The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1854-06-19
TIE REV. DIR. DUFF ON AMERICA.
SPEECH BEFORE THE GENERAL ASSEMBlY
OF THE
Free Church Of Scotland, Edinburg, on the
United States and Canada.
TILE CHURCHES AND PEOPLE OF NEW YORK,
The Know Nothings and Catholics Of
the United States,
rFrom the Edinburg Witness, June IL

TFrom the Edinburg Witness, June IL
The Assembly met at seven o'clock on the evening
of Monday, May 26. The vast hall was densey
crowded and the passages were completely blocked
up So great was the desire to be present that the
greater part of the House was filed an hour or two
before the time fixed upon for the evening meeting
FOREIGN MIssIoNs-uNITED STATES AND CANADA
DR.. DUFF, on rising to address the Assembly was
received with loud applause. After moving the
adoption of the Foreign Missions Committee Report
which had been laid on the table by DIR. Tweedie
towards the close Of the forenoon sederunt and an
abstract of which appeared in our publication of
Tuesday, the reverend Doctor referred to the many
topics embraced in that Report, any one of which
would almost furnish text, and observed that he
was embarrassed by the very magnitude Of the sub
ect more especially as he that evening expected
to say something in reference to the state of things
In another and--(applause)-he would say a land
next to their own in being preeminent above all
other lands the face of the earth at this moment
Having thus to address them a region like India,
and on a region like the United States OF America
md Canada, the task was peculiar one. !.
Dr. DUFF, turning from the east to the west, pro.
ceeded to say:--In your report there is allusion
made to my having been led, in January last in the
providence of God, to visit the New World-the
western continent. 1t is not subject that have
any desire to press on this assembly, if it were oae
that merely concerned myself personally, would
not; but ] have been assured by fathers and breth
ren, that they had some desire to learn something
respecting that New World. (Applause.) 1t is in
itself SO immense subject, that it puzzles
ceedngly to know how to 90 about It at all. Just
excuse me if ] present some few fragmentary
notices of some of these topics or subjects in which
we, as Christian church, may be more particularly
interested. l shall endeav0r TO speak with all
freedom, and all familiarity; ard, in SO doing, see-
ing, up TO this hour, he that is addressing you
servant in the hands of God aud this church-the
church of his fathers-I delight in the expression
he simply feels bound in duty to give account Of
anything connected with his movement. The
IraA hat bad Ia fl,o<
New World at all? 1t from selfseeking motive.
1t was thing from which l shrunk, and shrunk
truly; it locked so big and so indefinite, going to
that new regon-such great and wondrous people
THAT there was absolutely thorough distrust as
to anything l could do or say. speak, as God
knows in the sincerity of my heart. 1t was said by
individuals at home, | should go to America. Indi.
viduals in India wrote me" That is wonderful
region, America; go before you return" Then,
in the course of Divine Providence, one and an-
other invitation came from America itself-irst
from the United States, and lastly from Canada
for the Canadas are an integral portion OF our own
mighty British empire. All these things came about.
However, there was one uniform answer for long
time" cannot; it is impossible, until, in some
measure at least the work undertaken here shall be
accomplished; and if, when that is accomplished,
the door of Providence is open, may be driven to
feel that my confession must be, Here am, Lord,
send me; and when Thou dost send me- do with me
circumstances simple one at the time, but APP
pearing in itself providental Some three years ago,
there was an American gentleman in Edinburg, of
whom had never heard, who day in the midst of
the Assembly business called on me at my lodgings,
and introduced himself with all that marvellous rea-
diness andrankness peculiar to the American charac
ter, though himself originally an Irishman-( laugh-
ter)-a combination ofthe exceences of the two cha
Iacters if you will and then you have real chlrac
ter-Mr. Stuart, of Philadelphia. Introducing him
self he said at once, You must come to America
you shall have cordial welcome--we want to be
stirred up there-penty Of material there; we only
tn no m hat was no tOnnO n hia
address, with all that frankness and heartiness
peculiar to the genuine American character. do
not know how to describe what there was in the
tone and manner of that admirable man; but there
was that in him which went at once direct to The
heart there something in the earnestness o
tone, rapidity OF uterance and easy loving address
which came home thoroughly, to the heart, and
made one feel. This looks like some providental
call; it must be considered" Repeatedly the same
gentleman wrote again and again. you must come;
and did others, until it came at last in January,
when being ended with the visitation of the
Presbyteres of the church, the case was sub
mited to the Foreign Mission Committee, and
they were unanimous IN their Judgment that
it was well to go across for few months to
that New World, and hail the Christian friends
and brethren there in the name of the Lord; and
so this voyage was encountered. | won't say much
more about it, except that it was terrific voyage,
which would not like, except in the path OF stern
duty, to encounter again. succession OF gales for
eighteen days in the broad Atlantic, amid raging
pillows and storms of snow, and masses OF Ice cover
ing the vessel, and sinking her deep into the water
enough to brighten not accustomed to that sort
of scenery-(a laugh Especially one coming from
region where they never know what it Is to have
either frost or snow However, at last in the good
providence OF Cod we reached the bay OF New York,
and coming in the end, amid strange mists, were
at last stranded-stuck fast ten or twelve feet in
mud bank, mile or two from the great city. How
ever, the city was reached. There are some who
must have been there to tell you what impressions
they must have had; but unquestonably the appear
ance OF that New York is one Of singular interest.
You could not believe you were in the New World
world so new-little more than two centuries old,
80 far as Christian civilization Is concerned. With
regard to its present race Of inhabitants how
ever, you do come to the noblest region of the
whole world planted for centuries The rapidity
OF growth Is surprising. That city of New York,
of Christendom. First is London, then Paris, and
at this hour New York is third. 1t contains popu-
laton of between 100000 and 100000. Then it was
said not many years ago, that there were no old
churches or palaces, and the new ones very mean
edifces 1t is very true. The first pilgrims got up
things rapidly-you see this through the whole
land. In going through these log huts, you next
tome on them split mp into deal boards and painted
which makes them look respectable. Then this
goes on for years, and by aad by you come to q
place where there are brick houses, and you may be
ture they are there generation ahead. BY and
by, when it is settled down, you find alone build
ings rising up in all directions around you. You
continually pass through this scenery in the States.
30 IN this. New York spreads out on an island,
49,. nc t,aason river on tiie west, anu Long
Island creek on the east; and there is plenty of
room yet before il reaches the terminus The old
city OF New York in front, on either side of which
there are forests Of shipping like London or Liver.
pool aDounds with stores of prodigious extent and
the largest hotels in the world. Now the wealthy
citizens have fed, through it up to new region not
very much elevated, but still somewhat Now, getting
into this region of broad and spacious avenues and
cross streets 1anked with trees-we see palaces new
churches grown up, as in the Old World. We have
no new churches amongst us comparable to many
now erected by spontaneous liberality in New York
One - building by the Dutch Reformed body-a no
pie edlhce OF pure white marble, to cost, how much
think you, and when 800 600, or nearly fl0O 900
II so happened that the Dutch church was down in
the old town, when it was not worth much It was
wanted as building for Post Office, or something
They received $4,000 of rent for it. Then some
persopage had left three quarters of an acre for the
pasturage OF a cow for the pastor and that was
lately sold for 100000. No wonder they can afford
to build marble church. And so on in the other