Saint Paul weekly Minnesotian., 1859-06-18

ninds of young, middle-aged and old. ,~sy.srI g
Rssolved, That the best means OF securing we 4
egular attendance of teachers Is, to impress upon
hem the great importance of it to their success
0 bring them together frequently to talk and pray
'ver the interests of the school.
sy our Own Reporter.
anniversary Meeting Of The Minnesota u
Btble society. -s-z.ss.a-y- -y-szse7 !
The Minnesota Bible Society held its Ami &
versary at the Central Presbyterian Church
On Sunday afternoon last. The attendance
was good, and the church was about three ]
courths filed with ladies and gentlemen ofour
city, and strangers from other parts Of our
State. The Clergy of all denominations were
in attendance.
After the customary religious opening ex-
ercises, the Secretary of the Society, Rev. J.
G. Rihledaffer, submitted his annual Report,
showing the annual receipts even during the
past year of distress and scarcity to be $7OO,
but owing to the want of the proper statistics
from auxiliary societies throughout the State,
was unable to present very full report. 1t
was listened to during its reading with much
interest, however. s-. ~. ~.a s1
The Treasurer of the Society, D. W. In
gersoll, Esq, submitted his annual Report,
showing the entire receipts of the year to be
SITS. go, and the Expenditures $793.OS,
and the present liabilities about 81, ,42S.S6,
mainly owing to the parent society for sup
plies. The congregation then united in sing
ing the 119th Psalm. -. - - y.s Ell.
The Rev. j. T. Chafee, of the jackson
Street M. E. Church, then addressed the
meeting. He said there was an stinct in
man regarding the revelation. Reason was
nobler faculty than instinct This was the
difference between man and lower animals
The instinct in man, however, leads men to
God, and to believe that he will reveal himself,
and all beliefs have this in common. He men,
toned the case of Lord Herbert who wrote.
that we could not believe in revelation because
it was unreasonable that God would reveal
himself by external signs-and afterwards
prayed for light whether he shouldpublish the
work. The account stated that he received
an audible voice telling him to do so! His
argument was thus set at naught , s.s 4.
Man everywhere looks for this want of his
Nature-a Word from God-no matter where
he finds it, they are all believers in Revela-
ton of some kind. A provision is made to
meet this want All cannot be from God, and
the question with us is, which shall we receive
and propagate?
Man soiu predicate his faith upon something.
What shall zoe receive? Place the different
oracles side by side-test them. by as severe
test as was made between the prophets Of
Baal and Elijah. The one most ennobling,
the most sanctifying that must be the Book
of God. '
The Bible cannot be compared with any
systems of Heathenism. Their relative effects
are criterion Heather nations sit in dark
/ ness, degraded and low. But in Bible lands
the tendency is upward it elevates and rails
es, as all history proves, and this has alway
4 been its tendency. Science, Arts, and Hu
!. man Progress, have all been advanced by it
it instils morality, intelligence, and religion
= = among the nations who are friends to it, ant
!. they are dominant among earthly powers
e Even among civilized nations the distinction
e between those who do and do not receive tn
: Bible is readily seen. And among societe
J. and communities, the same results arc trace
d able. He mentioned an instance where
e wealthy Infdel investigated the matter durin
Il season of distress, and found that familie
who used Bibles were better off than thos
t. who did not and afterwards acknowledge
e his error. The doctrine of the Book is " di
- igence in business" and it inculcates temper
+ ance, thrift, and contentment. ,,r-
He contrasted the Protestant nations wit
It Papal countries, to show that the unrestraine
y y and free use of the Bible by the people prt
y y serves the supremacy of the national charat
u ter, while its absence degrades it. The cor
trast between ireland and England was a
example of this, and even when the famin
=. distressed the people of Ireland, the Protes
tants did not suffer, while the Papsts did,
And Protestant nations, too, assisted them il
their distress, while no aid was received fror
countries where their own faith prevailed.
q We see these differences, too, in our owl
's and-in our own city even, all around U.S.
: The Bible is found in the comfortable home
: but not in the hovel of the degraded an
y wretched. ..-..e..
% The Bible has wrought all these change
II and distinctions. 1t is the Chart of our Lit
50 critics as free people. Our past histor
g g proves it. In our Revolutionary Struggle tn
50 leader of our forces, Washington himself wa
: praying and Bible-reading man, and in ou
S Churches prayer for the success Of our caus
"a was offered up. The hand of God appeare
81 in our national history when the struggle wa
: finished, too, and the Republic was agreed OF
s. though Monarchy would not have been di.
= tasteful. But France commenced by abrog.
: ting the Sabbath and ignoring the Bible, an
: ended by being again enslaved.
81 The speaker mentioned that the very hous
- where Gibbon wrote his great attack on Chri
: tianity, is now Bible Depository. 1t thu
50 becomes aggressive for it is intolerant, and +
% other creed is allowed by it as its equal
- conquers all other beliefs, andits great achiev
81 ment will be, the final conquest of the Worl'
50 Here in Minnesota we want the Bible in ev
% ry family in the State If this is SO we nee
g g not fear any revolutions, and wrongs-we ca
- then point to our liberty, our station, our hal
y py and ennobled people. These results tn
- Bible Society of Minnesota is to contribute t
~ A very fine and feeling address was mad
o' by Rev. A. S. Fisk, of Plymouth Church.
He said, that he had remembered that out
y little beginnings grow great results, and ha
r. o., csL..,,, ,r