USA > North Carolina > Craven County > New Bern > History of the Presbyterian church in New Bern, N.C. : with a resume? of early ecclesiastical affairs in eastern North Carolina, and a sketch of the early days of New Bern, N.C > Part 15
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EBENEZER PRESBYTERIAN CHURCH, NEW BERN.
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SUNDRY MEMORANDA.
Ruling Elders and Deacons.
Messrs. Robert Hay and Elias Hawes were the first elders whose names have reached us. After them came John Jones, Thomas Sparrow, Allen Fitch, Martin Stevenson, Charles Slover, Richard N. Taylor, Emmet Cuthbert, George Allen, William Hollister, and John Hutchinson. The two last-named elders were ordained and installed on Sabbath, February 5th, 1871. Mr. Hutchinson is now an elder in the Wilson Church, and Messrs. Slover, Allen, and Hollister constitute the present Session of the New Bern Church. All the others have passed to the ministry above.
The present deacons-the only ones this church has ever had-are Messrs. Claudius E. Foy, George N. Ives, and Alex- ander Miller.
Organ.
In 1854 the pipe-organ was bought for $900.
Colored Presbyterian Church.
For many years the New Bern Church had colored members. Mrs. Stanly, an emancipated slave, was one of the original members. As far back as 1832 I have records of special, sep- arate services held for them by Rev. Mr. Hurd in the Church. After the war we were still, during the present pastorate, re- ceiving colored members, and at times separate services were conducted for them, though they attended the regular minis- trations of the sanctuary. It was deemed best to attempt the organization of a distinct Colored Presbyterian Church. So the work was commenced under B. B. Palmer, a colored Licen- tiate of Orange Presbytery, about May, 1878. The building in which this work was conducted, until their Church was built, was that known as the Congregational School House, then standing on the corner of Johnson and Middle Streets, where now stands the residence of Mr. J. F. Ives. The Session of the New Bern Church directed the operations. On Sabbath,
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COLORED PRESBYTERIAN CHURCH.
November 24, 1878, a committee of Orange Presbytery, con- sisting of Rev. L. C. Vass, and ruling elders G. Allen and W. Hollister, finding the way clear, organized Ebenezer Colored Presbyterian Church, with eleven members, in the Congrega- tional School House. Licentiate Palmer retired from the work in February, 1879, and was succeeded in the following May by Rev. A. A. Scott, of Yadkin Presbytery, who has continued here, and is the Pastor. Mr. Scott was born in South Caro- lina.
Under the leadership of Rev. L. C. Vass, through the gen- erous aid of the First Presbyterian Church, and of many good friends in this city and in many other places; and with earnest effort by the colored congregation, a beautiful Church has been erected, at a cost of about $1,800 for Church and lot; and on November 7, 1880, it was dedicated to the worship of Al- mighty God. The dedication sermon was preached by Mr. Vass. Additional work has been done on the property, and it is valued at $2,500. The membership is now seventy-four. It was found best for the Church to belong to Yadkin Presby- tery, and it was therefore dismissed by Orange Presbytery to Yadkin, April 13, 1881. Valuable assistance has been ren- dered to them by the Northern Presbyterian Church. Mr. Scott has approved himself to be an excellent, prudent and useful servant for the Master among his colored brethren, and he commands the confidence and respect of our best white citi- zens.
The eleven original members were John Randolph, Sr., John Randolph, Jr., Caroline Barham, Livinia Willard, George H. White, Julius Willis, Caesar Lewis, Wm. O. Randolph, Jane Coats, L. Palmer and W. W. Lawrence. Three ruling el- ders were elected, viz .: John Randolph, Sr., Julius Willis and George H. White.
Ministers from Hanover presbytery.
It is worthy of note that nearly every minister who has la- bored in New Bern came here from Hanover, or, after its di- vision, West Hanover Presbytery, viz .: Messrs. B. H. Rice,
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GROWTH OF PRESBYTERIANISM.
J. N. Campbell, S. Hurd, M. Osborne, D. Lacy, D. Stratton and L. C. Vass. Mr. Burch also came from the bounds of Hanover, when he was taken under the charge of Orange as a candidate for the ministry.
Growth of Presbyterianism in Eastern north Carolina.
In the eastern and north-eastern part of North Carolina cov- ered by Orange Presbytery, there were before 1865 only the Presbyterian Churches at Washington, organized in 1822, and at New Bern. But since that date, earnest work, under Di- vine blessing, has resulted in the establishment of Churches in Tarboro, Rocky Mount, Nahalah (near Scotland Neck), Wil- son, Littleton, Henderson, La Grange, Croatan (below New Bern), and in the revival of Warrenton Church. Preaching is also maintained at other points, where it is hoped that at no distant day organizations will be effected. Then Wilmington Presbytery, embracing South-Eastern North Carolina, con- tains thirty-five Churches. So if we add to these the Churches in the Cape Fear River settlements, now in a part of Fayette- ville Presbytery, then looking eastward, in the section first re- ferred to as occupied in colonial days by those Huguenot, Scotch, German and Swiss settlers, we may now count sixty, or perhaps seventy-five, Presbyterian Churches. These embrace a large membership, that represents in character, and extensively in identical names, the original immigrants.
There is in these Churches a healthy and encouraging mani- festation of aggressiveness in winning souls for Jesus, and es- tablishing Churches, modeled, as we believe, after the apostoli- cal example and the whole teaching of God's Word.
CONCLUSION.
UCH is the result of an earnest effort to rescue from oblivion the history of Presbyterianism in and around New Bern; to gather in compact and permanent form interesting and important facts about our city ; to add to the general fund of information some things new to many, if not to all; and thus to give some light to what has been obscure, and perhaps aid some future investigator to prepare a better account.
A review of the record demonstrates the value of persevering efforts, and the power of littles. Most clearly does this appear in the development of the Church here, and in the successful use of the envelope system of finance for weak congregations.
Great emphasis is given, too, to the inestimable worth of female workers in the Church. Because of her godly zeal and consecrated liberality, this was called Mrs. Minor's Church. " Help those women which labored with me in the Gospel " was an inspired exhortation. Paul knew their courageous and suc- cessful assistance in his ministry. Our ladies' societies, con- ducted in a consecrated spirit, should be fostered, and will re- . ceive honor from .God.
In God's work we should never be discouraged. Prayer, faith, hope, toil, and staying force, these must be abiding and animating principles. Their uplift, outlook, and result, under the promises and guidance of that Lord who is round about Jerusalem, cannot be doubtful, inglorious, or unsatisfying. Years past have been years of mingled joy and sorrow. We have been like those early colonists who walked through the broad aisles of ancient woods. Now they travel across wide,
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CONCLUSION.
bright stretches of enchanting light; here is a charming soften- ing of garish day by the trembling and whispering foliage of the majestic Gothic archways above; anon the checkered jour- ney leads into enfolding gloom ; and the mutterings of storms, with the moving of false fires on the marshes, and the fierce flashings on the darkening clouds above, kindle honest appre- hensions, call for quickened exertions, and wise preparations. Their courage grew. The "eminent domain " around them prophesied a shining, unfolding future, whose happy dawn they welcomed, and whose splendid day benignantly beams upon their children. So with God's people in their checkered spir- itual life and history, their shifting hopes and fears, their speechless griefs or sparkling songs. Always there is light enough to show that the great Eternal Sun is shining above. Before them is their radiant home. Home, sweet home! No Idalian bowers with thorny blooms; no dulcet chimes lulling elevating sensibilities into destructive inaction; no gleaming glories of a hasty summer solstice, to be quickly and forever blasted under the icy grasp of wintry disappointment! The faithful servant has a sure reward. Amid all the shifting scenes of a varying earthly career, in sunshine or shadow, storm or calm, apparently miserable failure or Elysian triumph, with head erect, heart firm, and girded loins, must be heeded the voice, " this is the way, walk ye in it;" and each true Knight of the Cross must chivalrously "press toward the mark for the prize of the high calling of God in Christ Jesus." Thus only can be reached
The Canaan fair, where flowers are That ever bloom, and shed perfume Fit for heaven. A land of bliss, unlike to this- For God is there, where saints repair To worship Him.
Blest Church on earth ! Glad place of birth For souls from death by holy breath Of God himself.
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CONCLUSION.
His constant love her guard shall prove, And free his saints from all complaints Through Christ his Son.
Then rest above prepared by love, With harpings sweet, and glories meet For pardoned men, Shall opened be for Zion free- The holy Bride; And we shall see our all in thee- CHRIST CRUCIFIED.
ADDENDA.
M UCH uncertainty shrouds the history of North Carolina before 1700, because of the lack of nearly all early original records among the State archives. George Chalmers, the historian, made the first search for this information in Lon- don in 1780. Notable private efforts have been made since to repair this loss. Appreciating this incompleteness, the Gene- ral Assembly of North Carolina, in 1827, began efforts to re- cover from the British Government copies of all documents relating to the State's Colonial history. Many obstacles hin- dered the satisfactory accomplishment of this important enter- prise, often renewed and still continued. For the past seven years our accomplished Secretary of State, Col. W. L. Saun- ders, has devoted his energies and archæological tastes to com- piling the results of previous labors in this department, and of his own researches abroad and at home, under legislative en- actment. Two volumes of these documentary records, referred to on page 26, with valuable prefaces, will soon be pub- lished. Many changes will have to be made in writing the early history of the State. I have also obtained a copy of a most valuable and exceedingly rare pamphlet, entitled "Party Tyranny; or, An Occasional Bill in Miniature, as now Prac- tised in Carolina. De Foe. London: Printed in the year 1705." Not having had access to a part of these documents until after the preceding pages were nearly all printed, some additional notes are necessary here, and a few errors need cor- rection.
Page 11. Durant "stands the oldest landholder" of whose grant documentary evidence exists. The records of Perqui- mans County contain the deed, bearing date 1st March, 1662.
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ADDENDA.
In this instrument the King of Yeopim, Kilcacenen (or Kisto- tanen), "had for a valeiable consideration of satisfaction re- ceived with the consent of my people sold and made over to George Durant a Parcel of land," bearing the name "Weco- comicke," and adjoining "the land I formily sold to Saml Pricklove." Various documents, legislation of later date, and the first Charter of Charles II., show that earlier settlers had been holding lands under Virginia grants, or titles by purchase from the Indians. So Albemarle contained enough inhabitants to warrant the inauguration of a governor and legislature in 1664 or 1665. (Col. Rec. I., pp. ix. and 19; Carroll's Collec- tions, Vol. II., 283.)
Page 12. " Very soon the Cape Fear settlements were securely established." This refers to the early prosperity of the col- ony of 800 under Yeamans. It finally failed, according to old historians, in 1690; but later documents seem to fix its aban- donment in the latter half of 1667. Still I am not certain, from the records, that there were not some settlers on the Cape Fear several years later, while Governor Yeamans was on the Ashley River. Unwise Proprietary restrictions arrested the successful development of the Cape Fear section until 1724, after which date emigration flowed freely westward. (Martin, I., 143, 294; Hawks, II., 81, 453 ; Col. Rec. I., x. 36, 75, 159, &c., 209, &c .; Vol. II., 528-'9; Williamson, I., 96, 118.)
Page 15. "Sale to the Crown in 1729." According to Mar- tin's Digest, the General Assembly at Edenton passed laws in the name of "His Excellency the Palatine, and the rest of the true and absolute Lords Proprietors of Carolina," 27th No- vember, 1729. The surrender of the Proprietors by bargain and sale to the Crown is thought to have taken place in De- cember, 1728. Eventually, however, an Act of Parliament was found necessary to establish the agreement; and one was passed, in the second year of George II., appointing 29th Sep- tember, 1729, as the time for the transfer. (Revised Statutes of N. C., Vol. II.) But no change in the style of enacting laws was ordered until 1730; and the first royal governor did not
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ADDENDA.
assume his functions until February, 1731. More data are re- quired to fix the precise date when the Proprietary rights ceased. (Col. Rec. II., Preface, 721, 769.)
The usual estimate of the population of North Carolina in 1729 is probably too low, according to contemporary state- ments. It is thought to have been 30,000.
Pages 18, 25-28. " Gov. Johnston." Sir Nathanael Johnson ("t" generally omitted) was made Governor of South Caro- lina in 1703, and had power to appoint his Deputy-Governor for North Carolina. The pamphlet, " Party Tyranny," already referred to, is the elaborate petition presented to the Parlia- ment of England by Joseph Boone, or Boon, who had been sent over from South Carolina to secure redress of grievances. He stood in place of John Ashe, who had been commissioned for the work in 1703, and had been accompanied by Edmund Porter on behalf of North Carolina; but Ashe died in Eng- land. Among other wrongs complained of were an act passed in South Carolina-an unparalleled, barbarous, impudent, tyran- nical law-by chicanery and surprise, and a majority of only one in the Commons, whereby all dissenters who would not take communion after the rites of the Church of England and subscribe the appointed oath, were excluded from the Commons House of the Assembly. Also another act was complained of that established the Church of England, laid out the parishes and appointed vestries and church taxes, and a High Commission Court of twenty laymen to try and to turn out clergymen from. their charges, under certain circumstances. Boone handles Lord Granville and his supporting Lords Pro- prietors without mercy before the Parliament. He says that the Palatine, whose "mock title is none of his due," is but a mountebank prince, an insolent tyrant, with an imperious and arbitrary manner-sic volo, sic jubeo !
The appeal was triumphantly sustained, and eventually the Proprietors were declared to have forfeited their charter.
I have not found any evidence that Gov. Daniel succeeded in obeying his instructions so far as to secure the passage in
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ADDENDA.
North Carolina of the "Sacramental Test Act." No text of a vestry act exists earlier than 1715, and that is less rigid than the South Carolina act of 1704. So far the statement on page 25, viz., that Daniel secured the passage of a similar law by the Albemarle Legislature, should be modified. He could not fetter these stalwart freemen that much. So he only got the church established with legal vestry and tax appendages. By the testimony of President Henderson Walker, such bills and provisions as these were hard to obtain. (Life of Caldwell, p. 63; Simms' Hist. S. C., p. 78; Party Tyranny; Col. Rec. I., xxv. 634-640, 643, 572, 598, 690, &c., 709, 713, 769, 876; Vol. II., 127, 207, 582, 604, 624; Martin's Digest, p. 99, Tax- ation for New Hanover Parish in 1734; Archdale and Hewitt's accounts in Carroll's Col.)
All meetings of Dissenters must be public and subject to certain rules. (Col. Rec. II., 884; Williamson, I., 168; Mar- tin, I., 229 ; Caldwell's Life, 63.)
Pages 18-21. Quakers. The dates of the quarterly meet- tings are given on the authority of the learned Friends, Edwin Blackburn, of Baltimore, and W. J. Hall, of Swarthmore Col- lege, Pa.
Dr. Caruthers states in his Life of Caldwell (p. 83), that an intelligent Quaker informed him that their first yearly meet- ing was held in Perquimans County in 1704. (Williamson, I., 81, 92.) Quakers were not allowed to testify in criminal cases, to sit on a jury, or to hold any government office of trust or profit. (Col. Rec. II., 885.)
Pages 23 and 50. Craven County here will of course be un- derstood to be Craven in South Carolina, and not Craven Pre- cinct, elsewhere spoken of in Bath County, North Carolina.
Page 29, at the bottom, read ministers for "minisster."
Marriages. For "1769 or 1770," read 1766. In 1741, at Edenton, Gabriel Johnston being Governor, an act was passed, providing that those marriages only were lawful which were celebrated by a clergyman of the Church of England, or for
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ADDENDA.
want of such, by a lawful magistrate. Troubles had arisen from disregard of this disabling law; so in 1766 the General Assembly at New Bern amended the marriage act, and provided that "all marriages that have been, or shall be solemnized, be- fore the first day of January next, by any of the Dissenting or Presbyterian clergy, in their accustomed manner, shall be, and are hereby declared to be valid, legal and effectual, to all in- tents and purposes, as if performed by any minister of the Church of England, under a license taken and granted accord- ing to the directions of the aforesaid act."
"And be it further enacted by the authority aforesaid, that from and after the first day of January next, that it shall and may be lawful for any Presbyterian minister, regularly called to any congregation in this province, to celebrate the rites of matrimony between persons, and join them together as man and wife, in their usual and accustomed manner, under the same regulations and restrictions as any lawful magistrate in this province might celebrate and solemnize the same."
Among the provisos occurs this significant one :
" Provided always, that the minister of the Church of Eng- land serving the cure of any parish shall have the benefit of the FEE for ALL marriages IN SAID PARISH, if he do not re- fuse to do the service thereof, although ANY OTHER PERSON PER- FORMED THE MARRIAGE CEREMONY."
In a later act for establishing an orthodox clergy, the Epis- copal minister was authorized to demand the FEE for a funeral service performed by a Dissenting minister in his parish ! i. e., forty shillings.
In the vestry act of 1764, every person twenty-one years old, and possessing a specified estate, was required to vote for vestrymen under a penalty of twenty shillings. (Martin's & Davis's Digests, &c.)
These few extracts are sufficient to indicate the spirit of ante-revolutionary ecclesiastical legislation.
Page 35, last line, "before and soon after 1700." This is correct about Carolina, which meant in the early records South
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ADDENDA.
Carolina. Presbyterians had an organized church in Charles- ton in 1681-'2. But for Eastern North Carolina this clause should read " soon after 1729." In 1732 William Gray had entered land near Heart's Creek (Fayetteville); and Foote says there were enterprising Scotch families there before him. Re- cords held by descendants of Alexander Clark, Cumberland County, show that he came over and settled on the Cape Fear in 1736; that a "ship-load" of emigrants came with him, the passage of many of whom he paid; and that he found "a good many " Scotch settlers had preceded him, among whom were " Bluff" Hector McNeill, and John Smith with his two child- ren, Malcolm and Janet. When, in 1739, Whitefield preached in Newton (founded about 1730 as New Liverpool, and now known as Wilmington), he observed many Scotch settlers in the congregation, and specially exhorted them to lead an ex- emplary life in their new homes. (Webster's Hist. of Pres. Church, I., 145; Billingsly's Life of Whitefield, p. 133; Cald- well's Life, p. 85; Foote, p. 125; and Bank's Address, p. 6; Scotch and Irish Seeds, pp. 268, 276.)
Col. W. L. Saunders says that Dugald McNeill and Col. McAlister came in 1739 with three hundred and fifty Scotch. In 1740 these Scotch settlers petitioned the Legislature for aid. On 28th February, 1740, the Legislature appointed Duncan Campbell, Dugald McNeil, Dan McNeil, Coll McAlister, and Neil McNeil, magistrates for Bladen County. They all'doubt- less arrived on the Cape Fear.
A collection of manuscript communications, received by the Raleigh Star in 1810 from intelligent men over the State, and deposited in the University library at Chapel Hill, prove that most of the settlers, in 1736, on McCulloh's lands in Duplin County, were Presbyterians. (Caldwell's Life, pp. 86, 94.)
These specifications appear sufficient to sustain the text.
Page 43. Rev. Samuel Stanford. I have recently obtained an old file of " The North Carolina Sentinel, New Bern, N. C.," from April, 1831, to April, 1834. The date, 1828, given
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ADDENDA.
for Mr. Stanford's death, proves incorrect from the following notice in the Sentinel, Friday, 21st June, 1833:
" DIED,
"At his residence in the County of Duplin, in the 71st year of his age, the Rev. SAMUEL STANFORD, late pastor of the Presbyterian Church of the Grove. Mr. Stanford, in early life, was actively engaged in the service of his country. He was a Revolutionary soldier, and appeared in action at Eutaw Springs. Not long after the close of the war, he devoted him- self to the ministry of the Gospel, in the exercise of which he continued for forty years."
Page 53. The fact that the letters patent, by which Queen Anne conferred on De Graffenried and his male heirs the right and title of a Baron of Great Britain, together with his in- signia and many of his letters, are held by John De Graffen- ried, a lineal descendant, living in Dougherty County, Ga., is stated by S. F. Miller in his sketch of Judge C. B. Strong, in his "Bench and Bar of Georgia," Vol. II., 278, 293. It came out in the legal investigation of the rights of his American heirs to the large property their ancestor left in Switzerland.
The Queen's agency in making him a "Landgrave of Caro- lina" was only indirect. That title was bestowed under their Charter by the Lords Proprietors on certain conditions, which were met by De Graffenried.
Page 55. " The Palatines." The following are some docu- mentary references to the "poore pallitines," De Graffenried and the Indian Massacre, in the " Colonial Records," Vol. I., 707, 717-737, 756, 775, 784, 791, 808, 810, 815, 825-834, 850, 890, 905, 986; Vol. II., 147.
Page 59, second line, read " whole " for "wole."
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ADDENDA.
The coarseness of their bread, from lack of mills to furnish good flour, and the abundance of hogs, from the plenty of corn and lack of transportation, gave rise to the expressive phrase "hog and hominy," descriptive of coarse but substantial living.
Page 71, bottom. "Taxable." The law in 1715 reads, "And It Is Hereby Enacted that all males not being slaves in this Government shall be Tythable at the age of sixteen years and all slaves male or Female either Imported or born in the County shall be Tythable at the age of twelve years." (Col. Rec. II., 889.)
Page 78. Episcopal Clergy. It is possible that Messrs. Earle and Burgess also remained in the State; though Burgess may have gone to Southampton, Va. Micklejohn was a Tory. So an intelligent Episcopal friend, who has kindly examined my summary, writes me. (See also Caldwell's Life, 181.)
Page 139. Chapel Hill. Early in this century the Pres- byterian Church probably had some sort of organization, under Drs. Caldwell and Chapman, at this place; but the minutes are lost.
Page 164. Fourth line from the bottom, read "1855" in- stead of "1825."
AMUSEMENTS AND THE CHRISTIAN LIFE
BY REV. L. C. VASS, A. M., NEW BERN, N. C.
Presbyterian Board of Publication, Philadelphia, Pa.
PRICE, 50 CENTS.
The aim of this book is to illustrate great principles by the light of early his- tory for practical effect. Part First discusses the relations of Christians of the first three centuries to popular amusements in their day. Part Second presents the principles which must decide what are not lawful Christian amusements?
RECENT CRITICISMS.
Principal J. Cairns, D. D., LL. D., Edingburgh, Scotland: "It displays more than or- dinary research in regard to the relation of the primitive Christians to the amusements of their age, and pleads earnestly and successfully for the cultivation of the same unworldly spirit in our own times. The clearness and grace of the style, and the general soundness and solidity of the matter, recommend this little work to wide consideration."
Rev. A. W. Miller, D. D., Charlotte, N. C. : "It is excellent and timely."
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7
AMUSEMENTS AND THE CHRISTIAN LIFE-Continued.
Rev. Jno. N. Waddell, D. D., LL. D., Chancellor of the South Western Presbyterian Uni- versity, Clarksville, Tenn. : "The author has adopted a novel method of treating this hack- neyed subject. The judicious and appropriate selections of illustrations of the opinions and practices of the Primitive Church, which is found in this historical sketch, cannot be too highly commended. The style also in which the book is written is clear and attractive, and the entire volume is one that will repay a diligent perusal."
Rev. R. L. Dabney, D. D., LL. D., Professor in the University of Texas : "The picture of the Primitive Christian life is very engaging and just. I wish we had such a standard of morals among our church-members now."
FROM JOURNALS.
Christian Advocate (Methodist), Raleigh, N. C .: "We need just such literature in the hands of old and young. . . . We commend most earnestly this valuable little book to our readers. It is undenominational and practical."
Biblical Recorder (Baptist), Raleigh, N. C .: "We heartily endorse the book, and com- mend it to our readers. There never was a time when a book of this kind was more needed."
Morning Star, Wilmington, N. C. : "This is a thoughtful, scholarly essay upon a very important subject."
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Christian Observer, Louisville, Ky. : "It is both interesting and forcible."
Central Presbyterian, Va. : "We earnestly commend the work to all Christians, and should like to see it in every Christian family."
Philadelphia Presbyterian : "A discussion of a question of vital interest to every sin- cere Christian."
North Carolina Presbyterian : "The appeal is indeed tenderly and logically presented to every one's sense of right."
South Western Presbyterian, New Orleans, La. : "A calm, serious, carefully prepared and well considered discussion of an interesting topic."
Earnest Worker, Richmond, Va. : "The subject very ably and clearly discussed. . . We are sure this book will be welcomed, and we trust it may have a wide circulation among our people."
- The Signal Magazine, Edinburgh, Scotland : " Very valuable little treatise."
Presbyterian Review, N. Y .: "This little volume gives first an animated and trustworthy account of popular amusements in the primitive period, and the attitude of the Church to- wards them, and then discusses the amusements of our own day, and the principles upon which they should be either accepted or rejected. The tone of the book is elevated and spirit- ual, and the author has done a good work in presenting the truth clearly, yet without bit- terness or extravagance."
PRICE, 50 CENTS, post paid, by the PRESBYTERIAN COMMITTEE OF PUBLICATION, Richmond, Va., or by
REV. L. C. VASS, A. M., New Bern, N. C.
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