North Carolina Newspapers

THE FLOWERS COlliCTlUN r 1 PUBLISHED WEEKLY BY A COMMITTEE OF MINISTERS FOR, THE NORTH CAROLINA COS FERENCE, M. E. CHURCH, SOUTH. RUFUS T. IIEFLIN, Editor. Ri.usic.if, Tranunwar ggtobeh mt mi. n m roar, in m.?. Vat. HXq. O. (Original, For the N. C. Christian Advocate. Proselytism aid Proselyters. NVM1JKU III. 31 E. Editor : I will now direct atten tion to another phase of proselytism, that is in my opinion far more reprehensible and criminal, than that which has passed in review before us, viz: cdwafioial pros tlytism. Tn my former article, I noticed the subject as occurring in the ordinary course of ministerial or church, operations : as being conducted where counteracting influences might detect, and probably de feat the underhanded tergiversations of the unprincipled proselyter. Even in that as pect of the case, it is a business too little ;u. i mean for an honorable christian man or woman to engage in ; but when we come to consider it as practised in Institutions it an appropriate designation. The practice of which I am sncakin-r, is a betrayal of a socrea trust. .Liter ary Institutions Lave for their object the nnpai tation of learning, and as such should never be converted into not houses, or ecclesiastical feeders to any particular Church. I spe.ik of course, now, of those institutions which profess to be purely lit erary, and disdain sectarian preponderancy. Institutions essentially denominational such as are created for the special and avowed purp se of teaching and enforcing the doctrinal peculiarities of any particular Church, may not come under the same de gree of censure as others professing neu tralicy. When parents and guardians send their children and wards to schools or colleges that are known to be sectarian, then they all, with their eyes open, and knowingly, assume all the responsibility corisei-uent upon such a selection : and in after years when their hearts bleed in con sequence of the alienation of their children and wards from the church of their fathers; and their feelings are wounded and out raged by their contemptuous remarks about their church, her ordinances and ministers when they refuse to commune with their fathers and mothers, and declare their Church organization a nullity, and their hopes baseless i 'faries, they will have no tiding, they are liable to the grossest impo one to blame but th ms, (ct s ; and hence sitiua of unprincipled traitors. That this their severest sufferings are a J nut reward lis true is proven from the fact, that many the stipulated price of their own palpable i Protestant children, have, under the tui-! inconsistency, and their infidelity to the i tion of I'apists, been induced to gulp down Church of their choice. For such ingrates j the damnable monstrosities of popery; I have no sympathy: they invite 1, and, I while those of 3Iethodist and Presbyterian in the nature of the case, almost necessita ted the lesults that embitter their lives tion engage to defray the expenses of edu cation, while the officers obligate themselves to guard the moral purity, and seek to ef fect the intellectual finish of those commit ted to their charge. Such are the mutual obligations of the parties contracting. In committing their children to the care of the officers of such institutions, parents and guardians transfer, for the time being, their authority to the officers, who, in their turn, assume the obligation to watch over, and the right to control their pupils. They become, in fact, the representatives of the absent ones. What higher, more racred trust can be confided to mortals than this ? And be it remembered, that this act is consummated with the distinct knowledge of the religious opinions, and church con nections of the confiding parties; and the phiji'l neutrality of those unto whom the trust is conlided. In such a case, every honorable and christian principle that glows within the human soul, is plighted to those who have placed their children uui,i. tac bupci v'lSiuii um. aii. preceptors. Honor and religion alike ' bind them to guard and guide the subjects of their charge He who betrays such a trust, is guilty of the highest infidelity, and is unworthy of the respect and confidence of his fellow men. lie is a traitor, and deserves a trai tor's doom. There is in the conduct of educational proselyters a littleness of soul, and mean ness of spirit, that is almost without a par allel. The age at which children and youths are sent to school and colleges, is the most impressible in the whole range of human existence. Kemoved from the restraints and associations of home, they are brought into strange connections and under new influences. They feel their isolation, and their minds and hearts are susceptible of the strongest impressions, and warmest emotions of rratitude. Kindness shown to, and interest manifest in them, call forth the glowing, gushing affection of their hearts. Under such circumstances, away f , 1 .It .!! irom tue niotner s bosom and the tattier s arms, it is natural for them to look up to their preceptors ; and, if their looks are met with affection and sympathy, their grateful trusting natures become like wax in the burning sun, prepared to receive whatever impressions are sought to be made upon them. Unsuspecting and con- Permit me, then, gentle reader, to ad monish you to make sure work for eter nity. " J- W. Jefferson, N. C, Oct. 1, 1857. fdtrtifltt 5. From the Pacific Methodist. The Gospel Baptism Its True Mode. Many have supposed that baptism originated with. John, but this is a great mistake. Baptism Avas divinely insti tuted in the 'time of Moses. John was however sent on a special mission to baptize the Jews with the baptism of repentance, to prepare them for the coming of Christ. But St. Paul says (Heb. ix. 10,) there were in the Mosa ic ritual 'divers taptisms.' In our common version of the Bible, it is 'di ners nnristhinqs' bu in f-h original it is 'baptismois baptising.' These 'di vers baptisms,' were those purifications which were almost daily performed by the Jews. Yet they were shadows of good thing3 to come ; and were bap tisms, St. Paul being judge. But be. sides those frequent baptisms, there are on record three distinct and re markable instances of baptisms, to which I must call your special atten tion. Notwithstanding these are not, in the Old Testament, called baptisms, I yet, as they are so called by the Apos tle, who spoke as he was moved by the Holy Ghost, we are fully authorised to call them baptisms. 1. The first is the baptism of the Is- j raelites unto Moses in the cloud and in j blood is no remission. It icas, there fore, necessary that the PATTERNS of things in the heavns should be pu rified (baptised,) with these ; but tJie heavenly things themselves with better sacrifices than these. For Christ is not entered into the holy places made with hands, whioh are the FIGURES OF THE TRUE, but into heaven it self, now to appear iii the presence of God for us.' It would be entirely su perfluous, to say that the Mosaic trans action,, mentioned in the above quota tion was typical of similar transactions under the Gospel of Christ. The Apos tle has been so full and particular in his expressions, that it seems impossi. ble to understand him in any other sense; and our mind3 are naturally transported froth the solemn and impo sing scenes of tf mint Sinai, where all the vast mpjtifide of Israel are hang ing, and in b. eathles-3 silence, upon the lips of their great Lawgiver, until he has spoken every wecept, and the peo ple all cry out s nd say, 'All that the I Lord hath eomnanded us, will we do and be obedieit..' And then Moses 'SPRINKLED BOTH THE BOOK AND ALL THE PEOPLE,' and thus seals the covenait. to that still more glorious event, it Jerusalem, when Pe ter stood up win the eleven, and pro claimed a fre and full salvation through faith in our Lord Jesu3 Christ, and the people cried out and said, 'Men and brethren, what shall we do ? And he said mto them, llepent and be baptized evcii one of you, in the name of Jesus Christ, for the remis sion of sins, ana ve shall receive the ti- j parents, have, under educational infidelity, imbibed and cherished that figment of po- , aud its correla-san-a mental tfi- let tnem ecu uie numinaiion and anguisa pery, oposioim sur, , .si ,,n which they invoked, for they richlv deserve I tions confirmation and every pang tney suosequently experience. I oenry ; or, the equally absurd, and far But while I leave them in tears, I am not j more ridiculous notion, of hnni'-ri'r:ial pivp-ire't t-uilicl i tTAltum-r-iits me mail- ) "tt'tttt' tttt'l V'-fssiry. rUCri CDfSngCS asrers of su--!i institutions from blame. If these converts to a creed or party have they received the children with the lenon:- been made at the sacrifice of honor and h,tai th.it those who placed them there be-! christian iideiity : and, wnen made, are orten gloried in as the trophies ot truth and religion. To what depths of ignominy will the spirit of bigotry and proselytism reduce tho children of men ! I had rather ' be a dog and bay the moon," than sub ject my soul to such suppleness. Let those who can descend so low in the scale of hu man existence, " glory in their shame." He who wold such a trust betray, Pervert the faith, or draw away Those placed beneath his care : Would, did occasion serve his end, Both honor and religion rend To serve his base career. Virginia. EPISTOLEUS. rvn- die ". C. Cfn istiiiu Advocate. REASON. 1 Tired to other Churches, the principles of A ' toia-J honor and christian inynnous .. should have prevented them from ta kincr aivantage of the inexperience, and i"norauce of those committed to their eharire. They were placed under their care and supervision, not to learn the peculiari ties of a creed not to be indoctrinated in to theological technicalities, but to be taught the arts and sciences ; to receive the best o 1 Jcvtioti Ut. ran that their i nstitutk n could impart; and while it was incumbent on them to watch over their moral deport ment, it was no part of their business to zi''A t!n;ir rt liioi's iiiiitioiis. If a family were to receive ibe child of a frieml as a v'ik'i--..ji-, aad slio-Jid seek to draw that child away from the Church and faith of the pa- v , i l w- i t Leason is one of the leading faculties fi urr,n and condemned as the betrayers -,. . ... - ,. , . . . ofcoVdidence, the violators of good faith, ! distinguishing rational from irrational and honorable breeding? Surely they I be,nS3- By it we are enabled to ex would. There may be a shade of differ-) amine, compare and estimate the value ence iu the case of the Professors and j and utility of things for time and eter Teaeiiers in literary Institutions, because j nity. The great Creator, after endow thesc an ia id to he faithful to the trust j ing man with this noble faculty, has committed to their care. Hence honor condescended to call upon him to ex- -.,. , "or.l ,;.,.da',ie to uart ji.hlit,. Crcise it on the all important subject of Thui doubly bound, how can they, how j ji3 gouis salvation. What good reason canst thou g:ve, oh, mar,, for continuing irreligious ? Is i there anything connected with the christian religion to impair thy mind, or diminish permanent happiness ? Is there a God whose penetrating eye is constantly scanning every secret thought, and imagination of the heart ? and must we all give an account to him therefor in a corning day ? Is there a heaven of endless happiness, a hell of interminable woe ? Must one of these places bo our eternal abode, to be de termined by a holy or unholy life ? If so, whatsaith reason? does it not dictate that we should "first seek the kingdom of God, and his righteousness?" Could we but draw aside the vail, and roll up eternity to view. Could we glance into the dolorous regions of eternal night, while surging waves of liquid fire are angrily dashing them selves against the sides of the pit, where the distorted features and hideous groans of the unhappy inmates could he seen and heard in this most frightful aspect, every Avave bearing an unbroken sound of avoc and lamentation; and then turn and take a view of the pearly gates, the golden streets, the glittering Avails, tho spacious mansions,and lofty thrones of the heavenly world; with the order, beaut y,and hiinpiness of its inhabitants, hear the melody of their songs of praise, avouM not reason teach that Ave imme diately press to the arras of an inviting Saviour and have our polluted souls washed and purified; cheerfully sacri ficing every earthly prospect for the hope of an inheritance in that sun bright land. Are these mere visionary reflec tions ? no verily. But contain truthful realities that must be shortly expe rienced by all the inhabitants of earth. dare they, tamper with the religious pre fcrences of their pupils seek by every possible means to convert them to their party ? It seems to me, that those who ict thus are laboring under great moral obtu-enoss, or sadly deficient in religious principle. But, 31 r. Editor, I have been treating thi inut-.r in the most favorable litrht in which it can be- presented to the mind of :n .partial reader, and even under this a poet, the system of proselytism is abhor rent t every honorable sensibility of the s ..'i! ; in what Hbt then must it appear, Aviien conducted under the deceitful guise of a p.nend catholicity when sanctioned and pursue 1 in those institutions Avhich are pr .fu-sedly literary, aud neutral iu religious faith? As already stated, language is in c.ip:ible of giving to such conduct its appro priate character. " live-destroying, cursed Bigotry! Corscd in heaven, but cursed more in hell, "Viier! millions curse thee, and must ever curse ! lVrligiuns most abhored ! perdition's most ruriorn. Ood s most abandoned: hells most damned '." ThoS3 Avho can sell themselves to such a wnk, arc dyed in the wool of " Bigotry;" as in their ou-n estimation " most rational, nio't .-'rSptural, most sacred; but who, v.';t'i regard to all others " With mortal hercy denouncing all AA ho in their ' arguments could see no f. ;v:.' " They are the tools of " a party," the de- ' birds of 11 a creed," who in order to ac-r-:iii'!iii their n ls, will resort to any and every s'ilt' rfugo that ingenuity or mean ness suggest. I L.:ve said, that eilueat.ional proscJit ism .' hftraif li of a. mtercd trust. When parents and guardians place their children und.-r the temporary guardianship of In structors, they do it for a specific and ac knowledged object, viz : their litrra. ry t minify. The patrons of the Institu. J C. ...,! V.TT Qf i Paul, as a type of our baptism unto t1ie l - host, for the pr Christ : -MOREOVER, bre thren I f J V fld f.ur children, and to Avould not that ye should be ignorant ! f that are aro, even as , i . n c .i i i.u 1 Lord our (Jod shall call. 1 hen they Low that all our fathers Avcre under the r , 77 . 7 , . 7 ii i co . rwl wnii!' qladbf received las word were cloud and in the sea; and were all 7 7.. .,-. 7-7 . Ara i,i ..,1 BAPTIZED; and the same day there baptised unto Moses in the cloud and . 777 ,7 7 . , , -1 o rn were added unto them about three in the sea. 1 tor. x. J, we can- 7 7 7 , . 1 c i i, f , TrMi;,o I thousand souls. The coincidence is not, therefore deny that the Israelites ; i t- 1 v wo Ur,,T i,nf ;so striking, that Ave cannot avoid noti Avere baptized. JN or can Ave deny that , . . jj . t of f his typical Church, bring- nto covenant with Lrod by SPRINKLING WATER and blood upon them. Peter brings them into the Gosnel coA'cnant. the antitype of 1 V M. . 1 tm ba CO ples, or types. It is, therefore, plain, that they were both baptised, and that their baptism Avas typical of ours. It only remains to ascertain 7iow they were baptised ; ' for that is now our nrincinal subject of inquiry. And first is was typical of Christian or Gospel . n l' k ptism ; for the Apostle adds, (verse j ho icaa . I 'Now these things were oar exa.ai- j l1 the law by baptism; one is the type of the other. The typo Avas sprinkling so Avas the antitype, or it was not a ful- I may safely affirm that they were not! J" "l U1U 1, J 7 . m .i ! God is true. 1 he blood of 'calves and imiiterscu, 101 ij.usi,3 cApiusaij -;lj"', ! , f. that thev 'walked on dni land t. the si-. . , Jr.- si-- anrr ' It V "V 1 Tl- 91 lb I lrf land immersion ; Avmch, 1 sup- ot our baptists avouiU re- none pose ceive. buch a case, in our day, even by the Baptists themselves, Avould be set down as no immersion at all. Well then, here is baptism without immer sion. The Egyptians were immersed, for the waters covered them, and they sank like lead in the waters. Ex. xv. 10 ; but Paul does not say that the Egyptians were baptized. Surely, iT Paul intended to teach immersion in this case, he took the wrong subjects. But he says also, that they were bap tised in the cloud, as well as in the sea. We cannot see how they could be flipped in the cloud, for it Avas above them. !So that here also, we see no chance for immersion. That they were baptized by affusion we have plain testimony in the 77th Psalm : Thou hast with thine arm re deemed thy people, the sons of Jacob and Joseph; the waters saw thee, 0 (rod, the ivaters saw thee ; they were afraid ; the depths also tvere troubled. THE CLOUDS POURED OUT WA TER, the skies send forth a sound. Thy way is in the sea, and fh y path in the great waters', Thou leadest thy pteople like a flock, by the hand of Mo ses and Aaron.' That the Psalmist in this passage, speaks of the same event as that mentioned by St. Paul, is too plain to admit of a doubt ; and this passage clearly settles the question of mode in this baptism. St. Paul says, this was baptism ; (1 Cor. x. 1, 2.) the Psalmist says it Avas by pouring ; the clouds POURED OUT. WATER. This is a clear, mathematical demon stration of affusion. Neither in the clouds nor in the sea were they thor oughly Avet, for they walked on 'dry ground' They were probably sprink led by the spray of the sea, as it was agitated 'by a strong east wind,' and 'the clouds poured out' water enough to baptize them. We will therefore set this doAvn as the FIRST DEMON STRATION, THAT AFFUSION is the Scriptural mode of baptism. II. Another and more circumstan tial baptism of the Old Testament, is that Avhich took place at Mount Sinai, when all the people Avcre specially brought unto covenant Avith God by the ministry of Moses. This transaction is thus noticed by the inspired Apostle : Heb. ix. 15, to 2oth inclusiA'c : 'Tor tohen 3Ioses had spoken every precrept to all the people, according to the law, he took the blood of calves and goats, with WATER, and scarlet wool and hyssov, and SPRINKLED, both the book and roats' prefigured tho blood of Christ, jLil0.11-0?!-8 and 14th Verses of this chapter, and the water prefigured j our AAater baptism. Here also, in this ! great and most so'emn act of initiation into the covenant jf God by Moses,the people were SPRINKLED in the typ ical Church, therefore, they are also sprinkled in the tnie Church I this con clusion cannot possibly be avoided. This is my pkccxd DEMONSTRA TION OF AFFUSION. III. The third testimony that I shall take from the OA Testament, is the use of the Water of Purification, par ticularly describel in the 19th chapter of Numbers. It is declared to be 'a purification for tin,' verse 9 ; and in verse 18, 19, and 20, it is expressly said thai it ishall be SPRINKLED upon the unclean, and the man that shall be unclean, and shall not purify himself, shall be cut off from the con gregation of the Lord ; because the wa ter of separation hath net been sprin kled upon him.' In the 13th and 14th rerses of the 9th chapter of lie brews, the Apostle applies this Aery law to our Gospel purifications. His words are, 'For, if the blood of bulb and of goats, and the ashes of a heifer SPRIXLLIXU the unclean, sanctitieth to the purifying of the flesh, how much more shall the blood of Christ, who, through the eternal spirit, offered him self Avithout spot t) God, purge your conscience from dead works to serve the living God.' He telh us also, that the priests who sprinkled the people, served unto the EXAMPLE AND SIIADOAV ofhea'enly things. Heb. viii. 5. There can, therefore, be no controversy about the application of this la w of pu rification for sin to our Gospel rites or usages. But there is no practice or law in the Gospel to Avhich this law of purification can apply, but the law of baptism. This purification vas, by di vine command, performed by sprink ling, therefore baptism should be PERFORMED BY SPRINKLING. You will please to remember, this is one of those Divers Baptisms mentioned by Paul. Heb. ix. 10, already quoted. This is baptism, and it is sprinkling, there is no dodging it. Tim is my third de- MONSTRATION. of men in the authority of the Bible, seems to be the great aim of the enemy. And this he attempts by suggesting new theories of inspiration theories differing and even contradictory among themselves, but all agreeing in the ef fort to reduce to the lowest possible point the very idea ot inspiration. Paul's word, 'God-inspired,' 2 Tim. 8: 1C, is made to mean a little more than the afflatus of the poet, or the dream of the enthusiast. Against this deadly error we would utter a note of warning. The Bible, as the rule of faith and the guide of life, is valuable only as we place implicit confidence in it as the true word of the living God. Once un settle the trust of the mind in it as His utterance to us, though in human lan guage, and you have destroyed the foundations of all faith, and thrown the race out upon a storm-swept ocean, Avithout chart, compass, or polestar. For if the foundations be destroyed, what can even the righteous do ? Though the subject is a large one, and not Avithout its difficulties, there are a few points Avhich, if unalterably established in the mind, will free us from doubt and danger. The great question is this : Were the writers of the book we call the Bi ble divinely and unerringly guided in what they tvrote; and is this book there fore an infallible guide to ust In ansAver, note the folIoAving points: 1. God promised this guidance to those Avhom he called as prophets. Thus to Moses and Aaron he said, 'I will be Ayith thy mouth, and Avith his mouth, and will teach you what ye shall do.' Exod. 4: 15. See also Deut. 18: 20. Such language is frequent throughout the Old Testament. 2. The prophets claimed that Avhat they uttered were God's words. 'Hear ye, and give ear; be not proud; for the Lord hath spoken." Jer. 13: 15. So in hundreds of instances. 3. Christ and the Ncav Testament writers appeal to the Old Testament as inspired of God : 'Have you not read that which was spoken unto vou bv God ?' Matt. 22: 31. 'It is written' avus enough to carry undoubting con viction to their hearers. Of the more than four hundred refer ences in the New testament to the au thority of the Old, Ave refer to only two, and they are conclusive: namely, 2 Tim. 3: 16, and 2 Peter 1: 21. 1 wnnnxl tr. l.t '.Iratloll Uf lIlKS New TooUu.v..t, ivu it ue noteu, 1. Christ promised the Holy Spirit to dwell in and guide his disciples the writers into all truth. See John 14: 16, 17 and 20; 14: 20, 27; 10: 12, 13. 2. The apostles claim obedience to their commands, and credence to their utterances because God inspired. 'Ye received the word of God which ye heard of us, not a3 the Avord of men, but as it is in truth the Avord of God.' 1 Thess. 2; 13. See also 2 Peter 3: 2. This line of argument, if fully de veloped, will establish the inspiration of the Old and New Testament, in the minds of all who belieAe in the Aeracity of Christ and his apostles. Upon the question, How far did this divine guidance extend ? Ave know of no safe ground,but that which claims the entire control or the writers by the Ho ly Spirit, even to the very Avords in which they wrote, and extending OA'er the whole range ot topics in the Scrip tures, theology, ethics, history, biogra phy, every thing. Clinging to this as the truth, we meet fewer difficulties than upon any theory of partial inspiration, and have a stable ioundation upon which to stand, against the assaults of infidelity. J he fcenptures, the benptures as the very words ot uod to us this is the sheet-anchor of our faith. Let us clasp them to our hearts, take them a3 the man of our counsel, the light to our path, the unerring directory in duty, the support in trial, the solace in af fliction, and the infallible guide to heaven American Messenaer. earth and hell, men and devils: 'Who shall lay anything to the charge of God's elect ? It is God that justifieth. Who is he that condemneth ? It is Christ that died.' Now the laboring con science, that rolled and toss .'d upon the waves of a thousand fear3, may drop anchor, and ride quiet in tho pacific sea of a pardoned state. Flavel's Gospel Feast. Novel Heading Dangerous. I Novel reading is not only danger us, and acta on the mind as ardent spirits do on the body, but it is also a waste of precious time, for which God will require a strict account Dr. Hawes gives it a4.hi.-1 opinion, that ' no habitual reader of novels ean love the Bible, or any other book that demands thought, or inculcates the serious duties of life.' They become disgusted with tho plainness and simplicity of truth, and re quire and search for soniethiug new and exciting to the imagination. But, again ; the taste for novel rending Avhcn once acouired, is hard to get. rid of. Take an example: 'A young lady who had indulged for some time in the habit of novel reading, on becoming pious, fiud, I to her sorrow, tint her imagination had become so fascinated, ami In r tate so vi-' tinted by this pernicious reading, that alio j could not fix on anything permanently.' ' I would make any earthly sacrifice,' said she, 'could I thirst for the Bible, as I have after the novels. The greatest daily cross I am now compelled to take up, is to pass a novel without reading it. I would urge it as a fatal warning to all my sex, to be Avare of this fatal rock. Beware of wast ing not ouly days, but nights; in making yourselves fools all the rest of your life, if not absolutely wretehed. But, again : It sometimes leads even to insanity ! A physician in Massachusetts says : 4 I have seen a young lady with her table loaded with volumes of fictitious trash, day after day and bight after night poring over highly wrought scenes, and skillfully-poi trnyed pictures of romancc,un til her cheeks grew pale, her eyes became cold and restless, and her mind wandered, aud was lost. The light of intelligence passed behind a cloud, her soul Avas forever benighted ; she became insane, incurably insane, from reading novels !' Dr. Wajl ind says : ' He who meditates with pleasure upon pictures of pollution and crime, whether originating with him self or with others, render it evident that nothing but opposing circumstances pre vents him from being himself an actor in the crimes Avhich he loves. Let the im agination,then, be most carefully guarded, if WO tVlilfl ' . . f .j":r,, Hannah More says i 'The constant fa miliarity with works of fiction, even Avith such as are unexceptionable iu themselves, relaxes the mind, that wants hardening; dissolves the heart, that wants fortifying ; stirs the imagination, which want3quietiug; irritates the passions which want calming ; and, above all, disinclines and disqualifies for actiie virtues and tor spiritual exercis es, lhe habitual indulgence in such rca ding is a silent, mining mischief.' (Epis copal Recorder. God's Blessing on the Dance. A Hint to Mothers. The most common cause of a high shoulder is to be found in the abomina ble practice of undressing girls necks as low as the dress wili permit. Instead "of the shoulder straps of their dross bo ing, as they should be, fairly above tho shoulder, they often indeed most com monly either only skirt the extreme end, and rest on tLe rounded part of the deltoid muscles, or are actually far down on the arms; in consequence cf which, tho dresa hav ig liitlo or no suspension on the sbouHer,. id constant ly dropping, and the -irl to save her clothes dropping down, or, at least, to keep them in place, is constantly hitch ing up tho shoulder from whi:h tho shoulder-strap most easily slip, end thus the elevating niuscrcs becom ing stronger on that side, pull tho shoulder up, and produce a cvry uglv appearance. But the mischief does not stop here; for, though there really lie no disease of the spine, yet this con stant hitching up of the shoulder cause- the head and neck to In thrown to tho other side, whilst the cihest is t brown out the same side, and thus a lateral curvature of the spin" ij produced and a girl's figure is spoiled for the fiinplo purpose of uncovering her neck and shoulders as far as p-wsible, which, as Aycll for decency as for the preserva tion of the child's Imalth, ought to bo covered. Many parents have thin been the cause of their daughters distortion, if not of more serio'n consequence ; and therefore, in growing girl Aho have tho least disposition to slip their shoulder out of their dress, most espe cial care shouM be tnken to prevent the possibility of keeping up this habit, by having the dress made bo high that it cannot slip down, and then the sen sation of the slipping being lost, tho child no longer continues to hitch up her shoulder, and by a little attention to her proper carriage, tho mischief, if not of longstanding, may bo got rid of. A Lesson- Look at your 'Tardon." A Dangerous form of Infidelity. ALL THE PEOPLE, saying, this is the blood of the Testament that God hath enjoined unto you. Moreover. he. sprinkled likewise with blood both the tabernacle and all the vessels of the ministry. And almost all things are by the law, purged, (purified,baptised,) ivith blood ; and without shedding of Error is hydra-headed. When one head is destroyed by the "sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God,' an other, in a little different form, springs up in its place. So has it ever been, so will it be, till Christ shall take to him his great poAer and reign. Hence one duty of the church is to be on the alert, watching its development and shaping her Avarfare accordingly. Perhaps there is no more dangerous form of infidelity noAv threatening the truth, than that which comes to us chiefly through German critics in at tacks more or less covert, upon the in spiration of the divine word. To weak en, if not utterly uproot the confidence God writes upon thy pardon 'Free;' t has cost thee nothing: 'Being justi fied freely by his grace.' 'Thou hast brought me no sweet cane with money, neither hast thou filled me with the fat of thy sacrifices; but thou hast made me to serve Avitn tny sins, thou hast wearied me with thy iniquities.' But 'I, even 1, am he that blotteth out thy transgressions for mine own sake, and will not remember thy sins.' God Avntes upon thy pardon 'Full as well as 'free;' thy pardon extends to all the sins thou hast ever committed. 'By him, all that believeth are justified from all things.' Thou art acquitted not from one only, but from all. Thou hast a pardon free without price, full without exception. And then it is final, without revoca tion; the pardoned soul never more comes into condemnation. Thy iniqui ties are removed from theo 'as far as the east i3 from the Avest.' As these two opposite points can never meet, so so the pardoned soul and its pardoned sins can never more meet unto condem nation. Last of all, God writes upon thy par don another word as sweet a3 any of the rest, and that is, Sure. It is a standing mercy, never to be recalled or nnulled. The challenge 13 sent to Elizabeth, who had been taught bet ter things, was arrayed in tho garb of fashion, and ready for the amusement of the ball room. As she stood at the glass, placing the last rose amid her clustered locks,she hastily turned round and said to me : 'Why, Avhat makes you look so sad ? What is the matter ? Come, do not be sad any more, Put this rose in my hair and see how pretty it will look '(' I kissed her cheek ; and as I bade her good night, whispered : 'Can you ask God's blessing on the dance, Elizabeth?' She gave me a quick, earnest look, and hurried doAvn the steps. At an earlier hour than usual I heard Elizabeth's Aoice at the door. I was 11 T .1 up stairs; ana wnen 1 Avcnt uown to meet her I found she had retired to her room. 1 lolloweu her thither, wishing to see her a few moments before slept. She supposed all the famil3'had retired, and her door Avas unlocked. entered and found her on her knees be fore God, her hands uplifted, and her streaming eves raised to heaven. 'Hear ray prayer, O Lord, I beseech thee,and let my prayer come before thee,' was her language ! I returned to her room in about half an hour, and welcomed her home. 'Yes,' said she, 'I have got home. In that bewildered ball room 1 danced with the merriest, and laughed with the loudest; but there Avas an arrow here,' and she laid her hands on her heart. 'God's blessing on the dance!' Those words rang in my ears at every turn. Oh, if God Avill fojgive the past if he will yet receive me, I will turn my back upon all this gilded folly, and lay upon hi3 altar Avhat I once promised to lay there my whole heart !' We kneeled together and asked God to strengthen the resolution now made in his name. Our prayers have been heard; for, among the group of lovely disciples Avho keep near their Lord, walking in his footsteps and bearing his cross, few are more humble, meek, mod est, consistent, and deA'oted, than the .1 . Tl 1 -I . 1 I once gay and thoughtless JLiizabctn G . Charles Lamb who has not heard of 'gentle Charles ? was mwh addict ed to the Avinc cup. Hear his solemn AA'arning; heed it ye who can; 'The waters have gono over me. But out of the black depths, could I bq hftar-1 I wmiM y -11 rl hurt bin, net a foot f 11 tlio perilous flood. Could the yonth to whom tho flavor of his first wine is delicous as tho opening scenes of life, or tho entering of some neAvly discovered paradiae,hol: into my desolation, and be made to un derstand Avhat a dreary thing it is Aviien a man shall feel himself going down a precipice with open eyes and p;is-ivo will to see his destruction and have no power to stop it, and yet feel it all tho way emanating from himself; to dee all goodnea.s emptied out of him, and yet not bo able to forget a time when it was not otherwise; to bear about tho piteous spectacle of his -Avn ruin; could he see rny fevered eyo, feverish Avith last night's drinking, rind feverishly looking for the night's repetition of tho folly; could he but feel the body of tho death out of which I rj hourly, with feebler outcry, to bo delivered it were enough to make him dash the spark ling beverage to tho earth in all the pride of its mantling temptation- 'Oh, if a wish could transport mo back to those days of youth, when a draught from the neat, clear spring could slake my heat whi-rh summer suns and youthful exercise had power to stir up in rny blood,how gladly would I turn back to the element, tho drink of my childhood, ami of childlike heroism !' Apostolic Succession. 'Nothing The Jail. It affords us plf asura to state the jail of Craven county is without a tenant. Ave desire to rent a room in that commodious building for our printing office. But, joking aside, this speaks well for the morals of Cra ven county, and we sincerely hope she can always boast of as much. Xewlem Express. in history can be more hopeless than the effort to make out tho actual spiritual descent of B;.-,!i-.p White, or Ilobart, as prelatical bish ops, in a direct, un-v.M. laminated line from tho college of the apostles, or from any one of the apostles; and nothing that assumes t be a graA'o matter is more ridiculous or contempti ble, than the atterap:, with a gravo face, to exhibit such a demonstration. There i3 not a pecuniary claim of the smallest possible value, or a claim of any other kind that could bo defended on that ground before a Court of Quar ter Sessions ; not a title to an heir loom, or to a right of coT.mon, or to an acre of 'and, that could be maintained for a moment on such an argument, and no sensible man would for a mo ment regard any pretended right of the slightest value that did not rest on a better foundation. 'It is a most marvelous thing that sensible men persist in asserting their belief in any such ascertainable pedi gree, or in its worth, even if it could bo ascertained. Where, in all the Ncav Testament, is there the slightest hint that the validity of the ministry de pends on the fact of such an ascertain ed descent, or that a Uiinistry is invalid when such a pedigree cannot be made out? If the New Testament had as serted this, tho assertion would now strip all Episcopalians, as well as oth ers, of any right to administer the or dinances of religion, and at once de grade the whole of them to the condi tion of laymen.' Rev. Albert Barnes.