The national era. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1847-1860, 1855-05-17
NO. 437.
THE ANNIVERSARIES

Id
I.r;ous religious and benevolent societies, the
.,,;rarsarv celebrations Of which have beer
~,o5ucted in that city. Many of these reports are
,inule. faithful, and satisfactory, while other,
little less than caricatures of the event!
.,.i-pded 10 be described. No just and wise
,s-.oa will regard as authentic any report moi
.o,r,yed by the body whose transactions il
~,,ssses 10 record. We shall derive briei
I-;,ome of each from such sources as we re.
c,-i as most reliable.
rgr AMERICAN SEAMEN'S FRIEND SOCIETY.
The Anniversary of this Society attracted a
r..,s audience to the Tabernacle Monday eve
80, Interesting addresses were delivered.
D perit. ESD. occupied the chair. Prayer
- o,iered by Rev. Dr. Stuart. The abstract
e me Report was read by the Secretary, Rev.
tn Report alludes to the allegation consid-
.-sl and answered one year ago, that there has
zen no Improvement among seamen, and as
.;,os four causes for this mistaken impression:
! Within the last five years, some 1900
.,srgetic seamen have left American vessels
3, the gold mines in Australia, and probably
,a;ee that number to dig gold in California.
. Many excellent Northern seamen, Swedes,
D,pes &C., who served in American vessels for
f,bsr wages than they could get elsewhere,
have been drawn off to the Eastern war.
:. Many of the best men on the sea have
l.,rly left it for a home on the land prompted,
,,ae by better prospects of n pecuniary liveli-
had. and some. that they may enjoy social and
r-rigious blessings which they cannot have on
he sea.
4. Combined with these causes, producing a
.-ast scarcity of scamen, the tonnage of Amer
-.,n vessels has increased Is per cent within
rte last ten years. and called for a correspond
inc increase of sailors; SO that, in order to man
,ar vessels. there has been necessity for ship
ra, many incompetent, worthless, and wicked
,g-cimens of humanity.
Mr.. Hrdstrone, Swede, related many Incl
isqts of varied experience, in a discursive
ami pleasant style. He was pastor of the
B-,hel in New York, where he said he had
seen converted sailors Of seven different ma
ions meeting about one altar.
Rev. Dr. Peters, of Williamstown, made a
spirited and feeling address.
The President introduced Rev. Dr. Bethel
helm. missionary at Loochoo, Japan. He show
latstimonial presented him by the officers
and sailors of an American frigate, and went
on to testify his interest in the seamen's cause
The meeting was closed with the doXology and
lrHeitctlOn.
AMERICAN AND FOREIGN CHRISTIAN UNION
This Union celebrated its Sixth Anniversary
At the tabernacle on Tuesday morning. Rev.
Dr. De Witt presided. The preliminary exer-
,es grre singing, reading Of the Scriptures, I'D
P,.lm.l and PRAYER by Rev. DIR. Mcleod.
youminOuS series of resolutions was read
| ly Bradford Il. Wood, Esq, Of Albany.
Dr. De Witt announced that Rev. f. n. Kirk,
d Boston, who was advertised among the speak
rs. was detained by a revival in his charge.
Rev. Mr.. Tying, Of Philadelphia, was called
uo1n. and proceeded TO discuss briefly the rea-
sa> of the difference between the Protestant
AMI Catholic forms Of belief
Dr. De Witt announced the resignation by
Dr. Robert Baird Of his Office as one of the Cor
responding Secretaries of the Society, and took
occasion to express the regrets of the Board of
Directors at the loss Of the valuable services of
. that gentleman. A series of resolutions, in
reference to the event, as adopted by the Board,
was read by Rev. DR.. Fairchild.
Union THEOLOGICAL SEMINARY.
At the Mercer street Presbyterian Church,
Sunday evening, Professor Henry b. Smith,
L
SYSTEMATIC Theology in this Seminary Profes-
scr Smith has simply changed Professorships !;
having formerly occupied another Chair in the
same Institution
The anniversary exercises of the Seminary
took place Monday evening" at the Mercer street
Presbyterian Church. The graduating class
numbered twenty-five young gentlemen. Only
ige OF the class delivered addresses. The open
nspayer was offered by Rev. Mr. Halsey. Mr..
Samuel W. Crittenden, of New York, was first
90 liz programme but was unable to be pres
rat and the first address was delivered by Mr.
JAMES ii. Dwight, Of Constantinople. His sub
.ed was The Future of the American Mission
ary Enterprise
Inc Bible and the Koran was the subject
'r'rciri by Mr.. Henry Harris Jessup, of Mont
rl>r. Pennsylvania.
Human Freedom = was considered by L. c..
lfoEbrd@e, of Michigan. He held that human
'-7Iom Is not absolute, but dependent in its
character.
The " Relation of Christian Theology to HUI
man Science was the theme of Mr. Timothy
H. Potter, OF Waterbury Connecticut.
lac last speaker was Gardiner Spring Plum
ry d New York. His subject was, "The Pu-
fi4n Pastor of the Seventeenth Century"
Inc Rev. DIR. Skinner made a brief address
10 tie graduating class
DOMESTIC MISSIONS OF THE REFORMED DITCH
CHURCH.
meeting of the friends and supporters of
'lc Reformed Dutch Missions in the West was
e., ay' Monday night in the large and elegant
NL,tch IA Lafayette Place and Fourth street.
nov d. NJ. Ferris, formerly of Tarrytown,
ana now under the auspices of the Domestic
l.,,,,"nary Society of the religious body to
"--'h ae Is attached) laboring for the advance
~'i' 81 The Reformed Dutch Church in Chica-
- .Saressed the congregation on the subject
Of lbs AJvrs.
,'''' Mr.. See detailed the result Of his labors
~''l Experiences In Buffalo.
ht'' lr Bethune followed. Rev. DIR. Cor
'''I linen read a resolution pledging the men,
% lh'S Communion to aid, by their dona-
d ana personal efforts, TO assist in spreading
- MISSIONS IN the West. The resolution was
'',.Tl unanimously; after which, the Chairman
;1''lS gwen benedction, the meeting ad-
l'-Flrd sine die.
''H REFORMED MISSIONARY SOCIETY
"" sunday evening, the Rev. DIR. De Witt
s-5' at his church in Lafayette Place, the
NJ: sermon OF the Association; previous to
g INN ley. DIR. Baird gave brief outline of
c. 'ie'auons OF that section of missionary eff
III" rRF.SNTERIAN BOARD OF FOREIGN MIS-
SlONS.
Il, !, Monday afternoon, the annual meeting of
Cs.l:. "'' was convened in Centre street. Rev.
O- ~ Spring in the chair.
a, 1T We're present Rev. Doctors Robert Da-
J,r r',' W jonathan Cogswell Daniel V. Mclean,
c Tse w. Alexander, William Phillips, Rev. j.
N, -TTH N Rev j. Wilson, Mr. Robert Carter,
o5.- -AOinas Pringle, Mr.. Jasper Corning, and
va, receipts from all sources, during the past
il,~, nave been Sl84,O74I7, and the expendi-
d. ~ - 'O5 10, leaving general balance in
eiL,r.Ss.uIry OF So3,6O9.O7; of which unexpend-
Un,Ia oil moneys arising from the sale of