The New York Herald Newspaper, December 1, 1867, Page 8

"RELIGIOUS INTELLIGENCE, SYNAGOGUES YESTERDAY, THE Congregation Beth Elohim, Williamsburg, The edifice of this congregation is situated at the intersection of South First and Fighth streets, and was formerly used as a ploce of Christian worship. Some fifteen years ago the present congregation took possession of the building, and they have increased in nombers and influence ever since. The leading Israelites of Williamsburg at- tend this church, and they are all of the progres- sive order, The officers of the oburch are:—Mr. Kessel, President ; Mr. Block, Vice President ; A. Baker, Treasurer, and M, Furth, Secretary. The ehurch has one hundred members. The usual services yesterday were condncted by the precentor and reader, Mr. Solomon Mashte. These services opened by the choir singing ‘*Kodash,” ‘* Enkomocho,” &c. The vo- i 1 After the procession of the customary hymns were sweetly rendered by a choir of young ladies, Precentor Mashie read the sect impressive manner. After the dered the choir ¢ the Carem and the congre- The music used in this ser- Ration was « - he composition of the pre- vice was centor. Preaching is of rare ocenrrence in this syna- Rogue, the tion preferring the ritualistic services and good c only. Congregation Beth lim. ‘At the Mount Sinai or Jews’ Hospital, in Twenty-eighth street, a congregation composed of the patients meets together every Saturday morn- ing to celebrate the order of divine worship ac- cording to the Mosaic code. The name of this synagogne is in itself typical of its character; it is called the temple Beth Cholim, or that of the House of the Sick. The synagogue is situated on one of the upper floors of the hospital, and, although the room in which it is held is small, it is fitted up in the regular manner, and service is per- formed according to the regular orthodox Jewish creed. The doors are opened every Saturday morning at half-past eight o'clock, and the prayers last until near eleven. It conveys some realization of the Scrip- ture referring to ‘‘the lame, the halt and the dlind” being summoned in, to see the sick and in- firm voming into the synagogue to take part in the service of their Maker. Yesterday morning Mr. ®chwerzbanm, the Superintendent, read the ‘‘Zig- del,’ and then the erdinary ‘morning prayers,” after which he read the portion of the Pentateuch appointed for the day—that portion referring to Rebecca and Isaac. The only special feature ob- servable was the fact that the ‘President and Di- rectors of the Hospital” were prayed for in addi- tion to the prayer for the President of the United Btates. Service is celebrated here every Saturday morning in the general form of Jewish worship. Congregation Bikur Cholim. A sermon was delivered before this congrega- tion, in Chrystie street, yesterday, by the Rev. 8. Caro, the rabbi, who has but recently assumed its charge. The subject was the early history of their ancestors, of the ancient Hebrew law, and of their recognition of but one Supreme Being. He traced in eloquent language, step by step, the con- sistency of their belief, and quoted authority upon authority in proof of their position. Mr. Caro’s Jecture was based on the lesson, “And these are the generations of Isaac, the son of Abraham; Abraham begat Isaac, and Isaac was forty Fee old when he took Rebekah, the ughter of Belthual, to himself as wife; and Isaac entreated the Lord in behalf of his wife, because she was barren; and the Lord ‘was entreated of him, and Rebckah his wife con- ceived.” The lives of Abraham and Isaac were held up to the mental vision of the congregation, and urged that they be imitated in sincerity and religious devotion. Mr. Caro adduced biblical evidence of many other of their beliefs, and closed in an eloquent manner, every sentence full of instruction, of the duties his congregation owed to themselves and to the world. The room in which this congregation held their services is quite plain, and the fittings unostenta- tious; but there is an atmosphere of sincerity acd Siggy harmony pervading the audiences that ere assemble. Cong ation B’Nai Chotim. ~ In Columbia street, near Houston street, this congregation, numbering about one hundred and ten worshippers, ander the presidency of M. Gerver, meets and pays tribute to the Almighty in accordance with the established ritual of the Jewish creed. The ball in which the congrega- tion assembles is a plain loft in what was formerly & private residence, the forms on which the mem- bers sit are in keeping with the establishment, and the president’s deak at the head of the room is fenced in and upholstered as in an ordinary lodge room. Everything around the establishment is simple in construction and plain in appearance ; but the devotion evinced by the congregation is none the less sincere on that account, PHILOSOPHICAL QUESTIONS ON THEOLOGY. To tne Epiror or rar Heratp:— The writer, having studied the Holy Serlpture with great zeal, earnestness and sincerity of heart, according to the dictates of his own mind, and having conscientiously formed his own conclusion, would now respectfully claim attention to the fol- Jowing questions, go that the public may judge and @ecide definitively either for or against a philo- sophical view of Scripture. There can be but one true way of rendering or interpreting Holy Writ. All others, therefore, must be made up of fallacy, sophistry and delusion:— 1, Is Theology, as known at present, @ positive fact, or is it a delusion? 2. Is the institution of the Christian Church a science, or is it not? 3. Is the principle of reason in man natural, or is it acquired? 4. Is reason the founder and ruler of liberty, or is it not? 5. Was the republic of Rome the first of which we have any knowledge? 6. Is,the principle of reason, as it naturally is, capable of continual self-government ? 7. Would it be a science of great magnitade to Mr the nature of man? 8. Is there any other principle in the doctrine of Christianity except to infuse or engraft the na- ture of woman, which is sympathy, into the na- ture of man! ' 9. Would reason and sympathy combined be capable of continual self-government? 0. Would a perfect form of government be a happy state for the people? . oo Is the men oaeen, book in itself, with- out a revelation of the fixed prin i pag aA re ed principle upon which 12. Is the le a history of past evente, or is it a book of principles, precepts and doctrinos ex- isting at all time? 13. Has a steam engine, or the material of which it is made and scientifically constructed as a re- volving medium, # principle, and {s that principle subject to steam power? 14. Has the Bible lett ‘3 and words as material of which it is composed, and are those letters and words #0 combin i arranged as to have spirit or principle within them, and is subject to a hizher principe, called } 135. Is steam the true power of ane et 16. Is the Holy Spirit the true power of the Bible? 17. Is the steam a part of the engine, or ma be removed and leave the engine complete in itsel without it? 18. Is the Holy Spi it hidden and the Bib out it? 19. Now, has @ steam engine any comparison with the Bible in regard to science, and will it in any manner tend to illustrate the subject? 20. Do our divine doctors or theological ehief engineers know the true power of the Bible and how to use and direct it! 21. Did an unkoown and mysterious Being called God create out of nothing this natural world upon Which we live? or did philosophy create the in- stitution of Christianity out of nothing and call that a world? 22. Ip ft materia) or natural nature that was created out of nothing? or is it immaterial or spiritual nature? 23% le there a created heaven in material na- ture? 24. Ia thore not @ created heaven in spiritual mature? 26. Hae the created heaven a firmament or a SOrmness in it? 26, Is the letter or literal sense of Scripture the ercature Se . ? or ie the creature natutal man beast 27. Did the trae God of the Bible make @ natural Person out of the dust of the ground? or did Prilosop'y take the oxisting state it @ part of the of mankind aa | men fraternized\yith Presb; > athe sg aoe eet Da i x dhe oad anak man By cling 8 pli We ‘ at DAT? he man that was made or a maweel paread, or wes it @ political ? 90, Was the body of the woman that was made a female person, or was it a religious body or eborch ? 30, Are any female characters mentioned in'the Bible natural women, ome they represent princi- | ne nature t me ieepinees allotted only to a certain piece of supposed ground called Eden or , OF may it exist anywhere within the sphere of Chris- janity ? y? 32. "Is Paradise a garden in the natural world or a state of happiness in the religious world? 33, Was the tree of the fruit of knowledge of good and evil a natural tree in a m, or is the Bible in its sense of letter and spirit that tree in the garden of Christianity ? 84, Do those principles cansed by the letter or pure literal sense of the Bible destroy all Christian nationalities, no matter in what form, except per- fect ones, or do they not? 35. Did the letters of the Bible,or the forbidden fruit destroy the republic of.Rome, or did it not? 36. Was it necessary for the republic of Rome to die in order to make a perfect one? 37. Was Adam driven out of the garden on ac- count of eating of the tree of knowledge pd and evil, or was he driven out because he did not eat of the tree of life at the same time? 38. Was the cherubim at the gate of Paradise set there to guard the way to the tree of life, or was he set there to keep it? 39. If a person be stationed to keep a road does that mean to prevent any one from going that way, or does it mean that the road is kept in order by that person, that all may pass that way who choose to go? 40, Has the way to the tree of life ever been guarded and shut, or has it been always kept and preserved, being, at the same time, always open and free of access? . If space be granted in this journal, the writer will, on some future Sabbath, question some parts of Paul’s epistle to the Romans, and after that any portion of Scripture the public may desire. A CONGRESS OF AMERICAN CHURCHES, The Evangelist, New School Presbyterian, men- tions that the late movements towards union in the Presbyterian Church and elsewhere have led many to look forward to a still larger union which should bring into one fold, or at least into close relations of intercommunion and Christian fellow- ship, a number of evangelical churches, which in time should include all the great branches of Pro- testant Christendom. Asa step in this direction, the Christian Inteliigencer suggests that the evan- gelical chyrches in the United States are ‘‘ap- proaching @ period in which they might organize & general convention or congress,” composed of duly appointed delegates, the same to meet, say once in three years. The work of this general congress of American churches would necessarily be changed from time to time; but the following are suggested as fea- tures that would obtain a certain degree of per- manence:— 1, It would be charged with the duty of exem- plifying the essential che of the several evan- gelical denominations. 2. By its fraternal counsels it might magnify the essentials and minify the non-essentials of religion. 3. It could concert and recommend plans of labor, which, if commonly adopted, would harmonize and consolidate the aggressive efforts of all the churches. 4. Is de- liverances on ences questions of public morals could not fail to have large influence, and some- times check political iniquity when intent upon mischief. 5. It would oe a united front against the adversaries of Church and State, and quicken the public conscience when enervated by popular errors and delusions. The Protestant Churchman (Episcopal), in speaking of the fraternization between the Episcopal and the Presbyterian clergy, at the late Convention in Philadelphia, says:—‘‘ The scenes of Thursday and Friday convinced us that our foes are not those of other evangelical communions; let us then more heartily than ever unite with them in repelling the assaults of our common fdes—genuine and counterfeited Roman- ism.” Commenting upon the above, the New York Observer (Old School Presbyterian) say These arc words which will awaken a cordial response from all in every communion who love Christ and the souls of men more than mere forms and ceremonies. IMPORTANT CHURCH ARRANGEMENT, On Saturday, November 23, a convention of pastors and delegates of evangelical churches was held in our city. Attention was called to the fact that it is impossible to hold any public meeting on any evening during the week without interfering with some regular church service, and the practicability of securing such uniformity as would avoid this evil was discussed. It was pre- sumed that, should the chnrches agree upon some evening which should be known as ‘the city church en oe the whole community would readily fall in with the arrangement. It was, therefore, unanimously resolved to re- commend to the churches to unite upon Wednes- day evening. It is hoped that those churches which hold more than one weekly service will take Wednesday evening for one of them. BAPTIST. A new Baptist church, the fruit of @ revival under the preaching of Rev. T. H. Stewart, was recognized on the 14th inst. in Rockfield, Indiana. ‘Twelve converts have been recently baptized, and the membership of the mew church nambers twenty-two. The Baptist church of North East, Dutchess county, New York, laid the corner stone of a new Gothic edifice on the 4th instant, in the village of Millerton. This church is one hundred and sixteen years old. CONGREGATIONL, The First church of Cincinnati have refused to accept the resignation of their pastor, Rev. Dr. Storrs. According to the Congregational custom in such case a council has been called, consisting of the ministers and one member from each of the Congregational churches in the vicinity, to con- sider and advise in the matter. Mr. W. C. Sexton has been ordained at Lewis, Cages county, Mich, Mr. C. B. Sumner, @ graduate of Yale College, and of the last class in Audover Theological Semi- nary, has accepted @ call from the Congrega- tional church in Monson, Mass. Rev. J. P. Humphrey, late of Winchester, N. 1, has accepted acall to East St. Johnsbury, Vt., with @ salary of $800 and a parsonage. The Oswego Congregational Association held its annual meeting recently at Pulaski. The church there has just dedicated a brick house of worship, which is a fine specimen of good taste. This is a half-shire town with Oswego. The large old Con- yegatioual church at Camden, on the Rome and Watertown Railroad, which recently withdrew from presbytery, united with the Association. It was ofigitally a plan-of-onion church, having joined presbytery in 1818; but its leet minister, hot content with the arr ment, sought to Pres- bytertanize it, and the result Was to carry it over where it beloags—viz., to its own denomination. He has been dismissed. A little over forty Presby- terians withdrew and have organized a cliurch of their own, leaving still three hundred and twenty members in the old hive. The reports from the churches of the Association were encouraging, particularly those from Rk, and Syracuse. The churc Georgetown, Mass, of which Rev. Charles Re t is pastor, was founded in 1732. After enjoying the fellowship of the churches for nearly @ bentury and @ half, the Essex North Con- ference, in 1863, suspended it from full fellowship until they should get rid of their pastor, who was charged with heresy. The church quietly went on doing Christ's work, and concluded not to get rid of its pastor. Gradually a change pr upon publio sentiment in the vicinity, and finally, at a recent meeting at Newburyport, amicable rela- tions were restored ali round. EPISCOPAL, The following places are included in the new Episcopal diocese in Maryland, having Annapolis for its gontre:—District of Columbia, Montgomery, bit Arundel, Prince George's, Ci Howard, 5 *" orge's, Calvert, of the Hartford Ch C iM regerd to the proceed- ings at Philade(yhie, is which the clergy> » algrming! mays! means, either freas6n 4 the Charch> or it means nothing’ we GERMAN REFORMED, eee In the church at Lebanon, Pa., the Lord’s Sup- per was administered to the congregation on the $d inst., in the German, and on the 10th inst., in the English language. Fifty-five persons were re- ceived into the church, forty-four by the solemn rite of confirmation. Of the latter eleven were heads of families. Rev. 8. W. Kremer has been for sixteen pears pastor of this church, ~ A new church in Brady’s Bend, Pa., has been consecrated to the service of the Master. Rey. J. H. Stepler preached in German and Rev. J. 5. Shea in English, Rev. C. A. Limberg is the pastor, LUTHERAN, The Convention called to organize the General Council of the Evangelical Lutheran Church of North America met, November 20, at Fort Wayne, Ind. After a friendly discussion of two days the proposed constitution was adopted with great:} unanimity. There are now fully organized twelve synods, nearly one thousand congregations, and over one hundred and thirty thousand communi- cants represented. The organization of ‘The First English Lutheran church, in connection with the General Synod,” at Pittsburg, has been lately completed. METHODIST. The First church, Chicago, who gave up their pastor to the Advance newspaper, have extended a unanimous call to Rev. E. P. Goodwin, of Co- lumbus, Ohio. They offer a salary of $4,000 and the expenses of removal. Results of the Centenary Year.! All the conferences have not been heard from, but the total amount reported from forty-five con- ferences is $6,931,256 96. For church extension fourteen conferences have given $2,445,298 95. For the Drew Theological Seminary Mr. Drew has given $516,000. For denominational objects twenty-two conferences have contributed $767,000. Presbyterian churches have been successfully established in all the towns (with but one excep- tion) situated on the Missouri River, between Iowa and Nebraska, Sioux City, Dakota, Blackbird Decatur, Omaha, Council Bluffs, Bellevue, Platts- mouth, Rock Bluff, Nebraska City and Browns- ville have Presbyterian churches, and most of these churches have neat and comfortable houses of wor- ship. The church in Omaha is in connection with the New School branch; the church in Rock Bluff isin connection with the United Presbyterian Church; tfe others in connection with the Old School body. The churches in Omaha, Council Bluffs and Nebraska City are the largest, butin all the Word is dispensed regularly, either by pastors or stated supplies. The Synod of Virginia, by a strong vote, refused to endorse the action of the Southern General Assembly, designed to prevent the full ordination of colored men as ministers and elders in the Presbyterian Church. The Synod requests the Assembly to declare that the ministry is open to rm jes love Christ and are qualified, with respect yo color. The Olivet Presbyterian church, in Scott, Ma- haska county, Iowa, have completed a church edifice, at a cost of $1,666, which was dedicated to the worship of God on Thursday, October 17. The Rev. James H. Potter, who last summer resigned his charge in Baltimore, has removed to Delafield, Wisconsin, and has taken charge of two churches in that neighborhood. J Rev. Charles Rockwell, late of White Plains, N. Y,, has removed to Mongaup Valley, Sullivan county, N. Y. Rev. W. J. Erdman, formerly of Fayetteville, N. Y., has been installed ‘pastor of the Presby- terian church in Ann Arbor, Michigan.! Rey. William McConnell, was installed pastor of the Twent; ya street Presbyterian church of Chicago, 17th instant. Rev. Thomas A. Samson, of Malta, N. Y., has accepted a call to the Presbyterian church at Blairstown, N. J. Rey. R. F. Patterson has taken charge of the ae School and New School churches at Thornton, nd. ROMAM CATHOLIC. Archbishop Odin and Bishop Dubois. [From the New York Freeman's Journal, Nov. 30. These esteemed prelates, the arcbishop of New Orleans and the bishop of Galveston, reached this port in the French steamer from Europe, last week. They leftimmediately for their respective sees; Archbishop Odin by way of Baltimore, where soasne business required him to see the archbishop of Baltimore, and Bishop Dubois by the western route, through Cincinnati. Archbishop Odin has secured a a number of young ecclesiastics, not yet admitted to the priesthood, to supply . the wants of his diocese. op Dubois bed under his care for the needs of Texas a Catholic colony of over fifty. Of nearly half were young men, in various stages of preparation for the priesthood. Twenty-five others were women of various religious orders, devoting their lives to this hard but Homey | field. The Rey. Father de Noodt, 8. J., a distinguished member of the Jesuit Order in Belgium, was a fellow passenger with the above named prelates. He is only on a visit of rigorous obligation, and expects to return to Brussels shortly. Tridaam for Pope in Baltimore. Archbishop Spalding has ordered, in his Diocese, a Triduum for the Pope, to commence on the Feast of the Immaculate Conception, December 8. A Gift fr [From the Cincinnati Commercial.) In taking leave of the archbishops and Siege who were gathered ther in Rome peoearyy @ Pope gave to each with his own hand a splendid silver medal, as a gift by which to remember their parting. Archbi tah was the recipient of one of these. With his usual generosity in such Pape. matters, he has handed this valuable keepsake to Mr. Adam Wilson, authorizing him to it of for, the benefit of the Orphan Asylum at ‘ins ville at the annual fair in holiday week. e en? graving and ornamentation are very me. The inscription on the face, which bears in relief the figures of the Saviour, St. Peter and St. Paul, is as follows:—‘‘The Prince of the Apostles, the Doctor of the Gentiles; these are the triumphers and the friends of God.” St. Peter is represented with. the keys and the inverted cross; St. Paul bearing the scroll and the sword. The Saviour is represented in the act of crowning them, standing between them. On the back is the inscription of dedication:— To Pius the Ninth, the Sovereign Pontiff, in memory ofthe triumphal day, the 25th of July, 1867, in which the centenary solemnity was celebrated in the city. St. Peter, the Prince of the Apostles, St. Paul, the Doctor of the Gentiles, victoriously entered heaven, and gave Rome, the mistress of nations, the name of mother and mistress of all the people.” — Rev. John J. Williams, Bishop of Boston, confirmed 983 persons in one day. On November 8, Archbishop MeCloskey con- firmed, at St. Stephens’ church, in this city, 1,400 children. The Morality of the Mayoralty Election. The Freeman's Journal reads « certain candi- date for Mayor the following amusing lecture in the ‘soothing style of Catholic morals’ :— ba} ! my dear child, the first ciple of Catholic morals is to avoid proximate oceasions ofsin! You see, my dear -——, that one of your besetting sins is stealing and robbing in public lace! You profess the desire of changing your fe! God bless your good resolution. But, my fear + you have been very weak. You have always yielded to this sin when you Tad the chance! Now, my dear ———., this is a proximate occasion of sin for you! You must not expose yourself to it!” This is the way we would pent ——<— throngh our layman confessional! And we think we hear ——.. on sonrna ualy ejaculating the name of the post town in California called ‘' Yuba Dam!” Monsignor Nardi and the Irish Bishops. The following note from Monsignor Nerdi was published in the Correspondance de Rome of the 2d November:— The oh ed of the 25th October is informed its correapondents M. ON. Roman government to Ireland was sent by the ay nso 9 Dardion Cullen and sSUNDAY, (D a illslon bo Rechatge'Sor bij Gisele 6 Bol. municate, we “aS REFORMED DUTCH. At a meeting held in the Reformed Dutch church in Joralemon street, Brooklyn, last week, under the direction of the Board of Foreign Missions of the Reformed Datch church, Rev. Dr. Ferris made some interesting statements concerning the work of the Board. In 1867, the Reformed Dutch chureh withdrew from the American Board of Commis- sioners for For Missions, as it had long far- nished more money than was needed to support its own missionaries. Notwithstanding the finan- cial panic of 1857, the Reformed Dutch churches raised di the year $16,000. The year previous but $13,000 been contributed. In 1862, durin; the t times of the war, the church contri- bated 000, and last year the contributions amounted to $119,500, of which $56,500 were from one person. The Board has now fourteen mission- aries, fifty-four native helpers, twenty-nine schools and two seminaries. Of the above contributions the South Classis of Long Island, comprising the churches of Brooklyn an ae es in 1857, $1,000; last year, $5,500; and in hardest time of the war, when exchange wee about 300, $9,900. Reverend D. Ra alje, of a foots of the work of the missis among the ‘‘teeming millions’? of that country, and Reverend Dr. 8. R. Brown, of i made a brief address. he whole number of Dutch Reformed churches in this country is 444, and of ministers 461. Of these, 316 churches and 326 ministers are in the State of New York. A General Sunday School Convention. A remarkable Convention of the Friends has just closed @ four days’ session in New Bedford, Mass. Some of their noblest women from the North, South and West, were gathered here to discuss Sabbath and mission schools. The interest rose to the last hour of the public services. The tone of all the exercises is described as deeply evangelical. Christ, and how to win souls, was the inspiration of the discussion. Elizabeth Com- stock, of New York, and Sarah Smiley, of Balti- more, were eloquent and impressive in their re- marks. The were the following:—Ist. The hol of convention at all. 2d. The ter of the discussions, the drift of which was the increase of means a bier and saving Lol ee - Lee of an afteruoen spent u TO} v= ing music in the «omc Rar ‘and finally, the least important of change forward, was re- moval of hate by men during religious meet- ings. Other denominations were invited to par- ticipate in the debates, without any one’s waiting for the “spirit to move” him. The Northwestern Conference of Universalists met in Chicago, November 7. Its sessions are held biennially. During the past two years $100,000 have been raised for the endowment of Lombard University, located at Ssleabare, 12: and about the same sum for denomina’ purposes, The discussions of the Conference had reference chiefly to denominational les and measures. It was voted, after much te, to raise $25,000 for home missionary, church erection purposes. CHURCHES AND RELIGION IN ABYSSINIA. A recently published work on Abyssinia thus describes the places oftforship in that fast becom- ing interesting country to vad people of these modern days:— The churches are generally built on the summit of hills, in the midst of ¢) es. They are round, with conical Jewish model into three open, being the space poe Supporting the rv four yards beyond the main part, corresponding with Holy Place, is the space between the outer ‘another, which encloses the holiest of all; and here the people congregate for divine }. ‘The holiest is only entered by the priest, what is called and the tabot, or ark, in whic ie sacred vessels and books are kept. The of this enclosure ia profusely painted and historical subjecta by native toa European, are subjects of great Michael, the archangel, and St. Geotge amd the Dragon, nearly always occ the di tations of ae = } that they always ». and bad the future world it is paint els and good mien men black, which on one made me ask all Abyssin- world. tals being black, went to be The religion of the Abyssinian is usually termed Christianity. But it is in reality a mixtare of Judaism, Christianity and superstition. They boast of a Jewish origin, and imitate the Temple service, practice circumcision, eat no meats for- bidden by the Levitieal law; they remove their shoes before entering their churches, and sit on the bare floor. They pretend to keep both the Jewish and the Christian Sabbaths, and in their worship read the New. much and prac- tise the eucharist; but ngowrg ome largely formal and supe’ and kissing the floor of the church, and fasta and feasts, of which there are @ vast number in their calen- dar. They pray for the dead, venerate the Virgin Mary, invoke saints and and have ag many legends and miracles of saints as the Catholics; i they have ina pee ci at all recogni- ion of the Pope ‘. believe in parga- tory, but deny trensubstantiation. The gospel is believed to have been first introduced into Abys- sinia by the Eunuch, who was baptized by Philip, as recorded in the eighth chapter of Acts, though the gencral conversion of the people is ascribed to the exertions of the Christians of the middle of the fourth century. ACaurious Argument fora Relizious Magazine. From The Pulpit for November.) We infer from what we hear in conver: sation, and what we read in the public journals, that the public think it a marvellous that so many of the clergy are wrecked upon the rock of penanality, The astonishment is not " People who do not make a habit of thinking, will ly be thi fal enongh to know th fact with | this matter. The fact is is to feference to that th no profession, class, or avocation, #0 exp: or ted by the devil of sensuality asthe min- istry. The’ very sanctity of their office is an occasion of their stumbling. The office is confounded with its occupant. The sanctity of the former is made the possession of the latter. Now, the office is an invulnerable myths its occupant is a man of like passions with other men. No temptation is sufficient to over. come the office, while so stout-faithed an occupant of it as Peter, the apostle, may fall grievously at the first approach of the adversary. Unthinking™ women may seem to be only tempting the office, when they are unwittingly laying snares for ite occupant. By their persistent exhibition of conf- dence in the office they are confiding persistent! in its occupant. And soit came to pass in ‘hie way that the minister, with all his flesh and blood about him, has the door of temptation thrown open to him and then closed behind ‘him. Blind confiding on the one side, and un- guarded sociability on the other, lead to equivocal circumstances as to both. No man in the world has so few conditions imposed upon him at the threshold of society as the clergyman. His pass port to social life is almost a carte blanche. Woe mon of both states and all ages are his companions, socially and professionally. The rules of social intercommunion between the sexes are, in his case, virtually suspended. What would be an indiscre- tion with other men is a matter of course with him. Ho shares, or is alternately admitted to the privacy of the sick room with the physician, Wherever spiritual advice is called for, there he reigns alone and unmolested. And he is a sedentary man, of nervous-eanguine temperament, and, like all men of this sort and life, feels the law of his flesh warning against the law of his religion. None have such passions as those of sedentary life. In proportion to the idleuess of the ‘muscles, is the activity of the passions. The devil tempts the industrious; idle men tempt the devil. The clergy should give more earnest heed to‘ muscular Christianity.” But not only is their life afflicted with defic.ency in bodily exercise, it is addi- tionally accursed with the temptations that take advantage of this physical feebleness. Half the crimes of sermuality come of p fooble- ness. Considering, then, this this supersbundance of deficiency in physical exertion and this extraordi- Bary exposure to the Wiles of the wieked, Bea The uative influences of ansuspicion, the marvel Sap, fe made to that so Few of clergy Sau, sins of The Rew van ta d vhs «, from these clerical sins of sensuslity len trip sensual sin 4s comparatively the most excusable of the obli- quities of which the clergy can be guilty, we cere tainly advise all those who are thus guilty, or feel themselves in danger of being, to quit pulpit at once and forever. And let none go to the sacred office who are not strong in the flesh as well as in the Lord, and let the physically feeble whe are in ‘ leave it, lene, & worse fate some ae ten rind ear’. not make amends for gic: infirmities. rs As for seduction, that is a crime than Which’ Rone are more heinous, infernal and damna- ble, let who will commit it, The man who is convicted of it deserves every twinge of the torture to which he can be sub- Jected by the retributive laws of the Divine Government. Nor is there any explanation to be offered for that horrible species of the genus sen- suality, of which several clergymen in this coun- try have recently been fo guilty, and which shall be nameless here. Such offences are very peoutiany odious and abhorrent, in view of the fact that sensual gratification is possible without adding more than one to the number of the de- bauched. Let these putrid brethren be cut off and put away, and let there be a rigorous endeavor to lift the standard of clerical purity in the above as well as in every other respect, but let it be re- membered also that the steadfastness of the clergy is a matter of amazement, when the considera- tions we have named are taken into the account, CHURCH IMPROVEMENTS IN JERUSALEM. The works of reconstruction at the grand cupola of the Church pf the Holy Sepulchre, at Jerusa- lem, are advancing rapidly. As the materials re- quired for placing the hemispherical vault, sent from France, have reached their destination, there is reason to believe that this part of the workmay | be finished before Easter, On the other hand, the levelling of the ground between Jerusatem and Hagee, a aatively péshed Torwied, uoier’ the ab }, is active rward, under the rection of *Nazit Packs, Governor General of Palestine. Within two months the road will be completed as far as the foot of the mountains, or nearly one-half of the whole distance. THE CLERGY ON INTEMPERANCE. Rev. Newman Hall, ina temperance lecture in New York some time ago, said, in alluding to drunkenneas in England and America:— In America he had seen but three or four drunken men; in England he saw as many nightly. He blushed pare over the drunkenness and vice of Great Britain, and he should be varce to see any nation brought down to the level of Eng- land in this respect. In Grace church, Providence, last Sunday night, Bishop Clark, of Rhode Island, said on the same subject:— In the five months I have been absent I have never seen in Great Britain or Europe four men or single woman intoxicated. There is more drunk- enness in the United States than is to be found among the same number of people anywhere else on the face of the earth. Thus doctors differ. No doubt both these rever- end divines intend to speak the truth; but the difficulty in both cases is, that the gross drunkards of a foreign country do not parade themselves to be reviewed by a distinguished clerical or genteel visitor. This is the great reason why many of our people cannot see much drunkenness in France. ‘hey don’t go in the dens where it burrows. THE NEW SECT. Spiritualistic Mo: jam. {From the Cairo (Ill.) Democrat, Nov. 17.] _~ In our issue of last Thursday we noticed the mysterious disappearance of a lady, who, having become a convert to Mo. piritualistic Mormonism—endeavored to induce her husband, now in this city, to undertake the task of convert- ing the world to the new religion, and failing in this, lost her reason. The last seen of her was at Mound City, from whence she traveled on foot in the direction of the Junction. One remarkable fact connected with this strange affair that the lady believes her husband is even superior to Morris, and many of the Morrisites entertain the same belief. In one of his revelations—for he received and re- corded the words of God—Morris prophesied that hia mission would not be of long di ion—that he would come to a sudden and violentdeath. The prophecy was fulfilled. But he also declared that & greater than he would come after him to accom- plish the work of the Latter etn aoe establish and confirm, for all time, ‘‘the ‘of the gos- pel,” and erect for the people of the Saints a uni- versal tem] poral king. This prophecy has not. t been fulfilled, but Are fanatics of ‘the of the most. ites, who most decided r man says he might have been induced ‘the new religion had it not been for this attempt a grand in the Church of of the Fulness of the Gospel. He is to accept the proffered honor and too , even if he had sufficient assistance to induce him to attempt the task. He gor on bree was not Adam, and he is ing. F sworn that he never was Gabriel. He opinion that when he becomes crazy th to believe that he was ever anybody eise iw he will be just the man to lead the Mor- ites, and he will then take up the rod of author- ity and proceed to his allotted task. INTELLIGENCE, Retiorove Union as Virwep In tee Socrn.— The net result of the attempt to unite the non- Episcopal Methodists in one body is—a prospect- ive’ lawsuit. The Wesleyans and the Methodist Protestants have fallen into a serious misunder- standing in relation to the title of each to Adrian College, in Michigan. At the late session cf the Wesleyan General Conference a subscription of Sere yae made to prosecute the suit against the Protestants for the lon of this property.—Raleigh (N. 0.) Methodist. Barro axp Barrizo.—A writer in the and Recorder, » Baptist, family, educated for, the ministry, among his reasons for 1 hen, Hoong Baptists ‘and uniting with the Congregat eae ye coming sick and tired of baptism, r> sion, bapto and baptizo.”’ sapeiearyiociaa charch.ota prediang Tat at tie Ti) church, in | ly of the funds he toa contributed to the theoiogical semi- nary, remarked as follows:—‘What I put into the seminary wee not a donation, it was an invest. ment. 1 have other investments that the world considers first rate, but I consider that in the semi- the best of them all. It payee and I intead to more stock as fast as I ge the means.’’ A Sarwow Merer.—The Queen las fixed in the pit of the Chapel Royal, Savoy, a sand glass of measure of eighteen minute: ish paper. {What a ing a meter of this sort would be in some of our American churches, It would be no “common metre.”’) Sronsons in Cincumcrston.—The Hebrew Obser- ver of September 20 announces the circumcision of @ band of triplet children in the synagogue Ohabai Shalomo, of San Francisco. Governor Haight, Mr. Senator Conness and General McDow- ell were present and stood Sponsors, with a distinguished company of gentlenwen and ladies, The boys were named Abraham, Issac and Jacob to which names those of Lincola, Conness and Andrew Johnson were added. Upon this, the Uhristian Register pertinently ‘asks the following question :—‘‘Will some one tell our readers what are the obligations entered into by the sponsors on such occasioas in thé Hebrew taal? We can hardly suppose shat the sponsors here agreed to bring up these children in the Hebrew faith.’’ Tue Exemy ar Hanp.—A ninister recent); seceking ina convention sermon of the Ramee 4 Ry. : One ieares class = hearre Neate he ospel le to apply in ita tical bearings, said with equal simpichty aah leven, “I used to wonder in my boyhood days; in -eading the story of Aladdin, how itwere possible by the mere rub« bing of # lamp to call up such majvellous creatures’ asthe genii were. But since I ave i minis- tor Ihave ceased to wonder at tiat, minis- ter in the pulpit has but to toum certain subjects to call up Satan.” from a MOVEMENTS OF THE GENERALLY. The Presiding Bishop of this ‘a dio- cose has simmoned the House of Bishops to meet on Wednesday, February 6, nogt at ton A. M., at j St. John’s pes prdaa sod 6 @ parpae: electing ® suitable person to All the vacancy d¢q casioned by the decease of the late Bishop of Oregon. ‘im, ke pasror of the Baptist church in Amberatbarg, Canada West, is now serving the Second church in Richmond, Va. Brother Waylandt Hoyt has been recognized ‘ m of the ste 1 oF paptiat church in Broo Pym tela ta not ‘un to be s cennectic with the “ hard shell’ Baptists. Brother William E. bas been ordained tor of the Central Congregational church in rence, Mass, - Archbishop McCloskey administered the ment of cankrmation on Wednesda ne 10 of the Immaculate Conception, ou street, to seven hundred and ninety-six p On Sunday, in the Church of St. Vincent d West Twenty-third pret ta one hundred On Sunday, November 17, he dedicated, at C Gering, Soa, Church of Our Lady of Loretto, whi has lately undergone a very extensive repairing. Rey. Thomas 8. Preston, pastor of St. Anu’s, lectures for the five Sunday evenings in Decemberg. a Brother E. AG peach ae ot Prose Comer , onn., goes ongre; church at Kansas, Mo, i 2 Rev. Daniel Johnson, who has left a ney) able religious record, died at Fairport, N. Y.. aged eighty-four. 4 Rev. A. N. Littlejohn, D. D., is mentioned ag the probable Bishop of the Long Island diocese. Rev. F, A. Noble has been called to the a Presbyterian church of Pittsburg, Pa. “4 Rev. William A. Fi in. goes to the First: Presbyterian church at Dabuque, lowa. . Rey. Roswell Foster goes to the Congregational: church at Nebraska City. a ages - 4 The growth of Methodism in Newark, N. the pars ten years, has been at the rate of’ per cent. * A Presbyterian church has been dedicated o: ee They have built a parsonage for the pastor the ity ser Can church, Newarkj. N. J., at a cost of $6,000. a Rev. T. M. Curry, Lge’ of Jane street Me’ dist Episcopal churc! ered from his late protracted 4 Rev. and Mrs. Charles H. Plummer, of Provi: dence, R.I., celebrated their silver wedding Monday, Nov. 4. ea Rey. Newman Hall is to arrive in Boston to-m row, on his way back to England. He is reach on Tuesday evening next at the Sout Bongregational church. - The Hon. and Rev. Baptist Noel, of London, announced his intention of retiring from the pub! labors of the ministry next summer. The Rutgers Presbyterian church in this has given a call to Rev. Nathaniel W. Co! of the Arch street Presbyterian church; in in this city, has fally recove, There are now twenty-five Protestant mission: societies that are laboring in-India. Of oe three are organized in Scotland, eight in lant one in Ircland, four on the Continent of § and nine in America. These societies about five hundred and fifty missionaries, expend annually in that country not $1,250,000. ame In the Rohert College, at Constantinople, of which Dr. Hamlin is president, there are sevent six stadents of fourteen different nationaliti There are twenty-two Armenians, sixteen Gree! ana thirteen Bulgarians, and smaller numbers Turks, English, Italians, &c. - The 150th anniversary of the Conaregsiie church in Woodbridge, Conn., was celebrat November 13. : The recent! pettiches minutes of the Gene Association of lew York (Congregational) giv: the number of churches of this order in the bes” | as 223, with 52 pastors and 138 acting pastors. total membership of these churches is 21,856. Bro. Daniel 8. Ford has withdrawn from thé Watchman and or. The First Congregational church in Cincinna’ are making an effort to retain their pastor, Rev. = Storr: ., who has been called to Brooklyn, Rev. Dr. Long, missionary of the aa Board, has returned to Constantinople. His ve sion of the Bible into the Bulgarian language i¢- completed, and will soon be published by American Bible Society. Dr. moh poi missionary in Japan from the Pres¢ fea rd, has completed his Japanese dic¢ io! , and is soon to begin the work of ting the Scripturés into the same language. ~ Rev. Hiram Mead, of South Hadley, Mass., re cently dismissed from his pastorate, has acce a call from the Olive street church in Ni Rev. Samuel Cole, of West, Gloucester, Mass.) has accepted a call from the Congregational church in Saybrook, Ohio. te ongre; ¢ has accepted a call from ‘Sunderland, Mass, i] “Mr. C. B. Summer, of the last class in'Andove: Seminary, has acce| @ call from the C tional church in Monson, Mass., and. is to begi labors there at the beginning of the next years Rev. Clarendon Waite, formerly Ey of the Grom ut ster My at‘ a jut as Tinh Literature in Beloit College, Wisconsin. The’ First Congregational church in Charles has just cleared offa debt of $6,000, and by thi ii of an individual in Boston is soon to have a chime of sixteen bells, costing $8,000. 4 Rev. H. A. Nelson, D. D., of St. Louis, and Revs E. D. Morris, D. D., of Columbus, Ohio, prominent ministers of the New School Presbyterian Charch, have accepted calls to two vacant professorship: in Lane Seminary, . By, THE NITRO-GLYCERINE EXPLOSION. Centinantion of the Coroner’s Investigation at South Bergen, N. J., Yenterday. Coroner Warren resumed the inquiry into the of the late disaster, at nine o’clock yesterday at the police station, South Bergen. The first called was Mrs, Hicks, whose husband was killed by @xplosion, who testified that Burns boarded with that sho had obliged him to leave because of his i hie a apt argh he Wako, te or td ‘times, C Rouse; i brougut beer for him; have ded becanse of the effects of liquor; he was usually tate at might; he very seldom ate mush In the morning; T have seen Barns drinking outside the house about sl: or seven o'clock in the morning; we Sanday week was drunk, and last Saturday also; I was in the shop place of mg father; the men did not work that day. Jobn Scanion, being sworn, testified—I reside in of Mr. Safe's (the contractor) buildings im Soath Bergeon; I work on the railroad; Flanagan aud Safe are my ¢ ployers; a number of the men board with mé in one the shanties near the biacksmith’s shop; I recoil seeing Burns on the rock Cong of the explosion; thought be was under the influence of bayer weeks previous (0 that I thought also ho was ; boarded with me sinoe the 14h of October last I think Mr, Straifher’s son saw Burns babe org 3 that I thought he was intoxicated; be was in , ‘8 regarded Burns as very caroful with: the last ty “ihe afternoon of the of the Fuppored it was teste ho” hed Woon, ranking; 12 su] was ae a tase iin dra ber I think be was drank to on Monday hurthimsolt ip the wit By bie boot Tae wa the in ms 1 mat that ogg juor in the magazine honse; when. afternoon to go after the oll I be sober; there was oniy one blast that day; I heard Bo John Houlaban, bag Jeet testified :—I reside tn shanties near w) the explosion took place ; gt track; have been employ: & Flanagan; at the ti Twaa in the blacksmith’s shop, about from the door; I went in there fora bolt for hes; Twas in theres about