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PROPRINTOR AND PUBLIBIIER
[Polecterl.]
Ile Leads His Own.
How few who, from their youthful day,
Look on to what their life may be,
Painting the visions of the way
In colon soft, and bright, and free ;
How few who to such paths have brought
The hopes and dreams of early thought
For God, through ways they have not known,
Will lead his own
The eager hearts, the souls of are,
Who pant to toil for God and man,
And view with eyes of keen desire
The upland way of toil and pain;
Almost with soorn they think of rest,
Of holy calm, of tranquil breast—
But (I od, through ways they have not known,
Will lead his own.
A lowlier task on them is laid—
With love to make the labor light;
And there their beauty they must shed
On quiet homes, and lost to sight,
Changed are their visions high and fair,
Yet calm and still they labor there; .
For God, through ways they have not known
Will lead his own.
The gentle heart, that thinks with pain
It scarce can lowliest tasks fulfill;
And if it dared its life to scan,
Would ask but pathway low and still:
Often such lowly heart is brought
To act, with power beyond its thought;
For God, through ways they have not kno7n,
Will lead hie own.
And they, the bright, who long to prove,
In joyous path, in cloudless lot,
'How fresh from earth their grateful love
Can spring without a stain or spot,
Often such youthful heart is given
The path of grief to walk to heaven;
For God, through ways they have not known,
Will lead his own.
What matter where the path may be 1
The end is olear, and bright to view,
We know that we a strength shall see,
Whate'er the day may bring to do.
We see the end, the house of God,
But not the path to that abode;
For God, through ways they have not known,
Will lead his own.
Por the Preabyerlan Banner
The Sabbath.
Isa. la, 14.—The Sabbath a de
`ght.
4 ' I must think forever; would an eter
-1 train of my usual thoughts be either
`orthy of me, or useful to me ? I must
'eel forever; would an eternal reign of my
resent spirit and desires please me? I
ust act forever; would an eternal course
' my habitual conduct bring happiness, or
yen bear reflection ?" Heaven is an eter-
t• al Sabbath ; do I so spend and employ my
:abbaths, that their eternal duration would
. ake heaven ? "With what sublime sim
,licity and brevity Paul sums up the bliss
1 heaven : so slum Mel DO pire - Mr - cumn vp.-
o r(1. It would be much to be forever
ith any one of the angels, in any part of
heaven, however remote from the throne of
God and the Lamb. It would be much to
e _Forever with any one of the saints, even
if not within the sight or the sound of
the general assembly before the throne. It
would be much to be forever alone on the
moat distant hill of immortality. It would
be much to be forever any where, out of hell.
What, then, must it be, to be forever with
flit' Lord !" Do we spend our Sabbaths
with the Lord, and make them, in this, an
emblem of heaven ? "There we shall be
forever witll the Lord "; while the wicked,
who call not the Sabbath a delight, "shall
be forever with Satan and his angels, forev
er with all the impure and impenitent spir
it, iu the universe!"
Such is heaven; such is hell ?. Of
heaven the Sabbath is a type and warm.
"Day of all the week the beet,
Emblem of eternal rest."
As the Sabbath is an emblem of heaven,
and as each may be our last, we should on
no Sabbath do any thing unworthy of our
last ; every one should be spent as if it were
to be our last; and weshould so spend them
all as to be willing to continue theni for
ever. We should, as it were, bring heaven
down upon earth, and make our Sabbaths,
kas far as may be, a part of heaven. The
Sabbath is a delight, and it should be so
spent, in suoh acts of worship r in such ap
proaches to God, in suoh meditations and
holy contemplations, in such abstractions
from the world and the vanities of time, in
such communings with the Father of our
spirits, in such fellowship with Father,
Son, and Holy Ghost, and with saints and
angels, that it would be heaven, so far as
heaven can be enjoyed on earth—heaven in
all but this, the Sabbath with its joys is the
blessedness of time ; heaven with its joys
is the blessedness of eternity.
header, one word : If you cannot keep
the Sabbath holy to the Lord, and regard
it as a delight; if you cannot spend one
day as God requires, and in his service,
how can you keep an eternity holy to him,
or spend it in his service and praise ? Ah,
you are not prepared for heaven—you must
be born again !
" Eternal truth doth loud proclaim,
The sinner must be born again,
Or sink to endless wo !"
For the Presbyterian Banner.
Report of Bev. V. N. Ferguson, Delegate of
the Christian Commission to the Army of
the Potomoe.
DEAR BROTHER &ERRE :-My com
mission bears date October 26, 1863. I
entered the army at Warrenton Junction,
November 11th; and proceeded next day in
a mule wagon, over the roughest road and
through the thickest dust I ever saw, in .
company with Mr. James McLaughlin, of
Florence, Pa., to Brandy Station, a distance
of fifteen miles. The severity of thirtrip
was great, but rendered endurable by ther
kindness of Mr. McLaughlin. I record
myself deeply indebted to him for many
favors and acts of kindness.
It was late in the evening when we
reached Brandy. We soon found the tent
of the Christian Commission, located, as it
was, in the 3d Division of the 3d Corps.
Here I remained, till November 24th, when
I was urged by Mr. Cole, our Field Agent,
to return to Washington, on account of
indisposition. This was about the time of
the move of the army across the Rapidan.
During my stay here, I preached many
times to the troops quartered near us, and
was truly delighted with the attention and
a "'" 4 " 00 ;0014P.: r%%ay were, with
VOL. XII. NO. 17.
-
scarcely an exception, social, kind, and
courteous; hearing with reverence the
words I spoke of Jesus and heaven. Often
would they weep, and after sermon gather
around me and shake my hand in the most
friendly and Christian manner. These
daily and nightly services were to me the
most pleasant of my life.
After I returned to Washington, I was
sent to labor among the Forts. I had an
ambulance at my disposal daily ; visited,
preached in, and personally inspected Forts
Lincoln, Thayer, Saratoga, Bunker Hill,
Sletnmer, Totten, Slocum, Stephens, De
Busse, Kearney; Reno, Bayard, Simmons,
Mansfield, Sumner, Corcoran, Woodberry,
Cass, Strong, Smith, Whipple, Tillinghast,
Craig, Albany, Scott, Lyon, and Ellsivorth.
About one-half of these are across the
river on Arlington Heights. I distributed
a great amount of reading matter among
the men in the barracks, which they re
ceived most thankfully. I made a written
report of the moral condition and suppose
wants 'of the soldiers in these Forte, to
Mr. Bowen, our local agent; and made also
the personal acquaintance of their chap
lains and commanders, whom I found quite
sooial and gentlemanly in deportment.
I labored, also, for several days in the
hospitals in both Washington and Alexan
dria, and did all I could for the comfort of
the poor fellows sent into the latter place
after the battle over the Rapidan. I also
preached frequently, and distributed many
papers, tracts, books, &e., to the prisoners
in Forest Hall, Georgetown; to Invalid
Corps in Cliffburne Barracks; to culprits
in Central Guard House; and to the mul
titudes from time to time found in the
" Soldiers' Rest." I was not in either
Camp Convalescent or Camp Stoneman.
A detail of the incidents, anecdotes, and
scenes of these places would swell this re
port to an undue length. Suffice it to say
that many of them were wonderful.
I labored for the Commission forty-one
days ; preached about sixty times; attended
many funerals; distributed 532 Testaments,
805 hymn books, 809 soldiers' books, 5,400
papers, 16,500 pages of tracts;
wrote a
great many letters for wounded soldiers;
and talked with many personally of their
soul's salvation.
This was delightful work. Every min
ister that can, ought to go and labor in this
great field, now white for the harvest. Let
the churches sustain the Christian Corn
mision liberally, for it is worthy, truly
worthy of their benefactions. .Seldom did
I ever meet a more lovely set of Christian
men, than those with whom it was my lot
to labor in all parts of the army ; coming
from different States and being of different
denominations, it is true, but all working
together as a band of brothers for one com
mon good: Never shall they be forgotten
by me. With a tearful eye and a sobbing
heart, we bade each other adieu, till we
meet above, where sin, war and woe will be
forever unknown.
Yours-in Christ,
The Times in which we Live.
2. Tim. iii 1—" This know, also, that
in the last days, perilous times shall come."
The word in the original, translated here
"perilous," is found only in one other plane
in the New Testament (Matt. viii : 28) and
is there translated " fierce." It might, per
haps, have been in that place, also, quite
as correctly rendered "perilous," or" dan
gerous." This will be evident by a refer
ence to the passage in Matt.
Here, one of our best Biblical critics
(Schleusner) says : *" Periculosa tempera"
is the true meaning, ; that is, " perilous
times," gc dangerous times."
Now, several questions naturally occur :
How perilous? To whatpersons, or to what
interests perilous ? Is the apostle referr
ing to human interests ? to the dangers of
social or civil rights ? to the storms and
convulsions of nations and governments?
to the perils threatening the general pro
gress of civilization, literature and science ?
Or rather does he not refer to the cause
and kingdom of Christ—its interests, its
trials, its struggles, its enemies, its con
flicts, its dangers ?
Is not the proper point of inquiry raised
by these words of the apostle, what makes
times perilous to the Church, its ministry,
and membership Ans.:
1. Whatever times " may interfere
with, prevent, or retard the growth of vital
goliness.
4 ' Because iniquity shall abound, the love
of many shall wax cold." &c.
2. Whatever times tend to diminish
brotherly love and introduce heartbnrnings,
alienations, strife, and discord, in the
household of faith.
3. Whatever times imperil the doctrin
al p*ity of the Church—opening the door
to la7rtudinarian sentiments, and false char
ity, about errors in doctrine and discipline.
4. Whatever times distract and retard
the Church in her great work, of. Missions,
and of the conversion of the world.
5. Whatever times seduce the. Church
and God's people away from their high
work and mission, to political discussions
and vain janglings, and fruitless controver
sies. _
6. Whatever times are characterised by
deadness and formality, and lukewarmness
in the churches; and by more zeal about
forms, and order, and ceremonies in the
house of God, than about vital piety, &a.
Now, in most respects, such are the times
in which we live.
W J.M
Par the Presbyterian Banner.
IJ, B. Christian Commission.
Thanks for Thanksgiving-Day Contri
buttons.
the United States Christian Commission
desires publicly to express its gratitude to
the ministers and churches of all the loyal
States for the many generous thanksgiving
day contributions received in response to its
appeal.
From day to day they still come in, and
already there has been received at the vari
ous.offices of the Commission, East and
West, eighty-three thousand four hundred
dollars. Many churches had already con
tributed several times before. Many others
so recently as not to think best to make col
lections on Thanksgiving-day; otherwise
the amount, large as it is, would have been
much greater.
This evinces that the people are not grow
ing poor, illiberal, forgetful of those who
battle for their country, or cold in their
love to God or the Government he has giv
en ns. It is also most gratifying evidence
of the increasing confidence of the people
in the Christian Commission, as a vise, ef
acientpund ,economical ,ugettoy.for , benefit
4 4 Mb
C : 1 1 1 r fi bftna n iattiter
W. M. F.
PITTSBURGH, WEDN SDAY, JANUARY 13, 1864.
ing oar_ national defenders in body and
soul.
With the enlarged means contributed,
and with the assurance that the warm hearts
and generous hands that have bestowed
them will not cease, but increase their lib
erality, the Commission has entered upon
broader plans of more thorough work, and
will send more delegates, more' stores and
more reading matter, than ever before. Not
less tban one hundred and twenty men, who
can both minister to the sick and wounded,
and preach the Gospel, will be kept con
stantly in commission in theArreies of the
Potomac and of the Cumberland, besides
all sent to all the other military depart
ments and naval stations. This will re
quire many more volunteers for the dele
gate service, and greatly increased contribu
tions of money and stores to fill their hands
with good things for mind and body to be
stow upon our brave men.
Whilst, therefore, we most heartily thank
our bounteous benefactors for all they have
given, we must at the same time make our
appeal for more delegates and more money
and stores.
This Winter will afford opportunity for
preaching the Gospel to our soldiers while
in Winter quarters, and of cheering them
for duty to themselves, to God, and the
country, and of bringing the influences of
home and friends to bear upon them for
their present and eternal salvation, greeter
and better than has ever occurred before or
may ever offer again. Give us therefore,
now, your help, we beseech, you, and may
God's blessing rest upon youl
By order of the Executive Committee.
GEO. H. STUART, Ch'n.
W. E. Boardman, Sec'y.
EUROPEAN CORRESPONDENCE,
The Queen and Sorrowful Memories—The Royal
Children—Christmas—Cattle Show—The Great
Market—A Prosperous Year—Dr. Wordsworth's ,
Protest—The New Dean of Westminster and
" Subscription"—The New School and its Pioph
ets—A Fresh Protest and its Reasons—Dr. Tame
on " Vicarious Atonement"—Times' Southern.
Correspondence—Confessions and Revelations—
Air. Cobden and the Times—lts Repeated Defeats
—Adverse Election at Pares—The Emperor in
Peril—Shall there be War
LONDON, December 19, 1863.
THE .QUEEN has spent the second anni
versary day of the death of. the lamented
Prince Consort in deep seclusion, as have
done also her children. They also visited,
together, the new Royal Mausoleum where
th remains of the father and husband—a
model in both characters—are interred:
It is to be hoped that the Sovereign will.
now begin to mingle with the people as she
was wont to do. in former dayS.
it is her desire and intention to do so, as
far as her health; will permit. Still her
joyous days are well night over. She his,
however, ' large consolation' and solace.
Her children-rise up and call her blessed,
'and grandchildren, too, are gathering round
her, and with their innocent glee, beguile
and soften the painful reminiscences of the
Royal Widow. All her children are prom-
Wales, in its ram • ~.., e _of
py and pleasing. Prince Alfre.;
and son; is manly, frank, and sailorlike.
Probably of the two he has the stronger in
tellect.
CHRISTMAS is almost at hand, and busy
preparations are going on all over the land.
The publishers have brought out a vast
number of beautifully illustrated books, es
peeially for the young. Never were the
arts of bookbinding and wood-engraving
being carried to such perfection. Men of
the highest genius as artists, illustrate our
periodicals, and are paid princely sums.
I have heard accounts which seem almost
fabulous, of sums being given to Millais
(the leader of the Pre-Raphmletic school
of Painters) in connexion with illustra
tions of his in Good Words. Most of these
bear on the parables, and the glowing com
mentaries thereon, by Dr. Guthrie, of Ed
inburgh.
A Cattle Show has, as usual, been held
in London. - The Prince of Wales was
present the first day. His father was an
eminent agriculturist and was wont to send
yearly to the " Show," splendid specimens
of cattle. The farm, I presume, is still
kept up at Windsor. After the Cattle
Show, came the ".Great Market " before
Christmas, where more than 10,000 oxen
and 7,000 sheep, together with pigs and
calves, were to be seen in the one vast
area of the Metropolitan Cattle Market at
Islington. This is a larger supply than
ever seen before. The quality of the meat
also, is better than ever,
as to firmness and
nourishing qualities. This partly arises
from crossings of the various -breeds, and
partly from the abandonment of the ex
cessive use of oilcake, which caused the
beasts to be overlaid, and unwholesomely
with fatness. Scotland stood very high as
to the fine cattle sold at the Great Market.
Geese and turkeys are coming up to Lon
don in vast numbers. In one county (Nor
folk) not lass than 10,000 geese have been
fed and made ready for the coming season.
This will be, I believe, a Christmas that
shall almost bring.to the close the most
commercially prosperous year Great Britain
has ever known. It is my earnest hope,
that ere another year ends, united America
may have dried her tears, and be enabled
with thankfulness to rejoice inpeace inau
gurated, and in the well-founded prospects
of a Heaven-blessed flap..
A PnoTzsT against the installation of
Dr. Stanley, as. Dean of Westmirister, has
been published from the pen of the Rev.
Dr.- Wordsworth, Canon Residentiary of
Westminster Abbey. He denounces the
nomination by the Crown, to the deanery,
as a menace to the Church, a danger and a
scandal. He has, says the accuser, "set
himself np in opposition to the Nei . Testa
ment;" " his published lectures "tend to
weaken the faith of their readers ;" and he
is " a person who has caused, much grief
and trouble of conscience to many faithful
members of the Church."
Doctor Wordstvorth, in all this, strikes
chords which vibrate in the heirts of both
High Churchmen and. Evangelicals; and
many Nonconformists would endorse his
charges with
.a painful consciousness of
their truth. He refers, indeed, to Stan
ley's school-boy days, when he and nthers
were called to present him with prizes and
honors for his genius and learning, and dis
claims all personal feeling or dislike now.
He thinks he is bound to exonerate his con
science by a ,protest. He reminds us that
ere the Dean can be admitted by the Can
ons and their senior leader (Di. Words
worth) Dr. Stanley must, in the Jeru
salem Chamber, subscribe-to " all and
every one of the Thirty-Nine Articles of
Religion,s l with.other =formal ,declarations
of hie obedience to the
Dr. Wordsworth thet
will sign the Articles
not. Does he think t
own office, rather than
Chapter in the indto
Certainly not. After
protest, all he can fin
trusts that " as a poi
Stanley will subseri f.
sense," and thus, in th
ity, he, Dr. Wordsw,
granted that all his
nounced
Dr. Wordsworth is .iexample of a ,stiff
and narrow, yet in i ny other respects
able and amiable, C ,', ihman. He has
priestly and exclusive notions, tending in
their legitimate issues 'ekeivard ; and yet
no man living has pub :had such a_ clear,
concise, and crushing p Of that the Chukth
of Rome is the " Baby on" of ,
the Apoca
lypse. When Dr. S nley comes on, all
will be mutual courtes ;between the Dean
and the Canon; that ". , 2 , promise" Church
tt h itir,
has a rare capacity for -. dug - ,opposites
as' er genuine sons, a , , . Stlt ' re: i
which binds together ;_,. the game ' ,'" "
the Semi-Rationalist - ,:'. "'the Orthodox,
will have furnished, a Pro& of its marvellous
elasticity hitherto unparalleled. '
The Daily Telegraphy which from the
first has been a pleader for "Essays and
Reviews" and their . authors—including
those who have been prosecuted in the
Ecclesiastical Courts—indulges itself first
in ridiculing Dr. Wordsworth, and sneer
ingly suggesting or taking for granted that
to be consistent, he must. resign : " for how
is it possible that the denunciator should
consent to serve Witter the object of
his denunciation ?" Ttexf assuming the
grandiose style of the - New, and Negative
School, it talks at once profanely and
boastingly as follower' • .
"He has, indeed, chlllenged the atten
-1 Lion of the country to a strange impersona
tion of the contest already going on between
the past and the Adige. He insists that
the later half of this stirring century shall
maintain the dogmas and the exclusions of
the earlier half. Finding that the spirit of
the day is about to enter the doors of the
Abbey, he places his canonical foot upon
the threshhold, and present's himself im
movable as a living' non possumus.' The
contest does, indeed, Tmeern the country;
and the victory, whichever way it may lie,
must have an influence on the remainder of
this century, and of those to follow. West
minster is here, in every sense, a type and
specimen of the land. It is a city of whom,
in sacred language, y!te may still exclaim,
'lf thou hadst known, even thou, at least
on this thy day, theqhings which belong
to thy peace'.'' For truly do.the conscience,
the welfare, the good life, the tranquility
of. England . and its .official centre depend
upon the issue of the struggle, in which
Dr. Wordsworth has become an accuser and
impediment, while Dr. Stanley is a leader
and pioneer."
The dishonesty of.staying in the Church,-
andsubscribing fornktlas so definite, as the
• - _thaimmtion_whieb. Colenso
dimly strove to conceal. Att wuff - autteLd
to their litaral.sense, and demand this from
others, are " obstructionists," as ".claiming
for one age and its finite creatures," (the
Reformation and the English Reformers,)
that "they had ascertained the interpreta
tion for all time." And then we are told
how anxious " science, criticism and phil
osophy stand• before us in a new attitude.
They are not hostile as in the last century;
they are not contemptuous, they are not
scornful ;, they wish to be religious, they
want to be Chriatim.” Yes, odeed they
do; but it is at the expense and sacrifice of
Christianity and its cardinal truths. And
the -apostles of the New School are to do
what Evangelism in the persens of Ro
maine, Newton, Rowland Hill, and hun
dreds of others, with our fuming Evangel
ism in theatres halls, and streets, cannot
do. Here is the programme of ate Daily
Telegraph. It says of science, criticism
and philosophy :
"They ask whether the faith and teach
ing of the Shepherd are found in.separatism
and exclusion, or' in the mind, words, and
work' of Him who, companioned by Mary
Magdalen, told the tile of the Good Samar
itan ? It is Arthur Penrhyn Stanley who,
standing within the pale of the Church,
holds out the hand of human fellowship
and Christian- brotherhood to all, asking
whether we shall persist in harsh, perplex
ing, and revolting antagonisms, or whether,
hailing new homage from unexpected quar
ters to the holiest of names, we should not
consent to be taught' even by opponents,
and accept the faith, however im
perfect, the adoration however inconsist
ent, offered to Him, who most assuredly
would never have broken that bruised reed,
or quenched that sm O king,fiax.' This,_ we
say, is the spirit in which the Church : as
well as the laity is bound to study Chris
tianity; this is the spirit in which the
missionary may .enter the City,' in the
hope that he may be vouchsafed the power
to make, it know' the things which beloog
to its peace.
To shallow.panda, ill-taught, this kind of
talk is telling. -
An Evangelical clergyman writes an ad
mirable and manly letter to . the Times. of
this day, in whioh, while declaring that he
belongs to a ilifferent.school in the Church
of England from Dr.- Wordsworth, he en
dorses and, supports his t pretest: se, ; does
not hesitate to pall Dr..Stanliii a Rational
ist. As an illustration of t what he means
by this, he refers to Stanley's comment
upon Abraham's offering up Isaac, which
he says was derived from heathenism
,and
its wicked and abominable ,practice' of
human sacrifices ! The clergyman dees not
fail to point" out how the plain history in
Genesip/Is thus outraged; how the
.Divine
command was issued, and . how God
him
self put honor on Abraham, " became th:pn
host done this thing." Of course, we;know
that God did not intend that Isaac should
be put to death; and Stanley, in his Ra,
tionalizingoiritn
cent, totally forgets that,
as the Epi4le to the Hebrews, chap. xi,
shows, -the 4hOle was designed - he a test of
faith.
The Record comforts its readers .as to
,Stanley's appointment, by saying that it at
Once discharges " a Royal debt," (his, seal
in helping.on the education of the Prince
of Wales, and his Rating as his guide and
conductor in his journey to the East,)
" and at the same time shelves him." .But
shelving is not so certain. A Dean
may always.look hopefully toward a Eilh
oprie ; and if any man living may cOlffi..
deafly do so—unless public opinion
,is a
barrier too strong to be overleaped-mg*
tatute Law. Does
;eve that Stanley
gnirno 7 I think
of resigning his
:',the leader of the
•
ion of the Dean ?
:wing uttered his
'•41) say is, that he
s t, of honor, Canon
-:;in . the orthodox
pdgmoot of char
li, will *eke for
,- Osi errors are re-
THE Times' correspondent, writing from
Richmond on the 14th of November,
gives a gloomy picture of the finan
cial position of the Southern Confed
eracy. The Generale also have been kept
" constantly on the rack" by " their
enemy," who, " with far more sagacity
than - heretofore; hems in the edges of the
' rebellion' on' every side, avoids the fre
quent recurrence of pitched battles, ponaces
with hawk-like swoop upon isolated bodies
of men, evinces possession of admirable
secret informat4on, and harasses by Constant
iiiiiiiihns,:davyskyfi thus "making
abundant sitppliei for horse and man, more
-and, more felt." "Finally, he is investing
the ports of Secessia with a cordon of ves
sels so numerous as, for the first time in.
thirty inenths, to mike access to the Con
federate -boasts really dangerous and diffi
cult."
As to the different feeling in North and
South as to a successful issue, he draws an
equally desponding picture. Referring to
the North, and its confidence. even in dis
aster, as to its "star" and " manifest des
tiny," he says, " no parallel faith has ever
.been exhibited in the Confederate States in
their future. Six great Southern victories
in the field and three drawn battles, ex
hausting the nine principal collisions of
the war ; the entire absence of any such pan
ic routs as Bull Run and Chickamauga;
the tried inefficiencies of the Federal block
ade; the unmolested predatory flight of
Alabamas and Floridas at sea, lave alto
gether failed to inspire the masses of the
South with a tithe of that confidence in
themselves which neither defeat, nor disas
ter, nor hope deferred, nor illusions dis
pelled, have ever shaken out of the North
erners!'
It is then added, in words which virtu
ally rebukes' the napes itself: ".Deny it
who may, there is something sublime in
this shadowy earnestness and misty magni
ficence of Northern faith and self-reliance.
Would that I could but see promise of fu
ture and final Southern triumph in any
corresponding quality of the Southern
mind ! In many fashions Southern tot
faith crops up and 'recoils upon the Con.
federate Government."
As to matters financial, " three . dol
lars in greenbacks will buy two dollars
in gold, while it requires thirty paper dol
lars of the Confederacy to buy a like sum."
All this holds true—the people have no
confidence apparentl —while it is univer•
. .
tfiat Richmond has
,ample
supplies of coal, Wood, and gas, but in
spite of these, imfaith, in Confederate cur
rency grows apace , ; the farmers refuse to
part with their crops on any terms; flour
fetches $lOO per barrel; bacon is close on
$1 per pound; every thing is proportion
ably dear, and nothing plentiful save Con
federate currency—until at last a WOlikall
going ia market has been heard to exclaim,
"I carry a basket to hold my money, and
carry a poeket-book to fetch home the slice
of beef which it buys!) The misery which
is thus brought on people comparatively
innocent may ultimately prove too strong in
its protests to be despised or repressed by
the leaders. But we who are friends of the
North, fear that it is but too certain that,
unless some unexpected Providence inter
vene, the fearful contest must be
_resumed
early in Spring. Meanwhile slavery, more
and more, is being " elbined, cribbed, and
confined," overrun, and has received its
death-blow. The longer the struggle, the
more certain its final overthrow.
THE HONORABLE AND REV. B. W. No
has published a new work, "The Amer
ican Rebellion." He has bad, I believe,
in America a worthy son for many years.
This may partially account tor his Northern
sympathies. But altogether independent
of such a consideration, he is a cool, calm
,thinker; he detests hypocrisy, sees through
doublemindedness; is perfectly aware of
the cowardly reasons of Southern leanings
among,the Tories, who hate and fear Dem. :
°creep and its triumphs; is a Liberal in the
best sense of the word, and took his part—
e prominent ,one—in helping to destroy
slavery in the West India Colonies.,
Mr. Noel, and the Rev. Newman HQ, by
their writings and their addresses, have
done very much toward that improved tone
of public feeling which is now so evident.
Mr. Newman Hall has one telling sentence
in, his published lecture, to the effect that,
whatever doubts people may have of North
ern sincerity as to fighting against slavery,
it is very certain that . the SOuth are fight-.
ing for it. The 'tone of the Times corres
ponkent from New-York, has lately been
respectful and fair toward the North.
man is Arthur Penrhyn Stanley.. A Dean
—Dr. Trench—has just left Westminster
Abbey for the Archbishopric of Dublin.
That post, Stanley might have gained, but
for a loud and vehement protest, which
Lord Palmerston, with Lord Shaftsbury at
his, side, recalcitrant and remonstrative, did
not feel at liberty to disregard.
The Jim Dr. Jeune, the new Dean of
Lincoln, has lately preached—before his
appointment-La great sermon in defence of
that " vicarious atonement" which Stan
ley denies.
MB. COBDEN says: "It has been the fate
of the Times to help forward every cause
which it has opposed. By its truculent
and almost ruffianly attacks of every move
ment While in the weakness of infancy, it
has aroused to increased efforts the energies
of,those whom itais assailed; while at the
same time it has awakened the attention of
,a languid public and attracted the sympa
thies of fair and manly minds.
"It is thus that slush measures as the
abolition of the corn-laws, the repeal of the
taxes on knowledge, and the - negotiation of
the treaty of commerce with France, tri
umphed in spite.. of its virulent, pertina
cious and unscrupulous opposition; until
"at last, I am tending to the - conviction that
there are three conditions only requisite for
the success of anygreat project, namely, a
good cause, persevering advocacy, and the
hostility of the Times. "
All this is Undeniable, and the Times
has been compelled to print- the impeach
ment in its continued correspondence and
quarrel with Mr. Cobden. The latter -is
accused of imputing bad motives. But
how, could lie, as, an, honest man, who proves
the baseness that has dictated the course of
. ,
,
th Times, refrain from doing so 'l_ Mr.
Cobtlen.certainly erred in violence of lan
guage, but in the argurneni he it superior.
The- Times will be all the better of this
business, and its writers, calmly lectured
by the Daily News, will perhaps take its
advice 'not` to be . as' bamed of t astua r wledging
t..,.
WHOLE NO. 589
an error as to a matter of fact, if they haver
discovered that they have done so.
THE EMPEROR Os' THE FRENCH. is great
ly exasperated by the defeat of two Imperial
candidates, and especially of one adverse elec
tion—that of Mr. Pelletan, an opposition
candidate—this week, in Paris. The most
flagrant means were used to blacken the
character of the candidate. — Bat all was in
vain. The majority was upwards of 6,000.
• Paris is France, and if it turn against the
Emperor, in spite of all his lavish expendi
ture, and that'of his courtiers his dynasty
is imperilled, and his very life will be in
danger. He has given the public the forms
of liberty, but it is a mockery. The reality
must be accorded, or else the war spirit
evoked, and new campaigns inaugurated.
The Denmark and Holstein question, with
Venetia stiW in thrall, and Austria and
Prussia counteracting each other, may give
the opportunity. J.W.
For tits Presbyterian Banner.
NEWBERN, N. C., Dec. 17, 1863,
Enrrona:—After a. few days'
'detentirtiTiertterito Ta, ke _left
9 , rr
ariithe tst o hz OW beautiful
odea.n steamer, &R.' . Spaulding, Captain
Howe, for Beaufort, N. C., with a goodly
number of passengers, mostly army officers
and a few ladies,. and one company of sol
diers. To get aboard we had to get into
" Tugs" and go out, and with some diffi
culty climb up into the Spaulding and draw
up our baggage with ropes. " AlPaboard,"
away we went down the broad Chesapeake,
and soon entered the raging billows of the
mighty Atlantic. About half-past BP. M.
we rounded Cape Hatteras—one of the
roughest and.most dangerous points on the
Atlantic eoaat—all in perfect safety.
Passing Hatteras - Inlet, we arrived at
Morehead City, and came on an express
train to this captured city of some 8,000
ihhabitantaesides some 9,000 contrabands.
The city presents quite a military appear
ance. It was taken by the Federal forces
under Gen. Burnside, March 14, 1862.
Nearly all the old citizens, have left, and
much of their property has been confiscated.
The churches are all closed except those
occupied by ministers from the North—
Chaplains, and delegates of the IL S. C.
Commission-.--who occupy the Presbyterian
and M. E. churches. The Christian Com
mission has a Depository here, - ,and it is
doing a good work. The Army, and Navy
Library for soldiers of Foster Hospital,
contains 1,000 volumes of miscellaneous
books, kept in the
. Leeture-Room, is in
good order, and contains many valuable
books.
CONTE/113ANDS
In Eastern North Carolina there are
some 18,000 Contrabands, men, women and
children. They are flocking in here from
all quarters. Many, on arrival, are nearly
worn out with labor and exposure. Gen.
Butler is raising a colored Brigade at For
tress Monroe. The Ist Regiment of Va.
colored cavalry is already full. - They are
set o jo y e ow:, a •• • • •• • ••-• , • • •
went off singinc , " Glory Hallelujah,"
amidst most enthusiastic cheering by the
negro men and women, who gave them ap
ples and. cakes, and parting hearty good
wishes. The crowd of both whites and
blacks was very large and enthusiastic.
About one-half of them sustain themselves.
The Government assist those who need
help. -
CONTItABAHD SCHOOLS
Are already established in many places in
this Department, and are doing very, well.
The " darkies " are very anxious to learn,
and they learn rapidly. Here they have
schools day and night. Before the small
pox broke out, they had in one school, in
the Methodist church, nearly four hundred
pupils. The schools are opened with read
ing a small portion of Scripture, the schol
ars all repeatino• '' (after the leader) the
Lord's Prayer. The officers of the army
volunteer and teach. They spend half an
hour in singing each evening. I was
credibly informed that they learn as fast as
whites. There are already several teachers
here from the North, but many more are
needed. There are in this region, in all
the schools, 1,500 pupils. You see the
little colored boys and girls, old men and
women, all along the streets with their
books. God is sayina through this war,
to the poor benighteeslave, " LET THERE
BE LIGHT," and ileitis dawning and shin
ing upon them. What a glorious fact!.
What a great sin in the master, and what a
shame and disgrace to the country and to
the Church, that millions of downtrodden
slaves have been so long kept in such gross
darkness, while surrounded by so much
light. Slavery stands upon Ignorance and
might. let them have light, and they will
go free. Co Lord, "send out thy Light ,and.
Truth " unto them.
The South now presents one of the most
encouraging and promising missionary fields
in the world. c' The harvest trnlyis great,.
but the,laborers are few." 000,000 slaves
are crying alond—“ Come over and help
us.'
NEGRO PaAYER-MEETING
Passing along the street one afternoon, I
heard the voice of prayer—listened—it was
"the loud voice of earnest supplication. I
went in. It was a negro prayer-meeting—
about one hundred present.= They were now
singing. It was the time of a revival. The
singing over, the young pastor read the
55th chapter of. Isaiah, made some -anpro
-
priate remarks upon the freeness of salva
tion, and called up the mourners. Several
went, up and kneeled down as though they
were in deep earnest. Some took the
bonnets and laid them by; and such shout
ing, and leaping, and crying I never heard.
The singing was tender 'and impressive.
The men prayed with wonderful'power and
earnestness. The excitement was intense.
There did not seem to be much of " the
still small voice;" yet it makes one feel to
look on. The noise was 80 great that the
man leading in prayer would bold his
hands to his ears. The limed:yr said there
were two-conversions during the meeting.
Plymouth, Dec. 22.—Arrived,bere last
Saturday night. Was very kindly re
ceived by Lieut. Col. Taylor, conimanding
101st It. P. V., and the officers and soldiers
generally: General health of troops good;
a few sick; all well quartered for Winter.
Found a delegate of the Christian. Commis
sion here,
laboring for the,good of soldiers.
Preached last Sabbath evening to a very
lame, attentive congregation,' on " the
varue of the soul." We have a good church
to meet in, with a bell, and a good choir to
ng„ gracesl r by,a melodian.
REV. DAVID M'kINNEY
Editor and Proprietor.
REV. T. N. AVICINNEY, ASSOCIATZ Annus
TENNIS IN. ADVANCE.
Br Item (Singly or in Clubs,) $2.00
DELIVERED IN ZITHER OF THE OMEN 240
Pastore sending ue TEN subscribers and upwards, will
ft thereby entitled to a paper without charge, and another
snara paper for the second ten;
Renewals should be prompt, a tittle before the year expires.
„Direct all letters to
REV. DAVID IVITINNEY
PITTSBURGH, PA.
The prospects are encouraging. We
have two well-attended weekly prayer-meet
ings,. "Brethren, pray for us." Pray
more for OUT bleeding country—pray for
the Cbaplain—pray for the army and navy
—pray for the wounded, sick and dying
soldier—pray for the contraband and the
slave. In haste, A.S.B.
Education.
EDITORS BANNER :---Educatiort and re
ligion are matters of supreme importance.
They should always be joined. Without
education, religion sinks into superstition.
• Without religion, education fits men often
for greater mischief. The systems of pub
lic schools which prevail in, several of the
States seem experiments which, if they do
not operate disastrously in the end, having di
vorced religion, it must result from conserva
tive influences brought to bear from without.
It is one of the happy facts connected with
collegiate education in this country, that it
has almost without exception been con
ducted under the influence of Christian
men. Yet good men hive felt that it was
*Tilei3dingly desirabhvioz make roligiou a
`moie. pervading and powerful' element in
all education. In striving to secure this
end, denominational Institutions have been
established. And some of these have been
greatly blessed with reference to both the
objects of their organization. And about
these Institutions the hopes of the Church
cluster, as likely to subordinate the educe
tedmind of the country largely to the in
terests of religion.
In this work, and with this end in view,
the Presbyteries of-Richlandand Wooster
have engaged. They have established and
still control Vermillion Institute, at Hayes
ville, Ashland' County, Ohio. The Insti
tute has enjoyed the blessing of God.
Nearly two hundred and fifty students,
male and female, are in attendance. By
order of the Presbytery of Richland, a
church was organized, on the 12th inst., in
the Institute. It is composed entirely of
members of the Institute. It was organ
ized with a membership of twenty-three;
and on the day of the organization, eight
of the students were added by prolession„
making a total of thirty-one. Others of
the students will probably be added ere
long. The little .church made a contribu
tion on the first Sabbath of its existence,
of more than $ll.OO for the Board of For
eign Missions. President S. Diefendorf,
D.D., will be its pastor, and the .Professors
of Mathematics and Natural Science were
elected, ordained and installed as Ruling
Elders. This is regarded as an interesting
movement, as it is hoped that by. this
means the religious activity of pious stu
dents will be called forth, and a more
powerful influence for good brought to bear
upon those that are yet out of Christ. The
Institute is well provided with instructors
in Language, Mathematies,Natural Science,
Music, vocal and instrumental, and the
Commercial branches. What it needs now
dents and illustrating sir n• les. o
the former we solicit an interest, for the
Institute, in the prayers of those who love
the cause of religious education ; and for
the_ 'latter we would accept the benefactions
of any who have a heart to give.. Your
correspondent slightly mistakes when he
says the Institute is virtually a Synodical
College. The action of the Synod of Ohio
simply gave its authorities leave to ask
money of any of the churches of the
Synod.
By the way, it was not as a form that
the Synod of Ohio passed certain resolu
tions relating to the union of Jefferson and
Washington Colleges, bat with an earnest
desire, that this union should be effected,
and a deep conviction that, it ought to be.
We are pained to hear that local interests
seem likely, as heretofore, to prevent this
consummation. Certainly, we think, sound
learning, sound . religion, and sound econ
omy, all iequire this union. Will you
therefore let me suggest that the authorities
of the two Institutions be urged to refer
the whole subject of union, -with the best
mode of effecting it and the entire basis of
the resultant Institution, to a large com
mittee of good an wise and impartial
men. And if the respective communities
are afraid of this course, let them each ap
point a delegation who shall be heard be
fore the committee—all parties agreeing to
abide the decision to which it might come.
It Surely ought not to be that mere local
pride, or the social or pecuniary interests
of neighborhoods should prevent so very
desirable an end. If a better plan suggests
itself to you, I hope you will urge it.
Hoping that the end may be secured, and
God thereby glorified, I remain,
• Yours, &e.,
For the Presbyterian Banner
Where are our •Rieh Men
. —MORS :—The writer of this
hailed with joy the announcement that some
Christian man had offered 650,000 to the
Trustees of Jefferson and Washington Col
leges, provided they would unite the col
leges. To learn the ready response of the
Synods of Wheeling and Pittsburgh, rec
ommending the union, was most cheering.
Apart from the liberal offer spoken of,
these two noble institutions ought, by all
means, to be united. They have been of
incalculable advantage to the Church and
to our country. A precious influence has
gone forth from these fountains to the ends
of the earth, and more especially to the
Great West. Their Alumni are found ev
erywhere in the Middle and Western
States, exerting an influence for good that
cannot estimated. But who does not see
that united and properly endowed, the in
fluence would be greatly increased? Thus
united the College might become equal to
any of the Eastern Colleges in every re
spect.
Just now Eastern Colleges are making
efforts to increase their endowments. Wash
ington and Jefferson, though rich in one
material—students of mental and moral
excellence—have always been poor in an
other material—money. Princely gifts
have never been bestowed upon them as
upon. Eastern colleges. %here are our
rich men, in Western Pennsylvania, West
Virginia s and Eastern Ohio ? Shall the
noble offer of one , man
,stand out solitary
and alone, as all that men of wealth can
afford? Had the writer means (which he
has not) the first thing that he would do,
would be to add another $25,000 or $50,-
000ifor the same object. Who
For the Presbyterian Banner