ceptions there? In answer to such inquiry, it is only needful to think how many children of the profane, intemperate, licentious, and such like, have been gathered into the Sabbath-school, under the faithful instruction and fervent prayers of some earnest, pious teacher. How many, as scholars, apprentices, clerks, &ç., have been placed in the homes of others, where true and active piety reigned; where they daily heard God's word, and were taught the modes, the meaning, the practice of prayer. How many have had their attention first seriously arrested, by some well-selected book or tract, which the warm-hearted lover of Christ has put within their reach. These are some of the true causes of all the exceptions found in godless households. And, on the authority of the word of God, it were safe to assert that such like are the only causes. The meaning and tendency of all this is a confirmation of the sentiment with which we set out-early impressions, not speedily effaced, are permanent. And hence the argument that this training should be commenced in childhood. In childhood strive, most promptly, to efface impressions that are wrong, derived from any source; because, if permitted to remain, they become permanently fixed in all their deformity, disgrace, and tendency to ruin. In childhood strive most promptly to make impressions that are right, because, if then secured and watched over, they, too, become permanently fixed in all their beauty and tendency to honour and to blessedness. 3. A third reason why training should be commenced early, is, death may prevent those efforts after childhood. (1) The death of the child may occur at any time. Does any one reply that dying in childhood is a sufficient guarantee that all will be well? Admitting that there is neither time nor place now to discuss all that the most ardent and confident would demand on this point, yet, suppose the child to have passed the limit of the period of infancy, and entered that where his accountability commences. Who can definitely point to the precise size or age at which that limit is fairly reached, and where God himself begins to hold that child responsible for his daily life? But if he dies accountable, surely he must be judged and doomed accordingly. Now as they may die very young, and for themselves, though very young, may be held responsible for all the deeds done in the body, at the bar of God-is not this an urgent reason for striving that they be prepared to account with joy and not with grief? And does not it become an additional argument with those who thus desire to commence in childhood, to commence at once, so to train them that, with the promised blessing upon their efforts, they may be prepared, however early summoned to the bar of God. (2) The death of the parent may intervene. O yes, thousands of orphan tongues could testify-parents die. Tens of thousands are witnesses to the fact that parents may die while their children are in their most tender years. But what then? The thoughtful, anxious, are led at once to ask, by whom will those children then be trained? Will any one truly care for them? If so, will those who undertake the charge be learned or ignorant, moral or immoral, believers or infidel, of devout and exemplary piety, or wholly regardless of the religion of the Bible? What, O what, is to be the character of the instruction received, and of the influence then exerted over them? Now, whatever may be our plans and wishes, it is evident that these are inquiries which none can positively answer. Hence, again, appears the need of prompt and persevering effort, to give the character its shape of moral beauty, before called to resign our child or children into the hands of strangers. Right impressions should be so strongly fixed in them, that, though parents are early called to leave them, others shall find it beyond their power wholly to efface the impressions which faithful training has made. What an end to be gained! And yet, in the case of many parents, perhaps of the reader, how little time is still remaining in which to accomplish it. Surely, if nowhere else, here appears sufficient answer to the inquiry, Why commence training in childhood? L. H. C. THE CHILD AND THE SUNBEAM. I SAW a youthful mother, A something on the instant And now its tiny fingers clasp It surely thought was there; And to its earnest gaze And then the first of many tears The first sad disappointment In life's uncertain race! Bistorical and Biographical. SKETCH OF THE HISTORY OF THE CENTRAL THE CENTRAL PRESBYTERIAN CHURCH was originally constituted of persons who had previously belonged to the Second Presbyterian Church, worshipping at the corner of Third and Arch Streets. During the ministry of the Rev. Joseph Sanford, divisions arose in that church, which were greatly increased by his sudden and lamented death, on the 25th of December, 1831. These divisions finally led the friends of Mr. Sanford, feeling themselves deeply aggrieved, to resolve to withdraw; and committing their cause to Providence, to attempt the organization of a new congregation. At The congregation was organized (May 21st, 1832, in the Franklin Institute on Seventh Street), the Rev. AARON W. LELAND, D.D., of Charleston, S. C., presiding, Matthew Newkirk acting as Secretary. The church was organized on the 19th day of June following, in the Whitefield Academy in Fourth Street. The Rev. THOMAS MCAULEY, D.D., then pastor of the Tenth Church, of this city, presided; assisted by the Rev. WILLIAM NEILL, D.D., and the Rev. WILLIAM M. ENGLES. this meeting Messrs. ALEXANDER HENRY and MATTHEW L. Bevan, who had been ruling elders in the Second Church, were elected and installed elders in the Central Church. Nineteen members, all on certificate from the Second Church, constituted the infant organization. On the following Sabbath (June 24th), the Sacrament of the Lord's Supper was administered for the first time to the infant church, by the Rev. THOMAS MCAULEY, D.D., and the Rev. JOHN BRECKENRIDGE. The congregation worshipped in the Whitefield Academy, which was kindly loaned to them by the Trustees of the University of Pennsylvania, for nearly two years, and until the completion of their own house of worship. The ordinance of the Lord's Supper was administered the second time in October, 1832, at which the church received an accession of 127 members, all on certificate from the Second Church, with the exception of one on examination, and four from other churches. While in their infant state, and without a pastor, it pleased the Lord graciously to grant to this people a season of special refreshing from his presence. As the fruits of this merciful visitation, there were added to the church at the communion in December, 1832, on examination, twentyfour; and at the communion in March following six. This Sketch is taken from the "Handbook of the Central Presbyterian Church," recently published by the Session. On the 5th of February, A. D., 1833, the congregation was incorporated as The Central Presbyterian Church in the City of Philadelphia. The charter vests the property of the congregation in fifteen trustees, who are chosen for three years; the election to be held on the first Tuesday in January in each year, when one-third of the Board are to be elected. In accordance with article 8th of the charter, "all regular worshippers in this church shall be entitled to vote for Trustees and Pastors, provided they have held a pew, or part of a pew, for 12 months preceding the election, by the payment of an annual rent, of not less than two dollars for the same, into the treasury of the church, and are not twelve months in arrear at the time of said election; but elders and deacons shall be chosen by the communicating members exclusively." On the 22d of April, A. D. 1833, the corner-stone of the first church edifice was laid, with appropriate religious services, by the Rev. JOHN BRECKINRIDGE. At a later hour of the same day, the congregation assembled, and elected to be their pastor, the Rev. JOHN MCDOWELL, D.D., then of the first Presbyterian Church of Elizabethtown, N. J. The call was accepted; and Dr. MCDOWELL installed, by the Presbytery of Philadelphia, on the 6th of June following. The installation took place in the Whitefield Academy. On this occasion the Rev. WILLIAM NEILL, D.D., presided, and proposed the constitutional question to the pastor and people; the Rev. WILLIAM M. ENGLES preached from 2 Corinthians 5:20; the Rev. SAMUEL MILLER, D.D., of Princeton N. J., gave the charge to the pastor; and the Rev. JOHN BRECKINRIDGE gave the charge to the congregation. Previous to the settlement of a Pastor, the pulpit was supplied by ministers, invited by the session, from week to week; and it is worth remarking, and should be recorded with gratitude to God, that during the year they had no pastor, the people were never in a single instance, without a minister to officiate on the Sabbath, and also at the weekly Wednesday evening lecture. For the supply of the pulpit they were peculiarly indebted to the Rev. JOHN BRECKINRIDGE, and the Rev. ROBErt Baird, who with their families joined the congregation. Jan. 16th, 1834, the church met and elected three additional ruling elders; viz., John V. Cowell, Matthew Newkirk, and David Kirkpatrick, who were ordained Jan. 26, A. D. 1834. On Sabbath, Feb. 23d, A. D. 1834, the church edifice was opened for the worship of God. On this occasion the pastor preached in the morning from Isa. 60:13. The Rev. SAMUEL MILLER, D.D., preached in the afternoon from 2. Chron. 6:18. In the evening the Rev. WM. NEILL, D.D., preached from Rev. 22: 17, last clause. This edifice stands on the corner of Eighth and Cherry Streets, and is built of stone, rough cast, with a granite appearance.* Its dimensions are eighty-six feet in length, and sixty-eight feet in breadth, besides a portico in front twelve feet three inches wide, supported by six columns of massive proportions, in Grecian style. In the rear of the main edifice, and connected with it, is a building of the same materials, fifty-three feet in length, by fifty-seven in breadth, and three stories high. The first story is the Lecture Room; the second is divided into two apartments, and is appropriated to Sabbath Schools; the third is one room, and appropriated • An Engraving of the Central Presbyterian Church is in the May number of this Magazine. to the same use. The entire cost of the church edifice as it now stands, was $78,000. The number of scholars now belonging to the several schools connected with the church is over five hundred. In October, A. D., 1837, the church elected five additional elders, viz. : Rufus L. Barnes, John C. Capp, Joseph B. Mitchell, Elisha R. Johnston, and George Fithian, who were ordained on Sabbath, October 15th, 1837. At the same time, Messrs. Matthew L. Bevan, Matthew Newkirk, Rufus L. Barnes, and John C. Capp, were elected deacons in the church, and inducted to office on the same day of the ordination of elders. The able, faithful, and successful pastorate of DR. MCDOWELL, of more than twelve years, was terminated, at his own request, in Nov., A. D. 1845. Of things specially worthy of note, as having occurred during the ministry of the beloved and revered first pastor, may be mentioned the agency of this church in the organization of the Cohocksink Presbyterian Church, and the erection of an edifice for the use of the same. In the spring of 1839, the Central Church resolved to do something for the spiritual necessities of the destitute in the suburbs of the city, and a committee was appointed to select a place in which to operate. They turned their attention to Spring Garden, but were unsuccessful. Their intention becoming known, an application was made to them by a resident of the village of Cohocksink. The call for a visit was responded to by Dr. McD., in consequence of which, and the report made by him, the Committee decided to make an effort in that northern part of the city. With the aid of the late Rev. ARCHIBALD ALEXANDER, D.D., of Princeton, a missionary was secured. Commencing his labours in a spacious hall, the place was soon found too small, the hall was enlarged at the expense of the Central Church, but was still inadequate to accommodate the congregation. It was resolved to build a new and larger edifice. Accordingly, on the 16th day of July, A. D., 1840, the corner-stone of the present edifice was laid with appropriate ceremonies, the Rev. Dr. McD. officiating on the occasion. The house was opened for worship on the 4th day of December, of the same year, Dr. McD. preaching the Dedicatory Sermon. The cost of the building then amounted to $6,077. The amount subscribed to meet the expense was $4,831; of this the congregation raised $1,475. The remaining $3,356 was paid by the Central Church, besides other sums afterward paid in liquidation of the debt which remained. It was a noble, and has been a very successful enterprise. It was a child of the Central, Church, and is a noble monument to their credit.. After the dismissal of Dr. McDowELL, the church was without a pastor for a period of nearly four years, when a call was extended to Mr. WILLIAM HENRY GREEN, a student of the Theological Seminary at Princeton. The call was accepted, and on the 16th of May, A. D. 1849, Mr. GREEN was ordained to the work of the ministry and installed pastor of the church. The order of services at the installation of Mr. GREEN was as follows: Sermon by the Rev. J. ADDISON ALEXANDER, D. D., of Princeton, from 1 Peter 5:1-4. The Rev. C. C. CUYLER, D.D., presided and proposed the constitutional questions, and gave the charge to the pastor, and the Rev. HENRY A. BOARDMAN, D.D., gave the charge to the people. At the meeting of the General Assembly in May, A. D. 1851, Rev. Mr. |