Daily national era., 1854-01-23

FRIENDs' MEETINe.--We suppose there are
very few persons in Washington who know
that there isa Friends meeting .honse in this
city, or that meetings Of members Of that Soei-
ETY. are held here.
The edifce is on street, in the neighbor-
hood Of nth or 18th. II is very old and plain
structure, and its uses GOULD not be determined
from an external inspection Of it. Yet hero
meeting is held every Sabbath, and every
fourth day = "Wednesday forenoon.
We went to the meeting yesterday. The
congregation was pretty full, consisting Of
about forty persons the sexes pretty equally
divided. After rather protracted silence,
Samuel M Janney, Of Loudoun county, vir
ginia, arose and delivered y brief sermon. Mr..
Janney is known to the public Us the author Of
several works of merit and usefulness, the most
recent of which are his admirably ly-written
popular, and instructive lives Of George Fox
and Of VIM, Penn. By means Of these books,
the former especially many will learn and
respect the opinions Of Friends who would 9TH
erwise never have known anything more than
that there is such people, and that they are
q peculiar people"
Mr.. Janney's discourse was bricf as we have
said, but it contained all the elements Of a SER
mon He preached that the spirit Of every be-
lieving and pious Christian is taught by the
Great Teacher--that external INSTRUMENTAL
ties are less essential than many well-meaning
Christians are prone to believe; and yet he
admonished his hearers that the attentive read
ing Of the Scriptures should be omitted by none.
All good and eminent Christians, he said, had
been attentive readers Of tho Word but he OK
horted his hearers not to permit their minds to
versies upon non-esssntial points, for mere
mental advantages or temporary triumphs in
controversy, to the neglect Of the higher in
struction the Almighty ever addresses directly
to the hearts of such as observe the two great
commandments on which hang "all the law
and the prophets"
We perceive that Mr.. Janney is great ad-
mirer Of the eminent reiormer whose life he
has written, George Fox, and that he defers
much to the recorded opinions Of that remark
able and exemplary man.
10 The Sentinel has, in its local columns,
some just remarks upon the suffering Of the
children Of the INDECENT. On, how loud is their
appeal to those who have the ability to protect
them from want and suffering, and how easy
the way were the will to move us to its pnr-
suit.
PREMATuRE--The Kentucky Commonwealth.
some days ago, contained an announcement OF
tho death of Francis Preston Blair. together
with sketch Of his life. The New York
Tribune, Of Saturday last performed similar
service for nj. de Bodisco Mr.. Blair is alive
and well among us and we hope may long con-
tinue 80. nj. de Bodisco was still alive this
morning, though we fear his hours are num-
bered The announcement Of the death of
MIR. James Blair, a son of Mr.. F. p Blair, in
California, led to the former mistake
MAJOR s. r. HoBBIE--The season is at hand
in which lingering consumptives are very apt
to pass away just before the breath Of Spring
is felt. Among those in our midst whose early
departure is anticipated with deep concern, is
Major Hobbie First Assistant Postmaster Gen
eral
Allusion has thus been made to an incident
that occurred in his apartment on the 10Th
Instant
"His daughter Mary was there, in the pres
ence Of her prostrate and almost dying father,
united in holy wedlock, by the Rev. Mr.. But
Ter, to Nathan Reese, Esq, Of Newburg, N. Y.
The fond father, apprehendng his speedy dis
solution, requested that the nuptials should be
celebrated before he had seen the last OF
earth