ItEV. DAVID M'KINNEY,
Editor awl Proprietor,
REV. I. N. 7sl'Kl NEV, ASSOCIATE EDITOR.
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REV. DAVID M'KINNEY,
Pittsburgh, Pa.
There Comes a Time.
'here conies a time when we grow old,
And liken sunset down the see
lope gradual, and the night Wind cold
Comes whispering sad and chillingly ;
And locks tire gray
As Winter's day,
id eyes of saddest blue behold
The leaves all weary drift away,
And lips of faded coral say,
There comes a time when we grow old.
ire comes a time when joyous hearts,
Which leaped as leaps the laughing main,
dead to all save memory,
As prisoner hi his dungeon chain;
And dawn of day
Math passed away,
The moon hash into darkness rolled,
And by the embers wan and gray,
I hear a voice in whisper say,
There comes a time when we grow old.
Lore comeas, time when manhood's prime
Is shrouded in the mist of years,
id beauty, fading like a dream,
Hath passed away in silent tears ;
And then how dark !
But oh I the spark
That kindled youth to lines of gold,
Still burns with clear and steady ray,
And fond affections, lingering, say,
There comes a time when we grow old.
There comes a lime when laughing Spring
And golden Summer cease to be,
And we put on the Autumn robe,
Tread the last declivity;
But not the slope,
With rosy Hope,
Beyond the sunset we behold,
Another dawn with fairer light,
While watchers whisper through the night,
There is a time when we grow old.
For the Frosbitozian Bawler.
Soldier life.
MESSRS. EDITORS :—ln compliance with
wishes of many readers of the Banner,
?ressed to me in various ways, I tender
you some more of my communications
im the army. It is gratifying_to know,
A for the long time that my articles have
en missing, they have also been missed.
It would be a long story, to tell your
‘ders where I have been, with the Itegi
,t, since I last wrote you. I shall not
erta ke the task. I shall be satisfied / if
;an convey to them an idea of our present
Ality. There aro so many places that
ive all their importance and all their
;oriety from the presence and the doings
the army, that it is difficult to convey,
the aid of ordinary maps, any idea of
;r locality and position. Nor is it very
irtaut. We are south of the Rappa
neck, at any rate, and between it and
Rapidan, and south of the Orange and
:xandria railroad, not far , from Kelly's
..d, and not far from Brandy Station.
o arc in a camp lately occupied by a Di
;ion of the enemy.
_ _
I t will not impair,' trust, my well-estab
!lied reputation for loyalty ; if I let the
Idere, know, that I am "at home" in a reb
cabin ; that I. am Bitting in a rebel chair,
lontiscated" to loyal use, a week ago;
my writing table is a rebel bread-
u•d, with some of his dough hardened
d adhering to it; and that I dip my pen
a rebel inkstand, which I found in a
)el quarter-master's forsaken shanty.
The enemy had evidently overrated the
lune° of their late offensive movements.
iy had mistaken the meaning of our ret
;rade strategy. And, presuming on the
eness of the season, on the damage in
ited by them on the railroad, they placed
:ouple of brigades in the small ruts at
)pahannook Station, and established the
inter quarters of a large number of troops
this vicinity. The region was populated
them. Their log and board cabins were
sated in pleasant places, near to supplies
wood and water. These structures are
Lsually well-built; the roofs are goner
water-proof; the fire-places are excel
,; the chimneys draw well.
The advance of our army, over whose re
:at from the Rapidan the enemy indulged
much premature glorying, has changed
-y considerably the Winter prospects of
reb,3l army of Virginia. Our uncere
ious occupation of their places of de
at the Rappahannock, obliged them,
they prudently thought, to vacate their
eeB of abode there; and, while two
)usand of their number have been sup
ed with better quarters in Washington,
balance, not relishing the near neigh
-hood of Yankees, fled in terror to the
or side of the Rapidan. Our troops are
‘upying their cabins; glad that they
the trouble to build them, and even
,c glad that they occupied them so
at a time. By moving and modifying
;rn, they have got them into shape and
dtion, altogether suited to their taste.
How long we shall sojourn here, he would
a keen prophet that could tell. As to
ijectures, I express none; it is a princi
with me, that every man can do his own
;swing. Old soldiers make their gnar
ls as comfortable as they can, as long as
ly stay in them. "rising up" is at
le a business and a recreation, as soon
they halt. They prepare, as if they
.11 going to stay; and when they go, it
without a murmur, and, apparently, with
', a regret. I have often wondered
ather they feel any reluctance on leaving
leasant camp; they never express any.
principle of obeying orders, seems to
;orb, or overlie, all -personal emotions
a good soldier's bosom. Last Sab
morning, after five days of toil bad
the camp and quarters in fine condition,
iplete and clean, an " order" came, to
ready to move at short notice. A few
lutes after, I went through all the regi-
It, distributing religious papers. I
,nd the men shaking and folding their
nkcts, arranging their rations, packing
it knapsacks, as calmly as a housewife
ild go about her daily routine of what is
ed "morning wqrk.' Not a murmur
heard, nor a sorer look seen. When
were " ready to move," they were
Lay to stay, and every thing resumed its
linary appearance; men were reading,
fitting, writing, as though no orders had
13 given, for a week; or were expected
a month.
Such are some of the results of disci-
ne and habit, among old and good troops.
cannot yet cease to wonder at and admire
I have seen the soldiers wakened at
niFht, and on the road in fifteen min
;. I have seen them cheerfully leaving
1r snug quarters at dark, in the midst of
thunder-storm and torrents of rain. I
Sr r e .1
t cv li aititer
tr
•
VOL. XII. NO. 12
have seen them marched from camps to
bivouac, in the dark, on wet ground, under
the rain clouds or the stars. It is a neces
sity, connected with the business; and as
such, officers and men comply with it with
an equanimity which, I confess,. I am not
soldier enough to equal.
As I have said, the orders of last Sab
bath were obeyed promptly, and in half an
hour the current of camp life resumed its
quiet course. The Sabbath duties were not
interrupted. The weather was precarious,
alternately threatening and promising ;
cloudy and sunny. At the proper hour,
the church call, the prettiest of our nu
merous drum-calls, was sounded in one of
the streets of the camp. in five minutes
the service] began. Soldiers are exemplary
in their prompt attendance. On sticks and
piles of wood, on stools, on door-sills, on
rails extending from the projecting logs of
one cabin to those of another, and inside
the open doors of the cabins, the congre
gation was seated; some of them so leer
. -
me' that a reckless and violent gesture'
might have come down' upon their heads,
and some so far off that, though they were
my hearers, they could scarcely be reckoned
in the assembly. But this can be said of
them all : they were attentive to the best
disc urse I was capable of preaching, from
the words, " Dip heart's desire and prayer
to God for Israel is, that they may be
saved."—Rom. x : 1. Soldiers are good
listeners; I have always found it so.
never addressed, in all my long ministry,
audiences more reverent and attentive. It
may be attributed to discipline, in part;
but I rather attribute it to a seriousness of
mind—alas ! oftett transient—and to the
remembrances which the service awakens,
of home scenes and early and pleasant asso
ciations. The influence of religious ser
vices in a regiment is, undoubtedly, bene
ficial. There is not a more absurd whim,
it seems to me, possible, than one which is
not at all rare, viz., that religion is of no
use to a soldier. My observation has con
vinced me, that the best men are brave and
reliable. lam sure that the most profane
and worthless class of persons wearing the
soldiers' uniform, that I have ever encoun
tered, were among the class that bear the
name and belong to the ff persuasion" of
stragglers. Would that there were more
religion and more religious services among
the great host which is nobly defending the
country.
In my uncertain and itinerant way 'of
living, I have few opportunities of writing,
as I wish to write; but I will "do my en
deavor," as well as I can. In transient
camps it is difficult, and on a march im
possible to do much in this way.
The tone of feeling in the army is buoy
ant and hopeful. We think Providence is
blessing the cause of our country, and, I
trust, " in him we shall do valiantly; for
he it is that shall tread down our enemies."
J. F. MCLAREN,
Chaplain 10th Penna. Reserves.
EUROPEAN CORRESPONDENCE.
Londonderry—lts Traditions and Memories—The
Magee College for Presbyterians—Belfast the
Central Power of Ulster—Students and the
Queen's Colleges—The Theological College—Com
parison Between English and Irish Colleges and
their Results—Continued Notes as to Fruits of
the Revival of 1850—Progress of Presbyterian
Union—Wales and Australia—Political Affairs
—Shall there be War ,—Post Office Savings'
Banks—Arr. Beecher's Farewell—Gladstone on
the Beautiful.
FROM LONDONDERRX, in Ireland, I ad
dress you this week. It is a place of glo
rious memories in connexion with the fa
mous siege by the Popish arm' of James
IL, the gallant and successful defence by
the Protestant (mainly Presbyterian) inhab
itants, the breaking of the boom at. Culmore
Fort, which had obstructed supplies to
the garrison who were perishing from fam
ine, and the final security, in the retire
ment of the bigoted King and his troops,
of what was truly the key and stronghold
of the civil and religious liberties of the
United Kingdom. I write this in the man
sion of a veteran minister of the Irish Gen
eral Assembly, the Rev. William McClure,
who, blessed with fortune, does not hoard
it, and who is emphatically "given to hos
pitality." Around the walls I find the
portraits of visitors in past days; and one
especially arrested ray attention this morn
ing—that of the late and lamented
J. W. Alexander, D.D., and Dr. Nicholas
Murray, " Kirwan."
Hundreds of your readers are Scotch-
Irish, and look back, it may be, "with fond
affection and recollection," to the " Maiden
City", its old cathedral in whose cemetery
repose the ashes of the heroes who fell in
1688, the encircling walls,
with Walker's
monument, and " Roaring. Meg," the piece
of artillery which was so formidable and
destructive to the besiegers. The arts of
peace now flourish 'in Derry, and its trade
and commerce are rapidly extending. It
is blessed with faithful clergy and minis
ters, and Episcopalians and Presbyterians
live on terms of kindly intercourse. Here
has been erected a noble structure—the
Magee College—founded and endowed by
the widow of a Presbyterian, whose broth
er in India left her a large fortune. This
place is intended for a Literary, Scientific,
and Theological College for the education
of candidates for the ministry. It is not
yet opened, nor are its professors appoint
ed. Doubtless it will be of service, • but
Belfast must ever be the great attraction
and cynosure for Presbyterian students.
Here is one of the most flourishing of the
Queen's Colleges. It is largely endowed
by the State. It has, also, a long series of
Scholarships, rewards, coupled with money
gifts, which, to a first class and able stu
dent, often exceeds the whole expenses of
a college session.
At the• Belfast Queen's College, the Pres
byterian students form a lare majority, and
they sit at the feet of the most eminent
Professors. After the degree of Bachelor
of Arts has been received, the General As
sembly's Theological College, near to Uni
versity Square, receives the students for
the ministry. He repairs thither for at
least two six-months session, and a Cooke,
a Killen, a Murphy, a Porter, an Edgar,
and a Gibson, give to him all the benefit of
ripe attainments in Theology, Sacred Liter
ature, Biblical Criticism, Hebrew, (spe
cially cultivated under Doctor Murphy,)
Moral Philosophy, Hermeneutics, and Pul
pit Elocution and Delivery. This College
is also °Mowed by the State; in part the
Professors arb paid by student fees. The
youth of Ulster have advantages far ex
ceeding any of those of the past genera
tion, and are rapidly distinguishing them
selves as successful candidates for Govern
ment appointments both in the civil ser
vice at home, and likewise in Chinwand
India. I consider that a greatly supe
rior education is given at Belfast and the
other Queen's Colleges, to that at any of the
great and richly endowed Universities of
Oxford and Cambridge. Foremost men at
these last there are, and have been, but, the
mass of students are allowed to obtain de
grees not exactly speciali gratia, but with
very slight attainments; so that the mass of
the English clergy, while certainly refined
in their tastes and habits, and where pions,
noble specimens of true Christian gentle
men, are yet not learned; and above all,
their theology is jejune and puny in the
extreme. Many of them do educate them
selves in this department, and gather stores
not only from the great centres of the
English Church ittielf, but also give much
attention to the Puritan -Divines. But I
repeat that in the Universities of England,
men are not• taught carefully, the. science
(if I may so speak) of Theology ; hence
tkeir preaching is emasculated, and "strong
ifeat ' scarcely ever given, and " milk"
(rather' diluted', too) , is the principal fopsi
dispensed even -by the Evangelical clergy.
CONTINUED PRIVATE rNQIIIRY, as I pro
ceed from town to town in Ulster, confirms
what I said last week as to the reality,
depth, power, and permanence of that
blessed Revival work which, in 1859, was
wrought by a Disine Hand. Conversion
work in the calling and bringing into the
fold simultaneously of numbers of the
young, and also in the reclaiming of the
outcasts and veteran servants of sin, is not
frequent, though yet the ministers have
still many of the young giving themselves
away to Christ. I' find in every place a
noble band of young men, who have form
ed thernielves into Christian Associations,
have their Lectures, Libraries, Bible Class
es, Classes for discussion of important ques
tions, and their meetings for prayer. The
effect of these (whioh themselves are the
result of a revived Christianity) is to keep
the youth of Ulster far from the haunts of
vice, and when I add' that many of them
are total abstainers,
and shun those drink
ing habits which in a, not distant past
wrought havoc both in pulpit , and pew, and
caused many to stumble, the importance of
the change will be all the better understood
and appreciated.
A higher standard of personal piety
among professing Christians is the fruit of
the revival which is evident. And this
surely is full of promise and pregnant with
future blessing for this land. For when
ministers, students, Sabbath School teach
ers, Christian parents, Christian merchants
and farmers, are, to a greater extent than
ever before, living for and to Christ, then
surely we may expect fresh showers of.
blessing in due, time. The power and suc
cess of united, as well as individual prayer
and intercession, is coupled by the Master
himself with personal holiness : "If ye
abide in me and my word abide in you, ye
shall ask what ye will, and it shall be done
unto you."
At Coleraine I addressed a public meet:
ing in the Town Hall, and could not help
being moved when I looked upon it, and
entered it; for it was here that a stricken
and convinced crowd, slain by the terrors
of the wrath of God, were brought on that
memorable Summer evening in June, 1859,
when the Revival came in power. Ever
since that time, a daily prayer meeting has
been held every morning at nine o'clock.
That it was still kept up and attended, was
a very gratifying, discovery. Indeed,
prayer meetings throughout Ulster are
general.
Christian liberality, and the' standard
thereof, also are manifest to the visitor, and
compared with the dark, dead time when
the Synod of Ulster passed a resolution of
congratulation that a sum less than £lOO
had been contributed by its people toward
Home Missions in Ireland, and when,
moreover, Foreign and Jewish Missions,
Church Building and Manse schemes were
undreamed of, great is the advance, and
cheering is the change. Still, the people
of God in Ireland, as well as elsewhere, are
beginning to realize the peril of spiritual
declension from the growth of wealth and
habits of luxury, and, from the worldliness
engendered by constant hurry and activity
in secular engagements. Besides this, they
desire to see many sinners, instead of a
few, waking up out of their slumber, and
fleeing to the Covert provided for the
guilty. Mr. Spurgeon has publicly la
mented over spiritual decline in the British
Churches generally, and called for prayer
for fresh outpourings of the Holy Spirit,
both for the resuscitation of spiritual life,
and for the conversion of the ungodly.
PRESBYTERIAN UNION is making prog
ress both at home and abroad. The Welsh
Calvinistic Methodists have -now formally
adopted the name of Presbyterians, and
are drawing closer to the English Presby
terians. The South. Wales Association met
lately, and was visited by a deputation from
the. United Presbyterian Church, consisting
of Rev. Messrs. M'Gill, Scott, and Gra
ham. Their reception, we are told, "was
exceedingly happy; the speeches of the
honored visitors were wise, cordial, and
inwerful, and the welcome accorded them
was truly Welsh." Deputies have been
appointed by the Association to appear at
the Liverpool Synod, and also to the next
Synod at Edinburgh. The matter of union
is regarded with great favor; "it satisfies
the longings of the' Welsh people for
Christian fellowship, and it aimed at the
realization of their high ideal of a Church
which the world must yet see." The Irish
Presbyterians also send deputies to the
Welsh Associations. It is, however, a
difficult matter to keep up anything like a
close and constant intercourse, much less
to carry out absolute eCclesiastical amalga
tion between the masses in Wales, who
mainly speak the Welsh tongue, and those
who are totally unacquainted with the lan
guage of the ancient Britons. 'Obviously,
there are difficulties in the way of union,
especially in incorporate, which cannot be
' felt by the other churches. •
A Conference on Presbyterian Union
hss been held in Queensland, Australia, at
which resolutions were unanimously adop
ted, to the effect that it was the duty of all
Presbyterians to cultivate union, and that
there was "a loud call" in Providence at
this time, in Queensland, to be united and
incorporated;' that the basis of union to be
recommended should be the Westminster
Confession and Catechism; that in sub
scribing these Standards, they are not to
be held as countenancing any persecuting
or intolerant principles, or professing any
views as to the civil magistrate incon
sistent with the liberty of personal con
science, or the right of private judgment.
It was , further agreed that Committees
should meet to , prepare • the way -for the
Nov. 6, 1803
PITTSBURGH, WEDNESDAY, DECEMBER 2, 1863. WHOLE NO. 584
speedy consummation of the proposed
union.
The union movement also manifests its
progress at Manchester, in early meetings
of a social character resolved on, of the
Sabbath School teachers of the English
Presbyterian churches on the one hand, and
those of the United Presbyterian churches
on the other.
POLITICAL Armirugh t are somewhat stag
nant at this moment, both in France and
England. There are occasional speeches
made at agrimiltural meetings bordering
on; but scarcely kindling oh, politics. In
France it is whispered that - the Emperor is
making approaches to 111.-Thiers, the his-
torian of the, campaigns of Napoleon 1.,
.and that ere long the elect of the Liberals
of Paris; inipposition to the Government,
may be found in the Cabinet. If so, it
implies a more liberal regime, both as to
the Press and , the country at large. As to
France and Russia, theiy_relations are cer
tainly cool. If a were taken of 'the
French ?talon at this moment, it would
showli'large'majority in favor of war with
Russia.for Poland. The Poles were dis
tinguished soldiers in the first Emperor's
armies and the memory of their bravery
is freshly awakened. Not long since, at a
banquet given, where eminent French offi
cers were present, the idea of war was- re
ceived with enthusiasm. Austria,. how
ever, hesitates or refuses to take - a , step in
advance, so long as she is not guaranteed
against France and against Russia. The
opening of the French Legislature and the ,
Emperor's speech will be reported to you
ere these lines can appear in print. It is
half hoped and expected that some light
may be throven on a dark future in this
way. It may be that war shall he averted
by the reticence and refusal of the British
Cabinet to - join in it. Bat next Spring
may develop, after all, a war programme,
and-the beginning of what may prove-the
final—continued and awful—shaking of
nations, that shall cause the Papacy to
totter to its base, that, may once more em
peril the Ottoman Empire, and ultimately,
at no distant period, lead to issues that
shall, at once astonish the world, gladden
the. Church, tell on the political and na
tional destinies of the Jews in their resto
ration to their own land, and to the glory
of the Great King throughout all the
world.
POST OFFICE SAVINGS' BANKS, estab
lished a few years ago by the Chancellor of
the Exchequer, and in which, under Gov
ernment security, and with a low interest,
the laboring class can deposit their swings,
have proven a wonderful success. In
September last the deposits had reached the
sum of .E 3,736,000. During the ten years
previous to November, 1861, there had
'been' an increase of three-fifths per cent.
only in the transactions of ordinary Sav
ings Banks ; while in the year ending in
November, 1862, the increase in the num
ber of depositors was at the rate of nearly
seven per cent.
REP. HENRY , W ARD .oEECHER 7 B final
speech at Liverpool was copied into the
Times without comment. The Globe spoke
of it as a Parthean arrow shot at the nation
he was leaving, and intended to gratify his
friends at home. As far. as I. could see
from a rather hasty glance, it appeared to
me to be very kindly in its tone toward
England, and to express great joy that ever
the speaker had visited a land and people,
whom he never expected to see again, and
with some of whose noblest and best he had
been brought in contact. -
Before leaving London, Mr. Beecher,
without public notice, joined in the public
service of a Thanksgiving character, in
connexion with the harvest also, in a Con
gregational chapel at Islington. The min
ister, the Rev. Theophilus Lessey, had
visited, him in -America, and hence Mr.
Beecher's presence on. his invitation.
"During his discourse," says the corres
pondent of the Dublin Express, " which
was at once eloquent and impressive, he
stated that he could devoutly join in the
thanksgivings for a bountiful harvest. The
land of the hnglish people was the land of
his fathers, and the prosperity of England,
and the gifts of God toward her, were the
rejoicing of many Christian hearts in his
own land."
Mn. GLADSTONE has been lecturing in
most of the Staffordshire Potteries district,
on The Beautiful. He referred especially
to - the eminent Josiah Wedgwood, whose
genius had done so much to bring out mod
els of the graceful and beautiful in connex
ion with ceramic art, and whose business
talents and enterprise were extraordinary.
It was pleasing to hear the Chancellor of
the Exchequer discoursing eloquently, and
profoundly too, when he spoke to his audi
ence of beauty as pertaining to, the essence
of things, as a mysterious something per-.
vading creation, a type and symbol of
health, of perfection, of abounding and re
joicing life; and proving, " wherever it is
impaired or banished; that physical or
moral disorder "has 'been disturbing the
world.' He called upon his hearers to dis
card the false philosophy which asks,
" What does it matter, provided a thing be
useful, whether it be beautiful or not ?"
and be taught by the Almighty, who, in
his works and his Word, hath "made every
thing;beautiful in his time';" bidding them
also observe how, through all the provinces
of creation, an endless and boundless beauty
is spread out over the habdiwork of God,
and tracing what is in the human heart the
acknowledgment of, and response to, all
this beauty—namely, the craving'for love
liness, which in all conditions, and periods,
the human creature has betrayed. .Mr.
Gladstone. " did not, however, commit the
mistake of putting the beautiful for the
good, or substituting the religion of taste
for the religion of conscience. Wedge
wood did much to educate , the taste of the
nation, and to introduce objects of beauty
into objects of daily-use, so that in mansion
and cottage a. perpetual education in beauty
might be going on. To educate the na
tional sense of beauty, by setting before
the public a multitude of beautiful things,
was one of the grand objects of' Prince Al
bertan introducing International Exhibi
tions. There can be no doubt that the
national taste has for many years been un
dergoing a refining process." So writes
the Daily Review, and I can fully endorse
its sentiments', from the progress "which,
during a London residence I myself have
witnessed. London however, as city, is
far behind any thing like an ideal in arch
itecture, and utilitarianism overrides taste."
And so says the Review, "We wish Mr.
Gladstone would deliver a discourse on the'
hideous and depressing ugliness with which,
especially 'since the %construction. of-4 the
Metropolitan railways, we. poor Londoners
have been afflicted.' J.W.
For the Preebyterian Banner
Remembering Christ.
When the time of Israel's deliverance
froui Egypt drew near, the Passover was
instituted. It denoted deliverance by blood,
and so was a type of Christ, the Lamb of
Ged. When the time of Christ's crucifix
ion approached, he said to his disciples,
With desire I have desired to eat the Pass
over 'with you; because that which it sig
nified was about to be accomplished in his
own death. And then he instituted the
Loid's Supper, and said : This do in re
membrance of me. When the Jewish chil
dren asked, What mean ye by this service?
the answer was, It is the Lord's Passover;
and do_any lA, What mean ye by this or
dinance,? our answer is It is the Lord's
Supper; and we keeP the feast because he,
our Passover, is- sacrificed for us and we
design by it to remember Christ: -
1. We remember Christ as our Substi
tute. And when we speak of Christ as our
Substitute, we do not mean merely that his
sufferings were a substitute for the suffer
ings of men ' but that he himself personally
is our Substitute. He took our place,
obeyed and suffered in our stead and room.
This ordinance reminds us of the doctrine
of Substitution, for in it we remember him
who loved us and gave himself for us.
2. Connected with the doctrine of Sub
stitution, is that of Imputation ; for our
sins were laid on Christ, and he as our
Substitute accomplished two things: 1.
He endured the penalty of the law for us—
this is his satisfaction, and procures our
pardOn ; 2. He obeyed the law for us—this
is his merit, and procures for us a title to
heaven. So when we receive Chriit as Our
Saviour, we are not only forgiven, but
accounted righteous and have a title to
everlasting life. The righteousness of
Christ is imputed to us, and we are regard.
ed and treated as righteous—we have eter
nal life. And this we remember here.
3. We remember Christ as our life. His
death was our death; his life is our life He
gives spiritual life—makes us alive by his.
Spirit; be keeps us alive, giving new sup
plies of grace. And as he is the author of
our new life, so is he its object. We must
live to him; and this we, in this ordinance,
engage to do; for it is both commemorative
and covenanting. Then let it be seen that
Christ lives in you.. Live to Christ and
for Christ; and so let the world see that
you are his—let the light you receive from
the Sun of Righteousness be reflected by
you in all your journey heavenward. Shine
as lights in the world; and while you re
member Christ, constrain others also to re
member him, and to receive hlm as their
Sa.viour. W.J.M.
For the Presbyterian Banner
MOCONNELLSVaLE, OHIO, Nov. 9, 1863.
MERSA& EDITORS.:—Grant me brief
space, once more, in your columns. I be
lieve I wrote you last from University
Place, Cumberland mountains. I need not
speak of our advance—crossing the Ten
nessee river—evacuation or Chattanooga—
the battle of Chickamauga, and the posi
tion of the army of the umberland at this
time. All these things have been spoken
of by the press, and constituted part of the
history of .the terrible struggle through
which our country is passing to its purifi
cation and firm establishment on the foun
dation of human independence.
I am once more at home. My health
became so precarious from constant toil and
exposure, that I was under the necessity of
returning to the North. I arrived at home
last week. I. hope soon" to be able again to
"engat b m in some department of the great
work
,connected with the army. I have
never seen such a field for usefulness, and
it is daily increasing in interest.
It is with gratitude to God that I find
my dear old church in this place, under the
pastoral care of my much beloved brother,
Ref. John Kelly. I pray .that God .may
abundantly bless his labors .during these
perilous times, and make him the instru
ment of winning many souls to Christ.
I desire in this letter to speak in the
highest terms of praise of the great work
of the United States Christian Commission
with the, workings of which I have been
permitted to become fully acquainted.
Never have I seen a nobler band of volun
teers than those I met from the East, from
Cincinnati, from Pittsburgh, and other
places, working day and night, by the way,
in camp,in hospital, on the battle-field, ad
ministerinc, to the physical, intellectual,
moral, and spiritual necessities of our no
ble soldiers. Notwithstanding all that has
been'published relative to the object and
workings of the Commission, I- am satisfied
that the great mass of the people are not
sufficiently informed on the subject, espe
cially
in county town, and rich and willing
country districts where tons of stores and
thousand- of dollars could be secured. I
feel-"-convinced that if the. Commission
would send an agent of experience in the
- army; one with his heart in the work, with
a rich store of facts, to address gatherings
of the people, capable of enlisting the sym
pathy-and action of men, women, and chil
dren, say, , within the territory embraced
within the bounds of the Synods of Ohio
and Pittsburgh, the result would be aston
ishing ! May God bless and prover_ the,
Christian Commission, and open the hearts
and pockets of the people,. where its claims
are presented, to send abundant supplies to
meet the many wants of the approaching
Winter. I have it in my heart to say many
,more things on this point, but I will not
now, further than to say, that on my way
home I spent a Sabbath in Nashville, where
I' found resting, embalmed, to be sent home,
the remains of Rev. F. H. Power, who -died
while in the city laboring as a delegate of
the Christian Commission. -I believe he
was a licentiate of the Presbytery of Red
stone. It will be a Comfort to his'friends
and his Presbytery to know that he was
greatly loved and tenderly watched by those
with whom God, in his providence, cast his
lot to die. I enclose you a notice of his
funeral, which I clip from the Nashville
Union, as attended by Chaplains, members
' of the Christian Commtssion, and others.
If you have not received a notice of his
death, will you give the one I-refer to a
place in your columns ? [A notice was
published]
The First Presbyterian church of Nash
ville is still used as a hospital. I learned
-that the Second church has unanimously
called the Rev. Mr. Allen, of Walnut Hills,
- Ohio, to become their pastor. Is therenot
something significant in this ? rs the time,
very' , distant when all those vacant `pulpits
will be filled with men true . to God and the
Union, preaching " Christ and him cruci
fied" to all alike—none bound, all free
May the Lord hasten it!
At a prayer and conference meeting,
which I conducted while stopping at Ste
venson, Alabama, on my way_ home, a negro
boy rose up and spoke, and when requested,
lead in prayer. So touching were his re
marks, and so humble his prayer, that at
the close of the service I spoke to him and
made.inquiry as to his past life. His his
tory was, in brief, that he was the son of
free parents, born in Washington city, sent
to school until he was eight years old, in
which time he learned to read. He was,
soon after stolen, and sold to a Georgia
planter. When eleven , years old he was, as
he bdieves,_converted; and from that time
felt that be was called to preach the Gos
pel, es God might enable - him, to his slave
companions, which he has been doing, be
ing,nOw about twenty-three years of age.
f r. asked him it he had a Biblei and found
be had only the New Testament. I re
quested him to read the 14th chapter of
the Gospel by John, which he did; with an
eloquence from the heart which far ex
celled the reading of many a seminary stu
dent I have beard. I presented him with
a Bible, encouraged him to study it, bade
him farewell, perhaps to meet only at the
judgment. Would that he were within
the balls of Ashman Institute !
W. Moaars GRIMES.
For the Presbyterian Banner.
Presbytery of Sangamon
The Presbytery of Sangamon met at
Centre, on September 29th, 1863, and was
opened with a sermon by Relic J. H.
Brown, D.D., of Springfield, from Ps.
xvii : 15. •
Nine ministers and six Ruling Elders
were present.
. Rev. Geo:ge K. Scott was received from
the Presbytery of Wooster.
Mr. David C. Marquis, a licentiate of the
Presbytery of Beaver, was received from
said Presbytery, and a call was put into his
hands from the church in Decatur, which
he accepted.
-Presbytery pledged itself to raise $250,
for the services of Rev. E. W. Thayer, for
one year, at Auburn, Taylorville, a.nd other
places. This brother will labor in the va
cancies within our bounds, as well as wher
ever opportunity offers.
Dr. Bergen offered the following resolu
tion :
Resolved, That Rev. A. DeMattos be,
and he is hereby suspended, for contumacy,
from the office of the Gospel ministry.
The facts in the case being on record, the
above resolution was' adopted and ordered
to be published.
Presbytery having adjourned to meet in
Decatur on November 7th, 1863, met ac
cordingly.
On November 'Bth, Mr. D. C. Marquis
was solemnly ordained to the work of the
ministry, and installed pastor of the church
in Decatur. Dr. Brown, of Springfield,
preached the sermon ; Rev. R. W. Allen,
of Jacksonville, presided and proposed the
constitutional questions • Rev. J. A. Pin
kerton, of Petersburg, delivered the charge
to 6'o pastor; and Rev. S. M. Wilson, of
Centre, delivered the charge to the people.
The next stated meeting of the Presby
tery will be held in the First church,
Springfield, on Friday, April 8th,1864.
G. W. F. BiRcH, Stated Clerk.
For the•Presbrerian Banner
Johnny Mitch,
Whilst in Chattanooga, laboring under
the auspices of " the U. . Christian Com
mission," the Crutchfield House, or General
House No. 3, was one of my fields-of opera
tion. -It was there that I became acquaint
ed with Johnny Mitch, and learned from
his own lips his history:
Johnny's native place. is Toledo, Ohio.
His mother died when he was only three
years old. At the age of eight, his father
also deceased. So, at this early period of
life, just when a parent's care and instruc
tion are most needed, for the formation of
good habits in manhood, Johnny Mitch was
an orphan—a little, fatherless, motherless
boy ! When this wicked rebellion broke
out, he was fifteen years of age. Being, as
he thought, and according to law also, too
young to enlist as a soldier, he offered his
services to a Cavalry Captain. The Cap
tain took him along for the purpose of at
tending to his Itorsbs. When they got as
far as Cincinnati, Johnny there came across
the 4th Kentucky. And mid he, " I saw
that theca were a number of pretty small
and-young looking boys in that regiment,
and I concluded that I would enlist, and
did so."
Johnny now, at the early and tender age
of fifteen, found himself in the ranks, and
with musket on his shoulder, knapsack on
his back, and•canteen at his side, he was, of
his own accord, in for the war. He passed
through the skirmishes at Rolling Fork,
Hoover's Gap, and Tullahoma; unscathed.
(But in the great battle of Chickamauga,
he was not so fortunate. On the evening
of Sunday, September 20th, on that dread
ful field of slaughter, lie fell, wounded and
bleeding, to the ground. Three balls did
each a part in the work of disabling our
young hero. - He was first slightly wounded
on the side of the head, and near the ear
'ner of the right eye. Then a second halt
passed on the other side, taking off a part
of the thumb and fore-finger of his left
hand. The third ball went into his mouth,
cutting the 'lower lip, knocking out some
teeth both above and below as it entered,
and passing on, grazed the tongue in its
course, and lodged finally in the back part
of his neck. The little soldier still carries
the ball there. It causes some stiffness in
his neck, but little or no pain.
After receiving his wounds, he lay for
four days on the battle-fteld, near an old log
house. During five days all the rations lie
received was - one cracker. " Five days,"
said he, " they fed us on nothing." These
five days and five more—ten in all—he was
in the hands of the rebels. His wounds
received but little attention in all this
time. He was then under flag of truce
bronght within our lines. The surgeons
had no hopes of his life, and told him that
he must die. For four weeks this was the
opinion of all. But said he, " I kept up
good spirits; I did sometimes think I would
die"; but it was no use to be disheartened
about it."
Well, Johnny still lives. He is now up
and about, with a favorable prospect of a
long, useful, and happy life. I have met
him time and again in the . hospital. It is
two years since he enlisted under the . flag
of his country, and he is 'now only seven-
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teen. His voice is even yet unchanged.
And to hear him lisp, from the loss of his
teeth, in his sweet, maiden-like voice, the
history of his brief but eventful life, is
both interesting and affecting. He is a
small boy; quite childlike both in appear
ance and manners, and yet manlike, too,
for one of so few years.
In answer to an inquiry about his future
intentions, he replied, - " I intend to get a
furlough and go home till I get well, then
come back and try them again." At an;
other time he expressed himself thus : " I
am more anxious to try them" (the rebels)
" now, than I ever was." Patriotic, heroic
young soldier.
But there is one other trait, in connexion
with, the youth, patient suffering, and
bravery of this soldier boy, that ought not
to pass unnoticed. It is Johnny's faith in
Divine things. When he began to recover
a little from his hopeless condition, this
was, as he told.me, his practice: "In the
morning when I awoke, I would read a
chapter in my Testament, and pray to the
Lord to help me up; and it seemed to me
that I began to get better right away." I
asked him how he felt toward his heavenly
Father since he spared his life. His reply
was : ". Well, I have felt mighty thank
ful." Johnny, I believe, loves the Saviour.
And there can be no doubt, in the minds of
the pious, but that his reverence for God,
and love for the things of God, helped
greatly to make him the brave, honorable,
and worthy-to-be-remembered little hero
that he reaNy is. Wm. iI. TAYLOR.
" Where is Jesus ?"
Many a brave soldier has made this in
quiry while on the long m rch, in the
midst of the fearful conflict, or sick and
dying in the hospital. It is a blessed thing
to know that thousands in our army have
had the important question answered -to
their soul's eternal satisfaction. Rev. E.
P. Smith, an agent of the Christian Corn•
mission in the Army of the Cumberland,
writing from Chattanooga, Tenn., relates
the following beautiful incident connected
with a little book sent by t..e 'Commission
to the army:
• The work godort well. Souls are added
unto the Lord daily. Our chapel is crowd
ed for two hours every night.
I handed one of our books—" Where is
Jesus r —to a soldier yesterday. He took
it, looked at the title, and said: " I found
that out before I left home, or I would not
have dared . to come to the army!'
A little after, a fine, sumoth•faced boy
from Michigan, came in. I showed the
same book to him. He looked at it, his
eyes brimmed with tears, and said : " That
is what I want to know." There are thou
sands in the army who want to know how
to find Jesus, and the Christian Commis
sion is doing a great and good work in aid
ing many an anxious inquirer to find the
blessed Saviour.
Cards on the Battle Field.
One of the most common vices in the
army is card-playing. Very often the sol
diers engage in it in the absence of some
thing bettr to occupy their time. The
habit grows upon them, and there are many
instances where the fascinating evil has
found its devotees even amid the solemn
and terrible scenes of battle. A delegate
of the Christian Commission relates the
following incident with regard to card-play
ing, which occurred on the battle-field of
Chicamauga:
• During a little unoccupied time before
the terrible fight of the 19th, a soldier and
his comrade sat down to a game of cards.
They played till the order came to form in
line of battle, and then they went in. Af
ter the smoke cleared away they loOked
around for their comrades, and found more
than half were missing from their company.
"Well," said one soldier to the other,
" what do you think now of cards on the
battle-field?" The soldier to whom the
question was put came quickly to his com
rade, seized his hand, and they pledged
each other never• to, throw another card
while they lived.
The Throne of Grace.
If you are a Christian, the throne of
grace is yours. Your Father is seated on
it. Your Saviour has sprinkled it with his
own blood. The Holy Spirit-draws you
secretly to kneel before it; and the prom
ise, when there, is, open your mouth
wide, and I will fill it." What an honor
to approach the King of kings Were we
to have an. audience with an earthly mon
arch, we should deem it an era in our his
tory and boast of it through life. But you
and I and others may have audience with
the King of the universe. Nay, we have
liberty to approach him at any time and
under any circumstances. Have we wants ?
He can supply them. Are we troubled?'
He can extricate us. Do afflictions press
our souls ? He can mitigate and remove
them. Does sin pollute our joys? With
him is the fountain of cleansing. Does
Satan vex our souls? Ho invites us to his
arms as our refuge. All relief and every
blessing is from God.—Newton.
God Reconciled in Christ.
When you look through a red glass, the
whole heavens appear bloody, but through
pure, uncolored glass, you receive the clear
light that is so refreshing and comfortable
to behold. When sin upardoned is be
tween, and we look on God through that,
we can perceive nothing but anger and en
mity in his countenance; but make Christ,
our glorious Redeemer the medium, and
through him, as clear, transparent glass,
the beams of God's favorable countenance
shine in upon the soul. The Father cannot
look upon his well-beloved Son but gra
ciously and pleasingly. God looks on us
out of Christ,, sees us rebels, and fit to be
condemned; we look on God as being just
and powerful to punish us; but when
Christ is between,
God looks on us in him
justified, and we look on God in him as
pacified, and see the smiles of his favorable
countenance. Take Christ out, all is terri
ble; interpose him, all is full of peace.—
Leighton.
Temptation,
When a founder casts a bell, he &JCS
.not presently fix it in the steeple, but
tries it with the hammer, and beats it on
every side, to see if there is any flaw in it.
Christ does not, presently after he has
converted a man, convey him to heaven;
but "suffers ban to be beaten upon by many
temptations, and then exalts,him to his
crown.