The New York Herald Newspaper, December 24, 1871, Page 4

4 "RELIGIOUS INTELLIGENCE, December 24—Fourth Sunday ! of Advent. (Religious Programme for 'To-Day. HERALD RELIGIOUS CORRESPONDENCE, fReligious Notes, Personal and General. Services To-day. A Christmas sermon will be preached this morn- Yng in the Canal street Presbyterian church, Greene Btreet. Rev. P. L. Davies will preach inthe Berean Bap- church this morning on “Tne New Testament mship’? and in the evenimg on “Our Spiritual ions.” Rev. Andrew Longacre will preach this morning d evening in the Central Methodist Episcopal rch. Rev. Dr. Thompson, of Chicago, wilt preach tn Church this morning, and in the evening Rev. Dr. Weston will officiate. At the latter service fhe report pro} by the committee eent by nrist Churc! Chicago wili be read by Rev. 3. F, unhane, , Rev. Dr. Krotel will preach this morning and ‘evening in the Evangelical Lutheran Churcn of the {oly Trinity. “Man’s Relation to the Earth’? will be the sub- et of Rev. Thomas Guard’s lecture tnis evening in Thirty-seventh street Methodist Episcopal jehurch. Rev. H. D. Northrop will officiave im the Weat Wwenty-vhird street Presbyterian church. Rev. William H. Pendleton will preach morning id evening in the West Fifty-third street Baptist he Rev. E. O. Sweetser will preach this morning a rmon priate to the Christmas season, in the leeoker it Universaliat churcn, Services in e eventing as usual. { Rev. O. 8. Harrower will deliver the second of bis on “The Lost Things’ this morning, in )Bt Luke’s Methodist Episcopal churob. Rev. J. M, Pullman will preach in the Church of Jur Saviour this morning and evening. Rev. George H. Hepworth will preach morning Pndevening in the Churchof the Messiah. His evening discourse will be on “Christian Manhood.” { “The Questions that Jesus Answered’ will be the bject of Rev. Stephen H. Tyng, Jr.’s discourse us evening in the Church of the Roly Trinity, East orty-second street. , Rev. Wm. Danning will preach morning and evening tn All Saints’ Free church, Henry street. Midnight services will be held in the oratory of Bt. Sacrament, Tenth avenue and Forty-third stroet, Bt which selections from Gounod’s Solemn Mass will bbe given. Rev. Dr. Rylance will preach morning and eyen- Yng in St. Mark's church. ” Rev, Charles F. Lee will preach this morning and piternoon in the Fiith Universalist church (Chicker- dng Hall). Rev. Dr. Flagg will preside in the Church of the Resurrection ths morning. Rev. Dr. Merrill Richardson will preach this jorning and evening in the New England Congre- fallonai church on subjects appropriate to the hristimas season. . Christmas services will be held in St. Alban’s Phuroh to-day. “Bishop” Snow will discourse, as usual, in the Pntversity this afternoon. Mr. N. Frank will speak before the Society of piritualists this morning and evening, and Mrs, ez St. John in the afternoon, Whe Church of Christ the True International Society. Bo rae Eprror oF THE AKRALD:— The readers of the HERALD have been favored ‘om Ume to time With articles alluding to ana de- riptive of the International Society, and tm the jue of the 8d of August last was given more infor- ation in reference to that society than has been rnished the public through any other source. It tls “what the International 1s and what it 1s not.!” recent issues the public have received further ton the charactor of this society, and particu- arly tn reference to the funeral prdtession in this ty in honor of their martyrs recently executed in ‘aris, in which tne public have taken no small in- rest. The object of this article 18 not to im- part further knowledge of the immediate workings Df this society, as that which has been given 1m the HAxRacr 1s evidentiy full and complete, but it ts erely intenced to aliude to what may be the final sult Of the operations of a harmonious organiza- Won so world wide as the Internattonal is destined }o be, and also to allude to the man who, the writer thinks, was the originator of this society, or at least Who planned it, and the causes which conspired to Waken in his mind the necessity of such an organt- uon. The Courch, as first instivuted by Onrist Bod His aposties, was designed for “the life that now is,” as well as for that which “is tocome” It ‘was made up in great part of tue laboring class, out ‘when they were fully initiated into “the mysteries Df godliness’’ there was no longer any distinction of Diasses among them. Ali the repelling influence of paste which existed in the outside world was de- Blroyed, and consequently “They that believea were Df one heart and of one soul, and netther sald any- of them that aught of the things which he possessed yvas bis own, but they had all things common.” This was really the first International Society. There was not only a unity of feelings, sentiments Bnd opinions, but a anity of property, and the union Of the latier was calculated to make more strong Rod jasting the others, aud the result of this unity ‘was that the true principles of the ‘Gospel were parried with far greater force and eiticlency into tue orld during the existence of this umity than has n Gone in all the Centuries since its dissolution. ‘he immediate cause of the destruction of this nity Was the Introduction into thé Churen of an jafuence antagonistical to the teachings and aoc- nes of Onrist aud His apostiess The influence fWuich opposed the Church in the days of the postles Was the same influence which 1s now op- Ww the Lnternational Society. It was the iguty, the pobie, the great aud rich of the world ‘ho were then opposed to the spread of the Gospel, Because the spirit of its teachings were in pposition to them and to thew worldly verests. Olirist, wuen he said to His followers, “I Pail you not servants but friends,” sounded a note i freedom and equality that shall never die; and i. Paw, standing in ihe midst of Mar’s Hill, caught ip the refrain when he declared the international 4 universal equality of all men in the never-dyiug hrase, “God Dati made of ove odlood all nations of en for to dwell on all the face of the earth.” The burch then, a8 fret established, was the first and ue true tulernational society, which should ere wis ave made one society of ali nations. Having de- enerated into a Worldly organizaion—run as other orldly Orgauizauens ere ruo—coutrolled by te tute und by woridiy-tuinded men, it seemmgly jaiied iu ite mission “jong, iong ago.’ If the pre- it Courch, a8 the agent of God, like that ander ¢ Mosaic dispensation, falls to accomplish the ng Whereunto lt was seut, be will pro! ,, 08 Of ld, Taise Up something else controled by politicians K others, us Lis iustruments ior the very purpose f arousing tue Church to its duty. The idea of an rely worldly international society was first started ju America by that dis.inguished philpeopnst and holar Benjamin Frankia, who frst drew lightning un the clouds of heaven to make it serve mén on arth, who Goud created to ald in answel ie osnen meppounced to Job, “Cunst thou send a ngs they may go and say unto Thee here we rer’ In the “Memoirs of Benjamin Franklin” written ¥ bimeels, vol. 1, page 33, is the following:—"I had en religiously educated as @ Presbyterian, but of the d of that persuasion, such the eternal election, ‘revro- tion, &0., appeared to me uninteliigibie, and I Parly ebeented mysell from tue pabiic assemblies of the sect (Sunday veing my study day). I never Was without some religious principles, 1 never Eos for instance, the existence of @ Diety, that ¢ made the world and governed it by Hw provi- ence, that the most acceptable service of God was 10 doing good to mau, that our souls are immortai, d that ali crimes will be punished and virtue re- ‘arded eliher here or hereafter. These | esteemed essentials of every religion and being be found in ail the religions we i in our country. J respected them ail, though ith different degrees of respect as | found hem ore or less mixed with other articles Which, with- tendency w inspire, promote or confirm , Berved principally to divide us and make AY one another, This respect vo all, itd an jon that (he worst had some effects, in- Puced me Wavoild wi discourse tual might tend to Jessen the goo’ opinion another might have of his own lon, and as our province increased 1n peo pie and new places of worship were Sonunually wanted, and generally erected by voluntary contri- bution, my*mite for such pi whatever might be the sect, was never ret Though I seldom attended any public worship I had still an opinion of its propriety and of its utility when rightly con- ducted, and I regularly pard my annual subscripuon ior the support of the only Presbyterian minister or meeting we had in Philadelphia. He used to visit me sometimes as a friend, and admonished me to attend his administrations, and |] was now and then prevailed on to do 80, once for five Sundays succes- sively, Had he been, in my opinion, a good preacher, perhaps I might have continued, notwithstanding the occasion I haa for the Sunday's leisure in My course of study, but his discourses were chiefly either polemic arguments or explanations of the Peculiar doctrines of our sect, and were all tome very dry, uninteresting and unedifying, since not a single moral principie was inculc: or enforced, their aim seeming to be rather to make us Presby- terians than good citizens. At length he vook for his text that verse of tne fourth chapter to the Pnilippians—‘Finally, brethren, whatsoever things are trae, honest, just, pure, lovely or of good report, ii there be any virtue or any praise, unk on things.’ And I imagined in @ sermon on sucha text we could not miss of having some morality. But he confined himself to five points only, as meant by the apostle, viz.:—First, keeping holy the Sab- batn dey; second, being dil it in reading the Holy Boripearier third, attending duly the public worship; fourta, Ing of the sacrament; fifth, paving due respect to God’s ministers, These might all good things, but as they were not the kind of pn. things that 1 expect trom that text I despaired of ever meeting with them from any other, was disgusted, and atiended his preaching no more.” ‘ihe preaching in this case ‘Was tueflective, at any rate so far as Franklin ‘Was concerned, for it failed either to make hima sectarian or @ true Chrisuan, Itlacked that broad and comprehensive view of the text which a mind luke bis would naturally expect. The tle evi- dently intended to impress men with import- ance of thinking on the virtues which he enumer ‘ated, for as @ man “thinketn in his neart so ts he”? But the preacher, in this instance, would seem to be laboring to make sectarian converts, and the in- fuence of his sermon, it seems, led Franklin to form a@ soctety which, though he did not name tt In- ternational, yet it was designed to be such, as a further extract from the same volume, page 8%, will show:—‘That the great afairs of world—the wars, revolutions, &c.—ate carried on and affected by parties; that the view of these La ties 18 their present general interest, or what they take to be such; that the different views of these different parties occasion all confusion; that while @ party is currying on @ general design, each man has his particular private interest 1eW; that as soon as a party has gained iia [oan point each member becomes intent upon his particular interest, which, thw: others, breaks that party into divisions and occasions more contusion; that tew in public affairs act from a mere view of the good of their country, whatever they may pretend, @nd thougao their actings bring real good to their country, yet men primarily considered that their own and their country’s interest were united, and 8o did not act from a principle of benevolence; that égrer still in public affairs act with a view to the of mankind. ‘There seems to me at present to be great occasion for raising @ united party for virtue by forming the virtuous and good men of all nations into a regular body, to be governed by sultabie good and wise rules, which good and wise men may probably be more unanimous in their obedience to than common people are to common laws. I at present think that whoever attempts this aright, and is well qualifed, cannot fall of pleasing Goa and of meeting with success.” The plan of tis society was formed in 1731, and in 1788, in alluding to it, he says, “Though I am still of opinion it wasa precticable scheme and might have been very use- ‘ul by forming @ great number of good citizens, and I was not discouraged by the seeming magnitude of the pints as I have always thought that one man of tolerable abilities may work great changes and accompiish great affairs among mankind tf he first forms a good plan, and, cutung off all amuse- ments or ovher employments that would divert his attention, makes the execution of that same plan his sole study and business.”” The future of the International Soctety, as well as its workings, will be closely watched by the Churches of all denominations, and particularly by the Romish Church, for between the two there wiil be @ universal antagonism. ‘This seems to have exhibited itself in a marked manner in Paris during the short Internaiional ascendancy in that city. This antagonism probably springs from the fact that in all countries where the religion of the poe Churoh predominates the tendency ia for the rich to become richer and the poor poorer; and this may be satd to be the tendency in all Chris- tian countries, though not in = marged & manner. It 18 not consistent with the spirit of the Gospel for men to amass great fortunes to be used as they gen- eraliy are, for the impoverishment or oppression of others. Indeed, a man cannot become the possessor of a great fortune unless others are oppressed and impoverished. While this is the doctrine of the In- ternational Society, it is not the doctrine of the Church; consequently their doctrines are antago- nmistical. Ifa man amass a large fortune by oppress- Ing aud impoverishing millions of others he is con- sidered by the Church as a steward of God, holding this property in trust for the benefit of those who are in need. He is thus the steward or agent of Goa to oppress and impoverisn @ large number that he May relieve the necessities of afew. The interna- uonal Comey, is evidently an instrument in the hands of God’to explode this fallacy in the Charch, Wil the Church put itself right? If so, there will be no International Society except the Cnurch, The Public Schools. To ThE EDITOR OF THE HERALD:— There seems to be in some quarters a misunder- Standing as regards the Catholic doctrine on the senool question. rrom a lecture delivered at Hun- ter’s Point one might infer that the Uatholics would favor a system of education excluding all religion. Now this is byno means the case. The present PontifMhas set forth “that the Catholics cannot ap- prove a system of education unconnected with the Catholic faith and the power of the Church, and which regards the knowledge of merely natural things, and only, or at least primarily, the errors of earthiy fe."’ (Syllavus of 1864, prop, xivilt.) The Catholjc Church knows too well that the heart of the young is like soft wax—ever ready to receive 00d as weil as evil impressions. Early impressions, | eps Bay :—"*. 7 when he 18 old he wilt not depart from 1.” (Prov. XXu., 6) And :—“It is good for a man when be nach borne the yoke from his youtu.” (Lament. i.) Education, as its Latin derivation shows, means a leading tortn—a budding forth—and, as applied to man, it means the development of all his facul- ties. Now, the chief of these are the intellect and the will. But will you develop the intellect apart from the will? It is impossibie. Philosophy teaches that the will by itself 1s a olind faculty, having fur its guide the inteliect. The latter is the light of the former. The wil necessarily follows the teaching of the intellect. Hence you cannot educate or develop the one without the other. And if so, then religion and science should be taught conjointly. An athelstic science or a teaching without re- Ngion may produce a Ruloff, but never a Fenelon, If you want good citizens you must teach them, first of ali, the principles of sound morality. If you Want honest men to rule then instruct them to ear God. What would it profit us to have smart and very intelligent thieves at the head of our govern- ment? We waut intelligence; but, first of al morality, And experience teaches that for this pu pose it 1s necessary to train the young. The Catholic Church then demands denomina- tional schools. ‘This can be the only satistactory so- ludion Of this question. CATHOLICUS, The Fable of Pope Joan—The Fi Kaocked Into a Cocked Hal To THe EpiTor OF THE HERALD:— A correspondent In your issue of last Sunday asks for 1pformauion concerning the storied existence of afemaic Pope. A full reply to his inquiry ts con tained in an interesting article upon the subjection Vol. x., No, 49, p. 1, of the Catholic World (April, 1869). The principal statements of the article are as jo Pontia- follows:—The fabie or legend retates that after the | death of Pope Leo [V., in 855, a Pope not named in the calendar was chosen, under the titie of John VI. or Vill; that this Pope nad been a young priest, @ comparative stranger in Rome, but who nad q@aineu, in a short time, agreateeputation for virtue and‘learning by his public lectures and dispu ta tions; that after governing wisely and un- suspected for Over two years this Pope, during a public procession, gave birth to a child, thus be- coming Known to be a woman, and died im- mediately thereafter. Of course there are versions of the story which contain ‘any number of startling and sensational additions. These can be imagined ad libitum, Bat the substance of the legend ts asrelated. Now, what are the historical evidences of the truth of tuls story? Such a circumstance, happening publicly in Ronre, at that time especially the centre of the Civilized world and the resort of strangers trom all parts of the earth, must have created a great sensa- tion and been reported far and wide, forming a prominent theme of contemporary history and liter- ature. At that period: the Papal See was particu- larly an object of interest to all literary men. We find, however, that for some four hundred years after the alleged date no autmentic record or aliu- sion appears of or to any such event as the one in question. The late references to it which then made their appearance are as references to a report or a story only, and not to facts, expressed with cer- tainty, and are, besides, open wo suspicion as being marginal interpoiations or wil- ful alterations of text, made in later times. Launoy, @ celebrated writer and critic, who objected to many fabulous narrations ‘which ne said had crept ito the legends of the saints, laid down the rule @ fact of a public nature not mentioned by any writer ‘witin two hundred years of its supposed occur- Teuce 18 not to be believed. The silence of contem- poraries is undoubtedly the best proof against Ou event pubseuuently asserted, The rale of Engl! common law similarly rejects hearsay testimony where no eye witnesses can be proved, Again, iearned and accepted historians make Mention of the succession of the Pontiffs, and of events contemporary with the fabled Po} but make no allusion to her or to her story. e fable, however, like ali scandals, and particularily in such “dark ages,’ easily grew when once originated, and the succeeding centuries and new wruers kept adding their quotas to it, In the mitdie of the sixteenth century (some eight hundred years after the date fixed) the story had at- tatned its maximum proportions. Since then, even down to our own age, writers have periodically ap- peared who nave, with one motive or another, prom- inently advocated or asserted it, Among the probable origins of the 1 dl the fol- lowing are assigned :—That it originated in a satiri- cal expression of contempt for Pope John VIII. (872-882), who was called “Joanna” and a “wo- man,” by his enemies, on account of his weakness and irresolution of character. Later, also, John X. (914-925) was sald to have been raised to the Papacy tnrough the advocacy of an influential woman, and another John (931) was alleged to have been guided and controlled by the counsels of his mother. .Tnese cases may have suggested to ralllerists the idea of @ femaie Pope. Another Jonn (XIi., in 966) was similarly said to have been influenced by a woman, Joan. All these cases occurred before the origina- on Of the story, En passant, it 18 wo! of note that at these times the Roman people had the ratification or rejection oftie Popes, and there was much corruption. In 1073 Gregory VLI. reformed this great evil, Any one of the Popes above alluded to might have been called a ; and the story expanded in after years by wandering monks or soldiers. Some advo- cates of the fable have said that the Cuurch sup- ressed the story. But this could not well have m done, it is evident. The Qhurch could not influence the Greeks or other sersneies mm Rome. And the fable itself rel public statue commemorative of as a mark disgrace a ae Ll recurrence, rhaps the strongest t the fable isfound in the fact that the contemporary Greek and other writers hostile to the Church make no mention of it, Gibbon (who ph accepted here, at least, as @ mood, hority) records this as @ conclusive proof of its falsity. The writers referred to, on the contrary, Record the direct succession of the Popes, the Reformation the story was put to active It was a han mical argument, Yet le, called it “an inlaid piece of Work, embellished with time.’’ Bayle, Eckhard and Leibnitz refuted it. Hallam led it @ table. Ranke and Sismondi and Milman contemptuously ignored it. Gibbon crashes it with Latest of all, our ‘‘old Catholic” triend, Dr, Dol- linger, has exhaustively examined the whole sub- fect, and demonstrated ita utter unworthiness of credence. He has gone even further, pointiug out ‘the causes or sources of all the separate portions of the story. Except as a sensationalism in anti-Popery tirades it has, at the present day, no standing a ee * The Two Groat Revelations. To THE EpiTor OF THE HERALD:— God revealed is in the Boox of Nature and in the sacred Scriptures. In nature, or in the pbysical world, the inflowing life will be varied according to the forms furnished by men in the mechanical arts and by culture in the vegetable and antmal king- doms; but all power and life are from tne Lord, and this Is as manifest in the moving of the majestic ev- gine and train, the flash of intelligence over the telegraphic wires, and in the cultivated flower, Plant or animal, as in the wheelbarrow, carrier pigeon and wild flowers, plants and animals of old. Then we have literally in the bopk of nature a mani- festation of the affections and thoughis of our Crea- ter, even to the most minute particulars of form, color and shape—all, whether cultivated or uncult- vated, are living maniteatations of spiritual princi- ples. So the sacred Scriptures, to be the Word of God, must be inspired as much in the most minute word as in the grandest message; every wordand part of @ word must be alive with spirit and life to be in harmony with God’s works, and in this respect must differ as much from the words of men as do the works of God from the works of men. The Lord has clothed His Word wi th human language taken from the minds of lawgivers, prophets and disciples, and the external language varies according to the culture of the latter; but the Lord assures us that His words are spirit and they are life. Your correspondent, ‘‘Catholicus,” may deny this, but as it required no ‘infallible’ school of philosophers to unfold the laws of nature im these latter days and to enabie us to see inteliectually the sun as the centre of our solar system, the heart as the centre of the circalation, and that electricity and steam are useful agents, and that human free- dom, especially in Spiritual ie) 13 Most desirable for men, tne Lord having vided that these grand which are revolutionizing thia age on the physical plain, should flow into the minds of in- 4 ring men who have proclaimed them, often in eflance of the anathemas of the Catholic Church, 80 it has required no “infallible” Pope or Church to unfold unto us the corresponding 1a’ for the interpretation of God’s revesied word; for iniallibie men and their followers are not apt to be humble and teachable and capable of receiving a new infowing of new truths. The disci- ples ot our Lord when on ‘were not choson irom among the chief priests and ruters of the Jewish Church, nor could they have been any more than the heraid of the a New Jerusalem could have been chosen from among these latter days has chosen a goo’ i man—Emanual swedenborg, a nothing more—t whom to reveal the spiritual sense of thesacred Scriptures and the great law.of correspondences between natural and Spiritual things, in accordance with which they were written, and also the state of man after death. It needs no ‘infallible Church,” no infallible teach- ers, to tell us that the interpretations are correct any more than it does infallible aa hin age to tell us that the corresponding laws of nature are correct. The intelugent reader intellectually comprehends the interpretation so far as to know it to be trae. It then, like corresponding scientific knowledge, passes trom the realm oi speculation to that of ac- tual knowledge. How wonderfal, nd and beautiful is this science Of correspondences may be seen at a glance. ‘The sun corresponds to the rd, Who 1s the Sun of the spiritual worid; from the naturalsun flows light and heat, which illuminates and warms the physical earth and the bodies of men. ‘The light and heat of the natural sun correspond to the trath and love from the Lord—the spiritual sun— which flows down to the souis or spirits of men, enightening and warming the mental earth, or our our minds, The natural clouds adapt and modily the light and heat of the natural sun to man’s natural eyes and body, and for this reason they correspond to the literal sense of the sacred Scriptures, which adapts and modifies the divine truth and love -fowing through the re- to man’s spiritual vision aud vody. Let holicus” but read the writings of the nd old Swetlish seer and he wi!l need no “infalli- le Church” or teacher to convince him that all tne days to the end of the Catholic Caurch have been fully numberea, and that the Lord 18 at Luis day com- ing, Not in the clouds of earth, but in the clouds of heaven, or in the letter of the sacrea Scriptures re- vealing those glorious truths which are making this age new and warning the hearts of men to noble deeds of charity, justice, liberality and good will. The day 18 indeed surely dawning when the HgRALD's antictpauons of unity among Unnstians shall be realized, Dut it will be a unity of varieties in tue bonds ol charity, each striving Lo do good to all. Informution Wanted. To THE Epiror OF THE HERALI Knowing your willingness to give place to any- thing of public interest in the columns of your val- uable paper, 1 would respectfully ask that you give the following information for the benefit of strangers and those who have lately made this city thelr home:—What churches are open to strangers, or where can we, who do not own @ pew, or perhaps not able to rent one, go to churcn—knowing that we can secure a seat without feeling we are intruding? Secondly—Are there any pub- Me Mbraries in this city where books can be had to take to our homes, and if so, where are they located? How can you procure books, and at what price per year or week as the case may be? A STRANGER RESID! The writer of the above may find a reply to a por- on of his interrogatories by reading the follow- ing :— A RARE CHANCE POR ALL. To THE EpIToR OF THE HERALD:— There are many advantages and comforts which young men in this city feel the want of, and owing to their not having suMcient means, or, as the writer believes, principally from the fact of their not know- ing how to obtain them, and for an amount which they would willingly give away ina charity, lose those benefits which would be lasting. It is an opportunity to spena leisure nours advantageously, Pleasantly and congenially tnat they feci the want of; a place to go to where they can find so many tnings to occupy them and make time pass joyfully, for the truth of the old saylug that “emplopment 18 true enjoyment” wiilmake itself evident, Such an opportunity can be found at the Young Men's Chris wan tion, and there is piace where young men can study the most useful branches of educa- tion, German, French, bookkeeping, writing, as well as music, and from our most celebrated protessors; also gymnastics under the most excelient and care- ful supervision of Mr. Wood, Various amusements are offered to the members: parlor games, bowling alley, 8 fine piano, alsoa most complete reading room and an are, library, There are numerous lectures, some of Which the members can awend on their menibeenee?, Ucket, which ts but five dollars ‘active inembership ) for a whole year, enviting the older to all of the above privileges, together with use of patos. Opportunities are oifered for those who will, toenser upon active and good works for the prosecution of w'iich there are many standing committees and others forming a8 occasion may offer, By this Means @ young man can acquire use- ful information, learn to cuitivace (he abilities with ‘Which be bas been gifted, respect himeel! and make provision for future use. New York has Cane —_ Kh she is ee Let Bad eee with sat on on experient associaulon, Goo WORKS. Questions for the Clergy—“The Ministry of Angels.” To THE EpiTor OF THE LLERALD:—- llately heard @ very interesting discourse from Dr. Deems on the “Ministry ot Angels.” Soon after I read in the HERALD a@ synopsis of a sermon by Henry Ward Beecher on the same subject. It ts evidently @ very interesting theme to Christians of different denominations. We may gather as much as this from the titles of many of the hymns and sacred songs, for children perhaps more than adults, which we see in music stores and hear the iittle ones sing. Certainly some of these songs are very simple—mere recitations, one might say—but they are written to meet a popular craving, to supply & pabulum for the popular demand. Now, is it not better, since there 1s in our natures @ spirivual instinct which battles with our souls beyond the material? 1s it not better to encourage biblical, orthodox Christian views on the matter rather than to ignore 10 or swear at it? It is very easy to swear. How can we dare to limit ‘eg di- no! Whether they ray, or praise, or only wait? Is it not settled py s divine wisdom ? The discourses I allude to brought to my mind a conversation I heard last summer with an_Episco- Angel of Pia yer, i je ayer, peared in the Churchman, leading Episcopal journal. He said the doctrine of the poem was very erroneous, as if poems, not hymns, ‘were judged doctr: What a reform he woul make in literature! He would have to sweep away some of the most beauufal poetry in the world ii he 1s 80 much afraid of an angel. ton would be no- where and witaout his angeis. But more: the learnec gentleman said if there was such a being as an ‘‘Angel of Prayer’ the Re- deemer's sacrifice was not necessary. This does not me follow. I think one might as well say that if the Divine Saviour needea the ‘ministry of ht og ee fathom low speak 80 positively a3 What the Almighty must do? Jt is this drawing the lines so tightly that has prob- ably driven 60 many into the abyss of modern Spiritualism; falsely so called, as it is really gross werialism. But the name has, no doubt, deluded many who were longing for a more spiritual life. Bat more: as the spirit is moved to prayer by the Hol copa i = ed prayer semen. from red Bodhend, ae pose, Why may no’ an ange oA as Well asa saint’ or a “righteous man?” There anything unorthodox or illogical in this idea? Very respectfully, G. H. H***, Is the Bible a “Dead Book ¢” To THE EDITOR OF THE HEBALD:— If “W, ©. D.” nad a little more knowledge of what he writes about he might be able to make a large number of your readers understand him; but, as it is, he has written on the subject of the “Written Word” evidently with the intention of being pro- foynd. His idea was not tojenlighten those who. according to his belief, will ultimately be damned. In trying to impress upon the readers of your paper his exact meaning he reminds one of the ambitious Politician who excitedly exclaimed, “Gentlemen, the eyes of the vox populi are upon you.” From the way he treats the subject it is evident that he has been trying to make others believe, with him, that it is blasphemous and decidedly wrong lor Protestants to differ with Catholics; that it is gn enormous sin to read the Bible m public schools. Now, I notice that at least eighty per cent of your’ correspondents on religious subjects are Roman Catholics, and, of course, “W. OC. 7? is @& red hot one, He declares ‘the Bibie to be adead book; that every self-sufficient fool nas read it to his own damna- tion.’”? Now, what puzzles me is this, what authority have the Roman Catholics for. asserting that their religion is the only traeone? By what authority do they declare the Bible a dead book? The Latin is a dead language, but the Catnolics use it almost ex- clusively. Why do the most intelligent Ue dd the world read the Bible ir it is a dead book? Why 1s it allowed to be read to the children of our most illustrious and best educated citizens? Why do our celebrated and learned Protestant divines find so much solid comfort in reading tnat Holy Book 1f it 8 “dead?” PW. De Dr. McGlynn’s Lecture on the Bible in Public Schools. To THE EDITOR OF THE HERALD:— In commenting upon Dr. McGlynn’s lecture at Hunter's Point on the Bible in Public Schovuls you say:—‘‘If the Catholics object to St, James’ version, why not adopt another?’ Now I never heard of a St. James bible at all. If you mean the Bible the Catholics handed down from the time of the Apos- tes to the time of James the First of England. and ‘was by him and his self-constituted Juages revised or perverted, I think you will find it correct. I never heard they made any pretensions to be saints, but it 1s not alone i hearing the Bible read by anti-Catho- lic authority that favors of proselytism, but the books they learn from, particularly their readers, are highly impregnated with the same spirit, and calcul to bias the cbild’s mind in favor of the Protestant method of instiliing religious principles. Now, as a Catholic parent trying to bring up her children by the methoa that the Divine Founder laid down for us, we would like to instill into them religion through our own peetee tiie (what I have taught you you teach your children) Solon, for when a young Catholic once loses his faith, which he always considered perfect, he isnot very apt to grasp another, out goes on perfectly indiffer- ent to any religion or morals, and mes as “one who has eyes and cannot see, who has a heart and cannot feel.” So he goes on through iife with Nothing to sooth, notning to restrain, nothing to Guide in the moment of trial; in a word, nothing to teach him to live or fit him to die. That is wnat your pralic school prejudiced teaching has brought and bringing many to. A FAITHFUL CATHOLIO MOTHER, Boware of the Intoxicating Bowl on New Years’ Day. To THE EDITOR OF THE HERALD:— Will you not, as part of the good work you are dotng, utter a protest the coming week agatnst the ruinous and happily waning custom of furnishing Wine and ovher alcoholic drinks to callers on New Years’ Day? The number of young men who have entered upon lives of drunkenness, through this open door, is legion. And the worst phase of the practice 1s that it makes woman the promoter of drinking habits among men, and thus the destroyer of her own happiness, A READER. Our good jady friends will please make a note of the above, and act accordingly on New Years’ Day. Conundrum for a Religious Correspondent. To THE EpiToOR OF THE HERALD:— I would ask “H. G.,”’ Jr., how he acccounts for the difference between the genealogy of Christ accord- ing to Matthew, and that according to Luke; If, as he says, they were both written under the inspira- tion of tne same Holy Ghost; for, it 1s evident, that they can’t both be correct? ENQUIRE, The Streets and Lanes of New York. ‘The anniversary exercises of the New York City Mission and Tract Society were held in the Presby- terian church, Fifth avenue, corner of Nineteenth Street, Sabbath evening, December 17. Brief statements of the operauions and results of the year were presented and addresses made by Mr. Wetmore, Chairman of the Executive Vommittee of the Society; Rev. Mr. Mingins, Rev. Dr. Ganse and two ofthe city missionaries, Mr. Wetmore, whose devotion to the Work of the society is well known, stated that, with the same working machinery, the society could expend three times the amount it does annually with great advantage and good to the cause. The receipts and expenditures last year were $50,656. The following are the grand results Of the yer record showing the greatest amount of good done with amount of money :—7 mission stations, 40 mussion ates, 104,654 uted, 184 led missionary visits, 1,000,539 tracts distributed, voluntary visitors, 386 Bibles given, 352 Testaments iven, 1,676 volumes loaned, 1,963 children 1 to boath school, 737 children’ led to day school, 284 persons induced to join Bivle classes, 11,503 persons eeeies to attend churches and missions, 2,049 mperance pledges, 4,837 religious meetings, 164 backsiiders reclaimed, 601 persons united with churches, 2,730 prayer mectings, 88,230 aggregate attendance; 1,161 preaching services, 127,' ee ite attendance; 68% additional services—Cooper vnion services, street preaching, meetings for friendiess girls, &c,, 11,800 aggregate attendance; 2,392 families and 6,600 persons aided, and $6,60 contributions given, besides clothing, fuel, food, medicines, &c, Church Dedication in Brooklyn. The Ross street Presbyterian church, Brooklyn, Eastern District, will be formally dedicated to-day. The Rev. Dr. Duryea wil deliver the dedicatory ad- dreas in the forenoon, and two other services will be held during the day, when the Rev. Dr. Thomas,s. Hastings and the Rey. Mr. Pomeroy wili conduct the exercises. Mr. Poineroy has been pastor of the church since its organization. ‘The coi aun hi hearer bea for several years in the Wilson ¢ Female Moral Science. The Boston Journal of the 19th instant publishes the folowing, under the head of **Moral/Science:”— Some weeks ago some of the ladies of this city who are interested in soctal reform organized themselves into a committee with the intention ot forming @ “Moral Science Association” at no distant day, their object being to educate young women in the laws of life, such a8 marriage, Maternity and social inter- course, with the hope by means of a right education to Aig ed much of the social degradation that now exists. Among the ladies comprising the committee are Mrs. L, B. Chandler, Mra. Mary A, Livermore, Mrs, Caroline M. Lawrence, Mra, Abba G. Woolson, Mrs. Sarah B. ae Mrs, John EB. M. Gilley, Mra, Mary A. Greenleaf, Mra. John 8. Sargent Mrs, mittee will be three o'clogk Wednesday Jesse H, Jones. A mesting of the held at Bumatead Hall at afternoon, to which the ladies are invited. The subject for consideration will be “The demands of lety upon American Womanhood,” and @ paper will be read by Mrs, L. B, Chandler, chairman of the commitiee, Religious Notes—Personal and General. ‘The Boston Kpiscopal Church Association 13 in & flourishing condition. 1¢ bas fine rooms on the cor- ner of Tremont and West streets, and holds stated Meetings for social and intellectual exercises, of & delightful character. Its receipts last year were Over $5,000, and its expenses over $4,000. The Episcopal Almanac for 1872, just published, gives a list of 54 Bishops and 2,898 clergymen in the denomination. ‘The number of communicants 18 244,995; contributions last year, $5,544,574. There were thirty deaths in the clergy. By consent of the Bishop of New York a new Dacish of the Episcopal Church has been organized by the friends of Dr. Ewer, who have withdrawn from Christ church with him, under the title of St. eAR Ewen pel advocate-for-racio, na! per & non-advocate-for-rat fellow is ike "unto ine Free Church of Scotland, which strongly objected to slavery, but gladly re- ceived @ handsome subsidy from siave owners. It ‘Was, wo believe, one of those same Free Churchmen who, when asked why-he prayed for the devil, pawh- uy answered, ‘We're no’ verra sure where we're gaun, and it’s just as weel to keep on guid terms ‘wi’ baith sides.?’ . The tirst and only German Episcopal church in the United States was consecrated at Cleveland, Ohio, on & recent Sunday. Rev. Frederick G. Clark, D, of this city, has been unanimously calied tothe Genevan Presbyte- rian church, Gates avenue, Brooklyn, in the place of Rev, William B. who resigned on account of the state of his healtn. The congregation unani- mously adopted resolutions expressive of their re- gret at Mr. Lee’s resignation after a pastorate of twelve years, and voted the continaance of his sal- “"Ravs Dr Guerusey (Congregational), of Dubuque, the well-known Superintendent of Home Mission for Northern Iowa, died at his home on the 8th inst. Rey. William Ledwick, @ venerable Baptist minis- ter of Adamsvilie, Ohio, died suddenly on Thanks- giving Day, in his eighty-second year, A cheering revival isin progress in the Presby- terian church at Jeffersonville, Pa., Rev. Charles Collins, Jr., pastor. Quite @ number of persons nave joined on profession of faith. Tne church is crowded at every service, and the deepest solemnity fades all the meet many persoas CO! from @ distance to attend them. The First Presbyterian church of Elizabeth, N. J., ‘Was organized in 1664, and has not intermitted ser- vice for 207 years. In the last ten years 305 have been added to the membership of the church, Rey. William T. Gatto, of Morristown, N. J., the colored Methodist clergyman, whose death occurred recently, was the father of the late Professor pe | of PI lelphia, and a man of intelligence anc worth. His death is supposed to have been induced in part by the grtef felt for the loss of his gon. In Orange, Newark, Morristown and other places where he was known he was respected for nis ability and worth. Rev. L. H. Angier was installed on the 6th inst., pastor of the Fourth Preabytenan church, Boston, jass., at Waits Hall, where the congregation at present yo. Rev. W. A. Masker, of this clty, and late of the New York Presbytery, nas received and accepted a unanimous call to the pastorate of tne Congrega- tional church at Parksville, L. I Rev. Dr. Ogilby, of Trinity chureh, N. \., expects to sail for some Southern climate, after Christmas, for his health. TEMPLE EMANUEL, Winter the Season of Meditation—Urgent Need for Deeds of Charity and Benevo- lence=Sermon by Dr, Gutheim. The disagreeable weather of yesterday and the bad walking deterred many from seeking the sanc- tuary, and bence the congregat:on in the Temple in Fifth avenue was very small. And this slimness did not escape the notice and the deserved rebuke of. the Rev. Dr. Gutheim. The few who were present, however, enjoyed a literary and theological treat, while the absent ones missed an excellent discourse, in which they were particularly noticed. The Doc- tor took nis text from the Book of Psalms cxiviL, 15-18—‘He sendeth forth His com- mandments upon earth: His Word runneth very swiftly. He giveth snow like wool: He scat- tereth the hoar frost like ashes, He casteth forth Hisice like morsels: who can stand before His cold? He sendeth out His word and melteth them: He causeth His wind to blow and the waters flow.” The Book of Psalms, the Doctor remarked, is sub- lime in conception and elevating in execution. Every theme touched upon in it redounds to the glory of God and PROCLAIMS HIS GREATNESS and goodness. The Psalmist only looks upon nature and history as being the work of God and as immediately under His providence and control. Hence every object and phenomenon of nature 1s put down as the word of God, and many such words there are m the 160 poems which compose this scripture. The Nineteenth Psalm, for instance, 1s appointed to be @ sublime morning hymn, in which the sun goeth forth out of nis chamber as a bridegroom and rejoiceth as a strong man torunarace. The Eighth Psalm 1s an equally sublime evening hymn, wherein the works of God are placed under tne hand of man. The Creator nas not only revealed Himself to us through His word and spirit and continues to doso, but He reveals Himseif also jexctee history and nature, Tne hearts of kings are in His hands and He turneth {hem ag the brooks of waters. The events of nia tory and nature are mouided to suit His wise pur- eee and ruling providence. The heavens declare {ig glory and innomerable worlds prociaim the ex- cellence of His infinite power and wisdom. Day unto day utteret) speech and night unto night showeth knowledge, and yet there is neither speech nor voice heard among them. Their sound, never- theless, 18 gone out into all lands und their words to the ends of the world. This annual season points to the constant change of all things in tie earth, and it 18 appropriate that we should cuil the LESSONS WHICH TH1S SEASON BRINGS to every reflecting mind. ‘The boundaries of Spring, summer and autumn, he said, are not distinctly drawn in nature, though they are defined in astronomy. The several trans- formations of bud and flower and fruit are so grad- ual that they could be aetermined with accuracy; but winter’comes majestically and defiantly, In one night the tree 1s despoiled of its foliage, the ground 1s encrusted with ice and the earih is en- folded {n @ snowy Winding sheet. And thus winter 1s often am unexpected and unwelcome visitor. Drooping and withered vegetation, or a dazzling robe of pure white appears instead of the bioom of summer and autumn, The warbling of tne feath- ered songsters 18 hushed ana solema stillness reigns UWroughout nature. Winter thus points to the change of all earthly objects. Whatever of a material character you most delight in will one day leave you. AS one after another Nature's beauties of spring and summer depart and tne snowy tints gaiher On its surface and cuver it in a robe of white- ness, 80 shall the winter of life cover you aud THE BEAUTIES OF NATURE will be hidden from your vision. However you may shut your eyes to it some sudden shock wilt tell you that winter has come, and that the tree is shorn of its strengta and stripped of its folluge, And as winter robs both nature and man of those attractions, why should we be proud of those flowers and.Jruits and joys aud pleasures whicn so sud- denly jade or overestimate that which shall so cer= tainly pass away. Spring and summer, stripped of their gay and gaudy attire, and the earth roved in white, reminds us of a season of thougutful medl- tation of the future. And to draw us away more sensibly from those things its storms become more violent, its streams are checked, and we are forced to look within our homes aud ourselves for comfort and peace. The shadows of the past rise thus in the soul and revive im the memory. Ou, that our meditations may be compatible with the solemnity of this season, that our minds may di- rect our energies toward our improvement in Knowledge and tn all that 1s good and true and no- bie and great, that we may fitly discharge the noble duties of life, And let usqunderstand that, though the earth may change, the starry heavens ever remain the same above It; that, though tne joys and plcas- ures of life may fluctuate and disappear, law and truth and virtue remain steadiast forever. And ISRAEL'S FAITH DESCENDING FROM THE STARS will never fail though some of her sons and Gaugh- ters may stray away from the national fold, We must remember that we have passed our winter of ersecution and now let us devote our even- 1g hours to our history and literature and learn the truths of religion whicn they in- culcate. The Doctor then expanded the idea that winter is promotive of sociai inter- course and is caiculated to foster feelings of human- ity, He referred to the many homes where pinch- ing poverty reigns, and where death stands at the door, and he called upon those who revel in riches and luxury not to forget their less fortunate neigh- bors at this time, He also gave a mild but merited rebuke tO “she majority of the rietors of the house of God, their own temple,” who stay away contnually from ite services and worship. But as winter covers up the seeds which In the spring come forth in beauty and grace, so, he sald, every soul contains the germ of @ new lite wnich will burst forth and bloom im immortality. Nature, he satd, with all her phenomena, is the work of God, and deserves our attention. T are sermons in stones, books in running brooks, and instruction :n every phenomena of nature if we only make the proper application, VIEWS OF THE PAST. DECRMBRR 2%. 1864—Fort Fisher, N. C., bombarded by the forces of Admiral Porter and General Butler, 1860—‘ne sovereignty Convenuion in Charieston, 8. C., adopt claration of Independence, The Mebers of Congress from South Caroling withdrew from that body. beeara Congressional Library in Washington 1saae'the Oliadel of Antwerp surrendered to the 1s14—trenty of Penvo between tho United States and Great Britain, signed ar Ghent Uelglun SUNDAY SCHOOLS. The Number of Schools and Scholars in This City and in the Union. THEIR ORIGIN AND GROWTH. Sunday School Theology and Sun- day School Music. Cheerless Rooms and ‘Tedions Services—The Sunday Schools Leading to Crime. The Sunday school dea, as we now comprehend it, is a comparatively new one, It seems to have originated in one of those simple, almost myste- rious impulses of the goodness of heart of humble Christians which impresses us like an inspiration from the skies. The whole current of Ohurch teach- ing and theology has been changed within half a‘ century by the existence and wonderful growth of this institution. The present age recognizes as hardly any preceding age ever did the importance of childhood in the social economy of the race. The Uterature of the age 1s prepared to catch the eye and impress the minds of the young. The music, the drama, the art, the amusement and toy manu facture and very much of the current news of the day are selected and prepared especially for the eyes and the ears and the hearts of the young. And this 1g not alone true in this land, but it is true in every land, and more especially in every Christian land. Great as has been tho progress of this country in Population, commerce, agriculture, manufactures, education and all that makes America honored and Tespected among men, the progress of Sunaay schools has surpassed every other interest. In 1828 the number of Sunday school scholars in tnis country was estimated to be 350,000. In 1834—six years after—there were one million, and there are now about six million scholars and one million teachers in the Sunday schools. And of this aggre- gate nearly one-half belong to one denomination— the Methodist. And so important has this Church interest become that every considerable denomina- tion in the land has its separate bureau to look after Sunday school interests. In the missionary operations of the different Churches, whether at home or abroad, THE SUNDAY SCHOOL IDEA is among the first and moat promiment. When adults cannot be gathered into a church or brought under the benign influences of the Gospel children, tender and unsophisticated, can always be found to attend Sunday school and learn to read and pray. And one undenominational society in India bes between three and four thousand children under Christian teaching, and has issued, within a short period, 2,000,000 copies of 250 difer- ent books, in thirteen different languages, for the use of native children and youth, Other societies are doing & similar work among the young there and elsewhere, It has been repeatedly asserted and never, we be- HMeve, contradicted, that did not the Sunday school supp'y members to the churches as the nursery does ‘trees to the parks and !awns the churches would dry up and die out in a short time. As itis the churches are dying of denominationalism; and it is as much as the Shnaay schools can do to keep them active and moving. The churches are bent more on getting men to believe in the doctrines and teachings of their own creeds and catechisms than onthe Lord Jesus Christ, Menominationalism may nave (and undoubtedly top| an important work te perform m the economy of the Cpristian Church. But that work, ow. take it, is not to spread d nation: SIMPLE CHRISTIANITY. It was publicly stated in a missionary meeting held in this city inst week, and so reported in the HERALD, that more money was spent by pie boards and societies to sustain Christianity tn nor nally Christian countries than to send the Gospel to the heathen, the proportion being about two dol- lars for the former to every one dollar for the lat- ter. It was Stated publicly at the same meeting that less than twelve and half per cent average ous of an aggregate of $5,500,000 appropriated to mlen onary, ae oy 8 By ae Ing the last seven years Sartor which most of Ff bad been designed. And this was done mainly in the interest of denomina- ism. tonne growth and eo of Sunday schools ta conceded on every hand. In our own city there are below Fitty-ninta street 364 Si schools of all denominations, containing 104,760 schoiars en- rolled and 8,635 teachers. ‘The average attendance of scholars every Sunday 18 76,965. Above Fifty- ninth street there are 54 schools, which cluefly sus- tain the character of mission schools. Tnese con- tain 11,076 names of scholars aud 1,034 teachers om their rolls, and have an average regular attend- ance of over Dine thousand. The Episcopalians head the list of schoois, with 59, and scholars 20,373. ‘The Presbyterians follow next, with 66 schools and 18,673 pupils; then come the Methodists, having 61 schools and 16,581 Children, and alver them the Bap- tists, with 44 scnools and 9,963 scholars, and them follow the Reformed, the Lutheran, the Congrega- Uonal and other LESSER DENOMINATIONS, having from 2 to 82schools and from 7,000 to 260 scholars. ‘The Preabyterians have the largest num- ber of teachers (1,715) and the Methodists rank next 1,631); then come the Episcopalians (1,542) and the japtists (1,033), and the others w.th 500 or less, ‘these are classed among the orthodox denomina- ions. O1 those not so classed the Catholics lead, with 30 Sunday schools, 24,268 scholars and 1,650 teachei and With them are reckoned the Unitarians, schools, 710 scholars and 78 teachers; the Universal- ists, 6 schools, 1,069 pupils and 141 teachers; the Jews, 7 schools, 1,147 scholars and 47 teachers, and the Swedenborgians and Spiritualists and others of lesser note and numbers. The idea of Heprew Sun- day schools 18 a comparatively new one, ‘s of American origin. Those schools were established to counteract the ‘oselytizing tendencies and agencies of the Christian sects among Jewish children, who, of course, ob- serve our Sunday as well as their own Sabbath. They are becoming regular and necessary institu- uous of Judaism, and are spreading more rapidiy than the figures given above, wiich were com- piled last year, Would indicate. And, indeed, several other schools have been opened on tuis island by other denominations since that time, ‘There are certain studies pursued by the children in those schools which are common to all—Jew and Christian, orthodox and heterodox alike. The Old Testament Scriptures are the common property and rignt of all, But the orthodox churches and schoois almost ignore their existence, and cling exclusively to the New. And so tenaciously do they aahere to the latter that we could name a Sunday school in this city which devoted the Savbaths of more than three years to the study and elucidation of three chapters tn the Acts of the Aposties, contammg some account of 81. PAUL'S MISSIONARY -TRAVELS, until the subject became stale and dry, This system became Anaily — # nuisance as to attract the avtention of the supreme autuority ia the Protestant churches, who selected a few of thetr best Sunday school men to prepare a series of Scrip- ture lessons for every Sunday in the year. There are two series of these, known as the National ana the Berean, which ave become exceedingly popu. larin this couutry and have almost entirely sue perseded the loose and independent metn of teaching which have heretofore prevailed. The Catholics and the Jows of course cling to their own peculiar systems of Sabbath school instruction. The majority of the Protestant schools hold two sessions every Sunday, though @ respectable minority find ‘hat one session is as many as can be broperiy at tended to by either teachers or scholars. in those schools wherein two sessions are held the alter. noons are generally occupied with some special or miscellaneous services—as, for instance, on one Sunday afternoon a Sunday school prayer meeting 1g held, on another a missionary meeting, on a third the Superintendent may review the lessons with the school, aud on the fourth, if some Sunday school talker should “drop tn,” he will of course be in- vited to aadress the wbildren, And, by the way, those Sunday school talkers had almost become @ necessary adjunct of the schools themscives until the appearance of those 163808 series already mentioned in this article. Their im- portance has greatly lessened since, They had also become THB GREATEST “BORES” with which a hundred or more children could be inflicted, ‘They had evidently no other busiaess om hand, and, having prepared one or two 8] e8, they could travel around extensively, reciting them every whero to different echools, go that they would always appear new and fresh, asthe Rev. T. De ‘Witt Talmage, of Brookiyn, very happily described them in an address delivered here afew months ago, thoy are enough to disgust any number of chil- dren with their dull and stupid tales and tangies. They are like inexhaustible gas baga, and never know when or where tu stop untli they have spoken thelr piece. Aud whenever they ascend the rostrum to address a Sabbath school one may sce the handle of George Washingtor jatchet sticking out of their coat pocket, and in @ moment more they pull it out, and, laying it down on the desk, Resta the ortnodox style of “once upon a time,” 4c, ‘there lived @ good litle boy, whe hacked lus father’s cherry tree and Would not tell @ lie,” &e., &o. And this vld tale ts told as dryly and as seriously a4 if it had never appeared in the common school books of our city and tand, and bad not become as familiar a3 household words to every boy and girl in the land. This tale is sometimes interchanged with that of the “Drummer boy of the Rappahannock,” or some war Loy or perhaps at the present tine a rehash of the Chicago fire—the design in every case being to. Amuse and enter. ee ts anions Whereas tu@ very contrary eflect juced. jut there are Other evils waoich need correcuion in ES