Passing Events. ana to what it was before America purchased it—a territory of swamps and crocodiles. He told the nations who suggested the possibility of an independent empire at the South-West, that such talk was to talk about what the people of the United States, though it should result in the upheaval of the whole of North America, would never surrender. It was his religious belief that the American Republic was that THE WAR IN AMERICA has not been Mississippi, they would reduce Louisimentioned among the Passing Events of the last two months, but unhappily it still continues with alternate successes and reverses on either side, but without any decided results. The prospects of peace which appeared to be opening in the North, are beclouded, and from some cause which is not intelligble, all parties there seem to be more determined in the prosecution of the war. The Congress have sanctioned the suspension of the Habeas Corpus Act by the President-political power foretold by the prophets, have authorised his borrowing 900 millions of dollars-and have passed a Conscription Act, by which he can, without regard to State rights, call their citizens into the field. This last measure, when adopted by the South, was considered a proof of their great distress, but the example is now followed by the North. The spirit in which the war is being carried on is illustrated by a speech delivered before the adjournment of the Senate, by Mr. Doolittle of Wisconsin. He stated that all events went to show that America would crush out the rebellion, and stand before the world greater, more powerful, more glorious than ever, and beyond what had ever entered into the mind of man to conceive. He wished to show the traitors at home, and the men who talked of intervention, that America had just begun to fight, and would fight it through. America bought Louisiana and Florida in order to have that opening to the ocean; and he would say, in the name of the NorthWest, that before they would allow an independent empire at the mouth of the and for which good men of all ages looked and prayed, and to whose success and duration, Heaven with all its omnipotence was pledged. Speaker Grow, in his valedictory address to the House of Representatives, declared that, no matter what changes were wrought in the social organism of America, its territorial limits would continue the same. The war must be prosecuted until the last armed rebel is subdued. Speaker Grow received an unanimous vote of thanks from the House, a compliment which was never paid to any Speaker but once before. Notwithstanding these statements, we do not forget the hints given in the winter, that unless the North succeeded in their object by May, it would be difficult to resist the amicable interference of the European powers to bring this lamentable strife to termination. We do not know to what extent the following calculations may be depended on, but they appear to be made up with an attempt at accuracy, and are taken from an American publication, in which Last it is estimated, that from the commence- | untouched are almost deserted. ment of the war, 43,874 Federals have | Sabbath, where usually there is a large been killed, 97,029 wounded, 68,218 | congregation, there were only eighteen made prisoners, and 250,000 died from in attendance; and this is a fair repredisease and wounds; that 20,893 Con - | sentation of the different neighbourfederates have been killed, 59,615 hoods. There seems to be at this time wounded, 22,169 made prisoners, and 120,000 died from disease and wounds. We insert some extracts from a letter of an English settler in Tennessee, written without any idea of publication, simply for the information of his relatives. "You can scarcely imagine the unpleasantness of our situation at this time; not that we have suffered equal to some sections of country, yet we have realized the attendants of civil war; and, situated as we are between contending parties, so as alternately to be visited by each, our situation is rendered specially unpleasant. When visited by the Confederates, we are regarded with a degree of jealousy by the Federals; as also, when the Federals pay us a visit, the Confederates complain. Either side, when they visit us, take whatever they want, simply leaving a receipt which promises payment when the war shall close; and very frequently not leaving anything. The Confederates are at this time running about the country conscripting, and at the same time taking all the horses adapted for cavalry service. "I have from its commencement regarded it as an unholy and unrighteous war, waged to gratify the wishes of a comparative few, North and South. Neither party at first contemplated its reaching its present extent, and none but the Almighty can tell when or how it is to cease. Most fervently do I pray that it may not be long before the olive branch shall be extended by one or both parties. It is lamentable to view the change our country has undergone in the short space of two years, in a religious sense. Most of our churches are converted into hospitals, some into barns, and some even into stables; and those few in the interior that as yet are but little enjoyment of religion anywhere in our country, and I fear until there is a radical change for the better that the Great Ruler of all events will not grant us the blessings of peace. In looking forward to the future there is much to depress and alarm. The army is the very place of all others to demoralise and to taint the character. Young men of my acquaintance, who previous to entering the army were pious and devoted Christians, have become through the influence of association openly wicked and profane. These, with others, will, after the war shall close, return to their respective neighbourhoods the possessors of a vitiated taste, with habits confirmed in sin and wickedness, and as a matter of course a reflex influence will be produced upon the communities in general. The ill effects of this unfortunate war can scarcely be pictured by the imagination. "This state of things has continued already so long as almost to drain the country not only of any surplus, but even of the necessaries of life. To live amidst such uncertainties is, I assure you, anything but pleasant; all to some extent are losing by this sad and unfortunate war, excepting a certain class of speculators, who are hoarding money by the thousands. Compared with some, we have suffered as yet but little. It is true my means of subsistence since last June have been cut off; i. e., I have no school, nor at present is there any prospect of one, consequently I am now making preparations to cotton, which, if the season prove favourable, and it should not meet the fate of much raised this year, and be burned, will necessarily yield me a fine price. raise some "We are living within the Federal naval commanders seek to prevent this trade by means which somewhat overstep the limits fixed by international law. This renders remonstrances with the American Government necessary, and increases the irritation. We are, however, glad standing the writings in some of the American journals, there is no nation under the sun for which Americans entertain a greater regard than England, and if the real sentiments of the people of each country can be clearly established to each other, I shall have no fear of their coming into collision." We just learn that Gen. Hooker, who has succeeded Gen. Burnside, has crossed the Rappahannock, and a fearful three days' indecisive conflict has ensued. lines, and are subject entirely to them and their laws. Military law is the only law recognised. All civil law is for the time being entirely inoperative. The courts are all closed; there is no collection of any debts. When indeed the former state of things will be re-to read the observations addressed by stored to us we are unable to divine." Mr. Adams, the American Minister to In our number for January, our our Court, on the presentation of an readers will find the following, (p. 62): address by the Trades' Unions. He said "The Northern States are making ex- to the deputation:-" I can assure you, traordinary efforts. General Burnside that, notwithstanding the speeches of is proceeding against Richmond, the some of my countrymen - notwithCapital of the Confederate States, from the North, while another army is to operate against it from the South. In the West, it is stated that Federal armies are to be put in motion, amounting to 750,000 men; and it would seem impossible for the Southern States to resist. Yet there is no symptom of yielding, and the results of the last campaign were so different from what were anticipated, that it would be rash to predict what may be the issue of the present." The propriety of this hesitancy has been apparent. Our number for February recorded the failure of General Burnside's attempt to advance towards Richmond, and his army has ever since remained in a state of in-" Christian Ken," has visited them, and activity on the northern side of the Rappahannock. The third attempt to reduce Vicksburg, a stronghold of the Confederates on the Mississippi, has not succeeded; while the nine iron-clad vessels, which attempted to enter the harbour of Charleston, in South Carolina, received so rough a reception, that the expedition, which had been preparing Our readers will perceive in the for four months, and from which certain report of the proceedings at the recent success was predicted, was compelled anniversary, the testimony borne by to abandon its purpose. The total des- Mr. Rogers on behalf of the Manchestruction of all the vessels must have ter Committee, to the necessity for the been the result of attempting to remain effort, and to the gratitude which this under the fire of the forts. These unexpected relief has called forth. We failures have very much irritated the have great fear that the return of winAmerican public. They want the ter will render necessary a renewal of British Government to undertake the the effort. THE PRINCE AND PRINCESS OF WALES have kindly permitted their bridal presents to be exhibited at the South Kensington Museum. Our Correspondent, we expect will give some account in our next number, of the impressions made on his mind by the inspection. The sums contributed to the SUNDAY SCHOOL UNION COTTON DISTRICTS' RELIEF FUND, now amount to £3,510. 4s. 9d. HOW MAY THE INTEREST OF CHRISTIAN CHURCHES IN SUNDAY SCHOOLS BE INCREASED? A Paper read by the Rev. A. REED, B.A., of Preston, at the Lancashire THIS question, like most others, has a double aspect. It may have a querulous, complaining form, or it may be practical and advantageous; the former has been only too frequently a theme of declamation, and even the latter has been subjected to some exhaustive discussions. I would wholly deprecate the fault-finding view of this subject, and seek some of the freshest branches of that which aims at improvement. There has been too great a proneness, first to imagine an estrangement between Christian churches and Sunday schools, and then to propose various hypothetical remedies. The merry monarch (Charles II.) desiring to give his pedantic men of science a lesson, wittily propounded to them a query obscurely stated, in order to conceal his own knowledge of its absurdity, and gravely enquired the reason why so-and-so was the fact? After laborious search for reasons possible and impossible, one of the least foolish of these learned ones quietly suggested a prior question, viz.: Was the king's supposition a fact? Thus guided, they soon discerned the cheat played on them, and have been quoted as beacons ever since; let us avail ourselves of the lesson. Before we admit what may seem implied in the terms of our proposition, a certain want of interest in the Sunday school on the part of Christian churches, let us analyze the fact, and enquire in what sense, and to what extent, it is true; otherwise we may be trying to overtake a will-o'-thewisp, or to catch the rainbow. Well do I remember, in the good old City of Norwich, that the Sunday School Union had become defunct, or at least dormant, as I have occasionally known it elsewhere, from want of some individual with energy and ability to keep its machinery in order. I had always a sense of its value, and set myself to revive it, summoning my honoured brother, Mr. Charles Reed, to my aid, and to a task which ever finds him ready. It was a success-all was again instinct with vital earnestness; periodical meetings of the teachers were fixed for prayer and conference, the first of these was held in our school-room. I thought I would go down and see how the first essay passed off; I stood behind the door awhile not to interrupt the busi ness, when to my confusion I found the assembled teachers engaged in assailing the Christian churches, and particularly the ministers, for their indifference to Sunday schools. I could not help thinking of that traveller who put a half-dead snake in his bosom, which, reviving with the warmth, stung his over-trustful deliverer. I entered the room, and did my best to turn the debate to less offensive and more useful channels, but since then I have often found Sunday schools and teachers haunted by this chimera. I dare say the ghost is here in some corner, and I hardly hope to exorcise or to lay the spirit, yet will try to throw a little light into his dark hiding-places, and make him shrink away into the gloom. What is more unlikely than indifference from the church to the Sunday school; as institutions they are not only kindred, but mutually dependent; whence did the school originate-whence are its teachers and officers recruited-whence its pecuniary support obtained, but from the pastors and members of our congregations? And whence comes the continual stream of youthful converts and workers back into the bosom of the church, but from the classes of the Sunday school ?* Can the family neglect its nursery? Save in exceptional instances, where perverse jealousy or rigid formality occasions a collision of interests, or a chasm of distance, this should seem impossible. How deep the injuries inflicted on both institutions by such estrangement; the school would lose much effective support, but the church would be by far the greater loser; she would alienate from herself most of the young and zealous workers; she would lose her chief source of increase, and condemn herself to joyless sterility and barrenness ; she would part with her chief instrument for aggression on the careless population around her, with the precious spring whence her new pastors, evangelists, deacons, and missionaries may be early and well nourished for future service; and she would put from her the main power she possesses in the eye of the world, that of education, and neglect the most imperative command of her all-anticipating Lord, "Feed my lambs;" she would hazard the passing forth from her communion of her heartiest, most devoted children, in order to join with other fellowships of Christians, who better appreciated their momentous work. Such indifference would be a madness little short of self-annihilation in the course of time; it never can become general. No doubt the church is formed of imperfect human materials, and is too prone to be remiss in all its most solemn duties; but that there is any special indifference to the Our own Sunday schools in Preston have this year furnished twenty-one youthful members to our church. * |