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178 The Methodist Advocate. ATLANTA, GA., NOVEMBER 5, 1873 N. K. COBI.KIGII. D.D., 1.1..D., Editor. feraoo* (ieslrlng a change In the post-office address of their periodicals, or sending orders for particular numbers of Tub advocate, and for hooks, or forwarding lists of subscribers, will please address their letters to the A gouts—ll itch COCK A Walden**—not to the editor. frrXiX business letters should be addressed to the Agents. We will send The Methodist Advocate to all new subscribers who remit us $2 from the time their names are received to January 1, 1875. We hope and trust that all the preachers in the Southern conferences will work hard and make a vigorous canvass to get all the cash subscribers they can, and forward names as rapidly as possible. HITCHCOCK & WALDEN, Publishers. We are indebted to Rev. J. W. Lee, the secretary, for the report of proceedings of the Georgia Conference. The secretaries of the Alabama Conference failed in their promise to furnish a report of their proceedings in time for this issue of our paper. Are. the mails or the secretaries at fault? We repeat once more that we can not afford space in this paper to publish obituary notices of infants or young children. We are willing to announce name, age, and time of death, on our third pago; but no extended notice can bo given. Obituary notioes are reserved for adult members of our church or children which have given ovidenco of saving faith in Jesus. This is not because we lack sympathy for bereaved parents, but for want of space in our very small paper. When wo reject such notices of infants and small children, all will or nt. least ought to understand the cause. In our absence while attending the confer ences some tppographical errors escaped the attention of the proof-reader, and made some things appear to a disadvantage. One short article from an old friend read Georgia Con ference, when it should have been General Conference. We republish it this week with correction. Some of the departments of the paper wore neglected, as a matter of course, while we were absent, which we trust will be . better supplied hereafter. Wc shall do our best to fill the paper with live interesting or practical matter. Send on the subscribers. During the sessions of the Evangelical Al liance we wore absent attending the confer ences, and wero not able to cull from the re ports any thing of special iuterest for our readers. Wo learn that the delegates had a good time, made a few fine speeches, read some able papors, and did the cause of Prot estantism no harm, but, as wo fondly hope, much good. It will undoubtedly tend to Christian union, not in organic form, but in ihc epirit of unity and brotherly love. The different denominations having seen each other, and shaken a friendly hand together, will learn more than ever to lovo one another. As the proceedings are to be published in book form, wc may yet glean for our read ers some of the wise and good things said at tho meetings. That is the best we can do at this late hour. Hard times ahead. Tho financial crisis at the North is reaching with terrible effect tho classes which depend for u living upon their daily labor. Manufacturers and most other corporations are dismissing their laborers, and leaving them nothing to do. It is said that at least 20,000 girls, who hare been employed in fancy work in the city of New York, have been turned out of employment and are look ing starvation in tho face unless tho hand of charity shall be extended to them. Tens of thousands of laborers in other departments of industry, male and female, in that same city are in a similar condition. Tho same may be found in other Northern cities, though not on so extensive a scale as in New York. This, combined with tho ravages of tho pes tilence in the South, and tho extensive deso lations by firo in cities aud towns both North and South, make tho outlook for the coming winter any thing but gratifying. Much suf fering, perhaps many deaths, from hunger and cold seem inevitable. Open-handed charity and large-heartod bouevolcueo will have an ample field for oporation, and many an opportunity will be afforded to learn, by blest oxporienee, that “it is more blessed to give than to receive.” May God give to all the woalthy aud full-handed a heart to feed the hungry, clothe the naked, to shelter, warm and comfort tho poor. Jesus is ready to accept such charity as work done for Him, and He knows well how to reward tho faith ful and how to punish tho guiltv and neglect ful. The brethren will seo in this column the announcement by Hitchcock & Wal den, that The Methodist Advocate will be furnished to new subscribers from the time of their subscribing to the end of next year for one subscription, .$2.00, thus offering them the paper two months for nothing. Now is tho time to canvass for new subscribers; and now, if our agents, the preachers, will be active, they can roll up a largo subscription for tho beginning of the next year. All the conferences recently held in the South have voted unanimously in favor of the most earnest and determined effort to more than double thoir present list of subscribers. Holston sets its lowest mark at 2,000, Tonne3Beo 1,000, Georgia 1,000, and we hope Alabama will not fall behind Georgia. Our solo reliance is on the preachers. If they do thoir duty—act promptly, work energetically, and can vass thoroughly, the Advocate will re joico in a largoly increased circulation, and in a much widor field of usefulness. Do not put off till to-morrow what can be done to-day. Tho dangor is that the indolont will say,‘Time enough yot,” and neglect the canvass until the most golden opportunity has gone by. Let this bo the main, absorbing business of the preacher and the church until tho field has been thoroughly gone over, and a copy of the paper lias been put into : «vcry Methodist family, and every friendly family though not Mothodists. This is the most effectual way in tho ench to promote the interests of the church in 1 every line of growth and operation. Let j promptness, energy, fidelity, thorough ness, bo the motto and watchword of | •every preacher and every canvasser! ... ; | GREATLY DISAPPOINTED. Who are disappointed, and at what? I All those who were hoping and praying that when Bishop Haven came to hold the Southern Conferences our Church in the South would “ burst up” and go all to pieces. A certain church was expect ing great accessions from the disrupted fragments. They uttered predictions with great confidence and some even ven tured out to witness the fulfillment of their predictions. But to their sad dis appointment the exhibition prophecied of did not come off; the anticipated explo sion did not take place. The conferences have been held; the wprk has been sur veyed, carefully arranged and ably manned for another year, and the preach ers have gone with increased love and confidence to the work before them. Bishop Haven is not such a firebrand as our enemies have represented him. He is genial and approachable, ready to hear all sides and to decide all questions ac cording to his best judgment the circumstances. He has decided opinions, and thorough convictions on all the vital questions at issue in our work. He does not disguise ki3 sentiments, but on all suitable occasions frankly avows them. He does not attempt, however, to force his opinions upon any person who may differ from him. As he claims the right to hold and speak freely his own convic tions, so, as a Christian gentleman, lie accords the same right to others. This he has always done, this he will ever do. None need to fear his presence, nor dread his authority. Like the rest of his brethren, he seeks the good of the church, knowing as well as any other one that “united we stand, divided we fall.” Nover since our church was organized in the South have the ministers gone to their appointments with so much to en courage them a3 from the last sessions of their conferences. The work is better organized —society is less unfriendly to our church—every outlook into the fu ture is more encouraging—our people feel more assured than heretofore, more settled, and more determined. The feel ing of permanency is taking hold of them. The impression now is that we are here not only to stay, but to grow and prosper. The M. E. Church is in the South to preacli the Gospel and to seek in all Christian way3 to save sinners, build thorn up in holiness,.and to “present every man perfect in Christ Jesus.” It does not propose to descend from its high calling to dabble in politics or to intermeddle with social questions, but to keep right on in the strait, high path.of its Christian work of “spreading scrip tural holiness over these lands.” Most of our ministers are Southern born and Southern, raised men— career in our church must be their guaranty for tho future. They, as well as all others, will be guided in their future course by the Discipline, and seek to carry out the policy of the church as expressed by its General Conference, taking no new departures except in an increase of zeal and diligence, of devotion and love for the divine Master and his holy cause. TO UPROOT PREJUDICE. Prejudice originally meant n jwejvxdgment, formed before investigation of a subject, whether right or wrong. In present uso it has come to signify not only a hasty but a wroDg judgment—one that lias been formed without a careful examination of the facts concerned and the grounds of it, by virtue of some strong, unreasonable bins of the mind. Webster defines it thus: “An opinion or de cisiou of mind formed without due examina tion ; a bias or leaning toward.one side or the other of a question from other considerations than those belonging to it; an unreasonable predilection or prepossession for or against anything; especially an opinion or bearing adverse to any thing, formed without proper grounds or before suitable knowledge.” From tho effects which prejudice usually produces, Webster still further defines it: “ Mischief , hurt , damage, injury The word is of very frequent use, because tho thing it signifies is of very frequent occurrence. The uso, how ever, is invariably in a bad sense. No one intends n complimont to another when he says, “you are prejudiced,” or “that in you is the result of prejudice.” Prejudice, there fore, is something wrong, unnecessary, and should at once bo uprooted, nnd superseded in every mind by sound, righteous judgment. Tho people most likely to receive and en tertain prejudices are the high-spirited, pas sionate, mercurial, and hot-hoadod; the hasty, tho rash; those that arc superficial in their habits of thought find investigation, and thoso who on the spur of tho moment jump at onco to conclusions. To avoid prejudices, a porson must be cool, patient, careful, and thorough in his habit of investigation. Withal there must be in his soul a controlling love of truth for the sake, not of partizan inter ests, but of truth nnd right. A Christian should watch and pray against prejudice, nnd avoid it as he would nvoid sin; for it is either sinful in itself or it loads to sin. How watch ful tho upright judge is not to come under its bias; for when he yields to it, ho accepts a bribe which will inevitably soil both his ermine aud his soul. The truly honest man shuns it ns he would a venomous reptile; for it will bite like n serpent and sting like a scorpion. Prejudices, like all human propensities, in i crease and strengthen by excitement and ex ercise. They grow by what they feed on. | Constant exercise keeps them in full strength. Left to themselves, without exorcise, they languish; without excitement, they gradually die out. Tho latter, though sure, is a difficult and slow process. There is a much riuicker and more effectual way to destroy them. It is not to lop off the top aud the branohos, for they will grow out again; not to bend the trunk by force to tho ground, for wheu the i forco is removed the tree will spring back; | not to cut it down, for it will soon sprout up j again, for it has in it the elasticity and tho i life of a doaen hydra-headed monsters. Proj i udices must be uprooted—taken out of the I soul, root and branch, and cast asido as uso i loss and sinful rubbish. We know of but one 1 power in the universe that can uproot human prejudices, especially when they have grown to strength and maturity in tho soul. That power is love, supernaturally infused into tho heart. When the Gospol drives its redeem ing plowshare through the soul, the tall trees of prejudice fall ns by the lightning’s touch, ancl tho long brauchiug roots, with all their fibors unbroken, are suddenly yot gently torn up and drawn out of tho soil of tho heart. Quick and sure ns tho converting and renew ing grace of God is this divine process. No caso, whGn fairly submitted, is too hard or too, desperate for the Almighty. Let the Gospel come and empty the full measure of its power into the soul of a penitent believer, and the great work.ol uprooting prejudice is done, well done, thoroughly done, and perma nently accomplished. How much better this than any other way under heaven! How much better this than the insane tinkerings of modern philosophy; than the senseless methods of pretended philanthropists, or the heartlesss schemes of latter-day politicians. In this method the church should have abounding faith, and on this alone her min- I isters and her members should rely. Faith in God, and in the power of the Gospel to ac complish the grandest results for man and for society, should be her pillar of cloud by day and of fire by night to lead her battling hosts triumphant through all their militant work to the rest and glory of the millennium. The Gospel, which is the power of God unto salvation, if the people will accept it from our ministry, will summarily destroy all their prejudices and lead them to the practice of every Christian virtue. We shall honor God by having full faith in the power of the Gos pel to do this thing. The question now arises: How shall we reach the people with this saving power? How shall we induce them to hear the Gos pel from our lips? How shall we approach them with the Gospel message so that they will have confidence in us as messengers of God, and receive in love the saving word? These are certainly practical questions of the moat vital importance. Prejudice against the messenger is prejudice against the message that lie brings. The Gospel minister should bo cautious aud not uunecessarily excite any prejudice against him among the people whom he seeks to save. He need not, he must not surrender principle; vet every thing but prin ciple he can afford to wave, for the present, that he may win tho soul to Christ. Under the inspiration of the Holy Spirit, Paul was led precisely in this way. Ho says: “For though I be free from all men, yet have I made myself servant of all, that I might gain the more. And unto the Jews I became as a Jew, that I might gain the Jews; to them that are under the law, as under the law that I might gain them that are under the law; to them that are without law, as without law, (being not with out law to God, but under the law to Christ), that I might gain them that are without law. To the weak became I as weak that I might gain tho weak; I am made all things to all men that I might by all means save some. And this I do for the Gospel’s sale, that I might be partaker thereof with you.” I. Cor. ix: 19-23. The import of all this is that Paul, as far ns possible, sought to avoid exciting the preju dices of the people against, him that he might preach the Gospel to them under the most fa vorable conditions for hearing aud accepting it. Who will say that Paul in this line of operation was not precisely right? Paul was burning with zeal for only one object that he might win the people to Christ. He hod no hobbies of his own. Christ even without other things was worth to him or any one else more than all other things. He did not take on all the other questions of the day: did not spread himself out thinly over all the humanitarian issues of the times. He did not intermeddle with so cial or political questions, but converged his aims and his influence to one focal point, around which ho burned with zeal, melted with Jove, and blazed with intenscst Gospel light. He succeeded. Ho saved souls and founded churches. Our church, our ministers, and our mem bers in the South and cvery-wliere else will do well if they attain to Paul’s wisdom and follow him as he followed Christ. Following him in labor and in spirit, they will be like him in success. The Gospel in Paul’s ministry uprooted the prejudices of the carnal Jews, the cultured Greek, the unlettered plebian, nnd tho educated patricians—prejudices in terwoven with idolatry and lust as strong, un reasonable and inveterate as any that disgrace or curse our land to-day That same Gospel has lost nono of its power to accomplish among us a similar work, if it bo preached •with the same faith, tho sarno love, the same zeal, nnd the same oneness of purpose and of labor. DR. WHEDON ON THE SITUATION. Wc copy tho following from the Methodist Quarterly for October, even at the risk of “hurting somebody’s feelings.” We do not intend to “hurt” any one by it, and we hope it will not have that effect, yet we want our people as well as other people to see and know what Dr. Whedon now thinks, who at the close of the war was the warmest man toward the Church South wo had in the North, and the most active and zealous to bring about a reunion of the two churches: We record with great pleasure the fact that tho present number of the Southern Review contains not a single political article. We do not sanguincly infer from this that it has renounced its double character as a politieo ccclesisastical periodical “under the auspices of the M. E. Church South.” Far less do we infer any renunciation by the Church South of her politico-ecclesiastical position. Dr. Bledsoe, as we have formerly stated, was Secretary of War under Jefferson Davis; and the full unison of the extracts we have given in our Quarterly from his Review , with the celebrated speech of Davis lately delivered at the Sulphur Springs, fully evince that trea son in the South is assuming permanent form and biding its time. We suppose there is a measure of truth in the extreme statement of the ex-President, that he never yet saw a reconstructed woman. And thus the true hiding-place of Southern treason is under the feminine pettieoat and the clerical gown. And it is a truly painful thought that its most unequivocal hiding-place is “under the aus pices of the M. E. Church South.” Her bishops, her press, her ministry, are the propaganda of ultra-Oalhounism. For this, among many now existing reasons, we pro foundly regret any offer of fraternal recogni tion, on the part of the Methodist Episcopal Church, to the Church South. And know ing, as we do, that a political bias underlies all the repugnance of the Church South to reunion, wo havo a strong presentiment that no real fraternization will, for the present generation, take place. If wo rightly construe the antecedents of the General Conference of the Church South, it is pledged to reject all fraternity with us on any other basis than what they call “The Plan of Separation.” This mythical “plan” requires our church to withdraw entirely from the Southern States, and leave tho entire area to said Church South. This was declared by their delegate, Dr. Pierce, in 1848, to be their only basis; his declaration was reaffirmed by their bishops in their response to our bishops at St. Louis; and their last General Confer ence reaffirmed both declarations in response to Janc3 and Harris. This condition has been elaborately maintained by some writers in the Southern papers. Wo doubt not, how ever, that the proposal by tho Southern Gen eral Conference of any conditions whatever will settle tho matter promptly in tho nega tive. Our delegates will doubtless forthwith withdraw, and our church would then wait, with perfect tranquillity, for Southcrndom to make tho next proposition. The wholo aspect of the case suggests that wo press our own mis sionary operations over the whole South, care fully regardful of others’ rights, yet boldly maintaining ouv own principles," respectfully independent as to what tho Churches South arc pleased to think, or say, or do. MORE LIGHT. An oldcrly and intelligent gentleman of our acquaintance sends us tho following note, which refers to facts with which ho was per fectly familiar at the time and soon after their METHODIST ADVOCATE; NOVEMBER o, 1873. occurrence. This will enlighten inquiring friends as to how John C. Calhpun began the work of “dividing” the Methodist Episcopal Church. Our friend knows more about the subject than he has communicated below, as we have learned from private conversation: Bishop Andrew, on hi3 way to the General Conference olfcdß44, passed through Washington without stopping there, and Mr. Lalhoun hearing from other Southern dele gates, that he had avowed his intention to resign rather than be the cause of trouble in the church, sent a mesenger to bring him back to >\ ashington and there so interviewed him as to induce him to change his mind and let things take their course. The result of this interview, it appears (from au item of history given in The Methodist Advocate some weeks since), was announced bv Mr. Calhoun himself.” Bishop Haven left Atlanta last Thursday night tor New York, to attend the semi annual meeting of the Bishops, the annual meetings of the Missionary and Church Ex tension Societies. He has been very busy since he came South—in the conference, in the cabinet, lecturing, making addresses at tlie anniversaries, and preaching at confer ences, camp-meetings, and other places. At each of the four conferences recently held in the South he has preached a very able, inter esting, and eloquent sermon on Sabbath morn ing, thoroughly orthodox in length, from an hour and thirty to an hour and forty minutes each, and yet the people did not grow weary under his preaching. No member of the Episcopal Board can labor more earnestly, more cheerfully, or more abundantly. He ex pects to return to his “episcopal residence” toward the last of December. Methodist Quarterly Review for October. The first article in this number is the third installment of a treatise on Theodore Parker, by Prof. Geofgo Prentice. Mr. Parker’s claims as a social reformer arc here exam ined. Thirty pages aro devoted to this sub ject, the whole of which will ho found reada ble and interesting. Article second is on the “Sonship of Christ,” by Minor Raymond, D.D., Professor in Garrett Biblical Institute. Dr. Raymond is, by nature, a strong man, and here be man ifests his strength on a theme congenial to his mind. lie is a man who does his own thinking, and adopts no man’s opinion with out approval, after careful examination. It is refreshing to read after such an author. The article will furnish excellent food for our young ministers, and for many of those who are not young. Like most good produc tions, the article is short, extending over only thirteen pages. Article third treats of Carl Immanuel Nitzsch, an eminent German scholar and the ologian. We aro glad to get so able and in teresting a sketch of the life, character, aud labors of so great and good a man as is here given in twenty pages by Prof. LaCroix, of the Ohio Wegleyan University. In the fourth article, Rev. A. 11. Ames, of Baltimore, Md., treats of the Nature of a Christian Sacrament. “Chamberlayne on Saving Faith,” is re vived in the next article by Rev. Daniel D. D. Buck, D.D., of Rushville, N.Y. Rev. Gersbam F. Cox, A.M., of Salem, Mass., gives, in the next paper, an argument in favor of “ The Resurrection.” An Inquiry iuto the Nature of Matter, by Rev. J. W. Armstrong, D.D., closes the list of solid articles in this number. This article is a good one, and should be carefully read and inwardly digested. This brings us'to the Synopsis of the Quar terlies and Higher Periodicals. The editor extracts largely from an article in the Chris tian Quarterly (Campbcllite) on “Our Repre sentative Religions,” which are, in the esti mation of tho author, four: Methodists, Episcopalians, Presbyterians, and Unitarians. Tho article is racy and readable. All Meth odists aro classed together, of which some good things are said, and some not so good— some true, and some not so true. The author says some things for the eye and ear of our warm brethren of the South side view. Read: “ Tho Methodist Church, far more than any other, suffered by losses and splits during the war; for a Methodist always thinks far more of his country than of his church. In the South this same characteristic shoiced itself, where the Methodists espoused the came of their section , and were the first , most unani mous and most rabid in the rebellion! The Methodists fought over slavery long before any other church thought of it, and had split tho church in two twenty years before the politicians tried to spit the nation on the same issue.” That is the way outsiders are bound to put this thing into history in spite of all the efforts of partizans to prevent it. The departments of Foreign Religious and Literary Intelligence in this number are in teresting and valuable. The Book Table is, as usual, marked by rich, racy, discriminative and pointed criti cism. Tho next number will begin anew volume. Subscribe for it now. WHAT OF IT ALL? The Springfield Republican says of the Evangelical Alliance: “And now the question comes —Cut bono? what does it amount to? In the first place, the question can only be answered in part, because the tidal waves of influence that this conference started have only begun to roll. They surged against some of the New York pulpits, last Sunday, and some of the Dame rartingtons got out their brooms. One of the excellent things about it is, that it has not attempted to settle any thing by votes and resolutions. Its authority is simply that of the influence that rightly belongs to it through the light it has disseminated and the convic tions it has established. “Another good result is, that it has taught good lessons as to the best methods of polem ical discussion; one of them, respect toward the opponents of evangelical Christianity, whether on the Romanist or Rationalistic side. Some of tho ablest minds from European countrios came prepared with tho best results of their profoundest investigations. They showed to us their sort of armor, and their most skillful weapons, and how, in long aud hard encounters, they are won, to use them, and that it is altogether in vain to think of putting down great superstitions or mighty unbeliefs with superficial assertions, or old, worn-out stock arguments. “Our preachers, too, havo had abundant homilctical lessons. In the earnestness, sim plicity and scripturalness of those foreign preachers and the way to preach expositorily and eloquently and yet effectively, they havo been taught some things worth knowing. We know, also, very much hotter, exactly what Christianity has to contend with throughout the world at the present moment —tho actual tactics of its opposing forces, and that the most powerful of them is Unbelief in its various forms rather than Romanism. “Wo have still further learned through this uprising of popular interest, constantly increasing to the cpd of these meetings, that the people aro not so indifferent as wc might havo imagined to the vital themes of Chris tianity, and that there is a remarkable eager ncss or the publio mind attending such dis cussions when carried on with real thorough ness and ability. , “One of the best of tho indirect results has been and will bo the great amount of good that has been generated in the meeting to gether of so many thoughtful and influential men from sueh divers parts of the world. Permanent and valuable friendships) have bees formed, that will tell on a great variety of human interests. While'we Americans have been benefited in return for noble hos pitalities bv all this general intercourse of thought and kindness, reflex influences will go abroad to France, Germany, Italy, England and other nations represented. "But best of all were the humanitarian as pects of the meetings, the deep and earnest philanthropic impulses that pervaded them in the elaborated discussions of social evils and reformatory measures, missions, home and foreign, the labor question, and all the methods by which Christianity seeks to en lighten and uplift mankind.’' Notes and Brevities. llev. A. T. Scott announces the reissue of ‘The Methodist Magazine, a Herald of Holi ness.” No. 1 is in press and will be out by the 3d of November. Price 10 cents, sent post paid. It is now established on a financial basis which guarantees its continu ance. A capital but irreverent hit, was at the Free- Religionist Convention, when an interested delegate rose while Mr. James Parton was reading a paper, and desired the President to request the speakers to specify what god they referred to when that name was used. He said that in attending the meetings he had heard so many gods referred to that lie was at a loss at times to know to which one the speakers referred. The enterprise of the New York Tribune , in reporting the Evangelical Alliance, sur passes all previous feats in journalism and is worthy of all praise. Its reports, given in one week, amount to two hundred columns, equal to one thousand pages of an octavo volume. The reports were taken iu all the civilized languages, translated and spread be fore the public iu from five to fifteen hours after delivery by the speakers. This immense mass of religious literature is sold at twenty five cents per copy! The Christian Union says: “Our Methodist brethren show themselves in the advance as usual in proposing to make a practical illustration of the spirit devel oped by the Christian Alliance. Its first fruits are to be their3 to enjoy. Rev. John Parker and the congregation of the Seventh Street Church, in New lork, have arranged for a series of sermons to be preached in that church by representative pastors, to be fol lowed immediately by a protracted meeting. Among the preachers announced are Drs. Eddy, Tyng, John Hall, Hepworth, Cuyler, and Armitage, who will succeed each other during the evenings of the week commencing on the 26th instant.” Statistics of the Indiana Conference: Pro bationers, 3,085; members, 28,082; total mem bers and probationers, 31,167; local preachers, 219; children baptized, 634; adults baptized, 1,386; number churches, 348, increase, 94; value of same, $789,900; parsonages, 73, value, $79,400, increase,s3,9so; Sunday-5ch0015,339, increase, 34; officers and teachers, 3,301; scholars, 24,173; for Conference claimants, $1,392.29, increase, $152.64; for missions, raised in churches and Sunday-schools, SB,- 027.16, increase, $372.68; for Woman’s For eign Missionary Society, $417.80; for Board of Church Extension, $813.03; for Tract So ciety, $202.15, increase, $75.25; for Sunday school Union, $252.26, increase, $85.06; Freed men’s Aid Society, $278.05; Education, SIOB.IO. , The following are the statistics of the Southern Illinois Conference: Probationers, 2,439, a decrease of 457; full members, 22,238, a decrease of 792; local preachers, 334: churches, 3104; parsonages, 82; Sunday schools, 343; officers and teachers, 3,098; scholars of all ages, 23,119. Amouuts con tributed for Conference- claimants, $1,627!77; missions, $6,207.38; Woman’s Foreign Mis sionary Society, $600; Church Extension So ciety, $474.22; Tract Society, $209.35; Sun day-school Union, $236.01; Freedmen’s Aid Society, $309.50; Ministerial Educational Fond, $211.78; lor support of bishops, $351.- 96; building and improving churches and parsonages, $54,008.15; sustaining Sunday schools within bounds of Conference. $6 621 - 36. ’ ‘ Bishop Haven, in a letter to the Pittsburg Advocate , says of the site of the Knoxville University: “A ride of four milc3 takes us past the beautiful grounds of our projected Univer sity, the most beautiful location I ever saw for such an institution. A softly-sloping hill is the site, at least a quarter of a mile long and five hundred feet wide before the crest is reached, from which the land slopes slightly off in the opposite direction. The rear is well wooded; the front is clear. This latter aspect opens on an exquisite panorama—the city of Knoxville lies in sight— not a mile distant, and being rapidly built out to the grounds. The National Cemetery, with its nag perpetually flying, rolls between, a low hill crowded with lower hillocks, “ the happy barrows of the blessed dead.” The city lies on quijte lofty bluffs, and is jvell set off with churches, stores and dwellings. Beyond, the mountains of North Carolina rise against the sky, ridge behind ridge, for forty miles, lift ing their last sierra, the Smoky Mountains, more than sixty miles away. Let this insti tution have the money, and it will soon rise to eminence, and the pre-eminence in this southland. It will be open to all comers, and should be speedily planted in buildings, as it is already superbly endowed with land. Let it get its projected hundred acres, of which only thirty are now secured, and it will be without a rival for beauty and loca tion South or North. Middletown is the only one I have seen that approaches it, and she has only a front and depth of a few rods compared with this magnificent sweep. She also has a river nearer in view, a superior charm, but her mountains are hills, and her horizon narrow to the height, breadth and sweep of this visual rim. 1 hope the ardent friends of the Knoxville, comprising some of the first men of the city, will soon see her first towers rising on this superb spot. Help her, ye rich brethren, help her now! You can not do better than to give this university a building or an endowment. Money it needs, and that alone, to make it as beautiful in its structures as it is in its site.” Os the National Camp-meeting, he says: “ The ‘tabernacle’ is in a clearing beyond the woods, and this is well filled. The S readier, a quaint native, brother Hayden, is iscoursing on ‘Blessed are the pure in heart.’ He is very easy and fresh and piquant. He even puts liis familiarity to unwonted tests, such as saying, ‘You, Jin), want this blcssiug too,’ and ‘Sam, there, you need it.’ He was racy, modest, and full of unction, and at times soaringly powerful. The Spirit was present to approve. “Some criticism has been mado on the mode of conducting meetings, adopted by these brethren. Their soft singing on their knees, silent praying, lifting up of bauds, and other novelties, liavo been censured. Certainly never was there greater occasion for censuring the censor. The same feeling would have condemned the mourners’ bench when it was introduced, and the invitation, aud the camn mceting itself. These novelties are valuable beoausc they arc novelties. There is no more objection to new varieties in the modes of worship than to holding on to those that are old, or than new fashions in dwellings and dresses. We don’t live as our fathers, in houses or clothes, We could ns properly modify our forms of worship a150.2 Wo copy the following from the Christian Observer “While Hr. Robinson was dangerously sick last winter, the Chicago Evening Post asserted that he ‘advocated from the pulpit the ship- Sing of yellow fever infected clothing to forthern cities.’ As soon ns he was able to attend to any business, Dr. liobinson ordered suit agajnst the Everting Post, laying the damages at *IOO,OOO. Onr readers will be glad to hear that he has gained the suit. It went to trial without a jury, and the court assessed the damages at $20,000, with costs; and Dr. Robinson immediately, through his attorneys, reinitted all of the amount, except six hundred and fifty-four dollars for attor neys’ fees and costs of conducting the suit. “The Interior remarks on this announce ment: ‘Dr. Robinson deserves the thanks not only of ministers, but of all who value their good name, for having tested the question in the courts of law, in regard to the extent to which newspapers are responsible for the libellous paragraphs which uppear in their columns.’ ’ Literature and Art. Thurlow Weed has the first volume of his autobiography in press. The second is prom ised shortly. Professor Tyndall has been elected Presi dent of the British Association for the Ad vancement of Science. Report says the Harpers are to publish, in book form, all the proceedings of the recent meetings of the Evangelical Alliance, includ ing speeches made and papers read. George Carey Eggleston, brother of Edward, editor of Hearth and Home, is writing a se rial story for that paper, tinder the title of “A Man of Honor.” It is intended to rep resent life in Eastern Virginia before the war. The last Harper's Weekly has an illustrated article on Philip Embury, with portraits of Embury, his wife and Barbara Heck, and views of the old John-street Church, New York, and the new Embury monument, at Cambridge, N. Y. Church South Items. F. W. D. Mays was transferred from llol ston to Columbia Conference. The next session of the Ilolston Annual Conference, M. E. Church South, will meet in Asheville, N. C. The Holston Methodist informs us that J. N. S. Iluffaker and John Alley were received into the Ilolston Conference at its late ses sion from the M. E. Church. Report says that SBOO has been raised in Baltimore for the relief of the family of Dr. Wm. E. Munsey, and sent to Mrs. Munsey, at Jonesboro, Tenu. Also, that Dr. Munsey has abandoned tho use of spirits, even as a medicine. Delegates from the St. Louis Conference to the General Conference: Clerical —A. T. Scruggs, W. M. Leftwich. Reserves—D. R. McAnallv, J. H. Linn. Lay—T. Polk, J. C. Moore. Reserves—N. Handy. I). N. Bur goyne. The following are the delegates elect to the General Conference from the Holston Con ference: Clerical—ll. N. Price, C. Long, E. E. Wiley, J. M. McTeer, W. G. E. Cunning ham, J. S. Kennedy. Alternates—James Atkins, sr., F. Richardson. Lay-Delegates —H. S. Bowen, j. AY. Gaut, W. AY. Striniield, Pres. It. W. Jones, John W. Paulett, F. W. Earnest. Alternates —J. P. Kelly, A. AY. Boy). Holston Conference Statistics : White members, 35,205—increase, 1,212 ; colored members, 171—increase, 3. Indians, 129—in crease, 9. Local preachers, 291 —increase, 16. Infants baptized, I,2oß—last year, 978; adults, 1,940 —last year, 2,011. Sunday-schools, 418- last year, 399; teachers, 2,617 —last year, 2,- 508; scholars, 18,123 —last year, 19,210. Nec cessary for claimants, sl,6oo—last year, sl,- 500; collected, $1,188.74 —last year, $969.31. For missions, $3,401.89—1a5t year, $2,145.45. Educational. Mercer University, at. Macon, Ga., lias in attendance 117 students. Nine Chinese students are in the Freshman Class of the Michigan University. The students of Brown University have determined to put an end to hazing. An anti-secret-society journal has appeared at Yale College, edited by some of the stu dents. One hundred and sixty young ladies are registered already in the Cincinnati Wesleyan College. The Wisconsin State University, J. 11. Twombly, D.D., President, opens' the year with an increase of 70 students. Dr. William Adams has been unanimously elected President of tho Union Theological Seminary in New York, and Professor of Sacred Rhetoric. Mr. J ames Brown gives $300,000 to com plete the endowment of the professorship called by his name in the Union Theological Seminary, N. Y. Rev. Prof. George N. Boardman, D.D., of Chicago, has accepted the office of President of Middlebury College, and has already en tered upon its.duties. Mrs. James B. Colgate, daughter of.the late Gov. Colby, has given the New London Seminary, in which he was so deeply inter ested, the handsome sum of $25,000. The Boards of Education in the cities of Jacksonville and Springfield, 111., have voted to admit colored pupils to their public schools, which shows that the world moves. The llcv. Caspar R. Gregory, D.D., of the First Presbyterian Church of Bridgeton, N. Y., has been elected Professor of Sacred Rhetoric in Lincoln University. A lady who lost her son by death has given to the Young Men’s Christian Association of Brooklyn SI,OOO as a memorial, to be invested in the library of the institution. Rev. C. R. Pomeroy, A.M., pastor at lowa City, has been elected President of the Kan sas State Normal School, at Emporia, and will enter upon his duties January 1, I$T4. Dr. Loomis, late of Allegheny College, is to take charge of a Collegiate Institution for ladies, at Clifton Springs, N. Y., in which Dr. 11. Foster, of the Sanitarium, and others, are interested. The North-western University rejoices in 120 applications to enter its Freshman Class this year, which is one hundred per cent, more than in any previous year. This is certainly complimentary to President Fowler. The Chicago Advance says it is informed by the secretary of the Western Education Society that not less than twenty-seven of the members of the Chicago Theological Semi nary must receive aid this year, or suspend. The editor urges the churches to furnish the necessary aid. The Central says: “Rev. E. J, Harnil, we are informed, has resigned the agency of Johnsou College, and intends to remove to Lebanon, 111. The Executive Committee of McKendree College have tendered him the financial agency of that institution, and it is probable he will accept.” Prof. Taylor Lewis, of Union College, is to deliver a course of lectures the coming win ter before tfic students of Rutgers College and the Theological Seminary at New Bruns wick, N. J., on the subject of “Modern Infi delity.” He occupied a thoroughly orthodox position, and is entirely competent to examine the subject taken in hand. The McKendree Repository says: “The fac ulty havo established regular Sunday after noon lectures, preceded by dcvotion.il exer cises. A college choir has been organized to lead the singing. The Scripture reading is responsive. Dr. Allyn has delivered two lectures, and Profs. Jones, Edwards, and Deneeu, one each. The students arc de lighted with this new feature.” Mr. Philbrick, the Boston Superintendent of Schools, bears testimony to the excellence of the educational institutions of Vienna. Sonic. of the higher schools for extent and magnificence were not surpassed, nor for thoroughness. One school that he saw ex tended entirely around the square, and even its main hall was as large and superbly fin ished as one of our churches. The great su periority that he found was the mode of teach ing by practical illustrations, and by the teacher working with his class, the text-books being subordinate and recitations being at a disoount. The thoroughness of special prep aration on the part of teachers, and the ex tent of the apparatus provided and actually used, wa3 one reason of the superiority of Vienna schools, this system running down even into the lowest gehools. Personal Items. Drr Henry Slicer’s health is reported very poor. Brigham Young is again reported in bad health. Sir Henry Holland,an author and physician, died in London, October 29th. John Bright was on the 18th ult. re-elected to Parliament without opposition. Pere Hyacinthe on the 19th of October was made a real lather by the birth of a son. The late Dr. Nekton, the eminent French physician, left a fortune valued at $1,400,000. Ilev. Robert S.Candish,D.D., of Edinburgh, Scotland, an eminent divine, died October IU. aged 81 years. Commodore William Jameson, of the Uni ted States Navy, died October 7th, at Alex andria, D.C., at the age of 82. Rev. D. 11. Cummins, of the Presbyterian Church in West Tennessee,died in Covington, Tenn., October 17, aged 60 years. Rev. W. J. Parks, of the M. E. Church South, died at his home, in Oxford, Ga., Oct. 14th, of congestion of the lungs. Robert Saxburg, a noted hunter in northern New York, died recently, aged 110 years. Hunting must be a healthy employment. The editor of Godey's Lady's Booh , Mrs. Sarah J. Hale, is eighty-five years old, and is said to bo still vigorous in body and mind. Mrs. Harriet Beecher Stowe gave readings from her own works, to a large and appre ciative audience, Indianapolis, October 11th. The grand jury of Brooklyn has indicted Whitelaw Reid, of the New York Tribune , and Charles N. Dana, of the New York Sun, for libel. General Thomas Cadwalader, for many years Adjutant-General of New Jersey, died at Trenton recently, aged seventy-seven years. Rev. J. It. Spaulding, now rector of Erie, Penn., has been elected Bishop of Colorado and Wyoming, in place of Bishop Randall, deceased. ltev. O. S. Munsell, D.D., ex-President of the Illinois Wesleyan University, it is said, is about to engage in the banking business at Shelbyville, 111. Rev. R. L. Roberts, eldest son of Bishop Roberts, and in the third year of his itiner ancy in the Liberia Conference, died lately, after only a few days’ illness. Prince Bismark, on the 20th ult., at Berlin, resumed the Presidency of the Prussian Min istry. The restoration carries with it the ef fective control of the whole cabinet. Dr. Curry says: “Peter Akers, a veteran of eighty-threo, is still able to go in and out among his brethren, and is, both in mind and body, a remarkably well-preserved old man.” Prof. Donati, the director of the Astronom ical Observatory in Florence, died, Sept. 10, in A r ienna, where ho had just arrived to at tend to duties connected with the exhibition. Edward Stokes, the murderer of James Fisk, jr., has been found guilty of murder in the third degree, and sentenced to four years’ hard labor in the penitentiary. Ilev. M. L. Ashbaugh, a young and promis ing member of the Erie Conference, died Oc tober Bth, which is the third death among the Erie Conference peachers since its session in September. The telegraph on Friday morning last re ported the expulsion of Theodore Tilton from the Plymouth Church, for not putting iu an appearance before the committee ot trial when cited to do so. The Western says: “AY. C. DePauw, Esq., of New Albany, lud., has given $9,000 for Church Extension during the past conference year, besides many donations directly to indi vidual churches.” James K. Medberry, literary editor of the Christian Union , and connected at one time with the New York Evening Post, died re cently 7 of consumption, in London, whither he had gone in quest of health. Rev. Green Clay Smith, ex-Governor oi Montana, ex-General of federal forces, ex member of Congress, and now Baptist minis ter, has accepted the chair of Political Econ omy in the high-school at Ky. Mrs. Jennie F. AVilling, A.M., lias accepted the Professorship of English Language and Literature in the Illinois AVcsleyan l niver sity, located at Bloomington, 111., and will enter upon her new duties there next January. The Christian Intelligencer states that Mr. Oliver Johnson, managing editor of the Christian Union, made a little speech in ad vocacy of the right and the charm of “free thinking” before the Free Religionists Con vention. An exchange says: “George W. Childs, of the Philadelphia Ledger , has been allowed by the Dean of Westminster to contribute the cost of a memorial window to be placed in the chapel of Westminster Abbey, as a mon ument to George Herbert aud Wm. Cowper.” Rev. Dr. Rigg, Wesleyan minister from England, on the 24th ult., addressed the stu dents of Drew Theological Seminary on “the best method of theological study,” and in the evening had a cordial reception at Dr. Hurt’s with all the professors and their fami lies. Her Majesty, Caroline Auguste, late Em press Dowager of Austria, made a great many charitable bequests in her will, and testified her loyalty to the Catholic faith by setting apart five thousand florins to defray the ex pense of having five thousand holy masses read for her. The Duke of Saxony, eldest son of the late King John, assumed, at Dresden, October 29th, the succession to the throne. His Ma jesty has issued a proclamation, in which he promises to uphold the constitution and an nounces that the present ministry will remain in office. Dr. Thayer, who recently resigned his more than thirty years’ pastorate of the United Church at Newport, on account of ill health, has been presented with sltj,ooo by several of his parishioners, with further thought for his comfort by voting him an annuity of SI,OOO. That is a good way to treat aged and retiring ministers. A student of the Cornell University, named Leggett, while being professedly initiated into a so-called secret society, was recently killed, by falling from a high cliff, while blindfolded, as a preparation for the bogus initiation. Is it not time for the authorities to put an end to such terrible fooling by severe and sum mary treatment of the guilty parties? M. Guizot, an eminent French author and statesman, lias passed his 80th year. These are his habits: lie rises at sijj. in the morning and works at his “History for my Little Chil dren” until breakfast. Then he takes a walk in his garden, attended by his children and grandchildren; and in the afternoon he writes again,passing the eveningin social enjoyments. Dr. Strauss, author of the “Life of Jesus,” writes to the editor of tho Gcffeicart , of Ber lin: “Since last spring I have suffered from a disease for which 1 have sought cure at. Carlsbad in vain—a disease which physicians have declared incurable, aud which has com pelled me this long time to cease my literary labors without the hope of ever being able tq resume them.” Rev. L. A. Rudisill, pastor of St. John's Church, (Methodist Episcopal), in Memphis, has gone North for the purpose of securing some pecuniary aid for his church, which has suffered so much this season from cholera and yellow fever. The cause is eminently worthy, and we hope he will easily secure what is needed. The North-western says: “Rev. Dr. S. Fal lows, the new President of Illinois Wesleyan University, has transferred from his old field in Wisconsin Conference to Illinois Confer ence. Asa parting personal testimonial, and as an acknowledgment of his long services as Secretary in Wisconsin, his friends have pre sented him a set of silver plate.” That is a good way to treat a good fellow. The Christian Advocate says: “Rev. Geo. W. Evans, the late competent Assistant Se cretary of the Nsitipnal Local Preachers’ As sociation, and just elected Corresponding Se cretary, designs to take steps to reach the f>roper officer of every district and conference ocal preachers’ association in the M. E. Churoh, in order to secure statistical informa tion respecting each organization, to enable him to prepare a complete statistical report for the aext sessioa of the convention at Balti-