The New York Herald Newspaper, February 12, 1871, Page 4

1 4 JUDAISM. A Review of Its Present Con- dition. The Orthodox and Reform Partios—Their Distinguishing Characteristics and Relative [mportanee, The Sweeping Away of the Rubbish of Two Thousand Years and the Jewish Church of the Future. Daring the past year the attention of many thoughtful observers nas been drawn upon the striking internal condict now going on in the body of the American Jewish Church, After a stillness and torpor, scarcely ever broken by the faintest ripple of doubt or even of inquiry, extending through many ages, this faith has suddenly provoked among its members Ure same spirit Of careful and rigorous scratiny and the same tendency to “prove all things and hold fast to that which is good,” and that only, Which has torn the vbesom of so many crystallized types of Christianity, and from which even she who boasts herself the immutable Catholic Chureh of all the ages has not wholly escaped. Belore attempting briefly to trace ont the blurred and confused lines that separate the various CONFLICTING SHADES of existing Judate theology tt is well to carefully state that none of the reforms proposed show any tendency to approximate Judaism to Christianity. The reform- ers are as loyally Judaic in tone of thought as their orthodox antagonists, and they reject, with even added vehemence, the one distinctive doctrine of Chrisdanity—a vicarious atonement. But though they, therefore, hoid out no hope of bringing Chris- tianily and Judaism together as religions, it is curi- oas to remark the passionate earnestness with which some of them express the aspira- tion of a union of Jews and @hris- fans, as men linked together by the tie of acommon humanity, and by the further bond of beliefs which, differing in many things, still agree upon certain grand fundamental truths, They hold, indeed, with a German philosopher, that in ‘us world of variety 1t ts foolish to look for unl- formuty of belief; but that RELIGIONS, LIKE FLOWERS, while strikingly different in coloring and shape, are frequentiy of equal beauty and ditfuse equally pleas ing though distinct, perfumes, It is worth while, too, to note, before gomg fur- ther, that this relormed school of Judaism has made its appearance in anything like a definite and con- Spicuous form in this country alone, Ia Germany there is Une faint dawn of a similar spirit, but the changes Proposed are of the mildest character, aud are urged with a modesty and timidity which are scarcely the most salient traits of the American leaders of the movement, In Engiand there are only two moderate retorm congregations—one in London and anvtuel in Manehe It is omy in America that Jewish | heierodoxy dared to assert itseli with a bold front and 12 unmistakable tones, For THE CAUSE OF ‘THIS last fact we have not, peruaps, far io seek, country alone has the Tsracite been yp) absolute equaiity with his fellow citizens, Tn ins omer land—even in England untii a few years ago—ihe descenuunt of David and Doses and the kinsman of Christ has beea sc pa: from the social worki about him by a bitter, eruel barrier of scornand hatred. In Rome, in Bagdad, IM Moscow, among the Mohuumedans and Chrisuans of every type, it has beeu, and, with a.ew excepuons, 18 stl, counted a high and noble virwe | to cheat and pluuier and oppress the “chosen | people of Gd.” Surely it has not been a sirange Ung that a people tus Wronged should hold them- selves apart, aad should seek consolation irom the miquituus Injustice aud cau! animosiiy that has met tuem on every baud, in jealously guarding irom change their hereditary revigion—a religion which Was Uhe first to enstriie, and still soiemniy holds, uppoliuted by any} consistent accessery doginas, the sublime principles Of Lue unILy, as Weil as the wood. ness and the jusice @f God. “Nor has it been won- derful that the Jew has remained willngiy blind to the poetry of a blended incarnation ef the human and diving, While be has seen That doctrine held only by men Who emulated the crueliy aad bigouy Of the coarsest forms of idolairy and Superstiven. But about the time when, in tus country espe- cially, the iabors of we EARLY APOSTLES OF UNITARIANISM 1s to say, about a quarter whem also generatious of tole had thawed the cold, icy Batred tansy that had naturaily ages of bitter wroug, a toward sprung up few Jewish began to diligently exuuine every article of faith, every teaciung of tradition, every custom of ritual | Chris- during divines that disuuetively marked their religion, That ex- wmiuation has yearly grown more rigidly searching, aud its results, though not yet fully apparent, point ; clearly to. Une renauciation of all the superdicial over- growih of usages and velle’s which have been mainly responsivie for the preservation of Jewish natuouality; while at the same Ume it is po less clear that We iundamwental truths taugiit by Moses— those Wuick have r ward purely lo spiritual iife and the mature of the Deity—are hela wita deeper, more reverent, wore Vital Iaith than ever. In the very country, therefore, aud at the very Uwe when some- thing IL BROTHERLY LOVE AND RESPECT have been p ble between Jews and Christians, Were bas been a breaking down on both sides of re- ligious obstacles to the growth of such a Teeling. 0) tuodox Christians a couple of centuries hence, if there be Such @ thing as orthodox Christianity in tat dim, far future, may have yet another faisiiea prophecy to explain or mystify. The Jews may then have Ceased lo be & “peculiar people,” except in that they will still prondly boast a distinct blood, a noble and ancient avcestry, a historic past and an immortal literature. The reformed Jew even now eats and drinks with the Christian; many even ad- vocate the abandonment of ctrcameision, except in hot climates, where it is a beneficial sani- fary provision, aud that vast mass of customs Which have been tue great bar to treo and full soctal communion between Jew and Gentile, will have | soon, probably, been for ever cast aside. It is, in- deed, uo Valu dream to hopefully believe tuat the curse which the early Jewish Chrisuans uttered against their fellow countrymen, and which in the iutensity of their tanatical’ hatred they would have Jain made eternally active, Will soon, very soon, be wholly powerless ior evil. Tuen, and quote the words of the gocd Catholic, Bernard de Morlais— From his oppressors, The Hebrew shall go free And celebrate in triuioph ‘Tbe year of jubilee. And the sunitland that recks not ‘Of tempest or of fight 5 within S18 bosom bappy Lsracite, EXISTING PARTIES. There are now, taough they can be distinguished oniy wiih some difficulty, a8 their boun- dury lines are confused “and other, four representative part i dewisu Church These may be termed the extreme orthodox, the conservatives, the m1 rate reformers and the extreme radical reformer ‘The first and the la are numerically vei valives and reformers divide them, At present the cons slightly the mere numerou: out of every three pew | ives are, perhaps, Influential, buc two ons fermed hold EXTREME ORTHODOX. treme erthouox party ts in America very tr significant, and is senied in New York by ouly | seme live or SIX COugregetions, comprising the synagogues in Chrystic, Henry, Allen, At- | torney and Thirty-ihird streets, and the Hol- | landers’ synagogue in Stanton street. In| tuese the forms of Jewish worship followed jn Contra! and Lastera material change, The se @ are retained with no arauon of the sexes fs, of rigidiy observed, and a cumbrous i agthy ritual, with many prayers and custous whlou ate of Comparatively recent date, en upon the sunpler and moro auch in thet daily Life this class of Isr: ve to keep themselves rigidly ap: the Gentie world by a number of customs and practices, which 12 wouid be tedious to detaii atiengih. ‘Phe charac- ter of this Israelite party may, perhaps, be best uu- derstood by saying that wu ail Luings they prefer the & land their fathers left to the haven of reluge have now found; that they are J frst, and then Americans—Amer! rather than Jewish Americans, Stl even here sacred stronghold of what wight perhaps ve termed uitramentane Judaism, the miuence ot tbe live in ts, In a certain feeble way, apparei’ cently attempts have been made by si!ght rnodit tions to shape the service of their 8y more erderiy and convenient mod THE CONSERVATIV when the whole wide world ts brought | wihin view, are by far tie most Bue ous and’ fnflaential body in the Jewish h. In England tuey bold absolute ew this country have a ciear majority of ali wregaui So far as the service of the syu id purcly PeNgIOUs OVSETVANCES B aliveiy unprogress! Their rt been somewhat abridged and ma systematic aud orderly forut, Wut al except one, to be 1 presentiy, ar the Hebrew lang! rh ¢ back tw the en oniy, to ; agucnes to a | NEW YURK HERALD, SUNDAY, FEBRUARY. 12. 1871.—TRIPLE SHEET. ‘The eexea, however, are rigidly separated; the men, Aiud the” ongad (x fegarded aa an igolaerous, abot ie organ ag an - nation, The most hyn § changes introduced are & weekly sermon in (or German, as the cor €2ilon May be) and the insertion of a prayer im the English language for the goverumert—a striking exception to the rest of the prayers—which is mtended to show that that particular part of the service 18 nauonal (American), not Jewish, The conservatives still adhere, however, to the OLD FORM OF RECKONING the proper time during which the celebration of the Jesiivals should last. When the Jewish peopie were scattered ali over the world it was determined, La order to insure the unifo:m observance of the great religious days by the whole ie, wherever they might be resident, at the same time, that in future, and unui the clitldren of Isracl were again all oo together again within the borders of the Joly Land, an extra day should be added to each fast or festival, 80 as to allow tor the difference of solar time, ‘This is of course a somewhat irksome practice in an age so busy as our own, and all the reformers curtail tae per.od to the old Mosaic mits. And the good sense of this pro- posed chi may be readily seen by applying the same principle to nrisuan holidays. Suppose Christmas or Good Friday or Easter Sun- day were kept for two days, Instead of one, 80 a. to insure the celebrations of them in all parts of the world agreeing im lime wittin at any rate a certain Jew hours, But in their aootal ana worldly iife, even the con- servatives have tutroduced the “broadeit and most sweeping changes—changes, too, of which the out- side world has generally very little concepuon. For instance, the traditional Jew, wherever he may be, has one special and universal characteristic—that he won't eat pork, Tals distinction 18 how by no means & certain test. Probably @ majority, even among the conservatives, would have Lo religious objecuon to taking broiled ham or roast pork, though as a miatter of taste there are perhaps few Israelites with whom these would be favorite dishes, And so with the whole mass of aietary and sauttary jaws enacted by the Mosaic code and rigorously ob- served until @ very recent date, Now that inter- course between Jew and Gentile has been free and unrestricted, it has been seen that these provisions were purely of a local and temporary character; and that wise and necessary and usefal as wey 1m, have been in the East, they are altogether tivapplte cabie to Western life and civilization, Accoraing to the Mosate law, uf ail its provisions were te be con- sidered eternally binding, the life of an American Israelite would be akan at every turn by the certaluty of siuntng against the law. “He could not travel unless he took care to stay always at the houses of lis coreligionists, the same as was the custom in the middie ages; and even if he stayed always in one city, he must have separate butchers and slaughter houses, which, in these days of monster abattoirs outside municipal limits, would of course be expensive and trouble- some. Half the produce of the markets—anything killed In a violent manner, such as deer or wild birds, as Well a8 oysters and that whole species of fish, would be unclean susvenance. And not alone in the matter of food, butt. a hundred other re- spects, if the laws of the Pentateuch were sult in jorce, an American Jew could not possibly live a@ day without, 19 some way or the other, committing sin. Necessity, therefore, a3 weil as a percepuon of the temporary charac- ter of much of the legislation of Moses in regard to What may be termed ‘“superticial’’ life, have induced the greater part even of conservative Jews to aiscard this portion of the Mosaic code. Not all, ho» ever, have as yet reached the same degree of ireedom, ‘This man, perhaps, still abjures pork, but eats oysters; while another delights in ham, bub will not stain his soul by indulgence im clams. 50 with ail the thousand and one other provisjon3 of the law. Some are still heid by certain Israeiites; but 10 is Clear tnat they lose importance and weight ever) Year, und are all alike doomed to desuetude, ‘The principal Conservative synagogues are those in Porty-fourtn, Thirty-fourth and ‘Twenty-miath streets, ‘There is aiso another important congregauiun, THE SHEARITH ISRAEL, in Nineteenth street, which ought to be included in is category, though it differs trom all the rest in tain essenual feaiures. it ts the oldest congrega- Uo 1 New York, ana was founded a couple ol cen- turies ago by a colony of Portuguese Jews, who bad been driven to America by the persecutions of une Inquisition, In this synagogue the ritual used 18 (he same as that used im Spain and Portugal since the time of the Moors, aud perhaps even furtner back than that. It contains several hymns and prayers peculiar to itsel/, and @ diferent pronuncia- lion of Hebrew trom that accepted m the other syhagogues has obtained. As an individual congre- gation this ts perhaps the most imfueutial, socially, in the city, as many ef its members Letong te tami- ies that have lived on Manhattan Island stuce the days of Peter Stuyvesant, MODERATE REFORMERS, The moderate reformers foid all the heteredox w doctrines about the obsolescence of tke Mosi provisions in regard to food and social life witn greaier earnestness than ihe conservatives, and, Indeed, aake Ho secret of the lact that they live exactly the same as Cliristians, so far as their external life is concerned. Perhaps, here aud there, a moderate reformer, trom the force o1 habit, pre- serves some ancient custom, but at leasi he ack nowl- without hesitation, that all that part of the law which has no vital relation to spiritual lvle ought to be ruthlessly swept away. But the moderate reformer has gone further than this, and lias carried the same spirit of imnovauon into the synagogue itself, with smal regard imdeed to the prejudices of hus more tind bretaren or tne established usage of twenty ceuturies. First of ali he bds broken down, with bold and unsparing haud, td humiliating relic of oriental barbarism, the separation of the sexes during religious wor- slip. He takes his wife and daughter ito his own pew, exactly the same as is the custom in Western Christan charches, with the exception of a few Puseyite congregauons, Then, the period during wiich tie Commemoration of the festivals lasts has been curtalied to ine old Biblical iength, The iiturgy has been still further revised, and Lngiish (or German, accordimg to the congregation) 1s the janguage aimost exclusively empioyed throughout Ue entire service. Organs, too, have been, in some cases, introduced. The Temple anuel on Fitth avenue, and the synagogues in Truirty-ninth, Fourth aud Rivington streets, are among the principal congregations of the moderate reformers. THE EXTREME REFORMERS can scarcely be said to have any corporate exist- ence, as lle party composes oaly a iew individual thinkers, who carry the principles of change set m motion in every Jewish congregation to a greater or less extent wo thelr legitimate consequences. The most advanced and certainly the most eloquent of this class 1s the Rev. Raphael D. C. Lewin, who pub- lished a little work last year, entitled ‘What is Judaism?” which deserves more attention than it has received from the religious world. It begins with the somewhat strange proposition to come from the mouth of a ciergyman—‘Lhe voice of reason 1s tie voice of God,” aud very soon natu- rally follows the corollary announcement that Judaism 1s derived from three sources—reason, na- ture and reveiation, Dr. Lewin On to say that Judaism exists in two phases—first, as an eternal jorm of pure religion, and, secondly, as a temporary religion for Jews alone. In its first phase it is no reiigion ofa mere race, though “the gros-est feilics and superstiuons are even now put jorth by a school of bigots, who wear the sanctimo- nious mien of religion to screen the defects of their own private lives, as the religion of our race, the reityion Which 13 destined by God to become the religion of the world.” In regard to the second puase of Judaism Dr. Lewin ts equally out- spoken, a8 the fellowing extract shows:—“Sacrifice ‘The Jewish nationality, a3 a separate politi- ization, is overthrown. The beer in the . vm of {srael to the land of their fathers, and ihat the Redeemer wili come to Zion, 1s an expioded theory, and God be praised for all fils mercies. ‘To such class aiso belong the Dietary laws, which, 1v- aevd, were very valuable for the people to whom they Were giveti, in the age in which they existed, and foi oantries for which they were intended. As sanitary iaws they are even now of importance al certain seasons of the year and in certain ch. but that they are religious laws, or that they were ever intended ag such, the very spirit of re- ligion denies.” Then, in, about the Bible, Dr. Lewin holds very ews. ‘“fhere is nothing supernatural p Bible, * * * itis a book, and only a book written by mortal hands—a book ining ideas, sentitaents and doctrines emanat- ing from the brain of man. * * * * ‘There are many chapters which are positively’ unfit to be read aloud in a public assemblage, and’ which would not be tolerated ln decent society 1 read aloud in Eng- lish.”” And lasily in regard to circumeision. ‘This ordl- nance nol properly Come under the category of ordinances given to Moses, since It dates back to the days of Abraham, who first conceived the idea of tius huplanting ia the fest the seal of the cove- naut—in other Words, of distinguishing Isruel asa peculiar peeple. It has, therefore, at all umes been arded with great veneration, and wil! most pro- bably endure loager than any other of the ceremo- nial laws. That it mast fav eventually, however, is as certain as that the Heavens and the Earth exist. And when the time shail have arrived for the na- tous of the arth, the children of one eternal Goa, to be brought nearer to each other, and thus to fulfil the gracious promise of ihe Almighty, that through Israel au the Jamilies of the world shail be blessed, t truly will this ceremony be abrogated and 1 among the relics of a past age. o fiasten this glorious event should now be the alm and hope of Israel. Jucaism, regarded in its al ph 3 indeed pure religion, and is des- «(to become the faith m4 which ail the world will itualiy believe.” Dr. Lewin, no doubt, goes farther than any one ele; but br. Einnorn, in the Thirty-ninth streec synagogue, frequently preaches doctrines of very ular tendency, trough they are scarcely so pro- i plac sean, however, that the parties in th 1 differ from each other more 10 spirit ivought than upon essenual points of he fundaniental truths of Judaism—the iy and go. sand power of the Deity and the vinding sorce laws of the Decalogue—are re- cognized by al wike, Where they differ they aiffer upon com| superticial truths, and surely it is clear, ah the four parties of Judaism difter from exch ciser in very much the same way and from the Sate cause as Christian sects. in every seet or Ouurch, If it have any life at all in it, there must ve two grand es—those who look back at the pi nd cling to mut it has given, and again gece forward at ihe future and long to Wiiatit has to give. And these parties uraily again divide into further of mod rates and extreuilsis on each sid fact, there- fere, that Judaism is divided agathst herself,’ so far from showing that she is dying as a faith, merely proves that sie is again instinet with hfe and that she is wndergoing (he same process of growth that liturgy used 690 years pacred hy mus adui jected ail the is progressing so Vistbly in all other living, breatuug creed RELIGIOUS INTELLIGENCE. Services To-Day. Rev. Dr, McVickar will preach in the Church of the Holy Light, Seventh avenue, this morning, and the Right Rev. Horatio Potter, D. D., in the evening. At the Evangetieat Lutheran Church of the Holy Trinity, Twenty-first street, the pastor, Rey. G. F. Krotel, will preach morning and evening. Rev. E. GC, Sweetser will preach on “Forgiveness” this evening in the Untversalist church, corner of Bleccker and Downing streets, Morning services as usual, Prominent speakers will address the Morning Star Sunday school, No. 130 West Twenty-fourth street, this afternoon. Rev. Dr. Westcott wilt preach in Plymouth Bap- tist church, Fifty-first street, this morning and even- ing. Subject in the evening, to young men, on “The Advantages of Early Piety." Rev. Merrill Richardson, pastor of the New Eng- land Congregational church, will preach this morn- ing on the subject “In What Sense are Calamities Providential ” and in the evening on “Bible Views of God's Decrees.” Rev. J. M. Pullman will preach at the Church of Our Saviour (Sixth Universalist), Thirty-fifth street, this morning and evening. “St. Stephen, the Martyr,’’ will be the subject of Rey. Charles F. Lee's discourse this morning, tn the Fifth Universalist church, Plimpton Building. Rev. George R. Crooks, D. D., will preach this morning in St. Luke’s Methodist Episcopal church, Services also In the evening. “Woman’s First and Last Sin’ will be the Rev. W. W. Andrews’ subject this evening in the Catho- he Apostolic church, At the West Seventeenth street Baptist church services morning and evening. The evening lec- ture will be on the “Seven Paratwes,” by the pastor, Rev. R. Cameron, “The Discipline of Our Children upon Earth and in Heaven Equally Favorable to their Spiritual Growth,”’ will be treated by Rev. Chauncey Giles at the Swedenborgtan churca, Thirty-fifth street, near Park avenue, this evening, at hali-past seven o'clock, A lecture wit! be delivered this evening, in the Col- lege Hall, Sixteenth street, by Rev. T. W. M. Mar- shall, LL.D., editor of the London Tablet, in aid ot the poor of St. Francis Xavier parish, Sub- ject—“St, Paul and Protestantism.” Mr. Joshua Huntington will deliver a lectare this evening, in the hall of St. Paul’s Institute, 917 Eighth avenue, on “An Apology for Protestants,’? Rev. Dr. Ewen will preach morning aud evening in Christ church. Services this afternoon in Grace church. Mr. J. S. Diehl, tate United States Consul in the East Indies, and Rey. Dr. Deems will address the missionary meeting of the Sunday school of the Church of the Stranger, Greene street, this afte noon, Professor William Denton will preach before the Society of Progressive Spirituatists in Apolio Hall this morning and evening, Vistinction Between Man and the Brute. To THE Eprror oF THE HERALD:— In the “Religious Intelligence” of your last Sun- day’s HeRaLp (February 5) some one, signing him- self “Vindex,” wants to know “What is the distinc- tive difference between man and the brute?” This is the very questton which seems to have puzzled the world-renowned Solomon, some 2,000 or 3,600 years ago, a8 appears from what he says upon the subject in the book of Ecclesiastes, third chapter, eighteenth vo twenty-seveath verse. It may appear to many rather a humiliating conclusion te come to; never- theiess, 1t must be admitted that a reasonable man can arrive at no other, consistently wita 8 ound and unrelenting, uncompromising logic. Man most un- questionably possesses instincts simiiar to those in- stincts of the mere brutes, whose senses of seeing, hearing, &c., are, more or less, like our own; and the mere brutes, m turn, undoubtedly manifest a rea- soning power similar in kind, if not in degree, to Uhat reasoning faculty which so many have tried to persuade themselves and others was peculiar to man alone—his sole prerogative and distinctive fea- ture, the dividing lime becween the human being and the brate. 1 am forced to acknowledge that we have been fairly driven {rom this ground, so long and so com- piacently assumed by man; that reason the characteristic of man, and iustinct the chdtacteris- Uc of the brute; but admitting that reason and in- stinct are common to both man apd the brute, the ditierence being merely in the proportionate dezree of either (man geuerally'being supposed to possess the preponderance of reason, wlule instinct prepon- derates with (he brute). I nevertheless contend that man has ove instinct which is peculiar to man, and ig possessed by no mere brute whatever; and that 18 the religious instinct; mun is naturally, most indis- putably, a religious animal, an animal which as naturaily and 1uvariably expects a fuiure existence, and future rewards or punishments after this lile, instunctively, as birds instinctively expect to hatch @ breod of young ones. by situng on their own eggs. Of conrse, it must be admitted that the cultivation of our reasoning faculues often enables us to subdue or overcome this natural religious —tu- sunet, as it enables us also to subdue or overcome any other insti whatever we may happen tw be reso.utely determined tu conquer and bring into subjection. Our conquerig any natural instinct dees not prove at ail that we had not that instinct naturally; bat rather that we had that instinct originally, else we should not have had occasion to overcome it. And a8 man has an in- stinct characterisuc of the human animal alone, so does man possess one faculty of mind which ts also peculiarly characterisuc of the human race, and of no other autumnal whatever, and that is the progres- sive faculty of mina which enabied one generation of men to progress in knowledge, power, skill, &c., beyond the furmer generation ad tnjiniitum, The history of the world suMiciently demonstrates that man sses tis peculiar faculty of mind, and that no other animal has yet exhibited it, and it is remarkable that it 1s this very faculty of mind which is capable of relieving an eternal existence trom a monotony which would doubtless otherwise be very oppressive after having lived a few millions of ages or 80; therefore itis this very progressive faculty which so admirably fits mau for the future ex- istence his peculiar religious instinct predicates for him. Yours, MONK, A Glorious Religious Unity Required. To THE EpiTor o¥ THE HERALD:— ‘The Jaen that the unity of the Church of Christ ts a oneness of opinion is an error that has prevailed from the earliest days of Christianity; and to the existence Of tis error must be attributed the signal failures of every attempt to reconcile and unite the difvering sects, and herein you may see the utter hopelessness and futility of your inaividual effort to accomplish an event which in the nature of things is a moral impossibility. For instance: Do you really believe that you can persuade the Greck or Roman Church to abandon all their long cherished assumptions ’—all their rites and ceremonies? Can you induce the Episcopalians to relinquish their sup- posed purer and more simple observances and faith? Can you persuade the Presbyterians to give up their peculiar doctrines and decrees? or the Methodists their book of discipline? or the Unitarians their views of the uature of Christ and of the atonement? or the Baptists to abandon all tneir notions of the nature and mode of baptism? or the Universal- ists to forsake the more advanced and enlarged benevolence of their theology, to say notning of the balance of the unnumbered divisions and sub- divisions of other sects? Ah, sir, your undertaking, 1 fear, is too Herculean; you have not at your com- mand the forces necessary to success. You say “the dividing line of religion is doomed to disap- pear,” and you affirm your determination ‘to essay What the Pope and his numerous plous and filus- tious predecessors have been unabie to accomplish, and what Luther, Calvia and Knox and their fol- lowers have a!l vaiuly attempted,” and you verily believe you will succeed! Sir, the thing cannot be done, and for these few simple reasons:—First, the unity of the Church of Crist is not a oneness of opinion; aud second, “The Church of Christ 1s a unit; it 18 (spiritually speaking) His body; iv never has been divided; it never can be a@ivided; it is one and indivisibie. ‘‘fuere is one fold and one Shep- herd.” Membership in the Church of Christ does not consist in opinion, neither 1s it essential that a person should be a member of any of the Christian associa- tions or organizations in order to constitute true membersiyp in tue Church of Christ. No, sir. A man aust be “born again; he must become a “new * he must truly’ “repent of is sins’? and elieve on the Lord Jesus Cnrist’? and “receive the Holy Ghost,” and thus become a child of God and be adopted mto His family. These are tie essentials, and tis 1s the omy way In which any one can be made a member of the Church of Christ and enter ito the Kingdom of God. And the ouly true test of the geugineness of this divine relation is an abiding faith in Christ, loving Goa with all the heart and our nelghvor as ourselves, 4 salvation from sin; in short, icis Christ in you the hope of giory, and he that thus believeth hath the witness in ‘himself. The Chureh of Christ ts spiritual in its character; it does: not consist in forms and ceremonies; “ihe Kingdom of God is within you;” it is neither meat nor drink, Wat righteousness and peace and joy in the Holy Ghost; and here and there among the great masses of our in every nation and Kindred and tongue, Ww be lonad are those who have thus from death unto life, and from the power of God, tha = ye Me As for different sects ta ox. nce, they rye ever remain apart ‘aa the world stands or present dispensation continues, each one clatming for itself iis own in- fallibility or embodiment of truth, lo here is Christ, or lo there is Christ, denouncing each the other as heretical, and | Shier themselves to be the only true and infallible mterpreters of Chris- Wan truth and doctrine, Now, sir, what the world needs most of all is an cage ened, disinterested, unselfish, fraternal, af- fee! nae, Christianity, such as the Saviour Saal ct ll les Oro tor! ve vol - low men, doing unto thers as we would that they should do unto us. It is tmpossible to atudy the teachings of the New Testament without \earning that love is the fulfilling of the law- is the greatest of all graces, the most Goullxe; without it, Knowledge, faith, ortho- doxy, ceremonies and profession are all worthless. This is the divine testimony. The Greeks aud the Romanists must expunge from their creeds and from their hearts their anathemas and denuncia- tions 4 those who differ from them tn matters of opinion and cease to teach and instruct their vo- taries to believe that Protestants are damnable here- tes; and all the different Protestant organizavions must also cease to denounce and misrepresent those of @ different faith to themselves, Sectarianism, bigotry, priestcraft, uncharitableness, jealousy, envy and strife must ali be driven’ out of our churches and our hearts, and give place te love, the ey beg bond ( SRY Town alone can bind men_ together; everything else separates and divides, How fully the Saviour realized this when he prayed sc earnestly “that taey might all be one, even as He was one with t er.” He doubtless foresaw the perils to which His followers would be ex) in the latter days, from the false teachings of sectarianism that would spri up in tne world, and He knew ull well that Do ut bos ue hold them together in the bends of Chris- tian unity, Wil the world ever behold the crowning triumph of this great Christian virtue’ That is the question, ne ead it is @ consummation devoutly to be wisi 5 But before we can hope for the advent of so glori- ous a time the different sects must bring forth traits meet for repentance. They must cease their dis- cordant wranglings with each other and encourage and pray for a better spirit. 1, for one, am glad wo be able tosay that I have made some progress in tnis direction myself, and that I no longer think that the Pontiff of Rome is the great ant-Uhrist of the Revelations. oping that these few ideas, hastily thrown to- gether, may not be without some result, and with a disposition to renew the consideration of this interesting subject if desirable, I remain, your obe- dient servant, ANTI-SEOTARIAN, A Vision About Plymouth Church. To THe Epiror Or THE HERALD.— I dreamed last night I attended djyine service in a ew Plymouth church, built with all the modern improvements—as they say of @ brown stone front— and that each pew had a well appointed lunch board in front of it, from which the whole congre- gation were partaking of a sumptuous ianch, with tea and coffee, or wine, as the case might be, and were as merrily chatting asif they were at a regu- lar tea party, instead of a newly appointed service ofthe Church. Then the Rev. Heary Ward came in and took his seat inthe pulpit, when an oid sister arose and handed nim @ large pan of boiled pota- toes, and, with a complacent smile, he bean as though he intenaed toempty the pan, whether he reached or not. f looked for the handwriting on he wall—“Mene, mene, tekel upharsin’?—or, as the young girl thought she heard it read, “Minnie, Minnie, tickle the parson;” and I thought in my dream thet some one was tickling the parson with potatoes. At the idea I laughea, and for my irreverance was expelled from ger mes LP. Revival—A Whole Town Con- veried. The Congregationalist says an extraordinary work of grace ts in progress in Bristol, N. H., which began on the ist of January, when fourteen young ladies were received into the Congregational church. First, Christians began to pray and labor, then the young became interested, then the older people, ull all classes were reached. The pastor writes:—“Every merchant, every doctor, the law- yer, the hotel keeper, every rumseller, every drun k- ard but two, every business man in the piace but two, are rejoictag in Christ. Whole families again and again were seen coming together to ask for prayers."’ At present uowards of four hundred are indulging hope. Three-fourths of tne inhabitants of Bristol, of responsible age, are seeking or have found Jesus. Mr. H. F, Durant labored there @ littie over two weeks, The work 1s still progressing. ‘The inqutry now is, hot who will come, bat who has not come. Religious ‘the Church News suggests that the minister of a congregation must see that the church music is such that the people by attention may join in it, singing being important, and this auty of centrol being his, he ts chargeable if he neglects it; and if the music is good and is becoming familiar it shoutd not be frequently and thoughtlessly changed. Bishop White said that he was convinced that no one circumstance impedes singing in our churches so much as great diversity of tunes. Interludes be- tween the verses of the hymns are very objectiona- ble, The voice does not require them; the sense of what is being sung 18 broken by them; the devotional feeling aroused is checked, and the bocy becomes Jatigued. It seems like an imposition to get a per- son on his feet for devout praise, and then have the organ consume the time by its pranks, ‘The Communion Question. ‘The Baptist papers and those of other denomina- tions have lately been engaged in an animated dis- cussion on the subject of baptism before communton. It originated with some expressions made by Rev. Dr. Caswell, President of Brown University, in an iniormal letter to au editor. In it he said:— The very strong presumption to my mind is that baptism preceded the communion in the practice of the primitive Charch. And that, think, of course, should be the rule. But cau that practice be shown to rest upon any positive ‘command of Christ or the apostles? If it can, then the ques- tion ts settled. If it cannot, then are we calied upon to make assent to this doctrine of close communion a test question in admitting members to our churches ? Dr. Kendrick, of New York, took exception to these views, and maintained in the Examiner and Chronicle that “Christ has distinctly «commanded that baptisin should precede admission to the Lord’s table,” Others have taken up the sabject, and it is now being thoroughly ventilated. Conversion to Judaism in Boston. Some weeks ago Mr. Isaac Sleeper, a native of Prussia, twenty-eight years old, called upon the Rev, Dr. A. Alexander, minister of the Congregation Mishean Israel, in Boston, and desired to be admitted as a member of the Jewish com- munity. Afver being refused by the reverend gentieman, the young man farther urged his wishes, stating that he could not be happy In any other religion, as he had convinced himself of tne purity and truth of the belief of the one God—tno God of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob, the creator of heaven and earth, who revealed himself on Mount Sinai and gave the Ten Commandments. Though the ceremonial laws In the Mosaic code are rather heavy to perform by a Gentile, still their truths are based upon real fundamental principles. After the minister convinced himself that the young man’s motives Were true and pure, and the latter promised not to shrink back, but was ready to submit himself to the right of circumetston, tie reverend Doctor instructed him in the principles of the Mosatc re- ligion, prepared him for the examination before the authorized comiittec, and, with courage, he went through the ceremonies and entered in the covenant last Friday night. Sil Rellgious Notes—General and Personal. Rey. Tiberius G, Jones, D. D., of Norfolk, Va., has accepted a call to the First Baptist church of Nash- ville, Tenn. Rev. Wm. Meendson (Lutheran), of Cherryville, Pa., is ninety years old, and is still preaching. He ‘was ordained 1n 1810, ‘The Unita Cattolica has made its appearance in @ black border, which It promises to wear “till the Pope shall have his own again.” Bishop Wordsworth's “Commentary on the Bible,’ on which he has been engaged for the last sixteen years, will be completed, it is thought, early this year. Mr. J. K. H. DeForest, of the Senior class in Yale Theological Seminary, has been unanimously called to the pastorate of the Congregational church at Mou nt Carmel, Cona, Rev. Dr. E. 1. Baird, of Richmond, Va., received a serious injury recently from a piece of sron which fell on his head m a printing office. It was a narrow and merciful escape trom sudden death. Antonio Guevazi used to say that heaven would be filled with those who had done good works (through faith in Christ), and hei with such as had intenaed to do them. Some ten or twelve full-blooded Indians desire to become studen ts in the Highland University, Kansas, with the intention of entering we ministry of the Presbyterian Church, Among the recent deaths In the Presbyterian min- istry are R ev. Oscar Park, of Chatsworth, Ill.; Rev. W. D. Lymington, at Pleasant Mii], Mo., and recently of Kentucky; aud Rev, J. G, Simrall, of sayette county, Ky. According to the statement of a writer In the Vew Jerusalem Messenger there are seventy Sweden- borgian churches in this country, halt of which are without ministers, and the divinity schobi of that denomination has but four students. ‘The wustecs of Larayette Qollege, at thelr late seml-annual meeting, conferred the degree of Doo- ‘or of Divinity upon Rey. Edward Hopper, of this city. Dr. Hopper ts pastor of the Presbyterian Church of the Sea and Land. The Baptist Missionary Convention (colored) at ‘Wilmington, N. C., has passed resolutions against the “unfeeling and unchristian” practice of dis- charging, directly or indirectly, an aged minister simply because of age or infirmities. Mr, A. Minard, of Morristown, N. J., well known for his benevolent disposition, died at hts residence last Week. He built flue brick house in Morristown @3 aD orphans’ home, at a cost, including the grounds, of $60,000, and erect Insti aioe. po » ted @ similar wution ‘The Presbyterian Clerical Association of this city re- cently discussed the subject of revivais, when the ma- Jority of the speakers believed it better that a church should experience @ steady, uniform growth rather than: have periodical occasions of apiritual excite- The religious interest existing in the Reformed church at Hudson, N. Y., has materially mereased. ‘The meetings which have been held of late have been crowdea and bid fair to overtiow the lecture room and compel the opening of the church for daily service, Rev. J, R, Dodds, D. D., a devoted and useful mis- sionary of the Reformed Presbyterian Church, died of typhus fever at Aleppo, Ma about the 12th of December last. Ho had a thorough knowledge of the Arabic language, and gave great promise of usefulness in his missionary work. 4n Chile the political parties have for some time been dividing, a3 in Mexico, mainly on questions of religion, The anti-clerical party is now so strong that, in the exciting canvass now in progress, it is Tegarded as quite possible that the liberals will elect their president, although the wealth and influence of the church party are very bard to overcome. ‘The Nonconsormist says that an active movement 1s now going on In London for securing reciprocal action between the clergy of the Englist Churcn and the dissenting ministers, that they may be able, under Episcopal sanction, to preach in each other's pulpits. An association for carrying out this object ‘bas been 81 , and several of tio leading mem- bers of both parties have joined it. Daniel Page, of Parowau, has just been excom- municated by Brigham Young for reading the Mor mon Tribune, the organ of the new reform party. Mr. Page appealed his case to the High Council, and they were obliged to adinit that this was the only charge against him. In several other cases Young has been acting vigorously against those suspected of favoring the new party. At the trial of the Rev, Mr. Cheney, the Rev. Dr. Sullivan, while on the stand, was asked if it had not been customary for bishops, presbyters and deacons “to add and to omit words from the service of the Church.” fis answer was:—‘l have known one instance in which a penis free was always attacked with @ violent fit of coughing when he came to that word ‘regenerate,’ and when ho had recovered from it he had got beyond 11.” The Richmond Central Presbytertan says :—« It is rumored that a movement is inaugurated in the city of New York to @ Presbyterian church— an old fashioned ibyterian church—to be con- nected with the aha bg ol Chesapeake.” There ts plenty of room in this city for a score or more of Presbyterian churches, and we will cordially wel- come to this field all Who will come in the spirit of Christ to save the perishing and to build up the king- dom of our Lord. ‘Come over und help us.” A iresh list of contributions to the sustentation Fund of the disestablished Irish Courch appears in the Dutlin Church papers. The list commences with a donation of £20,000 from the Earl of Egmont, £6,000 each from the Duke of Abercora and Lord Clermont, £6,000 from the Duke of Devonshire, £3,000 from Messrs. Kinahan, of Dublin aud London; Mr, Mulholland, Belfast, With a number of sums of £1,000 and £590, The Presbyterian Monthly Record for February gives the receipts of the Board o! tome Missions for the mouths of November and December as $73,590, “which is less by $27,387 than the two boards received durimg the saine time last year,” a falitng oi equal to 37 per cent, The receipts of the Board of Foreign Missions from May 1 to January 1 were $74,863. *‘Keceipts for the saine months last yeur, $92,320; decrease $17,457, a tulung off of about 12 per cent by the united body from the in- come of the Old Schoo! branch of last year. Beautiful 1s that benevolence which works silently and in the shade. One of our citizens, says the Observer, WhO Will not allow his pame to be men- tioned, has, at the cost of $150,000, fitted up a hos- pital for all “strangers,” at the corner of avenue D and Tenth street. The patieats of all countries and creeds are welcomed, entertained without charge, at the expense of the fonnder. Our best physicians and surgeons have promisod their attendance aiso. Itis a neble charity. May God biess the giver and all who aid in carrying out his happy designs. According to a recent estimate made in England, the number of Jews tn the worid at the present time is eight muliions, distributed as follows:—In Europe, five and a half millions, of which nearly three mil- lions are in Russia and Poland; in Austria, more than one million; in Germany, 400,000; in European Turkey, 300,000; Roumanta, 440,000; France, 100,000; the rest In England, Holiand, Italy and other coun- tries. In Asia, more than half a million; in Africa, more than one million, and in America, Australia, &C., at least 400,000, + The Governor of Georgia has been appointing circuit judges under a new organization of the judi: ctary of the State. One of the judges selected is a colorea gentleman by the name of the Rev. James Sims, This gentleman’s case, says the Independent, formerly made @ great noise in the country, when he was arrested in Boston and “delivered up” as the slave of James Potter, It is not Known that he has ever studied law; but he has had no little experience in it, and he isa man of too much quick wit and sound sense to discredit nis position, Rev. N. G. Clark, D. D., one of tie secretaries of the American Board, has leit this city to take a steamer at Liverpool for the Mediterranean. He goes out in part for his health, and also to visit the missions of the Boards tn Western Asia. He wili be joined a fortnight later by the Rey. George W. Wood, D. I Secretary of the American Board at New York, who is intending to resume missionary life at Constanti- nople, where he spent a number of years before his appointment as one of the secretaries of the Board, and where severai important questions of adminis- tration are awaiting adjustment. THE MURDERER HOWARD. His Confession of C: ie in New York—How Burglaries Are Avcomplished—Remarkable Periormances of Adroit Cracksmen. CUMPERLAND, Md., Feb. 10, 1871. The execution of Joun Howard, whose antece- dents as a burglar and thief have been fally pub- lished in the HERALD, 1s still the theme of conversa- tion in this city and neighborhood. His was a Strange carcer, and illustrated Ina marked manner the normal condition of the too large portion of the community properly denominated the ‘dangerous classes.” The confession of the murderer, ,part of which I telegraphed you last night, 1s exceedingly interesting. Howard very freely confessed his past misdoings, and having, as he appeared to believe, made his peace with bis offend God, died with courage, ‘The following is the continuation of his coniession:— Iwastaken toSing Sing Prison and went to work at the trade of aturner. Thad been in the prison about a year when I proposed to some of the “lifers Un for life) and ‘men who had heavy sentences to attempt ane. [told them to seize one of the schooners at the dock and sail ber over to the mountains. When sctooners were at the dock they ai- ways took the tiller out of the rudder bead and thus ren- dered the schooner useless, as far as sailing was concerned. T managed to make a tiller’ in my shop, and one day we made a rush on aschooner. I conciud t to go, but | wenton board with them and rigged the tiller for them. ‘Twenty con- vicla made their escape and were never retaken, About eight months before my time was up some of the pris- oners set the shops on fire, with the aid. of a slow match of their own — construct fire broke out about four o'clock A. M. The men whose sentences were nearly expired were allowed to go out aud help extingwsh the tire, Iwas of the number, but did not attempt to escape, Thi H @ and three nearly up. y months, being pardoned out three months before the expira- T remained at Sing’ Sing two tion of my seutence. I returned ork atver my re- ais," Charlie and Jim- c y ‘oposed that we should Ye. and “erack” a jewelry stor oS jad been there and put up the job, So'we took the cars an started. Twent into the store abont eight o'clock P. M., typed tn with me 1 bought w ring dollars, and thus drew off the aitentioa of the salesman, end Charlie hid himself behind the safe, About cleven o'clock that nivht Jimmie and I went back and Charite opened the door for us. We made a good hal, and Tieft the store heavily laden with the “swag.” We took an early train for New York, and sold the proceeds of the rav- Very to a Jew pawnbroker.” We got about one-third of the real value of the articles. I kept close for some time after this, or at least Uli my money began to ran low. I then told Charlie that we could make # goo: thing down at pier No. % where the New Orieans steamers sailed from. One of the line of steaypers was laying at the dock receiving freight. We Kept waich on her, and some boxes of silk were bronght down late in ‘the evening and were not takea aboard, but left on the dock in the care of the dock watchman, I got some dragged tiquor and gave it ton man to give the watchman, Charie, myself and three others drove down to the pier about eleven P. ered wagon, We found:the man to whom I had’ given liquor lying beside a sewer ina stupor, He had drank the liquor bimseif, J went into the watchbox and asked the watchman what time the steamer 1 was auickly fol- lowed by my two companions. ed and gagged the watchman aid soon loaded five boxes of silk in the wagon. ‘The watchman on the steamer discovered as nnd fired, He abot me in the right thigh, and Obartie in the knee. We drove off, however, and the police followed us Ina street cal We abandoned the wagon and lost horse, wagon After this T went over to Jersey and “cracked on my own hook. to the hovtse that I bad mad mind {to enter; went mio the back yard, climbed ap prape hola gold a window and pat & suck under it to invand mate w raise of S600 . and got oi safely with iy booty. up in Washington elty and laid there sick some time in the hospital with iaiiammation of the jangs. After I had re: ‘ered T shipped as an extra hand with Harry Miller, from ‘orgetown, and came to Cumberiand. 1 worked at the latter place with Mr. B. Kane, helping 0 bul After that [shipped on the boat Mary A. Moore and [hada fight about my wages and [ lett him. hired with Mr. Milier for the gecona time. I mi with him and came back to Cumbersand. Howard here gave an account of his diMenttics with Miller, the quarrel, the murder, ight and captare, the material tacts didering in uo respect from those given in the sketolr of his life, His con- feasion closes as foliows;— s! T was tried im October, The negro Joe perjured himselt or I would have been’ convicted of mausiaughter oniy, which was the ouly crime I committed, #9 help me Gad. da lady's E then one trip ———____ — ROME AS IT IS. Cardinal Antonelli and the Italiaa Commanders. Royal Congratulations aud Prussian Charity—Nav poleon’s Letter to Victor Emmanuel—Re- pairing After the Flood—General Sheridan’s March for Paris, Rome, Jan. 11, 1871. Cardinal Antonelli’s last circulars have aroused, by the assertions they contain, official contradictions from the Raltan Minister of Foreign Affairs, Vise coutt Venosta, in Florence, and General La Mar- mora, Royal Lieutenant, in Rome. The former are contained in @ brief ‘note to Itallan diplomatia agents at foreign courts, and the latter in a despatch from the toyal Lieutenant to the President of the Council. With regard to the hopes nourished at tne Vatican of a proximate restoration to power, I mast trankly confess that they are not encouraged by the general tone of the diplomacy. Foreign diplomats persist in recommending to the Holy See moderation and reconciliation with Italy as We safest course to pursue, NAPOLBON'S LEITER TO THE KING, ‘The Emperor Napoleon Third’s letter to Victor Emmanuel, wishing bim a nappy New Year and con- gratulating him upon having annexed Rome to Italy, an event which the Emperor says he always had at heart, has not produced a favorable impres- sion at the Vatican, although the congratulations of his Majesty were accompanied by recommendations of the Supreme Pontiff, for whose excellent qualt- ttes and venerable character the Emperor professea to have always entertained the sincerest affection and profoundest respect. KING VICTOR EMMANUEL TO THE EMPEROR OF GBR- MANY. Royal letters seem to be fying about coptously at this congratulatory season of the year, for 1 is stated that Count de Launay, Italian Ambassador at Berlin, has presented to the Prussian Minister of Foreign Affairs an autograph letter of Victor Em- imanuel for King Frederick William, congratulating his Majesty on iis approaching imperial dignity, BMPEROR WILLIAM'S CHARITY. ‘rhe King of Prussia has subscribed 15,000f. for the benefit of the sufferers by the inundation in Rome. THE FAITHFUL FREE. Freedom of publication for eccieslastical docu- ments 1s not wanting now in Rome, judging from the Cardinal Vicar’s last Invito Sacro, which invites the faithfut to attend @ devout tridaum in the Francts- can Church of Araccll, “to atono for the ingults ouered to the most holy name of Jesus, and to in- voke the Divine mercy upon the Supreme Pontuf, upon Rome, sud upon revoluitonized society im general.” ‘The proceeding circular of his Kminence to the re- igious corporations on tie suoject of tie Lnuudae tion was a8 follows: ‘The fearful inundation of the Tiber, to which our city of Rome was subjected during these last days, has caused, besides the drowning of victims, griev- us josses to any Tuerchaits aud tradesmen, by de- Biroyiug tue merchandise aud articles of trailic om wich depended tuelr subsistence. ‘Tus great dis- aster, Which to (he eyes of unbelievers only seems a chance event, or the mere effect of natural causes, when considered by the light of tati, a8 re. veaied by tne Prophet Amos, til, 6, St eru malum im Cwitate quod non Jecerit Dominus, is to be held as a tremendous scourge of Divine ven- geauce for the public scundais which are com- muted. In tact, tie horrivle blasphemies which are contnualiy heard and the noa-observance of festivals for some time evident in this city are such as lo provoke the indignation of Goa, who, jealous of His uonor, and masier as He 15 of the elements, renders them the ministers of His justice to punisit those who outrage Him. ‘aus many of those who despised tie name of God, or, forgetting to sanculy festal days, attended to servile lavor and kept their shops open through avidity of gain, protit- ing by the prescut impotence of ecclesiastical au- thority, saw themselves deprived im a moment of tueir ‘substauce, which they would perhaps have preserved if wey had rendered to the Lord the respect and worship due to Him, stace 1 is Me who inipoverishes and enriches, humbles and exalts. (i. Kings, iL, 7.) Whence taey are entirely deceived wito imagive that a oily can prosper even maicriaily when tue iear of God ws sougat to be banished trom it, and undifference to religious duties promoted instead, ‘Lhe authority of Sacred Writ and the experience of ages show that by transgressing divine precepts that temporal hap- piness 80 desired by the worldly is uot obtained, since Sin only produces misery among the peuple. Miseros Jack popidos peccatum, May whe tremen- dous misfortune which has happened to this city iituminate transgressors ayainst divine law tu re- cognize tae Chashiseraent dac to their sins commit ted, make them jsten to the voice of the Lord, and render them penitent and humbie under the power- ful hand of God, so that Wey may vbtain pardon from the Father of Mercy. Au exhortation to subscribe liberally for the mun- dated followed. This appeal produced in afew days about 26,000 francs, the most important contribu. Uons being 6,000 francs from the Sacred College of Cardinals; 1,050 francs from the Dominican Order of Monks and Nuns; 500 fraucs from the Chapier of St. Lorenzo, in Damaso; 500 irancs from Cardinal Bonaparte; Hospital of Santa Marla dei Fornart, 500 francs; Reformed Minprs, 800 irancs; Convent of the Bambino (Infant Jesus), 260 francs; Chapter of Santa Maria, in Via Lata, 050 francs; English Col- lege, 220 [rancs; South American College, 100 francs, C AMERICAN OARITY, An American aeronaut, Mr. Welles, who, two years ago, performed in a fire balloon an astound- ingly rapid Might irom Reme to Benevento, and has since been backward and forward several times trom Paris to Tours, ou post balloon service, 1s now in Naples, and has generously offered to make an ascension th Rome for the bencilt oi the suferers by the inundation, GENERAL SHERIDAN, General Sheridan left Kome yesierday evening, being desirous to reach Paris in Ume 1o wituess Lhe finul catastrophe, SCIENCE. A celebrity in a different line, (he iearned astrono- mer, Father Seechi, has returned from Sicuy, where he went to observe the eclipse. THE HOUSES OF PARLIAMENT. The Parliamentary commissioners sent to Rome to select localities for the Chamber of Deputies aud Senate have visited tne Dominican Convent of tho Minerva, the Nunnery of sau Siivestro and the pataces of Monte Citorio, the Capitol, Consulta and Valentini. ‘Lhey incline for the Monte Citorio palace: for the Deputies and the Cousulta or Valeutini tor the Senate. ‘The ti r edifice Is also mentioned as adapted for the restdence of the Prefect of Rome, and tue seat of the Provincial council. TRUE HEROISM. As a mark of gratitude to the Italian soldiers now garrisoned in Rowe for their hervic conduct in suc- coring the suffering citizens during the inundation, frequently at ive risk of their own lives, the Munici- pality of Rome had placed at the disposal of General - CosenzZ 20,000 francs, to be distributed to the Soldiers of the division. Au oréer of the day on the 3d instant iniormecd tue troops of this determina. tion, but they at once manifested their desire that tne Geveral should return the money to the manic pal authorities, with a request that it might be de- voted to relieving the famulies of the sufferers, NAVAL AFFALA&. pleasantuess Between the Line und Staff. To Tae piTor or THE HERALD:— Wiil you be good enough, in justice to the “navay stat” and thew claims, which continue to be so sadly misrepresented, to publish tle annexed sec- tion nine of the act recently passed almost unant- mously by the House of Represesentatives, entitiea “An act to regulate rank in the United Staies. and for other purposes, ' the Mne of the navy, and those who identify them- selves with their pecultar views, ave now striving so strenuously to defeat in the Senate. ‘The section referred to is the best exponent ot “the claims” of the naval statf, which it fully and clearly represents, and will serve aa tre best and most conclustve BY to the long series of unfair attacks to which the stam corps of the navy have been subjectedthrough the coramns of the HisRaLp. ‘The HERALD lias always professed and asserted its independence of cliques of ail Kinds, Let it now vin- dicate its claim to the admiration and respect of ail liberal minded people by doing @ simple act of justl The (Litue t 9. And be it further enacted, that commanding take precedence of all utaff dilcers under thelr command, and no stat ojlicer shail, in virtue of law rabk, Une of the navy, or In por shall bave no addi- on account of his rank; and to pro- vessions on shore, on court martial, summary courte, courte at s boards of xuryey and all other boards line and staff officers shall take precedence according to rank, twill tius be seen that the bill which has passed tatives purposes anly to place ognized and positive feoung astoravk, giving them no right to interfere with, the line or the discipline of the service, as has been " sivtenuy alleged itis thei ambition and wisn no increase of pay or right to quarters, gnarautees to them the fixed and deiinite position whick ail oficers of our army and every military and naval organizadon in the ed World possess, Save Uiat of the navy of the : ites, Anil does away wiih the growing ad- to aristocratio sentiment and the creation of lows, Which are so totally repugnant lance with reorulican institutions. STA! department to which he belongs, and tional right to quar