,:rtsilgteri anntr. riTTSBURGL WEDNESDAY, AUGUST 10, 1864, FIGURATIVE LANGUAGE. In turning over the pages of the Min utes of the General Assembly for 1864, and glancing at the important tables that form so valuable an appendix, we could not re sist the temptation to indulge in a few cal culations, the results of which will be found bele*, and will be taken for what they are worth. Oar first , object was to find the average amount of salary paid to each Pastor and Stated Supply. Bat here the record is de fective. Unlike our brethren of the Uni ted Presbyterian Church, we have not kept the salary in a column by itself, but have combined all congregational expenditures in one aggregate; so that it is impossible how - to say how much of the amount is W iry; and how much is due to fuel, light, repairs, taxes, building, and other inciden tals. In like manner, the number of min isters reported embraces those who have no Charge, as well as those who are actively engaged in pastoral duties. If, therefore, we divide the total congregational expendi ture by the total number ofininisters, though both' are confessedly too large for our pres ent purpose, the quotienk may perhaik be regarded as an approximation to Or-de sired result. This quotient is $740, 4ioh, with gold at 250,- is equivalent to 296 three yeari ago. Our - next object was to ascertain the av erage liberality of our membership, and we find that each communicant in the Presby terian Church, during the past year, (on the siq position that non-communicants `contribute nothing,) has given, out of the means wherewith God'has blessed him, the sum of thirty-seven cents to the Board of Domestic Missions, fifty-four cents to the :Board of Foreign Missions, fifty.eight cents to the Board of Education, Ostelve cents to the Board of Publication, nearly twenty Dents to the Board of Church Extension, nearly seven cents to the Fund for disabled_ ministers—making one dollar and eighty six centsas rather more than the average contribut o ion of e liach communicant to all these objects combined; equal to about what seventy-five cents would have been three years ago. Much the largest amount reported in the tables, is the contribution for congre gational purposes. This includes, amongst other items, the cost of the erection of sev eral expensive church buildings, and the liquidation of not a few large church debts. The average contribution of each commu nicant toward this fund; is seven dollars and twenty-three cents. The average con tribution to miscellaneous purposes is nine ty-nine cents. The average investment of each church-member in all these funds combined, for• all ecclesiastical purposes whatever, is ten dollars and eleven cents; equivalent to about four dollars and four cents three years ago. In finking these calculations, we have used the tables summed up on pages 490, 491 of Appendix to the Minutes. - The re ceipta of the Boards, as given in the ab streets of their reports, pages 365-369, differ from those on page 490, and the tiff ference is latest in the ease of the Board of Foreign Missions. But the aggregate of receipts, as presented in the reports, is not so great by ten thousand dollars (omit ting receipts for. books sold) as the aggre gate on page 491. We have therefore supposed that the- latter summary would give the most favorable view of the benevo lent operations of the Church. Several reflections occurred to us as we reached this point in our calculations. And first, it must be admitted that Old School Presbyterianism is certainly a cheap religion. When we think of all the benefits we derive from this seared source, that to Di vine truth received byes under this form we owe all that sweetens existence here, or sheds one ray of light upon the otherwise dark hereafter, it must be confessed that ten dollars and eleven cents is not too much for us to pay, we will not say--as an equiv alent for such mercies, but as a token of our just appreciation of the inestimable blessings of which religion is for us the channel. For all that elevates us above heathenism, for all the pure, sweet influ ences of the Sabbath and its observance, of the sanctuary and its ordinances, we trust that our readers will agree with us that two dimes a week is not too much. In the second place, we confess to a feel ing of surprise that so much has been ac eopplished,_ in the way of supporting and diffusing the Gospel, even at the expense of the sacrifice on our part already men tioned. When we think of our twenty-two hundred and sixty-five ministers at home, officiating in twenty-six hundredand twen ty-six churches, from Sabbath to Sabbath; when we think of two hundred and sixty five candidates for the ministry assisted by the churches the past, year p, in their pre ration for the sacred office; when we re member the two hundred and seventy-five missionaries laboring in the various sta tions that dot the arid plains of India, the teeming shores of China, the deadly coast of Africa, the luxuriant fields of South America—when, indeed, we think of all the diversified and extended operations of the five Boards, those busy fingers by which the Church gathers up and distributes the gifts of her hand of love—we are-constrain ed to say that we marvel that so much. has been accomplished, at the cost of no greater self-denial than ten dollars and eleven cents for each church-member. In the next place, if we compare the tribute we have thus imposed upon -our selvei; to support the objects of the mission of the Church, with the tax which the State levies upon us for its advantage, we see how much more it costs to support an earthly government, than we are contribu ting toward the establishment of the Re deemer's kingdom. The income of the minister, which we have averaged at $740, is usually , leas than that of a majority of the heads of families in his church. And yet the minister's tax will be more than ten dollars and eleven cents. Take the ease of a man whose income is . $1,200. tfait of tliis is exempt froth U.S. 'tax arid on' the halence he pays for 1.863, by special' :reso— lution of Congress l eight per Cent, oi:forty ,.... eight dollars. Then come his State, coun ty, school, and poor taxes, and the aggregate is very considerably over his contribution to the Church. Again, if we compare our gifts to support religion with those of the heathen to sus tain their superstitions, we find that the difference is amazing. So all-absorbing are the devices of priestcraft in heathen lands, and even in some countries that are called Christian, that a man's whole substance, beyond that which is required to sustain existence in the simplest modes of life, is devoted to meet the insatiable demands of spiritual tyrants. But when we compare our contributions with those of the Jews, who gave at least a tenth, and according to some authorities thee-tenths of their income to the cause of religion, who, whbn in the wilderness and destitute of all income, yet gave so liberal ly from the acquisitions of the past that they had to be restrained from giving— when we compare our, contributions with what the Church has given in times of per secution, when its martyr-heroes surren dered, not only with int a sigh but with exultant joy, their estates to confiscation and their bodies to' the lamfis, we see at once what an advance—in one sense of the word—has been made since then, and with thankful hearts we contemplate the spread of the Gospel in our own day, at the mod erate expense in our own Church of ten dollars a Ow cents per member. Afteillgiese lu reflectionsilke began t• think of our sister Church, and great to desire that we had some means at hand to compare our contributions with those of other denominations. Unfortunately, we canlay our hands upon no other statistics at present than those of the United Presby terian Church, and here ive find, and we blush—for ourselves of course- 7 to say, that the average contributions - of this respected Church, are six, dollars and ninety-one cents per member. Already in this youth ful denomination the science of ecclesiasti cal economy, it would appear, is snore thoroughly comprehended and carried out than in our own. - Lastly, we closed the book : but after the figures were dismissed, we could not resist hought, that if God, in his, wonderful ascension, has JO blessed what his Church has given with a sparing hand, what might we not hope'for from the Di vine-blessing upon the enlarged liberality of Christians, it every heart and. every hand were opened to give to. the very ut most of our means ? if Abe Church's hundreds of..dollars should become thou-_ sands, and her hundreds of thousands be come millions ?—above all, if God should bestow,-with the-spirit : of cheerful giviog, the spirit of prayer also, that he would be pleased to accept the oblations of his people, and consecrate his Church anew and wholly to his service ? Surely a loving Church should be a liberal one, and a people re deemed at so infinite a cost, should bestow with no stinted hand. COMIENOEMENT AT. JEFFERSON.- The exercises of Commencement week began on Sunday; July 31st. In the morn= ing a sermon was delivered before the re ligious Societies of the College, by the Rev. D. HALL, of Brady's Bend, Pa., on the Great Commission. It was a:stirring and earnest missionary address, abounding in strong thoughts and adapted to inspire the young men with noble purposes of self consecration. The evening was devoted to the Baccalaureate Sermon of the President. His text was, " Wherewithal shall a young man cleanse his way ? by taking heed thereto according to thy word." The thought expanded in the 'discourse Was this : "A young man will most certainly have his after-life pure, honorable, and use ful, by governing his conduct according to the principles, precepts and examples of the Bible." The exercises of the Literary Societies, which are now public, took place on Tuesday evening, at 7 o'clock.' The young gentleman who was to deliver the response on behalf of the Franklin Society, was absent in the army. At 8 o'clock the Annual Address before these Societies Was delivered by the Rev. JOSEEU ALD.EN, D D., LL.D , of New-York City, the late - President of the College. He was greeted by the students and audience in the most enthusiastic man ner, and listened to with marked attention throughout. The theme, of itself interest i,ng, " A parallel between the English and American Constitutions," was handled in an elaborate and characteristic manner. He closed,by urging upon the young men the necessity for the profound study of the principles of our National Government at this crisis. On Wednesday morning at 9 o'clock, the exercises of the Commencement proper be gan. The printed programme included the names of eighteen members of the gradua ting class, who had been appointed to de liver orations, but only seven of these ac tually appeared ; -the remainder having been excused for various reasons—some from "military necessity," according to the statement of the President. The English Salutatory was delivered by E. CALDWELL, Buena Vista, PL; the Greek Salutatory, by T. H. B. PATTERSON, Monongahela City, Pa.; the Valedictory, by S. M. MORTON, St. Louis, Mo. The performances were all creditable. The Valedictory was marked by a vein of humor unusual on such occa sions, but was not lacking in pathos, and was closed with a strain of original poetry. that elicited great applause. The fact that one of the Professors,, Col. FRASER, of the 140th P. V., was a prisoner for the sake of his adopted country;was not forgotten by the speaker, nor by those of the audience who knew and loved the gallant scholar. The degree of B. was conferred by the Trustees upon -the following persons, composing the graduating class : ALBERT ALEXANDER, lawdEbrax D. ALEXAN DER, ,JAMES P. BARRON, S. JAMESON BEA.TTY, ROBERT M. BROWN, EBEN. CALDWELL, W. BRAINERD CARE, T. D. CUNNINGHAM, ALBERT S. FURST, Jos. GAMBLE, A. Born GILFILLAN, W. „HUGH GILL, GEO. C. GORMLY, WINFIELD E. HAL, E. JAY HOWENSTINE, S. DETTMAR JENNINGS, CHAS. KNEPPER, A. LEY- EbTNERGER; W. J. • M'CONKEY, EniVARD MOMURTRIE, HEz. ,MAGita. J. M. MOORE, 8. MILLS MORTON . , BOBERT S. MUOSEIi, J. WALKER- ?ATTERSON, T. H. PRESBYTERIAN BANNER.---WEDNESDAY, AUGUST 10, 1864. B. PATT.EnSON, W. KING TERRINE, JOHN S. ROBS, ROBERT S. ROBE, J. D. STAN FORD, A. SCROGGS THOMPSON, H. A. THOMPSON,• DICKSON R. WAGGONER, W. ALLISON WHITE, J. C. WILSON. The degree of A. M. in course upon the following gentlemen-: D. J. BEALE, Upper Tuscarora, Pa.; J. W. LAUGHLIN, Army of the Cumberland; JOHN M'KEAN, Ana more, Jones Co., Iowa; E. E. HAFT, Dal las Co., Oregon ; IIEnmAN IL FAIRALL, Granville, Md.; WM. JEFFERY PARK, and Capt. SAMUEL G. HODGENS, Washington County, Pa. The honorary degree of A. M. upon Prof. FRANKLIN CARTER, of Williams College, Mass.; CHAS. HENRY SHEARS, M. D., Sharon, Connecticut, W. BODEN REIMER, M.D., New-York City, BENJ. F. WILKINS, Washington City. The degree of D.D. was conferred' upon the Rev...T. - BEINTOII SMITH, Rector of St. Matthews, Jersey City, N. J.; Rev. AN DREW P. RAPPER; Missionary to Canton, China; and Rev. WRI. M. CORNELL, of Philadelphia. The degree of LL.D. upon the Hon. JAMES - TEEM', of Pittsburgh, Pa. In the afternoon there was a meeting of the Alumni Association, at which consid erable enthusiasm was manifested on the subject of the union between the two Col leges. Resolutions were adopted, and a Cgmmittee appointed 'to publish and circu late them for signature. Th was ex pressed by all preSent, that.n ould itness the consummation of eine, • - .cessarllkr the cause of uducation and ! ion, and so desirable for the Colleges themselves. Quite "a large proportion of the Alumni present were from. the East, and their *des were loud in approbation —some of them delegated to represent the wishes of others who could not be present. Other arrangements were made, whiph, if carried out, should attract alarge number of Alumni to the next Anniversary. At the meeting of the Board of Trus . tees, the same subject of tulle% was intro duced by the report of the Committee of Conference, which report was accepted, and. the conduct of the Committee approved. This Commitee was continued, with the hope that they would earnestly cooperate - in all measures for - consummating this de sirable object; and by speedy notion secure to the united colleges the amount so munifi cently offered by Dr. BEATTY. The fol lowing resolution was also passed I?esolvecl, That the Trustees of Jefferson College having heard that correspondence has taken'place between .the Faculty and local Trustees of this College .and the Faculty. and local Trusters of Washington College, on the subject of union, on the basis of a joint application to the State efor a portion of the Con„,ares, sional grant of lands;for Agricultural Edu; cation; hereby approve of this proceeding, and recommen'd the earnest prosecution ,of the same hereafter; believing that Provi dence may.in this -way consummate the union which is so desirable. Though there was not the usual number or addresses by distinguished• gentlemen from a distance, the exercises were plea sant. If the spirit manifested "can "further the proposed union, the day may be marked with a white stone: - • • . In passing to and from - ours daily duties in the . - city, we have heen interested in watching the gradual changes :that have Come over the face of nature, as presented in the fields along our route. In the early Spring it was atappiness to see the earth grow . green . once more, under the'genial in fluences of sun and shower. As the sea son advanced, we sometimes fancied we could see the . actual progress made during a single day, so rapid became the march of SPring;and so luxuriant the robe it threw over landscapes lately clad in the sad liv ery of Winter. And when Sumner-came pleasant it was to note the course of the passing breeze, by the graceful' ,undulations that marked its path cier' many broad - acres of grass and grain. . Pleasant to note, as the light clouds flitted across the, heavens above us, their shadows, move , so silently and spirit like over the ripening harvests, falling like benedictions from the sky upon the labors of-the husbandman. Thus' day by, day, "through shower and sun, under waning and waning moons, the teeming fields have changed their green to gold, redeeming every promise, and repay ing with . generous interest the treasures deposited in their trust. Patient and long expectant toil has reaped its reward, and the last slow-moving, heavily-loaded wain has gathered the harvest home. It is nett strange that the tiller of the soil.should be glad in this consummation of his long-cherished hopes. .It is as true now in these latter days and in this far-dis tant land, as once it was upon Judea's fer tile hills and plains, that he that bringeth his sheaves with him conreth with rejoin ing. All apprehensions quieted—all fears removed—labor and watching well repaid --it is not strange that he should rejoice; it is only strange that he is not more grateful. And yet there is a world of. sadness in those few words—The harvest past! Who has not felt and sorrowed over their depth of meaning ? Happy, or heartless, must he be to whom they recall not the loss of precious hours that will - come no more, the neglect of golden opportunities that can never return, the broken vows, the aimless efforts, the buried talent, the squan dered means, the wasted gifts of an unfor getting Providence. Happy indeed is he who, in'the review of life, discerns nd bar vest time in which he has failed to'gather in the golden reward that might—that would—have crowned more faithful labors: ' Had we but properly and to the utmost applied the powers, whatever they rria3r be, with which God has entrusted us, had we but profitably used, he it the one talent, committed to us, had we but cultivated, in the constant fear of God and with meek dependence upon him, the field allotted to us, had we been faithful laborers in *the vineyard, how rich the clusters, how abun dant the sheaves it might have been our privilege to bear with us as we journeyed to the home of rest. But we cannot reopen the furrows of the years gone by, nor scat- ter anew the 'need, nor tend. the,,, soil with more liatehfal care; for the 'harvest Of the past is reaped. Yet the reviewmill not be Profitless, if it lead IA to resolve, in the TILE lILEVEST PAST. strength of God, to labor more faithfully in the future, remembering that " the time is short." And if these lines should meet the eye of any reader in whosteart the good seed of God's word has not yet sprung up to everlasting life, we earnestly and affection ately ask him to reflect, that as he lingers, and delays, and hesitates, the time to Sow and labor for himself,..for others, and for God, is swiftly—swiftly passing. Delay no longer be entreated, lose not a moment. It is by lost moments that a life is lost; by lost oppOrtunities the soul is lost. And little can we conceive the anguish of that wailing ery-- 2 The harvest is past, the Sum mer is ended, and, we are not saved. DISABLED , MINISTERS' FUND. We publish this week the resolutions of the last General, Assembly with , reference to the " Fund for Disabled Ministers and the Families of Deceased Ministers," to which we respectfully invite the attention of pastors and Sessions, reminding them that the first Sabbath in September was appointed, by the Assembly,as the day upon which collections for this Fund should be taken in our churches. • If any argument.were•required 'to pm , mend this .object the, sympathies. of God's people, that argument is abundantly supplied in tbe-Report of the Trustees of this Fund, which is published in thp Min utes, and which will also be distributed in separate form_to pastors, in accordance with a resolution of the Assembly. The simple facts which are presented in that report, if read from the pulpit, even unaccompanied by note or-comment, could not fail to plead most eloquently in behalf of those for whose sustention and comfort this, Fund is - designed. The severe privations; the, long-endured - neglect, the silent sufferings, the shrinking delicacy of those who have received the slender assistance rendered in this way, enforce the claims of this object upon our contributions far more than 'vol umes of argument could - do. The State, when it pensions its old ,or disabled soldiers, is not regarded as bestow ing a charity, but simply as liquidating a debt. Shall thellibarch be,more Ungrate ful than the Republic-? Those who have given the flower of their youth and the strength of their manhood to the labors of the ministry and the harvest of souls, are sutely entitled to the gratitude and the continued support of the. Church to whose service they devoted the vigor of their days. . • Those feeble, tottering forms, of men whose ministrations once commanded throngs of attentive - hearers, and whose efforts were blessed to the salvation of im 'mortal souls, men now lonely and neglect ed, in sickness and poverty, abandoned seemingly even by many of God's people, could we but for one moment see " the things unseen," would stand before us clothed with the spotless robes they-soon 'shall wear, their brows encircled with a fadeless crown, 'and we would learn how tenderly the Saviour, loved his suffering servants whom, to test our -love for hini, he had entrusted for a `seation to our care.' Let us then hasten with our help. Soon, very soon in the case of some, it will be forever too tate, and we Shall have lost the opportunity of securing from the Master's lips - those gracious Words, "'lnasmuch as jre . have done it unto one of these." Nor do we speak for disabled ministers alone, but for their widows and orphans. If God has so often made himself known to 'us as the - God of the widow and - the 'fatherless then with an espeeial care must he regard the .dependent families of ,his ministers, and great'must be the Chnrch's guilt if 'it' - neglect this , sacred trust. Last year—must we confess it ?--we gave, on an average nearly seven , cents for each church.member to this' Fund. =This year can we not increase, the contribution seven-fold ?, Are there not many who will give seventy times seven? Let liheral hearts devise liberal things, remembering who it was that said of liis servants—Re that receiveth you, receiveth'ine. THE STATE DEFENCES. Every rne Pennsylvanian has felt deep ly humiliated, as the occurrences of .the past few weeks have demonstrated the mal administration of our military affairs. With.thousands of strong arms and stout hearts that might have constituted auim passable barrier to arrest the progress of any invading force the enemy could send against, us, with the indisputable ability to defend our soil, and the undoubted willing ness on the part of our people to put forth the requisite effort, events have- shown that our arms are paralysed, our hearts are chilled, by the absence pf anything that deserves to bear the name of organization for our own defence. Thus the promptings of that principle which is held to be the first law of our na- Aare, and upon Which it ~might have been Supposed. the State authorities could have safely relied in their appeals to oar citizens to defend themselves, have been ineffectual to arouse us to vigorous and sueeessful ae tion. Our soil has been invaded with ha punity, one of the fairest of our interior cities has been in great part . destroyed, alarm has been spread throughout the-bor der counties, and yet the insolent and bar barons foe might have been easily , repulsed by a fraction of the numbers, that fled be fore him. In striking and honorable contrast with this humiliating posture of our own State, is the noble record of th i e States immedi ately west of us. When the call for men was kneed a few weeks ago by their respec tive Executives, though the emergency was not so pressing as 'recently in our own case, .the response of thepeople was immediate, the summons to the field was instantly. obeyed, and but a , few heirs elapsed until the various railroads gathered up and ear ried to the front train after train of ears crowded with patriotic troops. We still recall their hearty cheers as they passed swiftly through our -city, on -their their way to defend our territory even more than their And yet we are well assured that Penn , ,, sylvania is not less. loyal than heraister States, and the - bravery of-her sons has be'enw k oved- upon too many ' a field of blOod , to admit of a question. Why, Aheri, this contrast, so humbling to our State pride ? —and why the consciousness that we are still, notwithstanding the repeated warn ings we have received, unprepared to meet the invader, should he penetrate again with in our borders ? To answer these' questions, however, is not our present purpose; nor would it avail now to indulge in reproaches or regrets. Let us now and heneetbiWard, with one heart and one mind, unite our efforts so as to secure the speediest and most efficient organization of home resources for home defence. We look with confidence to the Legislature now in session, for the prompt application of whatever legislation on their part may be requisite to bring - order out of the existing confusion; with confidence to the Executive of our State, for the rigid and uncompromising discharge of whatever may - be made his duty in effecting the de sired reform ; and with tuishaken eonfi dense to the people of Pennsylvania, for sustaining and seconding the authorities of the Commonwealth, in their efforts to re deem our fair fame, to prevent the recur remise of another calamitous and disgrace ful raid, and to secure= as proud a page in the history of the suppression of the re bellion, as any of those that record the achievements of our sister States. LEETSDILE CHURCH, A church with the above name was or ganized in Sewickley Valley, on Monday evening, August Ist, by a Committee of the Presbytery of Allegheny City. The Rev. L. L. CONRAD presided and pfeached the sermon. Over forty certificatesuf dis mission from-the Sewickley Presbyterian church were presented. An election for elders resulted in the choice *of Messrs. JOHN K. WILSON and JA.OOB Guy. These brethren having been . previonsly ordained to this effice, were then duly installed, the Rev. Messrs: SHIELDS and- Lawny taking part in this service. This new church enters upon its career under peculiarly favorable auspices. A few evenings after the application for an organization had been granted, a number , of persons connected with the enterprise met for the Purpose of - considering the proper location for, the new church, and to devise ways and means for the erection of a house of worship. This had filled their minds with no small solicitude. Bat im mediately after' the meeting had . been opened, was announced that the venera 'ble Mrs. ELIZA SHIELDS, who has. passed her fourscore - Years, had offered to appro priate a lot and build- a house of worship for the use of .the new congregation en tirely at her own expense—not permitting any of her own children to take part in this work. Along with this proposal she also suggested that the other members of th s e congregation contribute the sums they may have intended to give tdward building the new church, for the purchase of a lot and the erection of a parsonawe. This munificent gift was at once accepted, and the thanks of the meeting were ten dered the donor. And in consideration of the fact that the maiden name of, Mrs. SHIELDS was LEE; and that the ground - upon which the church will be built was inherited from her father, it was deter mined to name the new church "Leetsdale." Mrs. SHIELDS will erect a stone okurch, which will stand as a monument of her Christi - an liberality, and where the glo rious :Gospel -of the Son of God will be preached, long generations after she- shall hive entered into ,her reward. She is doing a good work for the Church, which will make her 'memory ever precious; and the prayer of every devout heart will be, that she may be abundantly enriched with the gifts and. graces, of the Holy Spirit, and that she may experience in her own soul the blegednegs of having made such a consecration to the Lord. , We may also state that the suggestion with respect to the parsonage has :been adopted, and will be carried out as soon as practicable. Services are held every. Sab bath meriting in the school-roout of Edge worth Seminary, and in the evening in a school-house near the site of the dew church. MEN AND MEANS. It is computed that since' the commence inen t of the war, upwards of two millions of men have - enlisted under the various calls ef the Government, front emergency men up to volunteers for three years. This would make one `tenth the entire popula tion -}of the loyal. States.; and upon the usual supposition that the fighting strength . of 'a people is one-fifth of the whole num ber, there must be still two millions of men able to bear arms - who have not Yet gone to the field. If every soldier now under arms should be lost to the.country, the mil itary force which would still remain to the loyal States would, be amply sufficient, if properly handled, tiovercome the rebellion. The Public Debt of the United States amounted, July 26, in gross, to one billion, eighthundred millions, ($1,805,723,564,) and was increasing at the rate of nine . mil-. Hans a week. _ln the.official appeal of Sec retary RESSENDEN, he expresses- his confi dence that the. income of the Government under the Internal revenue act, will aver age a million per day. Oar national debt, 'both in its present magnitude and its rapid augmentatia; is at first view appalling. Bat if peace were now or soon estab lished, and if we may estimate the income of the Government, from the tariff and the internal revenue, at four hundred millions per annum, though it would probably ex ceed that sum, and estimate the current ex . penses of the Government at one hundred millions per annum, ,though half that amount should sufkce .upon a. peace Innis, there will remain three hundred millions per annum to be appropriated toward the liquidation of the , public debt,, and in some, six or seven years, it would appear, this formidable slim might be , obliterated.- And yet these considerations do not dation for our hopes. con stitute the surest foundation The justice of our cause, the abiding con viction that: God is for us even though he still is chastening us, and, relying on his aid , ,. the often demonstrated determination of the people to persevere until the final triumph of their arms ,and the total sup. pression, of : the rebellion, these are ouf best grounds , of confidence; and with the men, the ineatisOuid the merits ef the - conflict all 't pon. our , aide, why ahmild we ever en- ter4in a flouhtasto the result . SECRETARY FESSENDEN'S APPEAL. The Secretary of the Treasury has issued an appeal to the people, soliciting a gener al subscription to the new $200,000,000 Loan. Treasury notes will be issued in de nominations ranging from $5O to $5,000, bearing interest, at seven and three tenths per cent., redeemable after three years, in lawful money, or convertible into bonds at six per cent. interest, payable in coin. The appeal is one of the ablest papers that has appeared from any of the Departments for some time. Did space permit, we would gladlyinsert it entire. We give some ex tracts OUR K - Esou . sozs AMPLE. Time, while proving that the struggle for national unity was to exceed in dura tion and severity •our worst anticipations, has tested the national strength, and de veloped the national resonreesto an extent alike unexpected an&remarka j ble, exciting equal astonishment at home and abroad: Three years of war have burdened you with a debt which, but three years since, would have seemed beyond your ability to meet. Yet the accumulated wealth and productive energies of: the nation have proved to be so vast that it has been borne with compara tive ease, and a peaceful future would hard ly feel its weight. As a price paid for na tional existence, and the preservation of free institutions, it does not deserve a mo ment's consideration. THE PATRIOTISM OF THE PEOPLE Thus far the war has been supported and carried on, tisit only 'could have been, by a people resolvdd, at whatever cost of blood and treasure, to transmit, unimpaired, to posterity, the system of free government bequeathed to them by the great 'men whir framed it. This deliberate and patriotic resolve has developed a power surprising even to themselves. It has shown that in less than a century a•nation has arisen, un surpassed in :vigor, and exhaustless in re sources, able to conduct, through a series of years, war on its most gigantic scale, and finding itself, when near its 'close,: almost unimpaired in all the material elements of power. It has, at the present 'moment, great armies in the field, iheing,an enemy apparently approaching a period of utter exhaustion, but still struggling with a force the greater and more desperate as it sees, and because it sees, the near approach of a final and fatal consummation. Such, in my deliberate judgment, is the present con dition of the great contest for civil liberty in which you are now engaged:' OFR, PRESENT DUTY. As yet we have asked no foreign aid. Calm and self-reliant, our own, means have thus- far proved adequate to our wants. They are yet -ample to - meet those of the present and the. fixture. It still remains for a pattiotie people to furnish the need ful supply. The brave men whe are fight ing our , battles by land and sea, must be fed and clothed, ,munitions of war of all kinds must be furnished, or the war must end in defeat and disgrace. This .is not the time for any lover of his country to in quire as to the state of the money market, or ask whether he can so invest his surplus capital as to, yield him a larger return. No return, and no profit, can be desirable, if followed by national dissolution, or nation al disgrace . Present profit, thus acquired, is but the precursor of future and speedy destruction. No investment can be so surely_ profitable as that which, tends to-in sure tie national existence. TRY. ACTION OS CONGRESS Hitherto we hive 'felt the need of more extensive and vigorous taxation. Severe comment has been made upon what seemed to many an undue timidity and taqiness of action, on the part of Congress, in this re gard. I deem it but just to say that'very great misapprehension hai existed, and perhaps still exists, upon this poiut. Leg islators, like all others, have much to learn in a new condition of affairs. An entirely new..system was to be devised, and that sys tem must necessarily be the growth of time and experience. It is not strange that first efforts should have proved imperfect and inadequate. To lay heavy burdens on a great and patriotic people in such a man . - ner as to be equal, and as to occasion the least amount of suffering and annoyance, requires time and caution, and vast labor; and, with all these,'experience is needful to test the value of the syStem, and correct its errors. " ITS ItAPPY nEsutws. I am happy to say that daily results are proving the Internal, Revenue Act to ex- 'teed in efficiency the most sanguine expec tations of its authors. In the, month of June, 1863, - it yielded about four and one half millions- of dollars, while the, corres ponding month of this year returned about fifteen-millions under the same law. Un der the new law, which went into operation on the first day of the presqut mouth, the Treasury not unfrequently' receives one' million in a. day. As time and experience enable the officers- employed in collecting the-revenue to enforce the .stringent pro visions of the new. law, I trust that a mil lion per.day will be found the rule and • not the exception. VALUE OF GOVERNMENT- SECURITIES For their redemption, the fiith and hon or and property of the country are solemn ly pledged. A successfutissue to this con test', now believed to be near at hand, will largely enhanCe their value to the holder; and peace once restored, all burdens can be lightly borne. He who selfishly withholds his aid in the hope of turning his Available means to greater immediate profit, is spec ulating upon his country's misfortunes, and may find that what seems to be present ga:n leads only to future loss. I appeal, there fore, with confidence to a loyal and patriot ic people, and invoke the efforts of all wto love their country, and desire for it a glori ous future, to aid their Government in sus taining its credit, and placing that credit upon a stable foundation. PITTSBURGH FEMALE COLLEGE. This institution lately closed another successful session. The calamities _of the tarries seem not to retard in the least its progressive usefulness. The President, Rev. I. 6. PERSHING, D.D., and the Trus tees, are exerting themselves with- unwea-: rying diligence to add to its attractiveness, and also to enlarge its capacity for impart.. ing a thorough Christian education. So highly are these efforts appreciated . by the public, that the catalogue shows an attend . ance of 359 pupils last year. .4 Whilst other departments are not neg, lected, superior facilities are afforded in the Ornamental Branches. The teacher of In strumental Music is Prof. 'HENRY Rog: BOCK. - So eminent are his abilities, that teachers from other schools frequently come to this institution to avail themselves of the benefit of his instructions. The next term will open August 30. The nuraber of teachers will be the same as before. The Day of Prayer. —Last 'Thuyaday 'was very generally observed, in Pittsburgh and the vieinity, in accordance with the recom-: mendation of the Government,'• as a, day of humiliation and prayer; and in' the 4tlinost - 4 • - univerail cessation from business, and the Sabbath-like stillness that prevailed, a s well as in the exercises of the sanctuary, evidence was given that the hearts of the people were bowed in supplication. May the Hearer of prayer accord a gracious an swer to the petitions of his people, and to the cry of the whole nation prostrate fore him. And may all who know the worth of prayer, though the day of special observance has passed, unceasingly renew their importunities at the throne of grace, that God would have mercy upon us, a n d spare us, that we perish not. Appoutintelit.—Rev. R. HOPKINS, of Se. wiokleyville, Pa., has been appointed by the Western Seamen's Friend Society, it s Missionary Agent and District Secretary in Western Pennsylvania, and has been duly authorized to solicit and receive fund s and donations in aid of its treasury. w e commend him, and the cause he represent; to the confidence of all, and bespeak for , ttim the hearty and liberal cooperation of all who take art- interest in the welfare of the interesting and important class for whom he labors. NEWS Or THE CHURCHES AND MINISTERS. PRESBYTERIAN, Old SChool.—Rev. James Woods has re ceived a gall to Silver Mountain, Califor nia. Rev. H. W. Biggs, of Morgantown, Va., has been called to the Presbyterian church of Chillicothe, Ohio. Rev. R. G. Thompson was installed pas tor of Willow Creek church, July 6, by a committee of the Presbytery of Chicago. Rev. Jonathan Cogswell, D.D., of the Presbytery of New Brunswick, died at New Brunswick, N. J., on Monday, Aug. 1, in the 88th year of his age. The oldest member of his Presbytery, his name will long be had in remembrance as that of a devoted minister of the Cross - of Christ. The friends of Rev. Charles M. Camp bell, of the Presbytery of Allegheny City, will be glad to hear of his safe arrival in Colorado Territory. He has preached in Denver City four times, attended a Sabbath School Convention -in Black Hawk, and preached, administering the Communion, in Boulder City, receiving four persons on certificate. The membership of the church there is now fourteen, and as yet they are without a house of worship. Mr. Camp bell desires the prayers of Christian. friends, that God would abundantly blephis labors in that distant but, importanttb. A- new church has been formed in St. -Louis by a colony of one hundred and fifty persons from the 2d Presbyterian church (Rev.. Dr. Brookesi). The new organiza tion was effected July 7th; six elders were elected, and Dr. Brookes was invited to be come the pastor, and has since accepted the invitation. The new church will be known as the 16th Street Presbyterian church, and has before it a most promising future. - The commencement exercises of Lafay ette 'College took place on Wednesday, July 27.- A new Professorship was estab lished, connected with the School of Mines and Metallurgy. The degree of Doctor of Divinity was conferred upon Rev. G. W. janvier, of New-Jersey, and Rev. I?. T. Brown, of Georgetown, D. C. Rev. Robert McMillan of Apo West moreland County, Pa., died in Colerain, Lancaster County, Pa., at the residence of his father-in-law, Mr. William White. New School.—Rev. Dr. Thompson, of the 2d Presbyterian chureh in Cincinnati, re cently received from his congregation the handsome gift of $2,500, upon the occasion of his marriage.. His church contemplates raising his - salary permanently from $4,000 to $5,000; 'The Troy (N. Y.) Haig of Monday says: a The Rev. Herrick Johnson., of Pitts burgh, Pa., occupied the pulpit of the First Presbyterian church, yesterday morning. His sermon was listened to with great at tention, being regarded by those who heard it as one of the finest pulpit discourses which has heen delivered in this city in a long.time. His eloquent allusions to the position of our Country in its present strug gle, and the spirit of hope and encourage- Ment which pervaded the entire discourse, evinced the purest patriotism, and must have awakened responsive and sympathetic feelings in the hearts of his hearers. Mr. Johnson'received a cordial greeting -from his former parishioners, who were pleased to listen to his voice again in behalf of truth and liberty; and the honor and integrity of our country." Reformed Presbyterian,—The Minutes of the late Synod of the Reformed Presbyterian Church, which ,met in Philadelphia May 24th, have been published as the July and August number of their Church monthly. The Synod comprises eight Presbyteries, and its late meeting was attended by 59 ministers and - 34 elders. We have not been able*to find in the published Minutes any statement of the aggregate of congrega tiens, ministers, or *contributions, which, we respectfully suggest, would be a decided improvement. The Church is actively en gaged in the work of Home and Foreign Missions, and in the other departments of Christian - effort. AsSool,lle.—The iliontlay of, the Associate Church contains in its July number the proceedings of the Synod of that body. It met at Bloomfield, Ohio, May 25th, and continued its sittings eight days. Its sta tistical tables show that there are four Presbyteries, 15 ministers, 47 congrega tions, 519 families, 1,218 communicants, and that the contributions from all sources were 6575.10, or about 48 cents for each member during the year. Among the for ty-seven congregations, nine ministers have pastoral charges, and of the fifteen minis ters in that body, six are without settle ments. ettffilierlitild.—The Cumberland Presby teriansot the Southern States have been considering the propriety of establishing a Southern Church. Nothing has been ef fected as yet, owing, to the difficulty of se curing a sufficiently large attendance of ministers•and elders. The;. Oumberiand Presbyterian thus closes lee g thy ealitorial on the subject Of Christian 'Maim zi c-.‘ All the branehes eV
Significant historical Pennsylvania newspapers