is evident, then, that no one is sufficiently aware of his influence. An indiscreet remark, made in thoughtlessness or excitement, may have formed the germ of vice in some youthful bosom, and may bring forth fruit unto death, long after he who uttered it has passed away from earth. Reader, what is your influence? Is it salutary? Your example, is it safe? Your vowed principles, are they sound? Remember, you are in a certain sense your brother's keeper. You cannot prevent your influence. It will be felt.

མ

SEMI-CENTENNIAL

OF

PRESBYTERIANISM IN NEW ORLEANS.

IN accordance with previous notice, the Presbyterian congregations assembled in the First Presbyterian Church, on Lafayette square, on last Sabbath evening, to celebrate, with appropriate services, the organization of the first Presbyterian church in this city, on the twenty-third of November, fifty years ago.

The pulpit and its surroundings were tastefully decorated with floral wreaths and emblems, suited to the occasion. To the right of the pulpit was the single name "Larned”—and to the left-" Palmer”—in evergreen letters; with a wreath (also of evergreen) underneath each. On a line with, and between the two, were the figures 1823 and 1873, with a hyphen between the dates; thus joining together as one, the names and years which this memorial day celebrated. The letters were about twelve inches in length, and the figures eighteen. The latter were made of pure chrysanthemums, and looked charming in their rich whiteness.

Upon the communion table, in front of the pulpit, was a mound of flowers, three feet high by three wide, surrounded by evergreens; typical of the names and dates, the past and the present, the living and the dead -erected out of respect to the memory of the founder of the church, and also in honor of the present, living

occupant, erected no less to commemorate the lapse of half a century of time between the two.

The chancel rails, pillars of the candelabras, and front of the pulpit platform were festooned with wreaths of evergreens, intermingled with flowers, while cedars and exotic plants were interspersed within and around the altar-altogether creating a beautiful though chaste and solemn effect.

THE SERVICES.

The services were opened precisely at seven o'clock with a beautiful voluntary from the choir.

Rev. B. Wayne, then read the 48th Psalm.

A fervent and impressive prayer was offered by Rev. James Beattie.

Dr. Palmer then read the following narrative:

AN HISTORICAL PAPER ON THE ORIGIN AND GROWTH OF PRESBYTERIANISM IN THE CITY OF NEW ORLEANS.

It is a little remarkable that the first successful effort to plant Presbyterianism in the city of New Orleans should have originated with the Congregationalists of New England. Near the beginning of the year 1817, the Rev. Elias Cornelius was appointed by the Connecticut Missionary Society, to engage in a missionary tour through the southwestern States, more especially to visit New Orleans, then containing a population of thirty to thirty-four thousand, and with but one Protestant minister, the Rev. Dr. Hull; to examine its moral condition, and, while preaching the Gospel to many who seldom heard it, to invite the friends of the Congregational or Presbyterian Communion to establish a church, and secure an able and faithful pastor. In this tour, Dr. Cornelius acted also as agent for the A. B. C. F. M., to solicit funds for the evangelization of the Indian

tribes. In this work he was eminently successfuldevoting an entire year to a lengthened tour from Massachusetts to Louisiana-collecting large sums for the American Board, and arrived in New Orleans on December 30, 1817%

The most important service rendered by Dr. Cornelius, however, was that of introducing the Rev. Sylvester Larned to this field of labor. In passing through New Jersey, on his journey southward, Dr. Cornelius formed the acquaintance of Mr. Larned, then finishing his divinity course at Princeton, and giving, in the reputation acquired as a student, brilliant promise of a successful career as a preacher. The arrangement was there formed between the two, that Mr. Larned should follow Dr. Cornelius to New Orleans after he should have passed his trials, and should have been admitted to the ministry.

On July 15, 1817, Mr. Larned was licensed and ordained by the Presbytery of New York. This ordination was clearly to the office of Evangelist, which he was in the fullest sense of the word. It appears, too, that the General Assembly of the Presbyterian Church was brought into co-operation with this scheme; from the fact that Drs. Nott and Romeyn were appointed by that body to accompany Mr. Larned to the southwest. This appointment was not, however, fulfilled, and we find the young evangelist, after a brief visit to his native home, leaving on September 26, and journeying alone to the field where he was to gather the laurels of an unfading reputation, and then to sanctify it by an early death. He reached his destination after innumerable delays, January 22, 1818.

Through the antecedent preparation of his friend, Dr. Cornelius, who had preceded him exactly three weeks— and still more by his own splendid attractions—over

tures were soon made to him for a permanent settlement. Subscriptions were circulated for the building of a church edifice, which, by April 5, amounted to $16,000. It was proposed, as soon as the subscriptions were completed, to negotiate a loan of $40,000, the estimated cost of a building sixty feet by ninety, with about two thousand sittings. Considering the infancy of the enterprise, the largeness of these plans betokens great vigor of effort, and the confidence felt of final success in collecting and maintaining a flourishing church. In this costly undertaking, generous assistance was received from the City Council, in the grant of two lots of ground valued at $6,000, and in a subsequent loan of $10,000. In the erection of the building, Mr. Larned's spiritual labors were interrupted during the summer of 1818 by a visit north, for the purpose of soliciting money, and also of purchasing materials for building.

On January 8, 1819, the corner-stone of the new edifice was laid with imposing ceremonies (and in the presence of an immense throng), on the selected site on St. Charles street, between Gravier and Union, and on July 4, following, was solemnly dedicated to the worship of Almighty God-with a discourse from Psalms 48: 9: "We have thought of thy loving kindness, O God, in the midst of thy temple," which will be found the fourth in the series of sermons published in connection with Mr. Larned's Memoirs.

There are no records from which to learn the spiritual growth of the church during this early period, except that in one of his letters, Mr. Larned speaks of a communion season about the middle of July, 1820, in which there were forty-two at the table of the Lord, part of whom were, however, Methodists. Mr. Larned's labors were those exclusively of an evangelist; and his brief life was spent in gathering a congregation and building