:1' reshpicrian muter. 1 0 1TMV11011, VENNESDAY, APRIL 1, 1861. itt Mallets/ 04,rtin4PM4. *Otos the “ Bight" 'Seim 0 Atantoltdot *Mt tpel-bit Patent, ail, or nearly aid, gatbpribers now have their papers addeweandioldeem in. n giArigtailit anon. twill weft* Alen, le lt 4 Snarpin a Mali adored "address stomp; qr 114 4 05 n apt rJr a their emote ptainly priming, Jlbaoned up to ibirigh they have paid for their papers—this herised by an Act of" Chetwese. Yu ante wilt pg ' eteebiniad on the receipt vf slareortptlen; memo, ' • lanedretanee with the amount so reWbeed, and thus 6iiir+endy and valid receipt; simerinse to every one, .int SU Union a perfect knotoiMpe of Olie Ilkitnreaper to- Alinant, so via (f 4(esp "'war is made ne Can immediately do tig de a and have it cormected---a boas /dike valuable to Ma *Warr and mobseriber, as 4 men terminate tad painfto ' Pnderetandin between them "Winding amanita, and end to " Mein important relationship. .0 4 08 in ampere nrill o selease res. i tht Miaow VI the female ‘Seminary, 01aubeattiJe, 4hie, how an attendance faurisg the Simmer aesaiiin (1882) of nine. Vibe '4l,ile; and 'during the Winter igesaion, .niie /inn - dyed Intvi fqrts.one. It 'tee the courite studies, r inci; .."a4nta g eo, *0 ,er the InfitittitiOn. 44 , of the ItA key. Tor. MebOvr iii may be expected, Ethortfy,,froth ihe pen Of .Rbv, Dr. SPRAGUE, Or Albany, N. Y. Or: MoDowiLL'a petsonal worlih, and iris ifunexiott with great evetits 4 tarnish to the 4140 ht*Oliill 'writer, It ,grqtley and. inetrtiet the 'Chris tikit whose hook entitled, IPseutmcFmawansa we noticed lately, has sot copy if it, through Gen. 1100.ksu, 4..(fitone*all) ,TAoKsorr. The 13430 contains the following inscription : " My .Dear Son and brother in Christ: Bead this, and send, it to my deeply afflict ed eon, Colonel J. T. L. PRESTON. I Will teng lOU a thousand for distribution, if you desire it, and express that desire to me in any-way. Gao. JUNKIN. "79 Sands Street, Brooklyn!" 'Gen. jatacsores first wife was a daugh ter. of Dr. triniKlN. The Board of Directors of the Western . Theological Seminary will meet in the Seminary Hall on Wednesday, April 22d, it 2 o'clock P. M. Full attendance. is ape ckally.requested. The Exarnination of the _students will commence< on Monday, April 20th, at 10 o'clock A. M. The , Exhinining Committee are the Rev. J.' Db D.D., A. 0. PATTERSON, Dik.,lind O:DICKSON, D.D, and Elders JAirto CA.ROTITERS, M. D., and ALEX. OAIDIRON. W. B. Moitviumas,Bee)r. generosity of the Noith.—Ale American Bible Society is sending large :numbers of Bibles and New Testaments to the South, • far 'distribution. This is done, of course, under the approbation of the Government; the Secretary of War having granted per mission' for the packages to cross the lines. The war, costly and oestructive as it is, is not waged by the North -in a malignant 4pirit: A few bad men talk yickedly; liut the great body- of the people' contend more in sorrow than in anger. They are impelled by a sense of duty. Human.well `being demands a government of law; and law, to be valuable, must faithfully exe cuted. Traitors, rebels, robbers, perjured imams, must , be punished. While then serrow, impelled by stern necessity, we :60oree a just penalty upon transgress ors, we rejoice to administer to their spir -itual wants. Pittsburgh Board . . of Colportags.-lh na is Board, though possesse& of but "il means, accomplishes much good. One lin stanse is brought to our notice by Colonel CLARK (Rev. 'RUM B. CLARK, pastor. of U. P. Church, Allegheny.) He writes under date of *arch 21st as follows "I have - the honor to acknowledge the receipt of a , handsome present, bestowed through FRANCIS G. BAILEY, for the use of this regiment: The gift came from the Presbyterian Colportage Society, supported by -the Synods of Allegheny and Pitts burgh. And I cannot refrain from recom mending this Society as eminently deserv ing the cooperation and contributions of all Christians. The books and tracts that are distributed, teach us not only ,a sound morality but present religion in the purity' .of its princifiles and life. The Testaments just_received are •well suited for distribu tion in the army. They are well bound, and of such size that any soldier may carry one of them conveniently. 'May the lord richly reward these laborers in his vine yard, for this timely gift. And may all who desire the salvation of the perishing cooperate with these brethren in their work of faith and labor of love." Tor the Presbyterten Banner The United States and Slavery. MBOSRB. EDITORS :—Dr. Breckinriage, In his article on "Negro Slavery and the Civil War," says, on page 693, in regard to the Presient: " The wisest and best men are liable, like the common mass of human ity, to hold opinions which sometimes ap pear difficult to .be laid happily together." Does be not furnish a striking illustration of this in the same article 7 On page 680, he says : " There was constituted a new na-. Non -out of these States (the old thirteen,) a nation , holding slaves was created out of slaveholding States." While on page 706 he trusts that the President will yet see "proof that the nation does not consider negro slavery, as it exists in many of the States, in any proper sense, a nation al institution." Here the Dr. evidently wishes it to be understood that he does not regard slavery in our country as a " nation al institution ;" in the other place he says that the:States, when united, formed from thetfirst, "a nation holding slaves." • Can there be a "nation holding slaves," with out having slavery as a "national institu 41on Perhaps you can see how these. passages in the Dr. s'Artiele can be " laid happily together." I cannot. C. itzmAnKs.---The main difficulty lies in the meaning attache& to the word " hold . ine If , the word is used as aynonomons with to own, to possess, the United States hold; no: slaves; but if the word is used in the sense of, to contain, as a vessel may contain water, sand, pebbles, and a hundred other things, all at once; then the United State. does hold slaw' „Mei in this sense . may be truly said to bu a iiMitiut,L holding slaves.". Thin it is, as we xeri l Dr. Basox-- , Ipttnar'iii article, that he nses-the word: The 'United 'Mates did - not insiiitite but they contain slam. KE4ISEII BOOK OP DISCIPLINE, CASES WITHOUT PROCESS. 'Chapter VII. makes provision for some vases which the old Book had not no- tined If a fault is committed in presence ,of the court, no testimony is needed. The court of its own knowledge, may judge and pass sentence If a confession is made Which seems to be frill and ample, the court may issue it without seeking further testimony. If a member shall decline communion on the supposition that heis unconverted, and hence would be unacceptable at the Lord's .table, he need not be subjected to church censure, as if he, were a voluntary delin quent. Members who have'removed without cer tificate, are not to be continued on the roll longer than three years. We are glad to see arrangements for purging church - I.one, though we regret that so long a term of ab . m sense fixed. it should be but one year. When we had a,pastoral charge we enume .rated, in our annual' report, none who had been absent, by removal, for over twelve months. A chureh member leaving the Presbite rise Church;and joining some other eVan- Oliva' denomination, not having obtained a regular 'dismission, is to be dropped from the list, of members. If the denomination be joins is heretical, he*is to be suspended, excommunicated, or deposed, without trial. These *visions will be found useful. EVIDENCE Chapter VIII. 2, introduces a new fea ture, in making pwlies in a case competent witnesses. In some Countries and Stites the civil law partakes of this feature,; most, as we believe, the parties are exclud ed from bearing testimony. It may be a means, sometimes, of reaching truth, but it is an innovation witich we would not' have ventured. The less honest a man is, the more will he try to clear himself; and the moat conscientious and truthful will be doubted. If the accused AO refuse to take the witness' stand, he will subject himself thereby to moispieion of conscious ness of guilt; sand if he shall take it, and tes tify in his own favor, it will yet be hard to believe him. We would prefer not to put any one in so painful a dilemma. THE PARTIES The parties in a judicial case are the ac cuser and the accused; and when the case is carried to a higher Court, they are still the same persons, the designations being then appellant and appellee - In relation to parties in a ease, we have a new feature. It is Chap. IX. 3; and feeds thus . "When a matter is transferred from an in ferior, to a superior judicatory, the infe rior judicatory shall, in, no case, be con sidered-a party; nor shall its members lose their right to sit, and deliberate, and vote, in the higher court." This we regard as a vast improvement, both in its principle and in tEi practise for which it provides. We know that in this we differ from many of our brethren; but still we rejoice that the Committee has made the recommendation, and cannot but hope that the Assembly will adopt it, and the Presbyteries ratify it. • It is an improvement in - principle, be cause our Church judicatories, from the lowest to the highest, are courts. The members are judges, They are bound to be impartial, and to' judge righteous judg ment. Their corning to a decision,, does not make them a party ,• and it is utterly wrong to treat them as it they had taken sides. They are entitled to the reputation of having dealt fairly and honestly. To, exclude them from the uppmcourt is an imputation upon their honor and rectitude, which should not be tolerated for a mo ment. ;It is derogatory to ministerial and Christian character; the semblance of the consciousness of a want of worth in our official brethren. We never see the thing done but that- we feel both indignant and ashamed. The proposed alteration is also an im provement in practice. It tends to a just decision. The decision of a case is thus made by a larger body—rather, by the body. If a Session is excluded from -a Presbytery, the Presbytery is then not full. So also if a Presbytery is excluded from a Synod; and if a Synod is excluded from the General Assembly. In each step of progress the decision is made by but . a part of the legitimate court; and in the final adjudication, it is not tire whole Church which settles the controversy, but only a, part of the Church; a portion of the rep resentatives who - were sent up, and who are an integral part of the organized Assembly, being excluded. Another, consideration in favor of the amendment is, that it-retains in the Appel late Court, the very men who are best ac quainted with the case, and .the most capa ble, they being honest men, of giving .a correct decision. In the, court where the trial originates, a ease is always more thor oughly investigated and better understood, than it can possibly be in an Xppellate Court, which can, with propriety, use only the recorded . testimony. The former has the witnesses before it, and observes their tones, gestures,, emphasis, withholdings, equivocations,. and explanations. It knows much of the history, character, spirit, and credibility of the parties and the.itnesses. The main things which belong to the mer its of a case, are often unre"corded. 'Some times they cannot be recorded. There may be prejudice in the lower court, but it is not likely to be against the innocent; and if there is prejudiCe affecting the judg-' meat injuriottsly, it ought to be:made so plainin the higher court as to carry the vote overwhelmingly against the few mem bers of the lower court who may be present. Rev. O. O. RIGGS, DAD., requests to be ad. dressed at' Otarkiville,. Mercer County, Pi. 'instead or Sharon` Pa., whiblE was his late Post Office. PRESBYTERIAN BANNER.--WEDNESDAY, APRIL 1, 1863. Rev. ROBERT BAIRD, D.D., as we brief ly noted lust week, died at his residence in Yonkers, N. Y., on Sabbath, March 15th, in the 65th year of his- age. , His disease was hemorrhage of the lungs, whict com menced only on the Wednesday preceding his death. The warning was brief, but it would not be easy to find a man mote nearly ready to depart, than was our high ly esteemed friend. When the inesseu ger signified his approach, he was not re garded as the agent of the " king ot ter rors." Ho was seen as the herald of the Prince of Peace bearing - the call, "Come up higher." Dr. BAIRD was horn in Fayette County, Pa., on Oct. 6, 1798. He pursued his studies in Washington and Jefferson Coy leges, at the'latter of which he graduated, • in 1818.. The year following he taught in the Bellefonte:Acidemy,•where it was,the privilege of onr . Seuior' editor to enjoy his instructions for'a . time, and to 'form an'af tachment and cement a friendship which was As enduring as life. Often have ~we taken sweet counsel together, by 'word and by letter, and often cooperate& in things important; and never weik there' a diiiiion orfit,jar. _ Princeton Seminary the Plco,logical Alma Mater of .10r. Benz; ,and, for a' year or two, he was 'a; Tutor in Princeton Colle..e.' 'The Princeton Academy Augurated ; by him in,ilieAntimin of; 1821 Mr. JOSEPH TRIMBLE (since dead), and the present writer, were thew students in - the 'Seminary and vie'- divided between A'us the labors and responsibilities of giving instruction to the pupils'. Amid the sad ness of 'separation, it is pleasant to look back to those early days when three of us l attached friends, and short of funds;' sus tained ourselves, one as Tutor in Cdllege, the others as Teachers,eackhie half of the day, of twenty precious' youthovhile we, all pursued• our itudies• - for-the'ininistry, and perfected those habits which' 'ever after wards made labor in the Master's , cause and for human good, a delight. Two are gone to their joys. One remains to record their names and worth and still to taste the sweets of toil, , in, a 'cause unspeakably worthy. As a preacher; Dr. BAIRD was instinc tive, though his voice, was not commanding Having superior adaptations for other even:- gelical work, he never took a pastoral charge. For five years he conducted the Princeton Academy. For several years, he served the New Jersey Bible Society, and the New Jersey MissiOnary Society," with very great benefit to, the State; carrying into effect a plan to furnish each destitute family with a -copy of the Scriptures, and aiding to establish the existing educatienal system.. Id 1829 he devoted his energies to the, American Sunday - School Union, in the course of five years increasing its rev enuee-'frorn $6,000 to $25,000 per annum in 1835 Dr. BA IRD visited Europe, wheie he remained for nearly eight .years, labor ing zealously to prtmote different religious and benevolent enterprises; and upon the organization gf the American and'Foreign Christian Union he became its agent and Corresponding Secretary. This, office he intermitted for a time to engage in other labors, but again resumed it, and was thus employed during the latter;years. of After -Dr. BAIRD'S return from. his long sojourn in Europe, he several times-visited England, France, Germany, Italy, and oth er parts. His influence Were in the Bible cane, the Temperance' cause, the cause, of the Sabbath, and the cause of Evangelical PrOtestantiam, was immensely great. .Ilis labors there, and extensively 'through his own country, and the connexions which he . planned and maintained between the pious men and religious and benevolent' institu tions of America and Europe, justly enti tle him .to the appellation bestowed upon him, of the "international Preacher?! In his death the Church at large has. lost a laborer, and the world has been bereaved of a friend. Dr. BAIBn, as a writer, was attractive, ,• though not profound. He did not attempt philosophical nor theological disquisitions, nor yet sensational articles, whether relig ious or otherwise... He 'inclined more to the narrative; and his productions allure the reader, taking him cheerfully- along whither the writer wishes to conduct him. Among his publications' were the follow ing : "View, of. the Valley ,of. the Missis sippi; " History of the Temperance Soci eties," translateilinto five languages ;'" A View of Religion in Amfrica;" Protestant ism in Italy;" "'The Christian Retrospect and Register;" " History ,of the Albigen ses, Waldenses and Vaudois;" " Visit to Northern. Europe," &c. He WU also a frequent contributor to our newspailers.and monthly journals. Dr. B.&nw, born in a retired country, grown up in obscurity, without powerful family connexions, without wealth; educa ted in a then little Western College, hav ing no pretensions to more, than ordinary eloquence nor to any superior intellectual powers, was yet one of most extensively useful of men, and had acquaintances and friendihips more numerons, per ,. haps, than any other man of the times. He, ; literally, stood before kings. Very early in his ministry he became acquainted with nearly all the leading men 'in the United States, statesmen as well as clergy men. When he went to Europe, he, took letters from these to both the great and the good of tiat country, and soon found seeds to Princes, Kings, and Emperors, and was permitted not only to present his, petition, but to plead for what he desired, and „to suggest advisory counsels. How was this ? He had a rare, combination of humility, modesty, dignity, and good' sense. He paid due deference to the position, feel ings, sentiments, and . even prejudioes, of all whom he approached. And specially, he always iliac& it manifest that lie was en gaged, wisely and with disinterested beneeo- REV. DR. BAIRD. lence, ?fl a GOOD CAUSE which was practi- cable We speak thus of the departed, whom we knew so well, not by way of panezyric, nor simply in discharge of a duty which we owe to the memory of a good man. We would show to -the multitudes of our youth ful readers, obscure though they may be, and unfavored by large worldly means, and unblessed by distinguished talents, the pos sibility of attaining to. eminent distinctions in usefulness; and we would also teach them the way in which they can make the attainment. REVIVAL IN WASHINGTON, We are pleased to learn that the chtireh in Washington,' 'Pa:, under the pastoral care of Rev. JAMES L BROWNSON, D. D., has, for.more than - two months, been enjoy-, ing a - gracious •.visitation of, the Divine Opirit. , We - give a few of the facts and incidents. The " week of prayer,",iti . January, was observed- with ardency of desire and hope, an &God heard and gratified . the expecte. tions:of hie people. Praying for tlan'worldi brdught the people to • think of their: oivn needs; and while they siUrght to water oth» ers,:they themselves were watered. The chnrch Au:Tie needs, for its own spiritiE ilikfand growth, the reflex-influence.or a deep "interest= and zealous activity in the cause of nihis4o l ifs. • the attendance ,upon the meetings .of the week grew numbers from dayto day. The 'unconverted= 'flocked in. Another week of meetings was demanded, and an other, tilt all the evenings of, four consec utive „weeks were thus consecrated; and Then ~ alternate evenings for two -weeks longer. The pastor was assisted by the officers of the ,College, aneby two or three Other es teemed brethren The preaching is repre- , Sented to have been. of the plainest charac ler. The Ilairine - mf the 'cross was_ pre aente.d in earnest simplicity. No ieiort was had to . unusual measures. Neetings ;were quiet ; and,selemn. The, understand.' ing was"" addressed, .as, well the heart., Duty was `urged, in connexion with the threatenings and proirries. The young ,men of the College and the Presbyterian young ladies in the Seminary, attended as siduously. • In - addition to the general reviving of , the church, - about thirty-five persons , sought • . counsel, in personal interviews with the pastor. Of these, a few will doubtless re lapse into their. old , carelessness ; some of them, who are - strideuts,hoth male and fe male, purpose to make their first full pro fession in the church of their parents; a few defer till - the next communion season; und 'nineteen ' ;have: professed their faith in Jesus-and sealed their covenant with'him at his table. Of these, seven received the initistory sacrament of baptiSm. 'The sac• ramental seivices were held , on the Bth Of March. On our last information, there were still indications of the Spirit's pres ence. The Lord is a Sovereign,„ He :bestows his favors according to the good pleat3ure of his will. But he uses instramentalities. He ipts established' channels ot 'commuini 'catieiff. has Made to his Church ex , ceedingly great and precious promises ; and his word' fails not.. We bless him .for hiti proffers of salvation. We bless him for a heart to seek his favor. And we blesslim for the actual bestowments of his grace. The- more of benefits we enjoy, the more praise we ascribe to his name. ,„ JEFFERSON COLLEGB.--INNIMITION OF DL RIDDLS.-LITERARY COARBST. The close of the Winter Term is always a time of great excitement - at' " Old Jeffer son." The contest . . between the Literary Societies, for preeminence in, declamation, composition and argumentation, elicits their best e'ndeavers, and'furnishes a great treat to citizens and visitors. On the late occa sion, however, there was a far. more than duplicated, interest, caused by. the 'inaugn-. ration of the new President, Rev. DAVID H. RIDDLE, D.D. • Dr. , RIDDLE is eminently qualified for the position, which, he has been called to fill; and he will:-have , the hearty coOpera tion of the Christian- Aiblic. He has tal ents, learning, experience; and industry: In, lineage, habits, taste, preferences, and theology, he is germane with the people_ who sustain the College; . Alentlemati who wa)itresent on the oc casion Of W 4 14 we speak, kindly furnishes us with the following : " After be little tribulation in making `my way through and,over the 'awful roads' leading > to Canonsburg, I was amply re warded by the privilege. of attending the inauguration of Rev. Dr. RIPDLA as Presi dent of Jefferson College; and • the annual contest betweein: the Philo and Franklin Literary Societies of that -institution, on Wednesday last. The inaugural diseourpe of Dr," R. was worthy of the man and the occasion. It was characteristically unpre tentious and simple; but was neat, classi cal, apt; and full of good sentiment and good feeling. It acknowledged in grateful terms the very, cordial reception which he had met from trustees, students, citizens, and`from the congregation of which he is also to be pastor. It expressed« the diffi dence with which he assumed an office which had been honored by so many wor thy predecessors, whose administrations were severally characterized in brief but appropriate terms. "The Doctor_ also referred to his own former connexion with the College as an alumnus and a tutor, to his consecration of himself -to Christ in an open profession of religion while yet a student, and to tbose more tender ties then formed; by which he was brOtight into the closest relationship with two .of the foimer Presidents. He then proceeded to set forth the great 'aim of a course of collegiate training, viz.: the 'raising up amen, good men, true men, fit. . ted for the ,exigences of their country and of the age; and he showed how each of the great 'departments of study required by the . College curriculum is adapted to this end. " The discourse was short but :compre-. mind the utnivalifiedt t corarr mendation of all who heard it. Dr. R. en ters on his work in a time of unusual de pression in the interests of the College, owing in part to the trying condition of the country, and the diminution of numbers produced by the volunteering of many of its students, and of one of its roost honored Proftesors. It is confidently believed, how ever that under the new administration of its ;Hairs, thus auspiciously inaugurated, Old Jefferson" will soon recover her for mer prosperity. Under the Presidency of one who, has ever avowed his hearty sympathy with the spirit of the Scotch- Irish Presbyterian element, so prorainent in this region of country—whose talents and scholarship fit him so well for the posi tion, and whose long experience as a pastor prepares him to care for the souls of tbe students and people to whom he will min ister, we cannot doubt that the institution will soon, prove itself worthy of the confi dence and affection of its numerous alumni: and friends: Upon no one could the man tle Ofthe Bnowtrs so appropriately have fallen as upon Dr:lt. " The exercises of the contest took 'plebe in the afternoon—a decided . improvement so far as geed order is concerned upon the old arrangement. I have been present on many similar occasions, and, have seldoin listened to performances whiah„ as a whole, were more creditable' to concerned than were- these. -I shall not Speak of these..performances in detail, except to say that the select orators exhibited more than usual powers in their line, but their pow ers were rather histrionie than elocution ary: 'Th& debate on the question, "Is a Science of ,Histori , - possible ri was very ably cOndUcted on both sides, and the. de feated ,champion owed his discotnfitfire morn to his, opponent's better cause and sti perier. elocution, than to any inferiority in skillful and perspicuons arguine4ation. The Pni,i4, on : this occasion, Carried - off nearly all, the htMors—more than they de. served in the hnmble judgment of the writer but , the able Judges were, no doubt, - better judges than hi, in such mat ters. . r EASTERN SUMMARY. NEW-ENGLAND. IN Olin last week's issue we briefly noted the4fact that the First Presbyterian church Boitofi, which was deeply in debt and likely te be lost to "our denomination,' was in a fair way of being secured. From our exchanges we gather. some additional par• - ticulars. - Rev Dr. , Delaney has assumed the obligatiens and taken a deed for' the property, " andd fun 6 are "'being raised in 4 , New-York and elsewhere, to relieve the property of its burden. It is then to be tringerred to the Trustees of the General Assembly. This arrangement has greatly revived the hopes and energies of the con gregation. A CORRESPONDENT of the Boston Re corder, mriting from the old Pilgrim town of . Plymouth, conimunicates some interest, ing —information respecting the revival Which -- occurred a year ago ..at. that place,- and testifies ' ` tothe good results of the awakening. About two hundred . persons have professed their faith in 4 Christ. 'A." union daily prayer -meeting' has been sus tained: and better , attended and more spiritual than, when it started. In the church of the Pilgrimage, five to seven, evening meetings are held every Week. The work of grace seems to be still pro greasing.- TELE 'Mu - MOUS REVIVAL in Fall River, Maas., is rSported as still preirailing with unabated, interest. MB FOLLOWING are announced as the charaCteristinfeatures of -the " First Cath olic Congregationd Church of Boston," about to be orffanized by"the soinewhat no torious author-of a new translation of the Scriptures: „ • "1. 'The 'church is designed to-be a school. of Biblical and moral science and will adopt Systematic and thorough conrses of instruction in the same, eitending through periods of not less than four'years.• 2. It will be an institution of, universal freedom - , and prescribe no