New-York daily tribune., 1859-05-24
THE NEW SCHOOL GENERAL ASSEMBLY.
DIR. MILLS on EDUCATION-wHMINGTO AND
FACTS ABOUT TIE STATE

fit1S ABot 1tt lAlf
Correspondence of The n. Y. Tribune.
WHNISGToS, Del, May u, lSJ9.
The discourse of Dr. Thornton A. Mills, on Educa-
ton fer the Ministry, last evening, delivered with
out notes, and was very powerful. Notwhs anding
the rain large audience in attendance. Indeed,
these Wilmington people full of lfe if their spirit
in making arrangements for the Assembly is to be
taken as any evidence. All tic Presbyterian pastors
here are Young men, and their efforts thoroughly
seconded by their enterprisng congregations. Both
the New-Schoo ministers Messrs. Wiswel and Ack
ennan) from the North, ard are spoken of IN the
the town, by all classes, in terms OF admiration.
DIR. Mills diScourscd an hour on the relations II the
ministry. lie showed the origin of the ministry 20 be
the purpose of God to lost world and that
hence the ministry should he regarded frst in the
order Of arrangements made by the Church. Home and
Foreign missions draw their life from this and
the Church should see Ia IT above all things that her
lively and vigorous piety shall have an outgrowth
in the form Of an adequate ministry Iis ought to be
first in the affections of Christian people that every
pious household every church, and session and Pres
bytery, shall be at this work. In this way the minis
try is Il natural and healthy growth and not manufac
tuc In the Of his remarks the Doctor showed
the two facts that many churches have no minister,
and many ministers have no charges The latter are
secularized, and we have this singular ncongruity,
showing that mistake has been made on one hand or
the other, viz: that there are many churches which
the ministers will not have, and many ministers whom
the churches will not have lie entreated the As
sembv TO use its influence against the Introduction OF
any men into the ministry who are doubtful men In
any respect .
am given only part of the points of this great dis
course bur sufficient 10 show how DIR. Mills Is acting
on this church in the development of his grand idea of
producing an adequate and wel-trained In heart and
mindI ministry. The reports on Foreign Missions,
Publication. and Education in connection with the dis
course of the evening, made Yesterday very inter-
esting dav and showed the signs O vigorous dehom-
national fife in happy combinations with true Christian
Cathocitv.
have been strolling about this town, and am most
agreeaby disappointed. The rather shabby appear
a1ce of the town you enter by the railway dlsap-
pears as you ascend the hill on which the main por-
lions are built. The ground rises very gracefully from
one plateau to another giving facilities for enlarge
ment to any extent The gasworks 10 this town are
among the Oldest in this country having been in oper-
alton before Philadelphia enjoyed the luxury. The
water taken from the Brandywine above tde-waterls
delicious From the Reservoir, in the center OF the
town the prospect is beautiful in every direction.
Across the Brandywine one of the most noticeable OBJ
jeeis is eomely Episcopal church, mainly built by
the lberalhy of the late Alexis Dupont who was
killed by an explosion Of guppowder. lie s spoken OF
with great esteem ln the days of Henry Clay he was
an enthusiastic politician, but during his later lie, as
enthusiastic in religion. Speaking Of hun reminds me
of going TO the of the most fearful gunpowder
explosion that ever took place in this country in which
Bishop Lees house was demolished. Three Canestoga
ws CONS drawn by six horses each, and loaded with
II 900 pounds of powder two or three wears ago, were
descending the hill in front Of the Bishops house.
when in the twinkling Of eye that whole mass OF
powder exploded with noise which was heard more
than forty miles, One gentleman who lives near the
scene told me that he had left the place only short
time previous but no language conld describe the
scene which met his eve on his re.urn-the BISHOPS
house tumbliDg two barns demolished, the houses 10
the vicinity shattered the fences gone the hOfses torn
in peccs and scattered about, two shockingly man
ged corpses persons bleeding but not dead the trees
torn and wrenched-these and other things made the
scene most horrible. One evidence of the most
extraordinary power was that the ground under Que
wagon was compressed instartaneousy with such al
mos, inconceysble power a. to sink the hard street
sufficiently to break the large waterplpe running uh-
der IT, The depression large as to require sew
eral cart loads Of dirt TO . In one OF the neighbor
ing houses was tight closet, and the shock opened
the boards 80 as let clothes hanging the out
side be caught in the crack as it closed again. Inc
MessIs. Dupont acted most honorably m the matter
appointed gentleman, in whom all placed commence
10 ascertain the damage done and they settled me ac
counts amounting, it is said TO more than sN,OVo
The situation OF things in this State is very curious
rs relates tothose reforms which are gong on at the
North. As you are aware. Delaware has three eoun-
ties, Newcastle Kent and Sussex Inc hr't, N "hlch
Is Wilmington, is nearly equal TO the other Two COM
bncd but by the Constitution the three counties are
entitled TO an equal representation IN the Legislature;
Newcastle Is Free-So in lis opinions and nan1er- ana
the slave system has it, stronghold in Kent AMI Sussex,
and by of the fact before aludcd to- no Legs
ature now be elected to extirpate this most unproht-
able system from the State. l am told that could
fair vote be taken to-day, large majority ~ the po-
pie would vote against Slavery, but they have no
chance 10 do account Of the provision alluded to
in the Constitution. This also Is the cause OF the u-
famous lottery business with which Delaware Is dis
rraced and wroDged. People here do not hesitate TO
speak OF it a matter of bargain and sale; that the
lottery dealers Bought up the lower counties for
thirty thousand dollars a year, The m0reS pity
that Is a PITY The people in this section fairly
wrthe under the of the arrangement, but have
only little hope Of change for the better Here M tins
;snl onfthriyins town one does not suspect himself
IN he in Slave State 1.-THE other counties would initiate
Ncas,le il would increase the value OF property IN
the state BY many millions Of dollars within ten YEAR;
-, bave wTonr leanings and at the same time
enough of slavery to cripple the producing energies Of
free soil and not enough Of il to make It prontable as
in the more southerly States: Let Us hope Delaware
viii see her way out of the dilemIns.
wa SATURDAY MoRSlSG. Mas u.
The morning prayer-meeins when wa c"",,huSa a.