Vresbgttrin antler. VITTAIRIRGH, REDNEaDIY, MOCK 16, 1864. PASTORS' SILARIBS. A communication in another column sets forth clearly and truly, a great grievance under which many pastors are now labor ing. The salaries of former years, which then afforded a bare subsistence, are now - utterly inadequate to meet the wants of the pastor. To supplement this deficiency, "Surprises" and "Donation Visits" have been quite common, during the Winter, in many parts of the Church. We have been Illeased to notice these, since they give evi dence of kindly and liberal feelings, and at the same time aid and encourage , many a devoted- minister of the Gospel. The churches which get up , these voluntary of. ferings are not usually wanting in the amount or promptness of their pledged sal aries, and they are generally ready to in- Crease in this particular, as circumstances may demand. But let no church consider that " Surprises," or "anything of the kind; can take the place a the regular. salary : it is upon this that the pastor's maifi dcpen dence must be placed. • However, there are many ehurches where the salaries are altogether, insufficient, and where the hearts of the pastors have. been gladdened by " Surprises "; to them we wish to ova few words. You entered into a solemn engagement' at the time your pas tors were called, not only to pay the sum specified at that time, hut also whatever else, might be necessary to . •his comfort. The .payment of what was thin 'promised— even - if this should be done promptly— which is far from general, will not exone rate you: fromthe obligations you then as sumed. You well know how vastly the cost of living has increased, and that you entered into agreeinenf to provide for all such contingencies. We hope that at the iipproaching congregational meetings in April, this matter will receive the attention its importance demands. We are in a po sition to know that .many most worthy and able pastors are just now straitened to an extent painful' o contemplate, for the means Of subsistence and comfort for themselves and families. And we honestly believe that it is only necessary for a few spirited individuals in each church to take up the matter and bring it to the attention of others, to bring the relief so greatly needed. As an example and encouragement to other we will mention the action Of the church of M'Keesport, Pa., taken last Monday, concerning the salary of its pastor, Red. R. P. WILSON. Heretofore the salary paid by this church has been $760.00. But a few liberal individuals brought the subject before the church, and the result was a resolution to pay hereafter a salary of $l,OOO, and also to make this sum the salary for the past year. The people did this not as a gratuity, or E. be nevolenft, but as an act of simple justice to, a pastor Who loves them, and who de votee himself to their highest interests. It will rejoice our hearts if this article will stir up many other churches to do likewise, and thus benefit both themselves and pas tors. No church ever gains any thing in the end by oupporting its pastor ,with stinted hand. The people of M'Keesport will be all the happier for what they have done; and so will the people of every other church which will bring its salary up to the imperative demands of the times, owing to the increased prices of all that the minister and his family eat, wear and read. HIIMONT HOSPITAL FOR THE INSANE. The Annual Report of this Institution Is now 'before no. Since the establishment of this Hospital in. April, 1866, 695 pa dents have been received_ Of these, 276 have been discharged recovered, 164 im proved; and 58 unimproved; while 67 have died. During the last year, 202 have been under treatment. At the time of the last Annual Meeting, there were 190 inmates in the wards ; but we believe the number has since been increased to near 140. And at the present rate of application it will soon be utterly impossible to meet the demand& Indeed just now the wards are' crowded altogether too much for the com fort and highest welfare of the patients. 'Hence there is great necessity for addi tional wings to the present buildings as soon see practicable. The Legislature wilt fall short ,of its duty to the suffering and, .their friends, if it fails at the present ses sion to place the means for accomplishing this object. in the hands of the. Managers. Among the many claims upon the benevo lence of the State and the Philanthropic which now press so heavily, this, one must not be-unrecognised. To .provide for the relief and cure of the insane is a humane and Christian duty, from which we vannot shrink even in such times as this. Of the 4 Supeyintendent, Dr. .JosEPH A. MD, his household, and-all his assistants, we oan speak from personal knowledge. The Doctor ; by his natural girth and large ex perience, is admirably qualified for this importaza and arduous work; and he is peculiarly fortunate in having assistants in every way worthy the places they respective- Iy ( laauP.T. .04ir great &Act heretofore has been the want ,of a regular chaplain. the physician hao,,enort& resting on his shoulders, with out the additional harden of conducting the religiaus service& on the Sabbath. Ant we understand that this matter will be, in all probability, soon remedied, and that Aherattendanta and patients shortly have the blessings of the Ordinances of the ,14pel ow the holy Sabbath.. ABVIVAIS. The absenee of revivals from the church es has kes long , mourned by Christians.; anitfor their-r4urn, mapy fervent prayers ,to God have been --offered. - `-;_ Now itteams as if these prayers were beginning to 'be answered, and as if our hearts were about to be gladdened once more by times of re freshing from the presence of the Lord. The acceptable reports of a deepened in terest among professors of religion, of in quiry among the impenitent, and of conver sions to God, reach us from all parts of the land ; from, Maine and Massachusetts; from our great Eastern cities; from the prairies of the West; from the army and from the navy. Every week, for, some time back, have our columns borne such welcome news as this. And recently we have heard of a work of grace in progress in a certain town in Western Pennsylvania, which promises to be one of the most powerful revivals of modern times. . We know not whether these precious outpourings of the Spirit are to become general at present or not. It may be that Zion is to mourn still longer. .But these indications give the — greatest encourage ment for Christians to pray, and ministers to preach, that the members of the church es may be revived, and that sinners may be converted. Let *us go to God in faith; let his ministers cry aloud and spare not; let our eyes be directed to the risen Saviour; and soon will be heard the souud of .abun dance of rain. LIFE INSFRANCE. The prejudice which - once existed in the minds of some, with regard to "-Life In surance," is now almost gone. And it is well that it should he so, for the opposition arose mostly from a misapprehension of the design of this means of providing for wife and children in . the event of the death of their natural protector. • How to accumulate a little competency that may serve to keep our families from want, often lroubles every thoughtful min ister and salaried man. At most, their in come is but little more than will support themselves and those dependent on 'them from year to year. And the small amount remaining over this, is so insufficient that there is but little encouragement' or indeed opportunity to make any remunerative in vestment. 'The consequence is, that but little is saved. The principle of " Life Insurance" comes to the aid of such, and for an outlay such as any provident professional or sal aried man can usually ptiy every year, se cures to * the families of such, ap handsome sum. Such an arrangement as this will save the father many painful thoughts, and also protect. wife and children from the pinchings of pet:nary in the day of adversi. ty. Xis high time for persons such as we have described, to turn their attention to the consideration of the duty of "Life In surance." In another column will be found the ad vertisement of one of the most responsible "Life Insurance " companies in the United. States. Its Agent in Pittsburgh is Dlr. S. S. Bit - YAN, whom we have - long known as a gentleman of the , highest integrity and of the most gentlemanly and Christian de portment. Pamphlets containing the principles and terms of a Life ,Insurance," may be had on application to Mr. BRYAN. MUSIC IN THE SABBATH SCHOOL. In almost all our Sabbath Schools, ren dering praise to God is an important fea ture. And it is proper . that it should be so, for no other exercise is so delightful to the children and youth, and nothing tends more to purify their affections and raise their thoughts up to . God. But to conduct properly the singing of a Sabbath Scheel where there are so many untrained voices and discordant sounds, without an instrument, is almost impossi ble., A suitable instrument is demanded, that the singing may be correct, tbe music of the whole school improved, and that the ears of the children may be cultivated so as to know what true harmony is. Thus both the 'Voice and the heart will be, at tined to the praise of the Most High God. just such, an instrument is the Cabinet Organ of Messrs. MAsoN &HAMLIN, adver tised.in another column. For cheapness, excellence of tone, durability, and all the qualities required, they are unequalled. No other establishment has such facilities for manufacturing and testing instruments such as these. The name of the firm is ii sufficient guaranty that their instruments will have no rivals. Their Cabinet Organs for families and churches will in due time be announced in our columns, and we know that we are do ing our readers a kindne§s in asking them to give these the preference over all others. Vermillion Inettinte.--This institution. is an honor to the Presbytery of Richland, and to the Presbyterian Church in that re gion. Thee Principal, Rev. Dr. Dui:EN DORF is a thorough scholar and a most ac complished teacher. The mode of instruc tion, and . the facilities for the physical, in tellectual, and religious benefit of the pu pils are unsurpassed. in our columns will also be fotind advertisements of the admi rable Schools for Young Ladies at Blairs ville and Beaver, and for males and females at Saltsburg. Minister ill lirant.—A minister of our Church incapacitated for labor ) is now in very straitened circumstances. A small contribution from each of a few benevolent Christians will do much to relieve his pres sing wants. Money intended for him may besent to the Nev. DAVID ELLIOTT, D..D., of the Western Theological 2i3minaly,-Al legheur City, or to the Editors -of •this paper. Tice oldest home in New-England, if in the 'United States, is in Medford, Mass., having formerly belonged to Matthew Cradock, the first Governor of the Massa. chusetts Bay Company. His faun, on which this house vats erected about MO, contained two **wind 8.408 9f lent PRESBYTERIAN BANNER.---WEDNESDAY, MARCH 16, 1864 NEWS OF THE CHURCHES AND MINIM= PRESBYTERIAN. Old School,—Rev. B. C. Critchlow sends us the following account of the dedication of a new church edifice : " MESSRS.. EDITORS :-It must always be gratifying to you, as well all the" friends of our beloved • Zion, to not the signs of progress. Among the signs of ad vancement is the erection of houses devo ted to the public worship of God. While we have but few reports of the rapid growth of the great spiritual temple into which new converts are being built up, as living, - polished- stones— f a spiritual house—we must not allow discouragement to weaken our strength, as though we were making no headway. Indeed, we sometimes hear a great flourish of trumpets over what in the end proves to be a very small victory. " When a congregation finds its mom modations too strait, and the people rise up with courageous 'hearts and open bands, and build. a house unto the Lord—thus making provision for the griming multi tude who may be disposed to attend upon Divine ordinanbes—it is to our mind an evident token of, life and hope for the fu ture. We would be glad to see still more of the Church Extension spirit in this form—the, enlargement and improvement of the sanctuary. • The congregation of _Slip pery Rook, in Beaver Presbytery, has re cently put up a very comfortable church edifice. It is something like forty-two feet wide and sixty feet long, having it vestibule, and gallery" over the vestibule. The building is frame—plainly but substan tially finished—and a very great advance as to comfort and convenience, on the old building.. The, house when completed,and furnished, cosfabout 82,800. " The dedication services took place on Thursday,' the 21st of January. The ser mon was preached by Rev. B. C. Critchlow, formerly pastor of the church, from 2. Chron. vi : 41—i Now 'therefore arise, 0 Lord God, into thy resting place, thou and the ark of thy strength ; let thy priests, 0 Lord God, be clothed with salvation, and let thy saints rejoice in goodness.' The dedicatory prayer was, offered by the, pastor, Rev. Henry Webber. The audience was large, and the occasion, was one of great interest'to many' of the people, and espe cially to the older members of the church.. We have nothing to say at this time, of the character of -the exercises, as this could hardly be done without flattery or mortifi cation to those who conducted the services. The congregation requested a copy of the sermon for Rublication, which may have vine interest for them, as there is a feeble effort made to record the church's. history. At night the congregation was addressed by the Rev. R. S. Morton, in behalf of the U. S. Christian Commission ; and a contri bution was made to aid the organization in its blessed work. May this congregation, as in days that are 'past, continue to enjoy the fostering care of the Great Shepherd of Israel, and may their new house of wor ship be the birth-plice' of many, many precious souls." The churches of Mt. Leigh and Eckman-. ville (recently the charge of Rev. S. D. Carothers) have given to Rev. Men Musd a unanimous call to become their pastor. Correspondents will please address LLhim at; Scott, Ohio. The church of West Newton, Preibytery or Redstone, has given a unanimous call to the Rev. 0. H. Miller, of the _Presbytery of Blairsville, to become its pastor. The Fifth Annual Meeting of the Board of Directors of the Theological Seminary of the North-West will open (D. V.) in the North Presbyterian Church of Chicago, Il linois, on Wednesday, April 6th, at half past 7 o'clock P. M. The Rev. IL M. _Robertson is appointed to preach the open ing sermon— The examination of the stu dents will be held in the new Semina.ry building, commencing on Tuesday, April 6th, at 9 o'clock A. M. 'Committee of ex amination—Messrs. J. Milligan, E. Erskine, R. G. Thonstcon, and F. N. Ewing, Min isters; with . Messrs: L. Clark, William G. Holmes, and John Galt, Ruling Elders. The Harris Street Presbyterian church of Newbnryport, Massachusetts, has given a unanimous call to the BAY. Benjamin V. George, of Missouri. Rei. John M. Faris has'accepted the ap pointment of Agent for the Theological Seminary of the North-West, and ha's re moved to iChicago, Rev. Dr. Tustin, of Washingtcn, D. C., is supplying, gratuitously, a company'of the Invalid Corps, stationed'-in that city with the regular ordinances of the Gospel. It is a noble work, to a _most interesting, class of men in the - army, who should not be neglected in our efforts to benefit the souls of our brave soldiers. • Rev. James D. Armstrong, a Presbyte rian .cligyman of Norfolk, Va., has been sentenced to be imprisoned at Fort Hatter as, by . Gen. Butler, for having, after taking the oath of allegiance, given utterance to disloyal sentiments. This minister was a brother of - the late Rev. Dr. Armstrong, one of the Secretaries of the American Board of Foreign His - sions.. - NOW School.—The Presbytery Reporter -gives the following account of Rev. Fiske Harmon, one of our missionary laborers in Iowa: 4s Ile has excellent qualities fora pioneer laborer. He can preach, build his own house, cut and haul his wood, and cul tivate his garden. He came with his fain ily to lowa from Wisconsin, in , a manner truly primitiVe and original. A very long wagon was fitted up with a stove and the other indispensable' arrangements for''house keeping. This was drawn by a strong ox team. The viagon was followed by a buggy, in which was harnessed a milch cow. Thus furnished, they travelled about ten miles a day, making no purchases save of the raw material, and doing all their cooking, wash ing, ironing, and.sleeping in that house on wheels." The Twenty-fifth Anniversary of the foundation of a New School church in Oo fumbus, Ohio, was commemorated on the 3d instant religiously and socially. Rnited.—Rev. Thos. M'Cartney, of Ne braska City, and one ,of the most active and successful missionaries in the home field, is, as many will learn with great re gret, in feeble and still declining health. Rev. John Wortabet, M. D.; formerly missionary of the American Board at Has beiya, Syria, and now of the United Pres byterian Chureh of Scotland at Aleppo, has just orglmized an evangelical church in that city, eight persons, one of whom had been a bishop in the Armenian Church, making a profession of their faith: Reformed, (Old Side.)—Rev. R: J. Dodds, missionary of the Reformed Presbyterian church at Latakiyeh, Syria, writes that Suleyman, a professedly converted Nusair iyeh Sheik, has just had . printed at the Mission Press at Beirut, and published an edition of 3,000 copies• of a work disclos ing the secrets of the Nusairiyeh religion, which has long been a profound mystery, and as the book goes abroad, and is read by large numbers of professing Christians and Muslims alike, it is producing a very deep sensation, and seems to be a means of pre paring the way for the Gospel. METHODIST. The General Missionary Committee has authorized the Board to send out, a practi cal printer to take - charge of the Methodist printing establishment in - China. Any Person desiring such a position, is request ed to address Rev. Dr. 'Durbin, 200 Mul berry Street, New-York. At a late meeting of the Baltimore Con ference, a letter from the Private Secretary of the President of the United States, was read, commending the piety and patriotism et the Conference, being . in reply to ,the letter transmitted to the President, con taining a report of the - action of the Con ference last . Spring, on the state of the Country. The following action with respeot to .the country, was adopter by a :vote of 48 to 1(1,f " That- we owe and pledge exclusive elle giance to the Government .of the United States in war, and in peace, and to its con stitutional administration in every depart infant thereof; and that we therefore affec tionately exhort Our people, who, by posi tion; kindred, or, interest, may have been tempted to sympathize with those who seek the overthrow of this G-overnment,- to seek the Wcird'of God As above recited, and not esteem loyalty thereto as objectionable or a matter of taste, sympathy, or. Trejudice, but one, of Divine injunction, and as involving the religious duty of prayer and - effort for the restoration of our national unity, peace and 'prosperity ; or, in the language of the discipline, gto use all laudable means to enjoin obedience to the powers that be.' " That we will not receive into the Con ference, or elect to ministerial orders, either from the local or itinerant ranks, any man of known disloyalty. "That in view of the groat change, in the providence of God, which is taking place in the-public mind, in the direction of emancipation in the State> of Maryland and elsewhere, we believe the ;time is not distant whenthe Baltimore Conference, will no longer be, embarrassed in maintaining the well-known Principles of the Methodist Episcopal Church upon >this subject." • CONGREGATIONAL. An extended religions interest prevails at Springfield, .Mass. Immense meetings are held nightly, all in attendance mani festing the deepest interest in the exer cises. The General Association of Massachu setts has recommended that the 4th Sabbath in every month, especially the evening,' be made a day of special prayer for our armies. Two generous Christian men of Bostoq have given twelve hudred and seventy-seven copies of affiliates elaborate and most ex cellent work on the . Sabbath, " Vidwed in the Light of Reason, Revelation and His tory," to.every Cabgregational."Pastor,, act ing Pastor and Stated Supply in New-Eng land. They do it with the hope and eipec tation that it will call the attention of the ministry to this Divine institution, anew, and that the people will receive instruction from their lips, The book is to be given to pastors, acting pastors,- and stated supplies only. BAPTIST. The Tabernacle Baptist church of Brook lyn Rev. T. Edwin Brown, pastor, besides adding $5OO to the pastor's salary, have just paid off the debt of $6,000> on their meeting house—s2,ooo of the same having been contributed by the Strong Place church: Every department of the Taberna. cle Is prosperous; the actual attendance on their Sabbath School on a late Sunday be ing 607. - Rev. Dr. Parker leaves this week, for Port`Royal, S. C , on his important mission for occupying the abandoned Baptist meet ing houses. Drs. Weston and Anderson',l of New-York, expect to . accompany him, I and to spend a few weeks on Southern soil. Good must come from anoh.a visit • and we . are glad to hear that there will be no want 1 of loyal Baptist ministers to occupy all the vacated pulpits. Mr. John P. Crozier, of Philadelphia, has donated the sum of $lO,OOO to the American Baptist Publication Spciety, to be used for the purpose of supplying the Baptist Sunday Schools with libraries. EPISCOPAL The Bishop and Assistant Bishop d Ohio have addressed a Pastoral Letter s the vestries of the parishes in. the Diocese, urg ing an increase of the salaries paid,to their' pastors, in order to enable them to meet the present expenses of living. ROMAN CATHOLIC. The Camerae - Press of Romelas recent ly published the °ensile of the population of the Mental City, during 1863. The to tal of the population amounted to 201,161. inhabitants, being 4,083 more than 1862. The meMbers of the secular clergy in Rome, last year, amounted to 1,894, and those of the religious Orders to 2,569. The Nuns i were 2,031 in number. The ecclesiastical seminaries and- colleges, to, the number of t 25, contained 1,027 students. Among them are the Roman Seminary, with 94 students; the *Pio Seminary, with 76; the Vatican Seminary, with 41; the French, with .58; the - South American, with 45; and the North American, with 53. The Propagan-; da College contains 128 students; the Ger man, 09 the English and the Pio-English together, 49; the Scotch, 15; the Irish, 50 ; the Belgian, 6 ; the Greco-Ruthenian, t i 22 • the Lombard 11. UNITARIAN.. , Of the 251 Unitarian societies in the „ 0 United States, 69 have no settled pastors; 182 have regular pastors. Boston has it societies, and all the pulpits are supplied .by, settled ministers. The list of ministers contains 343 names. There are 17 ehap lains in the army. Of the societies, 163 are located in. Massachusetts, and 93 in other States. Maine has 17 societies, New-' Hampshire 15, and'New-York 14. These three States hold one-half of the number out of Massachusetts. Eleven States have k; no Unitarian Society in them, and ten of - these are slave States.. The school in Oam bridge has 20 students; the one in -Mead ville has'lB. The Cleveland Sanitary Fair closed on Wednesday_ evening, and will realize. be tween $BO,OOO and $lOO,OOO. For the Presbyterian Banner. Donation Visits, Ministerial Surprises, la• "All is not gold that glitters." Massa& EDUORB :—ln common with the rest of your readers, I have been glad to see the evidences of esteem for their ministers whioh so many congregations have manifested, in the surprise visits that have become so frequent ,of late. Such visits are " twice blessed "—in the substan tial aid and comfort afforded to the minister and his family; and in the reflex benefit suiting to the donors themselves 'from the cultivation of their benevolent feelings, and from the increase of mutual regard between them and their pastor. I have no doubt that the burdened and anxious heart of Many a pastor, and many a pastor's wife, has been greatly cheered by these timely , contributions; and thatTiSions of pinching want, which were becoming more frightful as the expenses of living were found to in crease with no. corresponding increase ofl salary, have thus been banished. And can well imagine the feelings of many a poor unsurpriSecl-brother, whose coat is growing eeedy and *hose library needs replenishing, and whose port monaie has totally collapsed, as he reads, from week to week,- thoselerate furitaknowledgments of more favored breth ren. How often does he seeretly breathe the wish, "O'that my refople would take the hint,. and give me a donation visit 1" But the Winter is passing away, and' no relief comes for his growing burdens. There is also a serious question, which suggests itself in the midst of all this increase of liberality in congrega tions toward their pastors, namely, "Are those donation visits all that 4 needed to be done for the relief of the' necessities of ministers in these trying times ?" Hoiv few congregations seem to-have thought of permanently itscreasvng their pastor's"sal wry; somewhat . in proportion to the in creased cost of living I It has indeed seemed to me that those happy surprises • which so many - ministers have been receiv: ing, however pleasant and timely in thene: selves, are, after ally only sympathetic of an -uneasy conscience amongthe people, on so count of their failure to come up at once to the duty of raising their ministers' salaries. Every one sees that a salary of five or six hundred dollars, which was even scanty a few years ago, must be wholly insufficient to support a minister's family now. Hence this general movement in the way of afford ing present and temporary relief through surprise donation visits . But is this enough 2= The well-lined purses of which we read, were no doubt soon emptied in the „payment of debts previously incurred; and, with no increase of salary, what is the 'poor minister to do until anoth er Thanisgiving or- Christmas donation visit shall come to his relief? Seven or eight" hundred dollars will not go as far now as five hundred would five years ago: Such an' increase of salary. ie a duty to which congregations are bound, by, the promise which they all make at the instal lation of a pastor, to "continue to him-that competent worldly maintenance which, they have promised, and whatever else they may see needful," &c.—(See Form of Govern ment, Ch. XV., Sec. Now, what would any of these good - elders, deacons, and trustees, (whose business it is to see that the people do their duty in this par-- tieular,) think, if any one who owed them a debt of $3OO should propose to pay it off by a • present of. $lOO ! And yet this is, substantially ;what they are doing to thdr inters I Instead of leaving it to the ladies of the Congregation, who (Gad bless them,) are generally the first toinove in getting up these surprises, these official persons ought to call the congregation together and set before them the facts in the case—remind ing them of their minister's growing neces sities, and of their absolute indebtedness to him of such an increase of salary as is re quired by the spirit -of their installation vows. In how -many congregations has`any thing of this sort been done ? If any-pas tors have been thus favored, will they not report through the Banner f It may serve to stir up the pure minds of other congre gations. From a few cases, of which I have - per sonal knowledge, and which may probably be representative of many others I do be lieve, Messrs. Editors, that, at this moment thereie a state of actual and wide-spread distress among the pastors of- our churches, on account of the utter deficiency of their salaries. And,Film evil- is not. soon reme died, many of them will be compelled to abandon their fields, and the most dins trolls results to the cause of religion must ensue. Will not all our Yresbyteries take order on this subject, at their ensuing Spring meetings ' ONE WHO IS NOT A- PASTOR. Piir the Pnebyterian Acknowledgment. MESSRS. EMOUS :—On Friday, the 4th inst., we had the pleasure. of experiencing, in the fellowship of a goodly number of the people of Callensburg congregatiOn, the truth of this Scripture,-" Behold how good and how pleasant it is for brethren to dwell together in unity!' We were also convinced by the tangible evidence which these kind friends left us, that they believe and ail ready to practice the following Scripture: "If we tiave sown unto you spiritual things, is it a great thing if we shall reap your carnal things ;" and, "They NO...Lich preach the. GoSpel should live of the Gospel." . In addition to presents sent us from time to time, since we have been in their midst, they left us on' this occasion many things good and useful, besides a handsome roll of " Greenbacks." For all these 'tokens of kindness-they have ourtearty thanks, and our prayer to God is, that he may bless them " with all spiritual blessings in heav enly places in Christ." PersonaL , I, Holmes Agnew, MIL, fornierly editer of thee Ameri,can Eclectic, has beeome the editor of. the American Monthly Knicker bocker. Prof. Agnew is a man of learning, ability and taste, and will Wing all the re sburees of his cultivated mind to the task he has undertaken. Among the .contribu tors to the March number are President Lord, late of Dartmouth, and Protessor W. C. Fowler, of New-Haven. - GOY. GOOWA character is illustrated• by the following . pleasant anecdote: A ferry company, with fine prospects of a lucrative business, desired Mr. Gamble to make an investment, in their stock, which he de clined, because they run their boats on the `Sabbath. "We are obliged bylaw to do so," was the excuse offered. "Yes," he replied, " I know that the law requires youf company to run its boats on the Sab- bath, but the law does not require me to invest my money , r your stock." • Horace F. Walwerth, late of West Baton Rouge, La., has left half of his property, or about $250,000, for the purpose of establishing a: . printing-office for tbe publi-• cation of a paper or magazine, for be pub - - Milled weekly, for the use and benefit of the blind, whiellelper or magazine shall be printed with raised letters or in the most approved methods for their use; the said paper or magazine to be distributed gratui tously among the blind of the Southern States, or for'sale to such as are able-and willing to pay for it. The decersed was blind for several years before his death. We lope the property is not invested in Southern securities. Varieties. - TIN proceeds of the Brooklye Fair up to Saturday evening were, $390,000. They will ultimately reach itleast $400,000: • The New-York dry goods dealers bare given $475,000 to the Metropolitan Fair in that city. The Government receipts for- the last three months of 1868 we're over $27,000,- 000 from Internal Revenue, and $23,000,- 000 from Customs, to say nothing' of other sources of itieome. The army:expenses for the same period were over $163,000,000. The total loss at the battle. of Woke. mauga on the part of the Federals was 17,200. The total loss of the Confederates was 19,600. The time consumed in fight, ing was 16 hours and 30 mindes. This waken a total combined loss of 36,309, or over 2,200 per hour. Three more of the gunboats fitted maid, Cincinnati are almost ready.,to leave, for some point where their services•are needed. This will make in all thirteen vessels of this character sent from that city since the beginning of December. The greater number have been dispatched . 'to join the fleet under Farragut, while some , few 'will be attached to the line destined for-protec tion of the river-commence, The ruler of Cashmere has recently taken stringent measures to prevent the further manufacture of the inferior shawls which are now sent in such large , quantities to Europe, so poorly made as to be nearly un salable. In the' city of Sires Nagger; or Cashmere, there are seventy thousand per sons engaged in the manufacture. The spotted fever is ravaging various parts of Pennsylvania. Scores of people are dying from it. In-every case the per sons attacked have died within twenty-four hours after the first symptOms, which usually are the appearance of small pim ples and blotches on, the hands and face, with acute pains, swelling of the head, and enlargement of the glands of the neck. The whole number of underifidustes in the 14 colleges , of New-England, the pres ent year, is not far from 2,300. In the Winter of, 1861, just before the opening of the war, the number was 2,846. The war has not broken, up any of these, institu tions, but has reduced the number of stu dents in almost all of them ; and the smaller colleges have suffered somewhat more, proportionatelY, than the large ones. In the year 1858, after the great revival, about half of the New-England students were professors of religion, while at present not more than a third are of this class. The Chicago, Journal say the farmers. in various parts of Illinois are already sowing titer Bpripg wheat. This is unusually ear ly. It also learns that if the weather con tinues favorable< a large breadth of wheat will be put in. There was much ploughing done last Fall, and the only drawback to extensive farming operations is the scarcity of help. Wages for farm hands, which three years ago were from $l5 to' $lB a month, are now $2O to $25. The Winter wheat, as far as we have ascertained, has not been injured in the West by the cold weather. . The PRESBYTERY OP SCh u1.1.,ER will meet in Prairin City, El., on Thursday, April 14th; 1864, at 2f o'clock P. M. Commissioners' Fund, nine cents per member of each church. THOMAS S. VAILL, Stated Clerk. The PRESBYTERY OF ALLEGHENY ClTY stands adjourned to meet on the first Tuesday of April. The pleas) of meeting is the Central church, Allegheny City, the hour 10 A. M. Pastors and the Sessions of vacant , churches are required to present full statistical reports for the past year; as these are the, materials from which the Stated Clerk forms the Presbyterial Report to the General Assembly. WM. ANNAN, The PRESBYTERY OF KASRASRIA. will meet in the Pleasant Ridge church (near Chester, 111.,) April 7th, at 2 o'clock P. M. ALFRED N. DENNY, S. 0. The PRESBYTERY OP ERIE will meet at West Greenville on the second Tuesday (12th) of April, at 7 o'clock P. M. Narratives of the State of Religion, Statistical Reports, and Corn.. missioners' _Fund, will be called for. S. J. M. EATON, S. C. The PRESBYTERY OF BLAIRSVILLE will . meetaccording to adjournment, at Congruity, on the second Tuesday of April, at 2 o'clock P. M. JAMS DAVIS, S. C. • The PRESBYTERY OP DUBUQUE will meet (Deo Volente) at Epworth, the Second Tuesday of April (12th) at 3 o'clock P. M. Assessment on the churches, for Commission ers' _Fund at the rate of ten cents per member. JOHN M. BOGGS;Statecl Clerk. The PRESBYTERY OF lOWA will hold its stated Spring meeting in the Presbytetian'churoh of Burlington, at 7P. M. on the Secop.d Tues day of April (12th). Sessional Records -anti Statistical Reporpi must be presented. GEO. D. STEWART; Stated Clerk. The PRESBYTERY OF SALTSBURG stands adjourned to meet at Glade Run church on the Second Meg!lay of April, at 2 o'oloak P. M. Sessional Records, Statistical Reports, Written Narratives, Settlements with Pastors and Stated Supplies, and Commissioners' and Contingpnt Funds; required at -this meeting. W. W. 'WOODEND Stated" Clerk. S. P. KINK AID The PRESBYTERY OF HUNTINGDON will hold. its next stated meeting in . the Bellefonte Presbyterian* church, on the Second. Tuesday (the 12th) of April, at 11 o'clock A. M. Statistical Reports will be called for, as - well as a Report from each congregation as to whether the pastor's' salary has been, paid_ ROBERT HAMILL, Stated. Clerk. The PRESBYTERY OF TOLEDO will meet in Toledo, Tama County,, lowa, on. Tuesday, the 12th of April, 1864, at 7 o'clock P. Mr_. The Sessions will remember to send the Statis tical Reports, carefully prepared. ' LUTHER DODD, Stated Clerk. The PRESBYTERY O' WOOSTER will ,hold its Spring meeting at pl:eclericksburg, on the Third Tuesday of April, at 11 o'clock A. M. JOHN E. CARSON;Stated Clerk. The PRESBYTERY OF ALLEGHENY' stands adjourned to meet in Butler, on the Second Tuesday (12th) of April, at 11 o'clock A. M. • 3. R. COULTER Stated Clerk. The PRESBYTERY :OF. BEA.VER mill meet at Slippery Rook, on the Second Tuesday of April, at 11 o'clock. A. M. D. .C ' REED, Stated Clerk. The PRESBYTERY OP ROCK RIVER will meet at Middle Creek church, on the last Tues day (26th) of April, at 3 o'clock P. M. Sessional Records will be called, for also meneys'for - the Commissioners' Fund at the rite of fife'cents per member of the ohlubbes.- As "Presbytefi'ai. Stat e d Clerk. the Assembly will meet at a remote point, i t important that ministers and Sessions bear 1 1,;:, matter carefully in mind. Members.jonrne,,'i,;: by rail are requested to be at " Winttebagos,,- tion," on the Galena and Chicago Ilailroad;I: the day train on Tuesday, where carriag Es be in waiting to - convey them to the church. S. T. WILSON, Stated Clerk, The PRESBYTERY OF SANGAMON" will me et in April the Bth, 1864, at 7o Firet church, 'Clo cknP. gfi M. , ea Frida. G. W. F. BIRGIT, Stated Clerk, (Jurrtut Beivs. Thd " War.—Last week, General Grant paid flying visit to Washington City, only remainir, 1 / 4 r in that vicinity three days, one-half of m h k t was passed in the Army of the Potomac. i t : General persistently declined all public dew,' !Orations, even a State dinner at the President'; fle left for Nashville on Friday evenin z o'clock. While at Washington he received h; commission. as Lieutenant General. 'Thr , e el ; mo ll y took place in the Cabinet Chamber, i n presence of the entire Cabinet, Gen. If a ll„.; Representative Lovejoy, Gen. Rawlins, and Comstock, of Gen. Grant's staff, the son of Grant, and Mr. Nicolay, Private Secretary of President..' Gen. Grant having entered the notT, the President arose and addressed him that ; "Gen. .Grant, by the nation's appreciation what you have done, and its reliance upon . .for what remains to be done in the existing 7r6: `straggle, you are presented with this conni;i, constituting you Lieutenant General in the or al : of the United States. While this high honor o: volves upon you, also a corresponding rum,: bility rests on you. As the country herein tru,;:. you, so, under God, it will sustain yo u . 1, (n , , ly need to add that with what I here spe a k f . r r the nation, goes my hearty personal C ., r , c ,„ fence." To which Gen. Grant replied as follows : Ma.. "M. Passtozar : I accept the ecarni,-i;, with gratitude for the high honor you have fared on me, and with the aid of the ar mies that have fought on so many fields for our common country, it will be my earnest entlelm .r not to disappoint your expectations. I feel full weight of the responsibilities now dev o l 7 ,, z upon me, and I know that if they are me( it 71 , be due to those armies, and above all to thp vor of that Providence which leads both riatif, L , and men." - The:following military arrangements har e made: First—J3y order of the President, General Grant is assigned to the command of ;h. armies of the United States. Second—Maj eral Halleek is relieved from duty as General-ir: Chief, and assigned to special duty at ton as Chief of the Staff of the armies. Maj. General Sherman is assigned to cota ma: the Military Division of the Mississippi, Ltel; commanded by Gen. Grant, and comprising :6; Departments of the Ohio, Cumberland, T enr ,,,, see and Arkansas. Balogh—Maj. General - Pherson is assigned to command the Deparitr. tr of the Tennessee, recently commanded by Sherwin. Fifd/a 7 - 7 Lieut. General Grant will tablish his headquarters in the field, with spective armies operating under his personal-, pervision. The design of a gold medal to be pre=entel • Lieut. Gen. Grant, under the joint resolutions Congress approved Dec. 17th, 1863 , has heen e:. eented. It will be engraved in Phillidelhb... The medal will be three and a half inches iL meter; and will cost about $3,000. It will re:. resent the Goddess of Liberty seated on a sprier , , on. one side, and a profile bust of the oeuer. himself on the other. Gen. Sherman's expedition was much mtr successful than was supposed at first. Heal: stroyed 32 locomotives, laid waste many plan , ‘ tions from which the rebels were drawing 74 , amounts of subsistence. Re brought in over f, .. thousand negroes, and a train ten miles In:: consisting of wagons, mules, horses, &e., destroyed a great amount of stores. There enough able-bodied negroes for three regimen He broke the railroad communication, and cessfully accomplished the object of the elle, tion. At present every thing seems to indieue active andearnest movements on the part oi own armies, and also on the part of the et: during the next sixty days. That great b will_be fought, and decisive results attained i:. ehok time, is almost certain. The rapidity Gen. Grant's late trip indicates that the litriee quiet are about at an en& Gen. Rosecra.na has issued a special order, quiring all , persons attending religious conv , tions, assemblies, synods, conferences, and 0.. convocations held in his department, to take a stringent oaths of allegiance; and any vin's':. of this order-will subject the assembly to dill t Edon by any Provost Marshal. It is reported that twenty-three captured Ls. soldiers belonging to Col. Foster's command North Carolina, were recently hung as deter , from the rebel conscription. They ascended scaffold with a firm step, and met their face w unflinching fortitude and determination. 1: asked for no quarters, and scornfully shun_ all overtures of concession on condition of • turning to the Confederate service. After c • ing their peace with their God, they fearh , proclaimed their readiness to die for their cc: try, against which they say they have been cibly conscripted. Such an exhibition of , ty to the flag, has never before been wittier - The multitude was moved to tears, and op' deitettuced this critel.massacre, which is cal, desertions from the Confederate service t,• "wholesale, and, causing indignation of fec of which it is feared will be uncontrolabte. Refugees from the interior bring inteth of the rebels garrisoning the whole St. , . North Carolina for the purpose of cheekin: convention movement and keeping the peor subjection. It is reported that the rebels hanging the entire number of soldiers car! by them from Colonel Frost's command, SN in number, half of whom have never been rebel service. , Gen. Butler sent a portion of Kilpatri , k* , valry, and Col's Onderdonk and Spears' cava to King and Queen's Court House, to deal. the citizens claiming to be non-comhatant , t. ambushed Col. Dabigren. Gen. Kilpatrie forward Col. Onderdonk's command. The is reports that the sth and 9th Va. cavalry, the citizens of that place, 1200 in all, were en from camp near Cowley's store : the was taken and a number killed—twenty hr.- ere were captured., The enemy were also from the Court House, end a large numb , : grain mills and storehouses were burned. Col. Dahlgren waa shot through the head hand, his body stripped anti buried, CO 01 grave will never be known. The Bicknell.; pens state that the officers captured in Gen. hi rick's late expedition, have been placed in is Active operations seem about to be carne against Mobile. At the last advises Fort ell had - been severely bombarded for so , : . days. The finding of the Court of Inquirti ' ease of Gen. MeCook t is that he did his duty in the battle of Chickamauga proper:.' committed a mistake, arising not from c os..l:rt; Lions of personal safety, but from an en, : judgment, by going into Chattanooga. Ti.e Mg includes a reason of Gen. Roseerans for i" • ceding Gen. McCook in the same direction. -- Court finds Gen. Crittenden free from all P. '•-• as to his conduct in the battle, and juFtitie going to Chattanooga on the grounds that command had been transferred to other liene . " in the course of the action, and that cowl: , ly he edid nothing but his duty in report:l7, Gen. Itosecrans in person. Both General' Cook and Crittenden have been ordered to rei- . for duty to the Adjutant General, and en 4 have assigned a command immediately. • The trial of Surgeon General' Hammond. 1 02, 1 . has been, lingering along for a mouth or approaches conclusion. The case has been up for Court by the Judge Advocate. The lief outside is that Hammond will scarcely e't with less than cashiering, hut his friendi - stillconfident of. his acquittal. Various reports have been far some concerning the removal of Gen. Meade Irog command of the Army of the Potomac, awl , appointment of Gen. Smith. But at the going to press, nothing definite is known to Reports that,2oo,ooo more men would called for, are common; but at present, be traced to no official source. Among the liberated prisoners from Richs..:, is Major Harry White, of the 13th Pen 13. 1 1 " ..: Cavalry, 90. late member of the Penta.ylita-•
Significant historical Pennsylvania newspapers