The weekly Anglo-African. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1859-1861, 1860-05-19
9ums GOrrssyunbsnte.
our PhiladeIphia Letter.
PHILADELPHIA. May IA, 1850.

| PHILADELPHIA may Al AoVV'
Mr.. EpIToR:-The Sabbath-School at
tached to the First Presbyterian Church
REV. Jonathan G. Gibbs PASTOR celebrat-
ed its twenty-ffth anniversary on Thurs
day evening last, at the church, Seventh
street, below Shipper. The pastor opened
the exercises with prayer, after which
some five or six beautiful pieces of sacred
music were sung by the school in manner
that would have done credit to persons of
more mature years. An address was then
delivered by J. S. White, which was fol-
lowed by more soul-stirring music from the
school. These were not all pieces easily
performed, but many of them were quite
difficult, and required considerable skill as
well as training of the voice. H. Boyer,
Jr., discoursed quite eloquently on "The
value of good name" After this two
other pieces were performed, one by the
school, and the other a solo and chorus.
The exercises were concluded by singing
the doxology, praise God from whom all
blessings fow::" Much of the pleasure
which the audience derived from the con-
cert was due to Mr.. Davis d. Turner, for
the able manner in which he performed
upon the organ. / have often thought
that there was more real pleasure to be
derived from concert of this kind, where
sacred music was we'll reformed, than from
any operate performance / had ever wit
messed.
The season has arrived when excursions
will be passing to and fro. In short time
we shall hear of Sabbath Schools going to
spend the day in woods and groves and ro-
mantle spots, and no one doubts that such
excursions are invigorating to health; but
l have thought that they serve more to de-
stroy than to create any moral feelings l
am aware that they ARE fashionable, but
fashion is no criterion for morals. have
been told of many unbecoming things be-
ing done on these romantic excursions, by
ministers and persons of sober habits. A
returned excursionist once told me of
fiery preacher an acquaintance Of mine)
who played game of billiards, and was
quite expert at it. Now, while that might
not have been sin per Sc, it won for that
minister the name of being free and easy
Christian, and had the effect of lowering
him in the estimation of those who knew
of the circumstance. Another one said, II
played ball with my minister to-day, and
l hit him tremendous blow, and he prais-
ed me for my skill at ball-playing." He
thought that moral hit These things
may not be really bad in themselves, but
there is nothing in them to commend them
to our admiration. / think we should dis
criminate between things which have mo-
raj tendency and those which are secular
in their nature for instance, Fourth-of-
July Grafton, or First-of-August celebra-
ton, could not, l think, be given in
church with propriety, and especially the
former
The Philadelphia Library Company
have concluded their course of lectures for
the season, and have adjourned sine die.
There was to have been lecture on Tues
day evening last, but at the hour of CON-
mencing there were SO few persons present
that the lecturer would not hold forth.
Messrs. l. c. Wears, D. B. Bowser, S. M.
Smith, and VIM. P. Price carried on dis
cussion up to the hour of adjournment.
The number of deaths reported to the
Board of Health last week was 203, 10 of
which were colored. BANNEKER.