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J V : A r .. '" v.- , THE ROWERS COULCIHA PUBLISHED WEEKLY BY A COMMITTEE OF MINISTERS FOR THE NORTH CAROLINA CON FERENCE, M. E. CHURCH, SOUTH. RUFUS T. HEFLIN, Editor. YqL XL S0. SI. 1 5Q.a Year, ia Advance. fi i DYOCATE. cDriginnL For the X. C. Cliristian Advocate. Conference Boundaries. Mr. Editor : -A question of con siderable importance to tlie interest and prosperity of our Church South, is now being somewhat agitated in Western North Carolina : viz, 'Should the Con ferences continue as they are, bounded by the Disciplinary lines, or should each one claim its own territory, lying within the boundary of its State lines?' Now, sir, I am decidedly in favor of the latter proposition ; and in a few hurried remarks upon this vital ques tion, I shall present some few reasons for my opinion. I once knew a young Eiun, (sometime a member of S. C. Conference,) who was born, reared and converted in Western N. C; in those healthy regions where sickness is almost a stranger. This young man was licensed to prsach in that part of our State which is under the control of the S. C. Conference ; was taken from his healthful locality and thrust down upon one of the sickly circuits of that Conference, where no one not acclima ted, can spend one year without being more or less affected with the malaria so prevalent there, and the consequence has been, that he has become a wreck ot a man, upon the hands ot his tnends and family, lhough he bade tair, when first thrust out into the field, of being an ornament to society, and a blessing to the Church, he is now decm- ed to a premature grave, or at least, to j knowing how great a desideratum even some extent, brought under the neces- a stale newspaper is to me in my lone sity of spending a suffering existence liness, occasionally sends me,) chanced to the close of his career. He is now j to transmit the fiist copy of the Advo by no means capable of discharging cate, which I have had the privilege of those ministerial functions in which he perusing. While yet it was upon my so much delighted, and in the discharge pillow, a young friend from an adjacent of which he secured the friendship of so j county and by the way, a pious chris many strangers, who in Eternity's day j tian and enthusiastic Methodist, was will rise up and call him blessed. Three j incidentally my guest, and while exam years he traveled, preached, prayed, ining the various periodicals scattered wept, and exhorted his fellow-men to over my couch, (which a facetious repentance, but the worm of disease has friend calls the Neighborhood Circula- destroyed the root ot his health, and he now weeps his work unnnisneu. in this voung man's case, see the fae simile of many similar ones ; all of which might have Deen avoided Dy Keeping : those brethren in their own "healthy j State, until by toil and exposure their constitutions had become prepared for less healthy regions. j But I have a more potent reason for ; thinking as I do upon this question.- j There are State feeling3 deeply lodged ill thrt Kart rif ovwy ra.ii.Ti., nrl;Vi -rmit-K , er time nor circumstances can entirely i uproot. We love our nativity the land j of our birth. All our youthful, playful j hours were spent about the old home- j stead, and thither our thoughts return, i unforbidden Who does not indulge in such feelings and thoughts ? Yea, rath er, who does not strive to cultivate them? Now, sir, the preacher in another State, going round and round his circuit, can not avoid the feeling that he is cultiva ting another field, at the expense of neglecting his own ; while his own field is entrusted to the hands of a stranger. His youthful interests all lie in his native State, and he longs, too, to be there. Do we not desire the Political and civil prosperity of our country ? Do we not all feel and know that, that can be only in proportion te the spread of Evangelical truth among the people ? And whom, I ask, would any man trust sooner than himself to carry this truth among his kindred : 1 know that, in the amount of territory contained in J entering, the benignant messenger of any one State, a man might stand more, j truth and virtue, scattering your genial chances of being sent home some time j ravs Upon their sin-stained altars and than in that territory containing more chasing away the sombre shades of ig thanone State. (norance and guilt? Who can tell how 1 know not what other States believe m.inv wavward vouths it may ultimate- and t .i i i . ii r.. ii . . i.. i. T .1. . think about this thing, but I do that Western N. C, will soon de- know mand ot other vJonierences, her own State territory. The Western Rail Road extension, together with all the other rapidly advancing improvements of the State, demand this at the bands of her sons. Long ! yea, too long have we as a State lam under the paralyzing influence of calumny and reproaph from abroad. The text books for our Schools and Academies, compiled by strangers for the perusal of our sons and daugh ters, contained upon their fape3 the foul, belying epithets that N,orth Caro lina was only fit to produce Pitch and Turpentine. She has s,t length awakened from her lethargic slumber, and addressed herself to the multigent erous interests of her children. Schools, Academies, and Colleges are raising their heads in almost every portion of the State, and her sons are taught that religion, liberty, and science are con stellations in the heavens, whtich visit in succession all the kingdoms snd peo ple of this globe. The Western counties are ripe for this undertaking ; and to convince any man, and all men of t$ fact, let but the trial be made, by allowing each cir cuit to vote as it chooses. These remarks, Mr. Editor, though made with reference to the general good, as I conceive, of our church, and in the kindest feelings for brethren that differ with me in opinion,may call forth, as in other instances, a species of re pioof from able pens, not overcharged with Christian feeling. If so, be this my answer : As I am a sufferer in the promises, J have a right to speak. If we meet as brethren of one State, we meet as brethren politically as well spiritually. We shall then be freed ftcm those afllictive conflictions arising from sectional feeling, which sometimes disturb the smooth flow of our Confer ence deliberations. And while I pray Cod to bless the church universally, I also pray him to bless very especially my good old bUte North Carolina. The Western part of the State is the garden spot, and we want to have our garden attached to the main field, so that we may derive sustenance from that, while laborers of the field may receive vegetation from our garden Let the thing he tried. NABAL. For the N. C. C. Advocate. An Incident and its Results. MR.VT5ffoR : The reception of th numbers of your really interesting sheet which you were so kind as to send me, has had the effect of again reminding me of au incident which transpired a few months since : and which, though apparently trivial, aptly illustrates the consequnce3 sometimes evolved by the merest trifle, and to demonstrate that the humblest individual the Invalid ' upqn his couch may sometimes find , an opportunity tor implanting a seed ' in a fertile spot which will expand j and bring fruit to the glory of his God, and the benefit of his race. Our mutual friend, Rev. Mr. Wel lons, of the Christian Sun, in a pack age of his old exchanges, (which he, tin" Library) chanced to select this copy ; ana on discovery tnat it was tne organ of the N. C. Method;.-. ts, and published under the umbrages of their Conference, expressed his astonishment that a paper of this character should De published as near home and yet have so effectually escaped his observation, Having already digested its contents myself, I requested him to take it with him, and after having perused it at his leisure, to circulate it among his friends. XLv I.li:0ms.n n-Viioli T r.f my young friend announced that he was engaged as a Colporteur in one of the lower counties of the Old North State ; and on glancing at the list of Receipts in another issue ot the Advo cate which I casually received, my at tention was arrested by his name, ac credited with the amount of several subscriptions. My mind intuitively reverted to the incident which I have narrated, and while remembering his earnest and indefatigable industry and his sincere devotion to those tenets of which you are the able exponent, I could contemplate this as only the pre cursor of many similar remittances in the dim future ! And now, my brother, who will dare to predict what an incalculable amount of good may emanate from this sim ple casualty'? what a stream of bene faction, broad, deep and strong, may flow from this little fountain ? V ho can tell into how many benighted i households it may be the means of your y reclaim from the perilous paths of temptation, like prodigal sons to the ' . .. bosom of an intelligent r ather '. Nor is this an isolated instance ; and I might, with pride and satisfaction, designate several other journals whose peculation, I have in the same manner been the humble instrument of extend ing, thus partially liquidating a debt of . 1 11T .1' 11"! gratitude which l owe to tneir puoiisn ers, for whose generosity I am deeply grateful. And be assured I shall not conceal the Advocate in a 'napkin ;' al ready it is making the tour of the neighborhood, winning new admirers, feretting out new friends and patrons, and if you do not in the end 'receive your own with usury,' it shall not be for the want of, but rather in despite of my best efforts. And in the conclusion, I hope I shall escape the charge of insincerity, if I express the hope that you may contin ue the faithful and efficient Advocate of a pure Christianity as the only basis of man's redemption. For though I cannot subscribe to many of the dog mas of that religio.t;3 f-.iith of which you are a candid and fearless expounder, I rejoice I am yet sufficiently charitable as to invoke success for every effort which seek3 the extension of 'the bor ders of Zion.' And while it is natural for me to feel a keener interest in the success of the 'little few' with which my lot was cist in life's young morning, I abhor frommy inmqst oul the Moloch of Sectarianism ; and while I have affec tionate parents,kind brothers and sisters and beloved friends sitting within the pale Gf all the varied communions around me, I pray God that my ijeart may be , never so much contracted as not to be j able to embrace them all, even as heav j en is large enough to accomodate us all. lhen 1 care not beneath what banner you go forth to battle; so long as I see 'Christ and his Lamb' inscribed upon its folds, I can bid you God speed ! INVALID. For the K. C. Christian Advocate. Baptismal Regeneration. Bro. Heflix : In reading an edito rial of yours under the caption " Rite of Confirmation," in your last issue, j my thoughts were turned upon the ab I surdity of the doctrine of Baptismal j Regeneration, as held and taught by j High Churchmen. I felt astonished that j intelligent men could be so duped with such religious nonsense. My astonish ment however subsided on reflecting up on its origin. 1 reme jabered that it was a vestage of a fa mily of errors born at a time when the minds of men were given to superstition. Macaulay gives an account of a curious and pop ular superstition which pervaded the church of England as late as the first of the .loth century. He represents as an objection on the part of his sub jects to the Prince of Orange that he sneered at a practice which then pre vailed and was held by high ecclesias tical authority in the Church ' the practice of touching for the scrofula,' by the King, the head of the Church, j When I remembered that superstition j I felt some comfort in the hope that the I work of reformation was going on in that church, though gradually, yet ! surely, for as that had been dropped, baptismal regeneration would be atter awhile, as light becomes diffused. I will give an account of that 'practice' in Macaulay's own language : 'This cere mony," he says 'had come down almost unaltered from the darkest of the dark j ages to the time of Newton and Locke. I The Stuarts frequently dispensed the ! healing influences in the Banqueting ! tt mu- j i : iiuuse. Lue uays on wuicu mis mira cle was to be wrought were fixed at sittings of the Privy Council, and were solemnly notified by all the clergy in all the parish churches in the realm. When the appointed time came, seve ral divines in full canonicals stood round the canopy of state. The sur geon of the royal househould intro duced the sick. A passage from the sixteenth chapt er of the Gospel of Saint Mark was read. When the words They shall lay their hand on the sick and they shall recover had been pro nounced. there was a nause and one of ! the sick was brought up to the King. His Mai est v stroked the ulcers and 'swellings and hung round the patient's j neck a white riband to which was fas- i tened a gold coin. The other sufferers weie then led up in succession, and as each was touched the chaplain repeat ed the incantation, " They shall lay their hands on the sick and they shall recover." Then came the epistle, prayers, antiphonies and a benediction. The service may still be found in the prayer books of the reign of Anne. Indeed it was not till sometime after the accession of George the first, that the University of Oxford ceased to re print the Office of Healing together i with the Liturgy. Theologians of em- i inent learning, ability and virtue gave the sanction of their authority to this mummery ; and what is stranger still, medical men of high note believed or affected to believe in the baloamic vir tues of the royal hand." He says that Charles the Second, in the course of his reign, touched near a hundred thous and persons. The number seems to have increased or diminished as the king's popularity rose or fell. During that Tory reaction which followed the desolation of the Oxford Parliament, the press to get near him was terriflic. In 1682 he performed the rite eight thousand five hundred times. In 1684 the throng was such that six or seven of the sick were trampled to death. James, in one of his progresses, touched eight hundred persons in the choir of the Cathedral of Chester. William, Prince of Orange, the wisest ruler Eng land ever had, sneered at the thing. Macauly says he " had too much sense to be duped and too much honesty to bear a part in what he knew to be an imposture.' ' It is a silly superstition' he exclaimed when he heard that at the close of Lent, his palace was be sieged by a crowd of the sick. ' Give the poor creatures some money nd send them away !' On one single occa sion he was importuned into laying his hand on a patient. ' God give you better health,' he said, 'and more sens.e.' Parents of scrofulus children cried out against his cruelty ; bigots lifted up their hands and eyes in horror at his impiety; Jacobites sarcastically praised him for not presuming to arro gate to himself a power which belonged ! only to legitimate sovereigns, and even some Whigs thought he acted unwisely in treating with such marked contempt j a superstition which had a strong hold on the vulgar mind; but William was not to be moved, and was accordingly set down by many nigh Churchmen as either an infidel or a puritan." I re peat, may we not hope that the time will come when the clear light of reas on and revelation will shear away the last lingering shadow of the supersti tions of the dark ages, which now hang about the teachings of " the only true Church." N. F. R. For the N. C. Christian Advoeate. llev. 11. T. Ilejlin : I see in your last issue, in the historical sketch of Methodism in N. C, an enquiry re specting "McKnight's Church," at which an annual Conference was held on " Saturday, April 11," 1789. "McKnight's Church" was located near the Yadkin river, in Davidson county, (at that time, however, it was Rowan county,) two miles south of Clemmonsville, about one mile to the left of the road going on to Mocksville, Davie county. It was a substantial log building, and one of the first chur ches erected in that region of the coun try, for the use of the Methodist So cieties. For many years Methodism flourished in lU immediate vicinity ; and on the increase of the Society' there, they : the -house too incom uiudiuiis ior the congregation attend ing, and determined to build a larger and more convenient one. This was soon effected, and named Mi. Plea sant, situated on a high eminence noi far distant from the old church. There was another Conference held at McKnight's church in the year " one thousand eight hundred and two." as I have it in proof in a parchment for Deacon's Orders, executed by " Rich ard Whatcoal, one of the Bishops of the Methodist Episcopal Church, in America. As this is a relic of olden times, I will here insert it. " Knoio all men by these presents, That I, Richard Whatcoal, one of the Bishops of the Methodist Episcopal Church, in America, under the protec tion of Almighty God, and with a sin gle eye to his glory, by the imposition of my hands and prayer, have this day set apart John Doub, for the office of a Deacon in the said Methodist Epis copal Church, a man whom I judge to be well qualified for that work : And I do hereby recommend him to all whom it may concern, as a proper person to administer Baptism, Marriage, and the Burial of the Dead, in the absence of an Elder, and to feed the flock of Christ, so long as his spirit and practice are such as becometh the gospel of Christ. " In testimony whereof, I have here unto set my hand and seal, this f day of January, in the year of our Lord, one thousand eight hundred and two. " Richard Whatcoal, seal. " North Carolina, Rowan county." Instead of "McKnight's Church" and Mt. Pleasant, preaching has been removed to Clemmonsville, as one of the regular appointments of the (now) i Forsythe circuit. j.1 x snoaia nave leisure at some sub sequent period, I propose to give asuc- cinct history of the introduction, pro- gress, and present prospects oi Aleth- jodism in the middle counties of Wes- J tern N. C, and also some other coun ties bordering on Virginia. There are many incidents connected with early Methodism in that region of country, which, if carefully noted, would be of great interest to those who feel any concern for the honor and integrity of Methodism. I would be pleased to receive com munications respecting the earlier pe riods of the introduction of Methodism, from the following brethren, who may obtain all the facts of history in this regard, in their respective counties : Rev. Henry Asbury, of Lincoln : Rev. James Purvis, of Wilkes ; Rev. James Patterson, of Iredell ; Rev. Win. A. Robic, near Huntsvillg, of Yadkin co. ; Richard Gwinn, Esq., Surry ; Rev. Mi chael Doub, of Forsythe ; and Col. J, Gibson, of Stokes. Communications from them, directed to me at Rocking ham, Richmond county, will be gladly received. Will the Rev- William Bar ringer, P. E. of the Salisbury District, also furnish me with facts on this sub ject Brother Heflin, I have long thought that a carefully written history of Methodism in the Old North State, would be of great service and interest to our common cause ; and have de sired, that some one capable of doing so would attend to it soon. Soon, or it will never be done. Those Avho can furnish the facts, will in a short time leave the scenes of this life. Yours affectionately, PETER DOUB. Rockingham, May 4th, 1857. The writer of thia article, delivered (such as it was) his first sermon in this new house, the second Sunday in January, ISIS. He hs frequently preached there since. It is now one of the oldest churches in all that country, and used only on funeral occasions. f Date faded so as to be entirely effaced. For the N. C. Christian Advocate. EDUCATION. Bro. Hefl;n : In my last article, the question was propounded, could the church educate the masses. In this one, I shall commence to answer it in the affirmative. It cannot be done through colleges or bjgh schools, for to thesethe maes haye not, and cannot, have access : they are absolutely ex cluded by the expense. Then, it must be by schools established in every neigh borhood, where the pupils can board at home, where the tuition is cheap, and to which all the children, male and fe male, can have access. Until this is done, the masses can never be educated, though there wa an, endowed college in every county. The establishment of such schools depends upon the efforts and influence of the ministry. There must be a leading spirit in this, as in all other enterprises. The preachers by their calling, position and attain ments, are pre-eminently qualified to lead in this work. They can appreci ate its importance ; they have oppor tunities to know the best means to ac complish it ; they have access to, the confidence of the people, and a right to expect their co operation. It is their duty, solemn and imperative, made so by the authority of the church, and by the word of God, and enforced by a proper understanding of their relation to God, the church and the country. Then the work is to bft accomplished through schools located in every neigh borhood. Can this be done ? It can. But the assertion must be taken with a qualification it must be a mixed school all the boys and girls in the vicinity must be necessary to sustain it; and at this point we meet the great dif ficulty, great, because a prejudice in the garb of virtue, professing and loudly claiming tc be the guardian of female purity. Unless this prejudice be re moved, them asses, especially in the more sparsely settled regions, can never be educated; henie, to remove this ob stacle, will bethe aim of my next article. J. II. BRENT. May 9th, 1857. Tor the X. 0. Christian Advocate Whom shall I Marry ? This is the all-absorbing with thqse who contemplate the connubial state, and have not yet decided with whom to unite, Other things hold a subordinate re- lation to this important subject, and are often neglected by the anxious inquirer "uu lccia lIlc it'i"c ui iUo....g wise choice, ims is excusaoie, it is excusable, if in connection with this solicitude, right views are entertained, and proper means used to accomplish the desired object. But it often happens that false notions are suffered to influence the de- nnd a. nhoifift is made which proves fatal to the happiness sought by fi . 11 ' "wuan ,hnt ; ; t.W tfcl step ue tajcen witn aue consideration, riage is calculated to increase the hap piness of those who are suited to each other, but wo to the couple who expect to find it without a proper regard to this important requisition. Without it, wealth, beauty, nor olmao inppint99, i" or nl tried But there is a way to avoid making egregious mistakes in matters of this sort, and 1 would call the attention of those interested, to the subject ; believ - ing that it is not, as some suppose, a matter of chance, but of Providential results. God has endowed us with social af fections, and also with reason to govern those affections ; but to cultivate one without the aid of the other, will be to defeat his purposes in regard to our happiness. He has instituted this re lation for our good, and such it proves to be when in accordance with his re vealed will. Then, the most important step to be taken is this Make it a matter c,f ear nest prayer, and seek to know the will of God. " Commit thy ways unto Him and He shall direct thy paths." Sure ly there is no subject on which we need Divine guidance more than this, being so intimately connected with our pre sent and future happiness. Do not make up your mind first, and then ask God to sanction your choice ; but ask him to direct your mind and affections, and see that you follow the directions of His providence, and he will surely lead you in the way of light and peace. How many unfortunate marriages have taken place even among professors of religion, because they have taken the matter into their own hands, and failed to seek direction from God. In this matter the Christian hag the advantage of the sinner, if he will avail himself of his privilege. The Christian lady has also equal advantages with the gentleman, having the same kind Providence directing her destiny. If God sees it will he best for her to marry, it will be easy enough for him to send the right one. But notwithstanding marriage was instituted by Qqd himself, it does not necessarily follow that he would have all to marry ; and if he fails to open the way, it should be taken as an evi dence that we may serve him better under some circumstances, in a state of " single blessedness." E. The First Twenty ears. Live as long as you may, the first twenty em ,1 , i f years torm tne greater part pi your lite. They appear so when they are passing ; they seem to have been so when we look back to them ; and they take up more room in our memory than all the years that succeed them. If this be so, how important that they should be passed in planting good prin ciples, cultivating good tastes, strength ening good hahita and fleeing all those pleasures which lay up bitterness and sorrow for time to come. Take good care of the first twenty years of your life, and you may hope that the last twenty will take good care of you. dertinti5. "A Religion for all Weathers. There is a fishing village on the coast of Cornwall, where the people are very poor, but pious and intelligent. Last year they were sorely tried. The winds were contra ry, and for nearly a month they could not put to sea. At last, one Sabbath morning the wind changed, and some of the men whose faith was weak went out towards the beach, the women and children look ing so sadly, many saying with sighs, 'I'm sorry its Sunday, but ' 'If we are so poor ' 'Uut if,' said a sturdy fisherman, start ing up and speaking aloud, 'surely, neigh bors, you're not going with your buts and ifs to break God's law V The people gathered arouud him, and he added, 'Mine's a religion for all weath ers, fair wind and foul. 'This is thehve of God, that ye keep his law.' 'Remember the Sabbath day to keep it holy that's the law. True, we are very poor; what of that ? Better poor, and have God's smile, than rich and have his frown. Go, you that dare ; but I never knew any good come of a religion that chanm-d with the wind.' These words in season stayed the pur pose of the rest. They went home and made ready for the house of God, and spent the day in praise and prayer. In 'he even ing, jnst wht?n they would have been re turning, a sudden storm spraug up, that raged terribly f r two clays. After the tempest came settled weather, and the pil chard fishery was so rich and abundant that there was soon no eumplaiuing in the ' village. Here was a religion for all weath question ; ers- Remember the words, "Trust in the entering I Lord and do good, and verily thou shalt be . . . . w . w Orleans. Thj phil;l(1e hia corrcspdent of the vr York Sundav JJisnatc-h iiives the 1Y.I- , losing rather tough, anecdote yc have a .Methodist, preacher who is a jolly wag A few days since a young man who had been attached to his church, and j who was about to leave for New Orleans, came to bid hi pastor farewell. 'And so ! you are going to the degraded p.ac. Mew Orleans, are you?' 'Yes, sir; but I don't expect to be influenced by any extraneous P,ssur??f anv. kind, responded the young ; T , , so confident. But do you Know tne temptations wmcu exist there?' 'Not particularly, sir.' 'Well, I do. You'll find wanton women in the guise of perils, tempting the very elect; and rave wines and ardent drinks ; and you'll find say company an 1 night brawl- farric can pur- j nS ad gambling and dUsip-uinn, and run as! it h.is hppn i ninsr after the lusts of the old man Adam.' 'btlll, sir, 1 hope to combat ttiese success fully.' 'I hope you will, my dear chris tian brother,' was the reply, 'I hope you will Anil lof nrt fflrp vnii thw miwdi for i consolation in case you should fall ; from race . tae tempter is worse than the sin, and tne greater tne temptation ine more merit there is in resisting it. The man who goes to Heaven by the way of New Orleans is sure to have twice as high a place in eternal glory as he who reaches Paradise through the quiet portals of Con necticut or Pennsylvania.' Poor Little Jim. The cottage was a thatchd one, the outside old and mean, But all within that little cot was wondrous neat and clean ; The night was dark ami stormy, the wind was howling wild. As a patient mother sat beside the death-bed of her child : A little worn-out creature, his once bright eyes grown dim. It was a collier's wife nnd child, they called him little Jii ; And oh! to sec. the briny tears fast hurrying down her cheek, As she offered up the prayer, in thought, she was afraid to speak, Lest she might waken one she loved far bet ter than her life ; For she had all a mother's heart, had that poor collier's wife. With hands uplifted, see, she kneels beside the sufferer's bgd, And prays that He would spare her boy, and take herself instead. She gets her answer from the child : soft fall the words from him, "Mother, the angels do so smile, and beckon little Jim, I have no pain, dersr nother, now, but oh ! I am so dry. Just moisten poor Jim's lips again, and, moth er, don t you crv. With gentle, trembling haste she held the li quid to his lip ; He smiled to thank her, as he took each lit tle, tiny sin. " Tell father, when he comes from work, I said eood meht to him. And, mother, now I'll go to sleep." Alas ! noor little Jim ! Sha knew that he was dying ; that the child she loved so dear, Had uttered the last words she might ever hope to hear, The cottage door is opened, the collier's step is heard. The father and'the mother meet, yet neither speak a word. He felt that all was over, he knew his child was dead, He took the candle in his hand and walked toward the bed ; His quivering lips gave, token of the grief he'd fain conceal, And see, his wife has joined him, the strick en couple kneel : With hearts bowed down by sadness, they humbly ask of ilim In Heaven once more to meet again their own poor little Jim. Cheap Ornaments. When Dr. Frank lin was in Paris, his daughter, Mrs. Bache, wrote to him for a supply of feathers and thread lace. The doctor declined in the following characteristic note : " If you wear your cambric ruffles as I do, and take care not to mend the holes, they will come in time to lace ; and feath ers, my dear girl, may be had in America from every turkey's tail." Is Christ in the House ? The Rev. Dr. Nettleton, while pass ing the residence of a gentleman in oim of his walks, went up to the door and knocked. A young woman came to the door, of whom he inquired, " if Je sus dwelt there." Quite astonished, she made no reply. Again he asked, 4 Does Jesus Christ dwell in this ho ue?' " No, sir," said she, and invited him to come in. "0 no," said he, very aadly ; "if Christ is not here, I can't como in," ami then turned, and went away. me next time no preaencu m uav city, a young woman met him as he was leaving he church, and with tears in her eyes, asked if he recollected in quiring at a house if Christ dwelt there. " Yes." said he, " I do." " I a:n that person," said the, " of whom you inquired, and it has been blessed to my soul." fnx tjjc (Cjjilirrn. ' I Can't Get my Lesson. "' 0 dear, I shall never get this Ies ! It's awful hard, and I'll give it up. bo said young I red Faintheart the other day as he sat with his elbow on the table, one hand in his hair and tho other turning down dog's-car.s in his book. And th;n he gave such a yawn that his mouth seemed stretched from car to ear almost. His mother was startled by the noise, and said: " Why, Freddy, what is tho matter?" O, nothing, only I can't learn this lesson. It is tougher than a pine-knot, and I shall give it up," replied, tho boy pettishly. " Give it up, Freddy ? Never, my son. Don't let it be said that a little lesson, which a thousand other chil dren have learned, conquered you. Remember tho ant that cheen-d tho Tartan conqueror, Tirnour, and in nter your lesson." " Tell me about the ant, mot her." " Tirnour," said his mother, waj once forced to flee from his enemies. He hid in a ruined building, and give way to feelings of SAdncss. Presently he saw an ant toiling to carry a piece of food to its cell in the old wall. But its load was too heavy, Tiicour saw it roll back with its loud sirty-nine times ! But the seventieth time it carried iti point. The unfailing energy of thia aid cheered the rough soldier, a n I rc- utoi-od hia oniirrtgf. It in ail ho novor forgot the lesson he learned from his little teacher." " Well done, little ant!" excla mcd Freddy ; " I'll treat my lesson as you did your food. I guess I can ret it after all." And Freddy did get his lesson. A little effort conquered ir, and he jumped up with alangh in his eye, shouting as he leaped acrs the floor and saying: " Hurrah ! Hurrah ! I've gor, my lesson !" The next Sabbath Freddy's teacher looked at him with a pleasant smile at the close of a well-said lesson. That smile passe dlike sunlight into the boy's heart, and I believe he seldom filled after that to conquer his lossons. I wish all the Freddies in my Advocate family would catch the persevering spirit, as he did, from Timour's ant. A Child's Thoughts- The idea which run through thes lia and which is so beautifully and naturally carried out, it U said was expressed by i boy five years old. The whole piaco is trui to a child's fancy. 0, I long to lie, dear mother, On tho cool and fragrant grass, With notning Imt the sty above my he id, And the 6haJowing clouds that pass. Ami I want tho bright, bright sunshine, All round about my bed ; I'll close my eyes and God will think Your little boy is dead ! Then Christ will send an angel To take me up to him ; He will bear me, slow and steady, Far through the other dim,. He will gently, gently lay me Close to the Savior's side, And when I'm sure that we're in heaven, My eyes I'll open wide ; And I'll look among the angels That stand about the throne, 'Till I find my sister Mary, For I know she must be one. And when I find her, mother, We wi'l go away alone. And I will tell her how we're mourned All the while she has been gone t Oh ! I shall be delighted To hear her speak again Though I know she'll ne'er return to us To ask her would be vain. So I'll put my arms around her, And look into her eyes, And remember all I said to her, And all her sweet replies. And then I'll ask the angei To take me back to you He'll bear me, slow and steadily, Iown through the ether blue. And you'll only think, dear mother, I have been out to play, And have gone to sleep beneath a tree, This sultry summer day. - 4 Cheerfulness is a test of virtue and good health. When a man begins to turn rascal he grows hollow eyed and amazingly thoughtful. T2 u-
North Carolina Christian Advocate (Raleigh, N.C.)
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May 21, 1857, edition 1
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