Virtstigtexian Xlattiter. .eITTSDURRII, WEDNESDAY, APRIL 20, 1864. nil DUTY OF TUE HOUR. As the. Spring wears slowly away, all eyes are directed in eager expectation to the fields, alreadY rendered memorable by fierce conflicts, where hostile armies have been for months preparing to renew the struggle. The speculator, making or losing a fortune with each ebb or flow of the tide of battle, listens for the first whispered ru mor of defeat or victory that may affect the price of ()often and of gold: The states man, with solgeely less of interest, lays down his dispatches " from the front . " to calculate the' effect they will produce upon the popular mind, almost'as sensitive in its fluctuations as the medium of exchange. Each heart, swayed by its ruling passion, turns to the scene of 'approaching conflict, and' whatever the peeuliar interest may be, throbs with anxiety for the result. Has this hour of stillness, that precedes the storm, no interest for the Christian ? A war which -has been growing in magni tude rand bitterness, through three long years of strife and blood, is about to cul minate, in a campaign. for which the re sources in men and means, on both sides, have been taxed'as never heretofore. In a few brief days.; or weeks, battles must occur which, in all human probability, will de cide the destiny of the Republic. And apart from the tremendous issues - thus to be , determined, affecting the entire nation: and whele future history, not less sol emn is the fearful truth that, in addition to the throngs of sick and wounded who will languish in our hospitals, thousands upon thousands of hearts, now beitieg arcing with life and hope, will soon be for ever still L---multitudes of deathless spirits will soon be ushered into the eternal world. Is not this,. then, an hour of painful inter est to the Christian"? Nor do these limits, wide though they are, embrace the whole field of sorrow. After each new conflict, sad messages will speed with electric 'swiftness to ill parts of' the land, bearing anguish unutterable to many a grief-stricken parent, to many a weeping wife, and to many a little 'flock who have <long watched for a father's step that will' e heard no more. such is the brief epitome of a new campaign : other homes to be desolate—other hearts to ache. The contemplation of tais wide-spread sor row, so soon to envelop our land, cannot fail deeply to affect a Christian heart. What, then, are :the claims of the present hour ? They deserve, assuredly, more than a passing thought. One duty undoubtedly is, to encourage our brave soldiers in the field, by showing that we love them and care for them and for their families. We can do this in various ways in the present, without wait- ing for the contingencies of the future. We can write to them; we can send them tAra d Afar:% b rat t - iou rernembrane an vueli pen, and give them the counsel and comfort they so much need. • Another duty is, to repress in our own hearts a vindictive feeling, so ready to arise when we think of the guilty authors of all this misery which has come upon our once happy land. It may be difficult to restrain a revengeful desire, when we hear the ti dings of such .revolting brutality as the recent massacre at Fort Pillow. At such times it may be hard indeed to heed the Divine injinetion, " Love your enemies ;" yet it is not the less our , duty to remember who it is that hath said, " Vengeance is mine' Another ksson, already often taught, is that we make not man our trust. Too prone to- rest with overweening confidence upon the skill of a favorite General, or upon the results of a favorite measure, we have been slow to learn how unreliable are all such sources of hope. Connected with this should be the caution, that we have no right to look for uninterrupted successes. Such is not the usual history of war. We should be prepared, therefore, for reverses; so that, even in the midst of disasters, we may preserve unshaken the determination that, come what may, we will, God helping us, continue the struggle until he shall give us the victory. But, last of all, and most important duty of the hour, let all Christians, with hum ble, earnest, unceasing and united prayer, besiege the throne of grace, that He from whom alone our help can come would, in this extremity of our nation's peril, have mercy upon us ; that he would give to our rulers the wisdom, and to our armies the strength, which are his gift ; that he would prepare such as may be called to lay down their lives, for the solemnities of the dying hour; that he would lead our enemies and ourselves to see and to forsake the sin which have brought such fearful, yet de served, punishment on them and us; that we, as one nation, may fear his name; and that the summary of, our future history may be—" Happy is that people urh.nse God is the Lord." TBE BUTCHERY AT FORT mow. There are some crimes so atrocious that we feel altogether unable to form a proper conception of their horrid character. In such cases, words are wanting to give a sufficient expression of our reprobation and detestation. An instance of this kind is . found in the late butchery at Fort Pillow. Many have been the occasions since the the attack on fort Sumpter, on the 13th of April, 1861, when rebel soldiers have cov ered themselves with an infamy from which nothing can ever deliver them. But nothing they have ever done in outrage and cruelty approaches the inhumanity and brutality committed last week on the banks of the Mississippi. • The people have not yet forgotten the horrors of that night on which QUANTRELL and his execrated horde entered Lawrence. But QUANTRELL and his companions were avowed pillagers, robbers, and murderers, and made no pretensions to the character of soldiers engaged in . regular war. No such alleviation, miserable as it may be, can be discovered in this recent, enormity. Six thousand - men, under command of a Geneial of high standing in the •rebel ser vice, attack a place 'defendell by only six hundred brave men; and after resorting to various acts of duplicity, through flags of truce and otherwise, this rebel force at length overcomes the few hundred men whose heroism against such fearful odds would have won the admiration of generous • barbarians. Yet the noble defence-against such vastly superior numbers, was made the occasion for an indiscriminate butchery of white and black, si3k and wrunded, women and children, scarcely paralleled.in the atrocities of the most savage tribes. Nor can it ,be even plead that this was done in the .mo ment of fierce excitement ; for some of the greatest brutalities were • delayed until the second - day. Men helpless 'from sickness and wounds, were shot or bayoneted. Women and children, crying for mercy, were slaughtered remorselessly, as if they had been vile are. Negroes whose valor had won them lasting renown, were com pelled to dig graves, in which they were buried alive. And dead bodies were col lected and burned, that the demoniacal ap petite might be satiated. The whole scene has been so bloody, so revolting, so dig graceful to civilized man, that if there be aught of hUnranity, to say nothing of any higher principle, in any. Southern bosoms, their faces Inuit blush with a deeper shame than ever before. In view of this and other acts of kin dred nature, the question will press itself on thoughtful and Christian than of all par ties, Are not these the natural and ripened fruits'of the twin crimes of rebellion and slavery ? Could such vile passions have sprung up and been nurtured to such awful maturity under the culture of any other than these influences ? Mr. SUMNER once de livered a speech which will not soon be for gotten, on the 14 Relations between Slavery and Barbarism," in which he set forth the idea that slavery was'necessarily barbarism. Now he would not be considered far out of the way if he should undertake to demon strate that slavery and fiendishness are in separably connected. The butchery at Fort Pillow will do more than all the books ever Written, and all the speeches ever made, to convince the American people of the ne- ' cessity of freeing themselves at once and forever from the stain and wickedness of human slavery. The blood of those help less victims has not been shed in vain. .We greatly, mistake the spirit of the people of this country, if this appalling outrage does not unite all parties again, as did the as sault on Sumpter, and fire them with a stronger determination than ever before, for the speedy and complete suppression of this unreasonable, wicked, and cruel re bellion. THE CHRISTIAN COIHIRISSION. The Second Annual. Report of the Uni ted States Christian Commission is on our table, and we regret that it cannot be read by every Christian and philanthropic man, woman and child in the United States. We are free to say that no other associa tion has done so much, with as small expense, as this, .for the souls and bodies XWt -eye]. y bat,- tie field • and in every hospital, minister ing to both the physical and spiritual wants of suffering ; they have preached the Gospel in every division of our armies; and in thousands of tents have they pointed great multitudes to the Lamb of - God. And all these labors have been entirely volun tary, without fee or reward of a pecuniary kind. All the money contributed is ex pended in procuring hospital supplies of clothing, food, and delicacies such as are needed by the sick, and in providing re ligious newspapers and other religious reading at the lowest rates. The delegates, and all the stores, reading matter, etc., of the Commission, are carried over the rail roads free of charge. Even their dispatches are sent by the telegraph _lines without cost. Wamention these things that our. readers may know the absolute economy practised, and that their, contributions are only used for the direct object to which they were given... The The entire operations for the year 1863, in money received, stores donated, Scrip tures contributed, and religious newspapers and books, etc., amount to 016,8371%. The following is a general summary of the efforts Christian Ministers and Laymen cam-. missioned to minister -to men on battle-fields and in campi, hospi tals and ships, during year 1,207 Copies of Scriptures distributed 465,715 Hymn and Psalm Books distributed... 371,859 Knapsack Books distributed 1,254,591 Library Books distributed 39,713 Magazines and Pamphlets distributed.. 120,492 Religious Newspapers distributed 2,931,469 Pages of Tracts distributed 11,976,722 Silent Comforters, &c., distributed.... 3,285 Boxes shipped to the field or shipped at home The delegates distribute the •hospital stores with their own hands, thus pro viding against waste or an improper appli cation. In view of the great need of the stores and labors of .this• Commission which will soon be experienced on many fields, its treasury should be replenished at once, and large additions of hospital cloth ing, food, and stimulants, be made to its stores. The Pittsburgh Branch has been one of the very best branches with which the Commission has been blessed. Its contri butions of money and stores bave been very large; and its delegates havee not been surpassed in zeal and usefulness. It •is •known as the Army Committee of Western Pennsylvania, and was organized April 6th, 1863. The result of its operations for the nine months ending December 31st, 1863, is briefly summed as follows : Cash contributions $21,348.81 Value of stores donated 46,708.79 Value of .stores sent to armies 54,079.01 Value of reading matter ..... ...... 4,635.29 The Pittsburgh Branch has sent seventy two delegates to the armies; earnest, faith ful men, who have devoted their time and talents to the xelief of the suffering, at great personal inconvenience. The Com mission has depended, in a measure, on Presbyteries, Conferences, and other Church Councils, to appoint delegates to represent them in this department of Christian labor. Many of these religious bodies have adopted measures by which they keep one or two remsentatives constantly in the field, and their example is commended as worthy of imitation. We commend this interest again to every pastor and church, and to every Christian and philanthropist, and entreat that there may PRESBYTERIAN BANNER.---WEDNESDAY, APRIL 20, 1864. he no falling off in the receipts of money and stores, but that there may be a large in crease. Money can be sent to JOSEPH ALHHEE, Treasurer, 71 Wood Street, Pitt burgh, and stores to W. P. WEYMAN, 79 Smithfield Street. The secular. press has, with great una nimity, urged the Government to provide promptly, by a judicious and well-balanced system' of taxation, for the vast expendi ture which the prosecutien of the war in. volves. The religions press, we conceive, may well add its voice and influence, since the support of the Government by cheer fully submitting to the necessary calls it makes upon our means, is as much the part of Christian loyalty and true patrio,tisna l as to aid it, if need be, by the hazard• of our lives. `To attempt to carry on war' without money, would be as vain as to endeavor to prosecute it without men. To reeruit our armies, the energies of the country- are even now being put forth; and with the replenishing of our ranks, multitndes will think that - our whole duty has been accom plished. Far from it. To support• and render effective these masses of men, mil- , lions of money must be expended. To raise these means, a variety of measures has been resorted to, suggested by, the fer tile invention of the Secretary of the Treas ury. But the issuing H of legal tenders, of five-twenties, of ten-forties, 'of- certificates of indebtedness, and the various other in gehious methods of disguising- the ' one stubborn fact, that_we are carrying on this war by borrowing money,_cannot avail for ever. A war, expensive beyond 'all preee dent, is upon us: Its vast, outlay must be met, not by 'borrowing alone, but as fir as, possible by paying as we g 0... • The present Congress has long been in cubating over a tax bill; designed to in crease the revenue by direct taxation. With. Americans this has always, been . , an unpop ular measure. But, once convinced that it a necessity, this great people will reso lutely accept the fact and shoulder the bur den. We confess to a feeling of disap: pointment that whisky on hand will probe lab! be exempted ; nor can .we see any rea sons, constitutional - or otherwise,-why,such a favor should be shown to whisky venders. On the contrary, a very .cogent argument might,be made, lo prove that this class of our fellow-citizens Should be permitted to contribute a few millions to the national treasury. • In connection with this increase of taxition, a rigid and unsparing economy, both public and private,, is loudly demanded— private economy, if for no. other reason, be canse it is unfeeling to be lavishing, in wasteful luxury, millions of,dollars at home, whilst our sons and brothers are enduring hardships in the field—public economy, be cause the millions, uSelessly squandered, must all be made up by imposts upon the, toil of a much-enduring people, who . have a right to require that the- men arid means hey Dave soratarte, And yet, when we have done the utmost we can do, let us never forget that our trust should not be. in the superiority of numbers and resources. As a people we have sinned ; as a people let us turn ,unto the Lord, that he may have mercy upon us, and that the ground of our :confidence may be—The Lord of Hosts is .with us ; the God of Jacob is our refuge. DAsvn.LE REvizw...- 7 -The number for March has the following articles : The Nature and Extent of Church Authority by Rev. R. L. STANTON, D.D. IL The Nation's Success and 'Gratitude, by Rev. R. J. BuEossiquxoGE, P.D. III: Baptist Revision of the Bible, by Rev. Eti. P. illumpagEv, D.D. IV. The Loyalty De manded by the Present Crisis, by Rev. JACOB ('DOPER. V. Disloyalty in the Church, by Rev. GEORGE NI - 041tION. VI. A Biotraphical Sketch of the - Itev. Jno. C. Young, D.D., late President _of Centre College, by J. A. JAcons. VII. New Testament Doctrine of the Holy SPiriti by Rev. jotr. K. LYLE. The first four articles, deal with matters of living: and present interest, in a. very able manner. Dr. HUMPHREYS' article on the Baptist Revision of the Bible is timely and effective, showing most conchtsively its reckless and unreliable Character- The article by Mr. 00O1ER has the true ring. Let this Review be sustained, for it has a great work to do for the Church and the Conn . try in that region. Dr e BRECK4NRIDGE made a mistake when he attacked the Pres ident's Emancipation Proclamation, in its pa *es ; but he has gotten over all that, in high ground he and his co-laborers have taken in our great struggle, within the-last few months. - 12,648 THE AMERICAN PRESBYTERIAN AND THEOLOGICAL HEVlEW r for'April, has for it contents; I. The Messiah's Second Coming, 1;:y E. F. HATFIELD, D.D. IL The Political Principles of the Old Testa ment Prophets, by Dr. lIEF,mANN HTIP FELD. 111. The Antiquity of Man, by:D. R. ooDwirt, D.D., Provost of the Univer sity of Pennsylvania. • IV. Bulgarian Lit erature, by ELIAS Maas, D.D., Missionary to Constantinople. V. The Principles of Morell's Philesophy, by EDAH PORTER, D. D., Professor in Yale College. VI. Paul's Allegorical Use - of the Mosaic Natrative, by HOWARD CROSBY, D.D., of New-York City. VII. Theories of the Inspiration of the Scriptures. VIII. Criticisms *, -on Books. This Review is published by: J. M. SHERWOOD, No. 5 Beekman Street, New- York. As a Quarterly we haVe always liked it, though not agreeing with all its teachings. It is always lively, learned, and various. By the way, a little more care in proofreading would be an improve ment. fiew-tork Prison Assoriation,—We have before us the Nineteenth Annual Report of this praise-worthy, benevolent Association. Its labors have already done much toward reforming abuses in the prisons of the- Empire State, and in the way of directing proper attention to the sources and provo, cations to crime:- The suggestions macle in the Report before us with regard to the treatment of criminals, and the incentive THE SINEWS OF WAR. RELIGIO&S REVIEWS. to reformation, are worthy the careful at tention of all interested in the public wel fare. This annual publication may be made productive of vast benefit to human. ity and religion. The Report before us was prepared by the Rev. Dr. E. C. WINES, formerly a professor in Washington Col lege, Pa., and like...everything from his pen, is elaborate and thorough. NEWS OF, THE CHURCHES AND MINISTERS. PRESBYTERIAN. Old' School.--Rev. James M. Shields was installed pastor of the church of Bridge water,. Presbytery of Allegheny City, on last Friday. The. Rev. James. Allison pre sided and preached the sermon; charge to the pastor by the Rev. Mr. Loatray ; chai r ge to the people by the ReV. J. M. Smith. M. Shields enters upon a field of- .la bor.'. under most-encouraging circumstances. The Presbytery of Blairsville at its late meeting, dissolved the paitoral relation pe tween Rev. O. 4.Miller and the churches of Armagh and Centre. This week we are able to announce the folloWing . additional Commissionersie the General Assembly.: from. the Presbytery of Blairsville, Rev." James E Carson - and Mr. Robert Fulton alkerriatesc Rev; S. H. Shep lerand Sheridan... Presbytery of Phil adelphia,. Schenck- and Rev. J. Chilioothe, Rev. E. Grand Gi rani and Mr. William Pinkerton. - Presby ter - , yof Cincinnati, Rev. C. Burt, D.p. and Judge Stanley Matthews. At the late.meeting of the Presbytery of Chilicothe, the following paper Was adopted Whereas, The National Government:has promised protection to our missionaries within our lines in< the Southern. States; .therefore, Resolveili That we Sara estly recommend the Board of Domestic Missions,to send as many missionaries` as practicable to this field, giving special at tention to the wants.of the freedmen who are providentially thrown' upon our hands. . • Rev. F. G. Clark, -pastor of the West Twenty-third Street 'Presbyterian church, New York,,preached 'his twelfth anniversa ry sermon last Sabbath week. His people have generofisly arranged to give him a six months' rest, having engaged Prof. Mell vaine of Prineeton, to supply his pulpit, besides giving him' a . purse for - his ,travel ing expense& He expects to sail for 'En rope in May. The Presbyter says' 4 4 We hear that a very extended revival is in progress in Danvilfe, Ky., in the First and Second churches, which, are in charge of Dr. W. L..-Breeklnridge and Rev. W. J. MeEtkight. From fifty to sixty persons are among the inquirers, and many of them are students of the College." The Rev. E. P. Humphrey, D.De f Pro fessor in. the Theological Seminary at Dan- Ville, Ky., has been unanimously called to the pastorate of the First .Presbyterian Church, Boston, Massachusett& The meet ing of the congregition was unusually large,, and entirely harmonious and cordial. The Rev. Randolph A. De. Lancey was appoint ee a commissioner to prosecute the call be fore the respective Presbyteries. Dr. Hum : . ........... n. a son ..... College, Massaehusette:' He is the first choice of 'leading friends abroad for this field, for which he has peculiar qualifieations, as well as eminent abilities. The Rev. Mr. De •Laneey,.who consented to take charge tem porarily of the Boston church, and has re mained lodger than -he intended, we under stand, earnestly desires Dr. Humphrey's acceptance: The North Presbyterian church, Chicago, of which Rev. Dr. Rice wai formerly pas- . tor., has given a call to 'the Rev. Willis Lord, DD., to become its pastor. Dr.. L. was at one time pastor of the Seventh Pres byterian church of Philadelphia, then of a church in Cincinnati, afterwards of a church in Brooklyn, and for . several years he has ably and acceptably discharged the duties of a Professor in the North-western Theo logical Seminary. In the Assembly of 1861, Dr. Lord took - high ground in favor of the " Spring Resolutions," in a speech of great power, the - effect of which was most -marked. The Rev. Robert Taylor, pastor elect of the North Presbyterian church of Philadel phia, died at his residence in Germantown, on. the morning of Friday, the 15th inst. Hr. Taylor was at one time a successful lawyer in Mercer, Pa. After his conver sion he studied Theology in the. Western Theological 'Seminary. His first pastoral charge was at Warren, Pa. Afterwards he became pastor pf the Secon'd Presbyterian church in Germantown; and last Fall was called to the North church of Philadelphia. He was an earnest and popular preacher. Rev. Mossrs. Lapsley and Cleland, and Messrs. - Sampson and Dickey, hive been elected delegates to the General Assembly, by the Presbytery of Transylfania. - Mr. Dickey is an elder e the second church of Nashville; which was set over to this Pres bytery by the last Assembly. The new Presbyterian church in Sharon congregation, twelve miles west of Carnal, White County, Illinois, was dedicated March 27th. The dedication sermon was preached by the Reit. B, C. Swan, of Shaw neetown, from 2. Chron. vii :15, 16, and the dedicatory prayer by the present elated supply of the church, after reading 2 Ohron vi., and giving a short sketch of the church since its organization by the Rev. Janke M'Gready, in 1816. The building is a neat frtuate structure, well fin' 'fished and furnished. It is with pleasure_ we record the gratifying fact that it was dedicated free from debt. New School.—The Third Presbyterian church of Pittsburgh was destroyed by fire about six months ago, but this did not Check its prosperity or diminish its liberal ity Though . occupying a hall in the third story of a building, all regillar and special religious services have' been remarkably well sustained; and some thirty additions have been since made to the church. Itean while a large centrally located lot has' been purchased and paid for, and a subscription of sixty thousand :dollars has also been made toward the construction of a new church edifice. • And as if in the full belief, that God would bless them in their efforts to be a blessing, they have nobly responded to the- ; calls of; the Church at large, and taken no mean place in the published rec ords of Christian benevolence. Thirteen hundred dollars jhaie been contributed since the fire to the dmege_of Home d en s, 81 4 a 'thousand dollars to the - Amer' jean `board, ,exelnaively of the. Monthly Concert collections. Mr, irCullough,,tlo3l efficient agent of the American Sabbath School 'Union, has taken away Sour hun dred dollars; while Mr. Potter has secured over two hundred dollars for the American Tract Society. In addition to all the above, with generous thoughtfulness, this people have added five hundred dollars to the salary of their pastor, dating from the first of January ! Rev.-D. G. Mallery, formerly chaplain of the 51st Regiment P. V., but having some months ago resigned, has just been re Weet; ed to_the same position, and is now on duty with the 51st, at . Annapolis, Md. 1:11410,—Mr. Joseph R. Kerr was or- dained , and installed pastor *of the Third United . Presbyterian church of Allegheny, on Tuesday evening of last week. In this service the. Rev. J. T. Pressly, D.D., pre side& and delivered the. charge to the-pas tor. The sermon was 'preached by Rev. Mr - Steele, And the charge was given to the people by. Rev. B. Clark. Mr. Kerr is a sion :fi . f,the Rev. Joseph R.Herr, deceased, formerly pastor of, the Sixth Street Ass°= eitte tefornied church, and a grandson of the first professor: in the. Theological Sem inary of that Chureh r now located in .Alle gheny, City. CONGREGATIONAL. Mount Holyoke Female Seminary, which has shared in for - Metyears so much, of re , vival , influence, has .agmn been greatly blessed`With:the outpohring of : the Spirit. The notice of , this revival we clip, from one of our exchanges " The'revival in, Mount Holyoke Female Seminary continued with unabated interest. Miss Fiske writes, Feb. '20 . :. Yesterday was a.'day of profit'te cis, and of delightful °emu:innings- with God. The number of the names of the disciples of our houde is about three Amaral and twenty-five, and these t. all , continued with one accord in prayer and supplication, all the - day. There werd.otier , two hundred written requests for prayer Bent to our meetings!" ~BAPTIST! the following synopsis gives some facts of goners', interest concerning Baptist col: leges and'schoolsi nesispapers, and clergy men in the South BiotinOnd College is suspended, and its building used as a, hospital: The Presi dent, Rev. Dr. Ryland, continues his „labors as pastor of the African Baptist church, aud is also chaplain to. the hospitals. ,Wake Forest:College, North Carolina) the Fur man Institute, South Carblina; and Mercer Collegia, Georgia, are, all suspended. The Female. College at Richmond is closed. The Profesiors of the Theological Seminary at Greenville, S. C., are-,engaged in preach ing, though they a have few. pulpits. Oth er schools generally continue their work. The Baptist papers, such,,as the Religious Herald, at Richmond, the Biblical Record-- er, at Raleigh, N. C., and the Southern Baptist, at Charleston, S. C., are still pub fished, though,. owing to the scarcity of paper, on a half sheet. Rev. A. J. Huntington, formerly of Chelsea, Mass.,and Rev. Mr. Cuthbert ; late of Philadelphia,are pastors at Augus ta, `Georgia. Rev. V. T. Brantly, D.D., lath of, the Tabernacle church, Philadel phia, is pastor at Atlanta, Ga. Several of the churches in Richmond are refreshed by. revivals. Rev. Dr.- Jeter has lately bap ...L.3, • ..-onn irutfured: - e on tiern its last biennial session at Augusta, G-a., in May, 1863. For the means to support its missionaries in China and in Africa:it is mainlY dependent upon Maryland and Ken tucky. -By permission of our Post' Office and War Department, the correspondence and remittances of the Convention pass througn Northern channels. METHODIST. The returns of the' numbers in society of the West Virginia Conference, sum up 12,866 members, and 2,813 probationers, maki,pg a total of 15,049, which is an •ad- Vance of of 1,050 over last year. The mis -sionary - collection amounted to $3,565, which is an advance of $1,328. The Sun (jay School department shows an increase of 21 schools, 307 officers and teachers and 1,667 Scholars. EPISCOPAL. A neW Society has recently been founded in the Protestant Episcopal Church, called the'Christian Unity Society, and having for its :objects the restoration of the visible union' and communion of all believers. This *retirement, in which leading Men of both schools of the Protestant Episcopal ; - Church take part, is understood to have the • approval of the presiding Bishop, the 13ish ops-,of New-York,' Pennsylvania; Maine, Rhode - Island, and the Assistant Bishops of conhecticut and Pennsylvania, Several of whoin have given aid and-counsel in draw ing 'Up . the proposed constitution. The principal efforts of -the new Society will be undoubtedly directed toward establishing a kind intercommunion between the An .glkititt and other Episcopal Churches, with a view to their complete union; for, though themain , object of the Society—the promo tion of a visible union and communion of all believers,--is expresser in sufficiently broad terms to enable Low Churchmen to join in the Society, the leaders of the High Church party, according to their oft-ex pressed' Views, will never recognize other deneminations as branches of th Christian Church, unless th y have an, apostolic suc cession of bishops. ' With them, all union must result from coming to them : they Will not advance one step .toward any other de- - nomination. Importance of the Christian Commission. NASHVILLE, April 7, 1864. MitotTeSEPH ALI3II,E; Treasurer of Chris tiara Commission : DEAR BROTHER :-I suppose you have a right to expegt me to give an account of myself. I will try to, do so. I find myself in Nashville yet. When I left home I had visions in my brain that have proved " baselPss fabrics." I was anxious to go to the f'• front." I calculated upon hard work, hard beds, and " hull tack. When .I left the boat at Louisville, I bade farewell to good dinners, and spring-matrasses, and • easy times. I found quarters at Louisville better than I had anticipated, got intro duced to the work, and spent the day (Sab bath) pleasantly, but without doing much in the way of work, owing to the fact that the hospital to which I was assigned was qnite empty when 1 arrived. In the after noon I had a good opportunity at Exchange Barracks,"biit felt so out of place and out of head amidst the noise, that I spent the time in private conversation with the men about their spiritual welfare, and did not attempt to preach. When I came to Nash- Vibe, I found myself immediately in the palatial residence of some Southern Nabob, which, the Christian, Commission are author izedoby the War 'Department to occupy. It affords a pleaSant resort for the weary laborer in barradcs, camps, and hospitals. Under= the superintendence of Mrs. Smith it is a complete bottle. I came here knowing that it would be my duty to. submit to the directions of the Field Agent; and though I had it strong desire to go to the front, I•havej hi aimerd.;' mM - Por the Presbyterian Banner -------------_ . ''portsthatthe,, ante with my convictions of duty, been en- sugar production of r j i- -- tirely passive as to my post. Nearly . three 1.802, was worth . '' . l. - : 22 , l9 o—that n. l l- weeks of my time have already passed, and then 8,280,000 pounds of l u r „.,, T ''' l ,• r y 7 ,, lam still in Nashville. Ido not expect to in that State that year. Of this it.-- a '' ; '' l be sent forward, and I cheerfully submit. ed tam 27,000 pounds were, r " d e frr -tt There is much work demanded here. sorghum, r.. There are five classes of persons in and is imported, and t - tvr il et i ve a h xs un f dtild toti ' s - of rl iron in l' e ' :''' a ary, 31. , •acsae, ca s. , t „, and around the city, who need special at and fifty tons os cast steel, m un i''' one-half which tention. They are the Refugees, or whitea 3ear, ; 92 dyed d ch is procured from the work ''''' 11' ' persons who have come here, mostly fr Beat Tennessee. They , are utterly, desti dbruerdg.tonl:soffoorogara tute of every comfort; many of them . not having a mite of this world in any sense eighteen 1 . , , u, .. their own, and many of them not having • • an available dollar. Widows with large Among the coins in the collection ~eu•. families and orphan children, and aged ' the New-York Fair by Rev. Mr. 2,„,:' pebple, all thrown together . in. se and un- , from Rome, is a First Rrass of Ti tus ‘'''' pleasant quarters, and only very stintedly ' the celebrated reverse Judea C u p,: .i.'''' provided, with the necessaries - of life. I is the imperial coin of Rome which ~,' have labored some. amongst . them, and am year. atPi Lel memorated the fall of Jerusalem a n d i; r: happy to say that a goodly number of them : the utmost historical and religious int,. ' are supported with the consolations of reli - gion. The Contrabands are also a suffering and pitiable class. They live in tents. They appreciate preaching and teaehing. Not one in twenty of them can read. Yester day I labored among the prisoneAs, ,Pid not, preach, hut, conversed with the men. think it a, good field of labor,; Much good may be done by private conversation, and I believe this is the most important feature of.the delegate's work. Lastly, but not least, are the soldiers. Of these there are two classes, viz., soldiers in the barracks and ca‘kps l and soldiers in the hospitals. 'They lite both in a condi tion urgently calling for help. This her vest is ripe. There .cannot be too many laborers. I like the work very much. - At first it •was quite trying, but a few efforts overcame all difficulty. Soldiers are, can did and free; and universally respectful in conversation, They are quite eager , to °b reading matter, and give good attention - to. the preaching of the Word. Many give no attention, but those whodo, form as in teresting audience. I have found that after preaching, immediately, pay time comes. Groups of men will gather around, eager to extend their greetings—" I am glad to See you;" " Thank you for coming;" "It seems like God's country, to get a little preaching ;" "God bless you," &e., &c.. I tell you, this currency of the soldier is the best kind of pay. The poor sick and wounded always wel come our visits. A little attention , to their hodily wants, such as the_provision of some delicacy for the palate, a kerchief provided, or some little want supplied, _a letter writ ten, a roper or tract, given if able to read, a passage read if not, forms a good, intro duction and gives a hold upon the heart that enhances one's usefulness greatly. I feel amply, repaid already, and if well, have no fears that I will continue to enjoy the work. Stir up the Christian people at home, so that they shall see the importance of the work and open their hands and hearts to sustain this noble institution—the Chris tian Commission. Soldiers respect the. del egate. He needs no further recomendation than> that his badge gives him, and he needs no countersign. or pass-paper but his badge. Yours truly, D. W. TOWNSEND. • Coggregational Suipnse. MESSRS. EDITORS :- During the past Winter a number of notices appeared in yolir excellent paper, - under the caption, " Ministerial Surprise," "Donation Visit," &c. It would seem as though many of our thioisteriat brethren were quite "scared," at the unexpected freaks of the good people of their charges; but I_ suppose-we mht “-worse seared thin hurt." Ido not — ieMember ever no ticing an article under the aboVe caption; and with your permission I will tell you about it. - The good people of Bethany ,congrega tion have always been, kind to those who minister to them in spiritual things. In deed, Messrs Editors, it would be difficult to find a, bettet people. During the nine years.of my ministry in their midst, they have manifested their kindness, to the and his family, by repeated donations of money and articles of value; but.always accompanying their gifts with the modest request., '(Do not say any thing about this publicly." At the close of our last com munion season, on. Monday, the pastor re turned home; but was scarcely seated un til 4' member of his Session entered and placed, in his lianT a large roll of bank bills, bringing his salary well up to, a specie basis. Perhaps the good elder, was guilty of a sin of omission; or perhaps he had no in structions on the subject. Be this as it may, silence was not imposed this time, and so the secret " slips out, and produces a " congregatioUal surprise." Hoping they will pardon me for telling on them, I shall close; thanking them for their "Many acts of kindness, and breathing an earnest prayer for their spiritual and temporal wel fare. Donation. The pastor of Ebenezer congregation and family have - been favored with another of those visits which so much gladden the hearts of the ministers of Christ The first Sabbath in April Was our com munion, and on Monday, after preaching, the congregation might be seen wending their way to the parsonage. Soon the house from parlor to kitchen was filled with young and old. From the bap, bundles, and packages brought with them, one un acquainted with the object of the visit might have thought they were preparing for a siege, and intended to convert the parsonage into a commissiary deiiartment. After a few moments spent in kind greet ings and social conversation, a hymn was sung and a portion of Scripture read; after which, prayer was offered by brother Win. F. Morgan. - The company then dispersed; having left provisions, clothing, groceries, and money, amounting to $161.45. For such kindness " may God supply all their need, according to his richis in glory by Christ Jesus." D: J. IRWIN. For the - o.reebyteriati , Batmer Acknowledgment. I desire, in this way, to acknowledge, having recently received from my people a purse of onOundred and seventy dollars. This hautSome, gift, coming after so many other acts of kindness and liberality, is very gratefully appreciated, and I trust, quickens in no small degree, the desire I have to be, instrumental in conveying to those among whom I labor, those spiritual blessings which enrich for: both this life and that which is to come. W. F. HAMILTON. tlniontown, Pa., April 12, 1864. Varieties. At Parkersburg, Va., oil wells have been struck yielding from six hundred to one thousand bafrrels per day. The excite ment is very great in consequence, and ev ery man in the place thinks he has an oil well in his cellar. company at. Willimantic, Conn., are about erecting an immense building for the manufacture of linen thread. It will be .640 feet long, 170 feet wide, and run 20,.. 000 spindles. It is said that when com pleted- this will be the largest thread-mill in the world. ' 1, 1 116 Ohio Oothmiesioner Of Statistics re- For the Presbyter! au-Banner. For the Presbyterian Banner The oldest building on Washingt on rr Boston, on the corner of Water Street been demolished. It has stood fur a tnry and a half, and was the place lication of the fifth newspaper in Boet fin , the Weekly Rehearsal, started in 1: : The Boston Evening Post, started in j 7. was also published in this bonding; it i;F in 1775. The present naval force of the Is ri i t , States, is divided into nine squadrons, North Atlantic, under Acting Rear .1,4 ral Lee; South Atlantic, under Rear miral Dahlgren ; East Gulf, under 1e;.,. Rear Admiral Bailey; West G u lf , uliii Rear Admiral Farragtrt; Mississi I r . der Rear Admiral Porter; Special flu;. India, under Acting Rear Admiral Larincr Pacific, under Acting Rear Admiral B. East India and Mediterranean, and mac Flotilla. Seven vessels of the detached from squadrons, are assigned special service. Windsor Park covers 3,800 acres Ri c . ... mond, 2,468; Hampton Court. Kew, 683 ; Regent's, 478 ; 362; Hyde, 289; Victoria, 24/i; wich, 135 ; Battersea, 175; Green and :•• James,• 50 each ; Phoenix Park, D u h,L, 1,752; Central, New-York, 850; Lois Boulogne, France, 2,095; Tzarsko-Sei..- Russia, 850; Thiergarten, Prussia, In Southern Europe the most noted lilac of publie resort is the Villa Real, in N a pies. The Bois de Boulogne has a riage drive thirty-five miles in length, the Central Park, New-York, has a Cr.r nine miles long. Part IT. of the census of Irelani, 131 . ; has just been published, gives rl , r. fall .; ing figures respecting the religiu n , sions of that country, the p.. 1,111.,;:, which, in 1861, was 5,798 !n;7. lished Church, males 239,:A.4, feat 354,043; Roman Catholics, males 22' 053, females 2,300,212 ; Pre•byterif males 254,734, females 268,557 ; ale i. dist, males 21,290, females 24,1U9; lei pendents, males 2,112, females, 2,429; • ciety of Friends or Quakers, males females 1,680; Baptists, male, 2,141. :- males 2,096; all other persuasions, nr, 10,846, females 7,952; Jews, males fernkles 193. • American Bible Becirty.—The stated nie; ing of the Board of Managers was hell the Bible House, Astor Place, on Thu: day,. 7th inst. Several interesting mot - ... nications were received. The total mar,- of books granted is 74,535, of which :12 were to the Christian Commission; 1_ for Japan ; 96 for the Island of St. Ti as ; 315 for Uruguay ; 385 for thy ; oral grants for Freedmen; 34 volumc, raised letters for the blind. Besides t: .- $264.99 worth were granted, not irmit,. in-above. number; $5OO were apt+ - ated for printing the Syriac Testament : Oroomiah ; and it was resolved to r, plates for the Hawaiian Family Bible for the. Ancient Armenian Psalms, at t:- Bible House. James Lenox, Esq.. of .)es York, was unanimously elected Preside: of the Society, in place of the late Hon. L: ther Bradish. Personal. The National Freedman's Relief Assce.. Lion have sent as teachers to the Frei men, per steamer Northern Lt:qh,t, to P.:, Royal, S. C., Miss Emma M. Fogg, at Rev. L. D. Barrows, D.D. They have a*., sent to Vicksburg, Miss., Misses }li= Case, Jennie B. Greene, Emma S. Siccua and Mr. E. E. Dart. Mr. Win. D. Ticknor, of the publi,} house of Ticknor & Fields, Boston, suddenly on Sunday morning last, at Continental Hotel, Philadelphia. Mr. Tcs nor had been for many years the Trek.. 7 of the Baptist Missionary Convention Massachusetts, and of the Rowe Street ,L? tist church, of which he was a highly teemed member. His fine taste and 1 , ;-! ness skill did much to give his publi.dh-- house the eminene which it has attan, . Ire D'ircy Inge, M.P.P. in a recent tare in Canada, said: " When Wasbine opened the first Congress in Philadelpt: , he drove in a stage-coach with six riders in buff and blue, the popular color:. He invariably opened Congress in per.k_u He never shook bands when introduml• never returned visits. Ten years a•.:r. when the lecturer called upon a Presidect of the United States, and was received by him in his chamber, where the visitor found him warming his naked feet on a fender before an open fire. Presently b: drew on his stockings and boots, and prtl pared for a walk." There are two Penn habitations in Min delphia. Penn Cottage, in Letitia Street (Market, between Second and Pronto supposed to have been one of the first, if Du. the first, brick building erected in NEIL: delphia. Watson believed that it was L by Col. Markham, Penn's Lieut. GoverL , .r before Penn landed here, " and that of the finer work was imported for it w the first vessels." Penn certainly oceurE it, at times, during his first visit, in 83. During William Penn's second in 1700, he resided in what was ca!ic " The Slate-Roof House," corner of Sued, Second gtreet and Norris' Alley—the burl !- ing for the preservation and removal which an effort is now to be made. J- 112 Penn, the Governor's son, was born in house, and it was the temporary residence: in times nearer our own, yet now beconitn2: remote, of John Hancock, John AduraE and other public men of the Revolution. The house in Letitia Street was built b} or for William Penn, but the slate-roof honoe, in South Second Street, was erected Samuel Carpenter, who was then the weal thiest settler in Penn's province. It is curious relic, and it is to be hoped that i: may be preserved. A Washington letter writer gives some nu rious facts about the present Congressme' He says : ‘ 4 Mr. Ames, of Massachusetts, j 5 the richest, worth over two million; .M l ' Bald win, of the same State, the largest; lqr Clay, of Kentucky, the tallest; Mr. COx , of Ohio, the smallest; Mr, M'Clurg, G f Massachusets, the shortest; Gen. Dumout• of Indiana, the most productive, being tb''' father of nineteen children; Mr. StereuE , of Pennsylvania, the oldest, seventy-two years; Gen. Garfield, of Ohio, the young est, thirty-two years ; Mr. Windom, of: Minnesota, handsomest; Mr. Kelly, of Pennsylyania, and Mr. Vorhces, of Indian '; the best'seakers; Mr. Cos, of Ohio, and Mr. Was h burne, of Illinois, the best Par liamentarians ; Jr. ]'Lassen of Irma, aud Mr. Pendleton, of Ohio, the readiest deba ters; Mr. Clay, of Kentucky, the _largest fa'r4-In.h_aking 6,500 acres ofland,27o slaves , 2 , 0 00 she ep ; and 151) blboded eattlQ ; while 0 ME
Significant historical Pennsylvania newspapers