tiresbgterian caitutr.
PITTSBURGH, 'WEDNESDAY, DEC, 2, 186
trir Having purchased for our office the "Right" to use
Dick's Accountant and Dispatch Patent, all, or nearly an,
of our subscribers now have their papers addressed to them
regularly by a sinorularly unique machine, which fastens
on the white margin a snail colored "address stamp," or
Zabel, whereanapyrtrs their name plainly printed, followed
by the date up to which they havepaid for their papers—this
being authorised by an Act of Congress. The date will
always Pe advanced on the receipt of subscription money,
in exact accordance with the amount so received, and thus
be an ever-ready and valid receipt ; securing to every one,
and at all times, a perfect knowledge of his newspaper ac
count, so that if any error is made he can immediftely de
tect it and have it corrected—a boon alike valuable to the
publisher and subscriber, as it must terminate all painful
misunderstandings between them respecting accounts, and
thus tend to perpetuate their important relationship.
'P.* Those in arrears will please rett
Lectures.—The course of Lectures and
Readings before the Young Men's Library
Association, commenced on Tuesday even
ing. Mr. VANDENEIOFF was secured to oc
cupy the platform. Others are engaged,
and
. announcements will be made in the
daily papers.
Prepay Postage.—The Department now
forwards letters which are not prepaid, and
charges the receiver double postage This
is unreasonable; and the only protection
one has is to leave all such letters in the
Post Office. This remedy it is our pur
pose to apply; and we recommend it to all
others.
Our rule is, prepay postage. In sending
letters', we never vary from it; and we
wish •to have it work both ways.
Itelvatt—A. few weeks ago the Presby
ter gave a leader on reunion with the New
School, zealously advocating the movement ;
The Herald, the New School organ in Cin
cinnati, republishes its neighbor's article;
and is ready for the movement, ors ts condi
tion. It says :
" Portions of our Church were exscind
ed. Of course, they cannot return until
the cxscinding acts are repealed. The
matter, therefore, seems to us very simple.
Let those of our Old School brethren who
are in favor of reunion move in their As
sembly for the repeal of that action which
led to the divisioa in 1837-8. If they
are successful in that movement, the nego
tiation will not be tedious or difficult.
Until that is done, the door remains shut
in our faces, and it is useless to open the
window and invite us to climb in."
We look for far more of efficient labor,
and far more of true brotherly feeling, on
the part of these two branches of Christ's
family as they now are, than we could ex
pect from an amalgamation. Each is large
and strong enough to work. Each respects
and loves the other, as a neighbor, and as
cooperating in the Master's great work.
But crowd them into one house, make them
responsible in common for the peculiarities
of either, hamper them in their sponta
neous outgoings, and the results could hard
ly be otherwise than painful.
SUFFERINGS OF THE UNION PRISONERS.
The reports of the sufferings of our pris
oners now in the bands of the rebels, arc
harrowing to the feelings of humanity.
Many of them speak of cruelty too unnatu
ral to be received with full credit. There
is however no room to doubt but that they
are subjected to very great suffering. The
supplies sent to Richmond, by the Sanitary
Commission, afford relief to some, but they
are far from being adequate.
Some Surgeons recently released from
the Libby Prison, Richmond, have present
ed, over their proper signature, a state
ment of facts to the War Department. We
give a few extracts :
" We enjoyed for several months daily
access to the hospitals where the sick and
wounded among our Union soldiers receiv
ed treatment. As a result of our observa
tion, we hereby declare our belief that since
the battle of Chickamauga, the number of
deaths per diem has averaged fully fifty.
The prevailing diseases are - diarrhoea, dys
entery and typhoid pneumonia. Of late
the per centage of deaths has greatly in
creased—the result of causes that have been
long at work, such as insufficient food,
clothing and shelter, combined with that
depression of spirits brought en so often by
long confinement. It may seem almost in
credible, when we affirm of our personal
•knowledge that in the three hospitals for
Union soldiers the average mortality is near
forty per day, and upon the most reliable
testimony we are forced to believe that the
deaths in the tobacco factories and upon the
island will raise the • total mortality among
all the Union prisoners to fifty per day, or
1,500 monthly.
"Startling instances of individual suffer
ing and horrid pictures of death, from pro
tracted sickness and semi -starvation, we
have had thrust upon our attention.
"The first demand of the poor creatures
from the island was always for something
to eat. Self-respect gone, hope and ambi
tion gone, half-clad, and covered with ver
min and filth, many of them too often beyond
all reach of medical skill. In one instance
the ambulance brought sixteen to the hos
pital, and during the night seven of them
died. Again, eighteen were brought, and
eleven of them died in 24 hours. At ano
ther time fourteen were admitted, and in a
single day ten of them died. Judging from
what we ourselves have seen and do know,
we do not hesitate to say that, under a
treatment of systematic abuse, neglect and
semi -starvation, the number who are be
coming permanently broken down in their
constitutions must be reckoned by thou
sands. We leave it for others to say what
is demanded by this state of things."
What shall be done ? What can be
done ? Humanity would shudder at the
thought of retaliating upon the prisoners
held by us. That must not be. Two
things we must do. First, we must submit
to their unjust demands, (but they contend'
that the injustice is on our part). We can
thus release all our men now prisoners at
once;
_except the colored captives and their
white officers. It is not to be endured that
our brave men should die such deaths as
are narrated, at the rate of one thousand
five hundred per month. And for the col
ored men and their officers we must fight,
and recapture, or retaliate.
Secondly, we must raise men enough to
overwhelm our foe. Make our armies so
strong that no battles need be lost and no
more of our men be made prisoners. It
be well if our sympathy shall be awaked
by these sufferings, and a universal deter
mination be formed to end the war by a
combination of force, righteousness, and
magnanimity. '
THE LATE THANKSGIVING.
It is thought that, in Pittsburgh, no day
of public thanksgiving has ever been more
generally observed, as to the form ; and
that, perhaps, but few such days have ever
been so much desecrated.
Stores and shops were generally closed;
and the people, in their holiday attire,
flocked to the churches; where the minis
ters of JESUS CHRIST led them in prayer
and praise, recalled to their minds God's
abounding mercies and benefits, and gave
them sound instruction. And doubtless
many a hearer gave hearty thanks to the
Author of all good, and joined ardently in
supplication for new and continued favors,
and retired with Christian emotion to par
take rationally of earth's bounties.
All, however, did not do so. The after
part of the day, if we may credit reports
in the daily press, was very extensively de
voted to dissipation. The taverns, ; grog
shops, theatres, and other places where sin
runs riot, were crowded. The revelry and
drunkenness is said to have exceeded that
of any day in our city, for a long time.
Such evils are greatly to be deplored.
But in times of prosperity they will
abound. Every public day will Oils be
abused. We do not say that this should
prev,ent the appointing of a day of thanks
giving ; but it is a reason why we should
mourn, as well as rejoice. And it is a
powerful reason why haunts of dissipation
should be suppressed. Why is it that a
humane people will tolerate grog shops?
It is astonishing that enlightened Penn
sylvania, and especially that Christian
Pittsburgh should not remove, utterly, all
public temptations to the vice of drunken
ness.
Howie and .Foreign Record.—The Decem
ber number 'completes Vol.
Quarto form will now cease, and the Octavo,
or Pamphlet form will be continued.
Receipts in October :
Domestic Missions, $6,856.28
Education, 2,622.15
Foreign Missions, 12,369.74
Publication—Donations, 970.65
Sales, - 7,066.19
Church' Extension, 1,374.16
Rev, Dr. MoLaren.—Many readers will be
pleased to hear again froth our good broth
er, of the 10th Pennsylvania Reserves. A
faithful chaplain in the army deserves uni
versal esteem. He contributes to the effi
ciency of the army and to the personal
comfort of the men, while be reclaims
wanderers, and guides many in the way to
life everlasting.
EASTERN SUMMARY.
NEW-ENGLAND.
ACCORDING to the Congregational the
ory. of Church government, an ecclesiastical
Council derives its power to ordain a
minister from the particular church
which has convened it. There would
therefore seem to be no special rea
son why, independently of the intervention
of a Council, a church could not proceed to
ordain its own pastor-just as it ordains its
deacons. In an able and interesting article
in the last Congregationalist, the theory is
distinctly stated, and their practice is
explained by a reference to what the writer
designates as the fundamental and distinc
tive principle of Congregationalism, viz.:
"The communion of churches one with an
other." He says :
" The ordination of a pastor in a given
church is not (as the ordination of a dea
con is) a matter which concerns only the
internal affairs of that one church. It is a
transaction in which the communion of
churches one with another is concerned.
By virtue of that intercomruunion of our
churches which, not less than the indepen
dence of each church, is essential to Con
gregationalism, a pastor in any church sus
tains important relations to neighboring
churches and to the entire. commonwealth
of the Congregational churches. The
neighborinc. b churches have a right to know
how that church proceeds in a matter so
important not only to its own interests, but
also to theirs, and to the general interests
of Christ's kingdom. They have a right to
know whether the proceedings of that
church, in the election and introduction of
its pastor, are orderly, and whether there
is fit evidence that the man whom it has
chosen is duly qualified, and „is called St
Godoffice to the to which he Ras been in
vited by the church and parish. Such is
the fitness—such the necessity—of an ec
clesiastical Council for the ordination of a
pastor."
Ix THE EASTERN States, as well as in
other parts of the land, the anxious ques
tion is earnestly asked by in . adequately
compensated ministers, " What are we to
do in these trying times?" The .strictest
economy was requisite in the ease of man?,
in order to live on their salaries when
money was worth its nominal value, and
when the necessaries and comforts of life
could be obtained on reasonable terms.
Now, however, when $6OO is not worth a
mill over $450, and when excessive prices
must be paid for almost everything, and
when, moreover, the minister, unlike most
other people, derives no counterbalancing
advantages from the exigencies of the times,
none can wonder that in public as well as
by the domestic fireside, the care-burdened
pastor should seriously ask, " What shall
we do?" The Boston Recorder, in reply to
an anxious query of this kind, offers some
suggestions which will commend them
selves, we trust, to the Christian notice of
our own poople. The Recorder says:
" We see no quarter from which to expect
a general relief but the individual churches
and congregations concerned. Apparently,
as our correspondent says, his and others
similar,*are doing all they can in this direc
tion. But are they ? If absolutely so,
then our ministers must shift for them
selves, as best they can. But we are sure
that almost any people can, if they will,
save an economical pastor from either leav
ing them, or plunging into such
. a slough
of debt as above indicated. There is too
much produce of' the ground and the manu
factory, all over this region at least, to put
us at fault in this conclusion. There may
be some exceptions in missionary churches,
and, if so, then the Home Mission Board
PRESBYTERIAN BANNER-WEDNESDAY, DECEMBER 2, 1863.
should 'make a special business of securing
aid for the emergency by extra appeals to
churches and individuals able to come to
the rescue. But this cannot be the main
dependence. If our parishes will unitedly
and heartily and perseveringly take hold of
the business of saving their ministers from
such straits, the question, ' How am I to
live ?' will be settled at a self-sacrifice far
smaller than the value of Christian ordin
ances to the community. The question cart
be answered in no other way. We do earn
estly press this subject on such societies as
know that their pastors are in the trying
condition of our brethren. God will bless
them in saving his servants from their em
barrassments."
ME INSTALLATION of Rev. Dr. Asa
Smith, as President of Dartmouth College,
took place on the 18th ult. Gov. Gilmore
and staff, distinguished members of the Ju
diciary, and many of the Alumni of the
College, were present. Gov. Gilmore, in
behalf of the Trustees of the Institution,
delivered an appropriate address of wel
come to the newly-elected President. The
inaugural address of the latter is highly
spoken of in our Eastern exchanges. His
theme selected was, " The American Col
lege, considered tin its proper functions, and
characteristics."
Tu FOLLOWING, quoted by an exchange
from " Elliott's History of New-England,"'
is interesting, as alluding to the first
" Thanksgiving " in America :
" In 1623—tw0 centuries and a half ago
—Winslow, writing to England, mentions
that after the gathering of the harvest, the
Governor (Bradford) sent out a company
for game, that they might furnish more
dainty and abundant materials for a feast,
and rejoice together after they had gath
ered the fruits of their - labors. So they
got their game, and they cooked it, and
they feasted Massasoit and ninety of•his
Indians; and they thanked God- with all
their hearts for the good world and, the
good things in it. So they kept their first
thanizsgiving. Governor Bradford said :
Nor has there been any general want
among us to this day.'"
A SERIES of Sabbath evening lectures by
leading Episcopal clergymen, has been com 7
meneed in Boston. The introductory dis
course was delivered on Sabbath evening
week, by Rev. John Cottan Smith, of New-
York. The theme was the " Protestantism
of the Episcopal Church." According to
the Recorder's report of the lecture,
"It was argued from the history of the
Episcopal Church in its fidelity, to the fun
dalmental principle of the Reformers—jus
tification by faith—that that Church affords
the best basis for a union of Evangelical
denominations. It was intimated that if
other denominations would yield the less
essential articles of their creeds, and submit
to'Episcopal ordination, that Church might
yield the Liturgy and admit extemporane
ous prayers, and other less important modi,
fications, thus making the doctrine of justi
fication by faith, the doctrinal test of ortho
doxy." *
It seems very strange that arguments
should be advanced for either the practica
bility or the desirableness of- a union such
as is here proposed when, in consequence, of
the latitudinarian liberality of, the 'Church
of England, she is at the present time per
plexed beyond measure with heresies which
she cannot control, and which threaten her
utter ruin.
DISSIPATION in New-York city, instead
of being diminished by the trying circum
stances in which our country is, involved,
seemes to be exceeding all previous bounds.
Regardless of the fearful evils, present and
prospective, to which the war is subjecting
us, the young people of New-York seem
determined to - run the full` round of reck
less pleasure. According to a leading sec
ular journal, all the - public balls for danc•
-
ing are engaged every night for the Win
ter ; private balls- and parties were never
so numerous ; theatres were never so
thronged; and it is safe to say that this
Winter will see twice the money spent on
fashionable amusements ever yet expended
in a single season in the metropolis.
THE WELCOME given Mr. Beecher on
his return from Europe, has been enthusi
astic in the extreme. The reception given
him by the citizens of New-York, as well
as that tendered him in Brooklyn, was un
der the auspices of the Sanitary Commis
sion ; and, the financial proceeds of both
occasions were devoted to the benefit of thii
excellent Association. The receipts at the
New-York Academy of Music were about
$4OOO. In his speech at Brooklyn, Mr.
Beecher uttered the following magnani
mous sentiments, to which every philan
thropist and. Christian should cordially re
spond
" The day is coming when nations are to
feel each other's hears more nearly—when
more and more themes for national discus
sion are to be those that turn upon the
moral sentiments--those that are allied to
common ideas and common feelin„as—for
we need no other. We do not need Great
Britain for any material reasons. For
moral reasons we need her. And -I say
more than that—for moral reasons she
needs us. For the sake of man, and for
the cause of. God—for the hope of :civili
zation,-these two nations of the earth, car
rying a civilization which is derived from,
and which carries with it the common peo
ple, and thusare uplifted in civilization--
these two great Protestant Christian na
tions all forbid that we should ever cross
hands in strife and struggle. But while
other nations are beginning, though with
slow steps, to look to the rising sun; while
even in Russia her frosts begin, to glitter
in that light that ere long shall melt them,
let not these foremost of nations that have
stood in witness for, liberty, and all, other
blessings of free government, fall out by
the way; but shoulder to shoulder, heart
to heart, bearing and forbearing with each
other, loving- or hoping to love by-and-by,
let them stand together, to bear out to ev
ery part of the earth the influence of Chris
tian civilization and human liberty."
THE independent complains of the policy
of putting Congregational churches under
the care of church courts belonging to
other denominations. It says : ,
" Who, five years ago, could- have pre
dicted that Congregational churches in the
State of New-York would divert their con
tributions away from the American Home
Missionary Society to put them at the disposal
of an exclusive Presbyterian Ecclesiastical
NEW-YORK.
Board ? The Ainerican Presbyterian of
Nov. 19, contains a list of acknowledg
ments by the ti,easurer of the N. S. Pres
byterian 4 Committee of Home Missions,'
among which we notice the following :
Pompey Hill Congregational churcli,N.Y., $40.00
Oxford l 6 " " 136.60
Prattsburg Congiegational church Ladies'
Home Mission'Bociety, 28.15
"None of these churches appear in the
Minutes of Absembly,' with the designa
tion of Congregational churches. We are
therefore at liberty to surmise that other
churches, not sofspecifted in this acknowl
edgment, may lip Congregational in name,
and yet contribute, their funds to rub out
the order of thk.Pilgrims from the regions
which wore planted and nurtured by their
fathers."
TUAKSGIVING DAY seems to have been
observed in Nevi r york with more than ord
inary interest. 'The several churches were
filled With.attentive audiences. The dis
courses prea.che4 were al* and appropriate.
The hearts of Christians, patriots and phi
lanthropists were , cheered and impressed
anew with a sense of their religious and so
cial obligations.. The Times of the 27th
ult. says : " Charity-seems to have walked
abroad. Many a heart beat loudly yester
day, tct the music of joy and gratitude, in
haunts`where nikught but silence and sor
row had prevailk Many a,sad and &so
.
late home was i ed by ~the ,kindly, and
help brought to' the sick, and. words and
acts.of comfort to the distressed and sor
rowing. Much good was done yeaterday—
much more than,iiest years have record of
and.; may it be the initiative of what makes
thrice blessed aud. thrice happy, those who
administer it."
W:E BEE it stated that Dr. El D. Hudson,
Clinton Hall, Kst.or, Place,: New-York, is
engaged, by ordet of. Susgeon General Ham
mond, of the Ctlited States Army, and Sur
geon Whelan, :`o' the' Navy, in supplying
Soldiere and ethers with artificial limbs
without charge,B
THE vAzumuo- 4de,g of the State of New-
York, as just ternained. by the State
Board of E44lization for 1863, amounts
to the inconceifible sum of $1,454,454,817.
The County °Ns/err-York supplies $547,-
416,031, toward this total ; Albany County,
$39,940,693'; Rings County, (Brooklyn
and vicinity) 013,147,604; Genesee Coun
ty, $15,934,530; Erie County, (Buffalo
and vicinity) $47,068,595; and Westches
ter County, $41;,685,997. The poorest is
Hamilton County, in the Adirondac region,
which it seems could be bought for $605,-
016.
THE Evening Post; in noticing the new
warble store of Mr. A. T. Stewart, on
Broadway, says
"..The interior arrangements of this
im
mense edifice are in character with its im
posing. exterior. On the underground
floor, below the basement, are four steam
boilers, of fifty horsepower capacity each,
which. operate separately or in connexion.
These are used in heating the building and
in driving the engines. The space in the
building heated by them is 1,819,550 cubic
feet, and th4ty-eight thousand lineal feet
pi
of steam-e are used for this purpose.
The introdua t ion of • the steam_works. cost
'about lwen ty-five thousand dollars.
"There are five steam hoisting engines
of six horse:power each. There are alio
five elevators, each worked by one of the
engines. These elevators, which are a nov
-city in their operation, are placed near the
side of the building, where goods are
brought in or taken away. They are about
five feet by six in height or length. A
large cylinder on the engine has a wire
cable wound around it, and this cable ex
tends to the top of the building, where it
passes over a pulley and is fastened to — the
elevator; and in order to ascend or de
scend it any person may easily set the en
gine in motion."
THE PRICE of Gold fluctuated during
the past week between 1534 and 143, clos
ing on Saturday . at 1461. On Monday of
this week, it opened at 147, advanced to
149, and then declined to 147-1-. Superfine
State and Western Flour was qUoted, on
Saturday, at $5.85@56.10.
PHILADELPHIA.
, THE .GENERAL MISSIONARY COMMIT
TEE of the Methodist Episcopal Church,
met in their annual convention in this city
on Friday, the 20th ult.,_and continued in
session until the following Monday. The
amount appropriated for the ensuing year
was: for Foreign Missions, .$202,934.14;
for Domestic Missions, $192,250.00.
Among the special items, we notice the ap
propriation of 05,000 for mission work in
the South. '
A CORRESPONDENT of the N.Y . Advocate
and Journal, writing recently from Philadel
phia, says.:
" Philadelphia, always beautiful, never
looked better at this season than now. A
walk in Chestnut Street is good for soul
and body. It is the finest street in Amer
ica, except Broadway. How patriotic it is !
See the Stars and Stripes waving from a
hundred flag-staffs! How Dove that old
flag, now that it means liberty and union !
Stripe no longer for the slave, but only tor
traitors'and rebels. It is half-mast to-day
in honor of the heroes who fell at Gettys
burg. One's attention is arrested on Chest
nut street at a number of ladies dressed in
mourning apparel. I speaks a sad fact.
War has claimed his bloody offering of
many households and hearth-stones."
AT SIXTEENTH and Market streets, the
Pennsylvania Railroad Cotnpany are erect
ing a mammoth freight depot, intended for
the receiving and forwarding business of
the Philadelphia and Erie line. When
complete, it will be the largest depot for
freight purposes in the city. The front,
on Market street, will be of iron, orna
mented with handsome columns, and will
be 214 feet in breadth. It will have two
elevations of twenty-five feet high, with
skylights at the sides and between the ele
vations. The skylight will be eighteen
feet in height. The building extends to
Filbert street, a distance of 306 feet, and
will have large cellars for the storeage of
freight. There will be six tracks entering
the depot, two - sets. of double and two of
single tracks leading up and down Market
street..
ORE means of supplying the needy in
the Oily of Brotherly Love, is soup socie
ties, one of which distributed, last Winter,
83,000 pints' of soup, 896 pounds of bread,
And 7,600 pounds of Indian meal.
- TELE late George R. Gliddon, well known
as a writer and, lecturer on Egyptian An
tiquities, was buried in the Laurel. Hill
' , Cemetery, Philadelphia, on the 14th inst.,
his remains having been removed from
Panama for this purpose, and a mural tab
let has been raised over them.
ECCLESIASTICAL.
Rev. A. H. SEELEY was installed pastor of
the Presbyterian church at Smithfield,
Duchess County, N. Y., on Tuesday,
Nov. 10, 1863, by a Committee of the
Presbytery of North River.
Rev. E. D. YEOMANS, late of Trenton,
New Jersey, Was installed pastor of St.
Peter's church, Rochester, N. Y., on
Monday evening, the 9th inst..
Mr. J. M. MAXWELL, late of the N. W.
Theological Seminary, was ordained, on
the 6th ult., by the Presbytery of St.
Louis, and installed at Kirkwood, Mo.
Rev. A. H. SEELEY was installed at Smith.-
field, N. Y., on the 10th ult.
,„
Rev. CHAUNCEY D. MURRAY, of t l. .un Abe
.
formed Dutch church, has accepted a
call from the Westminster Presbyterian
church, New-York.
Rev. PLUMP H. MOWRT has received a
call from the Mahoning church, Dan
vile, Pa., : of - which the late Dr. Yeo
mans was pastor.
Rev. E. C. TRIMBLE, of Tennessed,, has
been invited to supply the Goshen con
gregation, in Oldham County, Kylr
y. A. WOTRIEGi late of Washington
Presbytery, was ordained and installed at
Portage City, Wia., by the Presbytery
of Winnebago, Oct. 27th.
The pastoral relation existing between Rev.
Wm. PRIDEAEX and the church of
Schellsbnrg, has inert dissolved by the
Presbytery of Carlisle, and - Mr. J.
Donaldson has been engaged to supply
the church for six months.
Rev. HALLOOK ARMSTRONG has been in
stalled in the church of Monroeton, Pa
Rev. J. W. WIGHTMA.N has been installed
by the Presbytery of Carlisle, at Waynes
bore', Pa.
For tbo Proebytertan Banner.
Another Letter from the Christian Commission
DEAR FRIEND ALBREE :—The opera-
tions - of the Christian Commission are so ex
tensive and varied, that to give even a synop
sis of the same would require more ability
and tithe than I have now at command.
Our headquarters are now with the Army
of the Potomac, at Brandy Station, Cul
'pepper County, Va. Our corps of dele
gates is strong in numbers, and very zeal
ous and harmonious in all their movements.
The field and hospital work is very great,
,and is most efficiently and systematically
managed by our excellent Field Agent, Mr.
Cole. Each delegate has his own sphere of
operation, and oT °curse has his'own pecu
liar experience in dealing with the sol
diers. He also sees peculiar scenes and
incidents, and hears peculiar things, totally
distinct from all others. Nothing can be
more interesting than the relation of many
of these by the Commissioners, in the even
ing, when we all return to our headquarters'
tent. Volumes of wonders might be writ
ten on these singular recitals. We go out
in the- morning -with reading matter and
some hospitakstores, to certain brigades or
regiments in the different=corps. The-sol
diers see you coming with the, papers on
your arm, and the tracts and i books'in yOur
-vent:filled haversacks: Theyloomertrenuing
to you, and settle around you like bees, till
all your stores are distributed. Then you
walk around -among the tents. Here you
see the poor fellows lying in their " dog
tents," reading. Sometimes they look up,
see you, smile, ask you- in. Down you get
on your knees, crawl in, talk, pray, exhort.
Oat you crawl again, look around, and see
a group of eight, or ten of the "boys,"
standing round a big log-fire. You go up.
" How do-do, Chaplain ?" greets you. You
ask how they are getting along. "Oh I
pretty well ;'=but this is , nbt home." "No,"
we reply, " there is no place so sweet as
home ; but don't you think you can deny
yotirselvee some home comforts for a time,
in• order to do your duty to your country ?"
" Oh, yes, yes." Then we tell them how
the Bible says of this world; that 'it is a
vale of tears, and points us to heaven where
there is no war, misrule, anarchy, sin, or
suffering, and where Christ our best friend
will lead all who have . come up through
great tribulation to fountains of living
water, and God will wipe away all their
tears. By this time your audience has in
creased two fold, and you go on in a kind
of sermon. The dear fellows listen as you
point - them to the Lamb of God, and not
unfrequently shed a - tear as you speak of
that dread eternity to which many of them
may be hurled in a few hours, by the weap
ons of the enemy. You close your little
exhortation. Some come to you, and make
your personal acquaintance; ask you per
haps, to take a walk with them " without.
the camp." You go. They tell you how
deeply they feel both their temporal and
their eternal condition. Hero is one who
is a father. He has a wife and five small
children at home, far, far away in-New-
England or in the West. He shows you a
letter from them. They are in actual want,
but he can do little for them. He asks
you to write a letter to them for him, as he
has neither, pen, ink, nor paper. Of course
you do it then and there. He gives the
material; you put it into form ; you get at
his heart; for, as he talks about the home
he, may never again see, many tearsoll
down his bronzed checks, and many sobs
convulse his swelling bosom.
Again and again, day after day, you go
through these scenes. Those poor • men
bless you, and regard you as their true
friends.
You go into a -hospital. A soldier is
-dying. His brother, or some dear ac
quaintance, is near. He bids him farewell,
and kisses him, saying: " There is a kiss
for mother,• there is one for father, there is
one for dear little Johnny," &c., &c. Oh !
but such scenes are affecting I It- makes
one feel and confess that MAN is our
brother !
Now let us go to the head-quarters of
some regiment This is Col.
good, kind man. How social he is. He
says, "Can't you preach us a sermon ?"
" What ? just now ?" "Yes." " I can."'
Truinpet ‘ blows immediately. The " blue
birds '! know what it means, and come Out
strong. Now, stand you in the midst, and
try yourself. No need of a written ser
mon. One well extemporized will. do.
You sing; oh what singing; hundreds of
strorg voices joined make a camp and the
woods all around ring with sacred song.
Thus you go from day to day . in this: al
most boundless army. You have access to
men here you would not have at home.; nor
have I heard as much profanity as is usual
in our villages and towns on occasions of
public meetings. And I have seen in two
weeks but one drunken man, and he was an
understrapper of the shoulder-strap order.
Men in the ranks cannot get intoxicating
drinks -in the army. • ,
There is.one mistake abroad in, the land
that I would correct. We sometimes read
in our public journals that our men are
" anxious for a fight," " spoiling for a
' pitch in' to the enemy," &a., &c. Now,
this is not true. Whilst they will fight,
and expect to fight, when they meet the
enemy, yet hundreds of veterans—men who
were with McClellan on the Peninsula, or
with Pope at Manassas, or at Antietam, or
Gettysburg, or Winchester, or Fredericks
burg, or Chancellorsville, or in all these
fights—have told me that so dreadful are
such battles that they never want again to
see, much less to be in them; that the more
of these they are in, the more they dread
them.
This is written in the midst of a field
where.three or four terrible battles have
been fought, and the sad marks of the same
are quite enough for me. Although before
this is read, another shocking slaughter may
have taken place on the Rapidan. '
The enemy dashed in on us, last night;
and took 120 men, and some wagons.
Nothing iiithought, however, of such foraYA
here..
The Christian Commission is doing a
noble work. May the blessing of the Great
God rest upon it!
Yours, &c., j ZED• •
For the Presbyterian Fanner.
.0 •
To lir. Noon- and the Sabbath School, Class,
2041, 011018 , -City;ll. --
• ' - *4
"'". I.3ALTIMOItE, Nov., 1863.
DEAR FRIENDS : —The copies •of the
Banner, which you have been kindly for
warding to me for the soldiers, have all been
received, and would have been acknowl
edged before this, but for the fact that I
have scarcely had a moment's leisure, fiav
ing, as you may suppose, a large number
of correspondents, and a great many Sol
diers' letters, reports and appeals to write..
Then, since my return from Gettys4.rg
and the Rappahannock, my mother, worn
out by exposure and fatigue, was seized
with fever, and since her convalescence my
time has been fully, and more than fully
occupied, in endeavoring to obtain supplies
of books, papers, stationery ; and delicacies,
to take with me this Winter to our sick
and wounded in South Carolina, the Army
of the Potomac, Western Virginia, and the
Western Army ; 'nor have I able to
obtain the one tenth of whit I need, and
can take and use, to the greatest advantage.
This grieves me, for I believe that so long
as God calls me to labor for our dear sol
diers and sailors, he will furnish the means ;
consequently, when these are wanting I
cannot but fear, lest my work should 'be
hindered. Yet even it this should be true,
',ought to be thankful that he has allowed
such an unworthy instrument to do as
much, and to know that on various battle
fields and in many hospitals throughout
our land, the sufferinc , . and dying have
given me, as preciouslegacies, blessings
which I would not exchange for much gold:
It is cheering to, you to learn, that in
two years and more spent in this good
work, having distributed thousands of Tes
taments, boos, hymn-books and papers, I
have always found them most eagerly and
gratefully received, and generally carefully
read, and then sent home. In the hospital
at Winchester, Va., a soldier who had been
confined to his miserable room for months,
told me he thought the reading matter I
had giv,en him from time to time had'
saved him from idiocy ! To supply our
'army with even , reading matter sufficient
for a. few hours in a week, requires a vast
aMettit, and one which' has not yet been
contributed. As a general rule, a 'soldier's
is, unless marching, or at work on fortifiCaz
tions, a pretty idle life. Many hours pass,
on picket as well as - on a sick bed, whose
loneliness would be greatly relieved by
good religious and improving reading.
And the influences of war, at best, are so
terribly demoralizing that it seems to me
the Church, and the Sabbath School as a
branch of the Church, ought to be doubly
awake, doubly active, earnest and unceas
ing in all efforts in behalf of those who,
perilling everything—health, limbs, life,
aye, how► often even heaven itself, in our
defence.
Could the children of your Sabbath
School have stood with me, lately, by the
thousands of filled graves on the battle
field, and the new Cemetery at Gettysburg,
they would have realized as they cannot do
otherwise, the urgent necessity for this ap
peal; and they would also feel, as I did,
that the only balm in the midst of that
great depth of anguish, the only thought
from which I took comfort as I recalled
the awful sights, the mangled bodies, the
groans, cries and shrieks of anguish, was
in the reflection that from the day of that
awful slaughter until every hospital on the
field was broken up, I did not cease, with
the supplies I bad and could procure, to
do everything in human power to relieve
their agony. And as I stood by graves
filled with hundreds to whom I bad thus
ministered, could I feel unmoved? Oh
no ; amid tears of bitter anguish the prayer
went up to God to open and enlarge my
path before me—to bestow abundantly upon
me grace and strength; and, for his own
glory's sake, not for any unworthiness in
the feeble instrument to take from me the
power of doing good. And as my desire is
to do good for his sake only, I trust he will
hear my prayer. •
For a long time I sent my own religions
papers to pious soldiers in the army, and
they were welcome messengers. Amongst
some donations sent me, was one that
touched .me very much.; it was 'a little
,girl's copies . of the OW s . Paper, for 'one
year and from the manner in which they
had been kept, I knew the dear child had
prized them highly. Could she have seen
the bright faces of some of our boy-soldiers
and drummers as I told them who had sent
them, she would have been well repaid
but no doubt she had had her reward al
ready. :When we do anything for Jesus, it
is such a blessed privilege that we need no
other reward. Many an orphaned child
throughout our land cherishes as a price
less treasure the little book sent by the
father whose unnumbered grave forms one
of the many that now thickly cover the
battle fields of this rebellion. Said a poor
desolate boy—who had no friends, and no
home to go to, and consequently no desire
to leave the hospital, which to the rest was
so dreary—" Oh but that was a comforting
book you gave me !" " What was it ?"
was my inquiry. "Words of Healing," he
replied. And an incident occurred in Vir
ginia which was, deeply affecting._: I had
driven out the day before to some loyal
Virginia regiments who had been entirely
neglected. Great was their eagerness to
obtain hymn-books, Testaments, and papers.
Finding that I had not enough to supply
all, 1. directed one to come in that evening
and bring a list of all who wanted them. It
was a long walk, but I hadsearcely reaehed
the hospital and had my fire lighted to pre
pare some delicacies for the sick, when he
made his appearance with a knapsack to
carry the books. A few kind inquiries
won his heart, and the visit was often re
peated. One night he said: " You can'nt
tell how our boys prize these books. I
do ia't think they would have ,taken :them
from a - chaplain, if they had, would not
have read them ; but they can't get 0 „
your leaving home to come out in thisdre a .r i . ;
place to labor for them. They tbi u k
such great kindness in ladies. Q u i t ,
number meet in a tent together, and r „,:,1
three or four chapters daily; three o r
have torn up their cards, and resolved r .
give up card-playing altogether. AL :
these men belong to a class that never Chi n .
of such a thing as reading the Bible, I, ; '
it struck them as strange for ladies to t• d k
such an interest in them."
Next day, in going through the hospitit,,il
which was full of typhoid fever eases,' lc ,:
told that a young soldier had just bee n
eidentally shot, and was in one of the r ot , t ,
not expected to live. He belonged to
t
same regiment, and as I leaned over Li,
in sincere sorrow, I inquired if; i n
scarcity of reading distributed the day
fore, he had been supplied? Ilis
:brightened; " 0 yes," he said, I , y ou g4\.
=me a little Testament, some tracts, and •
:Sunday School paper with our fla. b on i t
it Well, William," I replied, muchgratis:.•
to think that he at least had not been t ;
'elected, I suppose your time was F.O
that you did not have a chance to read a t ,
in them." "I took my Testament to
tent that evening,, and read three or
chapt_re." And his captain told me
when he was;first wounded, fearing th at
yould - --4etriive, bar . t
for him at ;
told_ him he wanted his Testament to o
home to his sister, the tracts to one Willi ,
and the Christian Banner to another,
remember him by. This boy and his
era had been turned; out of doors by tic :
rebel neighbors in Virginia, and we re eur. ,
pelled to conceal , themselves in the ITOclis
until they Could enlist l in oar army. I!,
afterwards recovered, and his
gratitude . t
me was great. I have often thought thcr.
is no one who has not the means of a seet.
taining the name of some soldier. I t ran
ters not' whether he is a stranger to y e a
not; from the public lists select a name,;;
you know of no other, and from time to
time send , him good religious papers t
read, perhaps writing a line to tell
that you were mindful of him. I think
reply will be a pretty sure evidence
er he appreciates it or not.
You know little, how intensely lonely at
dreary, at times, is the life OF a soldier .
I - Who can tell but, coming to him thus i:.
his thoughtful hours, some little word
good seed may spring up in the heart
your brave defender, preparing him for ~
useful Christian life, or for a happy death
on the' battle-field. He most eqeciall;
needs all the good and holy influences yo:
can throw around him. And at the sal:
time cannot you send to me, for distribe.
tion, directed to the care of G. S.
Chairman -of Christian Commission, No. ;7
West Baltimore Street, Baltimore, a box
dried and canned fruits, stationery, gni,'
reading, pickles, cocoa, butter, &c.,
These will be faithfully distributed, and
letter written to you about them. Let n
know before sending them.
Remember me earnestly in your prayer=,
-Very truly yours,
JANE BOSWELL, MOORE.
' For the Prosbyteriaa Banter
Johnson's .Island.
This island, which is one and a hal:
miles lonk , and one half a mile in width, i,
directly in front of Sandusky at about thrve
miles distance. The name is derived from
a farmerwho has iesided there and now
leases it to the Government. Col. Ha
man, of the Army, selected this location for
the rebel prisoners, which is now, I be.
lieve, considered liable to some objection,
in point of safety.
At this time 3,000 rebel officers are con.
fined there, among whom are the celebrated
Jeff. Thompson and Gen. Polk, of Missouri
whose property was estimated beibre the
rebellion at $2,000,000. These two ptr
sons are . differently affected by ineareer.-
tion. Thompson labors constantly, hn; - -
ing made a fence around the rebel grave
yard and wrought industriously at the tun
nel or ditch through which the prisoner ,
purposed to escape. Gen. Polk is in mis
erable health, dispirited and heart-broken.
Another tall and showy officer is Col. Gond.
win, formerly governor of Libby prison.
The prisoners were allowed many Inn•
ries, purchased with their own money
including theatricals, with printed hand
bills and a band of music. -This order on
things is now, with good reason, entirely
reversed. Before entering the prison, each
one is required to deposite his money with
Col. Pierson, and when he chooses makes
an order for any sum he may desire. Con
siderable sums have been given up by sev
eral, and often in silver and gold.
The ditch above alluded to was discov
ered in the following manner : A letter
was handed to one of the guard, with five
dollars if he would mail it, which led t
suspicions, and it was handed to Col. Pier•
son. On opening it a full description of
the ditch was found—that it was completed
—all things ready, &e. The 'premises were
examined and found as described, with
man in the ditch. The letter was then
mailed, and the Post-master required to se
cure the person calling for it. The Colon,:
now has the letter, as it has not been calle:-
for, probably owing to the fact being known
that the conspirators were discovered.
Per the Presbyterian Banner.
Church of- New Birmingham.
To the Presbytery of St. Clairssille Ohio;
At a meeting of the Presbyterian dt e l.
and congregation of New Birmingham.
Guernsey County, Ohio, held in the:
-church in New Birmingham, on the I:7rL
day of August, 1863, the following prcatt'
ble and resolutions were unanimous.:
adopted :
'WESREAS, Our pastor, the Rev. 11,
Xnox, has-notified us that he will ask t 1
Presbytery of. St. Clairsville, at its
meeting, to dissolve the pastoral relath:
between him and this (New Birmingitz:'
Presbyterian) congregation : And, wberea.
'it is impossible for us to give him a sr'
ftcient support : And, whereas, we believ ,
that.he is worthy of and well qualified
a more extended field of usefulness : Au'
whereas, he has labored among us sin('
1860, and did not forsake us under a dvets
cireumstances, but continued with us f'
the last year, especially under very gre''
personal sacrifices, thus giving us an or
portunity of becomiug acquainted with 11 1 '
character as a man, a Christian, a nd a Jai"'
ister under varied circumstances; ther''
fore,
Resolved, That whilst we are sorry 1 1 :
part with him, yet we believe we 511 ()
not, and therefoie will not oppose the di , '
solution of said pastoral relation.
Resolved, That we take great pleasuro
in this opportunity of expressing our
plicit confidence in him as an bonest
upright man, a sincere Christian, and
energetic, faithful, successful, and self- 1 • 75.
rificing minister of the Gospel.
Signed : MICITATI HAYS, an.
Thomas Foy, Sec'y.
L. G.