EV. DAVID M'KINNEY, Editor and Proprietor, REV. I. N. AUKtNNEY, ARsocIATE EDITOR. TERMS IN ADVANCE. BY MAIL 81.50 InricvEr.am IN EICHER OF TAE OITIEN . 2.00 For Twe Douses. we will send by mail seventy numbees, lid ler ONE Inua.sa. thirty-three numbers. , meturs sending us TWENTY subscribers and upwards ? will a thereby entitled to a paper without charge. ic,.ftevents should be prompt. a little beret'e the year expires Send payments by Wetlands. or by mail. Direct all letters to REV. DAVID M'KINNEY, Pittsburgh, Pa. For the Presbyterian Banner. ughts, on Standing for the Firt Time at a Dying Bed, this the end of mortal life? le end of care, of toil, and strife? list all below thus gasp for breath ? at all below thus sink in death ? e lamp of life has fled at last, earthly sorrows all are past; soul, the immortal part has flown, w whisper round the room, "He's gone." thoughts would wander from this scene, tld pierce the veil which lies between; Jlnt, upward to that happy land, heaven's vestibule would stand. e the winged seraphs fly rough all the portals of the sky; soul is coming home, they sing, join with us and praise the King. downs white-robed angel flies, ift on his mission from the skies; meet the spirit in its flight bear it up to realms of light. ,e the gates wide open fling, soul in triumph borne within; !lies divine! delightful place I Saviour shows his smiling face, hear a burst of music sweet, see the saints at Jesus' feet; 'sere care, and toil, and pain are o'er, is gates are closed—l see no more. art I m3o.everie is past— tears are falling thick and fast while the soul is borne away, weep around the lifeless clay. here renew my solemn vow, afore the throne my heart would bow; 'My life,•my soul, my all shill be Devoted, Lord, afresh to thee. .4en when my days on earth are o'er, When I am nearing Jordan's shore, may a shining angel come, bear my ransomed spirit home. Sharon, Ohio, Dec. 1862. God's Hand upon the Nation. ~ev. Herrick Johnston, of this oity, in late , Thanksgiving`sermon, after noting l's distinguishing favors to our land, seeds thus But we are fallerrupon troublous times. nation is bleeding at every pore. The no longer laughs to greet the sun, nor lea in answer to the smile of God, but., vestments.of gore and blood, sends up a it wail of agony, that saddens the lis- ,ng heavens, and chills as with the touch death the hopes of - millions. We are scourged by God's judgments. He unsheathed the sword, and a hundred mid corpses strewn over our hills, and ,a tell us as no words can, that '.He it not in vain.' The land is being [ated as with the breath of a destroyer: energies of the flatten, are wasting r. Already, among`a"large class in tbe, World, our name hissing ,atia 'ord. The ` edger of the Lord and Vs" seem to smoke against us. And we ask, Wherefore hath the Lord thus unto this land? what meaneth heat of this great anger r the ready is, Because we have forsaken the ,tt of the Lord our God. We have Id unfaithful to our trust, and , groivn a corrupt and God-dishonoring .na lity.' That is true, and that is enough. it, does not seem to satisfy us. Why land, foremost in all that elevates hu 'ty and glorifies God, though it be 'al of much that is evil—this favored, red, heaven-honored and heaven land, where a world's hopes are id, for which ascended the prayers of people of all nations, to which came tressed of all kingdoms, upon which the smile of Jehovah, and in which the freest people on earth? Why ,nd, apparently raised up for some mrpose, that God seemed to have out as his chosen heritage, and to :posed to use as the mighty instru ity of ushering in the millennial day? of other lands more, guilty, and more ng to be scourged by the red right of war, and less likely in their rain ih hope out of human hearts and to ,ck the tide of civilization and Chris ? And why so sore a judgment? so hot the breath of his indignation'? is he leading us in this strange way, strewn with human corpses, taking Lion's very life, when if he had kin is anger but a little, before we need sterner judgments, we might have saved this awful baptism of tears and y, but, 0 man, who art thou that re against God ? His judgments are :chable and his ways past finding out, is not that with which we have to do. secret things belong unto the Lord our If he choose to withhold the revs in of his purpose, so that you are blind and lost in the chaos of ,events, and to trace a gracious providence in what is that to thee? Go thy *ay. s t thou by searching find, out God secret things belong unto Hint. Only things that areie - vetilenelong unto us to our children, that we may do all the Is of this law. In* other words, we are concerned with 'whit is before' us, fully, unmistakably, with what God given us to know; and not with. pruri curiosity to seek out the secretAhings xining to the Divine motive. and pro .e and purpose in the stern judgments hour. And I stand here, , to-day, aA iister of the New Testament,. to titter , ' hristian protest and to warn you,: my against the doubt and the unbelief. ~ the infidelity of such a course. if we cannot sea why this land, before Ars, should be blighted and blasted .he curse of civil war—this fair heri ' freedom, from which. went' out for ifting and healing of the nationa l of the love of liberty, the light of re and the truth of God, than frem any land under the broad heavens! if we cannot see why *6, the loyal - in of it, should so often meet it' and defeat! Why the Nation's ihould still seem to tremble in the ie! Why a Clod of justice, the mis of whose Son into our world was to deliverance to the captives, and to liberty them that are bruised, whose 'oice has bidden,us to undo the heavy s, break every, yoke, and let the op. go free—why Elei . should sWoften pparently taken the .side'off' the'op' r f whose opeilly eapousediscris VOL. XL NO. 18. human slavery, and given him power to stand at the very gates of the free North, flushed with victory, to fling his insults at us, and give food for the scorners and ma ligners of a free government across the ocean ! And what if we cannot tell what the end shall be ! What if this day of thanksgiving does not give us an unclouded sky, nor enable us yet to trace the sure de sign of God in these mighty upheavings! We are to let these secret things alone. They belong to the Lord. Our business is with what is revealed. The present hour has its present duties, and the call of God is for the nation to do them. There is a covenant between us and God, between us and Zion, between us and the State, and we are to do all the words of this law." What Are They Good For ? I know that a minister who will not pub licly pray for our rulers and all that are in authority, is not good for preaching at the present day. But, Messrs. Editors, can you tell me what an elder is fit for, who will not pray forhis pastor? 'Also, what pri vate Christians are good for,' who will neither pray for their minister nor for the eldership of their church ; ? LOYALTY. You can do good: With very limited endowments, you may be useful—not per haps on an extensive scale or on, some great occasion, but in the common walks of life, and performing the small overy-day duties of your station. It is not every one that can become an El4abeth Fry, a Grace Darling, a Florence Nightengale, or a Dorothea Dix. There are few, if any, however, who may not make their presence and influence a blessing in the, little world of home. As a mother; wife, sister, daugh ter, every passing hour will afford fresh opportunities for exercising your gifts and graces in doing good. Study the model furnished by Solomon, ,Prot. 3L A cheerful countenance, an encouraging smile, a patient spirit, a sympathising tear, an af fectionate look, a soft word, a warm kiss, a stitch in time, a vase of flowers tastefully culled and arranged, gentle Music, sweet song—these and a thousand other little acts of attention and - kindness, while they cost nothing, will' sparkle' like dew-drops around your dwelling, and make each mem ber of the family circle feel that an angel is among them, shaking jewels from its "A merry `heart doeth good like a medicine. A 'word fitly spoken is like apples of gold in - pictures of silver. A virtuous woman is 'a crown to her husband MATTIE herprice is far above rubies." Be at tentive to little things; "Take care of the pennies." Trifles light. as air often. con tribute largely to human , wellbeing. What a rich blessing did Jesus confer on Peter by a look y How often did David allay the vricked spirit of Saul with the melodi ous strains of his.. har and , voice ? Pre oions in Jhe.444, Ll4 . rd—esi , the ointment". on Alion's, head, tw thindew, of Hermon, and' as the dew that• descended upon the mountains `of Zion-- , -are the fee blest attempts of his children to - do good. Look at those :whose memtry he has em balmed in the. Scriptures. " &pat thou this woman. I entered into thine ,house; thou gayest me no water for my feet; but she bath washed my' feet with 'tears; and wiped them with' the hairs other head.. Thou gayest me no kiss; but this woman, since the time I came in, hath not ceased to kiss my feet. Mine head with oil thou didst-not anoint; but this woman hath'en ointed my feet with ointment!' " There came a certain. poor widow , and she threw in two mites,,which make a farthing. And he calle'd unto him his disciples, and saith unto them, VerilY I say 'Unto you; that this poor widow hath cast more in than ill-they that have cast into the treasury." , Study the sacred, record which carries throughout the world and transmits to suc-. ceeding generations the names of Magda ' lene, Martha, Mary, Dorcas,.-Lydia, Phebe, Priscilla, and' learn what you, may accom plish by little acts of Christian kindness and charity performed in the - private walks of life, or even in 'the. retirement of your own humble home. " Despise not the day of small things." Walk in love. Let all receive daily evidences of your benevolent dispositien, and should your fame and in finence extend no farther, the Saviour will say apprdvingly, " She bath done what she could.' Nor will you fail to' be *appre ciated by those who cluster around the dd -Mestic hearth. " Her' 'children- arise tip and call her blessed; her husband also and he, praiseth her. Many daughters have done virtuously, but thou excellent them all." PAiTolt. Per the Presbyterian Danner. Extract from the Sessional Records of cen trerille Church. WHEREAS, It has pleased God to ,re-' thous *Ora us, by death, on Dec. 30th„ 1 1862, our 'esteemed fellow-Christian, Thai. Esq=, a'" father in Israel" to'imost' of uB, a- brother beloved to all, Igvi..the senior member of this Session; therefore, as an expression, of our feelings on this mournful occasion, Session 'adopts 'the fol lowing reaolutions : Ist. That in this soleinn- dispensation,- we recognize the hand of an ,all-mise and all-merciful Father, who " doeth all things well,"' to whose will we bow with hiittiblei submission ; and while we %Own - the loss , of our. -esteemed brother in Christ,- we' thank. Go& that he was spared so long with us, and was permitted to see this .church attain to a good degree of strength, and' stability' ere he departed; and we 'draw consolation, from the' assnianae that our losi is 'his infinite gain: 2a. That in this visitation--the first breach made in our circle' as' a Sessien since the organization of this church , --we re 'cognize I the voice of God calling -I,lls, is a, Session, as a. congregation, and as individ uals,..to greater diligence in working " while it `is day; for' thn night cometh' - Wherein' 110 • - Man can work.. .• ~Thatme:bear our cordial testimony to, the ; ,exoellonoe of his character and, Christian'deportment in all the relations of life, as..busband, father, friend, neigh bor.; and to his wisdom, prudence,,faith fulness, and kindness as a• ruler ina_ the house of. God; and we record with grati— tude, the pleasing fact, that. in all our olfkg cial deliberations, since, our organization as a Session, we have .never; yet bad a,dissent-, ing voice mnien 11,411,vicivivote.o-1 , t , i% rbjtttian lairtAntire+ • Nor rile 'Presbyterian Banner For the Pres byterian Banner " What Can I Do-V' NO: 4.. PITTSBURGH, WEDNESDAY, JA NUARY 14, 1863. 4th. That we tender our hearty sympa thy and condolence to the aged and be loved companion, and to the family of the deceased, commending them to the grace of God our Saviour, who is able to afford them all needed consolation, and to make this sad bereavement conducive to their ,spiritual welfare. sth. That this minute be entered on the Records of Session, a copy given to the family of the deceased, and one sent to the Presbyterian. Banner for publication. SESSION. For the Presbyterian. Banner. Commelldagons. MESSRS. EDITORS is customary, I believe, when a correependent wishes to criticise, and , find fault with a paper, to demand a place in its' coluinns,.but I wish to commend, and will therefore, say, if you please. I think you will not, deny, me, for, you know, . " Kind words can never die." But you need not expect a long-winded ar tiele, like many of the home-made puffs of some of your contemporaries. I . would much Tether be in the. current style of the Banner—short and pithy. let. I wish to commend that article- on " Wakcs." It ought to be read in, every family, and from every pulpit in ,the ,land; for surely it is time that a practice so " heathenish.," was utterly.abolished. lam glad your correspondent gave it the right name, for it is "'heathenish." I-have often been ",there to see," and know whereof I affirm, when .I say, that'a wake just means a night spent in folly and revelry„ by a company of, pergolas, at a,house where there, is a dead, person. The same company and conduct without the corpse, would be called a " frolie;" but where there is a corpse, it is a "wake." Nor are the rsacred hours of God's holy:night proof against this ," ever to be execrated" custom. The Children of the ungodly would not dare to meet on Sabbath night for amusement; but wakes may . happen ? on . Sabbath, as well as, any other night,-and these all must gc to the wake. Thus the children of private Chris tians, elders, and ministers, join in ,scenes of: nonsense and. folly I Corpcipoe, PO baps, is not easy, , ; but "how - could they help it ? the wake must be attended.' The custom is much changed in the- cowl-. try around your city, within ten yearsilf these wakes do not occur just as/rep:cagy as there are deaths in the community. An eminent physician, of very general reading; told me the other day that your article was the first word he had ever seen, printed on the subject Of, this vice." I believe it is the first that I haVe seen, but I hopeit may not be the last. _ But 2d, I want io com Mend that article in your _last issue,,Maded " Large News papers." " Tastesdiffer,",us you say;,but in the sentiment of" that, article,. .yours_ and, mine -,agree perfectly, ,If,, however, you should find it. necessary to yield to the tastes of those who differ with us, could you not find some '::* *- ,* * But I merely suggest, a happy New Tear to you all; - • EUROPENN . .COR/ESPONDENCE; • Anniversar of ,the Prince Cof,zsort's Death—The n Publicatio of his Speeehte4ziut Addrisses—The Queen's own Preface—Belf-Abnegation and States nuinship-, What a Queen's Husband. Ought to 'be and was—.4ealth Sacrificed,,and an Earty. Grave.. —Special Le.ssoni ! Suggested—The Prince,and the, United Statei'-'--The Natuioleum arid the Hymn— Affaiitie Telegraph---A'Reto Proproatil:—The P l U 4' Roman Catholic Priest -,4 Committed," and Why ,--=-Restitutiinp and ;the Confessional-- The Irish Factions:Reconciled—The Redemptorist Fatherit and a Romishßovival and' Mission—SUn defy Chapel Bee'ne--Inauguration of a Yew; Bou levard at Parii--tEmpress's Dress—Postponenient and Why 1,--Pearls ,of an- Emperor--Preserved. for 'God's Own' Endi—Ahhiteeture of Cities London .N.itilisria—Real Progress--Prince Albert a Prototype—Pose!orkt: ' ,LONDON, ! Deof,mppy , 2o, 1862. THE ANNINEussaY -of .Prince Albert's death,,.last Lord's dahlias . 'awakened afresh the 'affectionate veneration . for his charge fir,' services, and memory . , which lies so deep in• the nation ' s heart, Your readers' , will remember. the' overwhelming grief and sadness eaused.in; every.,ranlr, of the Brit ish peoPle, as imperfectly .conVeyed in my letters this time twelvernentli. ` The Queen's year of mourningiw nowx.expired ; -she is surroundcd7 by 4 loving children, :and her grief is souiewhat asimagcd. Her latest act—most seAsOnabldiii ifielfi and most touchingiii the,affection. which , prompts'it —is the,publication- p i n Monday , morning,, of " The Principal Speeches and Address es of His 'Royal Highnees, the Prince scirt, with "..an"lntrodlietion ' .giving some outline of =his Cheracter.;" - The introdue tory preface : ,, cannot he„ road _without, deep: 'emotion. It is.eVidently from the Queen'.s, own hand, „or least dictated hYher. 'it In allowing' 'this" niertiorandmii of the Prineeitd be' pUblished, the 'Queen also` actuated by - another , motive iriiliddition'46; those : already mentioned.,.'lt ,affords Her,; Majesty a fitting opportunity, for express,-„ 'ing in the Most clear and, ample manner, that which for Mani - yeira She has deaired' to exprese:' - During. the... Prince's life; the Queen often longed to make-known to the' world o the ever present, watchful, faithful,' invaluable, : aid ? which She received .from the 'Prince Consort in the conduct ofpOhl ' lie business. She could, hardly endure , even then to heisilent•on tlibPsubject, and not to- dealer° how much heereign owed to him.- And,pow,the Queen" can no longer refrain from uttering what she hits long , felt, and from proelanning the irreparable loss 'to 'service; ai well Se 'to herself tindher family, which the7Prinee's , death. his" occasioned.- s The . position of the:, Queen, :for many ,yearsi accustomed to this roving aid, and now suddenly boreft of it, Oan4ith'difficurty . imagined' to the full' extent of its .Ifeittineei • and '-sitdderieSs.' Desolate and sornhre QueerymOst deeply feels,..lies. the,wayi 'before her.. Ah path, hewever, of ;; ,duty, and,nfrabor whieh, relying .on t4e,IGYO gtta,chmePt'' pathy of her people, sli t e "'WHY:With Gods, ;blessing, strive to pursue; but Where-she' fears her.lalteringstepw will ::often, show they lack.the, ..tender. and,affectionate,sup., port which on all occasions she ,was wont, to receive - , from her 'beloved' liuSband, the Prince." Disinterestedness and' self-saerifice were the Prince's great characteristics. • A'very remarkable and fresh Illustration of this, now; for the first time comes to' light. It ahears 'that' 18§0' thelidlee of Welling ton advised"thiti Priithe Albeit, having a Chief of , •Sfair.undershiMAnd awl active,a4mitkintratox;ishottld kei•made, ilaosmtspler l in,Ohleft of the ,British Army as soon as the Duke himself (who occu pied the post) should be called away by death, The Prince's own Minutes of Con versation with the Duke, are\now revealed. The Duke said that "he always stood up for the principle of the army being com manded by the Sovereign,' (something parallel ; apparently to the 'American Pres ident's right) “and he endeavoredto make the practice agree with that theory, by Scrupulously taking on every point the Queen's pleasure before- he' acted.: But were he gone, he saw no security unless I undertook to command myself, .and . thus supplied what, was wanting in the conga= tutional working of the theory arising from the circumstance , of the present Sov ereign being a lady.". The matter • w . as also' discussed by the Duke in, the presence of the Queen, and amongother AiffiOnlties records the Prince in -43- "of the conversation, the Queen iniggestOd consideration of her litisbenes , health as, a reason why,he should undertake no ftirthei duties than those fulfills by, him,'~ l wfiic.h' plea, says the Pritioe' 4 o4#,,,pot Willing he was to worts t Rverwer)F self he did undoubtedly; The Queen forebodings about this; . seems to have_ in creased. In 1860, when the Society of Arts renewed the propesajfer a second In ternational Exhibition; it; now appears that the Queen wrote to. Lord Granville ; hoping , . that he would do all ii 1 .14-pOwey to pre-: . vent her husband undertaking responsi bility and labor, such be went through with in regard to the Eihibition of 1851. "She felt convinced that he could not agtiin'undertake the 10)0' he''had 'ptiSSed through without :injury to' that 'health-li . which was not only aims t prpeious hey ' , self and hisfamily, bui pp the „country, and.,„ even to 'the world." The strain pr i cved i : itself id- be too 'great; and' - so - this' noble - minded' man, whose liteps andlldilorvieie4 pzirposely in thw shadowimdif stundstfoittp as one of the - greatest apihespof k light and laadmarktentheAliffsptfainel"- Haw heis missedhl% theQueen - /as a -fe4j male and married -sovereign,lis sufficiently evident from the fmaliettet:to,tl:te Duke of Wellington, in which tiko Prince refuses the `proposal made to hini. '" In the'lorig run . ; the feet of there'.beilig a,.'feraale ereign, if her husbandltdoes his dity,her•T position will be attongg,,,than that of a Sing.", Then mark the noble,. resplve and modest' yet :'faithful, Sereportiiittire. It follows:, • - "But this reqnires . that the ~husband, should entirely - sink ,his own individual existence in that, of his wife—that Should tan' at no power' ,, for himself- - --should shun all I.oStiiiiitatiori=-Las - -- su me no responsibility !before t'he' but. make • his position entirely a part of hers ;fillevery gap which as a woman she would naturally leave in the eicireise, of her regal funetioris-Lcentinnally 'and' anxionsly watch every part; .of the'-public business, in order fohe'libler tolLadvise and assist ., her, at any, monlent,jn, any of the multifarious and difficult questions or dn.- ties brought before, her, sometimes inter national, sometimes politiCayer- or Personal ---As :the •E'of family, . superintendent of her of her private affaire, sole, confi dential adviser in politics, and only assist ant in her communications with the officers of the Government, heis besides thehus band of the- Queen,- the - tutor: or the Royal children, the private secretary of the Sov ereign, and her, ; ; permanent minister!! Cimscientiousness was carried into all theen duties; hence their actual` and most thof.i ough riefformaiee. This man took.Grod as , his Oonnsellor ; he in calm .sweet , fellowship with , Heaven. , His piety, ,to, gether with ,his fine moral., qualities, l and the supeiior talents eultiiated to the 'ut most, was the see* of the peifdtnianee'-4 his work. 11(3;1*mi - literally- an'd , truly-tone of that nohlei:band, ever- increasing even; among, the upper. classes, , " WhoTly.their dallytTiaskuwith; husker , fedi. Beeause,their secret seals a holy stram,repeat •." • and, with whom abide, the. melodies, of the ; , ; eternal chimes, even though surrounded by " human care and Crimes. The'Piinee - believed - that in- offieni-who'l had seen field 'service; could perform., the duties:Of Commander-in-Chief of the )lorser- Gußrd,",etter, than, hiipself." ,But what decidedhink i that he pould not-dikharge, the duties of 'both positions and offices ? I well reinember'a anise when Patna; sine , other papera were. poking at -the Prince - as. being arubitious-for•the post ofConatnand r , , , er,io.phief. We new, see i that ;4 ! 4/43 with in 11* grasp, hut ,that.iith rare self-abne- , the' , highent, cktie; and' 'moral' `consideittitheT. ire; fused qt. if.'"The Queen," , says i the-Times' Iteviewerif oLtheibook alseady,m,ectioned, could uoto have done ; greater< honor <