Daily evening star. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1852-1854, 1854-06-23
DAILY EVENING STAR.
LOCAL INTELLIGENCE.

Tn CoyGREGArIoyIsTs-It viii be remem
bsrsd that some time ago mesting Of minis
ters belonging to the sect known as the Con
gresstionali,is, uas held in this city for tn,
purpose of examining into the orthodoxy of tn
Rev Mr. Duncanson previously to his install
la,ion a. minister ofthe Congregational Churcl
in 5th street, and the result was tn at the conn
Gil of ministers among whom were the Rev n
" Beecher and the Rev P. ofessor Stowe. re
fused their sanction to install him. As the con
sregation belonging to this church has beef
only lately formed. it was ma My dependent
On the assistance OF other churches of the same
denomination for its financial resources 81
that the decision Of the council was Of serious
moment TO them The Rev. Mr. Duncansou
has, however, still continued to offi,iste this
church up to the present time, but is about to
quit the pastorshiP Of this church. Whether
il is from the action of the council we do not
undertake to say, bat il is certain that he is
very much dissatisfied with the dictum put
for:h by il. He is, we understand, about
10 take charge of another church at Bal
tim IRE, formerly under the ministry of the late
d. Duncan, and preached his farewell d..
co'Gse on Sunday last, which from Its length
w divided INFO two portions, one delivered
il he morning and the other in the afternoon.
II iiscou Sc was proceeded by the reading OF
Ii sd chapter of Ezekiel, in which the Rev
&c leman made a running commentary "a he
pI ceeded on the subject Of free will. The tex,
Of he sermon was from the ist chap. of Phil
lii ans, 9th verse, and the preacher remark.
et hat he should devote bis discourse to an ex-
81 insiion Of the SUI ject upon which he and
d council nal differed. The point in dispute
W 1.-THE perseyei euce of the Saints " or what
4 generally known as the doctrines of election
sc free will, upon which the Calyinis;s and
A. uinians differ. The discourse showed thai
n, minister was better inclined To the FREQ
vi doctrine He Reproduced he prejudice In
"a or of age for a minis er, so that a Favorable
eS was always offered TO VII was said by
~ aged pastor, whilst a younger one had a
&C stray prejudice to encounter. He observed
Il It not one in thousand of ministers ever
81 mined into the grounds Of belief but az II
VIZ in the pew 50 it was in the pu pi chan, e
br.ught an individual into particular acc :.
N certain creed was accepted without en-.
ov ". Theology and reason were often 3D.
po'sd TO each other, though scripture and rea-
eIn were always reconcileable. He combattei
the doctrire that q man who was predestined to
be say ed. whatever sins he mi ght com init mus
yet, in the end be led into grace, by various
illustrations, instancing the fate of the fallen
angels, who fell for all eternity, after havi ng
sinned.
MIDsuNAEB.-This period of the year was
IN former times egsrded with sort of super.
s.itiousawe and many curious rites the rem
nauis Of hestheDism-sre still preva ent In var
ious parts Of the world. by which this period
Of the year is solemnised. To-day being the
23d Of June is known as st. Johns Eve or
Midsummer Eve, and tomorrow, the oath of
June, is st. Johns Day, or Midsummer Day.
Among the many customs, We will notice one
still kept up at the town of Ripon, in the nor h
Of England. on this day, Midsummer Eve. 1t
b an ancient custom in that place for every
housekeepef who, in the course of the yoar, has
changed his residence into new neigh borbood
10 spread a table before hi door in the street.
with bread, cheese, and ale, for those who
choose to resort 10 it, and to invite his partic-
ulsr friends TO an entertainment inside In
former tunes this day being The eve of the sum
mer solstlce, was season of div nation, and the
ceremonies practised are des I'll bed in the
poems Of some of the early English poets. The
supe stiiions OF former period, respecting this
day, are we'll desert bed in Shakspeare;s beau
tiful play Of Mldsummer's Night Dream"
which was onl5 poetical embodiment Of the
notions and opinions of the less enlightened
classes, respecting time when fairies and elves
were supposed to hold their midnight gam.
bols In Ireland, in particular. Midsummer
Eve and Midsummer Day have always been
looked upon with peculiar generation, and
many curious customs are still practised in
that country upon both Of these days.
ALEXANDRIA AND WASHINGTON RAIL ROAD.
The bill reported yesterday in the Senate BY
Mr.. Mason for the extension of the Alexandria
and Washington Railroad has the following
provisi ms. 1t proposes to authorize the
Alexandria and Washington Railroad Com
psny, Incorporated by the Legislature Of Vir-
gnis, on the 9th of February. 1854, to con-
struct railroad from Alexandra to Washing
ton, To extend their road from any point on
the Virginia side of the Potomac river into the
District Of Columbia, and to lay their railroad
track or tracks over the Potomac bridge and
up TO such point or points in the city Of Wash
ington, connecting with the Baltimore and
Washington railroad by the most direct and
practicable route, through such streets or
avenues as the corporate authorities may pro-
vide. with the understanding that the per-
mission thus granted may be revoked by Con-
gress al pleasure; and is not to be considered
as an expression Of opinion by Congress that
The present location Of the Potomac bridge is
the proper one.
IL further proposes to authorize the company
20 construct a bridge over the Potomac river,
On or above or west of the aqueduct of the
Alexandria Canal Company, but if it be built
on or over the piers Of that aqueduct, it must
be done with the consent of the Alexandra
Canal Company, and in constr ucting the bridge
and crossing the Chesapeake and Ohio canal
the bridge aud railroad shall be 90 constructed
as not to injure or obstruct the use or nayiga-
ton of the canal.
II also authorizes the company to extend
their road from the point where it shall cross
the Potomac river, to such point or points
within the cities of Washington and George
town a. may be respectively approved IF by the
corporate authorities of tn ese cIt,es and makes
other provisions which are usual for carving
on the business Of railroad corporations
The Lone BRIDGE The subject of the Long
Bridge was amply discussed yesterday in the
Senate, memoral against allowing a rail
road track to be laid upon il for the Alexandria
and Arlington Railroad, beng presented by
Mr. Mason from the Mayor Of Georgetown
The Senator in presenting it was very severe
IN bis structures, saying that the statement ID
IL was insidiously made, and was one that
ought not TO have como from Georgetown
This wa ELECTED from q remark in The memo
nal that It Was not 10 be expected that men
who knew the value Of money would expend
The amount required 10 construct railroad
eight miles long fof purposes 'nly temporary
intended to apply to The track over the Long
Bridge as being only temporary. The ga Q
Senator, In cOnt.Du snce OF his obse ~ atoms
upon the subject said
Il am free 10 declare tnat my sympa,hes always
nave been with Georgriown IN this matter; because
the Long Bridge erected there the public expense
as ] stated has been one Of serious loss and iDur,
10 that city. IL has INSTRUCTED the channe and
flied the rivcT wi h mud and fats that al low
uds IL - diff cult tell where the channel I., OIL
whether thc.e Is any ch~nnei at all. believe il j.