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11V Till: REV. It. 1.. BitKCK.
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JXHcrrrtl Ir fatt the Syno.l of Georgia, in the
Jit.tr /tendent Prts'.yt, ei.ttt Church in the Ci
ty of Sn-annnh, oil T/t.mlsgt ftng Jt.ii/,
.Xorein'er 25/ tt, 1 S.V2.
Jhtht to l.ath the t.o ./ A'//-e/ in “
1 famst, hi. It
Tli * history of th* great State of Georgia i*
bounded on either extreme by thunk-git ing.
One hundred mi l nineteen years since from
Felitnnry last, the little band who were the
flrwt to plant the standard of civilization and
of Anglo Saxon rule within the present ex
tend nl limit* of the State, whilst yet enjoying
the hospitality of your neighbor* across the
r.ver that sweeps hv your beautiful city, upon
the return of their distinguished leader who
had come forward and Selected the Spot Upon
which we now stand ns the place to commence
the subjugation of the forest, observed a day
of solemn thanksgiving to the great Author of
life, for their preservation amid the perils of the
deep and the .prospect of speedy settlement in
their now home. To-day their descendant*,
and tbo*e who have with them *ueeec led to the
land, the perils of whose wilderness state were
first braved hy them, defended hy them sue
eesrively from Indian depredation, Sptni-h
aggression, and llritish tyranny, in neoorl
nnee with the proelamation of the Chief Magi*.
Irate of the Commonwealth, nre congregated
in their numerous Christian temples to return
thanks to the Itnler of earth for preservation
from that hour to the present time, anil es
pecially for the prosperity and hleseings of the
passing y >ar. The prevalence of this beauti
ful custom at this remote |>eriod, and the pub
lic sentiment which re min s mi l sustains it,
are gratifying evidences that the spirit of piety
which characterised the founders of the’colony
s > eminently, and which was manifested hy the
eoloni-ts on.this occasion, still lives milling
thi* people. The introduction to the history
of the colony upon its arrival in the Western
world was prayer and thanksgiving, and the
lat page, which we this day add to the history
of the Slate, is praise.
The occasion which this people have for
thanksgiving is great, mi l i< obvious upon the
review of their history from the period to
which have referred, or of the agricultural
year, the fruit* of which are now being gather
ed in. The place in which we stand, and the
present advanced mi l prosperous condition of
the commonwealth, arc favorable to a com
parative retro-peet to that day of thanksgiving
which bounds the other side of its history.—
Then a feeble hand, poor and fortuneless, de
pendent upon the noble philanthropy w.ich
laid the foundation of the Stat; stood with
an unbroken forest in prospect before them.
Its stillne-s had never hern d'sturbed hy the
sound if the white- man's axe, or hammer, or
saw. The red man was abroad in the lan I. A
fickle, unstable friend, a mereih--* foe, they
would bo liable at any 10-ur of the night to be
wakened by the lurid flame'of their dwellings’
kindled by him, and by hi* wild and savage
war-whoop. Several year*after, the Indian vil
lage of Vaniacraw stood side by side with the vil
lage of Sax am mb. At a still later period when,
it hundred year* ago, hy the limitation of the
charter, the colony passed from the hands of
those noble men whose bcnevolanec had given
it being, and had watched over its infancy, and
was merged into the l'.rili-h crown, Savan
nah was s.'d a village of a few hundred inhab
itant*. The second city of the State, now alive
with commerce, and the sounds of the spindle
and loom, was still smaller; and the thir l and
fourth cities of the present commonwealth had
no existence until three quarters of a century
later. A few scattered s -ttleinents, at this
time, were found along the Savannah and Oge.
ehce. mi l on the north hank of the Altnmnhn,
and a single village and fortification near tin* |
coast further south. The contrast presented
by the present condition of the State, is one j
that cannot, with those who have any sense of
an overiuling providence, hut call for gratitude ;
mid thanksgiving t th - Iluler of nations and 1
States. The tide of Anglo-Saxon population, 1
which a hundred years ago rested on the Alta
inalia, ha< crossed that stream, nnd moving on
westward, has crossed the Oconee, the Ocinul- j
•gee, ihe Flint, and left the western boundary of;
the State on the distant Chattahoochee. Nor
ha* it stopped with tin- limits of the State, hut j
Tolling on, forming other PtaU-s in it* course,!
has overleaped the Chattahoochee, the Ala
bama, the Tombeckbec, the great Mississippi, j
the Sabine, the Ilraros, the Colorado, and now 1
stands re*t!e* and impatient on the bank of
the Kio del Norte. From a C-eble colony, in n
century, lleorgia has grown to be a great anil
powerful State; from a few thousand |>eoplo,
it now numbers nearly a million of inhabitant*..
Surviving a most wretelied nnd destructive leg
iilntire policy adopted for it during its colonial
infancy, pri.iing safely through the danger*
from Indian and S|ni.-h incursion, preserved
through the struggle of the Revolution, the
blessing of <sod resting upon its State policy,
it has arisen from a position of comparative in- I
f.-riority, which it occupied only n few years
since, to be the empire State of the South, and
one of the first in the confederacy for the j
wealth and refinement of Its people, its m.anii- j
facture* and valuable Internal Improvements. I
A hundred years ago, at the time of the roe. *- I
ron of Ueorgia to tho crown of England, Ful •
ton was not horn. Now the locomotive rushes I
and plunge* along It* iron track, from the At- j
lantie to th ? Tenncafee, from the Savannah to ;
the Chattahoochee ; and your steamer* follow- i
Ing the track of commerce on your rivers, hear i
forth to th- bo*om >f the Ocean your great sta- !
pie—a richer staple far than the silk with
which the founder* of tloorgia thought to en- -
rich the mother country—there to he distrihut- ‘
cl to every portion of the earth. The past
history of th- commonwealth then, the foster-,
lug care of <lo<l, which ha* brought it to its
pcesent high position, demand* of tlinso who
enjoy it* blessing* nnd immunities, this memo- j
rial in the consecration of ibis day to the grate- j
ful worship of the Author of it* prosperity.
Rut present hh-**ing, th blessing* of the !
passing year, call still more loudly for praise i
from thi* people. If nny Stnte* in theconfed- I
eraoy are more manifestly d-pcndciit upon i
Divine Providence than others, they are those
whose sustenance and wealth, are depend
ent upon a single staple, mid that so pre-
carious in its growlh anil so variable in its re
turn* a* the great Maple of the southern States.
During the agricultural nnd commercial year
which expire! within the present civil year,
the return.” of your lands in this staple were
unprecedented—more than sufficient to supply
j those productions of necessary consumption,
j from the failure of which, otherwise, many of
your people would have been reduced to great
, extremity. During the present year, a still
more favoring Providence has crowned your
I field* with plenty, has made your granaries to
1 teem with stores, and is crowding your levees,
! your warehouses, your depots, and is lading
down your steamers, with the great product of
1 your State. The uncertain thread, so slender,
’ and of such brittle material, upon which the
t yearly interests of the State are hung, ha*been
| woven Into a great cable, sufficient to render
; secure the sustenance aud wealth of the people,
j These, w ith the blessings of peace, exemption
: from the pestilences with which other commu
nities have been visited, free, ‘civil, and reli
gious'institutions, which have been preserved to
you, and national prosperity which, ns a mem
ber of the confederacy you share, make a
highly favored lot in view of which the people
of this commonwealth may well make the me
morial of til!* day, nu I ’ • the language of
praise with Samuel and the Israelite", “Hither
to lintli til* Lord helped s.”
To you, fathers and brethren in the ministry
and eldership, the concurrence of this day of
public tli ink “giving with the annual meeting
of your Synod, cannot fail to heacircumstance
of some interest. It adds also to the interest of
the and <y. in the reception of the tributary of
your praise nud thanksgiving ns a body re
pr. s nting more than a hundrei congregations
of intelligent Christian*. Your pres nee here,
rend ring iinprauicnhle public religious servi
c-s in many of the congregations, transfers to
this spot the formal recognition of the day by
the Presbyterian I'hurch of the State. Whilst
the destitution of our church and worship
. within th* hounds of your Synod are numerous
am! great; whilst I’reshyterinnism, although a
Presbyterian church and congregation were
among the fir-t emigrations to the colony, has
yet been slow in it- permanent establishment;
and whilst it remains’ numerically far in the,
1 rear of other great bodies of Christians in tiro
I State 1 yet there is much in n retrospect nud
comparison of the present with the past which,
ought to elicit your thankfulness and praise as
a court of Christ. Although early established
here, Presbyterianism i< comparatively new.
and has been sines it* permanent establish
ment, of rapid growth. The first Presbytery
ujut the ground now coverd by vour Synod,
appears first on the minutes of the liencral
. Assembly, in 1798. with only one more than
l the constitutional number of members. So
late ns the year lNilrt, it had only seven minis
tts nnd three hundred and forty communi
cant* in its connection. There nre before me
a few ven -ruble men who were upon the ground
as early ns this date, or shortly after, who have
be -n witnesses to t’.o rise of all tho other
Pr >by b rie* forming constituent members of
your body, and witnesses to the rise of tho
• Synod. In thirty-two year.*, the Church, fur
outstripping the ratio of the population of the
Btat •, ha* increased from seven to seventy
five canisters, nnd from three hundred nnd
forty to more than five thnusnn 1 communicant*.
|
Since the organization of your Synod, also,
t seven years ago, with thirty five hundred corn
niunivant? nnd forty-five ministers, the minutes
of the bi lv shoe, an increase in the ministry
nnd membership in advance of the increase of
population. Whilst, then, there are many
things to mo;im “.er, th e things call fe r
the gratitude and praise of the Church to tts
gread Ilea l, nnd we may well mingle that
praise with the thanksgiving of this day.
Hut it is important on an occasion like this,
whilst returning thank* for past nnd present
blessing and prosperity, to consider the mean*
of their preservation. Accordingly, suggested
hv the circumstances surrounding us to-day, we
direct your attention to the itnportan *e of the
church in the preservation nnd perpetuity of our
free institution*. Tempted l,y the place and
circumstance.*, to protract these introductory
remarks to this length, we can only make the
discussion of this subject, the more brief.
The wisest statesmen have appreciated the
importance of religion and it* institution* in
the state. Only in our own country has it been
placed upon ill true and proper. ground. Th”
two extremes in it* and -predation have been its
neglect and exclusion on the on-hand; and, on
the other, its degradation by its connection
I with the State as though an unworthy, incapa
-11 j or dangerous sep-rato and independent
agency in moulding the opinion* and charae
! ters of men. lint whilst we have given the
, church n more proper nnd elevated position,
we yet perhaps have not n sufficient apprecin
tion of its importance, especially in’ its relation
to our free institutions. • Foremost among the
. agepeies for their preservation, coming con
stantly in contact with the masses of the people,
must be placed a free, independent nnd evan
gelical church. These grent agencies. may per
haps he reduced to three, 1-rming the tripod of
our liberties, and found represented in almost
every county town in your commonwealth.
Near by tho quiet village, just without the
limits, stand* a building, alone, apart from all
| others, ami presenting'* lonely a*|>ect to the
| observer a* ho passes liy. A few shade trees
surround it nt n distance in tho yard. Here
and there a pane of glass is broken out of a
window, or a shutter hangs by a single hinge.
It ha* a desolate appearance, i* evidently not
a dwelling for man ; and is just such a place a*
the superstitious would e.\|eet ghosts and hob
goblin* ‘o fre qnent nt night. Yet tho hard
pressed soil wround, tells of tho numerous feet
by which it has been trodden. Here nnd there
the sol worn through about a tree or a stone,or
a stake driven in tho earth, and the smooth, |
well-drained and hard trodden earth at tho end
of tho building, mark tho centres for the fre
quent trampers here. Th-* stillness of the grave
now rest* over the spot, hut in the morning the
old house and yard will present a lively scene.
Kacing, leaping, tho loud laugh", morry shout*
and hounding halls for awhile, nnd then tho ‘
hell ring* nnd the throng of youthful form*
panting and perspiring, pour in. In a few ‘
moments the scene is quiet ngain. Not far dis- •
taut frotn this scene in the centre of the town,
with shop*nnd stores, and offices on every side,
stand* another building npnrt. The uncurtain- ‘
cd windows almost coveted with du*t nnd cob
web* within, indicate that thi* nlso is not ten- ‘
anted as a dwelling. This solemn looking
square building, L* surmountoj by a little cupo
la in which hang* nu'old hell which occas'onally
tolls forth its notes to cat! the multitude togeth
er. Around is a fence inclosing a s piaro yard,
an I without a low railing to protect the side
wnlk, which surround* it. On certain days of {
the month a stream of men may he seen pass
ing in and forth this building, and occasionally
the old house is crowded almost to suffocation,
indicating how general is the interest in tin j
matters transacted here. On the other side of
the town, is a third building with perhaps a 1
green plat in front, standing on a gentle emi
nence neat in its exterior, still neater in its in- :
lerior; Its window shutters painted green; its
THE SAVANNAH DAILY COURIER, NOVEMBER 28, 1852.
nent white cupola terminating in a modest, un- |
protending spire glittering in the snn. Around
this humble building sleep the former genera
tion* of the village, the matron and the maiden,
the infant and the gray haired patriarch, pa
rent* and children, the rich nnd the poor, the
oppressor and the oppressed, the humble and
the proud. A worlJ of hope* lie buried here.
The doors are now closed, and it seems a fit
temple for the dead. But every seventh day
the ch-nr notes of the bell are heard ringing
through tho air, and soon the living crowds,
did nnd young, arrayed in their holiday clothe*,
nre seen moving towards the sanctuary. Such
is the (external) appearance to the multitude,
of what wilt apt car to the philosophic or re
flecting inind, the great conservative elements
in our social structure, nnd the great agencies
preservative of our civil institutions.
In the first of these building*, we perhaps
recognize the old school house, the familiar
path to which we trod so often in the days of
our boyhood. Without pausing to consider the
many associations which cluster about it, of
the master, our companions, our friendships nnd
animosities, contests and emulations, the bright
j hopes, of those days, which have been dashed,
’ tho number who tlu-n, standing with us upon
I the arena, now lie beneath the clod* of the
valley ! Without pausing to consider these, we
■nay find in that old s -bool house a subject of
more important reflection. Here the youth of
the town, for generations jierhnps, have been
instructed, prepared for a higher course of
learning, or ushered diycetly into tho world.
1 How many have pas'* ! through it up to the
. stage of human : lion, obtained there
their furniture f.>r the trial of life, received
there the impressions according to which have
been moulded their destinies, and the destiny
of others with whom in tlu* great world they
have been thrown in contact, on earth, and
perchance for the eternal world ! Tlo-y nre
novr at the bar, in the pulpit, sustaining the
important relation of physiean, in the count
ing room, nnd mine have gono to high posts
of honor—scattered everywhere throughout
j the land. Who can estimate the influence of
! that old school house it|Kin the community ?
| Rut this is hut representative of a vast nnm
| her from the infant .diool to the university,
dotting over the whole face of the country.
I A* the single school to the community in the
j midst of which it is located, so is this great
j number to the country at large. Here rest
. the hopes of the country, to a considerable
extent, for advancement in the art* nnd s-ion
! ees. for the morality of the people, and the p-r
---i peluity of our free institutions. The school is
j the nursery of g uilts, which may sonic day,
| far overleap the teaching* there given it. and
■ deduce new anil amazing trutlijJli we learned,
’ which will astonish it* more flmvly travelling
teiteher, and confer lasting blessings on the
j world. Vice, 100, most generally dwell* with
ignorance, and tint* the school house i* to a
i groat extent its preventive. Look at the re-
I port* of the prisons of our land, and see how
j rapidly the proportion of inmate* decroa*o*
downward* from “highly educated” “liberally
! educated” “common edu-ation” “read and
writs” to “no edit-itiun.” FMu-ation n!.*n,
from these considerations, nnd from its direct
influence, is necessary to a high state of civil
liberty. An ignorant people or a vicious peo
ple, can not he an eminently free people ; nnd
so on the other hand, you can not enslave n
people the masses of whom are educated and
intelligent.
The second on - of these building* deserihed,
we probably recognize a* the old Court House
; in tho town in which we were reared. It was
! a boas.’ Wi. petit up- t M-cr entered in youth . i
cept on some of tleV • o-casion* of deep and
thrilling int-Tost, wh -n a fellow being was ar
raigned for hi* own, for taking another’s life,
and th - talent of the bar was arrayed on either
side.. Here it was the ends of justice were ac
complished between man and man, the injured
foiin 1 redress, mid th • entiles* difficulties ari
sing from pecuniary transactions were put to
rest. With it* appendage, which stood not far
removed with windows of iron grate, it was
also a preventive of crime ami a terror to evil
doers. But the Court House stands here nnd
there in all portion* of our land. Occasionally
it assumes more elegant anti classic proportions,,
the lofty nr.di, the magnificent dome, tho im
posing column. Thi* too i* luit a type of a
vast system which extend* over nil our country
The e piitable administration of the law, and
i especially of th* common law, which prevails
in our Courts, is one of the most potent agen
cies for the preservation of our liberties. The
j comni .n law will secure a free people wherever
it prevails. It is republican in its nature ; its
: very fiindam *ntal, essential idea, is Republican
i ism. Composed of precedent*, derived from
’ the legislation of no man ors ‘t of men, but
| recognising a universal right prior to all legis
lation, ninl resting upon the great principles of
natural justice inherent to the consciousness of
J men, and set forth in immemorial Usage, this
vast structure In* been for ages building up,
receiving the additions of successive genera
| lions: and now, like the spanning arch of
j heaven, reaching from the remote ages of tho
past, and down to the end of time we trust, it
i spreads itsranopy over ns for light nnd for
protection. As it is Republican in its nature,
so also is it Republican in it* tendeniies. The
first idea of liberty nnd independence com
mences between man and man, in the defini
tion of respective rights. In it is the germ of
the most high-toned Repiildirnnism, which de
veloped, w ill tear down thrones, nnd tear nway
enactments and statute* hy which the people
may be oppressed. The common law with an
independent judiciary and open pleadings, is a
most effectual security against tyranny nnd
oppression. And the bar, notwithstanding so
many of the profession turn away from it to
seek the potty honor of th- legislator, may be
made the place of most effective ndvoeaey of
freedom and the right* of mnn, a* it rung with
the eloquence of Patrick Henry during those
years of the disturbing of tho waters preceding
the breaking forth of the Revolution.
In the third-of these building* described, we’
probably recognise the Church in our native
village, tho call of whoso Sabbath bell we so
often obeyed in the days of childhood nnd
youth. Like the others, it is emblematic of a
great system—the great system of Protestant
Christianity in our country. The School
hoii % the Court house and the Church, these
nre the fountains of influence which nro to
keep pure and bright the spirit of liberty, the
pillars upon which rest our social nnd civil
structure. We hear much said of the ballot
box nnd the press; these nro indeed potent
agencies, hut not original ns the first three.
Hack of them, creating and controlling them,
are the education of the people, the adminis
tration of individual justice, nnd the religious
institutions of the country. Keep these great
fountains pure, nnd you will keep the ballot
box and the press pure. Rut whilst wo tako
pleasure in paying our tribute to these auxilia
ries for the preservation of our liberties, we
must yet place foremost among tho agencies fur
it* accomplishment, a free and nn Evangelical
Church. In order to show it* importance and j
its superiority over these and all other agencies,
we will enumerate some ol the points in which
the adaptation of the Church to this end, par
ticularly appears.
First—Consider the Church as a mere teach
ing instrumentality, and its importance is es
tablished beyond that of any other agency at
work In our country for that end. It is con
ceded that intelligence ©f its people is neces
sary to the existence nnd perpetuity of a
Republic. It is from this the School house—
the system of general education—derives its
importance. Whilst this is not the most Im
portant character of the Church, nnd whilst
education in a worldly sense is not the primary
end at which it aims, yet it would probably bo
no exaggeration of the worth and blessing of
Protestant Christianity, to say that it is equal
to all other ng-mcies united in tho education of
the people. To sum up its influence* of this
character, wo must commence with the minis
try. Not merely teachers of moral and re
ligious truth, hut in the exposition of the
word of (Sod, calling in ail the aiJs of learning,
exploring nil its fields for the confirmation and
\ illustration of that truth j with many deriving
i from them ntuiost all the knowledge they ro
; reive foreign to their immediate vocations in
I life ami outside a limited political reading;
their teaching* rendered most valuable hy the
combination of the moral amt the intellectual,
educating both the conscience and the intel
lect; nnd located ns tln v are in all portion* of
our land : the instruction they impart becomes
va*t in its aggregate nnd incalculable in its
. results. Making neee*. ary deductions for
i those in infirm healtl a.;d those engaged in
I our institutions of leuml’-f, it may he perhaps
| safely estimated that tw 1 v Ilian thirty thou
! sand Protestant Ministei* are engaged in in
structing the people of mtr country every Sab
bath. Who can cstimn'o the influence, even
narrowing it down to the j articular point with
reference to which we now eontemplatc it, of
thirty thousand pulpits weekly sending forth
their teaching* among the (ample! Who can
estimate the influence, in forming tho taste*
nnd character* of our people, in the instruc
tion and elevulion ol the masses, of thirty
thousand men, ninny of them highly educated,
some of them men of commanding ability, and
nil of them for intelligence nnd virtuous prin
ciples, it will he admitted, averaging fairly
with any other class of men, tcnchcrs or others,
in our own country !
Again, in estimating the influence of the
Church as a mere tenth, r of th.- people, the
Sabbath School enters largely into the eon
siderntion. Here the xmih of our land nre
receiving, .both that tleinentnry instruction
which will fit them for deriving knowledge
fioin books, nnd that healthful knowledge
which will give stability nnd elevation to their
characters, and especially prepare them for the
responsibilities of citizens of n free republic.
Many here obtain th* ir only education. In
the great cities, especially, it reaches the
classes which can Ik-reached l>y no other in
j strumentality, and thus*, most necessary to he
i reached—the poor, and otherwise, vicious, nnd
therefore liable most to endanger our iustitu
; lions. It is difficult to make a correct estimate
! of the number of teacbecr engaged every Sal>-
j hath in our schools, mil especially, ns without
! recent reports of the Sunday School Union, we
; have'to make the calculation from data de
’ rived from reports made s -veral years since.
: The number of teachers would no doubt, cer
j tainly reach, and perhaps, go far beyond two
hundred thousand, mi l that of the scholars, a
million and a half, lit re, again, who can esti
mate the influence n;> in our institutions, of
two hundred thousand teachers, mostly pious
; and intelligent, gat her.-d with their million and
| a half of pupil- Again, in
j estimating thisinduen. iof the Church, e*pe
| eial consideration uiil-t be given to the fact
that n large portion of the institutions of learn
’ ing, from the primary school to the University,
have been created, anil nro both really and
nominally sustained nnd controlled hy the
Church. Many of ottr primary schools and
academics are connected directly with particular
congregations, nnd the great majority of others
are supplied with teachers from Colleges found
ed nnd sustained hy the Church. When we
consider the higher institutions for tho more
thorough eduention of our youth, the fart that
thi* nation is under obligations to the Church,
for its (mpular education, is still more impress
ed upon us. The list ■of chartered colleges
in tile Udited States, numbering, perhaps, one
hundred and fifty or one hundred and seventy
five, will probably c.xliihit not more than ten
or twelve nt farthest, wholly endowed by the
States. The great portion of tho others are
under the control nnd supervision of tho vari
ous bodies of professing Christians; and no
small proportion of the instructors in those
thus sustained are fumi-licd by the Church.
The periodical nnd p-rmanent issues of the
pres*, if we could arrive at the statistics, would
exhibit even a more amazing result. The
newspaper is the great feature in our literature,
one growing naturally out of onr institutions.
Every citizen under our government i* a politi
cian, called to take part in the affairs of gov
ernm.'nt, nnd must have information of a po
litical character. IF-nc* arises the newspa
per. But even in this and ‘pnrtment the church
is supplying the nation with no small part of
its literature. Aeonrdiw: to the census of 1850
the circulation of newspapers and other periodi
cals in the United States, was five million*.
Without the mean* of ne (iraey, from tho best
estimate we can make, we cannot place the
circulation of the papers under direct religious
influence nnd under the patronage of tho
churches, nt less than one fifth of this number,
or a circulation of one million. The statistics,
necessarily very difficult to bo arrived at, of
the other isues of the j would probably
exhibit the fact, to ninny j Umnding, that the
eliiirrh, notwithstanding lie immensa number
of hooks yearly sent forth from other sources,
and especially the vast amount of fiction with
which our country is flooded, is yet supplying
the greater (>ortioii of the rending of onr peo
ple. F’or every novel, we believe you will find
a Bible or a Testament, or a llynin book, for
every licentious or infidel book, a copy of Ban
yan, Baxter, I>odJsidge, Flavel, Edwards or
Nelson, affording encouragement to the Chris
tian philanthropist, .whilst it shows tho high
rnnk of tho church ns ate icher of the people.
Tnke one or two statistics from two of those
great institutions fr ■ tho provision of a reli
gious literature—selected not hy wny of eleva
tion over others, but from the convenience of
their reports, and from tlie*uperior magnitude
of their operations. During the last financial
year, there were published by the American
Bible Society, in addition t-> numerous editions
hy private individuals, and in addition to those
introduced from other eoun'ries 6rtfi,ols copies
of the Itilde nnd Tcstnmcn*, —and during the
thirty-six years of its exisl nee, it has printed
risr/it millions, tiro hniirJml on.l richty-eight
(honanntJ, nine Intnt/mJ and righty-tsco Bi-
Ur* And there are annually poured forth
from all <|Unrters, into the urdst of the people,
no less than three <|narters of a million of B 1
hies and Testaments ! Dicing the proceeding
year, the American Tract jßociety pnblished
fi,801,000 tract*, and 1,140.51 0 bound volumes,
a total of about eight millions, and since its
organization it ba; produced the astonishing
amount of 3,034,750,250 pages of religious j
truth. The results of the two institutions trom I
their beginning, reducing the issues of the
Bible Society to pages, make tho vast nggre- ;
gate of about tix killiout, nine hitutired and i
forty millions of /tages.’ We nre to bear ini
mind, also, in making this estimate, the ex- i
istence of similar institution.*. Nearly all the {
great bodies of Christian* in the country have :
their publishing institutions, constantly ma
king vnluablc additions to our literature. Our
own Board of publication, although in its in
fancy nnd comparatively feeble a* yet, pro
duced last year ei"hf him.lint and eixht.cn ;
th” it sand tut) hundred und fifty copies of re
ligious books and tracts 1
When wo leave the consideration of these
ecclesiastical nnd benevolent board*, it is a
question not of ensy determination whether the
church does not give to the nation the greater
portion of its remaining literature. Who nre
our American nuthors f If not the greater
portion, nre not nt least a large number of them
among the clergy, the ministers of the various
churches, who constitute the largest class of
highly educated men in the country ? Who
then will estimate the influence of the church
upon, the institutions of our country Sit the
way of educating the people ? Eduention lias j
been pronounced “ the’ cheap defence of na- i
tions.” Who or what is raising higher this
hulwnrk than the church? Who will define
the influence of its thirty thnusnnd ministers,
i it* two hundred thousand Sabbath school
teachers with their million and a half pupil*. ;
its thousands of pri oary schools,’ ils hundred ;
colleges, its million regular ps|iers, its millions
of volumes of wholesome, healthful truth it is !
constantly throwing ntnong the people 7
Secondly—The vnlue of the church as an
agency for tlu* preservation of our institutions, ,
I appears from the rotitervatisni of tho religion
of tlie Bible which it teaches. It places its
hand upon the passions of men, restrains from
violence and from uttraism of every kind. It
inculcates justice, rc?|>eet for the rights of all
men, moderation and forbearance. Nothing
can be further from tho spirit of
than fanaticism or agrarianism. It rebukes
j the wild madman, or political incendiary, who
j would lilt his arm against the institutions- or
. well-being of his country. Nothing could
i more strikingly exhibit this, than the manner
, ill whi.-h the Bible and it* t ‘aching* have been
set aside ly the leaders of abolition nnd the j
teachers of fourierism, communism, woman's
rights, nnd similar extravagancies. Its utter
. want of harmony with their principles and
; practi ‘0 Ims led them to its open repudiation.
This conservatism which thus provokes the tip
position of all ultraism nnd fanaticism, which
routes to us through the institutions of the
Church, is a most indi.*|ien*:ihle element in ii
republic, which, of nil other governments, re
quire# most a stable, just, nnd conservative
people. We need it to regulate o'nr interna
tional intercourse, and to preserve us from do
’ inestic strife. We need to have it infused into
j onr system of laws, to which we are already
j so much indebted, hut which might yet lie
greatly perfected hy the larger pervasion of
the spirit of the gospel. Whenever the Ban
dt-cts of Rom • and the In-titute* of Justinian,
shall give way to the mild and beautiful -pre
cept* ot the law of Hod in the regulation of in
ternational lnw, then shall we have universal
peace, and wnr with its horrors will .cease to en
danger our institutions; and when the inibl
spirit of our blessed religion shall come to gov
ern nil our people, the mad spirit of filibuster,
foreign aggression, rapine and plunder, which
now perils our amicable foreign relations, the
character of our nation nn I not very remctcly.
our liberties ns a (>cople, wilt cease to exist.
With reference to our domestic policy, it is in
teresting to observe how applicable the .great
conservative principles of Use Ri’.ile nre to onr
present condition nnd how easily, i! left to their
decision, would be put to rest the great ques
tions which have shaken our political structure
to its very centre, and which may continue for
years to come, to endanger our union nnd pro*.
•perity.’ Not’ only have we the general and
characteristic requisition of the gospel, ol peace
and love to all men, requiring in il* expansion
in various portion* of the sacred writings, a
just regard to the rights and interests of others
from tho security of property up to the most
delicate courtesy and respect for feeling which
they bnvc a right to expect from us: Wot only
have we taught tho divine orJinntion of gov
ernment nnd the consequent sacred ■ authority
of inw, that “tlie powers that be are ordained
of God” an 1 “wliosooTer therefore resisleth the
power reisteth tho ordinance of God;” hut as
if designed with speeial reference to the issue*
of our day, we have a divine precedent nn 1 the
precedent of an apostle in the respect for pro
perty and the restoration of the slave. To the
church, which professes to teach the gentle and
conservative precepts of the blessed Saviour,
have we n right to look, and to it alone can wo
look, for the influences which will lead to ths
peaceable anil final repose of those question*.
And if ever faction nnd fanaticism shall ac
complish the destruction of our Union, the
overthrow of our liberties, it will he through
tho recreance of the ministry to their high nnd
solemn engagement*, or else they will march
over tlio crushed and bleeding form of the
church. And if the conservatism of the church
shall ever be lost, if it* heart shall ever cease
to bent with the love of liberty! equality, virtue
and glory, tho hop* of our country will perish.
Ifit shall ever ho entered hy political dissen
sions and he severed by faction upon the lino
of our political institutions, it will be tho se
vering of the great artery'ol the nation, from
which its life-blood in unchecked torrents will
(.our fourth. Already it is bleeding from the
severance of one great ligament; but enough
remains for the healthful flow of life in all its
parts, and rightly nourished and cherished, the
wound may yet be honied.
Thirdly—The value of tho church as an
agency for the preservation of onr institutious,
is seen from its rJpithlic.tnism. The dawn of
the Reformation was the dawn of liberty in
Europe ; and pr>.tcstant Christianity has ever
been tlie friend of reptiiilie.au principle*. So
true is this, we may fin I in every church a
correspondence between it* amount of repub
licanism • nnd its amount of protestantisin.
This is illustrated hy reference to tho struggle
for republican principles during the American
revolution—-in the parts performed hy the sev
eral Churches—the comparative amount of
sympathy with the mother country in those
churches uot completely reformed, hut having
the remnant of Rome, a prelatical government.
We, however, cheerfully recognize those two
great hoilies of ehristian*—the government of
one of which has been more republieanised hy
the introduction of a lay element, nnd within
the bosom of the other of which, there must
soon he a great struggle upon this point—as
among the guardian* of our liberties, in that
they gire to the people an open Bihte; though
we could accorl to them higher |>osilions in
this work, if republican in their polity as re
formed in their doctrine*. Evidence of the re
publicanism of Profestant Christianity, the con
neo ion of the op*n Bible, which it places ia
the hands of the people, with their liberties,
is presented by a comparison of protestant
with papal countries. England and the United |
States, the most thoroughly protertant coun- j
trie* on enrth, enjoy the highest measure of
tiherty. Compare these with and with
Italy. Poor Italy, in the language of her histo
rian, mourning over degradation, “is crushed—
she is chained and covered with blood.' 1 But
her woes are not yet over. Even now a voice
of. weeping comes to us from the galleys of
Tuscany. The condemnation of the noble
Madiai is the rekindling of the fires ofpersecu
tion in Italy. May we learn the priceless val
ue of a frea church and an open Bible in our
own land. These will naturally work out re
publicanism. The gospel gives dignity to the
individual—gives him the conception of his
own importance as an immortal being—and
prepares him to feel and to assort his rights.—
And we lielieve further that it may be shown,
that the form of government given to the church
hy God in his holy word, is as directly republi
can, as the doctrines of grace are republican in
their tendencies.
Fourthly—The promised providential bles
sing of God upon those who acknowledge nnd
serve Him, whether individual* or communi
ties, presents the value of the church, in con
nection with our free institutions, as the church
j i* designed to promote his worship, which will
I thus secure this blessing and effect the perpe
tuity of our liberties. There are two doc rincs
respecting this point, which inay he tb-mon- i
1 rtmted from history, prophecy and the word of i
| God. The first is, that there is a providence
; exercised by God overall his creatures nnd all
: hi* works, and embracing in its vast design the
nation* nnd communities of earth. The second
| is, that that Providence will he characterised
hy favor and blessing to the people, who fear
| and honor the Lord —that aside from the natu
| rai results of its principles, religion secures the
, favor anil direct bles.-ing of God. These truths
1 ire believe; our presence here this day attests
i it. And we rejoice that they begin to lie re
| cognised hy our rulers. This Inst we regard
as one of the most important consideration* in
i the estimate of the worth of an evangelical
1 church to the Republic; nnd besides it, there I
are many others which might b* mentioned : !
it proclaim* the purest and most perfect rode of
morals, it teaches the most valuable principles I
, of jiirisptttdenee, it enjoins indn*trv ami econo- ‘
1 my, thy great sources of individual andnution
| nl wealth ; it est.ahlishe'# humane institutions
i for the alleviation of the poor, the distressed, j
tlie deaf, the blind, the unfortunate ; hut the 1
length to which thi# discourse has already been 1
protracted, warns us against trespassing upon 1
your patience. We therefore leave these to !
hasten to a conclusion.
Who now, my hearers, is prepared to place i
the Church second to any other influence or
; agency for the elevation and happiness of onr
i people, for the preservation and strengthening
;of our Union and our free institution* ? Pos- 1
sesing not the show and display of other in- \
1 strumcntnlitie*. it i* thus silently hut power
■ fully working out this end. And who is there j
I who ean place the influence of the faithful
! servants ol the Church, upon onr institutions,,
as second to any. other class of.men? The
brief space of the last three years has been re
markable for the addition of great names to
the lift of mighty dead. Front this city we
tuny stand ninl look off ii|>oii the (state of the
great Calhoun. However much we may differ
respecting the ptiliey to which he wns devoted,
now that he is no more among living actors,
We are all ready to concede the purity of his
life and the greatness of his mind. His
name is now upon that list. Tlie angel of
death next claimed nnd removed the great
Sage of Ashland, amid whose beauteous walk*
and shades and flowers, were spent his intervals
of repose during half a century. Next nnd
last, one month ago, from his beautiful New
England home, passed away, the spirit of the
great diplomatist and statesman, who fills one
of the largest places in American history, and
one of Ilia highest niches in the temple of
fame. These were n great trio/ Their
characters are monumental and will never
perish while our liberties or language remain.
But go with us to the old grave<yard of Prince
ton. sacred, hallowed spot, and there arc the
j humble tombs of another trio, who have fall
en in about the same period. Mingling not in
the strife of Bars and Senates, without the
show and glitter if civil office, their every
movement not proclaimed upon the wings of
the lightning throughout our land; hut coming
down, one of them from the generation of
patriots who bought so dearly, our liberties ;
all of them sharing largely in the eduention or
those who now fill the most responsible places
in our land, nnd nil of them preachers of the
gospel of Christ; they, not lex*, perhaps, than
these great state.-men, have left their impress
upon our institutions and upon the character of
ourpcnple. Over each one of this first trio
will *oon arise the lofty monumental column:
nor would wa tear one stone from these tri
butes of n grateful people to tlie expounders
and defender* of their rights and of human
freedom. Over each"’ of the last trio will
he iilnced a simple slab to niark their last
resting places to future grateful visitors to the
spot: nor wraild we Imre this otherwise; it
suits well their unprctciidiug lives. But may
this people never forget that hy tho mild, con
servative, republican and Christian principles
they taught, they united with the humble office
of servant of Christ, that of friend, preserva
lor to our liberties. May this people learn the
value of the ministry nnd the institutions
of the Church—its intimate connexion with
their liberties. Blot out the Church, and yon
extinguish the “ tallest column of light” which
ever arose from this Continent! Blot out fh<*
Church, and you break down the grentest har
rier to radicalism and fanaticism aud faction in
our land ! Blot out the Church, or closo the
Bible whose precepts it teaches, and you close
up the greatest source of republican principles
and stop tho voice of the most eloquent advo
cate of the rights of man! Blot out the .
Church, and you tear down the rod which
climbing over the glorious structure under
which we dwell, protects us from the wrath of
nn otherwise offended and angry God.
May you respected friends, who unite with
us in these services, learn from the reflections ,
of this day, the value of the Church, the duty
of giving it your most’ anient support, and ;
especially the duty of prayer to the great
Ruler of nations and Author of all blessing, fur
tlie union, peace and prosperity of our coun
try ! And may we, fathers and brethren in the
ministry, return to our charges from this sol
emn convocation, resolving to give ourselves
with more earnestness to our work—for tho !
‘salvation of souls aud the perpetuity of our ‘
liberties 1 -
Sailing of Ocean Straun-rs.
rsns isnici.
anira. irivu ron ostk.
Canals, tl'i#t<m, Liverpool, Nov. 24
Pai-iflr Xew-York Liverpool. Nor. 27 1
A*ia. Ncw-Vnrk, Liverpool, Bee. 1
Hermann. Xew-York, Bremen. Dee. 4
America, Boston, Liverpool, Bee. H ,
ran* irann.
SKIPS. LCAVBS ron PATH, j
Franklin, Havre, Xew-York, Xov. 24
Liverpool,- Boiton. Xov. 27
Arrtic, Llverpoo., Xew-York, 1
Africa. ..Liverpool, Xew-Y'ork, Bee.’ 4:
City of Manchester do. Pbitadel’a,’ Bee. 8 [
Washington,.... Bremen. New York. Dee. 3
Washington,.. .Soulhaaip’n. Xew-York, Dee. 8
SAVANNAH, GE O.w
M XDVY. NOVEMBER i*. 1-i.VJ
PARTICULAR NOTICE.
The Patrons of the Courier are respectfully
notified that the Business It/fier ia ©n the first
floor of Owens’ Building*, third door fronting
on Monument Square, where they are request
ed to leave all advertisements and other favors
intended fur the paper, and where they will
always find persons in attendance fur tho
transaction of the business of the concern.
BY MAGNETIC TELEGRAPH
run TBR SAVASXAU COI'SIER.
The Freshet—Tlie Rail Roads.
We are still without any intelligence from
Macon in regard to the extent of the damage
.done hy the freshet. The passenger train which
left yesterday morning, returned last night,
having proceeded, as far as the seventy-nine
mile station; finding there a continuous sheet
of water lur three quarters of a mile upon the
track, and deeming it imprudent to proceed br
iber.
The following despatch was received last
evening, dated.
LATER PROM THE FRESHET.
Griffix 93 Mile Statics, \
Nov. 27th, SP. M. j
The train which left Savannah at 8 o’clock,
i thi* morning has not yet rearhed (his point,
| and the Bark Camp Bridge etnhankment can
not he mnde safe until the water full.‘~ Tha~
extent of tlie wash is about 68 feet, but the
water is nearly six feet deep upon the track.—
I think it would not bo snfe to send a night
train to night. Th-re is no nows fiom above,
and of course we kno# nothing of the extent
of tlie damage done there. The through train
has gone as high as 9 1-2. The track there -
was still overflowed, hut the water was falling
I slowly.
STILL LATER’
Gtttrns, ‘Jfl Mile Station, )
Nov. 27th, 5.30 P. M. j
We have just learned that the abutment cf
the bridge at the 99th mile has been Washed
away, and that the water is flowing over the
track from that |K>int to station 10 1-2.
From these dispatches we apprehend the re
| ceipt of unplea*ant intelligence from above.—
i We nre happy, however, to learn that Mr. Mll.-
i.ex was nt the 79 mile .nation yesterday, with
pile driver*, utensils, hands nnd every thing
‘else, prepared to put the track’ in order, with
the least (mssible delay. An additional force
wilt leave in the car* this morning for the scene
j of the disaster.
I The communication by telegraph with Au
; gusta is still interrupted. The following dis
patch from the Charleston pnj>trs of yesterday
morning, contains the only intelligence from
that quarter.. It is only rale .tinted to create
’ the most painful apprehensions os (0 the prob
i able.result:
FRESHET AT AUG VST A.
AcacsTA, Nov. 26, 8.10 P. M. — Within the
past day or two we have hul heavy rains,
i wliirh have extended into tlie interior. Along
the line of the Georgia Railroad heavy rains
, have fallen, and it is apprehended that some
| portions of that road hate suffered damage,
j The water :s now running on Ray street, in
\ this city, on a line with tlie fence of the up|>er
- wharves. The river has risen sixteen or seven
teen feet, nnd is still rising, about two inches
per hour. It will, however, have to rise ten
’ feet-more before it can reach Rroad-street.- Os
about four thousand hales of Cotton that- were
upon the wharf, awaiting shipment, all have
hern saved in a wet stnte, except about two
hundred bales, which driftei off. A steamer,
however, has been sent after them, and it is
anticipated that n< art/ all of them will be
’ saved also.
The Ret. Mr. Breek's IH-ronrse.
We tnke great ple.ositre this morning in pla
cing before our readers the sermon of the Rev.
j Mr. UnrcK .of Macon, delivered in ltie~Tffd?*'-
i pendent Presbyterian Church on Thursday last.
It will he found a chaste, readable, instructive
discourse, full of both pious and,patriotic sen
timent. The speaker, is a young Kentuckian,
of excellent family, refined education,- and ex
eeding promise in his profession, who has re
cently become pastor of the Presbyterian
| Church in Macon, and who is destissed to be
come “a bright and shining light” to> the South
:cm Churches. The discourse which has evi
dently been written, rnrrci’te AtlairtV, contains
| so many evidence of native genius, and stud
ied culture, that it cannot fail to be interesting,
■ CTcn to mew of the world. Members of the
church of every denomination wil* find in it
, much te edify and enlighten—much to expand
tho intellect as well as to warm and quicken the
emotions of the heart.
Religious Nervier*.
The following arrangements for divine r
vice have been made for this day.
Fiwpat, 28lh inst, FirH Prwbyterlhn
Church. Morning, Rev. Dr. Hoyt; afternoon.
Rev. E. P. Rogers.
Independent Presbyterian Church. Morn
ing, llcv. Dr. Church ; afternoon Rev. Dr. Tal
madge; evening Missionary report, by Rev. E.
P. Rogers, anJ addresses, hy Rev. Mr. Lrnnrau,
i late of Palestine Mission, and the Rev. Mr.
1 Wilson, rcturnei Mi*t-ionary, late from Africa.
Fir*t Baptist Church. Morning, Rev. Mr-
Swift ; afternoon, Rev. W. 11. Thompson,
i Second Ilaptist Church. Morning, Rev. J. R.
; Bowman; erening Bev. Mr. Beman.-
Lutheran Church- Morning,- Iter. Johir
; Jones; afternoon, Rev. Mr. Ketchom.
I Methodist Church. Morning, preaching bf
i Rev. Wm M. Canningham; lAcmvou, preach
ing by Rev. J. S. Wilson, D. D; evening,
1 preaching by Rev. J. C. Patterson.
Arrival of tlie Mate of Georgia.
The Steam Ship State of Georgian. Capt.
Walton, arrived yesterday, from Philadelphia.
She experienced strong head-winds throughout
her entire passage. On tho 25th inst., south of
| Cn|>e Lookout, encountered a severe gale frenv
the South-East, and South-South-West, which
j lasted for eighteen hours. The same evening,
nt 6 1-2 P. M , thirty miles South of Hatteras,
exchanged signal* with Steam Ship James Ad
; ger, bound from Charleston for New York.
The K iink I Opera Troupe.
The lovers of fun are referred to tho attrac
tive programme, presented by the above popu
lar Trou|>e, We are assured that the enter
tainments offered during the present week, will
-be far superior to anything heretofore pre
sented.
| Araoug the premiums awarded by tip- South
, Carolina Institute, nn Wednesday evening, to
| the successful contributors to the recent Fair,
| was a Silver Medal to the “Howard Manufoc
’ tory,” Columbus, Ga., for one bale of 4-4
Brown Shirting, mention of which was ac
cidentally omitted to be made in the official
report, published in our last.
j The owners of Charleston steamer Florida,
; Captain Charles W illey, have libelled the Sa
vannah steam-r. HY /h im Gaston, Capt. Shaw,
for damages sustained from a collision which
occurred on the St. John's River, on the even,
j. ing of the 29th ult. The cause was to havo
| been tried at St. Augustine, Florida, on Mon
day last. —Charleston Courier.