rtsbgitrian c§anntr.
trrromum, VONIIDAY, MN. so, 11364
A Bikrlit Modificutiot of Terms.—We eau
save a 'little expense in mailing by sending
packages 'tb one address. We therefore
offer Fkv.r. papers to ono address for eight
dollars. This is four at $2.00 each, and
one extra; or , five at $1.60 each.
ciose .finanihnion.—Read on the subject
the excellent letter of 44 CYPRIAN."
quotingi Seriptiire.—The • Divine Word
should be quoted .correctly. Especially.
should persons Writing for the press, when
the use the language of 'Scripture, give
it just as it is in the Bible. We make this
remark because, in •addition to its import
twee for the cause of truth, we have in it a
personal interest. We receive 'Some excel
lent communications, in which the writers
neglect the rule here stated. We have not
time to take our Concordance and test all
the quotations, and it pains us to publish
what is impeded.
Western Theological Seminary.—Through
the enlightened and Christian charity of a
friend, the Junior Class has been furnished
with two volumes of the ALEXANDER
books. The Messrs. CARTER and Dr. JA
COBUS, jointly, have presented the Middle
Class with Dr. TAYLOR LEWIS' work on
Inspiration, " The Divine Human in the
Scriptures." HANSON K. CoaraNG, Esq.,
of New-York, a liberal friend of the Semi
nary, has presented each of the students
and Professors with a copy of Dr. SPRING'S
work entitled "A Good Hope Through
Grace."
LIFE SCIENCE.
The length of human life is a matter of
science. It may be known. It is known.
You cannot predict how long any particu
lar man will live. But take a thousand
human beings, or ten thousand, and you
can tell what will be the average of their
life. Or take the mass of people in any
particular business, or calling, and you as
certain, very nearly, at what age they will
die. It is on this knowledge that the bus
iness of Life Insurance is founded. It is
a science, based on fact. It is no mere
risk in the dark, but a matter of actual
calculation.
Intelligent investigation into vital sta:
tisties, presents the following results, as to
the duration of the life of persons engaged
in various employments : '
.Agriculturists average 64 years of life;
Bankers, 43 •, Bank Officers, 69; Black
smiths, 51 ; Butchers, 50 ; Calico Print
ers, 5; Carpenters, 49; Clerks, 34; Cler
gymen, 57 ; Coopers, 58 ; Editors, 40;
Gentlemen, 58; Hatters, 54; Jewelers,44 ;
Judges, 65; Lawyers, 54 ;.Machinists,
Manufacturers 43 ;. Masons, 48; Meehan
ice, 43 ; Mer Chants, 52 ; Musicians, 40 ;
Operatives, 33; Painters, 43 ; Physicians,
ma ers, 43 ; Tailors, 44 ,
Traders, 46.
From this it appears that there are five
callings in life more favorable to longeviti
than that of ministering in the sanctuary.
The difference arises partlyt'rom hardships
and exposures to disease, and partly from
mental anxiety. The Banker has intense
thought; the Bank Officer is an employer
who executes his trust without any of the
oorrodings of care. And Editors wear out
sooner, even, than Bankers. Teachers and
Operatives are lowest on the scale.
BIBLE ANNIVERSARY:
The Forty-Sixth Anniversary of the
Young Men's Bible Society of Pittsburgh
was held on -Monday evening, 18th inst., in
the Second U. P. church (Dr. PRESTLEY'S),
Sixth Street. W. H. KINCAID, Esq., Pres
ident of the Society, occupied the chair.
Addresses were delivered by Rev. A. H.
IslissiT,D.D., and Rev. REUBEN HILL.
From the CorPtsponcling Secretary's Re
port we learn that :
"On the 14th of January, 1863, th(ra
were credited to the Society, by the' Libra
rian, Mr. JOHN CULBERTSON, 1,141 vol
times, valued at $266.80. To these were
added by purchase from the State Society,
980 Bibles and 3,141 Testaments, for $958.-
08. The whole number of volumes issued
from the, Depository during the year was
3,656, valued at $829.16. Still on hand,
January 14th, 1864,1,606 volumes, costing
$395.72. The volumes sent out are 338
Bibles and 1,632 Testaments, sold at the
Depository for $480.40; and 1,129 vol
umes, worth $227.60, delivered to the
agent; together with donations, by order
of the Botud, to the amount of $121.16
in 171 Bibles and 331 Testaments. Most
of those donations.were to supply soldiers,
mission schools, steamboats, and humane
and criminal institutions.
The Agent reports the whole amount of
subscriptions obtained to January 18th,
at $2,234.65. Cash from year's subscrip
tions, $2,000.10. Old subscriptions re
ceived, $217.10. From volumes sold,
$4.72. Total cash, $2,221.92. Still due
from old and new subscriptions, $418.83.
The subscriptions exceed those of 1862,
$600.70.
The Parent Society issued, during
. the
past year, 98,676 volumes; and the Amer
ican Bible Society, 1,259,117, or 175,554
Bibles, 1,002,382 Testaments, 80,957 vol
umes of the Psalms and Proverbs, and the
Gospel of John, with 224' volumes for the
blind. The 'British and Foreign Society,
within the past sixty years, has sent forth
over 43,000,000 of Bibles and Testaments,
and during the year ending May last, 2,-
687,070.
The Treasurer's Report is as follows :
DE.
Balance from last year
Received for Books at Depository......
Revolved from Agent
Proeeeds by unonrrent money
Bee. J. K. Miller's salary $ 600.00
Paid Penn's' Bible Society for books... 1,257.86
Sundries- • 254.47
Jo .
Balance on band vir 1,082.98
Our Domestis Board of 'Missions is
charged with a work whose political, social,
and religious importance it is not easy to
estimate. The 'value of the Gospel is ines
timable; and there are millions of our fel
low citizens who have got its ministrations,
and will not have them, unless they are
furnished by the hand of benevolence.
The destitrite an given in charge to all the
churches. , We do not hence say that Pres
byterians have all the work to do; but we
may say, without presumption, that we hold
the Gospel in one of the purest and most
happily influential forms in which it, appears
among men, and that hence we are bound
to diffuse it through all the community of
which we are members. The conservation
of our political institutions is 'concerned.
Social life needs the intelligence, the quick
ened conscience, and the good morals which
result from Presbyterian preaching. Re
ligion derives purity and strength from the
diffusion of our doctrines and principles;
and our own children and friends, emigrat
ing to every part of the land, call upon us
to follow them with the means of grace.
The extending West still calls, " Comp and
help us." And now the South begins to
double its claims upon us. God, in his
wondrous providence is there producing
and exhibiting a nee& such as our country
never before has exhibited. Arkansas,
Tennessee, Alabama, Mississippi, T.,onisi
alla, and Texas, are almost deprived of min
isters and churches;_ and of wealth also.
They are become a vast missionary field.
And the people are our countrymen,.our
brethren, our fellow-citizens. Our inter
ests are bound up with theirs. And we
are agents in reducing them to the extreme
of want, and hence are specially obligated
to extend to them the hand of relief.
Oar Church has been greatly defective
in the putting forth of energy. We fall
greatly below, not only our duty as pos
sessed of the Gospel, but below the attain
ments making by others. Congregational
ists and Methodists both show a zeal greatly
beyond ours, and they are rewarded with a
success such as we cannot exhibit. A
brother who, last Fall, rode on the saddle
four hundred miles,, in Minnesota, lowa,
and Illinois, informs us that, in the - whole
distance, he found but two Presbyterian
churches; while he found many belonging
to the denominations just mentioned; and
he found also many people who had been
Presbyterians when they removed West,
but who for want of Presbyterian worship,
had fallen in with the other organizations.
There is something wrong.
The Board, impressed with the impor
tance of puttifig forth a greatly increased
energy, held a large meeting, in Philadel
phia, on the 11th instant, when, after due
deliberation, the following action was
taken :
The Minutes of the General Assembly
for 1863, report 2,546 churches, with 227,-
575 communicants. Contributions to Do
mestic Missions, 76,044. This gives an
aye ae.a...0f.33 • few pooh ecinantrinjir
same year, it appears that the sum received
by the Board, froin all sources, was 871,210
—that only 1,182 •churches contributed.;
leaving more than half, 1,364 churches,
that have done nothing for this Board.
The Board are aware that these figures
may not present a perfect statement of
what has been done. Yet the truth cannot
be gainsayed, that the contributions fall far
below what is required by the exigencies of
the Church and the spiritual condition of
the country. Believing that an effort
should be made to awaken the consciences
and stir up the Christian zeal of our breth
ren in view of the spiritual destitutions
prevailing, and the immense work to be
thrown upon us .at the South and South
west as the authority of the national Gov
ernment becomes reestablished, the Board
make an earnest appeal for at least double
the amount heretofore`contributed.
ere, 34 ;
CCM
With this in view, and to secure greater
efficiency in this department of the Church's
labor, the following resolutions are adopted:
1. That the missionary field at the West
and South-west be divided into districts of
convenient territorial extent, and that a
District Missionary be assigned to each of
these districts—a man of peudence, zeal,
ability, and entire devotion to the work;
who snail give his time wholly to the wants
of his particular field,; in connexion with
the \ Synods, superintend missionary opera
tions, furnish to the Board such informa
tion as may bear upon the work there, se
lect points for the establishment of new
churches—preaching himself at such points
as he may be able; confer with each Pres
bytery within his district, and labor to se
cure the adoption of measures by which an
annual contribution to the treasury of the
Board shall be 'secured from each of the
churches.
2. That this Board makes it to be, here
after, the duty of its members, each, to
meet with every Presbytery within the Syn
od to which he belongs, once • in each year,
and urge the Board's claims. If there are
two or more members of the Board in the
same Synod, the work may be divided each
year, or they may each do all the work in
alternate years. If in any Synod there is
no member of the Board, then to one of the
nearest members, though belonging to an'.
other Synod, is committed this trust : Ex
cept, that in. Synods embraced in the Mis
sion fields above provided for, members of
the Board will not be expected to go be
yond their own Synod to perform this ser
vice. The necessary travelling expenses of
members, in doing the work here enjoined,
shall be paid. In filling vacancies in the
Board, attention should be had to the ob
taining of at least one member in each• Syn
od, adapted to this work. And the Secre
tary and Executive Committee are charged
with the duty of arranging for and guiding
the carrying oat of this resolution, in all
its parts, with the utmost practicable effi
ciency.
3 That in view of the importance of in
teresting the young in,- and training them
to, special efforts Jim the religious welfare
of our own countrymen, pastors, and church
Sessions be urged to have the claims of this
Board presented to thouhildren and youth
of the Sabbath Schools.
.$ satial
891.58
2,221.02
'" 95
It was suggested in the Board that pos
sibly some might regard the first of these
resolunons as being a return to the 'repu
diated agency system. This, however, is
not the case. The rejected plan was• a
collecting s,ystem, by travelling agents.
! mat wasieb`itituted by the - plan' of " Sys::
$3,144.81
0,144.81
DOMESTIC MISSIONS.
PRESBYTERIAN BANNER.---WEDNESDAY, JANUARY 20, 1864.
tematic Benevolence." What we would
now inaugurate is, a preaching agency,
'adapted to the special wants of the new
'States and Territories, and of thedesolated
'South. They are to be itinerants. They
are to preach to the destitute, and, with the
counsel and Presbyterial aid of the feTv
brethren who may be widely dispersed, to
fix upon preaching stations, and to collect
and organize churches, and to call in fellow
laborers, and to direct any who may so de
sire it, where they will find hopeful fields
of labpr. They will also keep the Board
well informed of the condition and wants of
their districts.
Agencies are indispensable. God works
by agencies. He has ordained them. We
never yet saw a good field of wheat, but
what was the work of an agent. It did not
come of itself. And every church which
exists is the product of an agency.
The Church must work, in spreading
harself: But, how? She must- concen
trate her power, and then radiate it. She
concentrates it in the General Assembly.
But this body can neither do missionary
.work, nor directly, of itself, send out and
perpetually direct and modify influences.
It hence transmutes, as it were, itself, for
this great purpose, into a Board; giving
this Board, as its agent, a few general di
rections. The Board. then must have its
means of radiating. power. It must have
arms, long and strong, hen& also, and 'even
fingers. It must reach things that are l'ar
off, widely dispersed, and minute as well
as large. It must have agencies. Every
missionary is an agent; and the arrange
ment contemplated promises great effi
ciency.
The Miasion Districts provided for, may
be large or email, few or numerous. They
will be adapted to the wants which will be
developed, and the laborers who can be ob
tained.
In Presbyteries where ministers are near
together, and where the people have wealth,
the Board should have but little, or rather,
nothing, to do with , the supplying of
preaching. Every such Presbytery should
so fully supply , itself, that there would be
no want. What the Board should have to
do with such should be, to receive contribu
tions ; large, frequent, and without sending
any messenger.
The Board, however, has a work to do in
sending information to these Presbyteries•
of its wants, and in transmitting to them a
stimulating influence. To do this effectu
ally, naturally, and cheaply, is the object
of the second resolution above.
The Beard consists of ninety-six members.
We never saw half that number in a meet
ing. But seldom are more than one-sixth,
or them present. Many of the members
have been such for twenty or thirty years,
and never once present, and perhaps have
never written a letter to the Board, or made
a speech for it, or done an item of> service.
Their office has been a sinecure. This is
wrong. Henceforth it is made the duty of
every member of, the Boardito labor in its
--98-90etuerlkatMsiEdd e
ries, at least annually. And, if need be,
they are to go into neighboring Synods.
And they are to be well informed of what
is wanting. And the Board, by the filling
of vacancies, is to become adapted to the
most effective doing of this good work.
And the Secretary and Executive Commit
tee are charged with the duty of, having
this part of the plan to work effectively.
It promises well. Let us have ninety-six
men rightly chosen, some of them in every
Synod, all well informed and all guided by
wise counsels, and all imbued with the .
Master's spirit, to present the claims of the
cause, and to impart knowledge to the hx
ecutive Committee, and we may cherish
large hopes.
EASTERN SUMMARY.
NEW-ENGLAND.
CORRESPONDENT of the Evangelist,
writing from Boston on the, subject of the
late Sanitary Fair in that city, mentibns
that the raffling introduced 'on the occasion
ha's excited a good deal of thinking among
reflecting people. One of the " singular "
and funny" circumstances to which at.
tention has been drawn, is the fa:et that a
large share of the most beautiful and cov
eted articles have gorie to .add to the deco
rations of the
,fine mansions of the city; in
regard to which circumstance, the writer
archly suggests, for the consolation of those
who bought tickets but got nothing, that,
there might have been "some secret law of
affinities which the disappointed should not
be expected to understand! That a very
beautiful horse, with buggy and harness,
should be disposed of as three lots, and yet
should chance to become the property of
one individual, seemed also exceedingly re
markable to many !" Laying aside, howev
er, this strain of good-natured pleasantry,
our contemporary's correspondent proceeds,
soberly and sensibly to remark :
" But the thinking of which I have.
spoken is not so much about these strange
freaks of chance as about the whole- matter
of the raffle. The thing which .a great
many are trying to do is: to classify the
raffle, so as to be quite sure what it is, and
what it involves. They are endeavoring to
find out the difference between a :raffle and
a lottery, and they cannot see that there is
any difference. If Mr. A. pays ten dollars
for a - ticket in the lottery, hoping to draw a
prize of a thousand dollars, and Mr. B. -pays
the same for a share in the raffle, - hoping te
get 'a horse worth :five .'.hundred dollars,
what is the difference ? And if one is
is gambling, why is'not•the other ,*
I heard a chaplain , from the army say,
in public duo the example set by our. Grea t,
Fair would lad to the-loss of a -larger ag
gregate amount by gambling among our
soldiers than it had realized. . •
"We read that in the year 1699 an as
sembly of ministers in this same Boston of
ours denounced' lotteries as a cheat, and
their agents as pillagers of the people';
but, as I have told you, we do not say much
about our Great Fair, or print much about
it; yet:the people, and especially Christian
people, are thinking about it, and asking
questions to their own . judgment and con.
science. May they distinguish things that
differ,' and 4 approve things that are more
excellent.' "
SIT IS SAD to think that those to whom
the country entrusts the important business
of legislation are to so large an extent in
different in regard to religious ; matters.
The following on this point from the Bos
ton Watchman. ancl Reflector, suggests
matter for serious reflection:
" A classification of the members of the
Vermont Legislature according to their re
ligious preference, has an item .of painful
significance : no preference, 42'—the high
est number in the list except that of Con
gregationalists. It will be observed that
the inqury was not as to religious convic
tions, or church relations, but merely their
preferences on whatever grounds. Aqd
forty-two legislators, .elected by popular
suffrage, declare that as between the differ
ent forms of• religion, including all Chris
tian seas, and even .Mormons and 'free
thinkers,' they have -no preference.' They
are supremely indifferent. They care noth
ing for any kind of religion—they do not
care to oppose any—they are neither Chris
tians, nor Mohammedans, nor Pagans, nor
Shakers, nor Mormons, nor Infidels. There
may be those among the forty-two who are
truly pious; but from some intellectual or
spiritual twist, cannot have fellowship with
any other Christians, and live in religious
isolation. But there is reason to fear that
they,are in general men whose portion is
in this life, and who admit no care for any ,
other. The, profession, of. indifference by
so large a number of ',representative men
indicates.a wide prevalence of unbelief in
the communities by which they are elected.
We fear. that an honest' avowal of men's
sentiments in .almost any other State would
disclose a vast amount of secularism, oppos
ing to the truth no definite objections, but
the tough shield of worldly unconcern."
FROM a statistical work just published
under the auspices of the Commonwealth
of Massachusetts, it appears that there is
an excess of finiales 'over males in that
state, .of thirty-seven thousand. The N. YY.
World states in this connexion that in the
State of Indiana there is an excess' of
males over females of forty-eight theusand
and suggests that these figures, and the
large number of sailors recruited at the
East, account for the better show the West
makes over the East in recruiting for the
army..
A MEETING has been held in Boston to
consider the expediency of forming an Or
ganization to aid emigration from Europe
to this country. This movement is found
ed upon the increasing demand for labor,
and it is claimed that full employment and
liberal. compensation can be furnished to all
artisans and skilled, laborers who may make
America their home.
TICE BOSTON Transcript says"about forty
per cent. of the spindles of New-England
are ,now in operation, and the supply of
cotton is nearly sufficient to keep these em
ployed. The demand at the present high
prices is fully met by the manufacture, but
if cotton cloth could be reduced to aboht
the old rates of former peace times the con
suniption would - probably be quadrupled.
To provide for this emergency there is an
absolute necessity for the introduction of
skilled artisans from abroad.
THERE are 480 looms running in IVlassa.
ehusetts making balmoial skirts
schools in Vermont in 1863; were $376,000.
Population, 315,726. .
NEwPonT, IL 1., appears to. be a celebra
ted place for long-lived persons. During
the year 1863, sixty-one persons died there
who were over seventy years of age; two
were over one hundred, and eight others
were ninety years'and upwards.
NEW -YORK.
WE AKE pleased to learn that the ladies
.to Whom is entrusted the chief manage
ment of the approaching• Aletropolitan
Fair, have issued a circular in which they
assure the public that the enterprise will
,be conducted on- the most honorable and
careful, system, and that all abuses will, as
far as possible, be 'avoided. The many
complaints_ to which the lottery system
practiced aE the Boston Fair has given rise,
have had, we understand, much to do in
determining the New-York managers on
adopting their present commendable course.
That the lottery is a species o gambling,
even the civil courts admit and_maintain.
Christians cannot surely engage in, or in
any wise countenance, what the common
law denounces. Have money raised for
the suffering soldier; raise all that is need
edi but let not a single cent be cast into
the treasury of
,the Sanitary, or the Chris
tian, Commission which must go -,there
with the brand or iniquity stamped upon
it Never, we' say, act' upon the prineipre
that an end, however good, justifies an un
holy means.
TkiE FOLLOWING' 4ern is given -by our
contemporary, the Christian In telligencer,
under the severe but perhaps justifiable
heading, " Choir Impudence." There are,
we: think, but few; if any, choirs which are
composed wholly of true Christians, that
would preaume to . monopolize the depart
ment of sacred singing. The Inidligpncer
says: • ,
" A correspondent of the abri.stian
Times states tbat the following note ; ~was
recently _addressed to , ~lady in :: 13rooklyn,
who ; occasionally attends .a certain cliurel,i
there of an evening, and sometimes joins
in,the singing ; but not , for the, purpose of
assisting,the eltoir (from whom ,Egie
taut), or giving satisfaction to the congre
gation; though she has been thoroughly
educated in music, and possesses a good
ear and• a fine voice :
" g Be kind enough to leave .the. singing
in. , the church of ---- to the , choir.
They, feel themselves fully competent _to
give, entire satisfaetion.to the congregation
withont assistanpe' , , ,
This , is a -natural system which consid
ers the music of the sanctuary -,a medium
of Attracting auditors t by ,artistic display,
instead of a -means of,giving praise to the
Most High. Give , satisfaction !' Is the
Almighty satisfied with , such. procedures 7"
Rey - . W; G. T. Sift DD, D.D., was, on
Monday evening of list week, inaugurated
into= the .Profeisorship of ;,Litera
ture in the Union Theological Seminary of
New-York. city. The inaugural discourse
of Professbr•Shedd related to the . depart
ment of
,instruction on which he'now enters,
and isspoken 0f,, , as a masterly effort.
TErifEenVeNlt cit.hattweek antes the
following announcement, which we quote
to the credit of the New School brethren
of New-York. It says :
" Owing to the peculiar stress of the
times, many of the pastors and missionaries
of our Church, especially in the Western
States, are unable at present to subscribe
for, or to renew their subscriptions to, The
American Presbyterian, and Theological
Review. This fact coming to the knowl
edge of the Presbyterian Clerical Associa
tion-in this city, it was resolved at a recent
meeting, to raise one thousand dollars for
the purpose of supplying such ministers
and Theological students as are not able to
subscribe for the Review themselves."
Are there not many ministers in the Old
School branch of the Presbyterian Church
whd are similarly situated, and who would
prize a Princeton, or a Danville, Review
as a present from a similar association, or
from individual men of wealth in our own
connexion ?
WE GIVE an extract from the Chronicle :
a Baptist organ, which will be read with in
terest by Presbyterians who believe that gov
ernment in the Church should be exercised,
not by the members directly, but by a few
selected as the repiresentativeg of the rest,
and ordained under God for the administra-
Con of authority in connexion with the
pastor. Oar ion temporary evidently has
doubts as to the superiority of the Congre
gational system of government which ob- :
tains in hie.own Church He says : -
"The:workings of this system of Church
government have doubtless many advan . -
tages, but it has sometimes occurred, too,
thi,!,t they were overborne by the- disadvan
tages. We believe it is a perfect system
for perfect men, but since it depends for
illustration' upon persons whose youthful
ness renders them inexperienced, whose
old age makes them stubborn, whose ig
norance makes them blynderers, whose
prejudices .make them unjust, and whose
tempers make them unkind, we have been
almost tempted to wonder whether, after
all, the gift of government is not bestowed
upon some in the Church rather than upon
all, and whether there are not wise men in
every Church who should be appointed to
- judge not only- between brethren, but con
cerning every other matter, to the consid
eration of whiCh only wise and tried men
are adequate."
17 still
THE ORK A.A.rzaw, ocell•
- pied with descriptions, comments, criti
cisms and speculations in some way related
to the decease of the late Archbishop
Hughes. The Examiner of the 14th inst.
says
14 The city dailies of Thursday .last' had
whole columns filled with what the Courts
and the City Government had`done in honor
of. John Hughes called '. the Archbishop
of-New-York.' John-Hughes,
will not undertake to
name the large number of Courts which
adjourned over the day of his funeral, or
how many resolutions were adopted, respect
ing the event, at the special meeting of the.
Common Council. But we should like to
know how many of the eminent Protestant
clergymen of this city would have to be
buried, on any given.day, to call. forth an
equal number of adjournments and resolu•
tions- on the part of the Courts and our
municipal authorities."
The World says, on the subject of the
Archbishop's sueceessor : •
=
mme. is ey- a -r no - .„
of Archbishop Hughes, in . the Cathedral,
the suffragan bishops of the archdiocese
io.et in council, and, in accordance with
custom, sent forward to Rome three names
for. the successorship to the archbishopric
—Bishop Bailey, of New-Jersey, dignus ;
Bishop Timon, of Buffalo, dignior; and
Bishop M'Closkey, of Albany, dignissimus,
The latter will undoubtedly be chosen. He
was formerly coadjutor of New-York, with
the right of succession, which was changed
when the new see of Albany was created.
Ile is a learned and eloquent prelate, and
is a native of this State, having been born
in Brooklyn."
REV. DR. MoEmmy, in a discourse, on
the last Sabbath of December, in commem
oration of the fortieth anniversary of his
connexion with the Scotch Presbyterian
church, N. Y., stated that "of the men
who were in the eldership of the church
when he became pastor, not one was now
living; that of the male members of the
church not one was now with them, and but
two now survived; and that of the female
members all were gone but six."
THE New-York correspondent of the
Springfield Republican writes as follows in
regard to the somewhat. prominent Unita
.
rian preacher, Dr. Bellows :
" a certain gathering of artists and
literateurs, last week, three prominent gen
tlemen of his church declared they would
never sit in their pews again, and offered
them for sale to the highest bidder. The
Mari who veers about with every cuirent, in
these days of strong tides and tremendous
issues, is hardly forgiVeu."
TnE New-York State Inebriate Asylum,
not yet
.completed, hits already received ap
plications for admission from victims of in
tenipera.nce in distant parts of ;the world
Probably five thousand: have sought to gain
admittance and only five hundred can be
received, when its doors are opened. Its
dedication, is expected to take plebe in June
next.
A SALE took place lately, at the Bonded
Warehouse; of goods which remained for
over three' years unclaimed. There were a
large number of beyers, present, 'and all
transactions' were made in cash. Among
the'articlea sold were medicines, fish, hats,
hides, seeds, machinery, crockery, cannon
balls; Swords, - pigs of lead, handkerchiefs,
brandy, sugar, and other miscellaneous
merchandise. Thirty dollars were paid for
a lot of rosary beads which 'had been
cially`blessed by the Pope. Two firms
bought in their owngoods,,wlaich.they had
neglected to.take out of bond.
Tat SALE in. New-York ; of the Wolfe
collection of pictures, one, of, the best_ pri
vate collections in the country, was very
successful, yielding P 14,060. The high : .
est upon the list was the "Day Dream,, or,
the Indolent Scholar,",by Couture, which
purchasedwae, for $4,750.
, .
WE UNDERSTAND that the salary of Rev.
Mr: COnkling, o4the Arch Street Presby-,
terian chnych has been advanced from 32,-
500 to $4,000. A secular exchange alludes
to this as an instance of excess of salary
which is to be deprecated, it thinks, as
tending to discourage others in the minis.
try whose labors are but illy compensated.
IWe think Is!Psesierino. fearstneed Ve•spilre,
PHILADELPHIA:,
hended on this score. Instances of dispro
portion as to salary are by no means a new
thing in the history of the Church; and
ministers generally take a sensible view of
the right belonging to every wealthy con
gregation to give its pastor as munificent a
salary as it pleases and they are likewise
aware of the many counterbalancing disad
vantages of metropolitan and other promi
nent positions. The moat of them have,
ever been and will ever continue to be in
fluenced by a regard for the Divine glory,
to labor wherever God in his providence is
pleased to place them, resting contented
with such a support as the circumstances
of their people warrant them in expecting.
IN THE 'TEAR 1863 the exports to foreign
Countries from Philadelphia, were valued
at $19,628,970 ; the imports from foreign
counties at $6,269,53Q. Ten years ago,
in the year 1853, the exports were $6,527,-
996; the imports $18,834,410.
IN HIS, SPEECH at Philadelphia,' on the
evening of the 13th, Gen. Meade said :
" As I said when I took command of the
Army of the Petomac, I say to you now.
I have no pledges to make. When I re
turn to my army all T. can say is, that we
will d o the best we can to suppress the re
hellion, and to overthrow all those who are
in. arms against our common country; to
have our flag respected, and have it wave
over every` foot of ground from the Cana
das to the Rio Grand;and the golden sands
of the Pacific. The banner of the Stars
and Bars we will number among the things
of the past, and the rebellion, with all' its
associations, will be remembered aS things
that have existed, but 'have no longer any
being.
"What we need is men. I want you
here, all of you, every man of you, howev;
kvi' small may be bis influenee, to use that
influence -to send recruits to the army.
The more we get the better will it be for
that army, and the quicker will the war be
ended. The war must be ended by bard
fighting, and it becomes every man, woman
and child to .work for the increase of our
armies in the field. When that is done, I
trust that next Summer will come to us
with peace restored to the land;and happi
ness, contentment and prosperity pervad
t ,-
inthe entire country"
The Cataloghe just issued by the United
Presbyterian Theological Seminary, for
1868-4, shows a total of: students, of My-
For the Presbyterian Banner.
Rev. Dr. Pressley's Address on Close Commit
nion.
The illitapplication of the Sacred Serip
tures—High, Pretension4—The Plea of
Faithfulness,
,'The Doctor takes the position that "the
Church" must have " her Creed," which
contains a summary - of " the faith which
was once delivered unto, the, saints." That :
is, that the quotation from the third verse
of Jude's Epistle, appealed to frequently
in the lecture, comprehended all the par
, ticular teachings of the Confession of
Faith and of the " Testimony!' - That, to
contend " earnestly for the faith," is, to
contend for them. It is evident from the
fourth verse, that the Apostle had no refer
erence to such small differences, such as
exist amongst Christians: . for he is referring
to ( 4 u t godly xpytn, inrnium the gra a_.
11-01 into lasinviousneqs, and denying the
only Lord Gpd, and our Lord Jesus
Christ:" But the sound of the misapplied
verse in pleasing to 'sectarian ears. The
real meaning is pleasant to all lovers of the
truth.
The words of the Saviour, Matt. xxviii
20, " teaching them to observe all things
whatsoever have commanded you," are
cited. This verse, like . the preceding, is
overworked, to carry the lecturer through.
Did . ..the Saviour command his disciples to
make opposition to "secret societies," a wil
lingness to covenant, and ,''terms , of commu
nion 7 Did he authorize the Aisociato
Presbytery in 1747 to recommend the Rev.
Ralph Erskine to versify "'other Scripture
songs," that they might be sung as the
Psalms of David, and then, when jhe divi
sion occurred about the Burgess oath, to
let the recommendation be disregarded ?
Did the Saviour command that , the exclu
sive use of the "inspired Psalmody" of
Rouse (as the Testimony calls that in use,)
should be a term of >communion at One
time, and then authorize the- United" Pres
terian General Assembly to prepare another
" inspired Psalmody" to take.the place of
the, former ? Certainly not.
Acts 42 is quoted to show the neces
sity of excluding those who do not continue
in the "Apostles' doctrine." But did
their;doctrine include the peciliar shades
of sentiment found in the " Testimony" ?
Auit did not, the reference is inapplicable,
and will not prop up close communion.
The Apostolical rules for the reception of
disciples into fellowship are first, Rom. xv:
17, " Wherefore receive ye one another as
Christ also received us to. the glory, of
God." Christ received disciples limited in
knowledge and imperfect in practice. The
second rule is found in the 14th chapter of
the Epistle to the Romans, let verse
" Him that is weak in the faith receive
ye, but not to doubtful disputations."
Let not such points as true Christians in
the. United Presbyterian - churches, and
others in other branches of the Church,
differ about, keep you from..reeeiving each
The implied infallibility ascribed to "the
Church" in this lecture, as part of the
foundation , on which close communion is
based r is a:high pretension. While it con
joins many worthy ministers and members,
wisdom, will not die with, them, nor does
perfection live; with them. The Doctor
quotes Rom.- xvi : No* I beseech
you, brethren, mark them which cause di,
visions and offensescontrary to the doc
trines which ye have learne'd,- and avoid
them,",The idea, appears to be taught in
the , lecture, that - the Church has adopted
her: formula .as-terms of communion, and
those mho twill not come up and receive
them, " cause ,dilisions." So-Rome thinks
of al Protestant denominations.. But •who , .
Cause the divisions ? Those who make un
warranted- terms of fellowship, or. those who
are, willing to Commune, agreeing to , the
great rule laid down by Paul, Phil. iii :,16;
"And,. if in any thing ye be otherwise
minded, God shall reveal thisi unto yert:";
agreeing - in great essentials, and waiting
Until God shall.reveal the, truth on, minor
points. This 'distinction,. and rule -of- ac
tion, was adopted by. the - Reformers and
others, until the *'Uniformity schenie " was
started, which has kept the Church divided,
not as different branches of one great fam
ily, who commune together "as God.'offer
eth opportunity," .but divides, by schismatic
exclusion from the " Lord's table"
Farther', - in-justification of this procedure,
the • Doctor quotes 2.. ThesA Now
comonstal 'brethren,, Alm maxim o
our Lord Jesui Christ, that ye withd".
yourselves fr om every brother that w a ik,,." ,
disorderly, and not after the trachtiuD'
which ye received of Its," If this v , r j,
bas any meaning in its application, i t is
that those who do not accept the u .
Church, " walk disorderly." It i,
'
misapplied, perhaps the thousandth i ; ,„
Did the Thessalonians receive from r h:
Apostle a " tradition" containing the
cnliarities of the Doctor's Church? or
the contrary, the whole tenor of the
verses show that the disorder was NI, „,
In the 11th verse the Apostle Fays, We b er
that there are some which walk amon g
disorderly, working not at all, but are 1., 12 ,
bodies. This is the kind of disorder iE
(erred to, and yet the lecturer, by
twisting, makes it reach round te disorder
of going away from the peculiaritie; r .
"the Church."
He says, "to receive them into her fFI
lowship, would be unfaithfulness to Ef t
whOse command is "go teach," &c.
assumes agairi, without proof, that J es ,,
commanded " to observe all things"
" the Church " requires to be obser v c:
There can
,be, no unfaithfulness, wh er ,l
there . is no 'obligation.. This work of el l
elusion; is' one of supererrogtvi wi, f; ,
which our Protestant friends will get ,:,
credit. It is like the spirit of the disei p 4 ;
recorded in Luke :49 —" Master,
saw one casting out devils in thy name:
and' we forbade him, because he I , lier r ;
slot with us."
The lecturer further says : " She [ t ; ; ,,
Church] should say to every one who wi A ii
partake of her fellowship, as Philip said z,
the Eunuch, thou believest with
thine heart, thou mayest f Acts viii :
By which believing, according to the ten s
of his lecture, he would say, "If thou Ik.
lievest" all the pecular doctrine,: o r , cr
Testimony, and all our usages, thou m a y„.
This reference is most unfortunate for 6-,
communion, for it shows that belief
the heart was the requirement to enj. 7
sealing •ordinances ; . that " union neeess. ) ; 7
to . communion," is union with Christ:'
Some personal knowledge of the appli c ,..
or " letters of commendation,", open e d
door to every communion table in the A T „„.
tolic'itge. There will be no separate ahoy ; ,
ments for close communion •in heaven.
CYPRIAN.
The Pay of Chaplains,
.
No 'reasonable Minister, I think, w ill
ny that the salary of army Chaplains is lib.
eral. the position has difficulties and even
dangers inseparable from it, and the ecn.
pensation might . to be liberal. There L i
been fault found, and justly as it seems to
me, with that interpretation of the law rev
ulating their pay, which stops it entirely
when they are absent from their regiment:,
The law is this: "The pay of Chaplain!
shill he one hundred dollars per month,
and two rations while on duty." If they
are absent . on leave ; if they stay behind
their regiments to attend on the wounded
after a battle; if they are sick and in h , ,;•
pile's themselves; if they get leave te
apd, attend on the wounded in a battle
where their regiments are not engaged;
their pay is, stopped, according to the in.
terpretation given to the law.
It is not so with other officers. If al.
sent without leave, their pay is stopped;
with leave, they have half pay; if sick ;
e
they hav ull'pay.
I cannot think that the law.makers it:-
tended to pnt faithful chaplains on the
same' rooting with recreant officers.
There-arithree other interpretations tha:
may be put upon, the law, each of them
probably correct and certainly as creditable
tonll parties as the one that is given to is
bythe paymasters.
1. That such. shall be his pay while on
duty, and when not on'duty, the same rule
shall apply as applies to 'other officers.
2. That his pay shall begin when he en•
tern on his duty; and not, as formerly, frau
the date of his appointment or commission.
3: That the Conditional clause, " win :2
on duty," relates only to the stoppage u:
the two rations; reading, cc shall be one
hundred dollars per month;. and two rations
while din •din duty "
The athendment suggested by the Seen
tary of War in his late Report, seems to inui
cate that this was the intention of the law
makers as the, enactment stood. With a 2
deference, I entertain the opinion, that the
first is the true interpretation, placing the
Chaplain on precisely the same ground with
other officers.
And if this be so, the law does not need
amendment, but legitimate application.
And,' further, if this be so, the pay that
has been deducted by the paymasters, ought
in - justice, to be restored. The Govern
ment is just; the interpreters of the law
are wise, and I have no fear of wrong, from
either, to our Worthy Chaplains.
Per tbe Presbyterian Banner
Christian Labarers Wanted in the Army.
The U. S. Christian Commission has
made extensive arrangements for Christian
effort among the A-rmies of the Union during
theekNinter. The soldiers themselves, ;8
many places, are, erecting log chapels for
which the Commission is furnishing roof:.
Earnest, warm-hearted ministers are 110 W
greatly needed to labor for periods of six
weeks or two months, as delegates of the
Coinmission.
Last week, two telegrams were receivea
from George U. Stuart, Esq., Chairman.
asking for ministers to go to the army 0f
the Potomac. 'Letters were also receivec.
from Rev. E. P. Smith, Field Agent in the
Army of the Cumberland asking for min
isters in that department. There is now
an opportunity for labor in either of ti.E
great-armies.
Any persen pioPerly qualified, wishing
to Spend 'a term in the service of the Co
mission, will, please apply at once, with rtf
erence, to JoeXPR ALBREE, Treas'r,
No. 71 Wood Street, Pittsburgh, P
Presbyteries that may meet within the
next two months, are earnestly requested
eonsid& this aPpeal of the Christian Corn
mission, and appeint one or two delegate'
to represent them the army.
For the Presbyterian
List of Supplies pointedAd by the Presb}ter)
of. Allegheny City.
sßridgewater.--4th Sabbath of January.
J.- M. &rah. 4th Sabbath of February ,
Atman:. 4th Sabbath of March,
Thos. X. Orr. ..
North Church, Allegheny.--4th Sabbath
of Januaryi 1 . , ;. R.. MeAboy, D.D. 4th
Sabbath of ..February„ J. Allison. 4w
Sabbath of. March M. Smith
.
ECCLESIASTICAL.
Rev. Tues. J. TAYLOR having been (Tv'
veiled by ill health to resign the char
lainey of the 39th Reg. lowa Infantri ,
:has accepted an invitation to supplY t he
church at Tolono, Illinois, where eorrei
.`poteeniswiti please ultimo him
For the Preebyt 6 rirto Haßei
J. M