Old Jonathan's Almanack. Collingridge, 117 to 119, Aldersgate Street. LIKE the excellent broadsheet whose name it bears, this almanack is attractively illustrated. But it has another recommendation besides its taking appearance, and that is, its contents. There is a passage of Scripture for each day in the year, there are hints on household duties and early rising, with good maxims, and the other matters pertaining to an almanack. It is well calculated for the walls of a cottage, a workshop, or a reading-room. The Garden Oracle and Economic YearBook for 1862. Edited by SHIRLEY HIBDERD, Esq., F.R.H.S. Groombridge and Sons. THIS is the fourth issue of a very useful annual for gardeners, horticulturists, and others. It contains full directions for each month in the year, practical suggestions of much value to amateur gardeners, members of labourers' land societies, cottagers, agricultural labourers, and all who may possess a plot of land. Presbyterian Church in England. COLLECTIONS AND DONATIONS. Trinity, Newcastle, Miss Susan Archer .£2 2 0 Canning Street, Liverpool, Collection 27 3 2 Manchester, A Friend, per Rev. W. McCaw London, the late Sarah Hyde, per Rev. Dr. Hamilton 0 10 0 100 JAMES E. MATHIESON, Joint Treasurer. 77, Lombard Street, E.C., London. HOME MISSION FUND. 20 12 6 Collection-St. Peter's Liverpool Eccles, Herefordshire 3 0 0 Sabbath School Box-Etal 10 0 0 7. Collection-St. Peter's, Liverpool, by Rev. Mr. Paterson. 60 0 11. Students' Fees . 77 0 Collections through Regent 28. Collection at Ranelagh Church, by Mr. Hume 5. A Friend in Manchester, by Rev. Wm. McCaw 19. Collection at Southampton . 0 10 0 Church, by A. Lamb, Esq. 3 15 0 James Fluker, Esq., donation. 3 3 0 Collection-River Terrace, by H. Tweedy, Esq.. 20. Collection at Rock ferry, Cheshire, per K. Mackenzie, Esq. Donation added. 616 0 £2 18 1 500 7 18 1 2 16 0 13 10 9 £5 2 7 1 9 8 5. Capt. Lawrence, by Mr. Leitch 1 1 0 11. R. R., Manchester My own Contribution Oct. 19. Contribution from Robt. Rox 200 220 chester 100 ARCHD. T. RITCHIE, Treasurer. 26, Poultry, E.C., London. 970 Present: The Revs. G. B. Blake, moderator, P. L. Miller, C. A. Mackenzie, J. Jeffrey, J. Black, J. Brown, William Dinwiddie, and J. Reid, with Messrs. G. Sisson, and J. Huddle, elders. The minute of last meeting having been read, was corrected and sustained. gation of St. John's to appear to-day, was returned duly served and attested. There was also laid on the table and read an extract minute of the Presbytery of London, certifying that the call to Mr. Dinwiddie had been sustained by that Presbytery, and reasons of translation. The Presbytery then proceeded to hear Parties having been called, there apthe trials of the Rev. Sylvester M. McLel-peared for the Presbytery of London, the land, when, after having engaged in prayer, Rev. James Anderson, D.D., of Morpeth, Mr. McLelland delivered discourses, and was examined on the subjects previously prescribed. Thereafter the Presbytery agreed unanimously upon a conjunct view of his whole trials to sustain the same with approbation; and appointed his ordination to take place in the church at Laygate, on Wednesday, the 6th of November, at 12.30, Mr. Miller to preach and ordain, and Mr. Jeffrey to address the minister and people; and ordered the edict to this effect to be served in the church at Laygate on Sabbath next, the 27th, by the officiating minister. John Reid, of Blyth, with Mr. Peter McLaurin, elder; and for the Caledonian Road Kirk Session, Mr. William Campbell; for the Kirk Session of St. John's there appeared Messrs. John Toshach, Terrot, Glover, Joseph F. Taylor, and George L. Lyall; for the Congregation, Messrs. William E. Vincent, John Vasey, John Imrie, James G. Glover, Robert Johnston, and George Hately; Mr. Dinwiddie appeared for himself. Parties having been heard, were removed. Mr. Mackenzie, on the call of the moderator, engaged in prayer for Divine guidance, There was then laid on the table and and the several members present having read, a call from the Caledonian Road Con- given expression to their sentiments of resgregation, London, to the Rev. William pect for Mr. Dinwiddie, and regret at his Dinwiddie, of St. John's, South Shields; removal, yet having respect to the distinct also a letter from the clerk of the Pres- statement of Mr. Dinwiddie in regard to bytery of London, stating that the minute his own views, and the fact that no formal sustaining the said call, together with opposition is offered by the congregation of reasons of translation, would be forwarded St. John's, it was moved and agreed unaniimmediately. The Presbytery agreed to mously to translate Mr. Dinwiddie from take the steps usual in such a case, his present charge to the church and conordered the call to lie on the table-Mr.gregation of Caledonian Road, LondonDinwiddie and the session and congre- his pastoral relation to the St. John's congation of St. John's to be cited to appear gregation to continue till he shall have for their interests at the meeting to be held been inducted to the said charge. in Laygate Church on the 6th of November, and the edict to this effect to be served in St. John's Church on Sabbath next by the officiating minister. The moderator was instructed to give notice of this meeting to the Commissioners of the Caledonia Road Congregation. Adjourned to meet in Laygate Church on the 6th November, at 11.30 a.m. Closed with prayer. Laygate Church, South Shields, the 6th November, 1861, at which time and place the Presbytery met according to adjournment, and was duly constituted by the Rev. J. Jeffrey, moderator (pro tem.). Present the Revs. J. Jeffery, P. L. Miller, C. A. Mackenzie, J. Brown, J. Black, William Dinwiddie, and J. Reid, with Messrs. J. Huddle and George Sisson, elders. The minute of last meeting was read and sustained. Reason of absence from Mr. Blake was read and sustained. The Presbytery having resumed consideration of the call from Caledonian Road Congregation to Mr. Dinwiddie, the edict summoning the kirk session and congre In this finding, parties, having been recalled, acquiesced, and the commissioners from London took instruments, and craved extracts, which were granted. Mr. Mackenzie was then appointed to moderate in the St. John's Session during the vacancy. It being now the hour appointed for the ordination of the Rev. S. M. McLelland, and the edict having been returned duly served and attested, and the members of the church having been publicly called on to offer any objections to the life or doctrine of Mr. McLelland, and no such objection having been offered, it was moved that the ordination services do now proceed. Whereupon Mr. Miller, according to appointment, conducted Divine worship, preaching an appropriate and impressive sermon from 2 Cor. iv. 10. Thereafter he narrated the different steps taken in the orderly election and call of Mr. S. M. McLelland to be minister of this church and congregation; and having called on the said Rev. S. M. McLelland, put to him the questions appointed by the Synod to be put to all probationers prior to ordination, to all of which present day. We heartily congratulate Dr. Steel on his well-merited honours.-Cheltenham Courier. PRESBYTERIAN CHURCH AND SCHOOLS, CREWE.-On Monday evening, Sept. 2nd, the foundation stone of the New Pres questions Mr. McLelland gave satisfactory replies. He was then by solemn prayer and imposition of hands set apart to the office of the holy ministry, and admitted to the pastoral charge of the Laygate Church and Congregation, and received the right hand of fellowship from the brethren. Mr. Jeffrey then appropriately addressed the byterian Church and Schools was laid minister and people on their respective by Robert Barbour, Esq., Manchester. duties; and the services having been Though it rained heavily at the time, closed by the benediction, Mr. McLelland besides the members of the congregation, received the usual greeting of welcome a large number of the inhabitants assemfrom the people as they retired from the bled to witness this interesting cerechurch. He then signed the Confession of mony. The Rev. D. Blellock, before Faith and Formula, and his name was engaging in prayer, gave out the Hunadded to the roll. dredth Psalm, which was sung with great fervour. Mr. Barbour then used the silver trowel and polished mallet in a very workman-like manner. The meeting was closed with prayer. The Presbytery met for ordinary business in the John Knox Church, Newcastle, on the 12th November, at 12 noon, and was duly constituted by the Rev. C. A. Mac-: kenzie, who was chosen moderator tem. There was no business of importance before the meeting. The next ordinary meeting was fixed for the second Tuesday of January, 1862. Closed with prayer. Intelligence. In the stone was deposited a bottle, procating the present position of the Prescontaining, in addition to records indiof the two Messengers, a history of the byterian Church in England, and a copy congregation, as also of the rising town After laying the stone, Mr. Barbour delivered an excellent address, embracing the history, the present state, and the future prospects of the congregation. Mr. Lundie having engaged in prayer, the people adjourned to the Town-hall. UNIVERSITY DEGREES.-The University of Gottingen has conferred the honorary degrees of Master of Arts and Doctor of Philosophy upon the Rev. Robert Steel, minister of the Presbyterian Church, Cheltenham. Dr. Steel is the author of the following works in literature and theology :"Doing Good, or the Christian in Walks of Usefulness;" "Samuel the Prophet" (on the merit of which the University specially founds the author's title to honorary distinction); and "Lives made Sublime." He has for several years been a regular contributor to the religious press, and has conducted since its commencement "Meliora, a Quarterly Review of Social Science," on which Lord Brougham pronounced the following eulogium at the late Social Science Congress at Dublin: :-" Nor can I duly perform my office at the head of this association, if I do not enjoin it as a duty incumbent on all its members, and on every well-wisher to the progress of social science, to patronise Mr. Steel's most ably-conducted quarterly journal of all its branches." The University of Gottingen is one of the most celebrated in Germany, and contains professors of highest fame, among whom we may men tion Dr. Ewald, the great Oriental scholar, and Dr. Dorner, author of the ablest work on the "Person of Christ" produced in the of Crewe. After tea, in addition to the chairman and minister of the congregation, the following ministers and gentlemen took part in the proceedings, viz.: The Rev. R. H. Lundie, M.A., Birkenhead; Rev. A. Inglis, Warrington; Rev. J. B. Wheeler, rector of the parish; Rev. J. Nadin, incumbent of Christ church, Crewe; Rev. M. Reid, incumbent, Minshall Vernon; Rev. W. Rhead, Baptist minister; Rev. J. J. Wray, Wesleyan minister; the Rev. H. Newman, Primitive Methodist minister; Gordon Brown, Esq., T. Arnott, Esq., Liverpool; and J. Welsh, Esq.. M.D.; Messrs. W. Williams, G. Pottie, J. Wilson, members of the congregation. The spacious hall was crowded to excess, and the interest continued unabated to the close. John LONG FRAMLINGTON PRESBYTERIAN CHURCH.-A soireé was held in the Presbyterian Manse, Long Framlington, on Tuesday evening, October 22nd, on behalf of the funds of this congregation, which is the oldest in the Presbytery of Northumberland, having been originated by Mr. Hazelrigge, of Swarland, somewhere about the year 1640. There was a very large and respectable attendance. After tea a public meeting was held in the church, which was rebuilt a few years ago. The Rev. Dr. Anderson of Morpeth occupied the chair. After praise and prayer by the Rev. James Blythe, A.M., of Branton, Moderator of the Synod, the Rev. Doctor opened the proceedings with some very interesting references to the early history of this ancient congregation, and urged the present race of members, by the memories of their ancestral renown, to freshen their energies, to reinvigorate their cause, and prove themselves worthy of their descent. The meeting was subsequently addressed on interesting and important topics, by the Rev. Messrs. Blythe, A.M., Branton; A. Hoy, Felton; M. Edwards, A.M., Widdrington and Barry (who is at present supplying the pulpit); and Messrs. W. Annandale, John Lawrence, Jas. Hood, and W. S. Wilkinson, Morpeth. The speeches were listened to with marked interest and attention, and elicited not a few manifestations of ardent enthusiasm on the part of the audience. Votes of thanks were severally given to the ladies who presided at the tables, to the speakers, and to the chairman, which were suitably responded to. THE debt on the college buildings of the Canada Presbyterian Church amounts to £2,600. Vigorous efforts are being made to pay it off; a considerable number of £50 subscriptions have been obtained, and it is expected that the plan in operation will meet with great success. THE Canadian Record calls attention to the state of their Sabbath-schools, and suggests more uniformity in their plans of instruction. At present there are no fewer than six systems of lessons used throughout the Church. THE Hon. Charles Sumner delivered an eloquent speech in favour of the abolition of slavery at the great Republican Convention held at Worcester, Massachusetts, on October 1. He said, "Look at the war as you will, and you will always see slavery. Never were the words of the Roman orator more applicable, 'No guilt unless through thee, no crime without thee.' Slavery is its inspiration, its motive power, its end and aim, its be-all and endall. It is often said that the war will make an end of slavery. This is probable. But it is surer still that the overthrow of slavery will at once make an end of the war. If I am correct in this statement, which I believe is beyond question, then do reason, justice, and policy all unite in declaring that the war must be brought to bear directly on the grand conspirator and omnipresent enemy. Not to do this is to take upon ourselves in the present contest all the weakness of slavery, while we leave to the rebels its boasted resources of military strength. Not to do this is to squander life and treasure in a vain masquerade of battle which can have no practical result. Not to do this is blindly to neglect the plainest dictates of economy, humanity, and common sense; and, alas! simply to let slip the dogs of war on a mad chase over the land, never to stop until spent with fatigue or sated with slaughter. Believe me, fellow-citizens, I know all the imagined difficulties and unquestioned responsibilities of this suggestion. But if you are in earnest the difficulties will at once disappear, and the responsibilities are such as you will gladly bear. This is not the first time that a knot hard to untie has been cut by the sword, and we all know that danger flees from the brave man. Believe that you can, and you can. Courage is now the highest prudence. It is not necessary even, according to a familiar phrase, to carry the war into Africa. It will be enough if we carry Africa into the war, in any form, any quantity, any way. The moment this is done, rebellion will begin its bad luck, and the Union will be secure." It is refreshing to hear such sentiments even from the Northern States. A SNUG LIVING.-The Record of September 25 contains the following advertisement:-" Advowson, with possession, desirably situated one hour from Eustonsquare. Net income, £240. Population, 25. One service. No house. Incumbent can reside at a pleasant little town two miles from the church. Address, &c." £240 a-year for ministering to a population of twenty-five persons,-men, women, and babes, Churchmen and Dissenters,-or rather more than £9 10s. per head! CHAIRS IN CHURCHES.-It has now been decided that the new free church of St. Timothy, Liverpool, now in course of building, shall be, in the first instance, partially seated with chairs. These will occupy the centre or nave, the ordinary open benches being ranged on either side. Their use for the present will be an experiment, and, if successful, they will be adopted, whilst, if otherwise, they will be returned without expense being incurred by the promoters of the church, and benches will be substituted. Some of the advantages which may be urged in favour of chairs are these:-They effectually shut out all possibility, as well as idea, of private ownership of seats in the house of prayer. They set off to greater advantage the internal architecture of the church. They economise space-no worshipper can occupy two chairs, whilst a bench, for instance, for six is often monopolised by five. They offer to each a defined space, by which close contact is avoided. They may be provided at one-third of the cost of benches. The expense of replacing and repairing old chairs will, according to competent architectural authority, never be so great as that which is required in repairs of deal seats, staining, varnishing, &c., which are a constant expense.-Liverpool Albion. RAILWAY ACCIDENTS.-Statistical re turns show the number of deaths from railway accidents is, on an average, in England, 1 in 556,000 travellers; in France, 1 in 1,950,000; in Belgium, 1 in 8,860,000; and in Prussia, 1 in 17,500,000. "Resolved, That in the judgment of this Assembly it is the duty of the ministers and churches under its care to do all in their power to promote and perpetuate the integrity of the United States, and to strengthen, uphold, and encourage the Federal Government in the just exercise of all its functions under our noble Constitution." The minority protested against the motion. On this subject a Northern paper remarks: where so many Southern youths are educated, in, alluding to this protest of the minority, spoke of it as a struggle to preTo one from the heart of the Jerseys, it is serve the unity of the Presbyterian Church." strange that it should not have occurred whether the unity of the Church was worth purchasing at the expense of the union of the States, overthrown by treason, its ruin consummated, and the Constitution destroyed by violence and civil war, only that human slavery might grow unchecked." The Canadian Record informs us that THE IRISH ESTABLISHED CHURCH.The Northern Whig says:-"The late census brings out some highly significant the President of the Seminary at Princeton, "We observe that the Rev. Dr. Hodge, statistics as to the present and relative: position of the Established Church in Ireland-that institution which the late Lord Macaulay said was the most utterly absurd and indefensible of all the institutions now existing in the civilised world.' It appears that there are in Ireland Members of the Established Church, 678,661; Dissenters of all kinds from that Church (Protestant and Roman Catholic), 5,098,311; majority of Dissenters, 4,419,650. So that a majority of four and a-half millions enjoy the privilege of contributing to the support of the religion of the three quarter million minority. The relative proportions of the clergy to the laity are equally striking and significant. The 678,661 of the Established Church denomination are spiritually tended by no fewer than 2,294 clergy, being at the rate of a clergyman to every 299 individuals. The Presbyterians, numbering 528,992, have 565 ministers, being one to every 938 persons. The Roman Catholics, amounting to 4,490,583, have 2,482 priests, being 1 to 1,808 of their laity. Some of the county denominational statistics are remarkable. In County Meath for example-by no means the most Roman Catholic county in Ireland, and where there are a good many Presbyterians and other Dissenters-there are 140 clergy of the Established Church to 6,584 souls, every 47 persons of that denomination having a clergyman to themselves. In the same county 141 Roman Catholic priests minister to a Roman Catholic population of 103,489-1 to every 735." "As the struggle continues and the conflict thickens, individuals are taking their sides. A number of Southern ministers, who had settled in free States, have resigned their charges, and gone to seek in the South more congenial spheres of duty. Dr. Hoge, of New York, is one of these. Dr. Leyburn, one of the editors of the Presbyterian, has also resigned his connection with that paper. Hitherto the paper has been upon as too much of a pro slavery Henceforth it may be expected to speak out more plainly. looked publication. "The division of the church seems to be almost complete, the Southern Presbyteries. taking decided and in general unanimous action in the matter. But "A convention was to have taken place in the latter part of July. We have not heard whether it took place or not. most of the Presbyteries in the South have met, and have expressed strong disapprobation of the late action of the Assembly." |