Nashville union and American. [volume] (Nashville, Tenn.) 1853-1862, 1859-01-04


The Rev. DR.. Howell preached at the First Baptist
Church on Sunday last his tLiriy-second annual
discourse, being his eighteenth in Nashville. The
sermon was listened to by very numerous congre
ton, and was designed as running review of
the last years work, the present condition of the
Church, its future prospects, &C. The statistics
were interesting, showing the Sabbath School and
Church TO be in o high state of prosperity. They
as follows Baptized during the year, 20 re-
ceived by letter. "a, and by application 2 showing
total increase of 96 Dismissed by letter 9; died
4 excluded l, total 10. This leaves a nett in
crease of SO members in the white portion of the
Church. In the cOlOred part, II were baptized, 6
received by letter. and two restored, making total
increase of 25. Dismissed by letter 2; excluded 5;
died 2; making total of 9. This shows nett in
crease in the cOored of 16, and total increase in
the membership of the Church of 80. During the
year from forty to fifty conversions took place in
the Sabbath School, which is now as heretofore, in
q hourishing condition.
Dr. Howell said the Church numbered 213 white
membership males and 1913 females-snd 1S7
colored members, making the entire membership
800 The reverend gentleman alluded to the
member excluded, the excitement produced thereby,
and stated that those who vert off with the schsIn"
were included in the total of membership given,
the Church had taken no action in the matter,
and their still remained on the Church books.
The excluded member, he said, claimed over forty
adherents, but even allowing him fifty, the Church
is in better condition than it was one year ago.
The nett increase in the membership being 90, and
allowing 80 to have Withdrawn aud attached them
selves to the excluded member there would still be
nett increase 10 tho membership of the First Bap-
fist Church of 49, We remember no other statistics
mentioned. This is very gratifying result Of the
labOrs of DR., Howell during the past year.
Americans tHe Greatest Opium Eaters!
A recent writer in the New York Post who has
taken the pains to collect some curious statistics
this subject gives really startling facts. One
hundred thousand pounds of opium pass annually
through the New York Custom-house. while the
amount struggled, regularly imported through
all he ports of the United States, would more than
treble the quantity In fact, according to the esti-
mates of the opium trade, as we find them in the
Commercial Dictionary says the Philadelphia Bul-
Iet while in the United States there is an annual
consumption of oue-tenth of pound by every indi
vdual in China it is about one thirty>sevenih of
pound to each person Careful inquiries made of
druggists seem to establish the fact that the of
opium Of late has actually increased at the rate of
thirty per cent per snnum Not more than one
tenth of this is used incidentally, in cases of sbso-
lutte necessity. Some dealers, evading direct an
swers give the impression that they only sell to fill
up medical prescriptions; but in one two instsn-
ces it is found that the income derived by them
from the sale is no unimpOrtant improbable item
in their accounts. Others, mora frank, have ac-
kuowledged that they sold many times more than
the quantities required for prescriptions.
1t is we'll known that of late years, as the world
has taken to manufacturing, to living in doors, to
drying itself up by the unnatural air of furnaces
and to mental wOrrmen; and misery Of ali kinds,
neuralgia and nervous complaints, such as create
craving for narcotics, have greatly INCREASED 1t is
very difficult to draw the line where such sufferers
may or may not be said to require opium as a medi
cine The perspu vino has experienced relief BY it
from any mental or physical oppression soon learns,
if ignorant and unrefecting, to use it as luxuri-
Gus relief on all occasions. The following facts,
collected from inquiry and observation, are very
curious indeod
STEW cODaumers of the drug however, obtain
their supplies from one spOtheeary: desiring TO
conceal their habit from ob-ervation they procure
them from several shops. We are confident tnat the
amount sold in any one drug store in ward is more
than ample as general rule, to meet the wants of
the physician. Yet the number of such shops in
New York is counted by hundreds. The quantity
consumed here annually must average, from one TO
two ounces for every adult iIhabitani and possibly
more the eastern than in the western side of the
town, ard more in Brooklyn than in New York
From Investigations Of localities where the greatest
proportion Ofopium is sold for consumption it would
appear that very few young persons are addicted to
its use. It is mostly confined to individuals above