REV. DAVID ACKINNEY, Editor and Proprietor. N. I. N. M'KINNEY, ASSOCIATE EDITOR. TERMS IN ADVANCE. fiT mkt,. $l.BO LI F. II D IN MILER OP VIZ CITIES 2.00 or De L.:. ae. we will send by mall seventy numbers, Id 6.1 Ovs Dot.Lan. thirty-three numbers. p Worn sending us rwzmrs subscribers and upwards, will thereby entitled to a paper without charge. 'neViale+hould be prompt, a little before the year expires Send payments by safe hands, or by mall. Direct all letters to REV. DAVID M'KINNEY, Pittsburgh, Pa. (seiected. i Morning and Evening Hymns. BY BIBBOP HEBER A 'MORNING HYMN. Tn thee, 0 Lord, with dawning light., 'My thankful voice I 'll raise, Thy mighty power to celebrate, Thy holy name to praise ; For thou, in helpless hour of night, liast compassed my bed, And now refreshed with peaceful sleep, Thou latest up my head. Or knt me, 0 Lord, thy quickening grace Through this and every day; That. guided and upheld by thee, My feet may never stray. Inorease my faith, increase my hope, Increase my seal and love; And fix my heart's affections all On Christ and things above. And when, life's labors, o'er, I sink To slumber in the grave, In death's dark vale be thou my trust,. To succor and to save ; That, so, through him who bled - and died, And rose again for me, 46 The grave and gate of death?' may prove A passage home to thee. AN EVENING HYMN. Creator of the starry frame, Light of the souls that trust in thee, Jeans 1 ftedeemer. of mankind, To thee we gall on banded knee. Thou, when the tempter's arts prevailed, Did hasten down with tears of love, To shield sod save a ruined world, With health and.peace from heaven above. Exalted now, thy glorious power Extends through all immensity; And saints in heaven, and fiends in hell, Bow at thy name with trembling knee. To thee, 0 Judge of all, we look ; Grant us thy heavenly help, we pray. Guide us in life, and guard in death, And.shield us in the judgment day. For thine tha glory is and power, flrernal Sire,,etunal Son; Eternal Spirit, thine the praise, The Oue in Three, the Three in Gne. '• Glory be unto God In the highest." Amen, Halleluiah For the PresbytPria Banner. Renledy for our National Troubles() What is it? PRAYER. God says, "Call upon toe in the day of trouble, and I will dcliver thee." . Eueouraged by our late victories, and believing as some do that the rebellion is about " played out,". might tend to restrain prayer; ,but if we look at our preent condition, the prospects of Fitreign intervention, while we lksve 'great reusoilo to thank God, yet now it, is, witit us, the gulden hour," and the time 4 i to take courage," and pray on, and fight on with renewed zeal, until the rebellion is corn. pletely quelled, and the throne of civil power sustained. Let - us rejoice that we ttra cot "without remedy!' The disease, though bad, is not beyond cure. There is stilt balm in Gilead—there is still a Physi cian there, to whom =f we rightly apply, will heal us. 0 Lord, help us. Thou. art our refuge and strength in this " time of trouble." " Unto whom shall we .go but into thee." "Lord, save or we perish." PRAYER A MEANS OF POWER. What is earnest prayer? It is offering up our desires. to God, itt: Christ's panics, tor D . ings agreeable to his will, backed> by the use of all' God's appointed means to the blessing sought. " Prayer is no fie lion," no reverie; no,, it is' 'a quality. And, says . Phelps, it is literally, actually, and positively a means of power." " Iteis a link of counection between human'Mind and Divine mind, by which, through his infinite condescension, we may actually, move his will." It is not power itself, but the means of power. The orifice through the throttle connect, ing the boiler with the cylinder of a steam engine is very email, but it is an engine of tti•ghty power Gaze upon the Great East ern, an she lies upon the placid ocean. Not a wave to be seen--not a wheel or paddle in motion. All is calm and quiet. Lift the valve—the steam escapes,-.enters the cylinder, starts the piston, moves the huge clank, turns the ponderous wheel, andlif a moment all is in motion, and the mammoth steamer ploughs tbe mighty ocean' and heaves the very earth and all done simply by lifting a little valve. So is prayer; though apparently a weak instrumentality, it, is "mighty through God, to We pulling down of strong holds." Behold the earn est suppliant alone in his closet—there, upon his bonded knees, he lifts the valve of his heart; his' desires escape, secant God's throne, and move the powers of heav en and earth. It is the power of prayer. This is evident not only from the sutner ona cases of answered prayer, but because God -sops so. The Saviuur "If ye shall ask anything in my name, T will do it." "And alt things whatsoever ye shall ask in prayer, believing, ye shall receive: 1 he effeetuali fervent prayer of a righteous man availerh much: Jacob prayed, had power with God; and prevailed. Gaze upon the thrilling scene of Penuel, and mark the power of prayer..:; Jacob had supplant ed 14141 LU, and caused'his furious wrath-.-and murderous indignation to burn against and being afraid, fled to Paden-areal for'ref uoe After twenty years' absence he re turns, and finds Esau's revenge still burn ing against him; but he resolves to meet him, and to try' the power 'of prayer to effect a reconciliation. Having ,sie.pt •his family and fleas over the brook. Jabbok, retites alone, prays and wrestles with God, and prevails The heart of Esau is touched`, gives way, yields, and • his fratricidal re venge is turned to brotherly affection and love; and when they met, they embraced each other with a kiss. And if we will' pray and wrestle like Jacob, the direful re venge ,now existing between the North and Seuth will give way, and reconciliation and peace will follow:' PRAYER. SHUT AND OPENED HEAVEN. , Take a scene in. Israel. It is a time. of severe famine. Elijah, who seemed to carry the keys of heaven in his pocket, "prayed. earnestly that it might not rain; and it rained not for three years and six months." The heavens had become brass, and the earth iron. Not a, cloud darkens the 'ceru lean sky. and there is no sign of rain. Again, ; Elijah enters the -closet, bow#, the knee, heart;to God ttt. praterp•awir. a. i It'irtr+ cl:l x . ts. . I. gt.tt:,4lt :.... •:•14. -- . VOL. XI., NO. 50 suddenly a little cloud not bigger than a man's hand gathers, and thickens; the heav ens grow dark, the lightnings flash, thunder roars, " and the heavens gave rain." But in answer to the prayer of Elijah, God not only gave rain, but fire fell from heaven and consumed his sacrifice, and convinced four hundred heathen idolaters that Jeho veh is the Lord. At the prayer of Joshua the sun stood still in heaven. PRAYER SAVED NINEVEII.• Again, take the ease of proud, wicked, corrupt Nineveh, The " seller of nations," and all full of lies and robbery, they killed until there was no end of the dead. It was exceedingly wicked and corrupt, and God himself turns against it, and sends his prophet to warn them of their impending ruin. Jonah goes, perambulates the streets, crying, " And yet forty days, and Nineveh shall be overthrown." The alarm spreads, and the terror-struck, inhabitants begin to eagerly ask, What shall we do? Is there no remedy ?—no way, of escape? Must Nineveh, with all her glory and grandeur, be, destroyed in forty days ? Is it possible ? Has God ceased .to, be, gracious ? Is the day of grace over? and has the day of wrath begun ? Is our fatal doom inevita ily fixed ? Must we, all perish ? And again they hear the voice of the prophet pealing forth the awful sentences "And yet forty days, and Nineveh shall be over thrown." Cries and shrieks are heard throughout the city. Awful terror clothes every brow---fell despair sits 'upon every face and surges every heart. They pro- claim a national fast, and the king and all put on sack-cloth and .ashes, and decree that neither man nor heist should eat or driSk. ~Thus fasting and humbling themselves, they prayed—cried mightily unto God, turned from their evil ways, until God saw their good works, turned aside his fierce anger, and spared them some two hundred years, How encouraging this case! We have had three days, of national. fasting; and then encouraged by late victories, we have a day of thanksgiving. And now while we have great reason to thank God, we have stronger reasons to take courage, and go on, pray on, and f ight on, until the work is completed. Courage, brethren; let us take courage; follow:up the victories. - The re bellion, the quailing, still exists—though dying, not yet dead. A few more ,earnest prayers, and the struggle will be over and peace restored. What! do you expect to pray the rebellion down ? Yes. Without the use of the' means—without the army and navy ? No. Why then pray at all ? Pray, because earnest prayer always leads to earnest action. Prayer, faith and works always go together. It was said of an earnest general that be prayed as though God must do everything, and at the same time he acted as thougy he must do everything. himself. That is the right spirit. Pray and act. Back your prayers by earnest eprts. The Saviour prayed, " Thy king dum come," - and he lived, labored, suffered, died, rose,, ascended, and still intercedes for its coming; andritas come and is com ing. The:Apostles prayed for the cause of Übrist; and they labored, _suffered and died for backing their prayers by their works. Sinking Peter prayed, and he was, saved ihrongh means. Washington prayed, and victory crowned his efforts. Earnest prayer'_alwaya leads to earnest action and to success. Besides all this, THE HOLY SPIRIT INDICTS, THE PRAYER OF FAITH " The Spirit itself maketh intercession for us ." Air, in other words; the Spirit prays through the believer; or, in the lan guage of 'Dr. Chalmers, " "the man. whom He .prays foris the organ of his: prayer," a titi his flout " the channel" through which the. petition reaches .the throne of grace. And since the .Spirit is-omniseientand un erring,' he not dictate to the Chris tian to ask what , God isnot willing to give. For "he maketh intercession` for'the saints, accordinsr, to thewill of G-o(1.1"—Rom viii : 27. Therefore-God' the Father is the hear. er, because God the Spirit is the inspirer of prayer. Therefore, every prayer of faith will be answered, and consequently , prayer is a means of power, and - if we call upon God earnestly with faith, believing, he will deliver us.' have been lona. ~ praying. that the rebellion mighthe quelled.and the Government sustained,- and God has heard our 'prayers, and given us many signal vic tories: 'He has sent us. a few severe re verses and defeats, but they were necessary to rouse up and call forth the energies- of the North; and as God sometimes " answers' by terrible things," , (Pe. lay 5,) they may have heen, and no doubt were given, in answer to prayer. Then, encouraged•by the achieVements of the 'past and The pros pects-of the future, together with the great interests at stake both to the Church arid State, let us toil. on and-pray on, until these calamities be overpast. Opp CORRESPONDENT. - 'For the Presbyterian Banner Eicuses invalid. . The invalidity of etcuses &awn from the lives of 'Christians, appears from 'Sever al considerations.: • I. Religion - is a strictly personal-matter. Every man must be religious for himself or perish forever: The fact ; therefOre; that °titers 'neglect religion, or live unworthy of the profession they malte ; is no. excuse fbr any •one. The faults Or the neglects •of' others; will not save him. If:he would be wise, bet must be. wise for himself. By his o wn - personal.acceptance or rejectioit 'of the hope 'set before him, he must stand or fall. EtobraCe-Clant and you shall be saved.; reject him and you must perishforever. - 2. Each one must give account of him self to Gbd. The Christian must account for own conduct; and - the 'sinner too niust appear before the judgment - seat of ChriSt; and give account of himself to God.' He must be tried ; acquitted or condemned . fel. himself : The sina of others will not excuse him there. Reader, you bust an- - sive! . the charges regigtered against you; arid "-will . `you MAC that an excuse-here - which will not.svail - you . as suckrit - the oro.Gistir each one' mast bear his own punish= .No matter who niey perish, you wrist, if Oirri'd.out of Christ, bear your Own puniebtocnt. On yourself must lie---reeom pensed the sine you have committed ; and the defileOta of- which - you are guilty. The sufferingi'of others-will not alleviate your woes. Why-theri 'hazard your soul hecause others live u nworthily'? Let me entreat you thus to deceive -yoirrself no longer. Your soul is tin precidus-Io be sah th trifled-1 with. stial yotir lttio us n. No I=EM2I PITTSBURGH, WEDNESDAY, AUGUST 26, 1863. longer pray to be excused; but now flee to Christ—repent, believe, obey ! W. J. M. Nor the Presbyterian Deaner Parents, Speak Soft and Low. CAMP DISTRIBUTION, Aug. 12,1868. I know some houses, well built and hand somely furnished, where it is not pleasant to be even a visitor. Sharp, angry tones resound through them from morning till night, and the influence is more contagious than the diptheria, and much more to be dreaded in a household. The children are liable• to catch the disease, and if they do, it will last for life. One of.our friends has such a neighbor within hearing of his house, (when doors and windows are open,) and even their little daughter has caught the tune, and delights in screaming and scolding so annoyingly that she has been sent by her parents into the country to im prove her habits. Children are more liable to catch cross ' tones than parrots. Where a parent sets a bad example, you will scarcely hear a plea sant word among the children in their plays, with each other., The discipline of such a family is always weak and irregular. • The children expect just so much scolding, be fore they will do, anything 'they,are.bii ; whereas in a home where the low r firm tone of a mother, or a decided look of a father's steady eye, is law; they never think of dis obedience either in or out ofaight. Oh I mothers and fathers, it is worth a great deal to cultivate that excellent thing in you, ,a low, sweet voice. If you.are,evcr so much tried or grieved by the mischievous or wilful pranks of your children, speak low. It . will be a great help to you to even try to be patient and cheerful, even if you cannot wholly succeed. Anger makes both you and your children wretched. Why then not speak kindly to your children ? Impatient, angry tones never did the heart any good, but doubtless much harm. Read what Solomon says of angry. words, and remember he wrote with an inspired pen. You cannot have the excuse that 'they lighten your burdens; they make them heavier. For your own sake, as well as that of others; learn to speak pleasantly. Your children will remember that tone when your heads are under the willows, and your bodies cold beneath the clods. So, too, would •they, remember- a harsh and angry voice. Which legacy will you leave them 7 A SOLDIER. Letter from Delegate of the Christitm Com- mission. GEN'L HEADQVAIXTERE, ARMY OF THE POTOMAC, Near Warrenton, Va., Aug. 8; 1863. Mr. Joseph. Albree, Treasurer of the Christian Coin %mission, Pittsburgh SIR : 7 .4 wrote you a few days since, giv ug an account of our capture and recap EEM We are now. located at. General Bead quarters, three-miles from Warrenton Juno tion. I remain in charge of the Station There are• nosrwith us six or eightdele gates at this Station engaged in distribut ing reading matter to the soldiers, and ,in attending to their wants .generally. Mr. J. B. Miller, of, the 'I heologioal Seminary, Allegheny, and the Rev. Mr. Ritchie of Beaver County, are,with us, and are doing good service. The soldiers receive us gladly, and it re 'oiees their hearts to know that the Chris- tiara community at home think of them and' their wants. But few of the regiments now haie Chaplains. Soldiers have told me they have .not" heard a sermon for 14 months, for 10 months, for 9 months, for 7 months. Here at General Headquarters, they look upon us very kindly, and semi to think we belong to the army, to them. They are grateful to .usc we have secured their confidence - and respect. Prayer-meet, tings are non held every evening at our tent, for the soldiers, which are well attend ed and full of -interest; they unite with us in addressing the meetings and in calling upon the Throne of Grace.; such' earnest ness in prayer ':I have seldom witnessed. I wasF called , upon yesterday to, know if we had any more of the Soldiers' Hymn Books —they wanted to form a choir for the nleet ings. Could the Christian. community. at: home see with what gratitude these poor soldiers receive what we have to give; see how they enjoy the means of grace provided for them, it would gladden their hearts.' - Nothing seems to please them more than the little " Housewives," which are small bags containing needles, pins, thread but tons, yarn, &c. Most of them contain also a letter to the poor soldier which he is ex pected to answer; sometimes a sheet of !Ja per with a stamped envelope enclosed. These letters are read with a great deal of. interest, and, they generally answer them, thanking the donor. As many as fifteen or twenty have around the tent at one time, begging'for tr little thread or buttons to mend their clothes; 'tis seldom they cein buy these articles of the sutlers. In their appeals they have ehown me hey des titute they, were ; their ingenuity in the use a substituteS ,is amusing. On tomorrow (Sabbath,) we have preach ing at 10 A. M: and• at 3 P. N. Near us is:the 46 Ring," in which pris oners are put under guard until they are sent to Washington, which is done every two or three days. Among theni' now is the Rev. John V. -Pugh, pastor- of•-the presbyterian church•at:Warrenton, former,. Ay a Lieutenant .in the Rebel army. We have supplied them with testaments,'relig ious newspapers, writing paper, envelops; medicine, &c. 'Tis more than they ex pected, and they say we' show the true ' Christian spirit. Some of them have ta ken the oath of allegiance ;,,others would', but fear to do so lest theßebel army should return,= and they. 'be unprotected. ,Could, our peopletat Thorne; who sit under.' their own vine and fixtree, with none. to molest . nor malee.them afraid, .see the desolation' of. this part of;th'is. country, their'hearts amid: be:drawn outiri gratitude to the . Giver of; all good; for their home enjoyments.' It is theintentioreof the Christian Com- . miesien r , establish a, ,Station near the headquarters of every corps in the army of the 'POtaniojnani which read i fig - Mat- , tier Will be siferplied; and wbore;''prayer- -) meetings and Preaching will 'be . held; and: the wants ; of the soldier - , temporal and apir., itual, be provided for as far as,poseible, The Christian, community heed only to, know the wants 'of the array and the grati; tude with whielctle&soldiers' receive-these, favors, to, inducestheml to contribute still mere, largely toward -1 sup ply ng . the wants, of oer , trae ..imitpkaald brave soldier bays: leek t*«"di N tri<lisaii:im* , piii*l 3 tit : 436: .11 ,V..Anh,1413 al .72,."7,7. friends of the soldier be laid upon the al tar, and God will bless both giver and re ceiver. As I am finishing this letter, a soldier insists upon my sending home his contri bution to the Christian Commission. En closed please find it. J. B. D. M. EUROPEAN CORRESPONDENCE. Convocation of Chrietians at Barnett—The .Rev, IF. Pennefather--Ris Invitation and the Reasons Thereof—Subjects Discussed—Silint Prayer and its Power—The Queettand Brutalizing Sports— Pauperism and PopeTV--ne :Covenanters De fended by the Edinburgh ' Review—Death of a .Decendant of the Scots iVorthies—The New-York Riots—The Daily News Thereon-4fiscellaneous. LONDON, Aug. 1, 1868. A CONCERT FOR PRAYER, mu tu a l Inter course among Christians, and the building up of one another word and work of the Lord, has been beta this week at Bar nett, a town about twenty miles North , of London. This is the seventh concert of a similar kind, which has been -held at the same place. It has not only originated in revival times;-but it has largely promoted and advanced, the ' cause of true spiritual progress all over the kingdom. Its chief promoter is the Rev. William Pennefather, a clergyman of the Chitral, of England— not occupying the parish Church and liv ing, .but a distinct Church , within . the par ish of Barnett. -Mr. Pennefather ,belongs, to an old Irish Protestant family, was, edu catedat Trinity College, Dublin, and after wards came to England. He is a man of singular levingness,.earnestness, good sense, and piety. His very appearance, ai yell as his prayers,, address, ; and conversation, in-, dicate ..-kindness, and. goodness of heart., He is surrounded by eminent lay Church, men of devoted piety, including Captain Trotter, who has been for years an evan gelical laborer in all that is good, and in . Paris as well as London, has effected great results. He, , 'with Mr. Blackwood , (the husband of the young = Dowager Duchess' of Manchester)r—who also was present at Bar nett Conference—excels..in, the. exposition and preaching of that. Wor - of •Life which seems to have, saturated their moral •nature,- and make them admirable andmuph-blessed alike to. _a company of, true -believers, to a body of railway lahorers, or yillagers 141 a lea ' school-house, orhern, or to. a crowd of the West-end Londhners on Saturday after noons, met to hear , , one , nr_ other of them preach the .GosPel, Willes's..Rooms, St. James' Square. Mr. Pennefather always hitting an annual circular, inviting ChristiarertC the coming Conference. In the last circular, - he says of the , six Conferences already held, he re counts the blessings received: I know that God has used theut for the conversion of sinners, for the edification and cement ing togetheir in love of his saints, and for the honor of his holy word. Laborers from distant parts of the- lord's , vineyard, have met together , te recount - the triumphs of the Cross, ine the faithfulness - oftheir God. Brethren Who - had n't; , erfooked one another in the face have at once recog nized their family relationship. . Burdened hearts have found relief in , prayers that have entered 'within- the veil`; and new born soulslave poured forth.their gratitude' in .songs of. praise that have vibrated; through the Courts of Heaven, and, found an echo in the breasts of, those who, ab sent front the body' are ' present with the Lord.' ' The claims' of , distant churches, and of our Isolated missionaries, have been, presented at the Throne of Grace;, and while.the Holy` Spirit has made . interces sion in us, the saute. DiVine Comforter has ministered to the souls for whom we Prayed, the consolations which they needed.' The meetings of the Conference are held 'in a large iron church, beautiful and com modious, in'the midst of perk scenery, and close by Mr. Pennefa ther's church, in which, always.at the close, of each Corfer enee, there is a unique and reinarkably catholic and'devout, commemoration, in a common participation of the Lord's Sup, per, of the decease accomplished at Jeru salem. This year the attendance has beep larger than ever before; men of different nations were - present from afar, and every , branch of the Church catholic, .add'" male and female, too-L'alt one in Christ Jesus— had their representation, and here as here tofore, God has in his great'mercy . 80 blended soul with soul, that nationalit.es and Churches 'have been lost sight of in the felt power of theloving'Comforter As reasons for such a convocation, the good clergyman. had truly said , in his cir cular: "In the present circumstances of the world and of the Church of . God, there m sees to be alortder call than ever for' us to unite in prayer' and praise.- How fear ful is the destruction of human life in America! How heaving with commotion are the kingdoms of Italy, Austria, Russia and Prussia! How lamentable is the po sition of Spain hind - how,darkly and si lently is the poison of infidelity and super stition flowing does ' our own land! How peculiar does the position of our wid owed Sovereign, and that Of the youthful heir to the throe°, claim our prayerfel sympathy, and how even, the very elect' are in danger of heing carried away by false brethren.' . - "But are there not streaks of light imong,, the clonds, which tell of 'the coming day Isnot the Gospel preached as a Witne s s hitherto unvisite d':regions of the earth? Is not the Lord quickly accompliShingii* number of the elect; and hastening his kingdom * ? And !nay . we:not hope that the time to favor 2ifin is 'near, seeing % that many' , take pleasure in her stones and , favor. the dust thereof F" . Thiii Conferences-1 were preeeded , by, a prayer-meeting on'thevTuesday evening.of the, present' week, . and then followed ~n three successive days the,,meetinge, them-, selves, beginning at P;' M. Between these two 'great'.'githerinia-:there werecin tents and elsewhere, Meetings- of a smaller eharacter, for social' intercourse; prayer; and mutual • edification. -At • the• more'putilienssenillies, three 'topics' guided the 'expositions of thcie:'whe 'spike from the Word of God': First, The-faint:ea and preciousnesi „of the' written Word; (Luke xiiv-i, 44)- j'Stiewidly, The' person and glory of' the Wbril 'lncarnate,- as •unfolded by • the Holy Spirit, (3hlurritvi : 14;45) Thirdly, The duty of 'the ploy every talent w ith reference to eternity, (Matt. xxv : 27-2 W) t was present on one of these occasions. The - eynnfne one of theloveliest, the flimieis'deekad the lawn-andgrounds of' the parsonage,'an 11 around"was th`erich uplanda'and ineatfow4 and '-hatveat fields—almost ripe 'l(ii the siCArle , ; , -Of'nne :of the rielteittaiftien4 /inddltitik4:4:-'‘PW6& ttif Cal ;;t; 71.7 i 1,=1; upper ranks and of the humblest, were all lovingly intermingled ; songs of praise were led by two young ladies, daughters of Captain Trotter; written requests for prayer were read out by Mr. Pennefather, and after each, the whole assembly bowed itself for silent supplication. This brief united, silent appeal to the Father of mercies was most impressive. Would that it were fre quently practiced in all our assemblies 1 We depend too tench on the vocal utter ances of man, and, formalism comes in with 41 much speaking;" but in this kind of prayer, froth a thousand hearts at once, and as arrows go up the sighs and supplications of the people of God—concentrated and intense. Surely he who heareth prayek, hears such sighs and marks such prayers. Tau QtrFEN, has once more, been exert ing her influence for," good. Ever since Biondin, the'lreneh Canadian acrobat, ap peered in this . conritry, the public taste has lxieri.injurednnd corrupted. by the 4f:sense don:" and, perilous style of amusements. Many, also f baY.e been the imitators of Blon din, and most of them have cothe'to grief. Athong these was a woman, Who, with her husband's consent and as a Bonne of profit,- was engaged ,to walk across algreat- space in Aston Park, Birnainghath,. on ; a rope sixty feet high. It was a part of the pro-. gramme of amusements got "up at, the an nual festival of the Odd'-Fellows Associa• tion—working men, associated . for -mutual benefit fund purposes, bringing their wives and friends with them. Such a fete. is held annually at the grounds of the, Crystal Palace in Sydenham. No danger was' ap prehended to the• woman, "Maclaine Gene:. vieve f' but after erosaing the rope twice, when a sack was-put on her head that she might walk blindfold over,the rope, sud denly the' rope,enapped asunder, .(not visi bly, but inwaidlk rotten;) ani falling to the ground, she: was instantly killed. In the levity of the:people, this awful incident was ere , long, forgotten, and, the revels pro ceeded. Public indignation and grief have s•Poken out through a unanimous press, and now' the Queen's letter to the Mayor of Airrningham will effectually and —perma nently put down this kind of disgusting performance. The letter, as dictated by the QUeen as follows:, " ()enemas, July 25, 1863. :—The Queen has commanded me to express to you the pain with which , her Majesty has read the account of ,a fatal ac cident which has occurred during a fete at Aston Park,at Birmingham., "'Her Majesty cannot refrain from 'mai log known through you her personal' feel ings of horror that one of her subjects—a fentale—shmild have been sacrificed to the gratification or the demoralizing taste s un fortunately prevalent, for exhibitions at tended with. the greatest danger to the performers. " Were any pitoof - wantingAbat such ex hibitions are demoralizitm, I ani commanded to remark .that it, would be at once found in the:decision arrived at to continue ,the festivitie.s, the -hilarity,, and the sports of the occasion after an event so melancholy. ' " Tbe4Queen trusts than you', iti common with the rest of the townspeople of Bir mingham, use .your ,infinpuce:to pre vent in future the degradation to such ex hibitions of the" Park, which was gladly opened by her Majesty and the beloved Prince Consort in the hope that it would be made serviceable for the healthy exer cise amkrational recreation of the people. 4 , I have the honor to be, sir, your most obedient bitable servant, • 46 The Mayor of Birmingham." The Mayor of Birmingham replied ; ex plaining that, when his name• was given as• patronising the .fete, he was not aware 9f the-intention to have this kind of per formance, declaring that Aston Park should be preserved for such purposes as the la mented- Prince Consort would have sane ,tioned, and expressing the hope that public opinion would finally and forever extin guish this species of entertainment. PAUPERISM AND POPERY have al ways been assobiated in Europe, and Italy as well as Ireland has been a land of beggars. The pressure of Censtitutionalism in its neighborhood is 'beginning - to tell UpOn Rome itself, as well as on those parts of Italy, now under the sway of Victor Em: manuel. The following is , the statement of an Italian correspondent :of Times :. 44 The telegraph brings' us newsy which , 'must bythis time have equally reaehed E ng land,' by whiCh we are led to expect to see an end pie to mendicancy in its - very head quarters, at Rome. Wonders will never cease. ' The hackney-coachmen -of Piaui di Spagna have been. subjected to a - fixed tariff, neither More - nor less than those of civilized places. The turn now comes' for the beggars, those picturesque beggars, who so greatly endeared the residence - of the SeVen Hills to"strangers of a sentimental cast of mind. The Pope is determined to wage war against' . vagrancy." Alien vasit bonds are to be, shown out at the frontier ; native paupers are to wear a badge entitling them to appeal to privatabenevolence; for the reit, begging is to be'at an end in the churches, the houses, the streets, and pub- lie establishments. The whistle of the loco- Motive is working its wonted effects.on the Vatican. The Pope feels the neeeiiity of owning to terms with the Spirit of the age. Bien' the rhurchl-;-that Church of Rome' to` which InendicanCY owei;:i:r net its rise,' at least its'increment, becomesaivare of the necessity of undObig , its• own ."liork z—or' at least of declaring its intention. to Undo it. So : Much for laws and edicts; So‘ much - far fine words and professions.'`: Practically; however Vi i. aria be found diffianit to disso'- elate Papatßaine'frorn 'the heat of tattei demalkons whieblias constituted the body guard of the' Papacy from its•earliest'inai. Wien. It' will hardly- be possible, and, indeed- hardly reasonable for -the disciples of, y r ancis of Assisi to plaim a monopoly, of the right of` betrging. Praying fur alins mmit'net be a pritilage - erthe mendi 2 . cant monks, and the. priesthoOd Would - in" vain- strive,:_ to wean. a .brutified populace , from.,those: grovelling , habits which have fieen•hallowed by their precepts and prae-. dee hr centuries, and which they are not really to discontinue themselies. , g4 ' WO against pauperism has been stren uously Waged here and there , in the prin cipal °Weer of free. help; beggers, as I haveoften had occasion to, ,tell you, have alniOst 'entirely disappelred from ' Milan, Tiniiii, - Gerioarand •Boloint ; - hut' the` evil is still very far indeed from a radical; cure even in-Northerogtalpit-rages-in all its unmitigatedlrideousnoitssidur We lilomagna liptio.l. stizPititidinliAitB...wstJom.47 06 V of f <ticiprli ..1 -- " : . Lia , ..'MKrrov r; ~,•_. . x...". 1., e,' , atif ohurches "and sanctuaries—wherever the influence of Rome was longest and busiest at work, wherever superstition cast its deepest roots." THE COVENANTERS of Scotland, we all know, were the excellent of the land, and attempts to injure their memories, or to deny the reality of their martyr sufferings, (as in the case of the young girl Wilson, and another, droWned by being tied to stakes below watermark,) have utterly failed, and recoiled on their Tory-Jacobite and Semi-Papiat traducers. The 'Edin burgh Revi , to has a.powerful article re- viewing a pamphlet by a Scottish Advo cate, iViark Napier, marked by recklessness in his hate d of the good and great cause, which mak:•a him an easy preyto the lion thiit pounces on him. By suela literary re viling amimisreprusentation ' Professor Agton and men Of that . school will never succeed in toiling the world believe that Ciaiverhause'was the pink of chivalry and honor, or that Montrose was ought Wit a cruel persecutor and while- smiling and. courtly was any better.than an exterminator of God's humble saints At: such a time as the present, it is good to be reminded of the services of those who " lived::obseure," "Till persecution raised them unto fame, • And chased them up to heaven." Tourists in the Summer months ()Chimes visit the moorlinds of Fenwiek in the South of Scotlaled, and the farm-house of Lochgoin r in that parish. There has lived for many years,,andthere has•recently died, Thotnas H.,wie, the son of John Howie, author of Scot's Worthies, a book Which is foinia in many a home, where the stock of literature id small. He lived to the age of eighty-seven, his• days having been spent in quiet and peace, presenting a striking contrast to those of his ancestors. In the persecuting days. Loehgoin was plundered twelve times—each time the 'people es caped. On one occasion they were forced to hide a Dumber of • coins in the moors; which lay undiscovered for more than a century. The coins are still preserved, ; shown to visitors along with the Fenwick flrtg, which fluttered in the breeze on the fields of Bothwell, Bilsythe, and. Drutuclog. °apt - Patou's Bible, his, sword, and the drum and drutu.sticks used" by his follow. ers, are also preserved. The R:ev. Dr. SiMpson, in Ms Gleanings among the Mountains, says that "the family of Lochgoin has subsisted on the spot for about 700 .years, and came originally as refugees from some of the Waldensian or Piedmontese valleys in the, days of eonti- nental perpecution. No fewer then nine: and•twenty persons of the name of John Howie or Hoy,.have occupied the place in their successive generations." THE PEOPLE who confided in the Times, and, in Mr. Spence of_ Liverpool, and, ven tured their money „in the Confederate loan, are smarting sCverely." The stock went down -within the ' list Week to 16 or , More belaw par. It has rallied a little, in con cert with the recovery of,the general money market.. S,,,,rue. say that in case , of peace, the Federal Government will probably,rec ognize this or kindred engagements of the Confederates. Suictov.s bave been fret:plant of lae. One of the Queen's. servants threw herself down from one oE - the towers of Windsor. Castle. THE INDIAN, - REVENUE is flourishing. The =emit for the year . 1862,3, was £47,- 247,000, leaving a net surplus of £1,280,- 000. Mea,ures 'are being adopted of a sanatory chafacter. to-retinae the Mortality among European soldiers in India. The cultivatien of tea in India l is now likely to be vastly extended. The Times' Corres pondent at Gilcutta says "Never has an English Budget been re 6rived with so much interest in. India as- Mr. Gliidsrene's. The reduction of the tea-duty nearly one.third'at a time when all the available land at the , foot and on -the slopes of the Himalayas, for : a' length of 1.500 is being covered with the tea plant, promises to give an inipetus to tea cultivation whibh will soon enable India to meet. the increased -consumption in Eng laud, and ultimately take its place beside China and before Japan. We generally estimate the annual export of tea frcim In dia at about two and a half millions of lbs., or •just- half what Japan exported - in the yiar ending July, 1861. Mr. Fortune says that hund:eds of miles of the finest tea land lie waste in Japan, and that the tea producino- capabilities of that country 'are practically: inexhaustible. But'lndia has in its favor a still greater extent, of tea land, .the absence of political difficulties, the capital and skill of Anglo-Saxon set tlers, the advantage‘of being a dePendency of England,-and greater proximity to the European market. You must not judge of what India can do, by what it has hitherto done. In the nine months during which Lord Canning's land ; rules were in force,. thousands of acres'werepurchased; and 'are only now being covered with the indiginous Assam plant. There is a perfect furore for the formation of tea ,companies with ! lira ited' liability, and scrip is hardly put on, the market when it' riSes to 50 - peecent: - -pretnium. All •the schemes now afloat are sound if the matiagef on the spot is . able or trustworthy. That' is' the sole _condition of success .for even the labor difficulty is-now being overcome." WE HAVE msgniieent harvest weather. All the drops are splendid.' nlt is a , great, deliverance for the farthing interest, which suffered terribly , for three past year's. ,Ire land. was' thereby impoverishe,dt to. the ex, tent of millions. , " C. B. PHIPPS WHOLE NO. 570 THE LTBRkRY of: the late Mr.: Buckle, author of 1" The, Ilistory of Civilization,". containing 20,0P0 volumes, has ; been sold far upwards of xiB4o. Many of the books' had been enrinlied byrnarginaantm tations. A copy of Aclani:Sreith'i Wealth cif Nations 'sold for ,Zl2. TIE :AIITUMS= of this year thelFrench Empress is to make•a•pilgrinaage to Pales- IN Tux . course. tw % t o 3r , months. with exception of the me tunnel through the ppeninee at Monza, Naples 'eotiL ne wed btrailivrty . witki3ologne, Miliurand TEE Royal Society have elected two for , eign 'nowhere—Professor Kummer; Of Berlin, for his diseove_iea ja i the theory,,of numbers, and in partioular.for the concep tion and development of ideal numbers`; iMA'piofe;e4or S t sei3 stidp, of Copenha4en. whose' the' well khovrn• Naturalist; works on theialteration of gimerktionsiab d ther „Zoo , EAtii-4#3-PAPtedej•A‘E*Atelisairr- THE PRESBYTERIAN BANNER' Publication Office : GAZETTE BUILDINGS, 8411nran BT., Prireavass, Pi: RECTARTIPRIA, SOUTR-IFIST Cos. OW 7TR AIM OMMUNVII ADVERTISEMENTS. TERMS IN ADVANCE. . A Square, (S lines or less,) one insertion, 00 omits; each subeequent insertion, 40 cente ; each hue beyond eight, 6 eta A Square per quarter, $4.00; each line additional, 88 cote A REDiTCTION made to aulvertisors by the year. DIMNESS NOTICES of TAN Ones or lass, $l.OO each ad hue, 10 cents. REV. DAVID M'KJNNEY, netted with the history of man, are greatly esteemed. The list of fifty foreign mem bers of the Royal Society is thus once more completed. J.W. Indneements to Attend Prayer-Meeting. 1. That you may draw down blessings upon your country, the world, the,ehurch, your family, and your own soul. 2. That you may help* to revive the church, and cause it to flourish, increase, and grow. 3. That you may encourage your pastor, and render , his ministry powerful, unction al, and efficient. 4. That you may comfort, assist, ar.d stimulate your fegow-members. 5. That you may be useful to souls, to sinners intbeir conversion, backsliders in their restoration, and saints in their edift cation. _ t. That yob. may resist and conquer Satan, both as a seducer and an accuser. 7. That you may rise above business while in it, and live above the world while passing through it. 8. That you may stimulate and make a good impressiOn ;upon dull, heavy, sleepy professors; let them see you go ntgularly to the prayer• meeting, and there plead with God for them.. 9. That you may see the Word of God =ire effectual in the conversion of many sinners to-Christ. 10. That you may be happy in your own soul, enjoying the testimony of an honest conscience, and a Divine. ialeSsing on: the means of grace. Would you please God, and obtain the testimony - that Enoch did ? Then, go' to the prayer•meeting, and -by earnest prayer hearty praises, and cooperation with the saints, honor -him whose grace has distinguished you from those around you. Dane' ig ".A.. time to dance "-Eccles. iii :4. On this passage an ingenious writer inquires : 1; What is the right time ? 2. Is the text a command, permission or declaration? 3. What kind of dancing does the text intend? To avoid mistake, -I have consulted every passage in the Bible. The most important xv : 20, and xxxii : 19 ; Judges xi : 34, and xxi : 21; Ist Sam . . xviii : 6; 24 Sam. vi : 14-20 Psalm xxx : 11, and :3; job xxi : 7--11; Jar. xxxi : 4; Matt. xi : 17, and xiv : 6; Luke xv : 25. From all of which it appears : 1. That daticin - 4,was a religious act; both in true, and also in idol worship. 2. That it was practiced exclusively on joyful occasions, such as-natural festivals, or real victories. 3. That it was performed on such great occasions only by one of the sexes. 4. That it was performed usually in the day-time in the open air,in highways, fields j and groves. .s, 5. That men who peryerted dancing from a sacred use, to purposes of amusement, $ were - demi-Jed itifinious. 6. That 'n o instances of dancing ire found upon recordirt the Bible, in which the two sexes • united" in , the exercise, either as at act .of worship or amusement. 7. That there are no instances upon Tee, ord in the Bible of social dancing for thTliiti& ment, except 'that of "the vain fellows, void , of shame, alluded to by Michael; of the irreligious families: described by job,„ : which produced increased and : ended in destruction ; and of the w9rthles, daughter of Herodias, which terminated` the rash voir of Herod and the Murder of John theißaptist. Be Religious in. Eviry Calling Sometimns when some Of you have been stirred up by a sermon, you have come to me and said : tg:Mr. Spurgeon, - could Igo to China •? Could Lheconie a rnissiouary?.7 Could I become: a minister . ". ; In vely s many ca es the.breihren who offer are ex 7 ceedia'g,ly iinfit'for any service of theltind j , for they have i'ery little gift'of expressioe' t very little natural genius, and no adapts?: tion , for such, 4.work, and ',have constantly.. and freque,ntly. to say, •,‘ My !fear brother, be consecrated to Christ in your daily call bag.; do nol,Seek to take a spititifril WiCe%; but spiritualize yob'. common office: the..cicibbter - -•can consecrate his latistone, while,,many a minister,has- desecrated, hid_ pulpit.. , Tsha , ploughman can put his hand: to' the .:plough in as bolya manner as act., did minister to the sabfamental bread. dealing with your ribbons and your grocer-- handling your. brieks and your jackj. planes sou.can be as truly priests to God' as were those who slewr the bullocks and burned them With the holy fire in the days of yore. This old fact needs to be brought, ontagain. We do not so much wanegreat. preachers as good upright traders; it. is not' so much deacons and elders we long for, as, it is to have ,rpen who are, deacons for Christ in common life, and are realty elders. of Church in their ordinary conversa tion. Sirs, Christ did not come into the world to take all-fishermen from their nets, though,he did take, etre •;,,,nor to call all !p,ublicans fronillie receipt of custom, though lie did call one; he did not Come to make every Martha into a Mary, though he did bless a , Martha and a Nary too. He would ;have you,to,be housewives still ; be sisters of plerey. in_ your own 'habitations. He ,WOuld 'hoe you be traders, 'buyers and tiellers, workers end toilers still ; for the end :of Christianity is not to make preacheri, , but .to: mate holy men ; the preacher is but 'the, tot; he may, be sometimes but the. scaffold of the house, but ye are God's has band ' ' .ry ; .yeare:Gods building ;.ve in y our commen'attiiiiiind common deeds are they who - are tO:serve God.--Spurgeon. should nut a mau that would die at all, be as willing at thirty or forty,i.v God, secs, lit, as , seventy or eighty? } Length. of time . cloth not con quer corruption; it net•er sittersand decays througlf age. Except- we receive' ail 'addi titin-Of grace; as - well as tithe, we naturally grow worse-. " 0 -In 6911.4deparrin peace I" As..thou wouldst , pot .desire an unlitnited estate in wea.th or honor' so desire it not in point of dke: - ''llow many 'of the - pre- Clone ifervantKif sod; of all ages and places, have gonnzt:before .theel', Thou art not to enter an untrodden path, por- appointed firstrtO break, the ice., li.lacept . Enoch and whiCh L ef the saints have escaped death?``And - art better than they? There - :afe• 'many milliolfs:"of taints , dead, morathanmowiremainl on the earth, What Azolimbon 9f Aim s awe bosom friends and .cfrpaAin i nß Vtity, are now gons,,and why ihniddallhou 186'W-fallow r4Beiter. ; 4 , ;i,11.1t4.11 o•lia tv PROPRIZIOR AND PUBLII3IIII
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