ADVOCATE.
fs2 fj fJ3 til
PUBLISH!, WEEKLY BY A COMMITTEE OF MINISTERS FOE THE METHODIST EPIS COPAL CHURCH, SOUTH. RUFUS T. HEFLIN, Editor.
VOL. IV NO. 12.
RALEIGH, THURSDAY, MARCH 24, 1859
$1.50 a year, in advance.
OKI G I N A L
A Pastoral Letter.
To the Members of the Mithodist Episco
pal Church, South, within the hounds
of the Wilmington Dis.'ric'.
Dear Beethrex. My opportunities for
seeing you are comparatively so few, be
cause of the extent of the District, and
when we meet the topics upon which I wish
to address you are so many, that I have
concluded to speak to you occasionally
through the ''Advocate," upon subjects in
which the whole membership of the church
is interested.
Next Saturday I shall complete my first
round. Every where I have found the pas
tors at their posts, pra3rerful, laboring, and
hopeful. Everywhere I have seen indications
upon the part of church-members of an
earnest desire to elevate all the interests of
the church. Everywhere I have had such
most hearty welcome as has made my heart
happy. Everywhere I have seen that I
owed much to the labors of my excellent
predecessor.
Aud now, dearly beloved, if you have
done well in the past, it is our earnest de
sire that you do better.in the future, that
every year the chureh shall increase in
number, in spirituality, and in moral pow
er ; that every year more shall be done for
the little children in Sunday Schools, more
for our older children in securing them an
intellectual and moral training under prop
er influences, more for' the diffusing of
Methodist literature by the hearty support
of our " Advocate' and..,the sale of books
of our Publishing House, more for the
erection of V plain and d cent," houses of
worship, more for parsonages, and more
for foreign and domestic jinissious. Every
year there is an, increase in the material
wealth of th;rmeaiAers' of our church, and
now that I have Sake observation of your
condition, notwfthstanding many of the
Lord's poof areamong us, I am, delighted
at the amouat of ability there s on the
District to-do good in a large scd liberal'
manner.
The only subjectto whtch,wi't? dryjr
your attention now is.' !pjn4ty College."
This College belougs to your.ehurch. and
is secured to that eburchiSy an ample and
we 1-considered charter frofu 'the last Leg
islature. It cunnow lcjiiade anything
you say. It can. lie a mere, country school
for boys, or it can take its place beside the
most largely useful and h'iSiorlfbie Institu
tions of the land. It liTav continued
along the course heretofore j'urjsijkd., or any
other channel may be dug for xjwr benefi
cence which you uiay saleet. 3he College
is in the hands of gentlemen wSose intelli
gence and. integrity you 'lidrior. These
Trustees wish, I know!,':to carry forward
the desires of the Churchy ? The President
of the College has repeatedly assured me
that that was his earnest intent.
Ought we to make it a. great College?
Those who know :the influence of a high
and honored institution of learning upon
the character of a State, 'or of a church,
cannot hesitate in answering this question.
The other Conferences have wisely desired
liberal things for their Colleges You are
surrounded by Virginia's "Randolph 31a
con," (built in large part by your uioncy.)
by Ilolston's "Emory and Henry, ".and
by South Carolina's "Wofford;" shall not
"Trinity" equal these, in i:s capabilities of
usefulness "? There can be only an affirma
tive answer to this question.
To place the College on its full career of
usefulness, there are needed buildings, ap
paratus, (including libraries) and an en
dowment. It is not the work of a day to
build a College and yet with the united,
rigorous and persevering efforts of thirty
thousand Christians, it ought to be must
thoroughly and handsomely accomplished.
There are two agents in the field ; but the
pressure of demand, for the full furnishing
of the College with all it needs.is so great,
it becomes us all to add to their labors our
individual efforts to crown the enterprise
with complete success.
And now dear brethren, I have a prop
osition which I wish most earnestly and re
spectfully to present to your attention.
The oljeet is to secure from the Wilming
ton District, our proportion of a fund for
the endowment of the College. Let the
results of the labors of the agent be appro
priated to buildings, apparatus, and en
dowment. If what is now proposed shall
meet with favor, let it be teslri ltd to en
dowment. .It each Quarterly eting of my .sec
ond round, I desire to find fen men or wo
men who will bi-id themselves, i-evcntlh, to
the college, to pay .ft.j a year for fo-ir
years. Have I not ten personal friends at
each appointment who are able and willing
to do this much ? Let all who read this
consider how small an itetu in a year's bu
siness transactions this $25 would be. Iu
addition to all else done for the church,
there are multitudes who are able to be
stow a little over 2 a month for four years,
in order to build up an institution which
sha'l last f rcve This is an important
consideration. I'. i. ut to maLc some
temporary arrangement. is a great p. r
peiui'y. It is putting our funds where we
know they will be beneficent hundreds of
vears after all who now live have passed
to the realities of eternity. Let us do it!
I By placing these donations as endowment
we secure this end. In buildings and ap
paratus they would run the risk of con
sumption which attend all material prop
erty, but as an endowment they would an
nuaVy produ5 a fund forever to perpetuate
the labors of gifted and learned men in
training successive generations of our youth
in science, literature and religion.
It is becoming that religion of self-denial
which we profess to do something great
for the cause of God. It is becoming the
earnest church to which we belong to do a
great thing when we do anything. It is
becoming the State in which we live, so
remarkable for its institutions of learning,
that we keep pace with its great advance
ment. Let us do it !
And now, brethren, if I shall be so for
tunate as to succeed in this, think what we
shall have done. We shall have contribu
ted, on the Wilmington District eleven
thousand dollars ($11,000) to the College
endowment. And this independently of
what the xVgcnt shall be able, to accomplish.
Allow me to say that I make this prop
osition without the knowledge of the agents
and the authorities, and most certainly with
np desire to interfere with their operations.
Let .tke Agent feel that he has a hearty
welcome to all our District. Let him en
deavor to induce Bro. , who is amply
able,to give $20,000 for the endowment of
a "Professorship. Let him manage the thou
sands and the hundreds, and then beside
that, let us make up this neat little sum,
as a District endowment. Andthen, if
each District shall do the same, we shall
hve an endowment of 77,000, which
would forever support three professors and
a tutor. What prodigous results,! and on
ly $25 per annum !
:.. And now, I hope to commence my sec
ond visitation in the fullness of the bles
ings of the Gospel of peace. Let tfs desife
liberal things. "' Trust in the Lord and do
good: so shall ye 'dwell in the land, and
verily ye shall be fed.
Affectionately and faithfully your brother,
T ' CHARLES F." DEEMS.
Fifth Street, Wilmington, X. C, March
14, 1S59. - - """
Fortbe N. C. Christian Advocate.
Old EtJglisCi Asitliors.
r Me. Editor. Yoitr correspondent
in his article contained inyour pap.br of
the 3rd inst., under the caption of 'i Selec
tions from old English authors, presents
your readers with some very strikirfg"' quo-'
tations from the quaint (as some think)
but highly valued Quarles. The readers
of Dr. Adam Clarke s commentaries well
remember how often this ancient author is
quoted and commended by, the. great Meth
odist Commentator. ..;:'
Quarles is said to hafe been author of
several works, the chief being Emblems :
Argalus and Partheuia. But the occa
sion of the present writing is an old book
by the author in question neither of
the books above mentioned, about which
I crave space to say a .low words. The
title of the book is "Barnabas, or, The
Compassionate Samaritan,pozr'72 oyle into
wounded spirits." The book is dated,
" London, Printed for K. Royston, at the
angel in Ivy-Lane, 1657." I need not
say that the book, in its exterior, bears the
marks of great antiquity. I often take it
up, not so much to read as to ponder upon
the rolling years, two hundred and two in
number, which had passed into eternity,
since the book came from the hands of the
binder. Think of the wars, commotions,
plagues, earthquakes, and other important
events which have taken place meanwhile,
together with the millions of the dead
which ' ' shall return no more, nor see their
native country." Imagination must sup
ply a sort of history of this book. It was
printed when the art of printing was youn
ger than it is now, but the greater care
was bestowed in the type setting, as not a
single typographical error appears. Per
haps the importance of the subject matter
induced care in the mechanical execution.
Still following the imagination, we con
clude that for the first hundred years the
book sustained no other injury from the
effects of usage than the parting of the
backs and sides. Then these were sewed
together by some careful pious matron of
those days. For fifty years thereafter the
faithful stitches held the parts together,
and then, the back having come entirely off,
another matrom, perhaps a daughter, or
grand daughter of the first named, sewed
on the book, a stout piece of old time
cloth, and now, though the stitches arc
nearly all holding fast, the cloth is going
from the corruption of moths, and the once
firm leather sides are shrivelled and
wrinkled like the face of the oldest father in
Israel whose footsteps are halting feebly
towards the tomb.
When and how this book crossed the
wide deep sea, and where it made itsland
iirr, 1 know not. W;to its existence never
imperilled by the ravages, did it never oc
l cupy houses that were sacked; was it nev-
! er hid for safety by its owner ; did it not
j witness the terrible struggles of the Itevo
j lution ; and did it not, as a ' 'good Samari
j tan," the name it bears, "pour oil into
; wounded spirits ?"
But, lest the opportunity of presenting
some extracts from this antique book should
not again offer, I will conclude by trans
cribiug the contents on one page.
A Soliloquy.
How sweet a feast is till the reckoning
come. A fair day ends often in a cold
night, and the road that's pleasant ends in
hell. If worldly pleasures had the prom
ise of continuance, prosperity were some
comfort ; but in the necessary vicissitude of
good and evil, the prolonging of adversity
sharpens it. It is no common thing, my
soul, to enjoy two heavens. Dives found
it in the present, Lazarus in the future.
Hath thy increase met with no damage ?
thy reputation with no scandal ? thy pleas
ure with no cross ? thy prosperity with no
adversity? Presume not. God's checks
are symptoms of His mercy : but his-silence
is the harbinger of a judgemebt. Be cir
cumspect and providentj my soul. Hast
thou a fair Summer ?... provide for a hard
winter. The world's .'river ebbs alone ; it
flows not : he that . goes merrily with the
stream must bale up. Flatter thyself
.therefore no longer in thy prosperous sin,
O my deluded- soul, but be truly sensible
of thy own presumption. liOok seriously
into thy approaching danger, and humble
thyself with true .contrition If thou pro
cure sour herbs, God will provide vjllis
Passover. . -
f J. L. MTCHEAUX.
: Enfield, N;C., Marcfla, 1859.
'' For the N.' C;' Christian Advocate. '
Sljall We Iiave a Depository.
Brotber Heflix. I think the minis
ters and members of the M. E. Church
Sputh within tEdr bounds of the N. C. Con
ference must be-' fully -convinced that the
g6od of Methodism requires that Methodist
Literature be extensively circulated among
our people. "
v'vlf so, then it becomes an important ques
tion, how this can be dons with the least
expense to the. chureh !- Can- there be a
better system of tolportagtrestabltshed than
that recommended by the Discipline ?
The system, therein recommended, makes
every preacher a bookseller an active
colporteur. . ' "
It makes it the auty of every preacher
having chargebf a Circuit, Station, or
Mission, " To. seg thjt all .tbe people with
in the bounds ofs-liis eharge. be duly sup
plied with our -books-and periodicals." Dis:
page G8. - ' ' v
It a !so advises the preachers to "be dil
igent to spread the, boot s,;;..!and you will
have the use of them." Dis. page 91.
As long as these things are required by
our Discipline every conciencious preacher
must feel it to be his duty to attend to this
matter, even if a score ofrother colporteurs
were sent within thtbTfuiidsof his charge.
He will not only feel it n duty, but he
will find it to be to his advantage.
What could be done more for the advan
tage of a preacher whose income will not
justify the purchase of a very extensive
library, but who should read our publica-i
tions, than to make him an agent to sell
them ?
This does not conflict with the preach
er's work as a Pastor, but is one of the most
powerful means of doing good.
No time is lost ia selling books. This
is done at his regular appointments and in
his pastorial visits.
No money is required from the benevo
lent to pay a salary to colporteurs on fields
of labor where a moderate commission on
sales would not pay him.
All that is allowed as commissions goes
into the handa of men who are apt to need
more money than they get for their ser
vices on their work.
This system ensures the universal spread
of our books throughout our work. Let
every preacher engage in selling books,
and every one who attends our ministry
will have an opportunity of buying our
publications.
This system of colportage will, also, en
sure a perpetual distribution of Methodist
literature.
And as the masses are moved to read
our works, the demand for them will stead
ily increase.
It is much easier to sell books to a man
who has books and is in the habit of read
ing, than it is to sell them to one who has
none, and never reads.
Moreover, who is so likely to sell a good
book as a preacher ? Whose recommenda
tion is so likely to be appreciated as the
honest and earnest recommendation of a
preacher?
Why then do our preachers do so little
in this good work ? Methodist preachers
in North Carolina sell but few books at the
present time compared with former years.
Have they, become too proud to be seen
selling books? Or have they become in
sensible to their duty in this matter ? Who
can believe that either of these is so ! Why
then do we not sell books ?
Because we cannot get them icithout in
curring so much risk and expense as to
di ter its from the work. If we order a
small box of books from Nashville, Char
leston, or Richmond to almost any point
in North Carolina unless by Express,
they are quite sure fo be delayed so long
that the preacher i? straitened for time to
sell them beibre he nas to move.
If they are ordered by Express, the freight
so nearly consumes the profits that the
preacher has to be a close salesman to
avoid losing, instead of making money.
By establishing a Depository at Raleigh
these difficulties will be removed.
The books will then be in our midst.
There will then be but little risk, and
but little delay in getting books to any
part of our Conference.
Perhaps a majority of the preachers
could at some time in the year either in
going to, or. returning from Conference,
visit the bookstore, in person and make such
selections as would suit better than they
could .order. ,
But little risk will be incurred in ma
king remittances, and no discount would
be made on North Carolina money.
The. plan adopted by the Conference for
a Depository is to create a Joint Stoek
Company, $50 00 being a share. .
Wjll all the. preachers j take .hold with
the agent,and create this company?
Wjll it pay? I; will beJ;a very poor
busness. jf it wilLnit pay Jhetpreachers.
.Ifcthe company eould :do no more than
pay expenses the preachers would be able
to get books on so much better terms than
they now can that they could make enough
on the sale of books to compensate them
for their truuble, and pay them well,. for
their investment in stock.
But should it not pay ? With the ad- .
yantageous terms on which we can get the
books- from our Publishing House", and
with the number of colporteurs we-can put
into the work, and with the multitudes of
customers, how can it-possibly fail, if man
aged with any degree of business skill, to be a
money making and uToney saving business.
I have no doubt but that there are hun
dreds of business iren to-day who would
be willing to take, the whole business with
the advantages tke company will have.
. .. But money nfaking is the very least
consideration with- the church in this mat
ter. Consider the good, the great good to
be achieved. The Methodist Episcopal
Church South, in North Carolina, is to be
made more efficient iiiber soul-saving work.
Let us have the Depository. C.
For the N. C. Cliristian Advocate.
TSie Veil Witlifrr&Wn:
OR GLIMPSE.. AT ITINERANT 1.IFE..
Soon after the adjournment of Confer
ence Abner Albright set his face toward
his appointed field of labor for the year,
and after six days of travel his eye ftdl for
the first time Upon the town of Salem. On
his approach, from" an eminence some half
a mile distant, he enjoyed a fine view of
his future abode. " lie paused for a few
moments and siirvevod the scene. He is
about to enter the" town, as a stranger
as the pastor of the people. His first
field of labor, young" and inexperienc
ed; he knows not what awaits him there !
His feelings may be imagined but not de
scribed. Three hundred miles from home,
where no kind heart beats in harmony with
his own, where, in no countenance will he
recognize the face of a friend, he feels that
he is " a stranger in a strange land. ''
And yet he feels the deepest interest in
their welfare. Casting his eyes over the
groves and the dwellings of the people,
several steeples pointed to the skies from
the base of which, hallowed incense as
cends to the God of heaven. "In which
of those temples am I to minister at the al
tar, and break the Bread of Life and feed
the flock of Israel ?" As he moved along
and mused upon these things, he was join
ed by a stranger, who, upou a short con
versation, was found to be one of the mem
bers of his charge. He gave him the in
formation he desired, pointed out to him
the "Methodist Church, and conducted him
to the residence of James Holley, Esq.,
which was to be his temporary home. The
family received him with great kindness,
and the' attentions of Mrs. Holley, which
anticipated every little want, and the mer
ry prattle of " sweet little Lizzie," an in
teresting girl of about twelve summers,
made him soon feel that he was at home.
He arrived in town about eleven o'clock in
the morning, and at one o'clock he was
called upon to preach the funeral sermon
of Mrs. Sarah J. Randel, one of the fe
male members of the church. This call
greatly embarrassed the young minister.
He had never preached a funeral sermon,
nor officiated on such an occasion. He
could not decline. At two o'clock he was
shown to his room, and one hour was left
to adjust his toilet and prepare his first
sermon. The deceased having died very
suddenly, he selected for his text, " Be
i ye al?o ready, for in such an hour as yc
think not the Son of Man cometh. " The
church was crowded the whole town, it
seemed, had turned out to the funeral,
partly in respect to the dead, but mainly
to see and hear the new preaaher, Hap
pily for him, the day was exceedingly cold,
and as the church had not been warmed,
he made a few remarks appropriate to the
occasion , and offered the inclemency of the
weather as an excuse for the shortness of
the services.
At night, the residence of Mr. Holly
swarmed with visitors. The stewards,
class leaders, and prominent members had
turned out to welcome the pastor to their
midsc, to their homes and hearts. This
cordial greeting greatly encouraged the
young preacher's heart, and he entered
with some degree of hopefulness upon the
duties of his station.
A few days after his arrival brother Geo.
Sourmind called upon him,as he said, 'in or
der to give him an account of the church."
He represented the church as in a deplora
ble condition. A general coldness pre
vailed, class meetings were neglected, the
Sunday School was going down, most of
the members were backslidden, and disci
pline had not been properly executed.
This was a damper ; and all that the young
pastor could say was, I'll do the best I
can' This representation of the spiritual
condition of the church by one who had
been a steward and class leader for many
years, discouraged him, and he scarcely
knew what to do. Like all prudent men,
however, he waited patiently till he could
insject the piety of his members, before he
administered discipline. Nor was he long
in perceiving that those who had been rep
resented as "dead branches," were the
best members of his charge, while brother
Sourmind turned out to be one of the most
troublesome and inconsistent members of
his whole flock.
For months Mr. Albright labored in and
out of the pulpit without seeing any indi
cations of good. At length he saw clearly
that the blessing of God was upon his la
bors. Now and then the dews of heaven
came down upon the congregation " like
rain upon the mown grass." Several per
sons were enquiring the way of salvation.
When the invitation was given, several
persons approached the altar of prayer, and
within three weeks about sixty souls pro
fessed to find " the pearl of great price."
None but those who have experienced the
same can imagine the feelings of the young
preacher on seeing the work of the ' ' Lord
prospering in his hands." It was the Di
vine seal upou his commission to preach
the gospel. It silenced the adversary in
his temptations to make the preacher be
lieve that he had run before he was sent.
Nor was this all ; his piety was deepened,
and he consecrated himself renewedly and
forever j,o the service of God. The state of
piety iu the church also, was greatly im
proved,, and the. whole community was
brought under . religious influence. The
wheat and the tares are growing together,
and the day of separation draws nigh. The
Lord of the harvest will then divide the
chaff from the wheat. The wheat lie will
gather into His garner; " but the chaff he
will burn up with unquenchable fire."
ALFONZA.
For the N. C. Christian Advocate.
Selection from Old English An-
tEiors. No. 2.
Scorn not the Least.
Where wards are weak, and foes encoun
t'ring strong,
Where mightier do assault than do de
fend, The feebler part puts up enforced wrong,
And silent sees what speech could not
amend :
Yet, higher powers must think, though
they repine,
When sun is set the little stars will
shine.
In Hainan's pomp poor Mordocheus wept,
Yet God did turn his fate upon his foe.
The Lazar pin'd while Dives' feast was
kept,
Yet he to heaven, to hell did Dives go :
We trample grass, and prize the flowers of
May ;
Yet Grass is green whsn flowers fade
away.
Robert Southwell.
No change of Fortune's calm
Can cast my comforts down :
When Fortune smiles, I smile to think
How quickly she will frown.
And when in froward mood,
She proved an angry foe,
Small gain, I found, to let her come
Less loss to let her go.
Southwell.
(The following beautiful excerpt is based
up n the supposition that the "woman
that was a sinner," recorded in Luke, was
Mary Magdalene, of the truth of which
there is but little, if any proof.)
The Tears of Mart Magdalene.
But fear not, blessed Mary, for thy tears
will obtain. Thfy are too mighty orators
to let thy suit fall ; and though they plead
ed at the most rigorous bar, yet have they
so persuading a silence and so conquering
a complaint, that, by yielding, they over
come, and that by entreating they com
mand. They tie the tongues of all accusers,'
and soften the rigor of their severest judge."
Yea, they win the invincible and bind the '
omnipotent. When they seem the most'
pitiful they have the greatest power, and
being most forsaken they are more victo
rious. Repentant eyes are the cellars of
angels, and penitent tears their sweet wines
which the savor of life perfumeth, the taste
of grace sweeteneth, and the purest color of
i c tuning iMMWPcnojr i"gy
This dew of devotion never faileth, but the
sun of justice draweth it up, and upou
what face soever it droppeth, it maketh it
available in God's eyes. For this water
hath thy heart been long a lienbeck, sonic
times distilling it out of the weeds of thy
own offences with the fire of true contri
tion ; sometimes of the flowers of spiritual
comforts with the flames of contemplation ;
and now out of the bitter herbs of thy
master's miseries with the heat of a tender
compassion. This water had better graced
thy looks than the former alluring glances.
It hath settled worthier beauties in thy face
than all the artificial paintings. Yea, this
only- water hath quenched God's anger,
qualified his justice, recorded his mercy,
merited his love, purchased his pardon,
and brought forth the spring of all thy fa
vor. Till death dam up the springs, thy
tears shall never cease running ; and then
shall thy soul be ferried in them to the
harbor of life, that, as by them it was
first passed from sin to grace, so, in them
it may be wafted from grace to glory.
Southwell.
There is in this world continual inter
change of pleasing and greeting accidence,
still keeping their succession of times and
overtaking each other in their several cour
ses ; no picture can be all drawn of the
brightest colors, nor a harmony consorted
only of trebles ; shadows are needfnl in
expressing of proportions, and the bass is
a principal part in public music ; the con
dition here alloweth no unmeddled joy ;
our whole life is temperate between sweet
and sour, and we must all look for a mix
ture of both : the wise so wish : better that
they still think of worse, accepting the one
if it come with liking, and bearing the oth
er without impatience, being so much mas
ters of each other's misfortunes, that neith
er shall work them to excess. The dwarf
groweth not on the highest hill, nor the
tall man loseth not his heighth in the low
est valley ; and as a base mind, though
most at ease, will be dejected, so a reso
lute virtue lit the deepest distress is the
most impregnable. South well.
(This author was peculiarly unfortunate.
He was a Roman Catholic, and accused
wrongfully of conspiring against Queen
Elizabeth of England, was condemned and
executed by the order of " Her Majesty."
It is generally believed to have been an in
famous proceeding. When asked what he
had to say why sentence should not be pass
ed against him, he replied, "Nothing ; but
from my heart I forgive all who have been
any way accessible to my death." He was
in the 33rd year of his age. His writings
abound in moral truths, and his style is
simple and pleasing.)
Man's Life.
Like to the falling of a star,
Or as the flights of eagles arc,
Or like the first spring's gaudy hue,
Or silver drops of morning dew,
Or like a wind that chafes the flood,
Or baubles which on water stood :
E'en such is man, whose borrow'd light
Is straight call'd in and paid to night :
The wind blows out, the bubble dies :
The spring entomb'd in autumn lies ;
The dew's dried up, the. star is shot,
The flight is past and man forgot.
Francis Beaumont.
(The above is really an exquisite gem.
There is scarcely any thing better to be
fouud in the writings of this prolific author,
nor in those works written in conjunction
with his devoted friend, John Fletcher.
Beaumont was a great genius, but his wri
tings are not generally calculated to bene
fit mankind or to advance Christianity.
He was only thirty years of age when death
terminated his career ) K.
For the N. C. Christian Ach-ix-alc.
What do you Think?
A short time ago, in the county of II.,
there was an old fashioned ball held in an
Academy owned entirely by Methodists,
some of whom are official members of the
church. This too, in N. C, yes, in ' eas
tern N. C." Well, well, how surprising !
Who would have thought it ? A place once
noted for its church-building spirit ; its de
votion to Methodism ; and a people noted
for their liberality, and their aversion to
everything which conflicts with the spirit
of the Bible, and the established law of
their church, now lending its powers to the
support of a ball-room. We had thought
better things of that people. But all wo
would not implicate some, yea mauy, re
main up to the true stamp. We have
thought that the Devil must have smiled
with an air of triumph, as he saw iu that
giddy whirl, the sons and the daughters of
pious and sainted parents, who lived and
died, trying to teach them better thiDgs.
Wc will not attempt to describe the teenc-i
of that ball. Bat we think that if it wan
painted out on canvass, eo that young men
and ladies could have an ocular view of
their feats and attitudes, it would make
them utterly ashamed. We say nothing
more. And hope for better things in the
future. W.
Cross Roads, March, 1859.
SELECTIONS.
Protracted Meetings.
And now a few words upon another sub
ject. What did that brother mean who
said in our office the other day. " Our
minister is going to begin a protracted
meeting." Did he mean that the minister
was to hold it ? So it seems. And so it
often is. The minister "is expected to
preach like an angel, to exhort like somo
strong-lunged Boanerges, and to sing like
a seraph. He must lead each prayer
meeting, pitch the tunes, talk with the
seekers, visit during the day, and preach
again at night. All this he is expected to
do for several weeks in succession. Now,
if he has nerves of -vhalcbonc, and lungs
of gong-metal, he may do so, otherwise
ho will come out of such a campaign the
worse for the wear.
We believe in protracted meetings. God
has signally blessed them at the same
time, some things we don't believe in .
g. 1. We don't believe in the necessity
of spending two or three weeks in "getting
the church ready. ,, In that work, much
time is lost, in our opinion. It was not
once needed, and we think it is not now.
2. We don.t believe the minister should
do all the singing. It is a severe tax, and
though he may not feel it now, he will
by-and-by. Division of labor is as
sound in religious as political economy.
3. We don't believe in the minister
being required to perforin all the visita
tion. Serious persons should be visited at
their home by experienced members of the
church, especially its officers, and instruct
ed or encouraged. The church members
should set apart some portion of each day
to call upon their neighbors and invito
them to the house of God, and to give
them such instruction as they need.
4. We don't belie ve'in breaking down
a minister at each protracted meeting,
when, if the church will do the work it can
do, and ought to do, to enjoy the meeting
and do good, he can pass through its labors,
do all the preaching and exhortation he
should, and come out of it in better health
than at its commencement.
5. We don't believe in relying upon
any agency in exclusion of "Power from
on high." Korthwestem Advocate.
The Conference! In Tcxcs.
The Texas Almanac reports 114 counties,
of which 52 arc in the Texas, 42 in the
East Texas, and 22 in the Rio Grando
Conference. The counties are reckoned
in the Conferences in which their county
scats are located.
"II S. T." makes up from this almanac,
for the Texas Christian Advocate, these
comparative statistics of the three Annual
Conferences embraced in that great State :
Of the eight largast towns, four are in ho
Texas, three in the Rio Grande, and one in
the East Texas Conference. One of the
three largest is in each. There are in the
Texas Conference 100 effective travelling
preachers, (not including supernumerary
preachers, or professors in colleges, or
agents; ) in tlio East Texas Conference, 78
in the Rio Grande Conference, 28; making
a total of 206. In thcllio Grande Conference
there is one effective travelling Methodist
preacher to 1335 of the population. In
the Texas Conference, one to 1129 people;
and in the East Texas Conference, one to
2493 ; making an average of one effective
Methodist pastor to every 2 1C0 of the
population of Texas. These figures are
truly startling, and encouraging ; and wc
question if there is another State in the
Union, if there is a community in the
world, so well supplied with Methodist
preachers as Texas. Add to this 200
pastors, 500 local preachers, two newspa
pers, and a dozen literary institutions, with
their boards of instruction, and who can
estimate the amount of moral and religious
power we ought to wield in this great State ?
Maxims for Young Men.
An idle brain is the devil's workshop.
Better be alone than in bad company.
Constant occupation prevents temptation.
Dependence is a poor trade to follow.
Ease and honor are seldom bed -fellows.
False friends are worse than open enemies,
Great designs require great consideration.
Hasty resolutions seldom ppecd well.
If the counsel be good.no matter who eave it,
Ut all studies, study your present condition,
Pay as you go and keep from small scores,
Quit not certainty for hope.
Ratify promises by performances.
: Sell not vinuc to purchase wealth,
I TT.l 1 it
, unci lane uu mure man you can perioral,
Value a good conscience more than praise,
Weigh right, if you sell dear.
Xerxes was mighty, yet he died.
Youth and wine are fire upon fire,
Zcno, of all virtues, made hU choice of
silence.
O