Newspapers / The Orphans’ Friend (Oxford, … / Nov. 8, 1876, edition 1 / Page 1
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VOLUME OXFORD, N. C., WEDNESDAY, NOVEMBER 8, 1876. HELP PItOM THE iLPEESS. I ciUisbt the murmnr of the billowy wheat, I'liiit rolled its wealth of waves alon^ the jilaiii; “I tremble, for I wait the thresher’s beat, And the hard stones that gidiid the hapless grain ; Yet by my silent pain tim world is fed : I die to give its famished millions bread.’' 13are hung the plundered vine; it sighed—‘I mourn Hy grapes, that hid not from the vintner’s eye The summer in tlieir hearts ; now erushed and torn, They yield' their liie, and yet it will not die; The years shall guard for its fate benign, To be poured out anew in generous wine.’ Brotlier, borne down by sorrow, have not we (jiveii to the thresher's hand both cliatf and grain S' And did we not our latest frnitagesee Crushed in the wine-piess for the vintner's gain f ]\lay some sad heart but win from thine and mine Bread for its hour of need, and soul-inspiring wine! THE C5LACIEKS OF EAIVD. SWITZEK- NUMBER 45. BY EEV, C. C. S.A.LTEE. The most i’em;u'kable feature in Alpine scenery are tlie ^-laciers ■which cover 900 square miles or one twentieth the area of Switzer land. There are other mountain chains siirjjassing the Alps in jnagnitude, but wliich lacks tins characteristic. As looked upon from the valle}’ the glaciers seemed to be a mo tionless lutdv of ice heaped over ill the dirt and stones. This soiled and begiimmed portion, however, is but the ter- iiiiiiation of a frozen river fifteen miles long, three quarters of a mile wide, and fifteen hundred feet deep, coiling sei'iient like along its rocky bed. The glaciers are literally rivers. 'rindr C(dd and rcstloss mass !\l()ves (inward d.iy by day.” d'lie rate of their motion depends upon their volume or also upon the bed of the Shraiii, and its in clination. Where the valley is more level the glacier is termed a Merde glace, or Sea of Ice. There are glaciers that move but 20 feet aiinuallv, while others advance more than ten times this distance. It has been estimated that two hundred years would jiass before a stone now at the source of the Merde glace, would reach the vale of Chamony. The remains of certain mountaineers wlio fell into one of the upper crevasses of an Alpine glacier, lorty years ago, have been recent ly discovered near its foot. Ascending the banks of one of these ice-streams, as (for example) the magnificent Gorner Glacier in 'rermatt, you see that the main current is swollen by tributaries as stiff and frozen as itself. The boundaries of the principal river, and of its branches are for some distance defined by piles of rock and sand, resembling the bed of a railway or turnpike. Tliis mass of debris which has been ground bom the mountains by each of the glaciers, and which is thus heaped together along the line of their confluence, is called the Medical Moraine. The Lateral Mo raiue consists of the same wild confusion of mountain waste, tossed up on either shore by the Waves of the herculean river. These moraines are the result ot the attrition of the ponderous ice-masses against their rocky banks, (an effect clearlv seen up on the higher walls wliich in ages jiast were grooved by the now receding stream ;) and in part also ot the avalanches wliich have heaped rocks ot prodigious size aloiig the borders of tlie glaciei. Ilieinoraii’es are often hundreds ot feet in lieighf, foriiiing a steep though convenient path from wliich to note the outline, and the serrated billows of the glacier. Tliey are made U)) in part of the finest sand, called stone meal, (the best gi'ist ot this g'lacier- grinding;) while their sui-face is fir and pine trees often covered with mosses and delicately tinted flowers. Those who visited the Rhone glacier in the Merde glace ten years ago are surprised to find that the familiar ice grotto has receded up hill more tiian half a mile, while huge projections of rock which were then concealed by the ice-stream are novv visible. On the other hand in 1818 the terminal moraine of a certain gla cier advanced more than one liimdred and fifty feet, driving- before it every conceivable bar- I’ier. Like all the great mvsteries of nature, tlie glacier is to be ap proached with cautions step. It is never safe to cross or as ceiid tiiese ice-rivers without aii experienced guide. Ereslily fallen snow often arches the crevasse with a bridge beauti ful to h ok upon, but treacherous to the step. Sometimes, too, the width ot the crevasse makes it necessary to descend and ascend by steps cut in the ice. Such icedadders are termed seracs. It is usual tor a coinpaiiv to be roped together before starting upon a glacier exploration. Thus the peril is lessened by being shared. The sense of se curity is heightened bv tliis per fect solidarity which, as says a member of an Alpine club, should exist between all who join in the expedition. If one member suf fers, all suffer with him. Each becomes responsible for his fellow, and the uiiweary step is held in check by the tension of the rest of the Itarty. Bince at an altitude of 10,000 feet the heat is sufficient to con vert the snow into ice, the upper portion of the glacier consists of snow alone and is called Firn. Hence tlie glacier has its source ill “ those urns of silent snow,” from whose fai'-off fountains of peerless purity^ it winds its faith like “ snakes that watch their prey.” The upper snow masses are crowded down the mountain sides, until by heat and thorough pres sure they are transformed into solid ice. Solid, v'et a plastic and coherent stream endoived with ceaseless step as it moves within its rocky walls. No one should visit the Alps without looking into the glaciers’ grandeur, as it is seen and left alone in the higher amphitheaters, which are girded by the giant mountains and crossed by the mysterious currents ot snow and ice. Tlie silence of these awful sol itudes is unbroken save by the occasional tlumdei’ of the plung ing avalanche, or the noise of a fallen rock as released from its ice grip, it tumbles into the dark caverns that ■j'awn beneath vou, or liy the murmur of countless streams coursing the veins of the ice-minister, leaping over invisi ble precipices, and at last emerg ing from the glacier an unfettered well, whose real orifice was far above in the hidden depths of snow and ice. Nor should we forget tile utility of the term-in spiring glaciers. Tlieir mountain liome is the birth-place of those noble rivers of Germany, France and Italy, ivhicli liave plaved so wonderful a part in tiie liistor\- and civilization of Europe. Stand ing in the midst of one of these glacier fortresses, the very citadel of resistless might and merciless energy, how blessed tlie thought of One who represents the grand est force and the most radiant love—that personal God wlio is a very present help in trouble.— Church Union. A\ AWFUl^ COATJESSIO.y. A few days since I met an in ebriate on tlie street, whose wife was buried but a week ago. I urged him to reform, and endeav ored to hold before his mind the dreadful ruin his course had brought upon him and Ids family, on the one iiand, and the possi bility of reformation and amends on the other' He seemed to be sober and in a condition to realize the matters I presented to him. Great tears dropped in rapid suc cession from his eyes as I sjioke to him, and for a time lie was so oven-helmed that he could make no response. At last with con vulsive sobs he said: “ I know it all, Mr. B., and inore, I have ex perienced the worst of it. I can never make amends for tlie past. I can never undo the work of rum. Rum iias taken everything that is worth living for from me, and what is worst of -all—a thing that torments me more than all beside—it has made me the mur derer of my wife, one of the no blest women that ever lived!” Here his voice was choked off again by the most harrowing sobs. Self-condemned, lie broke down before the bar of Ids own con science. He had a noble wife, one who drank from the cup of sorrow and blighted hope in pro portion as he drank from the cup of hell, and that without a uiur- mur, till she found rest in the grave and in heaven. This world to lier had no bright side. Clirist and heaven were her solace. Be fore she expired she collected her family about her, a family of nine children, and commended them all to Christ. Upward of twenty years ago tliat woman was a rosy- cheeked girl, oblivious of any danger of such a life and such results. When admonished by her parents that the young man whom she delighted in so much, and who was known to visit sa loons occa.sionaIly, miglit wring into her cup tlie bitter dregs of a drunkard’s wife, she laughed at the idea, thinking he thought too much of her to prefer the saloon to his home, or to forsake her so ciety for that of bloodshot-eyed, topers. It will be well if there are not some voung ladies ivlio will read these lines, and yet du plicate her suicidal folly ! A’lien Elisiia told ilazael that he would burn the strongholds of Israel, slay their young men, and dash tlie infants against the wall, amazed and overwlielmed he cried out; “But what! is thy servant a dog, that he should do this great thing f” But no sooner was he in a position to do it than he did the very' thing which had shocked him at the prophet’s re cital. It, when this poor, wretch ed mortal of whom 1 am writing, took tins blushing bride by the Iiand, one would have told him that the idol of his heart would in a few years become the victim of a hellish appetite at his hand, he would have been as inucli as tonished as Ilazael. Yet such has been the sequel. A'oung lady ! do you wish to be murdered at the hand of your husband I Then choo.se for your companion a young man who oc casionally takes a drink in company. Young man ! do you wish to be come a self-condemned murderer, a murderer of the vilest degree— a murderer of your best earthly friend—the most precious boon known in this life—an affectionate, devoted wife?—Then take an oc casional drink.—Evangelical Mes senger. SS.’JE.’SCE A,\» THE JMBLE. Tlio thing to bo lamented i.s, 'THE 3IOST AOK'TIIEHEY 'TOWiV IX THE WORLD. A correspondent of tlie Alta California, in a letter from Nor way, thus refers to tlie most nortlierly town in tiie world: “Next we visit Ilamuierfest, the most northerly^ town in the world. It has a population of 2,057. There are many' Lapland ers and Finlanders in the town. The principal bu-iness is in cod- liver oil and fish, and the odor from the oil makes it veiy disa greeable. Reindeer and goats abound here, while there are but six horses in the town. d'lie sun sets here November 3 8, and does not rise again until Januaiy 28. Children go to school with lanterns for about six weeks. In the summer the sun does not set from the first of June till the 22d of July. There is no chance for the hotel keepers to make any money on candles, as they do in Germa ny and France. 1 liad my pho tograph taken by^ the midnight sun. You got demoralized here. Mrs. K. has already. She sits up to one and two o’clock knitting socks, waiting for night to come. On the 27tli of June the Lapland ers brought many children into the town to have tliem baptized or confirmed. Reindeers you can see, fifty at a time, on tlie side hills, and goats by the hundred. On June 23 (called here St. Han’s day) or midsummer day, they kindled bonfires on tlie sides of the mountains around the town, and had a joll_y time. The weath er is horrible. The tliermometer stands from four to five Reaumur. Tliere is one hotel here, and its management might be easily im proved, althougli the landlady is kind and obliging. MY have fisli and reindeer for breakfast, i-ein- deer and flsli for dinner, and for supper some more fish and rein deer. This jumping off place is in latitude 70° 40° 11.” that the moment men ot science get hold of a fact they instantly begin to set it in opposition to God’s Word. But the vaunted ‘fact’ of Tuesday often takes an- otlier shape on Wednesday, and by' 'riuH'sday is found to be no fict at all. The truth is that geology', as a .= cience,. consists mainly of probable guesses. ‘That field of peat,’ says Sir Charles Lyell, ‘lias probably' been 7,000 years in course of formation.’ •No,’ replies a friend of his own, in a publisiied criticism,’ ‘I think it quite possible that it has only been 700 years in growing.’ A piece of pottery is found in the valley' of the Nile, and a geologist immediately' argues tiiat it must have lain tliere more than 20,- 000 years. But an antiquary soon points out marks upon it which sliow it to be less than 2,000 years idd. Yet it is upon guesses of this kind, wliicli do not amount to a tenth pai't of a proof, that the Lyells and Gwens and Colensos venture boldly to assert that it is clear that Moses knew nothing whatever of the subject on which he was writing. Just ill the same spirit do Bunsen and his followers unhesitatingly assert that the growth of langu ages proves that the world must be more tlian 30,000 years old. We refer to the confusion of tongues described by Moses, which at once dissipates their dream. “ Oh ! but that was a miracle,” they reply, “and wo It lye made up our minds never to believe a miracle.” Very well, gentlemen, tliere we must leave you ; for men who make up their minds before inquiring are not acting as reasonable beings. A dozen other little juntos are now at work in the same laudable fashion. One set is not quite cer tain tliat man was ‘developed’ out of an ape. Well, and what was the ape ‘developed’ out of? They do not know. Our comfort in all this is,thatthis influenza will wear itself out like the Tractarian, or like the infidel fashion of the days of Bolirigbroke. Men have been striving to get rid of the Bible and its inconvenient morality for nearly these two thousand years ; but they were never further off from their end than they are at present.—The Earl of Shafteshurv. • ^ Bret Harte very aptly' and truly -says : “The rear of a house only is sincere.” If the back-yard reveals a heap of ashes and rub bish, genuine neatness has no place under that roof although the entire front, from cellar win dow to cornice, may stand the glistening embodiment of cleanli ness. Nor does true flower love dwell in that house who.se rear windows face a wilderness of bricks,however artistic the display enchanting the world at (ho front. —Recent diggings for the foun dation of new buildings bv the Russians on tlie Mount of Olives disclose old mosaic pavements with inscriptions (mosaic) in va rious languages, as well as tomb.s still, strange to say', unrifled, at quite a little distance below tlie surface of the gi'ouud. In one of the rooms of the Russian convent or cliurcli there is quite a little cabinet of articles exluimed. i? iS
The Orphans’ Friend (Oxford, N.C.)
Standardized title groups preceding, succeeding, and alternate titles together.
Nov. 8, 1876, edition 1
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