Presbyterian banner. (Pittsburgh, Pa.) 1860-1898, October 18, 1862, Image 2

Below is the OCR text representation for this newspapers page. It is also available as plain text as well as XML.

    Pcsbitriait g!anntx,
PITTSBURG', SATURDAY, OCTOBER 18, 1862.
Washington Female Seminary, under the
care of Dr. and Mrs. HANNA, has issued a
Catalogue of its pupils since 1837. It is
one of our excellent institutions for young
ladies.
Glade Run Academy had an attendance
during the Summer, of 78; viz., males 55,
females 23. The Academy was organized
in 1851. The present Catalogue contains
a brief history of the institution.
The New Brighton Betted is an institu
tion for the Reception, Care, and Treat
ment of Females afflicted with Mental
Alienation, and other nervous and chronic
diseases. It is located at New Brighton,
Pa.
The American Theological Review.—The
No. for October contains the following
articles ; I. The Council of Trent; 11.
The Rational Psychology and its Vindica
tions ; 111. The Religion of the American
Indians; IV. The Heretical Gnosis; V.
Place of Man in a Natural System of
Zoology; VI. The National Crisis.
This number completes the fourth volume
of this ably conducted journal.
Congregation of Bellefonte, Pa.—We invite
the particular attention of ministers and
people to the communication of H. N. Mc-
ALLISTER and others. Note a fifty-three
years' pastorate; the noble spirit of a father
in Israel; the kindness of a junior; the
cordial love and generous liberality of a
congregation. The editor having, in boy
hood and youth, sat.under the ministry of
Dr. LINN, and, to the present hour, enjoyed
his cordial friendship, is pleased with the
opportunity of making the record which
appears in these columns.
PRESBYTERIES FAITHFUL.
Very many of our Presbyteries have
passed resolutions sustaining the action of
the General Assembly on the State of the
Country, and in support of the Govern
ment in the putting down of a wicked re
bellion. It would require too much space
to name them, and copy their resolutions.
The Presbyter, after speaking of a Pres
bytery which censured its representative
elder for voting in the last Assembly
against the paper of Dr. BRECKINRIDOE,
and of the conduct of one minister in that
Presbytery, adds :
"In another Presbytery lately, where a
minister voted and spoke against answering
an overture in the affirmative, asking,
whether it is our duty to pray fur the sue.
(less of the Government in subduing the
rebels and to give thanks for victories, his
elder voted with him. slen capable of
preaching the Gospel, who get wrong on
the great question of the day, are sure to
have influence over others. Whether our
Presbyteries, having ministers who openly
and persistently oppose such important ac
tion of the Assembly, will feel it to be a
duty to proceed as the Presbytery of Alle
gheny City did in the case of Dr. PLuxErt,
is a question of much importance.' It is
certainly very injurious to the unity and
reputation of our Church to have any of
our ministers and churches in overt hostil
ity' to the noble and patriotic deliverances
of the Assembly against the rebellion, and
in favor of the perpetuity of the American
Union. Presbyterians in the region of
Pittsburgh and Allegheny City have taken
a stand on this subject, exhibiting faithful
ness and courage worthy of all praise."
No man can innocently take part with
those who endeavor to subvert the right
fully constituted authorities , of their coun
try. Rebellion is a sin. And a Presbytery
is bound to give warning against sing, and
especially bound to rebuke sin in its own
members. And where sin is manifest, it is
not to find a refuge under the claim that it
belongs to politics. That may be even an
aggravation, in that thereby the sinner
does a more extended mischief. What
murders, what lamentation and woe, has
the political sin of secession already caused !
When conduct is undoubtedly • evil, let
Presbyteries show their fidelity in rebuking
it, however' it may be connected, and who
soever may be guilty.
STRENGTH IN WEAKNESS.
PAUL, writing to the Corinthians, sayi,
"When I am weak, then am I strong."
To the unrenewed this seems a strange
expression. Entertaining low views of
the standard of Christi'an duty, if they
think of the subject at all, and feeling
confident that they possess inherent
strength sufficient for the performance of
the little that is required, they cannot
comprehend the Christian's humble ac
knowledgment of weakness, and still less can
they understand how he can truthfully say
that when he is weak then he is strong.
Some even who are savingly interested
in the redemption of Christ, fail to appre
ciate fully the declaration of, the apostle.
Pride and a legal spirit blind them to a
sense of their true condition. They are
loath to believe that of themselves they
can do nothing. They think they at least
have much strength. They will not de
pend wholly on God, and are therefore in
a great degree left to themselves, to try
their strength and discover their weakness.
The truly humble Christian is not sur
prised at the Scriptural paradox. He may
have imagined himself strong; but he has
been undeceived. Be has been brought to
the borders of despair, and been led to cry
with PAUL, " 0 wretched man shat I am !
who shall deliver me from the body of this
death ?" And when thus brought low, he
has been lifted up. He has been made
strong—strong in the imparted strength
of the Saviour.
It is only when we feel our weakness
that we can possibly be strong; for then
only will Divine strength be given. And
just in proportion to our sense of weakness
and our humble reliance upon Christ, in
that proportion will we be strong. We
can do all things through Dlirist which
.strengtheneth us.
PEACE PROSPECTS.
Our domestic war, terribly as it now
rages, must come to an end. How soon ?
By what means? These are questions
which we cannot definitely answer. There
are three things which are very powerful;
and if our Government and people could
combine them thoroughly, hope would
tinge the future with a brilliant hue.
These are force, equity, and kindness.
The first of these, that is, force, we re
gard as an indispensable, in the present
circumstances. Equity and kindness
were both tried as preventives, and failed.
The Congress which closed its term March
4th, 1861, did every thing to conciliate
the South, which reason could demand,
under the Constitution, and they did it in
much kindness. President LINCOLN also,
in the early part of his administration, and
before war had actually commenced, was
not only just, but also forbearing. But
the conspirators had a purpose. It was
fixed. It must be executed. Nothing
short of defective power on their part,
should prevent its accomplishment. They
were determined to divide tire country or
to rule it. They hence got one State to
secede, and then another, and another.
They formed a separate government. They
raised armies. They seized forts, arsenals,
mints, navy yards. IV: at they could not
seize otherwise, (as Fort Sumpter,) they
besieged, starved, and battered with their
cannon. They initiated war, and marched
their armies to seize the capital, and ut
tered threats that they would capture and
plunder Northern cities.
That force must be met by force. It
must not only ne resisted. It must be
overcome. It has been resisted, checked,
repelled a little. It has yet to be conquer
ed by a superior forcd. We need think of
no peace, worthy the name of peace, only
by the exhibition of an adequate force.
The second pre-requisite to peace is
equity. Let our enemies know that if they
will cease 'from their hostilities and will
become truly good citizens they shall have
all the rights, privileges, and immunities
of citizens, in common and on a full equal
ity with ourselves. This we believe is tru
ly the idea of the Administration, and also
of most of the people in the loyal States.
A restored Union is to guarantee to all
gond citizens entirely equal rights.
The next thing contributive to a speedy
and perfect peace, is kindness. Kindness
is one of the most powerful weapons, when
wisely used, in subduing an enemy. When
this is duly applied, as an accompaniment
of other instruments, it can hardly be re
sisted. And the Inure outrageous the con
duct of ,a foe has been, the more efficacious
does kindness become, when once it has
begun to reach his soul.
As a means of peace, then, we would
wage the war with the utmost energy. No
needless delay. No relaxation of effort.
No parlying with traitors. No compro
mise with treason. And along with this
we would keep prominent the assurance
that there shall be no deprivation of
rights, national, State, or personal. And
still farther, we would cherish the spirit of
kindness, and would so speak, and so con
duct the war, that our magnanimity and
generosity could not be reasonably doubted.
But we need some standard of equity.
Let that standard be the Constitution of
our country, and the laws made under it,
and to be made and administered under it.
And here we find two leading journals
which but very seldom agree, join with
verbal heartiness. These are the Tribune
and the observer, both - of New-York.
The Tribune, speaking of war affairs,
says
"There must, then, be an accommoda
tion, and, that fact established, it seems to
us very easy to settle the terms. The ob
vious basis of an adjustment is the Consti
tution of the United States without note or
comment. That is, at the very lowest esti
mate, a treaty; but call it compact, alli
ance, or what you will, it is a valid and
binding contract. Our fathers made it
freely and heartily, and it cannot degrade
their sons to reaffirm and abide by it. If
we repudiate that, what assurance can be
given or trusted that any new bargain
would be lived up to ?
" Whenever the. Rebels really desire
peace—as we think they very soon will if
they do not already—they have but to notify
the Government that they are ready to re
turn Co loyalty, and to that end have abro
gated all ordinances, acts, and oaths of alle
giance inconsistent therewith. President
LINCOLN would thereupon feel warranted,
we doubt not, in issuing a Proclamation of
Amnesty, inviting the States lately in re:
bellion to elect Members of Congress as if
no iebellion had existed: The rebels would
need no further assurance of immunity;
their friends of the VALLANDIGHAM persua
sion would guarantee a practical ascendency
in the House, if nut in the Senate also,
and
thus shield them from all serious harm.
And, it' they should choose to have a con
vention to revise the Federal Constitution,
we have no doubt that this would be easy
of attainment, though we should prefer to
have no stipulations on the subject. They
might have had one without objection in
1861; they can -have one without stipula
tion in 1863. But the true and sufficient
basis of immediate peace is The Constitu
tion as it is.' Man can devise no better."
The Observer quotes these utterances of
its contemporary, and responds:
"Nobly said: let it be distinctly under
stood over the whole country, North and
South, that the Tribune school of politi
cians announce true and sufficient
basis of immediate peace is The Consti
tution as it is. Man can devise no bet-
ter "
" Pray do n't try to devise any better,'
then ; if man cannot, please wait till
heaven proposes something better; but this
is so sensible, so patriotic, to national, so
conservative, and so thoroughly UNION,
that we, hail it as the most favorable omen
we have seen in,the political sky since the
war began. Some of our conservative re
ligious journals have repeatedly protested
against peace on the basis of the Constitu
tion as it is ; but here they are shamed by
the Hew-York Tribune, which proposes
that if the rebels will return to their alle
giance, the President shall issue a Procla
mation of AMNESTY—invite the States
lately in rebellion to elect members of Con
gress, as if no rebellion had existed' So
` , 2k: o
PRESBYTERIAN BANNER -A-SATURDA V, OCT 0 B 18,
byegones 'would be byegones. We would
all kiss and make friends. We would
hang the trumpet in the hall and study
war no more. The good time . coming
would have come."
We also add : Aroqy said. The ob
vious basis of an adjustment is, the Con
stitution of the United States without note
or comment." The Constitution as it is.
Man can devise no better." Well pro
posed, Mr. Tribune. And well, accepted,
Mr. Observer; provided only that you
both mean the same thing.
The Constitution is the National Bond.
It makes the whole country to be one. It
gives to the National Government a right
of authority; to regulate trade and com
merce for the entire people, to levy and
collect taxes, to raise and control armies
and navies, to coin money, to settle dis
putes, to do all national acts; and it gives
to the citizens of each State ,a right of
citizenship in every other State. It has
been violated at the South, in all its pro
visions. Let the South return to it. The,
Government will abide by it. And if in
the North there should be any dissentients,
they will be speedily made` lo see -their
fewness and feel their feebleness.
The language of the Tribune is a new
evidence that the question -of •peace lies
with the rebels. They have but to cease
from their assaults upon the lawful Gov
ernment, and return to their Constitutional
duties. To induce them to do so is the ob
ject of the war, on •our part, and to this
end let it be pressed with unmitigated en
ergy. The more effectually we unite force,
equity, and kindness, the sooner, and the
more perfectly, will blessed peace resume
her wonted supremacy.
ARMY CHAPLAINS.
We take a great interest in the Chap
laincy of the army. There are wanted
now, about one thousand ministers for this
work, and then every minister would have
the care of a thousand souls. What a
charge! And of men filling positions so
important, so exposed by strong tempta
tions, and so liable to sudden death! The
chaplain should be a pious, wise, industri
ous, and kind man.
The qualifications and compensation of
chaplains is set forth in a bill of the last
Congress
" SEC. 8. And be itfurther enacted, That
so much of section nine of the aforesaid act,
approved July twenty-second, eighteen hun
dred and sixty-one, and of section seven of
the ' Act providing for the better organiza
tion of the military establishment,' ap
proved August third, eighteen hundred and
sixty-one, as defines the qualifications of
chaplains in the army and volunteers, shall
hereafter be construed to read as follows
That no person shall be appointed a chap
lain in the United States armywho is not
a regularly ordained minister of some re
ligious denomination, and who does not
present testimonials of his present good
standing as such minister, with a recom
mendation for his appointment as an army
chaplain from some authorized ecclesiasti
cal body, or not less than five accredited
ministers belonging to said religious de
nomination.
" SEC. 9. And be it further enacted, That
hereafter the compensation of all chaplains
in the regular volunteer service or army
hospitals shall be one hundred dollars per
month and two rations a day when on duty ;
and the chaplains of the permanent hospi
tals, appointed under the authority of the
second section of the act approved May
twenty, eighteen hundred and sixty-two,
shall be nominated to the Senate ior its
advice and consent, and they shall, in all
respects, fill the requirement of the preced
ing section of this act relative to the ap
pointment of chaplains in the army and
volunteers, and the appointments of chap
lains to army hospitals, heretofore made by
the President, are hereby confirmed; and
it is hereby made the duty of each officer
commanding a district or post containing
hospitals, or a brigade of troops, within
thirty days after the reception of the order
promulgating this act, to inquire into the
fitness, efficiency, and qualifications of the
chaplains of hospitalsl i or regiments, and to
muster out of service such chaplains as
were not appointed in conformity with the
requirements of this act, and who have not
faithfully discharged the duties of chap
lains during the time they have been en
gaged as such. Chaplains employed at the
military posts called ' chaplains' posts'
shall be required to reside at the posts, and
all chaplains in the United States service
shall be subject to such rules in relation to
leave of absence from duty as are prescribed
for commissioned-officers of the United
States army stationed at such posts."
SOME KNOTTY SIIESTIONS.
Ma. EDITOR :—As you editors are com
monly supposed to dwell at the fountain of
knowledge, please solve the following points
in Church government :
I. Is a Session composed of two Ruling
Elders and the Moderator, who is a minis
ter, a Church Court competent to try and
suspend one of its members from the 'com
munion, for unchristian conduct and con
tempt of their authority ?
2. Is it orderly in a Ruling Elder thus
suspended, to treat the judgment of the
Session as null and void ? Can such a sus
pended Elder, in consistency with Presby
terial order, officiate in a neighboring Pres
byterian church as an Elder, and commune
at the Lord's table ?
3. Can a neighboring Session, knowing
the facts in the case, allow such an Bider
to officiate in their church and commune
at the Ldrd's table with them, without Act
ing in a disorderly manner?
By giving us the results of your knowl
edge and experience on these topics, you
will much oblige a friend and
AN INQUIRER:.
If the words " orderly," and " disorder
ly," are used above in the sense of becom
ing and 'unbecoming, we must Answer the
2d and 3d questions with a strong nega
tion. A Session being a court of Jesus
Christ, its action shoUld be respected, until
it may be investigated . by a Presbytery.
If the words are used in the technical
sense, as relating to established rules, law,
or Church order, our response must then
be a little extended.
The first question embraces the root of
the matter, though it is expressed rather
awkwardly. It says there is a Session, and
if so, all'is fight; and it 'implies
ANSWER
haps there is not a Session, and in that
case no business could be lawfully done.
Our Constitution (Form of Government,
ch. ix, sec. 2,) says: " Two Elders, if there
be as many in the congregation, with the
pastor, shall be necessary to constitute a
quorum." Hence if there is but one Elder
in a congregation, he and the pastor may
constitute a Session; but if there be more
than one elder, then at least two must be
'present. In the case supposed, the con
gregation has two elders, and as it would
seem, but two. And hence both must be
present to form a " competent court" for
any business. But one of these elders is
charged with a crime which, if proved,
merits suspension—does this make him no
elder? Surely his claim to the office is
good, until he is convicted and sentenced.
Then there c-in be no court without his
presence. Can then a man be a member of
a court, sitting on his own trial? This
would be an anomaly.
There was a decision of the Assembly,
in 1852, which implies that though there
are two elders in a congregation, one of
them, with the minister may perform 's
sessional -
act; but it 'implies also that the
Presbytery shall have first decided that the
other elder is incompetent to sit in the case.
We are thus led to the conclusion that
the whole of the conduct above supposed,,
is "disorderly." The congregation should
have, increased the number of its elders;
or, if that was impracticable, the minister
and the one elder should have applied to
Presbytery for an authorization to' act.
The Session, however, or assumed Session,
having acted, the suspended elder should
have respected their judgment till he could
have had it annulled, by an, appeal to Pres
bytery: And ,the neighboing Session,
knowing what was done, should also have
awaited the issue of an appeal. There is
an orderly way of rectifying a disorder;
and in that way, and that only, should every
man, and every man's neighbor, seek for
redress.
EASTERN SUMMARY.
NEW-ENGLAND.
THE. ADVOCATE AND JOURNAL ; Of New
York, contains some interesting notices of
the various Protestant Churches of Boston.
We extract the following:
The Unitarians are the most wealthy,
and it is hut just to.say that they are the
most active and liberal in all public enter
prises. NO scheme of education or charity
or iniprovement.lacks their hearty sympa
thy and support. Ineed, they are the chief
hope of the poor around them. Why
should they take the lead in this respect i
The answer is, they are more wealthy, they
have no
_foreign missions to support, and
they lay more stress upon good works than
other denominations. Their pulpit instruc
tion is for the most preceptive. ' Boston
has several flourishing Universalist church
es whose success is perhaps due to the
ability, industry, and social influence of
their pastors; and then she.ha,s a Church
sui genera, which is against all orthodoxy
and in favor of all heterodoxy;; against ev
ery religion in particular,
but in favor of
all in general ; against all piety, but in fa
vor of all humanity, against all crime, and
equally against holding criminals responsi
ble for it ;'in favor of all good, and equally
in favor of all evil as a left-handed form of
good. This Church has done much harm
to the young men, and even to the old
ones; it has sent a silent influence through
the churches, diminishing faith in prayer,
and diffusing loose views of inspiration.
The originator of this singular Church was
a man of great power and fine culture; he
lived, a moral life, and was the bold advo
cate of all reforms. Since Mr. Parker's
death, various erratic speakers have filled
his pulpit, but it is not likely that 'a wor
thy successor to him will be sound."
We learn from another source, that two
Unitarian houses of worship in ,Boston,
have lately been purchased by the Roman
Catholics. We would of course prefer the
occupancy of these churches by Protestant
Trinitarians, but if we were obliged to
choose between the two denominations al
luded to, we should at least hesitate to de
cide' in favor of the Unitarians. While
these degrade, Roman Catholics exalt the
Saviour. The former "deny " the Lord;
the latter, with all their errors, " confesS"
him, and honor him even as they honor the
Father.
A PRAYER-MEETING is held in the Han
over Street Methodist church, Boston, ev
cry day at noon. Especial reference is had
to the interests of the Church and our
country, in these her days of trial.
THE FIETY-SECOND ANDIIIA.L 'MEETING
of the American Board of Conirnissioners
for Foreign Missions, held at Springfield,
Mass., commenced on Tuesday, Rev. Dr.
Hopkins, of Williamstown, presiding.
Brief statements were made from the an
..
nual reports, 'giving the history of the
Board for the past year. The entire in
come for the year has , been as follows
Donations, (including $14,901.82 from for
eign lands,) $247,488.22, which, with lega
cies and other sums, make a total of $339,-
080.56. Owing to the retrenchments
effected by the missionaries, and ,donations
made to them by English friends, the ex
penditures have amounted to only $322,-
298.64. The year began with a debt of
$27, 885.54; it closed with a debt of $ll,.
103.62. The various missionary stations,
though suffering from a want of funds on
account of the war in our country, have en
joyed more than usual prosperity.
OF the two hundred and fifty members
of the First Baptist church in New-Haven,
fifty are in the army. In addition to
these, as many at least of the members of
the congregation have enlisted for, the ser
vice.
We see it stated that in no State
North of Mason and Dixon's Line has Se
cession more bitter advocates than in Con
necticut. This may possibly be true, but
the statement must be accepted in the face
of the above and many other unequivocal
proofs of the staunch loyalty of the " land
of steady habits."
A NEw CHURCH. was organized in Portland,
Me., on the 17th; to'be known as the' West
' Coitgregationinilinroh:‘ The'enterprise
gnu in a little district Sabbath School in a
neighboring house, partly under the prayer
ful tuition of a young lady, who, dying in
a far Southern State, left a bequest, in
guarded trust, to erect a " Trinitarian
Congregational chapel," which—supple
mented by generous donations—resulted in
the present neat brick edifice at the West
End. The church starts with seventeen
members.
FORTY-TWO of the under-graduates of
Amherst College are, with leave of absence
from the Faculty, engaged in the war. Our
Colleges are generally well represented in
the service.
THE FOREIGN DEMAND for carbon oil is
now immense, and is rapidly increasing.
The whale-oil trade suffers greatly in con
sequence. Under the heading of " The
Last Ship," the Nantucket Mirror says:
The ship IVarragansett left this place
on Saturday evening last, in tow of steamer
island Horne. She has been purchased by
a firm iu Boston, and been taken to Fair
haven for repairs. Not a ship now remains
at our wharves. Little could we have be
lieved, twenty-five years ago, that we should
ever have chronicled this fact. At that
time our wharves were crowded with ship
ping, and noisy with the -din of hammers
and ,drivers, caulking mallets and axes.
Teamsters were trucking oil from the
wharves to the various factories about the
, town, and unloading stores,for the shipping.
Vessels were constantly arriving and sail
ing, end the cheering song of the mariners
- was heard, unloading their cargoes- at the
wharf. Where then all was bustle and con
-fusion, now all is still and quiet. A few
short years have sufficed to bring all this
change about; what will another twenty
years bring ferth?".
NE W-YORK.
THE MANAGERS of the. American Bible
Society held their stated meeting not long
since, at the Bible House, in this city.
The following notice from an exchange will
aive an idea of the extent and varied char
acter of the labors of this important asso-
ciation :
" Communications were received from
ao-ents and friends of the Society, in regard
to the supply of soldiers in the encamp
ments in the several States, at the seat of
war, and for the sick and wounded in hos
pitals; from Rev. Charles Jackson, Clerical
Secretary of the British and Foreign Bible
Society, in regard to the printing of an
edition of the Arabic Testament, and the
Book of Psalms; from Mr. Frederick Hicks,
Panama, in regard to the facilities for
Bible distribution in several of the Central
American States; from Rev. I. G. Bliss,
Constantinople, with the translation of a
lester from Rev. J. B. D. Sahoghian, pas
tor of the Armenian Church of Bogbchejik,
Turkey, expressing his gratification and
thanks to this Society for - ‘the stereotyping
of the American Bible, and in regard to
the benefit arising to the Armenians from
the distribution of the Scriptures; from
Rev. E. P. Hastings, Jaffna, Ceylon, send
ing the journal of a month's labor by a col
porteur of this Society in that country.
" Grants of books were made to the hos
pital at. David's Island, N. Y., for the sol
diers at Newbern, N. C., and other objects."
AT THE LATE .ANNUAL MEETING of the
Society for the Promotion of Evangelical
Knowledge, an organization connected with
the Protestant Episcopal Church, an excit
ing discussion was elicited by the omission
of the names of Bishops Johns, of Virginia,
and Elliot, of Georgia, from the list of offi
cers reported by the Nominating Commit
tee. The Rev. Dr. Tyng is said to have
denounced the rebellion as " hateful to
God and man," and to have stigmatized the
bishops and clergy in any way engaged in it,
as ".unworthy to be regarded as Christian
brethren by the loyal part of the Church."
Bishops Eastburn, of Massachusetts, and
Lee, of lowa, followed in a like patriotic
strain. The omission of the names of dis
loyal bishops was finally sustained.
THE REMAINS OF MRS. GENERAL
SCOTT, who died in Paris a year ago, were
interred last week in the family vault, in
-St. Thomas' Church-yard. The General
was present at the funeral, and with the
exception of a slight lameness, appeared to
be in excellent health.
THE MUNICIPAL COMMITTEE on Na
tional Affairs have been considering the
subject of the defence of New-York bar
-bor. It is understood that a plan of de
fence will soon be proposed, and its adop
,
tion by the Common Council is confidently,
expected.
MR. J. R. SPALDING, one of the edi tors and
proprietors of The World, of this city, bas
dissolved all connexion with that journal,
in consequence of its opposition to the
Emancipation Proclamation, and its support
of the, recent Democratic nominations in
this State.
GEN. ANDERSON, of Fort Sumter fame,
is with his family at Henderson, Herkimer
County, New-York. His health is not yet
restored.
THE New-York World says that- the peo
ple of the city of Hudson have hit upon a
novel expedient to secure a small change
currency without disobeying the law. The
banks of that city permit persons who
make deposits with them, to draw checks
for any sum less than a dollar. These
fractional checks are now in universal use,
and have driven out 'restage stamps.
THE supply of money seeking employ
ment is largely in excess of the deniabd,
and although the largely increased transac
tions in 'stocks keep up great activity, yet
there is great ease in negotiating loans on
liberal terms at 5 per cent. The estab
lished stock commission firms are offered,
at 4 per cent., more money than they can
use. Commercial paper is daily becoming
more scarce, and the turn of the market is
deci,dedly in favor of borrowers on this
class of security. The current rates 'for
first-class endorsed notes range from 4 to 5
per cent. when under 90 days, under four
months 5 to 6 per cent., and beyond that
term 5 , 1 to 7 per cent.
Gold was sold on Tuesday at 123, and on
Wednesday at 124-i to 125. The foreign
exchange market has fluctuated since our
last issue from 135 to 137 for bankers' first
class 60-day sterling bills, and rates are un
settled, with a. tendency to advance.
• PHILADELPHIA.
Da. D. C. EDDY, of Boston, has accepted
the call of the Tabernacle (Baptist) church
of this city.
THE 'NUMBER of wounded
.soldiers in
Philadelphia is estimated at s i x th ousand.
For , tha• benefit of those who areini a eon.'
valescent condition, numbering at least
two thousand, it is proposed to open a Sol
diers' Reading Room. We wish success to
this noble undertaking.
THE United States Army General Hos
pital at West Philadelphia is in all respects
the most complete and extensive in the
Union. Its location is close to the inter
section of Forty-fourth and Pine streets,
being the very highest position in the city.
It is upon an eminence affording a fine
view of the surrounding country, and at
the same time possessing all that could be
wished for in a sanitary point of view.
There are 28 wards, 1 . 67 feet long by 24
wide, each of which will- accommodate 70
patients. These wards are in two rows of
14 each, 20 feet apart, and communicating
with each other, and with the central or
medical building by means of two corridors
parallel to each other, 775 feet long, which
are used for dining halls. Connected with
each corridor, at the Eastern end„are large
buildings for kitchens, store-rooms, laun
dry, &c. There are also separate buildings
for baggage, knapsacks, &c., and for guard
barracks, besides numerous other out
buildings. There are 150 hospital tents on
the ground, which will accommodate 900
additional patients; also, separate build
ings for the cooking, laundry, dining
rooms, So , of those occupying the tents.
The whole establishment covers twelve
acres, and will be . enclosed in a fence 14
feet high. The wards are all on the first
floor, being, in fact, a series of one-story
buildings, ventilated in the most approved
manner. The number of patients that can
be conveniently accommodated at present
is 2,860.
For the Presbyterian Banner.
Presbyterian Congregation of Bellefonte, Pa.
At the request of the senior 'pastor, the
Rev. James Linn, D.D., a special meeting
was held on Saturday, the 4th inst., in
the Session Room of the church. Hon.
William Marshall was chesen President,
and E. C. Humes was appointed Secretary.
Prayer was then offered by the junior pas
tor, Rev. Joseph H. Barnard, after which'
Dr. Linn, now in his eightieth year, rose
and stated the object for which the meeting .
had been convened; which was for the pur
pose of tendering his resignation as the
pastor of this congregation. In his re
marks, which were extended, and listened
to with marked attention by all present; he
made allusion to the great length of time
he had been connected with this congrega
tion, and the pleasant associations formed,
and adverted to the fact of his advanced
age and declining bodily vigor,, which, in
his judgment, rendered the step now tak - en
a necessary one. He concluded by asking
the congregation to unite with him in an
application to this effect to Presbytery, at
its next meeting.
On motion of H. N. McAlister, Esq., a
Committee was appointed to draft a pre
amble and resolutions expressive of the
sense of the congregation, which reported
the following:
'The Committee to whom was referred
the, application of the Rev. James Linn,
D.D., for a dissolution of the pastoral rela
tion subsisting between him and the con
gregation, having duly considered the same,
together with the reasons urged for its ac
ceptance, most respectfully subniit for the
approval' of the meeting the following Pre
amble and resolutions : •
WHEREAS, Fifty-three years have rolled
away since our venerable and beloved
friend assumed the pa.storate of the Pres
byterian congregation of Bellefonte ; and
Whereas s At the expiration of the hall- .
century hesignified to the congregation his
,desire to surrender his charge upon the
ground that his advanced age and declining
bodily vigor incapacitated him for the full
dis Charge of all his pastoral deities, where
upon the congregation, by calling to his
assistance our worthy and highly esteemed
co-pastor, removed the difficulty and con
tinued the connexion ; and
Advancing Whereas,, years, bringing
with them increased bodily
have rendered it essential that our, senior
pastor should be entirely relieved from all
obligation to labor; and
Whereas, Our junior pastor has kindly
proposed to assume the entire labor of the
pastorate, looking for no assistance except
that our senior pastor shall find it his,
pleasure voluntarily to offer; therefore,
Resolved, That in view of all the facts
presented, we see no necessity for the dis
solution of the pastoral connexion existing
between our senior pastor and ourselves;
and that whilst we hereby absolve him from ,
all obligation to labor at any time or under
any circumstances, we especially desire
that he shall continue : to sustain to the con
gregation, throughout the evening of his
days, the same relation in which he spent the
buoyancy of his youth and the vigor of his
manhood, and that,:as he has lived, so may
be die, , pastor of the Presbyterian conc , n
re
gation of Bellefonte.
- Resolved, That we do hereby pledge the
congregation to the prompt payment, by
semi-annual instalments, of the stipulated
salary, to be divided between our junior
and senior pastors, in such proportions as
their respective services and necessities,
and their own generous dispositions and
good judgments, may dictate.
All which is most respectfully submitted.
ki. N. MCALLISTER,
JOHN T. HOOVER,
JAMES MACMANIIS,
JOHN BAIRD,
JAS. ALEXANDER.
After the introduction of the report, the,
meeting was addressed by Rev. Joseph H.
Barnard, and E. Blanchard and James
MacManus, Esqs., in support of the views
therein contained, and being manifestly in
entire accordance with the opinions of the
members present, both male and female,
was unanimously adopted.'
On motion, it was -
Resolved, That the proceedings be pub
lished in the Presbyterian, Presbyterian
Banner, and the several - papers of this
borough.
The meeting then adjourned.
WILLIAM MARSHALL, President.
E. C. Humes, Secretary.
eor the rreeuyterian Baaner..
lefferion Conege
WHEREAS, This Board have heard with
gratitude :the= noble and generous -bequest
of Rive Thousand Dollars- made to, Jeffer
son College by the late Robert Hamilton,
deceased, of Hanging Reek,. Ohio, < and
wishing to perpetuate the memory of this
estimable man and generous donor to the
Institution:;., therefore,
Resolved, That the sum.be.set apart and
known specially as the Hamilton Fund,
with the view to perpetuate _the memory of
a good and generous man, and that his
deeds may live after him. -
Resolved i That the privilege of select
ing one student in perpetuity be conferred
on Mrs. R. Hamilton, the widow, and her
heirs, who shall always receive tuition free,
and shall be , designated as the •Itamilton
student Fund of Jefferson Colle g e. --
The Board of Trustees have also heard
of the generous proposition of Daniel
Houston, Esq., to present to the College
the sum of Two Thousand Dollars, and
with a view of recognising his long and
attentive services to the Institution, and
perpetuatinv ° the same,
Resolved, That the Fund be known as
the Houston Fund of Jefferson College,
and that the privilege be conferred on Mr.
Houston, and his heirs or assigns, of select
ing a scholarship in perpetuity, which
shall be known as the Houston Student's
Fund, and the students so selected shall
always receive their tuition free.
Resolved, That the thanks of this Board
be presented to the Rev. Samuel Findley,
for the present of a very fine Microscope
to the Department of Natural Science ; and
that the privilege of sending one scholar
for the College course be tendered to him
as a small return for his donation.
JAMES iIIeULLOITGII,
See'y of Board of Trustees.
Canonsburg, Oct. 8, 1862.
Domestic Missions.
The Board of Domestic Missions would
respectfully, call the attention of pastors
and churches to the following resolutions,
adopted by the General Assembly of 1831,
viz. :
The Committee on Systematic Benevo
lence, appointed last year to, present to this
General Assembly such facts and sugges
tions as they may deem worthy of attention,
beg leave to present the following preamble
and resolutions :
• -
WHEREAS, Many of our churches do not
contribute to our benevolent enterprises;
and whereas, it is desirable to test the
power of simrdtaneons effort; and whereas,
an emergency has arisen, requiring the co
operation of all our" churches to save our
Boards from serious embarrassment ; there-
fore,
I?esolved, That this Assembly earnestly
request all our churches that have no fixed
times for the trurpose; to take up annual
collections as iollows, viz.
FOR THE BOARD OF. DOMESTIC MIS
SIONS ON THE FIRST SABBATH OF No-
VEMBER, &C.
Resolved, That when the annual collec
tions cannot be taken up on the days above
designated, it be recommended to take
them up as soon thereafter as possible.
If the language of the Preamble was
pertinent then, it is more so now—fearfully
so--the meagre character of our late re
ceipts is alarming; and the list of unpaid
missionaries increases. If the people of
God come not up-to our help - , -- the distress
of our toiling laborers will be sad. Many
of them write that the pressure upon them
is so great,,that to provide. for their fami
lid, they alp tempted to turn aside, in part,
to secular labor. How are they to be re
lieved ?
To borrOw in bank is only postponing
the evil day, &it'd. may cause greater confu
sion hereafter. The thing is _out of the
question, just now at least; ant' yet, $lO,-
000 is due 'them,and likely to remain un
paid, unless' our appeals reach the hearts
of God's people. Money is abundant in
the.midst of war. Many know a prosper
ity .Unknown before; and even if it were
not so—even if this sad, war,bad made us
poor even then' Apostolic times bid us re
member, that the riches of their liberality
abounded in the deepness of their poverty.
Whatever' perishes, let not this cause.
Let His service, Who for our sakes became
poor, - be dearer than ever to his redeemed.
Church Much is doinc , for our patriot
army—the grand National Guard; the out
going effort is worthy of all praise. We
would not diniinish aught of all this; even
more, might 'b'e done without; any severe
sacrifice. But we plead for our faithful
missionaries, out of whose little flocks have
gone eider's'' and members to, do battle for
all that is sacred and dear in. the hopes of
our land. Y Their sacrifices are he d
yon
yours—they nave given up the Supporters
and founders of their missionary churches,
and now :when straiterted by the. absence of
these men they look with : wishful eye to
the churchesi of Christ, n the older portions
of our land. Shall, they Jook in vain ?or
shall the Board of Domestic Missions be
the happy instrument
,of dispensing the in
creasing liberality of, people ?
The melancholy facts are before our min
isters and churches., We have uttered our
heart-sorrow, and we commend it all to a
Covenant God.
Mission Rooms Philadelphia
October 9 1869^
Ter the Preihyterian Banner.
Pleasing fronilhio.
MR. EDITOR : — Araid‘the great national
excitement of the
,present day, in which
our own neighborhood has participated in
no inconsiderable degree, we are happy in
having the' Prailebe of recording afresh
the faithfulness and tender mercies of our
God, in, giving us some special tokens of
his favor, causing some, mercy drops to dis
til upon our thirsty , Zion. We had a
Communion on the third Sabbath of Sep
tember, at the church' of Corinth, (Me
chanicstown,) and on the following Sabbath
at Monroeville: - These two constitute my
pastoral charge. At the former place six
teen
:united -With the church, and at the
latter place twelve, all on profession of
their faith----iii all, twenty-eight. Of this
number,-nine wereimptiked when admitted.
I right add, in the •same way fifteen were
receivediatnur communion in last May-
Truly',Goles children here have been
greatly refreshed,;fand their languishing
graces revived. To God's name be all the
g h3r Y' ' • T. G. SCOTT.
PI RSBYTERIA. NOTICES.
The,PRESBYTERYp'r • •WOOSTER will hell
an adjo treed meeting in'Hie church of Hopewell.
on the latit Tuesday (28th) of October, at 11
o'clock A. 31, • . JOHN E. CARSON,
• . . '- • Stated Clerk.
PRESBYTERY OF THE WESTERN RE .
SERVE Meat at Wegtminster church, Cleve
land, on Wednesday, October 22d, at '2 o'clock
P. ' ; OAMEBELL, Stated Clerk.
The PaggEfTEE4 ATIEGRENY 114 ' 1 , 1 .
meet at Snifrittry, on't he'iltirdTuesday (2 1st), it'll o'cloolf 4 l M
• E. C OULTER,'Stated Clerk.
TILESBYTERY. OF BRIF. will meet
C°3i ' "autvthe ' P a *:"the Thii4 Tuesday (2 1 = 1
of October; at 6 o'clock P. 111.`"
' ' •S. X: 31. EATON, Stated Clerk-
SYNODICAL.
The StstOD OP iANDOSKIE Stands adoureel
'
to meet in the First 'Presbyter church of
ledo, Ohio, on Thursday, OitOhir 30th, at 7!1
• -B. B. RAFFENSPERGER, S. C.
The'SYNOD OF PITTPBAIR,GR will meet ill
the First cluirch, Pittsburgh, on the Third Tue-t
-day (21st)of 0 t b ' ' i a o'clock P. M
c o er, a . -
. Presbyterial Narratifes are to be sent in dthl
time to Rev. A. Tirratiee,"_New Alexandria, P"'
W.MIAT RYPERY,-Stated Clerk.
BIM
For the Presbyterian Banner