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

Il
.;,,s religious and benevolent societies, thu
,,;versary celebrations of which have beer
INDICTED in that city. Many of these reports ar,
,,;ruta. faithful, and satisfactory, while other
-, little less than caricatures of the event
...,apded TO be described. No Just and wis,
ns-son will regard as authentic any report no
a,,r5yed BY the body whose transactions i
r,,iesses 70 record. We shall derive a brie
,,;,ome of each from such sources as we re
e,ri as most reliable.
rlr AMERICAN sEAMENs FRIEND SOCIETY.
The Anniversary of this Society attracted a
- audience TO the Tabernacle Monday eve
Inc Interesting addresses were delivered
p PERT Esq, occupied the chair. Prayer
.,s offered by Rev. DIR. Stuart The abstract
= the Report was read by the Secretary, Rev.
The Report alludes to the allegation consid-
md and answered one year ago, that there has
ION no Improvement among seamen, and as
.;,us four causes for this mistaken impression
Within the last five years, some 500
.rsryetic seamen have left American vessels
s,- the gold mines in Australia, and probably
,aice that number to dig gold in California.
>. Many excellent Northern seamen, Swedes,
Danes &C., who served in American vessels for
higher wages than they could get elsewhere,
taye been drawn off to the Eastern war.
?. Many of the best men on the sea have
ately left it for home on the land; prompted,
,,ue by better prospects of q pecuniary liveli-
l,,i. and some. that they may enjoy social and
-I,ious blessings which they cannot have on
tie sea.
+ Combined with these causes, producing a
.-agt scarcity of seamen, the tonnage of Amer
,,an vessels has increased 70 per cent. within
The last ten years, and called for correspond.
ior increase of sailors; so that, in order to man
,sr vessels. there has been necessity for ship.
,iug many incompetent, worthless, and wicked
,p-cimens of humanity.
Mr.. Hedstrone, Swede, related many incl
dents of a varied experience, in a discursive
ana pleasant style. He was pastor of the
B-,heI 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. DIR. Bethel
helm. missionary at Loochoo, Japan. He show.
riatestimonial presented him by the officers
and sailors of an American frigate, and went
GA "a testify his interest in the seamen's cause.
The meeting was closed with the doxology and
beneiiction.
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
,i,es we're singing, reading of the Scriptures, I'D
Pslm.) and prayer by Rev. DIR. Mcleod.
yOluminOus series of resolutions was read
ly Bradford Il. Wood, Esq, of Albany.
lr. De Witt announced that Rev. +. n. Kirk
o. Boston. who was advertised among the speak
rrs. was detained by a revival in his charge.
Rev. Mr.. Tying, OF Philadelphia, was called
up1n and proceeded 10 discuss briefly the rea
slas 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,
y. D., was iuaugurated in the Professorship OF
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
nun aa-ad Al n.l
hge Of the class delivered addresses. The open
iag prayer was offered by Rev. Mr.. Halsey. Mr.
Samuel ". Crittenden, of New York, was frs
on tie programme, but was unable to be pres
rat and the first address was delivered by Mr.
James H. Dwight, Of Constantinople. His sub
eci was, " The Future of the American Mission
AIRY Enterprise
90 The Bible and the Koran was the subject
selected by Mr.. Henry Harris Jessup, of Mont
rose, Pennsylvania
Human Freedom was considered by L. c.
irogbridge, of Michigan. He held that human
e4dom Is not absolute, but dependent in it;
character.
The Relation of Christian Theology to HUI
man Science was the theme of Mr. Timothy
H. Potter, of Waterbury Connecticut.
Ihe last speaker was Gardiner Spring Plum
ley, Of New York. His subject was, "The Pu
ri4n Pastor of the Seventeenth Century"
The Rev. DIR. Skinner made brief address
10 The graduating class.
DOMESTIC MISSIONS OF THE REFORMED DUTCH
CHURCH.
\ meeting of the friends and supporters OF
The Reformed Dutch Missions in the West was
held Monday night, in the large and elegant
'aureh IN Lafayette Place and Fourth street.
Key. ). NJ. Ferris, formerly of Tarrytown
and now under the auspices of the Domestic
A,s,s,,'nary Society of the religious body to
which he Is attached) laboring for the advance
hrn' Of the Reformed Dutch Church in Chica
- addressed the congregation on the subjec
OF has labOrs.
Rev Mr.. See detailed the result of his labor
AMI experiences in Buffalo.
heV. br. Bethune followed. Rev. DIR. Cor
non Then read a resolution pledging the mem
r's oI ihiS Communion to aid, by their dona
'D' ana personal efforts, to assist in spreadin,
'ue missions m the West. The resolution was
','rd unanimously; after which, the Chairman
--'Hs gwen benediction, the meeting ad
l''Fned sine die
:" ',h REFORMED MISSIONARY SOCIETY.
y" Sunday evening, the Rev. Dr. De Wit
-'"''Tea, at his church in Lafayette Place, tn,
ri:'a sermon Of the Association; previous t.
TH'h' Rev. DIR. Baird gave brief outline O
fort. ''0n "a q
nj fRlSBYTERIAN BOARD OF FOREIGN MIS-
SIONS
va Monday afternoon, the annual meeting o
~ ne Do@ri was convened in Centre street. Rev
'- ~ Spring in the chair.
- mere We're present Rev. Doctors Robert Da
lJ.ls'h' Jonathan 'Cogswell, Daniel V. Mclean
''eS ". Alexander, William Phillips, Rev.
y. L 4E Rev. j. Wilson, Mr.. Robert Carter
~ Ihomas Pringle, Mr.. Jasper Corning, ant
70. me receipts from all sources, during the pas
80. - nave nave been SlS4, O74.l7, and the expendi
-'s $40, 'OjlO, leaving general balance il
siI uteasury of $50, 6O9.O7; of which unexpend
0n o1.anee of moneys arising from the sale o