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THREE DOLLARS PER ANNUM.
Vol. XXXII.—No 50.
Contributions.
Letters to G.-No. VI.
iJear Brother: Your appeal to me, through
the Advocate of Nov. 12th, came to hand
after I had written two letters, based upon
private suggestions. I wish I deserved the
things so kindly said of me in that note of
yours. I cannot, though conscious of my
inability to do it properly, refuse your re
quest to give you a letter addressed “to
those traveling preachers who are not doing
their duty.
In my former letters I have dealt with
small matters, about which there can be no
difference of opinion. So plain, as I saw
them, we-e ►he facts of duty that a child
could Jerstand them. Now, to those
brethren y< mention, my first word is “do
your duty.” The Bishop meant what lie
said, when he said: “You ought not to
be supported if you do not do it.” He might
have said, “you will not be supported, if you
do not do it.” Generally, the people are
willing to pay for services received. Some
times they are not able.
But when I say “do your duty,” you must
remember that I do not stet up a standard of
duty for you. Generally the rule is, “study
to show thyself a workman that needeth
not to be ashamed, rightly dividing the word
of truth.” “Feed the flock.” Os course,
you are to preach and visit, and attend to
many other incidental duties of the pastor
ate. I cannot tell you how often you are to
preach, how long your sermon should be,
how much or how little rhetoric or logic to
use. Now, some will assume to decide these
points for you. One good brother thinks an
hour too long. He decides that you would
do better, i. e. it is your duty to preach forty
minutes. Another flunks you are direlect
to duty, if you don’t preach with all your
might, an hour and a half. “Rhetoric or
logic are out of place inasermou,” says one.
Another prefers something of each. You
must be the judge as to quantity, quality,
etc. No Bishop can decide the minutia of
your preaching.
Nor do I pretend to say how often, or how
long you should make your visits to your
people. One brother on a station, sees
everybody once in six weeks at their own
home; another sees some, once a year, or
once a quarter, and some once a week. One
brother “holds class,” every time he visits
his people, and anothe rdoes not think it
necessary. On a circuit, as I have already
said in a previous letter, so much visiting is
simply impossible. How often, or how long
your visits should be, the book does not say,
and no man eon say. You will find some
who assume to settle this matter definitely.
I do not.
I sometimes think that “judge not,” was
uttered by Christ, with all the varieties of
talents and duties before his eye, and in
reference to the impossibility of determining
the mode and measure of duty. I know no
standard but God’s word, interpreted accord
ing to—not Wesley, or Clarke or Baxter —
but your own judgment. Your greatest sin
is, perhaps, when you yield your own con
victions to the caprice of others, and losing
sight of your own individuality, give your
self to their direction. Here is the unques
tionable duty of the ministry, preach, visit.
Wlieu and how, judge ye.
Brother Blank lives among his people.
He drops in to-day, “calls” about dinner
time, or “happens” to come before breakfast.
He often gets home at ten and eleven o’clock
at night—family all abed but wife, she is
waiting for the “servant of the people” to
come home, Everybody loves him —he is
so good, so familiar, so like one of the family
That is what brother Blank’s successor heard
about him from a part of his flock. I re
member some of these “familiar” men, and
must say 1 would prefer they were more
family than familiar. Where is the good
wife who does not prefer knowing when her
guests are coming ? But to return to brother
Blank again. While some said everybody
loved him, others said, “he did not visit us
often; we would not have cared, however,
so much, but he preached so poorly that lie
emptied the church of hearers, except those
whose piety made them prize him for his
goodness. Now, who of these arc the propt r
judges of brother Blank’s duty? I say again:
Os the measure of duty judge ye.
Brother G. you will excuse me for being
no more definite in my advice to my careless
brethren, since 1 entertain such views of
duty as prevent my being more so. If you
will show me a “better way,” I will gladly
“walk therein,” and teach others so to do.
If the preacher have r«.ally no capacity for
visiting, he ought to cultivate it, so as to fill
up the wanting half-measure of a traveling
preacher. Only be sure, that your measure,
and his work both be guaged by the “sanc
tuary” measure. Be very careful, too; for
while you are adjusting the scales for the
time being, you are standing in God’s place!
Those men who want waiting upon, cer
tainly need rebuke. You know, dear G.
ire grew up under the old rule of “allow no
one to do for you, what you can do for your
self.” It does seem strange to me, that any
man should wish to trouble others with his
wants. May be, we are too sensitive on this
point. You know we all have our hobbies,
and if ours is not somebody else's, that some
body else is disparaged in our eyes. Those
brethren are, perhaps from force of educa
tion and habit, waiting to be waited on, un
consciously. Through you, I say to them,
wait on yourself. Unharness your own
horse, harness him again; water, feed him—
if it be necessary. A man with half an eye
to surroundings, can tell when he ought to
take these liberties, and when to allow him
self to be waited on. A Methodist preacher
has no right to be boorish, or to take liberties
with his people’s home or property. If he
does “just as if he were at home,” sensible
people will soon wish him there. On the
other hand, if he plays the Lord, and de
mands attention, and makes himself felt,
then his presence is equally disagreeable.
Let common sense direct you. Remember
the old proverb, “in medio tritisimus ibis."
Let your moderation be known unto all
men.
My dear brother, excuse the plainness of
my speech, and the simplicity of my
thoughts, and labor with me to promote the
common weal of our beloved Zion. Let our
motto be “charity, that hidetli a multitude
of faults.” Fraternally, Presbyter.
The Garden Spot for Emigrants.
Though opposed to emigrating without
substantial reasons; yet, nevertheless, as
people will move, and as I am acquainted
with a section of country heretofore much
overlooked, I will detail its advantages over
any other in the whole Southwest. The
land is rich alluvial, and, strange as the idea
may seem, it never overflows. Why?
Simply because a small river now runs
where once flowed the large river, the Ar
kansas. The small river has long been
tfkrisUati Adtotaic.
known as Bayou Bartholomew. Under a
good state of cultivation, the average yield
is 40 bushels com and a 400 lb. bale of cot
ton; and with a very favorable season 40 or
50 per cent. more. And for land of such
superior quality, it is the cheapest that can
be found for hundreds of miles—as 33 to
33 per acre is the most common price, and
for improved land 35 to 315 per acre. Now
where in the whole Southwest can such ad
vantages be found, within 10 to 20 miles of
constant steamboat navigation. But Geor
gians and Carolinians, will all wish to know
of the health of this garden spot. It is un
doubtedly as good as on any Southwestern
river in like lattitude. M. T. McGehee.
Fine Bluff, Arkansas.
Father Fisher.
Those who saw and heard Father Fisher,
when he was in Georgia in 1853, will be glad
to read the following:
This venerable man and veteran Methodist
Itinerant of the Pacific Conference accom
panied Bishop Marvin from California, and
lias sojourned in our city for more than a
week past. He is one of a rare number
whom mere Conference relatioms do not lo
calize. He belongs to the whole of Western
Methodism, from the banks of the Ohio and
Mississippi and the Gulf of Mexico to the
coast of the Pacific. He has pioneered a
large portion of the territories of the West,
embracing nearly half a continent. He be
gan his public life as an exhorter, and com
menced his itinerant ministry in his 19th
year, travelling the Vincennes Circuit, In
diana, under the Presiding Elder. In 1823
he was admitted on trial in the Missouri
Conference, Bishop Joshua Soule presiding.
It then embraced two States, Missouri and
Illinois, where, with the exception of one
year, he continued his ministry till the fall
of 1841, when he was transferred to the pio
ue< r work of Texas, remaining there till
1855, and that year transferred bv Bishop
Andrew to the Mission Conference on the
Pacific coast. As Presiding Elder of the San
Francisco District, the whole of Oregon was
by his request added to his charge—one of
the Circuits! He pioneered it till the fall of
1851 and left it an established Conference
with two Presiding Elder’s Districts. Such
is the brief minute of an eventful and heroic
ministry of the gospel, extending over a pe
riod of 47 years—years filled up with the
records of noble courage and brave endur
ance, and memorable achievements in the
service of the Master. In his visit here hal
lowed memories of the olden time are re
kindled among the scenes and in communion
with a few remaining friends of his early life
and ministry. In the winter of 1823 and
1824 he assisted Jesse Greene, the pastor, in
a meeting, at the old Fourth Street Church.
On Sabbath morning he preached in the pul
pit of the same society, but there was, doubt
less, not a single hearer present of his for
mer congregation—must of them sleep in
tin* dust to await at last with him the resur
rection of the just and the reunion of the
skies. His pulpit services and his talk at
the preacher’s meeting on Monday morning
are spoken of as sermons of privileged com
munion and special grace. He is now in the
66th year of his age—hale and vigorous yet,
a kindly,"'genial old man, and wearing the
presence and spirit of a patriarchal Christian
man and minister. He is on his way to
Texas, where he will spend the winter among
his children, whom he has not seen for sev
enteen years, and be in attendance at the
Geueral Conference in May next, as Chair
man of the Pacific Conference delegation.—
St. Louis Christian Advocate.
Virginia Conference Appoint
ments.
Richmond District.— Leroy M Lee, Pre
siding Elder. Richmond—Centenary, John
C Granbery; Broad Street, .T E Edwards;
Trinity, Joseph A Proctor; Clay Street, T
A Ware; Union, B F Woodward; Manches
ter, .TPGarland; Sidney, Oregon, and Rock
ets, R A Armistead; Charles City, George C
Vnnderslice; New Kent. Joseph H Lear;
King William, George M Wright; Matthews,
F M Edwards; Gloucester, E M Peterson;
Williamsburg, .T H Crown; Seaman’s Beth
el, F .T Boggs; Penitentiary, S T Moorman;
Missionary to the Germans, E N S Blogg;
Editor Christian Advocate, W W Bennett.
Charlottesville District.— Jacob Man
ning. Presiding Elder. Charlottesville, S S
Lambeth; Albemarle, J M Anderson, J J
Lafterty, sup.; Seottsville, J Bayley; How
ardsville, W M Jerdone; Fluvanna, M L
Bishop; Gordousville, J N Jones; Orange,
W E Payne, II M Linney, sup.; Louisa, A
C Bledsoe; Batesville, II H Gaiy; Madison,
R W Watts; Green, J W Tucker; Gooch
land, CEHobdav, BC Spiller; Beaver Dam,
J I’ Finnell.
Lynchburg District.— A G Brown, Pre
siding Elder. Centenary, George W Lang
horn; Court Street and Ruling Mills, R N
Sledd, Thomas H Early; Amherst, J D
Blackwell, D J C Slaughter; West Amherst,
J W'Bledsoe; Bedford, JM Saunders; South
Bedford, W I Hunter; Bedford Springs, .T
R Waggoner; Liberty, P F August; Appo
mattox, E A Gibbs; Campbell, ,T W Hil
drup; Buckingham, B B Beadles; Prospect,
Alfred Wiles; Big Island, Elisha DeWitt;
Nelson, William G Williams.
Danville District.— James Jamison, Pre
siding Khler. Danville, C C Pearson; Char
lotte, LH Grabill, J D Southall; South of
Dan, W II Camper; Ringgold and Bannister,
.T GBayley; Pittsylvania, AM Hall; South
Staunton to be supplied by R A Lee; Frank
lin; II C Bowles; Henry, B F Hodges; Pat
rick. J A Hughes; Halifax, Jeremiah Mc-
Mullan.
Farmville District.— Robert Michaels,
Presiding Elder. Farmville, IV E Edwards;
Mount Pleasant and Mineral Springs, Joshua
L Garrett; Burkeville, George H Ray; Lu
nenburg, James C Watson; Boydton, D M
Wallace; Meelenburg, BH Johnson; Bruns
wick, James W Blineoe; Nottoway, William
G Lumpkin, J L Spencer; Amelia, Joseph
E Potts; Powhatan, James C Reed; Cum
berland, L J Hansberger; Greensville, W W
Spain.
Petersburg District.— E P Wilson, Pre
siding Elder. Petersburg—Washington St.
and Blanford, C H Hall, T Campbell; Mar
ket Street and Wesley Chapel, W E Jud
kins; High Street and Battersea Chapel,
George E Booker: Chesterfield, P W Ar
cher; Coal Field and Cloverhill, R Fer
guson; West Dinwiddie, George N Guy,
J II Proctor; Dinwiddie, T J Taylor;
Sussex, Joseph H Amiss, J A Riddick;
Hicksford, John B Dey; Prince George Mis
sion, John P Woodward; Surry, J W Con
nelly.
Murfreesboro’ District. —H B Cowles,
Presiding Elder. Murfreesboro’, R A Comp
ton; Northampton, J E McSparren, W
Grant, R I Carson; Bertie, R N Crooks and
W P Jordan; Edenton, W B Daugherty. W
,T Norfleet; Hertford, James L Fisher; Pas
quotank, T M Williams; Elizabeth City, W
Wright; Indian Ridge, Wesley C Vaiden;
Suffolk, W G Starr; Gates, M S Collonna;
Southampton, John W White, W C Taylor,
I M Arnold; Currituck Mission, B H Jarvis;
President Wesleyan Female College, Paul
Whitehead; Agent Wesleyan Female Col
lege. Wm B Rowzie.
Norfolk District.— D P Wills, Presiding
Elder. Norfolk—Cumberland Street, P A
Peterson; Granby Street, W W Duncan;
Portsmouth : Dinwiddie Street, W H Chris
tian; Second Street, W E Allen; Wesley
Chapel, Joseph E Martinj Norfolk Circuit,
B F Tenneille; East Norfolk, J W Compton;
Princess Ann, J W Howard; Eastville, J B
Merritt, L Moore; Pungoteague, J C Mar
tin; Wicomico, JD Hank; Berlin, J Rhodes;
Cambridge, C V Bingley; Dorchester, J O
Moss, J B Laurens; Hampton and York, J
D Lumsden.
Rappahannock District.— JH Davis, Pre
siding Elder. Rappahannock Circuit, W F
Robbins; Culpepper, E H Pritchett, ,T E
Poulton; Spottsylvania, J W Jones, J F
Brannan; Caroline, George W Nolley; King
George, W F Bain. Westmoreland, Charles
E Watts; Northumberland, E M Jerdan;
Lancaster, T J Bayton; Middlesex, Thomas
H Boggs; King and Queen, T M Beckham;
Hanover, W H Hopkins.
President Randoph Macon College, J A
Duncan, D.D.; Conference Missionary, Le
onidas Rosser: W H Cobb, Chaplain U S
Navy; Transferred to Baltimore Conference.
L S Reed.
Doctrine anb s*)jerienee.
Hymn for the Lord's Day.
O day of rest and gladness,
O day of joy and light,
O balm o f care and sadness,
Most beautiful, most bright;
On thee, the high and lowly,
Bending before the throne,
Sing, Holy, Holy, Holy,
To the great Three in One.
On thee, at the creation,
The light Ilrst had its birth;
On thee, for our salvation,
Christ rose from depths of earth ;
On thee, our Lord victorious
The Spirit sent from heaven,
And thus on thee most glorious
A triple Light was given.
Thou art a port protected
From storms that round us rise ;
A garden intersected
With streams of Paradise;
Thou art a cooling fountain
In life’s dry dreary sand;
From thee, like Pisgah’s mountain,
We view oar promised land.
Thou art a holy ladder,
Where augels go and come ;
Each Sunday finds us gladder,
Nearer to heaven our home;
A day of sweet reflection
Thou art, a day of 1 we,
A day of resurrection
■ From earth to things above.
To day on weary nations
The’ heavenly manna falls;
To holy convocations
The silver trumpet calls,
Where gospel light is glowing
With pure and radiant beams,
And living water flowing
With soul-refreshing streams.
New graces ever gaining
From this onr day of rest,
We reach the rest remaining
To spirits of tlie blest.
To Holy Ghost be praises,
To Father and to Son;
The Church her voice upraises,
To thee, blest Three in One.
Canon Wordsworth.
Tlie Mission of Rich .Men.
We commend the following, which we clip
from The Advance, to the special attention
of onr brethren to whom God has intrusted
wealth. You have a special work to do, and
in order to hear, at last, tlie approving sen
tence, “Well done, good and faithful ser
vant.” you should faithfully perform it.
Riches when properly used area blessing;
but when hoarded up with a miser’s care
for selfish purposes, they prove, in the
sphere in which he inis placed you. What
is your duty in that sphere ? Read and con
sider.
“Every individual lias, in some sense, his
mission. Every class may be supposed with
equal reason to have its mission—rulers and
subjects, scholars and the unlearned, tlie
clergy, and tlie laity, the prosperous and the
afflicted, men and women. We take it,
therefore, that the rich have a mission in
this world—a mission which, us appointed of
God, lias in it much of true honor, nobility
and worth. What can it lie ?
We doubt if many of them know, or have
cared to inquire. Selfishness infects every
class ; how should the rich be free ? It is
in that sense nutiual for them to assume that
their wealth is tlieir own, for which they are
accountable simply to themselves ! that "their
particular business in life is, so to use their
money as to minister to their ambition, or
to their love of ease and pleasure ! But
they are meant to subserve a nobler function
than that in the world, both in fact and con
sciously. They have a divine sphere in
which to move, and (oh. that they knew it!)
their glory is to revolve in tliat orbit of love
around Him as tlieir centre who is Love,
The glory of God is, that, being almighty,
he uses his power to promote the good of
the universe, and finds his joy in securing
the happiness of his creatures. Rich men
have a similar power and opportunity rela
tively to their poorer brethren in this world
—the clianoe to act divinely in their superior
position, and to do those grand things iu the
way of beneficence which are denied to
those in more limited circumstances.
There are those who believe in this mis
sion, and who are selecting each liis special
object or objects on which to lavish his mu
nificence as God’s representative. Think
what Amos Lawrence did systematically
through many years ! Look at Vassal - Col
lege, the creation of a man during his life
bestowed upon it over half a million dollars !
Considered the similar deed of Mr. Cornell
in founding tlie University at Ithaca des
cribed in tlie last Advance, to which he has
already given seven hundred thousand dol
lars besides a donation of one hundred
thousand dollars to establish a free library !
How noble, too, the princely liberality of
George Peabody; who literally gives a mil
lion dollars at a time to great objects on
both sides of the Atlantic. In a similar
manner Philo Carpenter is making the Chi
cago Theological University the recipient of
almost yearly donations of several thousand
dollars, now aggregating a large sum. John
V. Farwell is doing on a large scale a work
for all time in connection with the Young
Men’s Christian Association in this city ;
while, all over our land public institutions
are having munificent patrons raised up to
bestow benefits of the same kind.
Such men have a right conception of their
mission. They understand that it is to do
these things, which cannot be done by poorer
men, God puts wealth into their hands.
Their deeds are not only an example but a
prophecy. Under the influence of God’s
Spirit tlie rich men in the church will be
taught tlie height of tlieir privilege in this
respect, and will come forward with offer
ings commensurate with tlieir ability and
with the world’s wants. Single men will
endow professorships in our old colleges and
seminaries, or will put up the needful build
ings ; will support a missionary or an entire
mission to China or Japan ; will build large
city churches and throw them open for
preaching of a free Gospel to the poor ; will
be individual tract societies, and will do
other deeds of holy enterprise for which
hitherto the contributions for thousands
have been required. This will be tlie object
for which they will do business.
Has any one else clearly defined the pecu
liar mission of rich men ? Yes : the large
hearted and broad-minded Paul lias done it,
in his second epistle to Timothy :
Charge them that are rich in this world,
that they be not high minded, nor trust in
uncertain riches, but in the living God, who
giveth us richly all things to enjoy—that
they do good, and they be rich in good
works, ready to distribute, willing to com
municate, laying up in store for themselves
a good foundation against the time to come,
that they may lay hold on eternal life.”
The Old, Old Story.
“I am tired of newspapers, and” travels,
and novels,” said a young girl to her teach
er. “Tell me of some good book to read.”
“The Bible is a good book.”
“Oh, that is so old. Ido not care to read
always the same story. I want something
new. ”
“If you but read aright, tlie Scriptures
are a mine of wealth, ever displaying new
treasures.”
‘ ‘How can tliat be ?”
“An anecdote of one of UTiitefield’s bear
ers will illustrate my meaning. One day
while Wliitefield was preaching on the
hearth, an old man and his wife passed along
the road on horseback. Attracted by the
crowd and the minister’s voice, they stopped
to hear, ‘what the man was talking about. ’
He talked of 1800 years ago, and the old
man said impatiently, ‘Mary - , come along. It
is only something that happened a long
while ago.” But Mary wished to stay a lit
tle longer. Soon both were in tears and
asking, ‘What shall I do to be saved ?”
“On their way home the old man thought
of his Bible, and exclaimed, ‘Mary, doesn’t
our old book at home say something about
these things ?”
“They went home rejoicing, and there
read the long neglected book—read it with
ever increasing delight. ‘Why, Mary,’ said
the surprised and happy husband, ‘is this
indeed "our old book? Everything seems
quite new. ’
“Thus will it be with you. Thus may it
be ■with all. If the Spirit but interpret the
word, and the heart receive its blessed in
fluence, then will the old story be ever fresh
and new.”— S. S. Times.
PUBLISHED BY J. W. BURKE & CO., FOR THE M. E. CHURCH, SOUTH.
Macon, Ga., Friday, December 10, 1869.
The Sweetness off Worship at Ev?
ning.
When the noise and turmoil of the day
are over, it is sweet to commune with God;
the cool and calm of eventide agree most de
lightfully with prayer and praise. The hours
of the declining sun are so many quiet alleys
in the garden of time, wherein man may find
his Maker waiting to commune with him,
even as of old, the Lord God walked with
Adam in Paradise in the cool of the day. It
is meet that we should set apart a peaeefnl
season ere the day - lias quite departed—a
season of thanksgiving for grace abounding,
of repentance for follies multiplied, for self
examination for evils insinuating. To leap
from day to day like a mad hunter scouring
the fields, is an omen of being delivered over
to destruction; but tbe solemn pause, the
deliberate consideration—these are means of
grace, and ensigns of an in-dwelling life.—
The tide of ocean stays awhile at ebb, be
fore it resolves to flood again; the moon
sometimes lingers at the fuli; there are dis
tinct hedges in nature set between the acres
of time—even the strike of the bell is a little
mound of warning: men should not remove
landmarks, but beat the bounds frequently - ,
and keep up with due interval and solemnity
the remembrance of the passing awiiv of
days, and months, and years; each
it were well to tinverse the boundaries of the’
day, and take note of all it has brought, and
all it has seen,
The drops of the night come from the
same fount as the dew of the morning; He
who met Abraham at break of day, com
muned with Isaac in the field at eventide.—
He who opens tlie doors of day with liis
hand of mercy, draws around His people the
curtains of the night, and by His shining
presence makes tlie out-goings of the morn
ing and of the evening to rejoice. A promise
at dawn, and a sure word at sunset, crown
the brow of day with light, and sandal its
feet with love. To breakfast with Jesus, and
sup with Him also, is to enjoy the days of
heaven upon earth. It is dangerous to fall
asleep till the head is leaned on Jesus’bosom.
When divine love puts its fingers on the
weary eyelids, it is brave sleeping; that the
Lord’s beloved may have such sleep given to
him, it is needful that lie should make a near
approach to the throne, and unburden his
soul before tbe great Preserver of men. To
enter into the blaze of Jehovah’s presence
by tbe way of the atoning blood is tlie sure
method to refine ourselves of onr earthly
dross, und to renew the soul after exhausting
service. The reading of the Word, and
prayer, are as gates of carbuncle to admit us
into the presence-chamber of the August
Majesty, and he is most blessed who most
frequently swings those gates upon their sap
phire hinges. When the stars are revealed,
and all the hosts of heaven walk in golden
glory, then surely is the time when the sol
emn temple is lit up and the worshipper is
bidden to enter. If one hour can be en
dowed with a sacredness above its fellow, it
must be the hour when the Lord looseth tlie
bauds of Orion, and leadctli forth Arcturus
and his sons: then voices from worlds afar
call us to contemplation and adoration; and
the stillness of the lower woild prepares an
oratory for the devout soul. He surely - never
prays at all who does not end the day as all
men wish to end tlieir lives—in prayer.
In many households the gathering of the
family for evening prayer is more easy than
tlie morning opportunity, and iu all the
tents of our Israel the evening sacrifice should
be solemnly remembered. Ere we cower
down beneath the wings of the Eternal, let
us entreat Him to deliver us from the terror
by night, and give us safe dwelling in liis se
cret place. It is blessed work to set the
night wanderers in their post by supplica
tion, and then commit ourselves, without
fear, to the embrace of divine love.—Ex
change.
Uniting with the Church.
Witness-bearing for Christ is a broad, far
reaching phrase, as the Saviour employed
it. He said: “Whoso coufesseth me before
men, him will I confess before my Father
which is in Heaven.” When Christ gives
conversion, he demands confession. He de
mands a cordial, fearless, outspoken acknowl
edgement of Him as the Redeemer and ruler
of the heart. We firmly believe tliat every
true and penitent believer should at once be
come a witness for Christ; conversion should
be followed by - immediate public confession
of tlie new-born faith in Jesus. Delay of
this duty is not warranted by the Scriptures;
it leads often to doubt and distrust, and en
courages a self-righteous spirit of trying to
make out’s self better before coming out for
Christ. Every month spent without a pub
lic profession of faith is commonly lost; and
n timid convert who postponed her union
with the church for five years in order to
gain more assurance, frankly acknowledged
to me afterwards: “I feci as if five whole
years had been wiped out of my short life.”
A converted soul should obey at once its
first instinct. “Lord, what wilt thou have
me do?” is tlie first question of a changed
heart. The answer: “Confess me before
men; ye are my - witnesses.” The person
who has a genuine trust in Jesus for salva
tion, and yet fails to make an open acknowl
edgement of Jesus, loses tin - opportunity to
do good, loses self-respect and the respect
of others, and risks tlie loss of His favor
who has said: “Whoso is ashamed of me,
of him will I be ashamed in tlie presence of
my Father and the holy angels.” In nearly
every congregation there are more or less of
halting, irresolute persons, like Bunyan’s
Mr. Fearing and Miss Much. Afraid, who
have a sweet faith, and yet they never come
out openly as his witness-bearers. They ex
pect Christ to acknowledge them in Heaven,
and yet they shrink from acknowledging
Him on earth. They may be Christians at
heart, but the world is not allowed to know
it. They are, certainly, not shining lights,
but rather are they dark lanterns. No one
is the better for tlieir clandestine religion,
no one hears their testimony - , or reads a
“living epistle” in their cowardly conduct.
This is a miserable method of living—-this
concealment of one’s colors in the presence
of the enemy—this following along in tlie
rear of Christ’s army - corps with a vague hope
of being counted iu among them when the
celestial crowns of victory are awarded to the
f aithfnul soldiers. We do not say that church
membership is essential to salvation, or that
one cannot be a sincere Christian outside of
the church. But the Bible warrants us in
saying that whoever hopes to be acknowl
edged by Christ in heaven, and yet refuses
to acknowledge him before men, "is disobey
ing Christ’s orders, and cannot expect liis
blessing.
Jephiha's Daughter.
Wherever I have seen or heard the vow of
Jephtha alluded to, it has always seemed to
be a settled conviction in the writer or speak
er’s mind that the fulfillment of that vow in
volved the real sacrifice of his daughter, as
a burnt offering; and I had long since learn
ed to accept this as a fixed fact in Scripture
history.
But recently, by the simple and faithful
reading of this interesting story - , in the En
glish version of the Polyglot Bible, with
marginal readings and references, these con
clusions. have been somewhat disturbed.—
Jephtha said, (Judges xi. 31,) “Whatsoever
cometh forth of the doors of my house to
meet me, when I return in peace from the
children of Ammon, shall surely be the
Lord’s, and I will offer it up for a burnt of
fering.” In the margin I find the word or
substituted for and; from which may be in
ferred that one of two sacrifices should be
made.
Again, in the 40th verse, we read, “ That
the daughters of Israel went yearly to lament
the daughter of Jephtha, the Gileadite, for
four days.” In the marginal reading I find
the words, “to talk with her,” substituted
for “to lament. ” Now, how could they talk
with her , if at the end of two months her
father had offered her as a burnt offering?—
New York Observer
The Dance.— Wlxat a strange tiling, says
the Moravian, this dancing is, after all, when
you look at it from a philsopliical, or, if you
please, unsophisticated point of view. The
other day, Insulanus asked a lady how it
came to pass that the entrance upon the
floor of the ball-room made such a wonder
ful change in her usual manners and habits.
She asked him what he meant, as she did
not understand. He asked her: “Suppose
I introduced you to a friend of mine, a
stranger, and he would not only take your
hand, but put his arm around y - ou, what
would you do?” You may imagine her look
and answer. What would she do? All our
lady readers know what they would do, and
what the father, husband, or brother of such
a lady would do. “But,” said Insulanus,
“as soon as you enter the room of the ‘hop’
or ball, you permit a perfect stranger wbo
is introduced to you at the time, not only to
take your hand, but to put his arm around
your waist, and to sail around the room with
you in the giddy mazes of the dance, and
your father, brother and husband, think it
all right!”
Tlie Minister and tlie Hams.
I had the following narrative from a
most reliable source, and, as near as may be,
will give it in the language of the narrator :
I knew a man, who until past the merid
ian of life, manifested, in all his transac
tions, a mean, miserly spirit. Money was
his god. He was proverbially “a "mean
man.” Between forty and fifty years of
age, lie became a subject of “sovereign
grace.” His eyes were opened to see with
great distinctness the truth of that word,
“A man’s life consisteth not in the abun
dance of the things which he possesseth.”
Lin a word he was only converted. At the
►period of which I speak, he was a wealthy
farmer, iu one of our rich prairies. He uni
ted with the people of God, he confessed,
and most deeply deplored the sin of cove
tousness. He promised with divine help,
to “live no longer unto himself.” Ke was
sincere in his promise and his purpose.
Little did the poor man know himself, the
power of habit, of temptation, or of the
conflict before him between the “old and
the new man.”
As was then the custom in the Methodist
Church in this country, and is, to some ex
tent, at this day, the minister in charge was
in the habit of receiving his dues iu pro
visions, etc. Soon after “Old Covetous”
united with the class, the preacher got out
of meat; so he “harnessed up,” and rode
over to Bro. C ’s house. “Good morn
ing, Bro. C-——.”
“Good morning, glad to see you ; won’t
you alight ?”
“No, thank you. Wife says we are ont of
meat, and I thought’ ’ —
(Oldman.) “Out of meat, are you !” (New
man,) “Well, I’m glad to hear it, it will do
me good to supply yon. Go to my smoke
house, yonder, and take the best ham you
can And—mind and take the biggest.”
On went the preacher, and soon returned,
-Searing a ham weighing twenty pounds. He
passed on to liis wagon. Now comes the
conflict.
(Old man in his heart, solus.) “You old
fool ! that ham weighs twenty younds !
Hams are scarce—worth one shilling per
pound.” (Newman, solus.) “God loveth
the cheerful giver.” “What shall it profit a
man, though he gain the whole world and
lose his own soul ?” “O, God, forgive me !
Get thee behind me, Satan.” “Here, Mr.,
comeback ! come back ! Now,” said he, “go
again to my smoke-house, and this time get
two liams. Get tlie very best—mind you
got rousers.”
Soon be returned, bearing forty pounds
more of the precious meat ; then came over
tlio poor man again the spirit of covetous
ness.
(Oldman.) “Well, you arc a fool ! Yon
will die in the poor house yet! sixty pounds
—worth eight dollars ! Eight dollars gone
slick!” (Newman.) “Honor the Lord
with thy substance. Give, and it shall be
given unto you. Rejoice not against me,
G mine enemy ; though I fall, I shall rise
again.” “Though I walk through the val
ley of the shadow of death, I will fear no
evil. ” O! I am—l am in the valley.
Voor man, he was like Bunyan’s Christian,
..lifcLilienthei-i. his sword, and i cried to Him
who was able and willing—“ Lord save.”
(Newman.) “Here, Mr., come back!
come !” Now his manly form trembled.!
Tlie water stood in his eyes, and then, like
a little child, he wept and sobbed as lie told
his minister of the warfare within. “And
now, Mr. Devil,” he said, “If you don’t
quit this business, I’ll give away every ham
I’ve got in my smoke-liouse !”
Then “Apollyon spread his wings and
left for a season.” —Jjixtracl
A Godless House.
A little boy, three years old, whose father
was careless, prayerless, irreligious, spent
several months in tfnedwelling of a godly
family, where he was taught iu the simple
elements of divine truth.
The good seed fell into good and tender
soil, and the child learned to note tlie dif
ference between a prayerless and a Christian
dwelling. One day, as someone was con
versing with the little fellow about tlie great
and good God, the child said :
“We haven’t got any God at my papa’s
house. ”
Alas, how many such houses there are in
the world and land ; houses where there is
no prayer, no praise, no worship, no God !
And what homes are they for children, aye,
for men and women too. How much better
is the pure atmosphere of Christian love
than the cold, selfish worldliness of a godless
home.
Said an ungodly man; “I never was so
near heaven, and probably never shall be
again as when I spent a day in the house of
Ebenezer Brown,” —a godly Scotchman who
guided his household in the fear of the
Lord.
Would that there were more such homes,
the memory of which might shed a holy
saver over many a wanderer’s heart, and
lonely sons of sorrow and of tears to look
forward to the gladness of the eternal gath
ering, beyond the toils and tears and trials
of this weary pilgrimage.
To such homes the weary come for rest,
and the troubled for consolation. The Son
of Peace is there, and the peace of God’s
messengers abides within the humble dwel
ling. Blessed be such homes, an may ours
ever be of this number.” —The Little. Chris
tian.
l“I Want to lie a Minister.”
More than a century ago there lived in
England an orphan boy with promising tal
ents, who aften said, “I w - ant to be a minis
ter ;” but having no money to carry out the
great desire of liis heart, liis youthful spirit
was often bowed to the earth by disappoint
ed hope.
Once a wealthy lady offered to pay the ex
penses at school if he would study and be
come a minister in her church ; but tbe boy
loved the church of his fathers, and could
not be induced to leave his spiritual mother;
so he respectfully declined tlie lady’s kind
offer.
So. afterward he visited a learned minis
ter of his own church, and asked the good
pastor’s advice in regard to studying for the
ministry; but here he obtained no encour
agement at all. Now the friendless boy
went to God, and while he was engaged in
fervent prayer the mail-carrier knocked at
the door of his closet, and handed him a
letter from a friend of his father, with an
offer to assist him in his studies for the min
istry.
Thus his desire was gratified, and he be
.came one of the most useful ministers of
England. His name was Philip Doddridge.
We commend bis example to all our readers.
The Lord w - ants many ministers. Great
numbers who are now boys must soon preach
the Gospel. Let every boy ask this ques
tion, whether he should not engage in this
work. We should be concerned both about
the duly of serving the Lord and how we
should serve him. If it is a boy’s duty to
enter the ministry, he should strive hard to
enter it as well as he should strive hard to
enter heaven, and he should pray for the
Lord’s guidance in the one case as well as
he should pray for it in the other.
Thf. Bible and Victoria. — Here is an
answer of Queen Victoria, that she gave to
an African Prince, who sent her costly pres
ents, and asked her in return to tell him the
secret of England’s greatness and England’s
glory: she sent him, not the number of her
fleet, not the number of her armies, not the
account of her boundless merchandise, not
the details of her inexhaustible wealth. She
did not, like Hezekiali, in an evil hour, show
the ambassador her diamonds, and her jew
els, and her rich ornaments; but, handing
him a beautifully-bound copy of the Bible,
she said; “Tell the Prince that this is the
secret of England’s greatness. ”
Unfailing Comfort.
When earthly hopes fail, he who is not a
Christian has no fountain w - heuce to draw
sweet and abiding consolation. Not so with
tjie Christian. To him the divine promises
are all-sufficient. The following is a most
touching illustration:
Would yon know the value of the Bible?
Let me introduce you to a scene of deep and
thrilling interest as related by a minister, an
eye-witness: A young woman, completely
blind and deaf, was brought before a num
ber of eminent surgeons, to see if anything
could be done for her. Her sad condition
had been produced by a violent pain in the
head. The only method of communicating
with her w - as by tapping her hand, which
signified no, and by squeezing it, which
signified yes. The surgeons concluded that
her case was incurable, and in reply to her
unwelcome inquiries she received the unwel
come tap. She immediately burst into tears
and wept aloud iu all the bitterness of an
guish. “What,” said she, “shall I never
see the light of day, or hear a human voice?
Must I remain shut up in darkness and
silence as long as I live?” A friend who was
present took up the Bible and placed it to
her breast. It was a touching and beauti
ful act. She placed her hands on it and
asked: “Is this the Bible?” Her hand was
squeezed in reply. She immediately clasped
the Bible in her hands, and held it up to
her bosom, and exclaimed: “This is the
only comfort I have left; I shall never more
be able to look upon its blessed pages, but
I can think of tlie blessed promises I have
learned from it;” and then began to repeat
some of its promises: “Clast thy burden
upon the Lord, and he will sustain thee;”
“Call upon me in the day of trouble and I
will deliver thee;” “My grace is sufficient
for tliee,” etc. She dried her teal’s, became
submissive to tlie will of God, and was hap
py-
A Death-bed Sermon.
The New York Daily Slav gives the follow
ing ai> of actual occurrence in that city: A
gentleman died last week at liis residence in
one of our up-town fashionable streets, leav
ing 311,000,000. He was a member of the
Presbyterian Church, in excellent standing,
a good husband and father, and a thrifty
citizen. On his death-bed, lingering long,
lie suffered with great agony of mind, and
gave continual expression to his remorse for
what his conscience told him had been an
ill-spent life. “Oh!” lie exclaimed, and his
weeping friends and relations gathered about
liis bed—“ Oil! if I could only live illy years
over again. Oh! if I could only be spared for
a few years, I would give all the wealth I have
amassed iu a life-time. It is a life devoted
to money-getting that I regret. It is this
which weighs me down and makes me des
pair of the life hereafter!” His clergyman
endeavored to soothe him, but lie turned his
face to the wall. “You have never reproved
my avaraeious spirit,” he said, to the minis
ter. “You have called it wise economy and
forethought, but I now know that riches
have been only a snare for my poor soul! I
would give all 1 possess to have hope for my
poor soul!” Iu this sad state of mind, re
fusing to be consoled, this poor rich man be
wailed a life devoted to the mere acquisition
of riches. Many came away from the bed
side impressed with the uselessness of such
an existence as tlie wealthy man had spent,
adding house to house and dollar to dollar,
until lie became a millionaire. All knew
him to be a professing Christian nnd a good
man, as the world goes, but the terror and
remorse of liis death-bed administered a les
son not to be lightly dismissed from memory.
He would have given all his wealth for a
single hope of heaven.
God, a Father.
(ihrist especially revealed him as a Father.
1. In his first and last words Christ calls
him “Father.”
2. Asa Father, God thinks of us.
3. Asa Father, God loves us.
4. Asa Father, God works for us.
5. Asa Father, God cares for us, protects
us, provides for us in the future. Father is
the most endearing appellation in which he
is made known unto us.
“Ishould have been a French atheist,”
said Randolph, “had it not been for one re
collection, and that was when my departed
mother used to take my little hands in liers,
and cause me, on my knees, to say, ‘ Our
Father which art in heaven.’ ”
This little word, “Father,” says Gnrnall,
“ lisped by faitli in prayer by a real Chris
tian, exceeds the eloquence of Demosthenes,
Cicero, and all the famous speakers in the
world. ”
“My life, says Evans, “ hangs by a single
thread; but that thread is in a Father’s hand. ”
“I never fear,” said a little child, “ when
my father is with me.”— John Bate.
Tlie Lord Jesus Will Miss Me.
“My good brother, I did not see you at
the prayer-meeting last evening.”
“Oh no, I was not there; but it does not
matter, there were enough there without me.”
“But I do not think that any one there
was filling your place. ”
“No, I presume not; but I don’t suppose
any one but yourself missed me.”
“You are mistaken there; I once beard of
a little girl wbo expressed very decidedly her
expectations of going to heaven. One of
her friends thought her over-confident, and
told her so. But the little one still held on
to her firm confidence. She said, “I know
that lam only a very little girl, but when
they are all singing so sweetly up there, I
think the Lord Jesus will miss me if I am
not there singing too!” So, my brother,
when your brethren are all singing and pray
ing here, it may be the Lord Jesus will miss
you, if you are not joining with the rest.”—
National Baptist.
Is This All of Life?— “ls this all of
life?” So said a man of wealth, as, lying
upon a sick-bed, he looked back over fifty
years—fifty years of pleasure and ease. He
had loved dear friends, and they were dead.
He had eherised great hopes, and they were
not all realized; still his life had seemed hap
pier than most of his fellows. But lie had
lived for self, not for Christ; he had laid up
his treasure on earth, not in heaven; and
now, as he looked back on fifty years, they
seemed a blank; and as he looked forward,
a darker, unknown blank obscured liis vision.
An aged Christian, just as he was passing
away, said:
“I am just beginning to live. This life is
not all of life; it is only the first step.”
Dear friend, how wiil your life look to you,
as you cast your eye backward from its clos
ing hours?
If you employ life in loving Christ and
serving him, then may the retrospect be
sweet, and your joyful song, when earth’s
fleeting years are over, shall be: “Just be
ginning to live.”— Sunday School Times.
“Lay Aside Every Weight.” —As ap
plied to Christians, it means they should re
move all which would obstruct progress in
tbe Christian course. It is not the same
thing in all persons. In one it may be pride;
in another vanity; in another woridliness; in
another a violent and ungovernable temper;
in another a heavy, leaden, insensible heart;
in another some improper and unholy at
tachment. Some persons would make much
more progress if they would disencumber
themselves of the heavy weight of gold
which they are endeavoring to carry with
them. Even a feather, or a ring, may be
come such a weight that they will never
make much progress towards tlie prize.
[ Barnes.
God’s Method of Helping.— God did
not take up the three Hebrews out of the
furnace of fire, but he came down and walk
ed with them in it. He did not remove
Daniel from the den of lions; he sent liis
angels to close the mouths of the beasts.—
He did not, in answer to tlie prayer of Paul,
remove the thorn in the flesh, but lie gave
him a sufficiency of grace to sustain him.
Prayers and tears are tbe weapons with
which the saints have obtained the most
glorious victories.
If parents were really faithful to their
cliildren, there would be fewer unconverted
adults.
Conscience is a judge placed in the in
terior of our being.
The noblest hero is he who battles with
himself!
How to Break Down a Church.
To do this effectually, you must.
I. Discourage the pastor.
11. Discourage your fellow-members.
111. Destroy the confidence of the commu
nity.
I. To discourage the pastor :
1. Absent yourself from one service every
Sabbatli, or miss at least oue in three; if he
is not very strong, one in four times may an
swer.
2. Neglect prayer and class-meetings.
3. Ciiticise your minister freely—praise
him sparingly—find fault plentifully—pray
for him little or none.
4. If he proposes to hold extra meetings,
withhold your 00-operation.
5. Give yourself no concern whether his
salary is paid or not.
0. Never call on him socially, or allow him
to think that his comfort or that of his fami
ly is a matter of any importance in your eyas.
11. To discourage your fellow-members.
1. Observe the directions given above.
2. Complain about everything they do and
don’t do.
3. Contrive to make yourself the head of
a clique, and by their assistance and your
industry keep the church in hot water gen
erally.
4. While doing this, lose no opportunity
to complain of tlie bad treatment you are
receiving.
5. Be as much like Diotrephes anil as lit
tle like Paul as you can.
6. Discard charity and candor, take dis
trust to your bosom, and make scheming
your specialty.
111. To destroy the confidence of the
community:
1. Observe the foregoing directions.
2. Tell the people that you are in the
Church by force of circumstances, but have
no respect for the way in which business is
conducted.
3. Publish tlie faults of your brethren,
taking care to magnify them.
4. Make no effort to induce people to at
tend tlie church.
5. Take no part in the labors of the Sun
day-school.
(>. Publish on all occasions that you have
no confidence in the concern—predict that
it must fall—go down—blow up, and can
never succeed.
By observing these directions faithfully,
you may have the satisfaction, if the church
is not usually vigorous, of witnessing the
fulfilment of your predictions.— Exchange.
Beautiful Sentiment. Chalmers
beautifully says: “The little that 1 have
seen iu the world, and known of the history
of mankind, teaches me to look upon their
errors, not in anger. When I take the his
tory of one poor heart that has sinned nnd
suffered, and represent to myself the strug
gles and temptations it has passed through
—and brief pulsations of joy; the teal’s of
regret; the feebleness of purpose; the scorn
of the world that has bttle charity; the deso
lation of the soul’s sanctuary, and threaten
ing voices with; health gone; happiness
gone, I would fain leave tin l erring soul of
my fellow-man with Him from whose hands
it came.”
|Uligious HJiscellanjr.
The True Church.
We were considerably amused, the other
day, on the reception of a brochure by Dr.
Thompson, consisting of five papers from
the American Churchman, and attempting to
define the relation of the Protestant Episco
pal Church to other Christian bodies in tlio
United States. It might have passed for
nil nxocllent jolui, bill tliat OVuctora u£ diviui
ty do not usually print their jokes at such
great length, and distribute them to the
neighboring clergy free of expense. But
tliis is almost too absurd for a serious an
swer. Here is a little body—tlie Benjamin
of our American Israel—whose entire con
tributions to foreign missions last year were
not 3130,000, and which, small as it is, will
hardly hold together without a few extra
hoops, so violent, is the contest between the
ritualistic nnd evangelical parties, gravely
claiming to he the predestined absorbent of
American Christianity, responsible for this
whole people, nnd the only power that can
confer upon us the inestimable boon of a
Catholic and Apostolic Church. Now this
tremendous claim is somewhat less ridiculous
in the mouth of a Romanist than of a
Churchman, as the bay of a mastiff is more
dignified than tlie clamor of a Scotch terrier.
But we enjoy the singular spectacle of two
Catholic churches, each claiming that the
other is a sect, and each pretending to be
the one original and apostolical body. The
misfortune of which is, that if wo outsiders
should allow ourselves to be absorbed by
either, the unity sought would still be as far
off as ever. Tlie Pope generously offers Prot
estants a share in his Ecumenical Council,
if they will cease to be Protestants; the
Churchman promises them a kind welcome
within the jurisdiction of the House of Bish
ops, and even has the audacity to propose
some consideration for weak consciences in
the important matters of the surplice and
the prayer book. It is certain tliat both
these tempting offers will be respectfully de
clined. Meanwhile we liave no especial quar
rel with the Churchman, but when little
Mercury mistakes itself for the sun, the other
planets may be allowed to smile.— Exchange.
Liberality of Heathen Converts.— lt
has been the impression of some persons
that native converts contributed nothing to
the support of native churches. Peter Bayne,
the London correspondent of the Watchman
and Reflector, writes: “We now learn that,
though the large majority of converts are
still the poor, and though every convert is
cast out by the society in which he had pre
viously lived, the grace of liberality has
shown itself in tlie native congregations, and
has begun to bear good fruit. At Nngercoil
a native deacon of the church built a chapel
and schoolroom at his own expense. In
Travancore the native contributions to the
cause of missions amounted in 18G7 to twelve
hundred and twenty pounds sterling. When
it is stated that that the rate of wages in
Travancore is three or four pence per day,
the magnitude of this sum will be seen to be
very considerable. In Negoor, in a native
community of whom only 584 are baptized,
the sum of £295 was raised in the same year.
The native woman who lias learned to know
and love Christ will be seen putting aside a
handful of rice when she cooks her food, to
go to tlie support of gospel ordinances. All
the native congregations in the neighbor
hood of Calcutta contribute more or less,
and one of them raised, last year, £IOO.
“Liberality,” say these missionaries, “is per
haps the grace which is now being most rapidly
developed among the converts. ”
Quala, the Great Karen Preacher.—
In liis work on Missions, Dr. Anderson gives
an interesting account of the labors of this
successful minister of Christ. The first Ka
ren convert was baptized by Dr. Judson,
and the first sermon preached by this con
vert was blessed to the conversion of Quala,
in 1830. Fourteen years after his baptism
he was ordained. He entered upon a mis
sion to the Karons of Toungoo, and such
was his success that in one year the number
of convert connected with his labors was
741, who were associated in nine churches.
In less than three years the number of church
es under his ministry was increased to thirty,
with an aggregate of 2,127 members, more
than 2,000 of whom were baptized by Quala
himself. His labor and fatigues have been
truly apostolical, and so has been his suc
cess. The English government offered him
a salary if ho would become the head or
overseer of the wild mountain Karens, but
Quala replied: “I will not mix up God’s
work with government work.” The com
missioner said: “We will give you money,
and von may continue your work as teacher,
as heretofore.” But Quala replied, “Be
patient with me, sir. Were Ito take your
money, the wild Karens would turn against
mo.”
“Evangelical Christendom” says that
the new French minister of worship, 31.
Duvergier, who has succeeded 31. Baroclie
in that office, has received in the most affable
and courteous manner the two consistories
(the one belonging to the Reformed, the
other to the Lutheran Church,) which have
already paid him their respects. M. Duver
gier, as we believe, will not adopt the ex
clusive ideas, the narrow views, and the in
tolerant and despotic ways of M. Baroclie.
E. H. MYERS, D. D., EDITOR
Whole Number 1781
He will not abuse the union between the
Church and the State, to the subjection of
our ecclesiastical bodies to an arbitrary tyran
ny. When our consistories shall pronounce
the deprivation of a pastor on account of
infidelity, 31. Duvergier will allow that they
have exercised a legitimate right, and will
sanction tlieir decision. Good order will be
re-established by this spirit of justice, and
religious liberty will obtain the satisfaction
which has been accorded to and guaranteed
it by the law.
The English Clergy on Amusements.-
At a recent Church Congress in Liverpool,
the subject of the Recreations of the people
was discussed at length. Rev. Erskine
Clarke wished to do what Pollock says never
lias been done and never can be done—he
wished the theatre reformed. “I desire,”
said he, “pure theatricals under firm con
trol, severed from drinking and licentious
temptations. ” Archbishop Denison entered
the discussion with an approval of harvest
homes. To dancing, lie added, he had no
objection, and regretted his inability to at
tend a recent dancing party in his own
parish, to which he had been invited. He
even went to the length of recommending
cricket and other out-of-door games between
services on Sunday. With such teachings
and such leaders, what wonder at the rising
swell of immorality and vice in the king
dom?
Revival in India. —3lissionaries report a
very interesting revival in a district in India,
in connection with a camp-meeting. Twenty
persons found peace in believing; some of
them were remarkable exemplifications of a
thorough work of grace. The evidence of
their conversion were peculiarly satisfactory.
One convert began at once to be anxious for
five brothers away in the mountains; another,
for his distant friends in Calcutta, At an
other place an aged blind man has recently
been admitted to the church. He was liter
ally cast out into tlie streets for his adhe
rence to Christ, though he was the head of
a family. A remarkable spirit of inquiry
exists among the better and more influential
members of one of tho lowest castes umoug
tlie Hindus. The people hear the gospel
very attentively, and several have asked to
be baptized. The movement is said to be
full of hope.
Free Seats. Several of the Boston
churches have made the experiment of dis
pensing with pew rents and reserved seats,
and pronounce it a success. In Cambridge,
a church which last year obtained 91,400
from the ront of pews’, this year obtained,
in voluntary offerings from tlio occupants of
free pews, 33,000. “Carleton,” the spirited
correspondent of the Boston Journal, who
has just returned from his journey around
tho world, says: “The houses of worship
are free all over the world, among all reli
gions, except Christianity; and of tho three
great divisions of Christendom Roman,
Greek and Protestant the latter alone
adopt the exclusive system; a system whose
practical working in our large cities is to
shut out from the house of God o large part
of the common people. ”
The Dogmatism of Doubt. —At the
Church Congress, (Establishment,) just hold
at St. George’s Hall, Liverpool, the Rev.
E. Garbett, who is favorably known in this
country, made some strong and manly state
ments as to the need in these days'of tho
manly utterance of decided dogmatic teach
ing. “Nothing,” he said, “is so dogmatic
as the rejection of all dogma by modern un
belief. Doubt must bo met by certainty.
The age is sick of uncertainties and skepti
cisms, and craves assurance, and religious
teachers ought to give them that asauranoe.
They ought to counteract unbelief by being
positive that they are right, for unbelievers
are all the time declaring positively that
they mio vjronft.”
The Infidels of the United States held
a Mass Convention in Philadelphia last
week. From the East and the West, the
North and the South, the men and women
of all shades of infidelity met for their
grand rally against that waning superstition
which is drawn from the Bible. The mighty
host, when fully marshalled on the battle
field, was found to consist of sixteen men
and one woman. The receipts of the past
year for publications sold, amounted to the
enormous sum of five dollars. But more
astonishing still, it was stated that an infidel
had built a Christian church at the cost of
360,000! Under these circumstances they
took their hats and went home.
Sunday Schools for the Chinese. —The
Pucijic says: “The Chinese Sunday-schools
have become oue of the most interesting
features of religious instruction in this city.
Boys and men are eager to learn. The} - ara
patient, earnest, attentive and grateful for
the instruction afford them. If the heathen
are at our doors, it is certain that some very
hopeful missionary enterprises have been set
on foot for their benefit. Our people are
becoming more and more interested in a
work which is rapidly growing upon their
hands. There is both room and recompense
for a great many earnest volunteer teachers.”
Another Reunion. —The General Assem
bly of the United Presbyterian Church and
the General Synod of the Reformed Presby
terian Church, are coming together. The
Joint Committee of these Churches met in
Pittsburg, tlie 10th inst., as the Old and
New School Assemblies were gathering for
their glorious reunion, and unanimously
agreed to terms of “organic union,” on the
basis of “their respective testimonies and
standards,” their supreme judicatory to be
known ns “The General Assembly of the
United Presbyterian Church of North
America. ”
It is Advertised in Boston that Rev. Mr.
3lurray is to preach Sunday evenings at
Music Hall on “great themes,” and that the
sermons will be accompanied by “the grand
est display of devotional music ever listened
to in Boston.” This is quite equal to, and
on a par with the report of one of the pa
pers when Mr. Everett was a Unitarian min
ister in Boston, and he offered prayer on a
public occasion. The paper said it was “the
most eloquent prayer ever delivered to a
Boston audience.”
Freewill Baptist Churches. —The Free
will Baptist benevolent societies held their
recent anniversaries at Lowell, 31ass. The
denomination now comprises 1,375 churches
and 66,691 communicants, an increase of 97
churches and 5,447 communicants during the
past year. Tho question of the removal and
location of the theological school, now at
Newhampton. N. H., was discussed, but not
decided. Buffalo, N. Y., offers 3300,000 for
it, and Hillsdale, Mich., 340,000 in money,
lands and buildings.
London Midnight Mission. —The Lon
don Midnight 3lission has rescued upward*
of one thousand girls from a life of shame,
either restoring them to their friends, or se
curing them work at home or in the colonies.
Upwards of fourteen thousand have attend
ed meetings held. One hundred and seven
ty-four woro reclaimed in the year ending
last 3lareli Ist, of whom but fifty-six were
natives of London, while fifty-eight were
orphans.
Disintegration of the Mormon Chtjch.—
3lr. Stenliouse and all the editors and pro
prietors of the Utah Magazine have become
djaaffected towards Brigham Young, and
been “suspended,” with a prospect of
being “cut off.” Stenhouse has been one of
Young’s most ardent and trusted friends,
and his daughter is one of Joseph Young’s
wives. 3lormonism trill drop to pieces if it
has time enough.
London Charities. “The Bishop of
London states that there now exist in that
city more than a thousand associations for
charitable purposes, administering annually
about £4,000,000, in addition to the regular
assessments of the poor rates. Yet there i*
such a spread of want, misery, pauperism
and crime in that metropolis that the au
thorities are at their wits’ends to meet it."
Romish Activity.— “A 3lanchester, N
H., clergyman lately stated that the 7,000
Catholics of that city have for three years
raised more money for religious purposes
than the 20,000 Protestants; that their
church property was worth twice as much as
that of the Protestants, and their church at
tendance as large as theirs. ”
Missionary Societies. —There are 48 mis
sionary societies among American, British
and other European Protestants, connected
with which are 9,418 missionaries, colpor
teurs, etc., haring under their euro 518,000
pupils in missionary schools. The annual
receipts of these societies are 34,500,000.