Pentecost,
was affirmed, by a very large Dootor of Di
vinity, to be an illustration of the text:
10* letter killeth, but tae Spirit giveth
life." I need scarcely say, that this was
an obscuration of an important passage If
Scripture.
Again, when isolated texts are adduced,
as proofs of doctrine, or as rules or reasons
for practice, common honesty demands that
they should be used in the precise sense,
and only in the sense, which the inspired
author meant to convoy. This principle
1,,,s been much neglected ins the polemics
,r the Church, and errors, and strife, and
illiaticisms have derived from this neglect
;heir chief subsistence. From this abuse
4 , 1' Scripture authorities, making+ them say
what they never meant to say, " proof
texts," have been called the bane of Theol
ozy. And they have been scarcely leas
injurious to morality.
I hope, my dear 8., that you will, from
the outset of yoar ministry, keep clear of
such wrongs and frivolities. Interpret
(;od's word, but never trifle with or per
vert it. This " accommodation" method of
treating texts, whether they stand at the
head, or in the body of sermons, is goner
:llly an accommodation to the weakness of
the preacher or of his argument. It is a
wrong done to the sacred oracles, giviug
tlaem, at least, an " uncertain sound ;" a
wrong done to the people of God, by sub
t ituting r under covert' of fanciful anode-
For the Presbyterian Banner
VOL. X., NO. 18.
tion, man's word for Grd's; and a wrong
to the cause of religion and of Christ, by
affording to acute and hostile minds an oc
casion of ridicule and aggression on the
rule of our faith. J. F.
Aid the Chaplains,
MESSRS. EDITORS recently noticed
a call for a public meeting, to be held in
your city, in behalf of our soldiers. What
the result of that meeting has been, has
not, I believe, been announced. To my
mind, there is something very wonderful in
that dispensation of God's providence
which has called trom their homes and
planed under military discipline, six hun
dred thousand of the active, patriotic young
men of our country, and furnished each regi- .
went with a religions teacher, at the ex
pense of =the Government. It has been
stated that the average salary of the chap
lains, is $9OO ; and if so, the nation is pay
ing more than $500,000 per annum for the
moral and religious training of our military
forces. This is nearly five times as much
as our whole Church contributed during
the past year to Domestic Missions ; and
what blessed results might we not hope to
see accomplished by such liberality on the
part of the Federal Government.
Nearly one hundred chaplains, it is be
lieved, have received commissions to labor
among the troops from Pennsylvania, and :
should they prove to be men of the right
spirit, may we not hope that they will be
successful not only in counteracting the
corrupting influence of camp life, but in
implanting the principles of godliness in
many hearts ?
But the question arises, are we who pro
fess to be God's people, doing all we should,
to encourage this movement Do we
daily, in our closets and families, and sta
tedly in our sanctuaries, seek the blessing
of !leaven to attend the labors of our chap
lains in the army and navy ? And are we,
to the extent of our ability, aiding them in
their work by contributions of relig,ions
books, tracts, and papers ?
There is moreover another way in which,
it has struck me, we who remain at home
might render important aid to the chap- .
lains. I have learned from some of them
that they can accomplish but little during
the Winter in the way of public preaching.
Having no shelter from the inclemencies of
the weather, it often happens that the Sab
bath passes away without social or publid
worship. Now might not some plan be
devised by which , a tent could be supplied;
(similar to those used by young men's
Christian Associations in the Eastern cities,)
and some faithful and zealous minister sent
with it to the camps on the Potomac , ? A
tent capable of accommodating a thousand
men, would form a new attraction to draw
the soldiers within the sound of the Gos
pel, and, under the care of a judicious man,
might be the means of awakening a special
interest, by being moved from point to
point for the accommodation of such chap
lains and regiments as might be disposed to
engage in protracted union meetings while in
Winter quarters. Should it be thought too
expensive to purchase such a. canvas sanc
tuary, could not one be rented at a mod
erate price? It seems to me that some
thing should be done by the churches to
prevent the liberality of the Government in
providing chaplains from being almost lost_
THE SOLDIER'S FRIEND.
Far the ;Presbyterian . Banner,
Oil City,
This is a new place that has sprung up
in the wake of the Oil business, in West
ern Pennsylvania. It is situated on the
Allegheny River, seven miles above Frank
lin, the county seat of Trenango County,
and at the mouth of Oil Creek. In this
vicinity appears to be the centre of the
great oil basin, that is giving to this part
of Pennsylvania a world-wide notoriety.
Oil has been gathered here for almost a
century, by the present white population ;
and from unmistakable evidences, for two
or three centuries precedin. b that, by some
people to us unknown. • Along the valley
of Oil Creek, from the mouth to a distance
of fifteen miles, wells are in operation that
yield from fifty to two thousand barrels per
day; and this by a spontaneous flow from
the depth of from four to six hundred feet
in the solid rock.
As a natural consequence, there has
been a wondrous tide of population flowing
into this region. Oil city has sprung up
as though by magic, with every sign of en
terprise, activity, and permanent growth.
But the chief design of this article is to
chronicle the fact of the recent organiza
tion of "The First Presbyterian church of
Oil City," in this growing neighborhood.
The territory lies within the bounds of the
Presbytery. of Erie, and during the past
season there has been occasional preaching
there. At its last meeting, the Presbytery
appointed Rev. James M. Shields, one of
its most zealous and energetic members, to
labor for a few weeks at that point. Prov
idence appearing to smile upon the project,
it was resolved to attempt an organization
on the last Saturday of the old year.
It was a cold, bracing day, when Bro.
Shields and your present correspondent,
set out to attend to this pleasant duty.
We found the people assembled, few in
number, but strong in zeal and courage. A
church was organized consisting of twelve
members, to which number, nine were
added on the following day, making twenty
one in all. Two Ruling Elders were elect
ed, one of whom was ordained, and both
installed.- On Sabbath, the Lord's Supper
was administered, under circumstances of
more than usual solemnity. There were
melting hearts and tearful eyes, as they sat
down at the Master's board, and felt that
henceforth the Bread of Life was to be
statedly broken to them.
In the absence of a regular church edi
fice, this people worship in a temporary
building, that is capable of seating some
'two hundred and fifty people 'with conve
nience and comfort.
Should this brief article meet the eye of
any Presbyterian contemplating a sojourn
in the-Oil region ' let him not forget the
little church at Oil city. If any one is
desirous .of learning more of this place in
its religious and moral aspects, he would
doubtless obtain a willing response by wri
ting to one of the Elders, S. S. Waldo,
Esq., Oil City, Venango County, Pa.
Gems NOR Richard Cecil.
BORN 1748, DIED 1810..
1. The'most likely method we can take
to hasten the removal of what we love is, to
value it too much; to think on it with end
less anxiety; to live on its favor with soli
citude. It shall soon either become a thgrit
in oar aide, or be taken away.
2. What an oppressive burden is taken
off a Christian's shoulders by his privilege
of leaving all consequences,, while in the
path of duty, to God I' He has done with
" How shall I bear this trouble ?" " How
shall I remove this difficulty ?" " How
shall I get throtigh this deepwater ?" but
leaves himself in the hand of God.
8. A Christian, will• find his parentheses
ihr prayer, even through his busiest hours.
CIL)
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.
.
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For the Presbyterian Banner
PITTSBURGH, SATT/' ; DAY, 'JAN UARY 18, 1862.
4. God is omniscient as well as omnipo
tent ; and omniscience may see reason to
withhold what omnipotence could bestow.
5. A Christian has advanced but a little
way in religion when he has overcome the
love of the world; for he has still more
powerful and importunate enemies—self,
evil tempers, pride, undue affections, a
stubborn will. It is by the subduing of
these adversaries that we must chiefly judge
of our growth in grace.
6. What we call " taking steps in life,"
are most serious occurrences; especially if
there be in the motive any mixture of am
bition. " Wherefore gaddest thou about to
change thy way : 2 "
7. It is always a sign of poverty of mind'
when men are ever aiming, to appear great;
for they who are really great never seem to
know it. '
8. How many: people go out of their
sphere under good prdtences
9. Whatever below God is the object of
our love, will, at some time or othe,r, be the
matter of our sorrow.
10. A Christian must stand in a posture
to receive every message which God shall
send. He must - be so prepared as to be
like one who is.calledlo set off otra sudden
journey, and has nothing to do but to set
out at a, moment's notice; or like mer
chant who has
, goods to send abroad, and
has them all packed up, and in readiness
for the first sail.— C7rristian, Treasury.
Nrom the Christian World
The fission in Italy.
We give a letter, dated Nov. 18th, 1861,
froth the Rev. E. Edwin Hall, the Society's
agent at. Florence, which we are sure will
be read with uncommon interest. A great
door for the Gospel is now open in Italy.
Our readers will see that Mr. Hall has
commenced in earnest. Shall we have the
means to do a great work there ? His let
ter speaks for itself. Is there no church
that will give us the means to buy that
house in Porto Ferraio, that it may be used
as a place of Worship—a place for holding
a Sabbath School, and be the property of
the Waldensian Church ? Is there no
wealthy man in our churches, or little asso
ciation of such men, who can give us 2,500
or 3,000 francs ($5OO or $600) for that
good object? After enforcing most earn
estly the importance of having regularly
and sufficiently the means which he will
need, Mr. Hall goes on to say:
"I need not urge the importance of the
present moment for using all diligence in
prosecuting the work of evangelization
here. The simple fact that the Gospel may
be preached and the Word of God dissem
inated in all parts of Italy, save Venitia
and the 4 Patrimony of St. Peter,' and that
this door, by some unexpected revolution,
may be closed, furnish an incentive to work
while the day lasts. A small amount of
money now judiciously expended, will, by
the good favor of God, be the beginning of
great things—the seed which shall bring
forth an hundred fold. Every blow now
struck, falls with some degree of damaging
force on the old and half-paralyzed body of
Popery. There are many fields open for
the laborer, but I dare not look for, or em
ploy, evangelists and colporteurs, lest, after
some encouraging words, I should not see
my way clear to pay their services.
"The work in the Island of Elba is go
ing en with much prosperity. There has
been a little opposition there, but the re
sult so far has been to awaken a deeper in
terest in the mission of the evangelist and
colporteur now at work there. I have for
warded to the Island, from the depository
of the British and Foreign Bible Society
in Leghorn, one hundred Bibles and two
hundred or more Testaments, and from the
Tract depository belonging to the Scotch
and Waldensians, a large number of tracts
suited to the wants of the people. Anoth
er workman is needed there; but shall I
have the means to employ? is the question'
which darkens my prospects and represses
my zeal.
"There - is another question of interest
to the people in Elba. In the city of Por
to Ferraio, where the evangelist and col
porteur are, the number of persons desir
ing to attend the services of preaching and
Bible-reading is greater than can be ac
commodated in the room now rented, or in
any ordinary room to be found there. One
of the brethren from Porte Ferrel° came
to see me last week, and I invited Dr. Rev
el to meet him at my house. It appears
from his statement that there are now: for
sale.' in Porto Ferraio 'two buildings, the
property of a widow who is well disposed
toward the Christians there, either one of
which could be used for their meetings.
He and others in the 'town are' very desi
rous to obtain one of these buildings
inas
much as there is often great difficulty in
procurin,g a place of meeting, as property
is generally in the control of those who are
not at present favorable to the religious
movement here. Mr. Revel thought if one
of the buildings could 'be Neared it should
be done. 1 should say that if it is pur
chased, it should be given to the Vaudois
Church. The cost will not be more than
2,500 or 3,000 francs, ($5OO or $600.)
Can you not place that amount of money
at my disposal for this object ? Is there
not one church in New-York to which you
could present the ease, and get the required
amount ? I shall be able in a short time
t 3 send you monthly reports of labor from
Porto Fermi°, and from Verres, in the Val
d' Aosta. lam supporting a former Prior
of a convent at the Seminary here, who will
in the Spring be ready to go to, work as a
colporteur, or rather Bible-reader, in Nor
thern Italy.
" I have commenced a sort of chapel in
my house. I hope when Mr. Lawrence
comes, to make a more favorable arrange
ment. •
" Yours, etc.,
Religious Rending.
It can be no matter of surprise to an ob
serving Christian, than so many church
members exhibit no evidence of growth in
grace. They - do little to increase their
knowledge of Divine truth, by which the
soul is fed, and its spirituality deepened.
Professing Christians sometimes omit all
study of the Bible from one Sabbath to
- another, and their reading is dissipating
and unievotional. The New-York Evan
gelist says :
"Any minister, who will take the pains
to investigate the matter, may learn some
curious facts in regard to the supposed in
ability of Christian families to supply
themselves with religious reading. He may
find two, or even three, daily secular prints in
a household where no scrap from the reli
gious press is seen. He may find centre=
tables supplied with "Parlor Annuals,"
or". Christian Offerings," or other expen
sive; ornamental .books, which are never
read, if, indeed, worth reading:; while the
religious paper, at one-fourth of their ex
pense, and of ten thousand-fold greater
value, is more than can be afforded.
" He may find young, men, and profes
sore too , whose eigare far one week would
pay for the best religious paper in the
land, yet . living with no paper, and no
- knowledge' of or interest in the advance
ment otreligion, or truth; or eiVilization in
the world. ^,
"He may find youpgladies of, few edu-
eational advantg,kges--seamstresses, perhaps
—mourning ovei their want Of opportunity
for mental cult*, bat never dreaming of
the fact thatTwell-read religious paper
would do more, rlbeir real advancetnent
than any amoutgof finery in dress, or.imi
tation., of mertly superficial gook lish
ments. May itt not be safely saidg " .t 't no
investment, in !tuition even, or- in *l)(icilrs
(the Bible eiceited,) can seoure'so' treat a.
good in propor ion to the ontlay,t Irithe
aribscription-pritis ,of an able religieus
paper?.'ii;
DEATH Or THE PRINCE CONSORT—GENNEAL Momonta—Tlr.
DISEASE AND ITT 80 OE- PRINCE'S CHAREOTER—THS
ROYAL PAIR AND Tilipi CHILDREN's TRAINING
,T.ILE Ritter-
ORBS ALIDE—THE Qualm NER,Bouuows, AND HER °DONALD*
—PEELINGS Or. THE TioN—DiursEs TOR INTERNATI O NAL'
PEACE—ME. MULL'S MOO AGAINST VAN—THE PDXSHAL
I
ThaaE---TirE PRINCE ' CHRISTIAN INDEED—THE SLATTILY
' QUESTION AND MR. IiORSITAN'S ASTEDON—MR. BAYNES, AND
AMERICA—NEWS TILOODENA—PRIEDITERLiN MISSIONS AT
AHOY—THE REY. W. 6. BORNS, AND CHINESE HYMNOLOGY.
. ONDON, Dec. 20, 188 i.
THE DEATH THE PRINCE CONSORT
, .
has filled all hea • with bitter sorrow. Re'
was cut off by a ekness which lasted only
ten days, which '' stealthy in its assault,
and unexpected ~:in. its' issue. ::ilt was at
first reported thapin month• or so previous- . ,
ly, he had got_ 7 . , I,tikif 'When out shooting
*with his sun, th Prince , - of, Wales, near
i t
Cambridge, arid ad - though-0,6(4 sat'iothe
time after his coming back, in damp clothes.
This has been conradicted; but it, appears
that about a fort 'ht since; the Queen, ac
companied by th mice, rbde out to Eton
-iv, • - % Eton
(near at hand,) t e seat of the
,fanaous'Eton
nt p
school, and had plated in revie* . a body of
volunteers. Wh et4hus engaged, a heavy
shower sudden' 'failing, wet the Prince
through. This * followed almost imme
diately by shiver' g, and pains in the limbs, -
and the quickly consuming, . yet hidden
fires : ,
. ,
"flupposi "" tr cinere 'delose;".
so that the gastri fever 'changed into the
typhoid type, th ~'brain. became elouded,
coma supervened'_- i d within one hour of
midnight, on S. day' the 14th - of Gab
ber, after recog ~, zing his wife, children,
and others pre 'tat, (three.. were absent,
Prince . Alfred i i
,:board his, ship in -the
West Indies, or p -1,, haps Halifax, the Crown
.:1
Princes of Pru at Berlin,,- and the
youngest son in = he Smith of 'France fo k el
his'health,) he p - edinietly away.
The Prince .. =the ' second eon of . the
Duke of • Saxe .Getha, and his, eldest broth
er is the reigning , Duke. He received his
educatien mainly* the University of Bonn,
and probably soe Americans who have
been students th e,- willremember him aii
i t
alike amiable an -.gentle, fond of athletic
sports, pure in rals,.and, eminently ac
complished in psic, art, and literature.
The marriage of the Queen with the Prince
was one of choice:) and so it has been one
of the happiest; . pa redord—the happiest
indeed, as far as ;we know, of any in the
history of Royal families in England.
Both parents were one in their aim to ed
ucate their children in the fear of God, to
teach them all thit was solid and valuable,
to show them hy example, what • order,
,punctuality, diliiAnce, and. art ever present
sense of ditty - 4;o* and ought to be.- „More
than this, they had lessons in practical be
nevolence and *ell-doing. At Windsor,
and at Balmoral feepecially, the poor were
tenderly cherish id and visited. The eld
est born, the Princess Royal of Prussia
now, early proved the blessing . and the joy
not only of her-fareutt3, butaetmany of the
humblest. "'When the: eye saw her it
'blessed her." At Balmoral, like her moth
er, she visited the cottagers and sat and read
the Scriptures to them, and when last
there, before her marriage, she took a ten
der farewell of each and all of them. And
now asfor the Princess Alice (the betrothed
of the amiable young Prince of Hesse,
their marriage, I believe, postponed for a
year,) she has been her mother's mainstay
and comfort, next to God himself. She
sustained and comforted that mother
through the long watches of the Friday
night, and on the fatal Saturday: evening,
summoned, up all her, strength, when at
that mother's side at the closing scene. It
was too much for the young maiden, and
when the last sigh' passed from the lips of
the sufferer, she was borne away senseless;
to the alarm of all. She lives, however,
still, and the Prince of Wales will now be
forcibly a man, pasaing through this early
sublimating process of fiery trial. The
Queen, when the hopeless condition of her
husband was revealed on Thursday, called
her children around her, and 'told: them
that they must stand by her, and bear all
with firmness; that duty to the country de
manded this. It was feared that. her own
mental health would give way under such
a terrible bereavement; but - hitherto she
has been strengthened to bear her sorrow
nobly. Sleep in a measure has been grant
ed her; and the ‘‘ stoneless' grief" which,
after the death of ,the Duchess of Kent,
lasted for two weeks—when . at last' she
found relief in a flood of tears—has
not visited her now; and we'thank God for
it.
The humanizing influence of this public
loss has been marvellous. There is a gen
eral sympathy with the' Queen, and
are more or less drawn together, became
that
"One touch of nature makes the whole world kin."
It tends, I can truly say, at,' once to make
the people more intensely devoted, to their
sovereign and their country, and, to make
them yearn—even amid the alarms, of war
like preparation, and a silence not yet,pos,
sible to be broken as to the issue and. ; effect
of our - Cabinets, request to , President Lin
coln--to yearn intensely for peace with.the
United States. The tone of the Press in
dicates this, and we fondly hope that this
event will soften the hearts of very many
on both sides of the Atlantic. Sure lam
that it will be so among, the great mass of
my brother Presbyterians who honor me
with their kindly perusal, whom I have
always before me as I write, and ,in whose
respective homes I feel satisfied. I should * ,
find a welcome, were it in my power- to
cross the Atlantic to a land where I have
a living brother, and where repose the
ashes of three others—one a minister of
Christ
E. E. HALL."
The great religious, middle class both
here and in Scotland, are ,not panting
for, international strife. We,deprecate it
with all our heart—even if either side saw
victory to be certain and the contest short,
what compensation would we haVe in, our
bloody laurels ; in having put back the sun
on the World's Dial of Liberty ; in giving
gladness to the Vatidan, and causing bleed
ing Venetia and manacled, ,lifingary, and
Poland to weep.the tears of,despair ? The
Nonconformist Press„,gives ,e4pression to
these ,views... Edward Niall,. a. man f
mark 'amongst the igtelleetually abler of
our era, is 'editor the ltrq4conformist.
He was. brought up in..the school and at-`
mosphere of that Nonconformity which
has always battled so nobly , for ,truth and
freedom inthe midland counties Of Eng
land. He was in parliament for a time r
and made a name there. He, was not long
since on the Comm'is'sion appointed by the
Crown to inquire into , the state of •Educav
tion,in connexion with the.ever-increasing
grants of the, Privy Council. Ho is ' &:=
tower of strength to thepissenters, and to.
MORA CORRESPONDENCE
the " Society for the Liberation of Reli
gion from State Control," in their hopeful
contest, against the unjust imposition ot
Church Rates. Mr. Mall, in his last
week's paper, calmly reviewed the whole
case of dispute with Ameriea, in connexion
with the Trent affair. He endorsed the
views of the Cabinet; he admitted the
hard imputations made against England by
a portinn of the Northern Press. But yet
—by a series of elaborate and impressive
arguments—he wrote down, as far as in his
power ' the rising spirit of war, and main
tained that a emus belli was not necessarily
involved unless the American Government
refueed absolutely the request made to
them.
In this week's Nonconformist, thoughts
of peace mingle with aspirations to Heaven
for our widowed Queen. He is a man as
suredly not given to the melting mood, but
he hegins his leading article, on the death
of the Prince Consort, by the following
prayer: " Comfort, 0 God 1 who only
canst do it, the soul of our beloved Queen
under "the '•. heavy affliction thou host seen
fit to lay npon ler. Be thou a husband to
thewidow, a 'father to the fatherless.. In
their desolation, how them the greatness
of thy love. In, their bereavement, let
them realize the tenderness of thy compas
liii* "'the sufficiency of thy strength.
Spare,thou this'lana- t) King kings l on.
of .**.tk;t4A07c.f.,..00.
seem to be forerunners, and
calamity, through the influence of thy
good Spirit, be made the means of rebuking
our. pride; and -of turning our 'hearts to .
meekness gentleness; and peace, for thy
Son's-Sake.' Amen."
This prayer but expresses the general
feelings of good men at this moment, and
especially, of those Evangelical Noncon
formists who not only love their Queen for
her personal virtues, but because she is by
education, conviction and good sense, far
removed in sympathy from that Tory and
High Church school, clerical and lay,
which. especially in villages and .fural
tricts,- too often. despises and - oppresses
them. , Surely such a prayer as this,:
in both its aspects, will be.taken up, and_
offered by multitudei of COd ; s people in
Anierical .°
The tributes of sympathy of the London
,ykess to the.f Queen, and the ; garlands
ithrown on the bier of the departed-Prince,'
have - been.remarkable and affecting.
The, „Honorable and Rev. Baptist: Noel,,
last Lord'S day,' referring. to - the death of
the Prince, said that there was good reason
to believe that he:was a devoted. Christian.
T. believe there is no 'doubt of this; his
character wa,s indeed Christ-like in its gen-
Aeneas and meekness. This is, the true
consolation to a surviving, wife and chil,
dren, as well as to all serious.and:theught.
ful people. May the Great God make this
solemn event a fountain of blessing to multi
tudes, here and in our Colonies. May it
not only—as it is sure to do,intensify
pra,yer at the close - of the ohlyear, and the
beginning of the new, but also stimulate
that prayer of faith which will bring down
plentiful showers of the Holy Spirit on
ourselves and on the whole world. And
may America and England ever have men
mighty in wrestling with God—trials but
makincr 6 the cry louder and more earnest.
ti' Make, us • glad according to the days
wherein• thou hest afflicted us, and the
years wherein we have seen evil. Let thy
work appear unto thy , servants, and thy
glory unto their children.. And_ let the
leauty ofAhe 4.‘brd:' eur God- be - uponnis;
and establish, thou the work of our hands
upon-us :, yeg i , the work of our hands es.;
tablish thou it."
THE SLAVERY QUESTION is necessarily
much before the minds of the people of this
country, in connexion with the American
struggle. The correspondent of the Horn
ing Star, who accompanied the Naval ex
pedition to Port Royal, describes the
wretched condition of the town of 'Beau
fort, which he ascribes not to the negroes--
as some supposed—but to the Confederate
citizens' themselves, who before their flight
seemedtto make the place a ruin, in order
to deprive the Federaliats of spoil. He
also gives painful illustrations of the im
morality of masters in reference to comm
binage, and of the fact that' t is virtually
condoned by the ladies of the South,
"while the men defend it as a positive
advantage."
Mr. Horsman, M.P., in lately addressing
his constituents, dwelt' on the American
question, in its bearings on Slaiery. He
called in question the statement' that the
war is'-for •abolition. He says " President
Lincoln denies , it in, tato—the offfoial mem
bers of the Cabinet do the same," and "the
North has gone further, by declaring that
it will. make every concession, give every
security for the perpetuation of Slavery, if
the South-will- but remain' in the Union!'
Commenting on this; Mr. Baynes, editor of
the Dial,' observes : "It astonishes us to
discover that.a mature and observant mem
ber of, the House of• Commons, like Mr.;
Horsman,. should have been misled by a
few superficial phenomepas, and is not in
possession of the key of 'the policy of the
Republican party, in relation to Slavery on
the one hand, and to the war on -the other.
'The great Republican party, • throughout its
long and arduous struggle with the South,,
never adopted the watch-word of Abolition,
or declared against SlaVery as a Southern
institution. But one , thing they said clear
ly, and from it they never deviated, that
Slavery was not to enCroachon the domains
of free labor. The bane was to be circum
scribed." This was enough. The Demo
crats were incensed, because they knew that
Slavery eircumscrithed would (lie of its own
virus. The Abolitionists
. were satiSfied,";
(?).'" 'MUM they knew that eircumscrip-*
tion Of Slavery was' Abolition at one re
move. But circumscription was strictly
Constitutional; in maintaining it at the
risk of war, :the Cabinet of President Lin
coln acted in strict accordance with the
Constitution; and it was natural, that in
',referring 'to the causes of the WEL; •thdy
should sapwith all distinctness, that it was
,not Abolition which they fought for, but
their rights as American citizens. It may
be that they bad no thought of Abolition,
even as an . .ultiniate result of circumscrip
tion, but at the lowest they met the South
in arms rather than have Slavery extended.
toviard Abe North, and the war was thus
in strict terms against Slavery.'.'
Mr. Horsman says, emphatically, in ex
planation of his feelings and views, " And
now let me say- 7 although I cannot deny
- there are some causes of sympathy drawing
us toward the South—that there is 'that
gulph placed., between us—between the
Angl,ish nation and any nommunity ex
lath* by Slavery, that makes it .iinpos s •
Bible that we can 'ally ourselves, either by
-sympathy, community of feeling, or affec
tion, with , any nation: that exists upon that
which I can call nothing but a disgrace and
a curse to mankind." " Just and season
able words," says the editor of the Dial;
"they will, we doutit not, find an echo
throughout-the United , Kin* gdont."
Mr. Horsman has also spoken .on the
severe ; rating, ; of England in. the United
States, and says : "this menacing of Eng
'alid has not - only beenhabit,but a prefit
'dile trade. "Then
eivaiapers are sold by it,
-Members of oougressgttrlheir bleetions by
at" I ,Btc. " the interests of :America
WHOLE NO. 486.
itself, in the interests of , Eurepe, there
must come a the when this must , be
checked. * * * America has passed the
age of pupilage; her majority is. attained."
And therefore he argues that she ought
not to be menacing. Mr. Baynesovho is the
ardent friend of peace and of arbitration,
and not war. with •America too, has his com
ment on this; " There is a certain degree
of exaggeration in this, but the general
fact insisted on is undeniable. We met
a Northerner a week or twa ago, who
amazed us by the bitterness, of his detesta
tion of this country. He repelled the idea
of sympathy being desired' Or accepted by
the North, and expiessed• his deziout wish
that the British might touch either bellig
erent with a little finger, so that they both
might combine to fly at our throat. This
was but a single eipression of sentiment,
but we fear it is representative. The seiz
ure of the Trent, viewed with all• possible
palliations, indicates' a: state of feeling,
which, to say- the least, is ungraceful.
Whatever our delinquencies even in the
old wars may have been, we have of late
been studiously courteous to America.
During the Russian war, we practically
waved the right .of search ; we gave way in
the case of slave-ships hoisting the Ameri-
CW2 fiac , ."
All this you will take for what it is.
Worth, as well as the as • ,; 9 . :6 -,.`/Ytt,A es
thittjtjg, reveve r u that
'Prot:tip& the risinginffenient igainst
very, and the proposed arming of the ne
groes. lam but - a chronicler, and am in
clined more and more tohe such on matters of
which at a distance I can form but imperfect
conceptions, at the Vest. Besides, I believe
that the . great , •Gevernor's designs are •not
yet manifest, and that he will overrule, all
for his own glory.
Fuom CHINA, the news is more favora
ble than was expected, inasmuch as it was
believed that the new _Emperor was 'hostile
to intercourse with foreign Powers. Prince
Rung, the brother of, the late Emperor ; had
paid a visit to the new Sovereign, and tho
results are very favorable to the interests
of commerce, and ultimately, also,of Chris
tianity. Missions in China ate'being Ipros
,emited with considerabluvigor. &special
blessing has rested, from the beginning, on
the English Presbyterian, mission, at Amoy.
It has now five stations. And there have
been a number of remarkable cases 'of the
natives making a profession of Christianity
during the past year.
The Rev. W. C. Burns has been much:
occupied, of late, in preparing' metrical
psalms and hymns in the various dialects
tot' China. He thus hopes to supplant the
profane and foolish songs of: the people,'
and to introduce, in a captivatinglorm, the
truths of the Gospel into families. Ile has
just printed, at Fnochow, a new Hymn
Book, which has thirty4hree hymns in the
eolleetion, several of them founded. 'en the
Psalms, as the 23d, 63d, 100th; and 103 d.
In like manner, there are in , the. collection
such hymns as "I'm not ,ashatned to own;
my 'Lord ;" " . Tust as I am, without (4 t. 14
plea';" " There is' `a fountain 'filled - in hi
blood," &c.; with same sae - tunes and'in '-
ruses as are used in Great• BritaiEx. e
has the hymns also printed on singl
sheets, which are eagerly sought for; and
it is a new thing in China to hear the chil
dren reciting or singing them with all their
heart. A gentleman, writinc , home, re
marks how strangely it struck to hear
the Chinese ,singing such tunes as-Martyr
dom Balerma and Old Hundreth same as
in Scotian d.
Mr. Burns is truly an apostolic mission
ary. He acts not as a pastor, but as an
Evangelist, going from place to place. He
has an extraordinary facility in acquiring
the knowledge of various and new dialects.
He wears the Chinese dress, and lives
among the people. He talks constantly
with them about the One Saviour, and of
sin and of its consequences, of grace and
its issues. He lives also in the atmosphere
of the prayer that gives unction and power
to the words'of his lips. J.W.
Rules for Public Speaking
We are enabled to recommend, with con
fidence, the following rules to those who
would be successful public speakers :
I. Endeavor to possess' yourself WhoHY
of your subject.
2. Be calm and self-collected, and speak
to the audience under a lively conscious
ness that they are expecting instruction
and edification, and of the importance of
acquitting yourself well. •
3. Be sure to pitch• -your voice low
enough, at the commencement, of your dis
course. It will then find its natural -tone
as you proceed.
4. Let your enunciation of every syllable
and, so far as possible, of the sound of
every letter, be dear and distinct, and you
will then be heard and understood in every
part of the largest hall, though your voice
may not be lond.
6 -- , litiely—theK lungs well inflated, and
speak mostly, t bptle movement of the ab
dominal musoles..
6. Let your yAcebeltexible, undulatory,
and rythmic in itsihotion; and inind your
'pauses, emphases, and= intonations; aceord
ing to the natiire:of-ihe subject, and the
_passions that are:to be expressed.
7. Seep the mind - wegeoncentrated, and
enter thoroughly into the spirit of the sub
feet.
8. Keep the limbs flexible;,and let ges
ticulation be be= prompte.d by th'e impulse. of
feeling. Then it will always be natural.
Let each public speaker drill himnelf to
these rules, until their observance becomes
natural and spontaneoua; and if the matter
of, his communication is'of interest and
importance, he will not fail' to acquit him
self to the satisfaction of his andiences.-:
Life illustrated.'
From the American Messenger
The: TwO Stitdints.
During the , period of a gracious outpour
ing of the Spirit, with which the N
II Institution was'blessed, a number
of students in:both the male and female de
partments were enabled to exercise saving
faith, and to consecrate themselves to the
_service of the living Redeemer. Some of
these converts are now .preaching the Gos
pel'-athome, and others are"witnesses for
Christ on heatlien shores. Several of the
yonn. , e men, in the midsttof the general in
terest, remained unaffected, and for these
intense anxietywas felt by the teachers and
their' fellow , stUdents. They were made
the'subjects of 'special prayer, and in one 'cif
the rooms of the Institution these earnest
disciples ineVand wrestled hour after hour
before. God for the conversion of t . their
.companlons. They, did nor pray in vain;
God' heard arid answered
'gong, and 'one after another 'the beads 'of.
those for whom they pleaded were subdued
lay Divine grace, and they toowere brought
into the glorious - liberty of the sons of
God. ,
But two remained out of Christ. One
-of these was -a; 'young man of commanding
form , . and appearanee, of noble ointellect,
and, acknowjedged, to be ,thehe,st.icholarin
his class. . Conscious, of his endowments,
he moved among his fellows prince s
and entered "'the, Class.room With the step
and mien- -of- a superior: For -him- 'the
Mil
. ~..,
._ ~ ~ ~..
Know Your Pupas at nome.—A Sabbath
Sohool'teacher loses Much Of hiS pleasure
mid+ Okard who,`Only'knowi'ltis scholars
ittschool room:
I
t
t.',.' 4 e , that 4 1 ,11. - 1- . nii - for g ive others, break
davn tkevbridigit - he must pass over himself;
for all need to be forgiven: • -- -.-- -- -
TB. lIMBYTEMAN BANNER
Publication Office -
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PROPTUNTORS astrp Pumisazas.
greatest interest was felt, for all seemed to'
realize that his noble powers would render
him mighty for good or for evil. He treated
the subject of religion with cold respect, and
did not refuse to converse on the subject,
or to accompany his companions to their
meetings for prayer. On one occasion a
pious student was press* upon him the
duty of immediate submission to the
claims of 'God, when with "a degree of scorn
and bitterness he asked, "Do you believe
that God is a sovereign, and that salvation
is of grace ?" be was answered in the af
firmative. He asked again, "Do you be
lieve that God calls those whom he
saves ? " Receiving an aifimative reply, he
said, with a proud look and a defiant tone,
" / will wait until God calls me." Then
and there this proud sinner resisted the
Holy Ghost. rejected Christ, made a cove
nant with death, mid with hell made an
agreement.
The other young man for whom prayer
was offered; was 'brought under deep con
viction for sin, which increased upon him
until he was in an agony of soul, and a
horror of great darkness fell upon him;
he was almost in despair. He east himself
on his knees, and solemnly resolved he
would never leave his room or rise from his
position until he had surrendered,his heart
to God-, and obtained , the blessings of par
don, and peace through a crucified Saviour.
This"waS early in the evening, ankfaithkal
continued: it‘ 461' of
prayer' 'through. the night-Watohes,l' Olen
until the dawn of morning, in •the spirit
of the patriarch, tirrestling with the Angel
Of the Covenant, saying,,'"T will not Jet
the&go, except 'thou bltbs me" With .`the
breaking of day, light - A - reamed intnhis
soul, and his `eyes were opened. He, be
held:
"One hanging on a tree
- In agonies and. bleed."
and Was' enabled to east himself upon his'
mercy, with no other plea , than that: the
precious- bluod of esus had been shed'for
him. pardon and, peace were sealed •upon
'lds heart, and he rose' from his knees it ne*
creature, with a,' new song upon his lips,
and joy illuminating his .countettande. '
The " two ways ' takenby these young
men are before us; let_ us consider the
" two endi "
~."- o rthe ways they chose.
The youngqnarovilo had scoinfully reject
ed -the offers of salvation, shortly after left
the. Seminary and-,entered -- College.
Her all restraint was cast off, and he gave
himself up to the indulgence of the,groMer
passions, spending hisctime, and substance
in riotous living—the companion of fools,
who make a mock •of sin. It was not long
~before this in'serable ,young..man was made
to realize that "God is,not mocked, and
whatsoever a man soweth that, shall he also
reap." He : was visited with the, penalty of
violated • law. The proud scorner was
smitten• with disease, and, rapidly sunk un
der its power. When ,unable to rise from
his 11ell through, weakness, he cursed and
swpwin.thc.mest fearful, manner. When
_t f 17. proposed, ha, spurne. it, saying,
a d Tlrayers. effered forame enough
- t,half-a 7 dozen men." While be
' 'ed ,ort abed : to. the carriage which
: :::,te,,cenvey him to his home, where he
, # exhausted his strength-in the most
f,..r.ful blasphemies against God for having
afflicted him. Sych ~was. his end. "Be
that being_ often
‘ reproved, hardeneth his
neck, shalt soddenly be destroyed, and that
,without remedy."
,The ether student, who had been " wise
:for hiniiel , and had chosen the service of
iettirdead to his home in Southern
New-jersey, to spend his vacation, and to
_publish to all what great things the Lord
had done for him. The time rapidly pass
ed in,' the pleasant associations of home,
and sweet intercourse with dear Christian
- friends, and the hour was at hand when he
must return to his studies. His passage was
taken on board of a vessel bound to New-
York, his trunk was packed, and in a few
hours he would be on his way. He seated
himself to write a few words of farewell to
a friend, and while thus engaged, his father
entered the room , with a loaded gun in his
hand, with which he designed to shoot a
bullock. The young man rose from his
seat, and taking the gun, said he would
shoot the steer. Proceeding to the yard
he fired, and the bullock fell; but alas, by
the bursting of the gun, the student re
ceived a fatal injury. ledical aid was
called, and all was done for him that love
and skill could do. But in vain ; the sal
of death was on him, and in twenty-four
hours he "slept that sleep that knows no
waking."
Death came upon him unexpectedly, but
did not find him unprepared; his loins
were girded, and his lamp was brightly
,burning.- With entire composure he re
ceived the intelligence that he could not
live, and spent .his remaining strength in
prayer and praise, exhorting all who came
around' his bedside, to love and serve the
Lord. His death was triumphant, and
,doubtless, could he have spoken, he might
have said,
"Bright angels are from glory come,
• They're round my bed, they're in my room,
They wait to-waft my spirit home;
All is well, all is well."
Mournfully, tenderly-loving hands bore his
body to the village churchyard, - and laid it
down to mat, and the birds sing their songs
Aver t,,he spot often bedewed with the tears
of affection, and the memory of the " early
called " is blessed.
" Choose ye this 'day whom ye will
serve; " remembering that "if thou art
-wise, thou shalt be wise for thyself; but if
thou scornest, thou alone shalt bear it"—
'Davies.
Beading the Bible.
'People May talk much about the intpor;
tartest of gymnastic exercise to physical+
_health, but unless they take nutritious food,
and are regular at meals, their gymnastics
will prove of little-service. And Christians
may lay broad plans for evangelizing the
world and infusing new energy into the
Church, but unless they are regular in
reading the Word of God, and taking lib
eral supplies of its milk and strong meat,
they cannot become good soldiers of Jesus
Christ. Thedhrts* Han Intelligencer says:
A writer complains that Christians, as a
general thing, read the Bible so scantity,
instancing a churchnfficer who, for years
togethery limited himself to a chapter a
day. , He is right. This is small measure
for one who wants to thrive'in the Divine
life. Paul says, " Let the word of Christ
dwell in you.rich4,". and surely. this means
something „more than mere fragmentary
portion. He who' would , be a lively, grow
ing Chriistien, Inuit" itecustom himself to
read and/enjoy large portions of the Scrip
tures, for this - purpose redeeming time from
buOness reereatton, and sleep. On the
Lord's jay, especially, should
,he give holy.
time.mithout stint to the Holy Bibles The
ragire , tr , giontr tidal reads intelligently, the.
Morelt wants to read,' - and the deeper it
sees into what it reads.