The New York Herald Newspaper, March 8, 1868, Page 5

Wi the government were virtually in the hands of the oot nts, and when the sigual ay Apart igh at mter the whole navy of the Sisted of Bat forty-six xoaipis, 9g and of of ese sone-nalf ‘out of commission, w! most femctent. were absent on ions. Events followed each other In rapid succession. Upw: Joined th bel Soh eeraavy yard station, ar- and every na’ Benal and shi belor to the tf from the Chesa- igren, leaders: snd counsellors the navy was augmented the first year to 225 vessels. In the second year it was in- creased to nearly 400; in the third to 180, and in the fourth set a to upwards of 650 of ail classes, which required of more than 52,000 men. frigate Mer that the C all midable armored ship. To contend against such an onist as she was likely to prove was a question of vital importance, and at once the ener- of the Navy Department and the juity of the count were taxed to produce an iron-clad vessel that mi; 2 at least re “worthy of her steel.” In th mergenc, vebel leviathan was closely watched by a squad- ron of frigates in Hampton Ro: and the first Monitor was conceived and built, In a letter mab: Ushed in the HERALD at that par the writer say: nce to the tance of Mr. Ericsson's p! and as an evidence of the activity ‘manifested:_—-“In less than two hours the committee (Admirals Smith, Davis and Paulding) came to a decision, and while the clerks were Lear My @ formal contract the tron which now forms eel plate of the Monitor was drawn through the rolling mill.” Here, then, is the initial point in the history of turreted fron-clads and the commencement of that tremendous revolu- tion in naval equipments which has since occurred throughout the world. MONTIORS AND IRON-CLADS, In the memorable combat between the Monitor the Merrimac, on the 9th of March, 1862, the coyn- try ran wild with excitement over the upexpected result. The test of this novel floating battery, with ite formidable fifteen inch guns, sufiiced to establish its superiority over every other class of vessels for war purposes, and contracts were specdily issued for the Construction and equipment of'a large number of the Monitor type. In the first nine the thickness of the turret was increased to eleven inches, and their armaments consisted of one fifteen-inch Smooth bore and one 160-pounder Parrott rife gun. The third issue of contracts calied for nine more iron-cladi with the same battery, but of 1,000 tons burden anc a@ draught of ten feet of water. The fourth series of experiments developed twenty more of 1,600 tons burden, but modified by the addition of two turrets of fifteen inches thickness of metal and a greater babel of engines. Then, to answer the clamors of who were not wholly converted to the ‘‘cheese- box-on-a-raft” principle, the broadside sea-goin; frigate New Ironsides, of 3,000 tons, was construc Bhe was plated with ‘four’ and a hatfinch iron and carried 4 battery of fourteen ‘eleven-inch smooth bore guns, two 150-pounder rifies, two 50-pounder do., and two howitzers. At the same time the frigate Roanoke was mi over with iron plates of five inch thickness, and fitted with three turrets to carry two fifteen-inch guns, two eleven-inch do. and two 160-pounder rifles. we jh it was determined to cunstruct a class eavy eee, Moni- capable of lertiing in mers of the world, and this gave rise ‘ee the building of the Dicta- tor and oe vessels of that type. She was 314 feet fm length, of 5,000 horse pemers and built entirely of fron, with phi eleven Inches thick, and a single turret of fifteen inches of solid metal. With this ex- cegten her decks were perfectly Cage and flush, Lge floated so low in the water that at a distance miles she was scarcely discernible. Yet ait, ved herself in heavy weather a magnificent sea — Her entiation respect she bya Faded of era, an every she was an improve- ment upon = sped The Dictator w was constructed wil elongated forefoote which ren- dered her very ‘formidanie asa “ram;” and her bot- ‘tom was preserved from fouling & preparation of = that proved entirely cee ay time Mr. Webb, the celebrated s! reat cuanges who had been a close observer of the which had taken place in the constraseont of in projected his ic ship, the Dunder- an sourey inal model he aoe to all the improvements which been Satine se the navy—in a word, to plate Mvith iron 8& massive wooden hull, upon which he placed a emer ae yore pt pierced my. a . of eight went inch guns, and surmount his struc. ture with oro revolving pti wag habedgcey 24 strength and thickness, each mount WO guns 0} the largest caliber. “The Dunderberg was 380 feet in sixty-eight feet beam and thirty-two fect depth of hold. She was fitted with an enormous Tam projecting thirty fect under water, and her pom pees computed at 6,000 horse power. This leviathan ship was roeey sold to the French gov- ernment by Mr. Webb, and our readers are already familiar with her successful voyage across the Atlan- But she has yet to be tested in battle. ‘The military occupation of the banks of the Missis- spp and ones great rivers in the West by the rebels dered it necessary to equip a powerful fleet of Tron-clad vessels to co-operate with the army, and at an early period of the war Commodore Rodgers and Admiral Foote were sent to Cairo and St. Louis to organize a flotilla for the Western waters. They de- ‘vised a system of fron-clad steamers, after plans sub- mitted by the War Department, with mailed cese- ments, 8I oping inward! vs at an angle of thirty degree: es plerced for broadside batteries of eight, nine an: en-inch guns and rifled Parrotts. These ves- sein, “pallt by Edes, of Carondelet, were called “tur- ” and were nr enone for their Vay efficiency at Donelson, Shi Island Number Ten, Vicks- B a Grand Guif. Subsequently, mira porter, r, other steamers, with turrets, “were canted to the squadron, the efficiency of which he increased by the equipment of a fleet of Soe savant cise steamers, “armed with howitzers and pro- tected by thin plates of iron. These were known as ” and were very effective in prt ‘the small Sai and bayous and in operating against gmail! bodies of troo} ‘Whatever connection the navy had with the rebel- Hon, if we ex: the attacks on New Orleans, Roanoke Island, Hatteras Inlet and the action be- tween the K and the Alabama, it is insepar- ably associated with the iron-clads. And in no in- ea during the war were they s@ severely tested as ted siege of Charleston. Nor was there bn it of attack where 80 many practical results ‘were obtained. This will be apparent when we con- sider the length of time consumed in the reduction of Fort Sumter; the great number and variety of the pro! "sew fired’ and the multiplied character of the The siege of Charleston was, in a cial of PE Fslish against American ordinance, jucted by men educated in the same schools and * handled wit equal cot and skill. Every item, therefore, in the histor this memorable © id be ed and studied as the besi com) ee ‘of modern siege operations. ‘The attack on Fort er by the fleet under Vice Admiral Porter fur- nished a sublime picture of the greatest bombard. ment in the world; and the annals of war may be challegged in vain to find a Pparailel to its erly lan aQd execution. It was par excellence ‘most ‘illiant operation of the war. Apart from the man- ner in whi e vessels of the fleet were disposed for battle, the superior gunnery that was displayed, and the ‘gallantry which characterized the iinal assault, it ished an enduring testimony in favor of the Monitors and iron-clads, which were not only sub to a terrific fire for five consecutive days within eight hundred yards of the enemy's works, they rode out in ‘safety at anchor ninety miles from any harbor one of the heaviest winter gales that had ever ons kg ee along the Southern coast. pa such re us who can question the e(l- gece and erect of these vessels? Comparing the Sion rs with the English and French iron-cinds, as the Warrior, Gioire, &c., we find that as targets the latter present over 6,000 square feet of surface, while the hull and turret of @ Monitor do not offer more tuan 500 feet to an enemy's fire. BLOCKADE RUNNERS ND “DOUBLE ENDERS.” ‘The necessity for swift steamers to overhaul the eae Baa and to BF wp dey the narrow bond ern coasts ‘conecwetion of the “double “ ne nt sidewheel steamers le bows, much after rrybonty 80 as to enable them to phiabena, without turning round. ree for her great hawser and es ble race in one of the slips with the Wi- 1, 18 “one of ’em.” With scarcely an ezeentice these vessels Beha wretched failures, an A en 80) As sea boats they were dangerous, they were not equal to the blockade an evidence of the worthlessness of genni ders fo, nal thirteen in the aet= seven rat n a lee, and of this umber there in now one ‘The blockade and taken for gov- an investment as the into the hands of charm ir speed. With them a don chat bon rat was not lized, and ‘ir final obsequies were performed by the auctioneer. enormonn Increase of the unvy made it neces, ous war ba Soro on oun ta sual the ho proved that int Lo into sericea fas rons aR gaia pe mun x coy , can gist reneronn on ae panto fara pce of Barey messure dnty. Nor NEW YORK HERALD, So ORK RD, BOAT, MARCH 6, Oh-TRIPLS CT. MARCH 8, 1868—TRIPLE SHEET. tw Soto. etss eeese THE NAVY'S BXISTRNCE IN THR FUTURE Thus through nearly a century we have traced the his of the Ame} navy and noted the salient points in its past and present condition. Truth re- quires us to say that with all the errors and extra- vagance of the Navy Department the resulta ob- tained by the officers and men have gone far to hide the blunders and stupidit; My manifested in the admin- istration of its affairs. Without the navy the Union could not have been preserved and the rebellion would have triumphed. Except for it nelther New Orleans, nor mobues nor Wilmi been taken, and the passage of clads'by Vicksburg alone enabled Grants army to turn ‘that Ppositton, while it paved the way for Sher- man’s stupendous march to the Atlantic seaboard. The American people should ever bear these facts in teful remembrance, and cherish as a priceless in- titance the deeds of those who were inspired in battle by the heroic examples of Foote and Farragut and Porter. But much remains to be done to guarantee the manent existence of the navy in the future. We we need to put iva ractice all the Falnabie.e) ex) rience so dearly ee ed during the war, an remedy the evils that still cling tot the Navy ‘Depart- ment. ‘A stop should be put to the crazy experiments in steam, which have cost within the past six apres of $82,000,000 without producing one eiticient steam vessel. If we were to go to war tl England or France to-morrow we have scarcel; ap that could touch them in ek most vulneral he int—their commerce. We require several more 8] Splendid like the Guerriere and jartford—ships that are not all engines and boilers, but with sufficient auxiliary steam power to make them to be always moving, that can carry coals enough to keep the yeh for forty or fifty days, and have at the same time wholesome quarters for their crews— ships that have ample spars and sails to lay by in heavy weather or avail of favorable winds, re need also a fleet of fast sea steamers of the third class, with substantial engines, a good spread of canvas and guns enough to command respect. Nor should iia neglect to provide a greater number of dry Hooss id marine railways for the ir of our I ips, besides machine shops and foundries for the ouetcten and care of armored vessels. Inste: of sending the Monitor and iron-clads abroad rst exhibition they should be kept at home and always in readiness for emergencies. There 18 no more sense in showing off their merits in a time of peace than there would be in transmitting models and de- tail drawings of our fortifications all the foreign Powers. But, above all things, the navy requires a eh at Board of Survey, such as contemplated in he bill before the Senate, and made up from the line officers alone. By this means a wider scope will be given to the mechanical skill of ae country, and the navy placed ona sound footin, economy and pi rogreae With the examples before us the people need haveno fear to entrust the con- struction of their ships to the rare intelligence of those who know so well how to handle them in tem- ests or in battle. Let these men be commissioned seek out the disciples of Eckf and Steers from the shipyards, and to summon t@heir aid that true mechanical genius which is born as the red lights of the foundries and workshops. en, with pine from Maine, live oak from Florida, cope from Michigan, iron from Pennsylvania, pitch from Carolina, cotton from Lepr hemp from Kentucky and timber ze fears from emone aye ship will Alder in e combination of her intricate binding elements of the American, Union. ara iD coe have of iron- NAVAL INTELLIGENCE. Visit to the Brooklyn Navy Yard—Prevailing Dalness—The Receiving Ship Vermont. Most people of any reading are familiar with Hogarth’s instructive lesson depicted in the scene representing two earnest disciples of Esculapius dis- puting by the bedside of a patient regarding the na- ture and character of the disease affecting him and the proper remedial treatment to be pursued, while the unfortunate sufferer, with the burden and fatigue of their disputation superadded to his other !lls, seems gradually sinking beyond all hope of physician’s aid. One is forcibly reminded of this in visiting the Brooklyn Navy. Yard by the ap- pearance of neglect, decay and comparative ruin which presents itself on almost every side, where the utmost activity should prevail. Those whom the people have called in as physicians to heal the wounds with which the unnatural strife of four years has aMicted the body politic, quarrel over the remedy most desirable, while in the meantime the national honor is degraded abroad, and the ships which should speed to avenge the insult lie rotting on the stocks, while the silence fof desolation reigns in the dockyards of the country. It is bad that such things should be true; put being so why should they not be stated? Of course it is impossible that a place of such extent and upon which the government has so lavishly ex- pended money to render it @ first class naval sta- tion as the Brooklyn Navy Yard should be entirely given over to solitude and silence, but when a com- parison is made between the very little that is doing there and busy hum that should resound on ever: side and from every workshop, the conclusion irresistible that we have fallen upon degenerate times. Most of the men who were employed there last month have been dischat , and while some few may be seen about the ya various duties the invariabie answer to an ingn! niry of any of the oficials regarding what ie doing is ¢ nothing,’? and truly it were dificult to convict them of misre- presentation. ‘A VISIT TO THE RECEIVING SHIP VERMONT failed to disclose any more encouraging si thing having occurred there in over a month to dis turb the monotony of existence, which being mainly of that kind described as a Milesian paradise—‘no- thing to do and the finest of ating and dhrinking”’— presents no eg ey tt an occasional drill, There are at present on board the Vermont eight hundred and ‘elgnty-eignt seamen of all awaiting orders which will transfer them to eed | active duty, and in the meantime bn, a themselves for its proper performance Land instruction. It is from here that vessels Coven A jn commission receive their crews, but as, notwith- standing the circumstance that American citizens languish in foreign dungeone, but few have been so placed lately, there has not been much drain on this rendezvous for some time. The last detail made ‘was about a month age, of some two hundred men for the Wam; oag, now the flagship of the North Atlantic sqnadron. ‘The crew of the Sacramento, which was lost in the East Indies some time since, is still on board, This reviewing pip is almost a smail city in itself, containing as much almost of the comforts and even inxuries of life as though really one. The men on board being made up of almost every occupation are equal to any emergency, not the least evidence of their skill being the management of a printin, establishment on the dock near the vessel, where the printing required in the yard is done as well as it could be outside, to the great saving of the er ment. The Vermont is moored close to what is known as the Cobb Dock, a sort of island, Teatiocted ‘on évery side bat one, and approached by a circuitous route of bridge and terrace sufficiently isolated to render easy the task of gui iz the recruits, It cannot be crossed without @ pass from the com- mandant, at no time, however, dificult to obtain, especially on Tuesdays’ and Ufepe a a, When the friends of the seamen are permitted to visit the ship in such numbers as they please, The foliowing is Phe list of the officers of the Vermont at present on duty:— Commander—L. A. Kimberly, ee Commander and Executtve Optcer— Green. james McMaster. = nt Buryeon—EdwAard ate res Ogilvie Wiliam Barramore, Ma: ames, m Barramor aaa Green, Ed . Ballentine, William A. ere find ata avon. oatcain—Hailowell Dickinson. -—Robert G. Thomas, Sailnaker—Tneodore 0. 1 Herbert. MARINE COTS, First Lieutenant and Brevet Captain—Frederick ‘Second Lteutenant—Orlick Palmer. The Vermont is a first cane at Kine-of-battle ship pierced for 2,632 tons burden, Sami built at the Charlestown Navy Yard. she ‘was launched tember 15, 1848. In she was pent to Port Royal as a store ship, nd co the passage aft pete A and sail id im this a oe the Sabine was oy bee towed. ine ere Beyond her record has unevent- ‘The onty other matter of interest, in. the 1s tne eoedt. tral the mere RELIGION IN THE UNITED STATES, The present position, influence and ‘endencies of our various religious sects are of general inter- est. Our churches doubtless accomp]sh much good, but no one can avoid the belief that, for the capital invested, the number and chara¢ter of the workers employed and the facilities of operation, they are not as efficient as might be expected. With over sixty thousand religious teachers, and, it may be fairly supposed, seventy thousgd houses of religious worship, in which a capitsl of over $200,000,000 is invested, we naturally look for large results. CHARACTERISTICS OF THE CHURCHES. Although we have a multiplicity of sects, six of them principally embrace those of our people who make a religious profession. The Roman Catholic Church is too well known everywhere to need any special delineation. Its claims are exclusive, and it does not condescend for a moment to submit to a comparison with others. The other denominations, if less dogmatic, nevertheless each claims a mo- nopoly of excellences. The Episcopal Church felicitates itself on the apostolic succession of its ministry, the exquisite propriety of its services and the tendency of the tide of fashion to its fold. The ministry occupies a position of greater dignity than in any other Protestant communion, and though outside the large cities the salaries are not better than in other churches, yet the ranks of its ministry are constantly receiving ac- cessions from the clergy of other denominations. In fact, it is one of the common arguments of Episcopalians, in proof of the superiority of their Church, that so large a proportion of its clergy were originally Presbyterian or Methodist. The Methodists, while they make- no such special pre- tension as Episcopalians, claim for themselves a remarkable adaptation to the great work churches should do. Beyond all others they have the merit of organization, and at the same time a flexibility which adapts itself to all exigencies. They pride themselves on being the Church of the people, and have undoubtedly more of solidatity and unity of effort with both clergy and laity than any other communion. The leading minds among them have a better kuowledge of every day human nature and more tact in kt a all kinds of people than any other. The ministry are well drilled iu their own tenets, and having nowadays very little of the- cant of the Reverend Stiggins sort which Dickens portrays, enltivates a bon hommie in general society whi contributes much to the growth of the Church. The Baptists have much of the earnestness of the Methodists and partake in large measure of their flexibility. The independence of their congrega- tions of each other and the absence of anyth ing which constrains them to united effort permit a vast amount of strength to lie dormant. No people are more conscientious in what they believe Scrip- tural truth and none more morbidly sensitive to adverse criticism, Though lacking the organiza- tion and combination of the Methodists, their strong conviction of the importance of their pecu- liarities causes them to have much aggres- siveness. They have some families of large wealth, and as a a geaoral thing probably the mass of their adherents are sli thtly above the average of Methodists in worldly respectability. The Presbyterians, in all their branches, have, more than any other. so-called “evangelical” denomi-* nation, a:thoroughly learned ministry, but the comparative seclusion of college life causes man. MA their clergy on the commencement of clerical life to be exceedingly “green” with regard to porns habits of thought and action. Asa whole, re is probably, take the country through, more intellectual culture in Presbyterian congregations than others. Professional men are more com- monty identified with thom than with other churches. The Presbyterian churches have always been marked by RS hone and solidity, and have rendered no mean service in prom @ conservative spirit both in Church an State, The Conaroundonslist, in their estima- of be pere aceon, Suro ch retool e | psig wo ee compas ert ,nor | gunboat Coad, Gemmander Franca. Date, | of non Tnocopal denominations The Presrle| with ter belt ww denominations. The Feiyt. to unite their various bodies, and ae wo far ae Old and New School are, con- cerned, the consummation will be reached. There are, however, two or three bodies which will not be be ixsly to affiliate. The Covenanters and United Presbyterians are partivularly attached to Rouse’s harsh verson of the Psalms of David, and, believ- ing that the ot Watts, waaiee ‘and others are @ profanation, will not very soon be able to waite. Unity among the Methos iste will probabl; mostly attained by the Methodist Episcopal beers absorbing oe bodies. There is cer- wy ind hope of union between the Northern uthern wings of the various churches than poner likely a year or two since. As for more of unity among the various denomi- nations with each other, the Pro spect is not very cheering. Creeds certainly ave a less bindii power, but there are old licoteoerie of order an usage which those who guide denominational barks are determined not to ignore. The most earnest advocates of union perceive in the position of the memaoee Church, in its refusal to recognize the ordination of ministers of the * “sects,” and that of the cept in declining to keep ‘the Lord’s Supper with any but immersed believers, most Poneto obstructions; and consequently they are ombarding these cherished “prejudices” with a ace deal more energy than Christian good eling, while there are evidences of unity in some directions itis notto be forgotten that divisions are imminent. The breach between the two branches of the Episcopal Church is widening, and the Methodists who go in for the “pew system” as against free seats are inclined to insubordina- tion. With some of these tltere is a growing dis- Boxiod to the use of forms of prayer, and stranger ings have occurred than is t come to if we should one day find High Church Methodism and Low Church Episcopalianism in one fold. The great effort, however, of the Protestant churches at the present time is to reach the people. Conventions have recently been held in various cities on this matter, and all kinds of ideas have been ventilated. Many believe that the churches will be more popular by cultivating the social ele- ments, and especially among the Congregationalists church parlors are eid as indispensable, and a cooking stove and crockery ware essential ad- juncts of suecess. In some quarters less preachitig is advocated and Sunday school efforts are a vanced to great prominence, Some are su posing that as people are more willing to go to theatres than churches the best way to reach them is to preach in theatres. One or two lay preachers having proved attractive in Great Britain, many are advocating that our lawyers and merchants exercise their gifts. On all hands much is said in praise of extemporary preaching. Nevertheless, as Dickens can gather a crowd, at high prices, to hear him read works that every one can read for himself, it does pot seem that reading is regarded with such great disfavor. Many very wise sug- estions have been made in all these conventions, ut it is evident that the great want of all the churches is Lal with such a knowledge of human nature that they shall understand the art of put- ting things, popularizing their ‘religious services and machinery. THE TYNG QUESTION. with their belief as well as themselves personally, that no ri Hon in the world eid sanais theirs in sins; ple practic: Here are its two fundamental ide Bist worship of the Lord Jesus Bhrist as God? and second, a life according to His commandments as contained in the Bible. Upon these two points our whole geek of theology and practice is founded, and your readers whether there is anything in them which justifies the charge of transcendentalism, CHRISTIAN SINGERS IN JEWISH SYNA- GOGUES, To rug Epiror om.rae Heraupp :— Your esteemed paper contained in its last Sunday edition an extract from the Jewish Messenger de- claring that it is against the laws of logic and common sense to employ Christian singers in a Jewish synagogue. Many of your readers are ata loss what your intention was in publish- ing the opinion of a so-called orthodox Israelite about this matter—to wit, whether you consider it as the general expression ,of the Israelitish principles or as a singular assertion of a party spirit. Whatever your reasons might be, it would have been your duty to refer likewise to the opposite views stated by Rev. Dr. Huebsch, an eminent Jewish divine, in the columns of the Hebrew Leader (No. 20, vol. xi.) As the public might be led to erroneous conclu- sion about Judaism in taking cognizance of the statement of the Messenger—that the Israelites hold it an abomination to admit Christians to their divine services— able and acknowledged preachers of our reli- gion are far from participating in such narrow and intolerant.ideas as those advanced by the Mes- senger; and that the views of Dr. Huebsch pre- vail in America it is sufficient to intimate that in all the large cities of the United States, as New York, Philadelphia, Baltimore, New Orleans, San Francisco, St. Louis, &c., Christian singers are employed by Jewish congre- 5 ba This is an evident proot that the Messenger has not so great an influence over the Israelites as to induce them to abolish a custom which tends to promote COE feelings of harmony and union among God’s children. And who dares Pretend that Christians act against their religious luties in singing Hebrew songs? There exists a laudable habit of making them acquainted with the contents of the Hebrew text, and never was it known that any one raised any ob- lection to it on account of religious scruples. ‘his pataly proves that Christian choristers have nothing to perform in opposition to their own faith, and that the songs meeton a common ground. In conclusion, allow me to say that the Messenger bas committed a great blun- der, either voluntarily or involuntarily, in asserting that in no synagogue in the world out- side of America do Christians take part in the ser- vice beyond, perhaps, playing the organ.” We advise the editor of the Messenger to acquire better information before he utters such falsities. Explanatory Note from Rev. Mr. Howland. To ras Eprror or THe HeraLp:— I ask permission to modify the notice made in the Hexanp of a sermon preached by me at Trinity church on Sunday evening. That notice is headed “A response to Dr. Tyug,’’ and it states that it was ‘‘generally understood among the re- ligious community that it was the intention of the reverend gentleman to excoriate his brother Tyng.’t I do not know what was “understood,” but I certainly was conscious of no desire to use the pulpit for the disparagement of a brother clergyman. My subject was, ‘A justification of the principle involved in the canon on parish boundaries.” I thought such a vindication was needed because I found the country ringing with charges against the Church to which I have the happiness to belong for prohibit- ing the preaching of the Gospel. And I was ersonally moved to attempt this vindication ecause I had been publicly arraigned with others by name in a city pulpit as having declared that e_Breachiag of P tile soar! wasacrime. The oy ground for this gratuitous insult was the cir- cumstance that I hed been required—much against my own will—by the ecclesiastical authority of the diocese to act as one of a board of preachers, who correspond to a a “a erand, jury, and that, in that capacity, 1 had decided that there was prima ‘acie evidence of the infraction of the written we Se af the Church. I regretted very much that the. case should have been brought before us. I beth that it would have been better to suffer tion of do not fall behind Min than to éexpese the Church to the obloquy the Presb: Orne within a recent period would necessarily result from misunder- their strength oe been altogether in New Eng- sanding of the merits of the case. ButI could land, saa eir pulpits have been rather remarka- eer 8 with honesty, deny that there had been a ble for the discussion of political themes. The | Violation of the canon—a violation aggravated Unitarians and Universalists commend themselves | by three factsa:—First, that the act was to those who sicken under the mere platitudes in | Committed in despite of the courteous which 80 many “‘evangelical” clergy indulge. With @ very earnest conviction of the eepatt ities of human nature and a great interest in all philan- thropic endeavor, they make their mark on many Of the best.minds of the country. The Unitarians corey are wealthier and more cultivated than e Universalists. They Lal are great catholicity of spirit, and fer to be known as ‘Liberal Christians.” It is a very common propensity with them to claim all men who have given evidences of originality of thought as more in harmony with them than the churches in which they have lived and died. Other Protestant churches are jealous of this disposition to covet the best gifts of their dead men. COMPARATIVE NUMBERS. ‘The almanacs and other sources of information of various religious bodies would seem to indicate the membershi, van follows:—' man Catholic Church has probably a million and ahalf of actual communicants. In the Methodist churches of all branches, South and North, white and colored, there are abont 2,250,000 in communion. The regular Baptists have a mem- te Ta ae exceeding a million, and in all their varieties they come very near to 1,850,000. The Presbyterians, includin, ie Reformed, late Dutch Church, have in all their various branches about 700,000 members. The Congregationalists have about one-third as many as the Presbyterian family. The Tpicopet Church claims 180,000 com- municants. Lutherans and other chiefly Ger- man churches have about 400,000 in membership. The Quakers have 100,000. The Unitarians and Universalists do not report their numbers, but as they have about 1, societies it is probable they might claim a membership of over 100,000 were they reckoned as other denominations. So far as population is concerned it will probably be found that the relative number of adherents may be reckoned as follow: Roman Catholics. Methodists. . Paptists.. Presby' terians. Congregationalists. Episcopalians. . Uniyeraalists and ‘Unitarians. Lutheran and other foreign Protestants.. All OUNCTS......00ccereeeeeveeeee This gives a grand total of 20, 700, 000, pee yet, according to the latest return of the population of the United States—31,429,891—it will show that more than one-third of our people are not even nominally ideatified with any church; and as these statistics are much later than those of the census, it may be judged that nearly one-half of our people, men, Women and children, are not of the church-going order, PROGRESS OF THE CHURCHES. The chief increase of the Roman Catholic Church is by immigration; yet the statistics of last year show that more persons come to the United States from Protestant countries than Roman Catholic. There are occasional conversions of Episcopalians to Catholicism, but the tide has not yet set in the United States with any such strength as in England. The Methodists are waking greater efforts and with better success than any others. Their increase in old established churches is large, and they organize something like two new societies a wee! ¢ Baptists come next. Their Home Mission Socitty, el hiefly oper- ating in the West, claims last zest to have built one new church a week and o1 ition ag three days, bi fh nthe older States. The Congr mude great efforts in the West, prosper with new po; rious churches to be about as sgatiopaliste have ut they do not tions in a like de; oe ith the eoedings ess the, people have a} Englond Paes Ph Breyer in cities “are absorbing the rt lid and educated miud of the “evangelical” class, but accom: “yt little com: ~ atively in the more «parsely sett remote, here are a few Episcopal fomilios they are pretiy carton to do all they can to start a charch, Se e ee mien efforts of their communion ai entreaty of the clergyman whom the Church had appointed as her representative before that commu- a ity ; second. that the pulpit filled was already sup- plied by by a clergyman who had come all the way ‘om Chicago for the purpose ; and third, that if Mr. T. felt it his duty be Pores on that day the people of his own care would have only been too glad to have the benefit of his instruction. In the treatment of my subject, on Sunday night, I did indeed use hypothetical illustrations suggest- ed by current events ; but these illustrations would have lost their force had no such person as Mr. T. ever existed. And from the nature of the case it was utteriy impossible to vindicate the principle of the canon without showing the evils and dangers of the course of conduct against which the canon was directed. But so far was I from being guilty of the discourtesy and the impropriety of attack- ing Mr. T. that at the very outset of m: sermon I stated that I would not “me die” with the question of the violation of the canon on a particular occasion, and ‘that in whatever I had to say with reference to the canon I wished to be considered as considering the ques- tion in the abstract without intending to reflect on individuals or to pass judgment in cases which have come or will come before their proper tri- bunals.” Very respectfully, ma te s RS. HOWLAND. SWEDENBORGIANISM. Bond Love ‘Versus Wedded Love. To Tus Eprror or Tux Heraup:— In Jast Sunday's Hexap you published an article headed “Jesus and Schisms,” the drift of which, so far as I can understand its confased and rhapsodi- cal language, is, first, that Swedenborgians do not regard the contract of marriage as a binding one, and second, that their religion is merely an intan- gible transcendentalism. With the many flings and sneers at Swedenborgianism in which the writer indulges I shall not concern my- self; but on the two points I have named 1 beg you will, in justice to yourself, give place to a statement of the truth :—First, so far from. regarding, as the writer says, “bond” love, or love sanctified by the sacrament of mar- riage, with abhorrence, Swedenborgians exalt it as the purest and holiest affection, next to the love of God, of which the human soul’ is capable, and, furthe Be aa they hold that it is eternal in its duration. se Swedenborg (“Conjugal Léve,”’ pasce 216) :—‘*Those who are in love truly conju ‘al jase respect to what is eternal, because in that love there is eternity and its eternity is grounded in this, that love with the wife and wisdom with the husband increase to eternity, and in the increase or progression the married parties enter more and into the blessedness of heaven, which this wisdom and its love have stored up to- gethes in themseves. If, therefore, the idea of what is eternal were to be plucked away, or by any casualty to escape from ir minds, it would be as if they were cast down from heaven.”’ It may be objected that in this passage reference is made to only such true spiritual marriages as rarely take place on earth; but I can still point you to what Swedenb: says of even the most external of this kind of relations:—‘That matrimo- ny, when contracted, must continue till the decease of one of the parties is guaranteed in the Divine law, oe Iso, in rational law, and thence in civil law; Divine law, because, as was a Laas 8 eis is not i of to put away a wife and a another, except for whoredom, in rational law, because it is founded upon spiritual, for Di- vine law and rational are one law. From both these together, or by the latter from the former, it may be abundantly seen what enormities s more interior!; structions of socieiies would reault from soon put to nurse the emall beginnin brain of mai or the ~ Boe? away of wives The ha Unitarian awcates Cleleyeaniate Lok atc vee . of thee secOche in of Am jusbands before re je centres of popula- 1 i. . e. oe etree rgd Together people: inetined their way. I think Kh ts abunda ar ftom these quota- NEW EFFORTS. fi. that Swedenborg i Swedenporgia enter- nd aim of several of the religious bodies ; tain no low and Gia married love, liens be for union. “High Church’ ele- | nor of the a rts toe rls wi at nen piace, nas nation cov- ons with ie MO- | el ‘ ot ory thee “Clare "One Churet. i i rebuffed of that’ tne a of na ‘to come into Hah Sone reemeness bal creak ot one | We can assure him that in Lag eee 8 of Germany, as Hamburg, Vienna, Prague, Leipzig, &c., choirs are not onl; by, byt. also partly ‘composed of Christians. Even in smaller towns of Germany there are singing societies (@esangver ) composed of Christian and Jewish members, which, under the same leadership, sing alternately in Christian and Jewish chure! eee These statements must con- vince your readers that the spirit of fanaticism and intolerance so openly espoused by the Jewish Mes- senger is abhorred by the greatest number of Israelites, and loses every day its fnfluence, in spite of the efforts of a writer who is too old and too shortsighted to acknowledge his errors. FULTON tlie tit PRAYER MEETING. The Fulton cnet rptueay prayer meeting is one of the “institutions” of New York. The spacious room in which the exercises are held every day (Sunday excepted) is crowded, and the interest in the meeting seems to be unabated. Strangers in this city of religious proclivities from all parts of the United States, and also from various European cities, find their way to this world renowned spot, and scarcely a day passes without some interesting tement is made of the conversion of persons in answer to prayers offered at the Fulton street mecting. An interest- ing feature of the hour's service is the singing, which is led by Mr. Lamphier, who has been ac- tively identified with the enterprise since its oom- mencement. Although the meeting is held under the auspices of the Reformed church, Christians of all evangelical denominations cordially unite in the services. At the meeting yesterday a man who said that he had been a cock fighter and a gambler for years in New York related the cir- cumstances of his conversion, and his remarks were listened to with intense interest. AMERICAN BIBLE SOCIETY. The stated meeting of the managers was held at the Bible House on the 5th instant. The death of Daniel L. Ross, one of the managers of this society, was announced, when the Rev. Dr. Spring read the fortieth chapter of Isaiah and offered prayer. Seven new auxiliaries were recognized: one in each of the States of New York, Georgia and Wisconsin, two in Alabama, and two in Texas. Various communications were received, and mts of books made. Approp iations for e foreign work were made amounting to $41,791, a considerable part payable in gold. ‘The report of the committee on the de- cease of the Vice President, W. W. Ellsworth, was [ance when interesting remarks were made y Chandler Starr. The Rev. J. Brockway was appointed agent for Kansas. Cc AMPBELLITE. Dedication of a New Campbellite Church in Newcastle, Pa. A new and magnificent church edifice was re- cently dedicated in Newcastle, Pa. It was erected by the liberality of a few wealthy gentlemen of the Campbellite persuasion, and cost about $100,000. Itis an ornament to the town and is one of the finest churches in the State. This de- nomination of Christians founds all its doctrines of religious belief upon the two great fundamental principles, first, that the Bible is the only Book of God, and second, that private judgment is the right and duty of man. With these cardinal principles, to which they hold, they discard all creeds, con® fessions and catechisms, professing and aiming to be guided alone by God's Word, and to draw their religious principles not from teachings of their clergy, but from their own judgment of the mean- ing of the Bible. . On the subject of hy orn they profess to hold to a different and far better doc- rine than that which is usually ascribed to them, regarding it as an assurance of actual forgiveness, and not the pro- curing cause of pardon, Within the past fifty years the denomination has shown a remark- able’ growth. From the veriest handfal it has grown to an organization with an actual member- ship of between 400,000 to 600,000, It has spread itself almost in every place where its ministers have attempted to plant it. And its triamph over opposition is a most practical iMlustration of the fly there is in making a forcible dhposiion to free thought. In this country the denomination had its beginning about the year 1829 or 1830, when it was organized’ in Shenango township, Pa, The first yegrly meet- ing was held in the orchard of Jared Irwin. The little church met in barns, in school houses and in private dwellings until the building of a little meeting house at Cubbisonville, known by the familiar name of “Pumpkintown,” and sometimes by the more elegant name of ‘Normal Glen.” That. organization is still faithfully kept H3 The church was organized in New ‘onatle out fourteen or fifteen years ago. It met first in an old Covenanter,church, afterwards in a pri- vate school house. erwards built a small house of their bey their congregation became toe iene, te r} the; nf disposed of it, and they occupied White Hall until the erection of the present splendid building. * gaiaet Judgment, but to erect or EPISCOPAL. Advices from the Cape of Good Hope state that judgment had been declared in the suit of Bishop Colenso against Dean Green. The Supreme Court had set aside the judgment of the Privy Council and declares that Natal was a Crown colony when the plaintiff's patent se! issued; that Dr. oe ia, therefore, trustee of e, yanding snd lesiaation! Jorisdioti elects Dea on. le name farther the deanery ibite Peay was resolved not y charohen, | The, 3 - 4 fry 5 porary churches, and tet Dean Green should at once proceed to Englsod. _ BOMAN CATHOLIC. ‘The Dedication of St. Patrick’s Cathedral. The solemn dedication of St. Patrick's Cathedral, in this city, will take place on the 17th inst., the festival of St. Patrick. The Most Reverend Arch- bishop will officiate on the occasion, and the sermon will be preached by the Rev. Father Schneider, C. 8.5. R. The ceremonies will com- mence at Ballpen ast ten o'clock in the morning. Admission $1 ickets to be had of the trustees of the cathedral, of the sexton, at the office of Calvary Cemetery and at the door on the morning of the dedication. One year ago last October the cathedral was destroye: by fire; now it is rebuilt and ready for dedication. t is expected that a large congregation will be present on the occasion. « REVIVAES, The Observer announces the seca of glad tidings of the gracious outpouring of the Spirit upon 170 more churches, located in twenty-three different States. In the case of 116 estimates of the number of converts are given and amount to over 4,000, of whom 2,380 are now members of the Church. Thus since January 1 in all 570 re- vivals, 9,000 converts and 2,700 additions to Evangelical churches have been reported. Yet in this computation the largest of these de- nominations—the Methodist—is not included. The number of revivals among — them has been great, and the reports in many cases so indefinite as to make accurate esti- mates very difficult. It would be safe to say that the revivals and conversions mentioned in gor Methodist exchanges far outnumber the a; gate of those reported from all other Evangel ical churches, Among the more remarkable cases of revival we record the interest in the Welch Congrega- tional church in Gomer, Ohio (Rey. J. M. Thomas, pastor), where meetings are held morning and evening, the services being all in the Welch lan- guage. About eighty have been added to the church, and the good work continues in interest, so that there are but few in the whole settlement but are professed followers of Christ. THE JEWISH SYNAGOGUE ON FIFTH Pirin: One of the most costly as ell as one of the most magnificent church edifices in this city will be the new Jewish synagogue in process of erec- tion at the corner of Forty-third street and Fifth avenue. This splendid temple of worship, to be christened when completed the Temple Eman- uel, while in design and elaborate workmanship there is evident the luxurious tendencies of modern times, can hardly be regarded as any way incon- sistent with the ancient worship of this historical people, when the vast extent, costly ma- terial and pomp of splendor of the Tem- ple of Solomon are called to mind. On a street where is centred the most of the wealth of our city, and whose gorgeous churches are in keeping with the gorgeous palaces of this far famed avenue, this vast temple will command gene- ral attention and admiration. The uniqueness ‘of its design, being fashioned after the ancient Al- hambra in Spain, a sort of revival, so to speak, of the old Moorish castles, will attract universal notice, and upon its lofty pinancles the eyes of strangers visiting the city will linger long and Wondesingly for in their eyes, as in the eyes of every one, its sigente but graceful proportions will fond up to view —scarce less strangel; and mysterious giants of architecture, those Titanic fabrics which point in Egypt’s plains to times that have no other record, A year ago last August the ground was broken for this structure for Jewish worship. The expec- tation is to complete it by the commencement of the next Jewish new year. The lot and building will cost over a ‘million of dollars, a sim surpassing that expended upon any church editice in this city, and that probably will only be surpassed in expense by the Roman Catholic thedral on the same avenue. The size of the b it ing is 92 fect front, 165 fect in depth, and height of ceiling in the centre 72 feet froin the prinneipal floor. On the two front corners are to be steeples 160 feet in height, and in the centre between. rising above the Spex. of the roof, four pinacl On aither side, 92 feet from the front, will be tran: septs 41 feet wide, each also to be crowned. with four pinnacles. ‘These transepts rise above lower roofs on each side, covering the longitudinal gal- leries, these side roofs being 32 feet abeve the main floor and their width 26 feet. The exterior of the building is stone, of va- rious lighter shades of brewn, a portion being cotch granite—some havin, been brought from Nova Scotia, some from Ohio and some from New Jersey. These different colored stones are most artistically arranged, and their aa effect is most pleasing to the taste, a per- fect, not to say exquisite, harmonizing of color being maintained throughout. There are to be three massive arched doors in front, and the win- dows are likewise to be arched as well as immense in size. Altogether, with its curious combination of various colored stones and their curiously ey. tured ornamentation, and with its curioasl M wrought steeples and pinnacles and roof, all in ancient Moorish style, and the grandly impress) a air of solidity as well as uniqueness pervading the whole, the exterior, when the editice is compTeted, will be a marvel of ‘beauty and skill as wellasa marvel of wonder. If strangers will regard” wonderingly the out- side of the building they will look with increased wonder upon the inside. All that taste and inge- nuity can devise to beautify and adorn will be cx- pended here. The weve each holding eight per- sons, and to be divided by six grand aisles, will be of walnut, richly carved and ornatnented, the ceilings are to be arched and painted in fresco bos ornamented castings will decorate the pillars eo the ceilings. The chancel, where the e, and which is to be thirty-four feet wide by fourteen feet in depth, will be most elab- orately ornamented, although showing only the a appointments. of this portion of Jewish synagogues. Over the chancel, but fur up near the Wppermon, ceiling, will be a gallery, called the echo gallery, and on grand occasions te be occupied by the choir, who ordinarily will occupy a gallery frontmg the chancel over the main vestibule, and who, to assist them in theis part of the church service, are to have, by the way, an organ akin in dimensions to the immense one in Henry Ward Beecher's church—the only thing, except In selling the pews at auction, in which there will be any rivalry betwe the twe charches. On either side are to be ten large win- dows, each seventeen feet high by ten in width, and to extend below and above the galleries, There o wil also be nine sinaller windows on eack side near the upper ceiling, thus affording abun. dan light as well as ventilation, and, besides al! these, three windows in rosette—one in centre 0} than those more massy the font and two in the opposing side transepts— each twelve feet wide and smodelled a 9 the form of the shield worn by Kin, Davia it battle. On either side are to be triform arches over the longitudinal arches in the auditory story for the spectators to occupy. The orna mentation of these, as of all the arches in the church, will be the most strikingly beautifu feature of the interior, nothing of the kind ever having been before attempted in this country. Each is to have scollops underneath about eighteen inches wide, retaining about five inches in the scollop, with a projection of ten inches, These ornaments are in relief, with gilding and coloring between in the Moorish style. Around al) the windows there are to be beautiful and artistic Mend in plaster, in bas relief, aud decorated in the same style with Gilleourse bond d other mouldings about the bases and capitals, OP- namentation in the highest perfection will in fact show itself everywhere. ere are two spacious vestibules, an outer and an inner one, and three wide stairways leading to the galleries, two in front and one in the rear. Back of the chancel are two committee rooms. Underneath the church yee er is the same amount of superficial space div: into a lecture room and rooms for school purposes, Still lower down is a sub-basement for sere apparatus to heat the charch. It will be fireproof throughout. When the Lege is completed the city will have just reason to be of it as a monument of srempecuarel sl ak! leasrs, Leo oid aie tH Ferrbach are the architects, rns e builder, and ‘inte owers Bros. do the interior bite ue so briefly and imperfectly de- scribed as above is being built by a congregation of reformed Jews—a portion: of the Jews denomi- liberals, and who maintain @ modernized of Lae pat and action in crn to ten t precepts and cerem