55V.
ADVOCATE
PUBLISHED WEEKLY BY A COMMITTEE OF MINISTERS FOR THE METHODIST EPIS COPAL CHURCH, SOUTH. RUFUS T. HEFLT2T, Editor.
iTTleTgIbu 'Thursday. TuNleTiTT
VOL. IVNO. 24.
'
ORIGINAL
For the N. C. Christian Advocate.
"Calvinism vs. Arminian ism,"
Reviewed. No. VII.
Rev. Jl. T. Heflin: I pass to the
consideration of P. T. P.'s No. IV. on the
Holiness of God." The "Holiness of
God" is a perfection of his nature, and
cannot be viewed as .originating in, or
arising out of, any attribute of his nature
It is. therefore.perfectly absurd to say that
will of God, whether secret or re
vealed, is founded upon His holiness for
in this view, the nature and perfection of
one attribute, is derived from another. The
nature and perfections of no one attribute
is derived from, or is dependent, upon an
other. All the attributes of God are equal
ly essential to his very being ; and we can
not conceive the idea in our mind, of his
existence, apart from, or independent, of
them all. It is because of the absolute and
infinite perfection of his very essense that
we ascribe to him Wisdom, Justice, Mer
cy, Truth, Goodness, and Holiness and
not because hi3 infinitely perfect Wisdom,
Justice, &c , give us the idea, that out of
these, or founded upon them the "Holi
ness of God" itself, arises, or is based up
on them. " Holiness," as Wisdom, &c
being essential to his nature, cannot be
predicated of any other of his attributes,
any more than his justice is predicated of
his mercy. His attributes are a absolute
in their character, and necessarily inhere
iu, and are constituent perfections of his
nature; and can, therefore, be iu no sense
"founded upon " each .other. They are
co-essential and eternal with his essence,
and constitute that essence in the full am
plitude of his Self-sufficiency and unorigi
nated being.
Arniinianisui, therefore, does not con
ceive of "Holiness" as being " founded
upon" (as P. T. P. affirms) any other at
tribute, or as being " at the foundation of
his electing love ; as His electing love is at
the foundation of His scheme of redemp
tion," but as consisting with, and harmo
niously operating together, in the redemp
tion of mankind. This, then, being essen
tial to the divine nature and character, de
monstrates conclusively, that God's " Ho
liness" could not be the fundamental prin
ciple of performing, through Mercy itself,
an act, by which any portion of the race of
Adam, could be secured or saved, "by an
eternal and unconditional election," for, in
such a case, this "election," being " un
conditional" must necessarily be an arbi
trary act. and therefore, not just.
The infinite knowledge of God i? such,
even in the estimation of Arminians, that
it comprehends, in one glance, everything
in his whole eternity. And, therefore, his
tight (not " foresight") of these is perfect,
comprehending every minutia, so that he
sees with absolute certainty.every emotion,
good or bad, of man's nature, as these emo
tions are actuated by his " Spirit working
in due season," or as men are led captive
by the "devil at his will." This iufinite
knowledge could not, therefore, be in the
condition supposed by P. T. P., in which
" God could see nothing in the moral char
acter of man which could be pleasing to
Him." For, his sight in this instance,
embraces the very thing in man as redeem
ed by Christ, and a subject of the Spirit's
influence, which, even his holiness itself,
could approve.and his saving mercy would
regard as a proper gound of the election of
the character thus seen by him. See Gal.
iii. 7, 8; Eph. i. 3-13; 1 Pet. i. 1, 2.
Arminianism teaches that God distri
butes vaii 'Us degrees of talents to men, and
requires their use according to the abilities
with which he has, and does, endow them ;
and, that, in this relation he actually does
more for jsomethan he does for others, yet,
does all in these respects "that infinite
wisdom, almighty power, and boundless
love can do, without forcing them to be
saved." In proof, it is demonstrated that
He gives " light to every one that cometh
into the world." John i. 9, .and grants a
" manifestation of the Spirit to every man,
to profit withal." 1 Cor. xii. 7 ; John
xvi. 4-11, and actually affirms that the
salvation or damnation of men, turns upon
the improvement or non-improvement of
the talents thus given; or which is the same
in its principle, their faith and obedience,
or their unbelief. Mark xvi. 15, 16.
From this view, it follows that P. T. P.
has misrepresented the doctrinal views of
Mr. Wesley and of Methodises, when he
says that ' they deny that in respect to
spiritual gifts, God does more for one un
regenerated tinner than he does for anoth
er, &c.;" for, in this regard, it is contend
ed that He does ali that is necessary to be
done for their salvation. And herein Wes
ley and the Methodists agree with the Bi
oe. See Isaiah v. 1-7 ; and Christ, Matt,
xxiii. 37-39 : and if Calvinism differs
from Methodism, alias Arminianism, in
this particular, as P. T. P. affirms, I can
only say, so does it also from Isaiah and
Christ. "The consequence" (does not
therefore follow, which P. T. P. affirms)
" that those who have done bo much betUr
than 'the rest' have regenerated themselves
by sending forth streams from a fountain
which is totally polluted." And that
therefore a holy God is pleased with what
a man has done for himself, every imagi
nation of the thoughts of whose heart is
only evil continually :" not so, but the
grace of God, through Christ, working in
the sinner " to will and to do," prepares
bim to " work out his own salvation with
rbar and trembling.' Here is the whole
ground of this entire matter.
So far is the Arminian view from " en
couraging man's continued rebellion against
God, that it is the only safe ground to
deal vrith man. As, on the one hand, he
is assured that whatever is necessary to be
done by " infinite wisdom, almighty power
and bouadless love" will be done, to put
sinful man in the possession of the means
necessary for him to ' ' work out his salva
tion ;" and on the other hand, by the re
sponsibility of man in this relation, he is
assured that if he uses not the grace given,
that his damnation results, as a necessary
consequence, of grace abused, and salvation
neglected. Heb. ii. 3. So that the con
clusion of P. T. P., is absurd, when he
affirms that " it will be impressed upon him
that he must not on'y put forth that ability
which he has, but must depend upon it to
make him differ from those who go on in sin
and are lost, &c.;" for, in this regard, the
exercise of his ability in the use of the
means of grace, or the rejection of it, makes
the whole ground of difference. He is ful
ly apprized that no ' ' depends nee " what
ever, can be placed upon his own "ability"
either to improve his moral nature, or to
regenerate his soul ; but that his depend
ence must be upon the grace of God in
Christ, for everything good in him.or done
by him. He is " stripped," not only "of his
self-iffhteousness," but also of all false
hopes growing out of the spurious doctrine
of "the righteousness of Christ,"so that he
neither "clings to a single fragment of his
filthy rags," nor to the imaginary robe of
Christ's "righteousness." His " conver
sion " will be deep and solid, so as to be
assured that he " is passed from death un
to life," without any misgivings growing
out of a mere hope that he is renewed in
the iuner-man. Nothing is true of all that is
insinuated about the conversion of the Ar
minian subjects, as " a turning from one
sentiment or lust to onother," but, a clear,
full, sensible and assured revival of their
whole soul in the image of God.
With regard to "experience," Armini
anism, alias Methodism, contemplates quite
a different one from that which Calvinism
considers as the only true one. It is alto
gether a mistake.to say the least.that Wes
ley was giving an account of his own ex
perience, as P. T. P. affirms, a3 a regene
rated man, in either of the Sermons quo
ted. He was giving. First, the character
of a " natural man," for he says so him
self. Secondly.he then gives the character
and the sirugglinjs of an awakened sinner,
for so he affirms. So that it does not fol
low that his " experience was Calvinistic,"
but, that he was describing the apostolic
view of the experience of an awakened sin
ner, as is seen in Rom. vii. 14-25; and
showing almost conclusively, that such an
one was unable to liberate himself from his
prison, demonstrating, alike, that the "Cal
vinistic experience of a regenerated Chris
tian, founded upon Rom. vii. 14-25, was
radically wrong, and that a sinner is utter
ly dependent upon the inward operations
of the Holy Spirit ; even to see and feel
his condition. His deliverance, if effected
at all, he is assured must be by " God,
through J esus Christ our Lord ;" and at
the same time, when effected, that the sin
ner is no longer under " condemnation,"
but is "made free by the law of the Spirit
of life in Christ Jesus," and therefore is
actually able to fulfil the righteousness of
the law." This Arminian and Scriptnral
experience.is anything else than 'Calvinis
tic." Yours affectionately,
PETER DOUB.
Fayetteville, N. C, May 28, 1859.
SELECTIONS.
Decisions of the College of Bish
ops. Nashville, Tenn., May 4, 1858.
At a meeting of the College of Bishops
of the Methodist Episcopal Church, South,
the decision of the Bishops on questions
of law was taken up, when Bishop Pierce
presented questions decided by him, aris
ing out of charges preferred by the Rev.
William Clos against the Rev. R. O Bur
ton. " Charge, maladministration."
First specification : "In having refused to
investigate charge first in the bill of charg
es referred to him by the North Carolina
Conference. This charge was ruled out by
the presiding elder, on the exception of the
accused, on the ground of its indefinite
ness." It is true that we have not in our Dis
cipline any precise statute declaring in
what manner charges shall be drawn. We
are left to the analogies of law, and the
obvious proprieties of the subject, as these
have been recognized and established by
usage. The charge ought to be definite,
as to time or place or substance or circum
stance. This is necessary, first, that the
accused may understand the precise nature
of the charge against him, second, that the
court may determine whether the facts
constitute an offence, and thus graduate its
guilt, and third, that the verdict in the
case may bar a future prosecution for the
same offence. If the parties in a cause
waive all objection to the manner i which
the charge is drawn, and mutually agree to
go into trial, the court is under no obliga
tion to interfere, unless it be in behalf of
those too ignorant to know their rights and
privileges. An accused person, preacher
or layman, is entitled to all the protection of
his rights which the constitution and usage
of the Church secure to him.
The charge objected to by the accused.
and ruled out by the presiding elder, is
vague and indefinite, and therefore the
first specification is not sustained.
Second specification. " In haying ad
mitted ex parte testimony, after giving as
surance that no ex parte testimony would
be admitted." The assurance here men
tioned, it is stated, and not denied, was
given to both the accuser and the accused :
they were upon equal terms. The change
of policy was not mentioned to either, and
both might, if they had sought it, have
availed themselves of it, subject to the de
cision of the presiding officer. An Epis
copal decision, often quoted in the progress
of this case, allows the introduction of ex
parte testimony in certain cases, some of
which it specifies. The records of this Con
ference, and the usage of the Chuoch, every-
where.justify it. In this case a Bishop ad
vised it, and therefore the second specifica
tion is not sustained.
Third specification : "In having sup
Dressed testimony, by ruling that a wit
ness for the defence was not bound to an
swer questions when cross-examined, of
which ruling witness availed himself, and
refused to answer." In ecclesiastical
courts a witness may refuse to testify, nor
is there any pover in the church to com
pel him. A presiding officer in a church
trial may decide that a question is improp.
er, and the witness may with propriety re
fuse to answer. In church trials a wit
ness is not bound to reveal confidential
communications made to him as an intimate
friend, or as advice or counsel in a cause.
The question asked by the accuser in this
case involved communications which may
have been made to the accused during the
progress of the case, and, of course, after
the charges were preferred, and, if answered,
would not have been evidence, and there,
fore the third specification is not sustained.
Fourth specification: "In allowing a
witness for the defence to change his tes
timony after it had been read and approved
by himself, and pending the discussion,
and after I had used said testimony to show
that it proved the guilt of the accused."
In all courts, civil and ecclesiastical, if the
testimony of a witness is misapprehended,
he may, at his own suggestion, or on the
demand of the judge, jury or counsel, ex
plain his testimony, and do this at any
stage of the proceedings, before the ver
dict. In this case, according to the re
cord, no word was altered or added, and
the explanation consisted simply in enclos
ing a sentence in quotation marks ; and
therefore the fourth specification is not sus
tained. Fifth specification : " That after the tes
timony had been closed, and argument
submitted on both sides, he introduced and
examined a new witness on behalf of the
accused." This, I grant, was a novel case:
and my decision is that it was justified by
the peculiar circumstances of the case, and
was alike demanded by the affirmation of
the accused, and, if he was misinformed,
necessary for the vindication of the accus
er, and therefore the fifth specification is
not sustained.
Sixth specification : " That after the
parties had retired, he remained with the
committee, and took part in their delibera
tions in making up their decision." On
this point there is nothing but usage to
guide us, save the opinion of Bishop Hed
ging, which has long been recognized as
sound and judicious. True, Bishop Hed
ding's opinion is declared particularly in
regard to the trial of a member, but as to
the forms ofatrial.neither the Discipline nor
usage secures any privilege to a preacher,
local or traveling, which they . deny to a
member. If a preacher is pastor of a par.
ticular church, so is the presiding elder the
pastor of his district. If the relation of
pastor, as one authority has decided, justi
fies the thing in one case, the same rela
tion justifies it in the other. Until some
legitimate authority, by specific direction,
orders to the contrary, an administrator is
not to be condemned who simply conforms
to long-es'ablished usage ; and therefore
the sixth specification is not sustained.
G. F. P.
Publishing House, Nashville, Tenn.,
May 5, 1858.
The decision of Bishop Early, in the
case of the Rev. C. D. Elliott, whose case
was tried before the Quarterly Meeting
Conference of the McKendree church; un
der the presidency of W. D. F. Sawrie,
who decided the case of C. D. Elliott to
come under the rule of Section 2 of the
Discipline, and of the New Testament, to
teach the art and science of modern dancing
anywhere, or to practice promiscuous danc
ing anywhere, and therefore the decision of
the presiding elder, from which the quar
terly meeting Conference of the McKen
dree Church, in the city of Nashville, ap
pealed, be and the same is hereby affirmed.
(Signed) JOHN EA?LY.
The decision of Bishcp Ef.rVpri'fos, on
motion, unanimously affirmed by the Bis
hops. H. H. KAVANAUGH,
Secretary of the Board.
A decision on claim a, in the Texas Con
ference, by Bishop Kavanaugh.
The following questions and answers
grew out of the administration of the Rev.
A. Davidson, presiding elder of the San
Antonio Station, which the presiding elder
paid to the Steweards, and directed a pro
rata division between the preacher in
charge and the presiding elder of the Dis
trict. And also out of the fact that a
preacher had been employed on the station
in the absence of the preacher appointed
by the Conference, in consequence of the
sickness of the family of the latter.
Question 1. Has a presiding elder any
right to withold any part of an appropriation
made out of the misssion fund to a circuit
or staion, from the preacher in charge of
the said work, for any other cause than a
delinquency on the part of said preacher ?
Answor. No.
Qnes. 2. If a preacher in charge of a
circuit or station have an occasion to be ab
sent one or more sermons, not amounting
to a desertion or wilful neglect of the du
ties he owes to the same, and employ a
brother in good standing to do the labor of
the circuit or station during his absence,
does he forfeit any thing under the Disci
pline ?
jins. He does not.
Ques. 3. If a preacher be hindered from
doiug his labors, present or absent, in his
appointed circuit or station, by the extreme
illness of his wife or child, there being no
intention on his part to abandon or neglect
it, except as unavoidably, is not the ab
sence from labor, and the field of labor, so
brought about, " necessary" in a discipli
nary sense ? And if the preacher resume
his labor at the earliest possible day, in
the absence of other proof, is not his return
evidence of his intention ?
Ans. It is.
Ques. 4. Has the presiding elder power
to make any other than a pro rata distrib
ution of quarterage amongst preachers
placed by his decision, or otherwise, on the
same basis?
Jlns. He has not.
Ques. 5. Is the presiding elder bound to
refund to a preacher money which has
been illegitimately diverted from him by
his maladministration ?
Ans. If the money were diverted from
its legitimate claimant by his act, he is
morally bound to refund it.
H. H. Kavanaugh.
Waco, Texas, December 15, 1857.
Question propounded at the Virginia
Conference, December, 2, 1858, by Paul
Whitehead and James D. Coulling.
Can a preacher not afflicted in his own
person be for any other reason placed on
the supernumerary list ?
In Section 3, page 47, of the Discipline,
the question is asked, Who shal compose
the Annual Conference? In answer to
this question, three classes of preachers are
described as entitled to membership. First,
All the travelling preachers in full con
nection, who are able- to do effective ser
vice. Second, Ail tos supernumerary
preachers, that is to say, those who are so
disabled by affliction as to be unable to
preach constantly, but are willing to do
any work in the ministry which the Bishop
may direct, and they may be able to per
form. Third, All the superannuated
preachers, that is to say, those who are
worn out in the itinerant service."
It will be observed that the above lan
guage describes preachers only, and such
classes of them as may ' compose an An
nual Conference," and how they may be
disposed of under given circumstances and
conditions. As none but preachers are
described in the language of the law, I
must and do decide that the law of the
Discipline refers, in the case of supernu
merary preachers, as being " disabled by
affliction," to their own persons, and that
this alone entitles them to their position.
II. H. Kavanaugh.
Portsmouth, Va., December 3.. 1868.
Affirmed April 21, 1859.
Questions submitted to the Chair for de
cision , at the North Carolina Conference,
held at Newbern, in the month tf Decem
ber, 1858, by the Rev. William Carter, a
member of the Conference.
Question 1. Is the investigation of a
charge of immorality and specifications
against an elder, when taken out of the
1 Conference by the consent of the parties
and the Conference, and submitted to a
committee of ministers and laymen chosen
by the parties, a Bishop being chairman,
for adjustment, and the settlement made
by the committee reported to and adopted
by the Conference, a legal trial ?
Ques. 2 Is the settlement made by the
said committee, and in view of it, and the
evidence in the case, the passage of his
character by the Conference, when either
one or both of the parties have violated it,
a legal barrier to the trial in the future of
the said charge and specifications, accord
ing to the law and usage of the Church ?
William Carter. '
Newbern, N. C, December 11, 1858.
To the first question I answer, that such
would be a legal trial. The fact that the
Conference allowed the parties to refer the
case to a committee of friends for a plan of
adjustment was an irregularity, but not of
such a character as to make the action of
the Conference illegal, as the Conference
had heard ia the first place all the evidence
against and in behalf of the accused ; and
in the second place, requiring the commit
tee to report to them, did not allow the
committee to settle any thing finally. The
true position of the committee is that of an
advisory, and not a judicial body. This
position of the committee renderes it not
material to the law governing the case
whether the persons composing it were
members of the Church or not. Had the
committee finally settled the case, it would
have vitiated the process as to its legality ;
but as they reported the measures which
they advised to the Conference, and the
Conference adopted those terms of settle
ment as their own, being fully in posses
sion of the merits of the case, and then pas
sing the character of the accused, made it
clearly a legal trial.
In answer to the second question, I
would say, in the first place, that from the
terms of the first question, the committee
did not settle the case finally, but made
the terms for the settlement which the Con
ference adopted. Iu the second place,
after the Conference had settled the case,
and passed the character of the accused,
the subsequent violation of the terms of
the settlement by " either one or both of
the parties," does not open the way for the
renewal of the charge and specifications."
These having been once legally settled,
must stand as a barrier to a subsequent
presentation ; but if, in violating the terms
of settlement, either of the parties involve
themselves in a violation of the principles
of propriety or of morality, they may be
charged to that extent for the violation,
and held responsible to the Conference.
H. II. Kavanaugh.
Question submitted to the Bishop :
When charges and specifications are pre
sented to an Annual Conference against
one of its members, are they in the posses
sion of the Conference until they are for
mally entertained by a vote of the Confer
ence, and may they not at any time pre
vious to this vote be withdrawn ?
Wm. Carter.
Newbern, N. C, Dec. 14, 1858.
Charges, under the circumstances spe
cified in the question, are not in the pos
session of the Conference until the Confer
ence, by vote, agree to entertain them, or
shall, without the formality of a vote on
entertaining, proceed to the investigation
of the charges. Until such action is had,
the member presenting the charges may
withdraw them.
H. H. Kavanaugh.
Newbern, N. C, Dec. 14, 1858.
Question submitted by C. E. Deems :
When a member of an Annual Confer
ence has been notified that certain charges
will be presented against him at the Con
ference next ensuing, and the accuser so
notifying has read his bill of charges to
the Conference, and the Conference has
been some time in consideration of the
character of the accused, can the accuser
then withdraw his charges, or any portion
thereof, without the consent of the accused
and of the Conference ?
Charles F. Deems.
Newbern. N. C, Dec. 14, 1858.
After a bill of charges has been present
ed by one member of a Conference against
another, after due notification, and the
character of the accused has been so far
under examination as to have taken evi
dence against the accused, the accuser can
not withdraw the charges without the con
sent of the accused and of the Conference.
Nor can the accuser withdraw the charges
he has preferred against a member, after
the Conference has agreed to entertain the
charges, without the consent of the Con
ference. H. H. Kavanaugh.
Newbern, N. C, Dec. 14, 1858.
Aunt Hannah and he Church.
Aunt Hannah lived out of town.
' Did I never tell you what a time I had
at our church last winter ?" said she to me
one evening.
"No! what of it?"
"Now ain't that strange? Thought I
bad told everybody about it, to be sure.
La, well, 'twill be news to you then ! You
know Nora, Thorndale's darter. She came
over to our house, and said our congrega
tion were goin' to have a fair in the village
meetin' house !"
"Do tell," sez I. "Who's goin' to
preach?"
Oh, said she, mighty smiling, " we
ain't goin' to have preaching ; a few young
persons of the congregation, who seem to
take a deeper interest in the Church's wel
fare than the members themselves, desire
to purchase a few indispensable articles for
the meetin' house j and we thought, if all
the Church would present us with cakes
and pies', and meats) and such things, we
would appoint a night to sell them in the
vestry of the church, and take the proceeds
to buy the necessary things. The plan is
well received, especially by the young.
You know the money is to be spent for
charitable purposes, and, on that account,
everything given us will sell for double its
value."
"Well, I wouldn't have believed that
there was so much wisdom left in the world,
as to have conjured up that," sez I.
" 'Tis even so," said Nora. " And what
will you give ? You live on a farm, and
farmers produce lots of things that would
be acceptable."
" Well, I will give you two roast tur
keys and six roast chickens,' sez I, think
ing that would be as much as anybody
could expect these hard times.
" Urn! Well, what else? 'Tis for the
church you give it, you know. Church
members should not be less axious for
their interest than the world."
" You see I was a church member, and
she wasn't."
"Well, I'll give aja of peach jam,"
sez I.
."That will help along some. A few
bushels of apples, or a roast pig would be
acceptable."
41 She was so ravenous, I began to be
sorry I'd offered her anything. However,
I thought I'd go the whole hog or none, so
I promised the pig and apples."
" Of course, you will give us cheese,
and pickles, and cakes, and milk, and cream,
and then I think you will have done your
part at givin'. By the way, we are to
have historical tableaux, and Mrs. Amos
Bruce wanted you to take the part of the
witch of Endor. All you will have to do
will be to dress to represent that lady, and
stand perfectly still behind a curtain ; and
people will pay something to see you."
" Wall, I's old and ignorant, and didn't
know what I's about, so I consented. I
sent them the pig, and the turkeys, and
the chickens, and the apples, and the rest
of the things wanted, up to the meetin'
the day before the fair.
The next day my husband tackled up
his old horse and cheise to carry mo to the
fair. Our old chaise, somehow or other,
don't look very well. There's a hole in
the top and sides, and some of the spokes
of the wheel are gone. The wheels squeak
powerfully, too. Wall, we hadn't but jist
got into town, when it seemed as if all the
boys out of jail came hollerin' and hootin'
arter us as if they were possessed."
" Hurra for the witch of Endor! Her
chariot approacheth ! Make way for her
majesty."
" Do ask them unsightly critters to be
civil," sez I to my husband ; " my patience
is gone entirely."
At that he clambered out of the chaise,
and after 'em, lick-erte-split, tight as he
could get it. And oh, massy sake ! he
dropped the reins on the gronnd, and the
old horse took a notion to go, and he went.
You see he knew the way to' the church,
and put chase for it. Husband, he came
hollerin' 'whoa,whoa !' just as I was ridin'
up to the meetin'-house. The meetin'
house yard was full of folks, laughin' and
starin' as if they hadn't no respectability
in em. x got out or tne cnaise, and mace
my way through the crowd, and when they
wouldn't make room, I elbowed them right
smartly. I'm desput thin of flesh, and
when I hit 'em they gave back as if they'd
been struck with a dagger.
Paid twenty cents to go into the church.
The tables inside did look beautiful.
Nora, she explained the fixins to me.
There were grabboxes, that contained a
hundred things worth one cent, and one
thing worth ten, and paid five cents a grab;
and if you grabbed right, you would get
twice your money's worth. And there was
a ring cake. 'Twas divided into fifteen
slices. You paid a dollar a slice, and one
slice contained a ring worth fifty cento. So
he that got the right slice got a ring. And
there were guess cakes, and ever so many
such kind of things, too numerous to men
tion. Wall, they dress me up to represent the
witch of Endor ; I never was handsome,
and they rigged me up at such a rate that
I must have looked awful. I stood behind
the curtain, and people paid a ninepence to
come in and see me. Some went off mad ;
children generally scared. Some went off
laughin' as if they'd split. I evidently
produced a powerful impression on all that
saw inc.
$1.50 a year, in advance.
People at last came to see me faster than
they could be accommodated. I could hear
'em talking, around the tables, about the
witch of Endor's pig, and turkeys, and
cake ; and I began to feci, at length, dread
fully as though I was making a fool of my
self. I stood there feelin' desputly, and
had just made up a face to ery over my
unfortunate condition, when all of a sud
den, down came the curtain, and there I
stood right afore 'em all 1 They sot up
such a hurrain' as I never heard before or
since. I elbowed my way through 'em
like wild fire, and made for the gettin'-out
place, and struck for home.
Well, I went home with all my witch of
Endor riggin on. When . husband came
to the door to let me in, he was so .fright
ened that he set the dog on me. The dog
came towards me, growled, and run as he'd,
break his neck, and 1 haven't seen him
from that day to this. I at last convinced
my husband that I was his beloved wife.
When I explained it all to him, the way
he growled was a caution.
Wall, they raised three hundred dollar!
at that abominable fair. With it they
bought an ornamental chandelier, and silk
pulpit cushion, and hired carpenters to
make gingerbread work all over the meetin'-house.
I'm just of Mrs. Deacon Ware's opinion
about church fairs, I am that they are
just the most wicked swindles that ortho
doxy ever tolerated. She says they are
killin' to religion, and I think so too.
She says that the older church members
think I was desputly put upon at the fair ;
and I declare, I don't believe but what I
was."
Hints to a Frayerlcss mother.
As little boy sat looking at his mother
one day, he said, " grandpapy will be in
heaven !" Mary will be in heaven ! Ba
by is in heaven !"' Here the child paused
and looked very solemn
"Well, dear," said the mother, " what
about mamma? Will not mama be in
heaven ?"
"Oh! no no,"
' Why do you say so ?" asked the moth
er deeply afflicted.
" O, you do not pray, so you will not go
to heaven."
" Yes my dear,, I do ; I often pray for
you when you do not see me very often,
indeed."
"Ah," said he, "I uevcr saw you,
then kneel down and let me hear if you can
pray."
The mother knelt by her child, and pray
ed aloud for herself and little one, and tha
day learned a lesson she never will forgot.
Mother ! are you going to heaven ? -Do
your little ones think you are going,
by all they observe in your conduct ! Are
you leading them in the way to heaven I
Do they often hear your voice going up to
the throne of God for them. Those who
do not pray on earth, may pray when the
earth has passed and their prayer then
will not be answered. The rich man pray
ed for one drop of water a very small re
quest but he did not obtain the boon he
asked. May you be anxious to pray now
that your prayer may be heard and an
swered. Cross Men.
Cross men are usually despised by every
body. Cross men are always in want of friends.
Cross men can't depend npon permanent
prosperity.
Ciobs men when in trouble are left alone
and let alone, and " are of all men most
miserable."
Cross men are the last men who should
ask'for favors.
Cross men have neither position nor in
fluence. Cross men are cut off from the affections
good-will, and sympathy of partners, clerks
customers, and everybody.
Cross men when they depart, " which is
far better," leave behind a short procession
and but few mourners. Independent.
Extracts from THIotson.
Nobody is so weak but he ia strong
enough to bear the misfortunes that he doea
not feel.
No man's - religion ever survives his
morals.
That is not wit which consists not with
wisdom.
No man shall ever come to heaven him
self who has not sent heart thither before
him.
That man will one day find it but poor
gain who hits npon truth with the loss of
charity.
Saturday Night.
The week is past, its latest ray
Is vanished with the closing day,
And 'tis as far beyond our grasp
Its now departed hours to clasp.
As to recall the moment bright
When first creation sprung to light.
The week is past ! if it has brought
Some beams of sweet and soothing thougtb.
If it has left some memory dear
Of heavenly rapture tasted here,
It has not winged its flight in vain.
Although it ne'er return agtin.