THE FLOWERS COLLECTION
A IP A HP U71
U Hj1 I JDjo
PUBLISHED WEEKLY BY A COMMITTEE OF MINISTERS FOB, THE NORTH CAROLINA CON ffUJRENCE, M. E. CHURCH, SOUTH. RUFUS T. HEFLIN, Editor.
RMaliGE, TIKES BAY MAY M., ttW.
Vol. it- so. ao.
1 50 n Year, ia Advance.
i...
i-
bright.:!.
F.t the X. C. Christian Advoeite
'"Southern Educational Journal "
The Educational Institute of the 31. E.
Church South, :it irs late session in the city
of Nashville, resolved t establish an Edu-
caiional Journal.
The whole subject was;
thoroughly examined : the very best minds I
. v !
fiom difl'ient poiatsauJ pursuit-gave their i
, . r . c, ,. i
opinions and experience, practical editors'
and pudi-hers furnished statistics, s.n3 es
tima.es; aud the conclusion was universal,
that the interests of our Church demands
such a publication, that it is practicable,
and ought to be established. Such, a source
of information and professional cmmiiu
uiou w 11 be sought by all zealous educa
tors; anxious parents seek light wh rover
ic may be found, in developing and form
ing ih-. character of their cliildren. and
ohri-tim citizens feel ihat the expanding
life d' this great na'io i is endangered b
Caivless. ill-directed and f'en immoral
I'-'ii ,j' education Our whddrtu, uui
church and our country demand that we
should speik and hear on this subject. I'
is not a jii:istion of dollars and cents ; it is
a duty deui'.nstratd by the int ll.'Ct, and
felt, by the heart ; it is an interest that
ciU-u'at-'S the value and sanetitv of home,
the character and tone of public opinion,
aud the perp'tui.y and usefulness of our
reli ious po ity. The M thodi-t Church,
lowd by millions gone, present and yet to
be, has u educational organ, no means by
which t'ue father may speak to "tin young,
thus tempering zeal by prudence and ex-;
pe ienee j
We have a Quart ily TVmw, Home j
Circle and Church pap is, they each have!
an appropriate sphere of operations, and ;
either of tb m would be injured by at
tempting to develop, an 1 guard the inter
ests now under consideration Our existing
res urees eanuot do more than they have
on this subject, and vet so amide is the
demand, and so iutense the desire for -du-
carional information, that northern e dura- i
tir.F...i i..ir,..!., :i, ..i::
reiiijious fanaticism, and black with preju
dice aud secti n il hatred, still find twenty
or thirty thousand subscribers in he S uth.
Let this inconsistency be ended. We have
wise men among us, we would hear their
voice aud commune wi h them at an altir
consecrated to special services. Let cone
say we cannot sustaiu so many publications.
By the blessing of God, we cau do our
wh .le duty whatever that may be. and it
-i, ' -IP J4 i . , '
will very specially promote enlightened ,
chri-tiai character. i
a - u i e u e
1 v ?o Yv Ct '!? 7 T
l vrepre,e i.ing Methodism from Maryland to
Mexico tnoug In we ought to h ,ve an edu- j
catiotial i mrnal ; they f ho i2:ht our people
,i J j
could very ea-ily support it, and that it '
.ery ea-ny supp
influ
llee wonid Hp h. n -fi.-i
in 1 1 blcrliot
detrree. Pres. Ellio t of Xashville, B.
Craven of North Carol' ua, and Prof. Sass
net of Georgia, were appointed a commit
tee to speak to Southern Methodism
on the subject ; plan, and arrange the
periodical, and as soon as practicable com-.
mence tne puoncauon i ne precise lorm jn jtjJ ve sanct;t The windSj the clou.j
i, n t yet determined, that wil, depend j the th(l treuSj tQe flowers all seeu) to
upon the response in subscribers and dona- j proc,aim to the uu,nan heart) and to alI
tions : it will, however, be either a weekly . the sacredness of tlll! diiy sanctifi..d by the
in quarto, contain.ng as much matter - as Lord Godj and consecrated especially to a
any ordinary newspaper, or a monthly, ho, rc3f gjn becollies unuuaUy heinous
something Ike the Home Circle; tne price ; on ,hat d . especially the sin of Sabbath
is ?. There will be m connection with this j breaking. We mean to say, that if Pos
an ag. DCy for the accommodation cf those , siUe Gd no(i(.es with une,)lllmon S(fVerity
who wish to teach, and those who des-re to ; of m5Dnerj S;DS committed against Him on
employ teachers. All who wish to employ ; rjjs j 1;iv
teachers will send a statement of the loea- j Thh im " ' naturalj and in ordor
tion. the s-rviees and peci.liarnes required, ! t cQ carth on that , t,, more
and th, remuneration ottered ; those who of th(J character 0f Heaven ; that is, nets
d s re p.o-iuons wid ;nd a statement cf , Dearcr th(J tLr0I1? where shs in nn.t-Mh
quil'ficaf.ons, any ?"c.al remuneration .do- . a),0 t))e CJ(ju of ,he j, Slhh;Uh
man led, and two or mo.o references 1 he ; SQ th:lt for a nian t sin oll th,,t day, were
pi:
e u.txu 01 ml. on- i- ipji u
tu:- 1, tne aoove is a geue.a. iu-m. . e and oommit y;n in thp presence
m oht adl book notices and reviews, eata-! of thc sin,.js :in( h, avenlv bands, and God
k--:esof books, be As soon as possi : himscf. ' F,r a profcilfiCd Christian to do
I.!.-, an editor will be selected a man j on that j Jf ibJ worge
competent to theiterrn.-f -.and an honor to t,;n wvied lt j, dt.sperate wil.kedness;
South, ru Me.ho,:-m ; and the publication ; t mw fn t)e 6;fht of
wiU commenee at .,ashviile. J Maker; or the angels fighting against
What say the members ana friends of j IIeaven and Fic,lV(.n-s KitlJr in Heaven it
cbritian education ? A e confidently ex- j ,f o i,,,,!,,,! ;a tbo bl,.- s!..i,kL tV,.,f
I 1
a ireueral ida. We I
prct each L."nierencP i' lurnisr. ainousana
-ill sr-ribers for a beinning. Some would
have preferred a sj ecinien number seut ;
ionii 1 , , . , (pare their ordinary (n"t less extraordma
thougl.t the plan now pr pos-d altogether; ... ., . .- , . ., -
preferable. The Committee
will be p.'
sonally re-pou.-ib!
or
th
" ' ' i
received.
Let all teachers
,. .
preaehers and
II ' V .J
cf e incation sreneial-y take hold of the
matter, aiid sucecess will be imine
and si len-nd. I he committee will visit
such points as ineir orner ounes wi per-
- . ., , , f. I
. . . I wtt ill nn '(.nirv fiiiT ,.nf IhA if, i
, . . , , J , . i
tentions or iiiai areat ooiy 01 educators
and Ministers, who resolved that Southern
Methodism should have nn
E;o r.vTioN u. JoraxAL.
Adiress i'res. Elliott, Xashvilie, Tenn.,
Prof. Sassnett, Oxford, Ca., or the under
sigie d at Normal College. X. C. We very
re-eetfu!ly ask all our Church papers to
Mid in this good work, and we hope many
se-idar papers will do a similar kindness
J. CILAA'EX.
X rmal Col'ege, May 4, 15V.
For the X. C. Christian Advocate.
EDUCATION.
lJiio. Hnr.ix: The necessity of urging
parents to eduae their children, dare no
ii. w exist. When the MethoJist Church
in America was organized, so little interest
on the subject was feh, that the authorities
of the Church, made it the duty of each
l'aj'or to preach a sermon on education to
eaeb congreg.ttiou ;;i charge; but now
a Minister would be thoulit guilty of a
want of time and discourtesy to bis hear
er?, who would assume that a necessity now
exi'-ted for preaching on the subject. But
is the assumption well founded ? Is there
now bo urgent roasons for enforcing this
duty upon the masses? Are all the chil
dren of the church educated according to
the demands of the age in which we live ?
! To number our colleges by the dozen, will
not satisfactorily answer the :piestion. A
college, either male or female, is a great
aud heaven-blessed institution: its useful
i ness in any department of society cannot
bo couiputed. But do our colleges meet
the wants of our people? Viewing socie
ty and calculating its educational wants
. , . , ,
,. , . , .
other; And because or our ignorance,
, , , - , .
have we not been neglectful or our duty
Ti -c , c .UJ
e masses i
31eihodist Church to preach the Gospel to
the p or ; but cau we claim equ il praise
for watching over their intellect ? and af
fording them facilities for mental culture
qual to their gosp-1 privileges? Th-t
his is our duty, 1 think cannot be denied,
ind therefore need not. be proved. Th.s
colleges never have and never can effect.
By the light they shed, they show the
wants of the common people, but afford no
relief. Through the medium of our col
leges, we have iuspired an ardent, desire
"r exb-ns'v.? edie-arn: but alas! & single
perusal of he expenses of the meanest, of
these .schools, quenches every aspiration,
and blasts every hope of being benefitted
by them ; and mirk it, this regleet
upon our part aud hopelessness of a thor
ough education up n the part of a Urge
majority of the rising generation, must
ultimately tell wdli d sastrous effect up iu
the unity and prosperity of the church.
Let us, whi'e eudeavoriug to keep our
hold upon the wealthy, see to it. that the
poor are not driven from us in dis ust or
despair. The former are most amply pro
vided for. Shall we not turn our attention
to the latter? Can the misses be iuea
ted through the instrumentality of rhe
church ? By God's blessing, they can. I
defer the making good this assertion for
my uext article.
J. HEXRY BRENT,
lvjxboro', May 1, 1857.
For the X. C. Christian Advocate.
The Holv Sabbath The Sabbath of the
uu. uuu.
DO THE PEOPLE OF THE LOUD GOD KEEP IT ?
Dear Bko. Heflix: It would, at first
thought, seem almost a superfluity to put
such an inquiry as is puf in the option
above " Do the pe ple of the Lord God
keep His Holy Sabbath ?" It is certainly
a very important iaquiry ; and if an an
swer to it convey back to the interrogation
edly it will prove to be a sin of no small
lliacrnitude
w j " i. i t
We do not propose to enter upon a dis-
CU5si0D of the subject-ted of the origin,
enf(lrcelueDt & J of the t
wrtep does d .
,
Lnoush for our present p irp ve to have
t, -.Z ,.P,i, :
tion ot tue preeupr, and pointec. to various
items cf duty in the ease.
First, then, the Sibbath of the Lord is
a koly day. It is sacred ; it is a day sanc
tified by God himself, set apart from all
other days, and for religious purposes. Ua
that . e th- afBiaa tQ participate
! for him to enter the gates of Paradise it-
in o'd times a man was stoned for picking
up bru-h on that day, to kindle a fire with.
Thc Jews were forbidden to cook, or pre-
ry) victuals; and no man, at the peril f
i soul and body, was allowed to stir out of his
ti nt, unless it were for a religious or ehar-
Stable pui pose. God placed the precept
down upon the table of stone, interwove it
, ,
! in the Jewish economy, aud after their cn
: trance into Canaan, enjoined its observance
' nf -.!,. ii,.n Tw, ..n.l .7 1
., i i -1 , ,i
the man servant and maid servant, the cat-
'
tie and thc stranger within tl
ie gate,
but
upon the very fields themselves. Each
seventh year they kept a Sabbath, in which
they were neither fallowed nor sowed ; and
ou the seven-tiuiis-seventh 3'ear, the whole
nation turned Sabbatic and kept a jubilee
of reafc, and peace, and joy, iu the God of
Abraham and the covenant. One of the
heaviest curses ev r pronounced against
the Jews, or any people, was iu conse
quence of their non-observance of the holy
Sabbath. " Then shall the land enjoy her
Sabbath, as long as it lieth desolate, and
ye be iu 30U1- enemies' land; even then
shall the land rest, and enjoy her Sabbath.
As long as it lieth desolate it shall rest ;
because it did not rest iu your Sabbaths,
when ye dwelt upou it.'' Xow, the ques
tion is, does the laud c,f the Christians of
this day " rest" in the Sabbaths when we
dwell upou it? "Yes," say3 one good
Methodist or Baptist, (I don't care who,)
" Yes, for a man would be punished by the
civil law of the land were he to do as the
Jews did ; were he to sow his land on the
Sabbath day." That is plain enough.
But we enquire, how is it in the sight of
God? Will this investigation leave the
Christian clear ? You, reader, do not sow
your lands on the Sabbath day ; you do
not plow and hoe ; you do not reap and
gather into your garners on that day ; but,
do you not do what, in the sight of God,
is even worse than all these : worsj, be-
. eaue it not only is. sinful in the nature of
i iU ihiiiji. but .Jnful in the character
: the thing; tLat is. while you profess to the
law o! the land, and to publi.; sentiment
around you, and to the Word of G d, to
keep the Sabbath by rrfiai'dmr from overt
acts of manual labor on ih" day, you dese
crate it by your thoughts, by your words,
and finally by your actions too. What do
you think about ou that day ? Is it reli
gion is it Jesus the goodness of God to
sinners and to you ? Is it to meditate on
(Jod's holy Word? Or, is it about your
wordly plans and bu-iness to be emcred
upon next, week ? What do you talk about
on that day? Is it not about almost any
thing and every thing save thc proper ones?
Politics, business, jests, if not ribaldry ;iLd
downright nonsense; anything but holi
ness of heart, and learning how to get good,
do good, and get home to heaven ? What
do you do on that day ? Go to church ?
Good enough. Head a chapter in the Bi
ble morning (aud you ought to at noon '
also) and evening with your family, if tun ;
j have one aouii i you ; sing u good id I sorm :
ot Zi .n, and pray with them : All good
enough. But what next ? Where is the .
cook, and what has ste done on that day ? I
Your servants have they ever le.irsud I
from you that it is their duty to remember
the Sabbath diy to keen it holy ? And
those calls on your neighbor next, door?
" Well, but," says a good brother, " it is a
son or a brother, or a father and mt ti
er, I ailed on : you d n't condemn siuh
visits as these, do you?" 1 say redly
nothing about it; but, .fcaus Christ does,
wheu he says "he that loveth father or
mother more than me, is not worthy of me ;
aud he that loveth son or daugh-er more
thau me, is not worthy of me." The fact
ofthe p-rson, or persons visited, being ; ed their swords at its commands; and at
your relations, but adds to the heinousness jts hi 1 ling armies have turned inglori -u-ly
of the sin ; it is a positive nvow-1 to Jesus their arms against their fa-her-land. In
that you h "love father or mother, son ..r fluen-ed by its power, beauty has sacrific
daughter more than" he; and is such a ed its sacred chain, and laid its virtue on
one too which, if persisted in, will finally th unholy altar of fhry lust. It has kin
shut you out from His presence. It is died the fire of 1 ve in the damsel's he irt:
just like another sin eommirt d in the transformed deformity in o enrapturing
church of God. Afrienl who would not ; 1 beauty ; an J solemuized to rit -s of matri
ordinarily wear rings, or superfiu as orna- j tnony at the sacred altar of religion. It
ments, yet will wear one presented by a j makes of demagogues most eloquent patri
friend, and excuse themselves on the score ; ots; and when the nation's treasure are
of its having been prcnt-nfeti to them a ! secured from their grasp, it transforms
plain setting aside of the Saviour's word ; them into vile traitors. It makes he irth
and hence, wrong in pr 'portion to the j ston -s desolate, and renders the oppressor's
dearness of the idol-friend thus set up in palace a parad se. It manufactures locks
the heart in lieu of Jesus. I have known i and bars and teach -s men to pick the
Methodists who made it their regular habit oc,ks and sever the brass- It builds ships
to call on some one of their relations on for purposes of commerce and humanity.
.the holy Sabbath day, who would have
shrunk with a p;ous horror from going on lishments, and instruments of inhumauity.
a visit to a common acquiintmee on that j It congregates men into multitudes, builds
day, just as though God would lift the law j cities, cultivates countries, and sends the
in favor of their relations any more than Missionary abroad with the everlasting
he would in favor of their other neighbors. ; Go-pel ; and it scatters multitudes, lays
But cookiug, and talking, an 1 visiting, are : cities iu ruins, sweeps a devastating storm
not all the violations male against the , over countries, and makes desolation itself
Sabbath d
pious persous will spend th forenoon or 1 wretchedness ami ruin to climes to wtticn
afternoon of that day in ambulating go- it h id sent the Gospel of the Kingdom of
ing over their farms, looking with a secu- j God.
lar eye over their gardens an 1 croas. their The triumphant marches, brilliant vic
cattle, &c, so that when the body is not j tories, and magnificent conquests of thc
actually engaged in plowing and the usual I Almighty Dollar, have been so rapid, so
modes of culture, the miiul the heart j complete, so univer-.al that its most indent
runneth out after them in feelings and con
templations of unholy concernment ; and
what careth the Lord f or a body without a
mind. '( Or, for a temple without a w irship
per ? What avails it for the woi k of keep
ing the Sabbath day, if, when the body is
not eng,ig-d in unholy rumimtti ns and
walkings over the concerns of earth, but
may ever be overtly engag d in acts of de
votion or public service to God, and the
thoughts waud ring worse thau the tool s
j eye, which only goes to the ends of the j the peace, the happiness of the comiiiuui
I earth, while the Sabbath breaker's go to ; ty. The red eyed disciple of Baeehus es-
the shrines of his earthly idol-gods, and j tablishes a grogery. and with a few gallons
while pouring out his soul iu devotion upon j of mean whiskey, and drugged brandy, at
their altars, he pushes the (rod of heaven tracts the community to his shop, and
out of the world and annihilates IIs Sab-! extra the last penny from the poor
' bath by desecrating it in the home of the j
j h art the temple of God Says the pro- j
i phetof J hovah unto the people: If th u '
turn away thy toot from the habbath, from :
doing thy pleasure on my holy day; and ;
call the Sabbath a delight, the ho'y of the
Lord, honorable ; and slialt honor him, not i Romish Church, I will grant you indul
j doing thine own ways, nor finding thine I gence to sin for one year, if you will give
lown pleasure, nor speaking thine own ! ie so much monr-, jro'-ii7e(7, .somebody
j words: Theu shalt thou delight thyself in ! will swear in the Court House, an., record
the Lord ; and I will cause thee to ride j ir, that you are are a yowl man. Behold!
.upon the high places of the earth, and feed the power of money ! Sell a gooil man a
thee with the heritage of Jacob thy father
for the mou'h of the Lord hath spoken it.'
See l-a 5S : 13, 14.
We my readily infer, without venturing '
upon ho'ygru.ind, why the Lord appended j
such rich blessings to the keeping of the j
j holy fc.ibbath, and such heavy and peculiar- j
ly severe judgments tithe desecration of !
tne clay, in tne Urst place, tne soui that
1 ......; .,e i, . -i
eu ir t iciiii.s pn.ip;i ui Luc ML ituuoa
of the Sabbath, will also maiutain correct
views and fel lings iu refer nee to the char
acter of the Lord of the Sabbath, who is
very holiness in His attributes and love in
His nature. None, then, but the spiiitu
ally pure wjuld do this, because the right
observance of the Sabbath is a spiritual and
heavenly work, rather than a form. In the
second place, it will follow, that the heart
which is thus qualified to regard the Sab
bath, the day iu which we expect to see
jand f'eid more of God than any other, will
be prepared, like the man ot Go 1, " for
every good word and work." Jehovah
could rely, thus to express it, on that soul
with an uuusual degree of confidence, (we
speak after the manner of men,) for the
performance of any other, or all other good
works. In the third, and last place, such
an one would be more akin, in spirit, with
the sacred associations of heaven, of which
the Sabbath is a type: if the man would
but bserve the type the shadow most
assuredly he would come to observe the
antetype the solid; and enduringsubstance;
whereas, on the oth$r baud, these three
things may be penned of those members of
the church (or other persons) who disre
gard the holy Sabbath. Such persons do
uotentertiin proper conceptions of the pure,
aud holy character of either Deity or His
law ; so that were they in beven itself,
were it at all possible, f rom the very nature
of things, they would there disregard its
sacredness, turn tarnal and fleshly, and
the cteri al Sab-
f .l athiu the Upper Sanctuary
ii the se-
j cou.d place, suoii persons are u'ifit to go
; int . heaven, until they have iearne i to le
ard, by a du estimate, its type and shad
ow. In the third and last pla.e, they
cannot enter the rest that 'remans' so long
as they disqualify thsmsel es, through a
low a rid base vulgarity compounded of earth,
and flesh, aud sense,""fr the entering upon
the rest below If there be a heaven for
such persons, it must be a heaven which is
founded up n other principles than tint
which is. pure, and sacred, and holy, and se
rene. Headers of the Advocate, do you keep
the Sabb.th? It is one of the clearest
tests of y ur religi n God baa ivenus;
aud your getting into the Sabbath above,
will depend upon a right observance of its
type below. P-
For th1 N. C. Christian Advocate.
The Almighty Dollar-
The couqa 'St, the triumphs; tne victo
ries of the Almighty Dollar are before the
wnld's gaze. No monarch thtrstiag for
univtrsd dominion, ever made more con
quest. Xo miliary chieftain ever witnessed
m,,re triumph and no nation,' however
prosperous and suecessrui in fcims ever
achieve' so many victori-s as the Almigh
ty Dollar. Its c nq lesrs have b .?i n pushed
iiro every nation, every community, and
every association. It has reigne 1 victorious
over every other power, and tiiumphed
over every princip'e. Monarchs have
steppe J from their thrones to bow the
ad uing knee at its shrine Presidents of
republics have w irshipped at it-! altars,
fle.nftr:ds. brave G nerals. h ive surrender-
j and changes them into swindling estab-
admirers, and devoted subjects nave look
ed upon it with astonishment. Unnumber
ed multitudes have have been reduced to
vassalage by its its unlimited power.
Notwithstanding men are convinced that
money cannot bring happiness, yet they
are phrenzl d in pursuit of wealth ; and so
mad are they in seeking the p issession of
the Almighty Dollar, that they lay every
other object under tribute to this very pur-
pose. Regard !es of the comfort, the quiet
drunkard, for which he gives him brandy
to brutdize his disposition, and sends him
home the t rr r, instead of the support of
his wife and children. And strange to
tell, the laws of X. C. say, It is wrong to
sell liquor, it is a sin to do so. but Iik- the
riait to sin !
When the y.ung man wishes t ' form a
i matrimonial alliatii-e, the enquiry u seldom
heard. Is she educated, intelligent, indus
trl-us, religious, but the enquiry is I' she
sound on the subject f slavery, is she souud
on the currency of the day, is she right, in
regard to the territory. Now, does not
such show in w hat direction tuc heart s
warmest affections goes ?
While such is the disposition of society
to keep its eye on the glittering palaces of
wealth, and bow with difference to persons
of afluenee, it is well assured that wealth
never makes mau happy, that it brings
cares aud icspousibilitief, and they must
say with Solomon, 'Vanity of vanities, all
is vanity.' Money cannot satisfy the mind:
If thc chest of every Ali-er was emptied, the
safe cf every Merchant poured out, and
the vault of every bank was swept of its last
Coin ; the sum of the whole of the misers'
chests, the Merchants' safes, the banks'
vault would not satisfy you ! Then why
bring every other desire into suboidinution
to that of grasping the Almighty Dollar ?
Thousands by it, have been ensnared, de
graded, and ruined. Then let your pursuit
be for higher, holier, nobler purposes, even
for heaven. OSSISSO.
Rest, N. C.
9
For the N. C Christian Advocate.
Correction.
Bro. IIefi.ix: You will be so kind as to
correct a mistake I find in an article in the
Advocate of the 23d of April, under the cap
tion of " A touch at the Perplexities." The
mistake is found in the second question of
that article, which is publishe I thus : By the
by is myself nominal now. It shoud be By
the by merely nominal now. It stands "mere
ly" in the original. Please do me the kind
ness to correct as above.
Yours truly, II.
i trample upon the laws o
For the N. C. Christian Advocate.
Aud it Touched my Heart !
It has been truthfully said that 'Facts
are stranger than fie ion ' The meaning
of tie proverb has been forcibly impressed
upou my mind. A few days since, travel
ing in the country. I iaied an afflicted
Bro. if, happily, I might be some comfort
and benefit to him and his family Arri
ving at his house, it was a matter of sur
prise to me to find he had gc,ne to the 'low
grounds' where the h anus were ditching
Seated in the pirlor, a friend and myself;
-.11- r .
patiently awaited ris return. Jiy and by
he co'ue, but, I will not attempt a descrip
tion of my feelings. He seemed to boa
little past the meridian of life, was rather
tall and of quite a manly form, but now
considerably emaciated his head and face
I. . m 7 m 1 1
vciy mucn mumea . j.ne usu.l ceremo
nies over, and eenealities done, I asked
bin, n,n,-,v,roio..i.-fi,;.;,.;..i :..
,.,, f 1 1 . , J "
ments lie seemed to b; trying to -i
.i,(Ui.( 1 ., . i , Su
along tne best ho co.uld, but thought he
was taker, up too much with the thiu-s of
the worl I. lie was satisfied he could not,
live long without a very great change and
that right early
with which he
v ., rr j , . 1
hid sane red about two:
years, seemed to te bearing him surely and
rapidly to the tomb ; yet, he was still eager
af ler riches 'things that pass away with
the using.' Strange that men should love
money so fondly when their sun, fa.-t de
clining, is almost hid from mortal siiiht.
Tit j.vmi ll'Kun l.i-.lll cf .n,t, 1.
.wJv f onto,. ,.n i ik o-,i.u,
they slowly give up the world!
, . r. J
Tru y 'Facts are stranger than fiction.'
M u tals know that g dd and silver 1 se their
glitter iu 'the valley of the shadow of
death' aud still their very being seems to
cry out 'give me gain.' Finding the Bro.
desired nmre of the life and power of god
liness, but was 'bett with snares on every
hand, 1 asked him if he did not find c m
fort in reading the Bibi
e. 1
ow sorrowful
he looked as he said "I have no education
and cau't read !' Recovering somewhat
from the shock and wishing to find some
way to comfort him, I hoped his wife would
sometimes read for him 'She is also un-
fortunate and can't read,' was the sad re-
TTn.A int. r. ... v,.i 1 it ..
unfortunate indeed not t , be able to read
the Bble! Dear reader, h -w thankful
you ought to be that you -an read the
Word of life! In deep affli-nons, you
may know 'I am with you even unto the
end' ir. sorrow's darkest hour 'my grace
shall be sufficient for y, but to Bro.
the Bible is closed. 'What a privilege to
search out .he precious truths of the sacred
W..rd and look through the promises up to
Him who make the promises to us But
m y iibiv; iu v iit;.i 11 wua ' iuuu;t i 1 1" w
the Bro. can have no such deli-hts. and
who is surprised that he becomes tired 0f j
the house and ventures ont and venturin- j
i,... u- , .u e 1 t 1 t
V'TT.. X.:a .rt 1 .1 ..,,!
excelh nt farmer but how peculiarly unfo'r-
. u ...
prop.
ti. .,i: u.. ....
u..,..r 1..... -
him! May the Lord fix his mind and
heart on 'nobler things,' comfort him here, !
be with him down the rapid stream of time, ;
prepare him for the change he is soon to i
make, and save him at last, through Christ
the Redeemer !
LULY.
Louisburg, N. C.
For the X. C. Christian Advocate.
Ossisso" on Tobacco.
In the Advocate of April 23rd 'O-fiW
concludes an article in these words: 'Kind
reader, I am no politician neither do I
use intoxicating liquor, nor indulge in any
way in tlie use of tobacco; but in my of the
best men in our land use tobacco, and can
we anathematize them as lawyer has done
without acting most, foolishly V
I do not know who 'Lawyer is. I have
not seen his production. I know not in
what way h-j has anathematized many af
the, best tu.en in our and.
If he has been jjrouoioicing curses on
good men, he must answer to God for that.
If he has acted vio.it fooiishfy, he ought to
repent.
1 wish to notice the tendency ot brother
Ossisso s reasoning. A pious Hard bin 11
isaptist mint say: 'lvmi reader, i am no
politician neither do I use intoxicating
liquor ; but, many of the best men
in our Church drink liquor, and I, there
fore, cannot say that intoxicating liquor
is an immorality.
According to the quotation above, a pi
mis man, the head of a family, might say:
'K'nd reader, I pr .y with my family daily,
and find it a great blessing to my family;
hut many of the best men in the land do
not hae family worship, and therefore I
cannot condemn those who neglect it.
At the period of the conversion of the
Wesleys, vital piety wa.s hut little known
in England. The Clergy of the Establish
ed Church were very corrupt not only
permitted Sabbaih breaking, drunkenness,
licentiousness, gambling, &c, but openly
practised the same.
While these holy men, the Wesleys,
were contending for Christian purity, la
boring to reform the d ad Church the
'Carcass without a spirit' some good man
might have approached them wi'h ibe rea
soning of 'Ossisso,' and said: 'Kind sirs,
I have confidence in jour piety I do not
practice gambling, drunkenness, orauy un
cleanness ; but most of our Clergy do, and
I cannot condemn them as you do, without
acting most foolishly.'
My brother, where do you find your
standard of Christian morals ? When you
wish to know whether a certain act is right
or wrong in the sight of God, do you look
around you to see if many of the best men
in our land p aotise it? Your i-le did
not meet the approbation of IIim that
spake as never man spake;' for on oue oc
casion He said: 'Except your righteousness
shall exceed the righteousness of the Scribes
and Pharisees, (the best men in that land,
. e shall in no case enter into the kingdom
of heaven.'
I do not mean to compare our venerable
Bishops, Presiding Elders, and Preachers
to the self-righteous Scribes and Pharisees
denounced by our Saviour.
I am only trying to show brother Ossis
fo that it is not safe for us to look t the
practise of the best mm in our ami, to
learn what is lawful or unlawful, expedient
or inexpedient, for us as Christians. When
we have learned from the BIBLE and the
HOLY SPIRIT that a jrood man is right
on any point, we should imitate him.
I have not been writing on themorality
of the use of tobacco. I h ave that for a
more able pen. Brother Ossis-o could give
us a good essay ou that subject. I suggest
j as a text, 'Occupy till I come.'
ALEXO.
Labor, N. C.
For the N. C. Christian Advocate.
P li I D E .
It is no very easy matter to define pride.
No disposition, of the human heart assumes
, T r : r
1 exhibits itself in opposite extreu
It often
extremes, and is
in its nature calculated to blind the posses-
' . . , . ,
sor to its existence. W e ranly meet with
, . . .- . .,
? V,a whl,.,s c"'f having pride
! ,u tbei,r 0W" eart?' fUld UJOrc ralvI' hear
knowledge it.
ic ciiun'ow (ijiiiiv niuci cm lucrum
as to what constitutes pride as tln-rc are in
' .
uiviuuais ; lor cacu one n is some peculiar
conceptions of i's natore and development,!
and ca,n onlv see it in that particular light, j
There rs a man who lives in splendid j
style. He conceive.0, it to bo a man's duty l
to p iy attct) ion to neatness and good order j
and has no id -a tha n. Ldibor will cad that 1
P,l le 1ut another in the opposite scale
wo I nritlfi hlMlQ.-lr nr. mil fiti-ine- lii anoli i
..... t .. .. ...... ,
things; wiil boast that he does not go for
looks. He r- garck cue who does, as being !
proud. j
Th.ere. is a lady who dresses both ncatj
and fashionable -feels I ke decency re-:
quires it. But her opposite m ihbor on j
the other extreme is hhly -ra'ilied that!
she does not spend all she can iet in buying j
' c 1 .1, . ..ti .1 1 1 1
unci y, uu-.i wisucis 11:0, an ino wuri'i carcti
. . , , ,1
as nine 101 u.ess. as sue uoes. let sue
may love her money t o well to spend it '
thus, and may be heanini: up riches on
wn.cu to reeu ner pr.ue. .inoruer taKcs ;
j noPndcJD drf8 or f"?4 r,,c,,f W llke !
tot ,ave understood tint she keeps a good j
table ; and feels fiat t-red when she hears
1-1. -..1T1L- -1 k .1 .1
of the. compliments that have been paid'
her rich pastry, c.-ikc -e She is uncon-;
S''V''1S l1' one accuses her of pr.de in ;
' thing for she thinks proud people,
dress hue and show their pride 1.1 their
bl'7 demeanor.
j , 'e e Proud of their nativity, others
' "f thei!" fa'lIies: an!' '""J of their riches,
But, 3,1 ""conscious of the fact. 1 hey Io -k
1 who enjoy superior advantages and
! ca" th?'" Prou,, . J,,'.'ai' Pr"uJ
! euucatl?n' P'' U. K: 001 ! a!
illy if he has
sumttermgot learnmganu thinks he knows!
evcrv thin-; but strange .0 s .y there is !
another who is prond ot hi- innm
will boast that Le -never rubbed his back;
! anst a co,,e ,w '!L'
! Some are proud of th
! . ,
oome are ijrouu in iiieir iniei!ireuee ami
; feel disgusted with p.-op.o who pay noat-j
tendon to the cultivation of their mind-
Others take pride in tli ir valu ib'o. farms,
or spleudid stock of eattle, tneir fine hor-j
L- i?. . . p 1, 11. I
ises, tneir uumoeroi servants, . xe. we
might go on for hours eumu rating the ob
jects of pride aud fill several columns of a
paper iu drawing distinctions b etwuen the
different kin s ; bat suffice it to say that it
all has its origin in th human heart, which
is 'deceitful and desperately wicked ! Who
cao know it?'
And there is but one errand reinedv for
j its removal the all-cl an-in blood d"
Christ; which is all-sufficient' to destroy
the works ot tne devil, and pride is his
most successful weapon which he uses ou
all occasions and often to the ruin of im
mortal souls. Even angels have fallen uu
der its power.
Then let us not judge, lest we be judg
ed, but let us exam ne eu selves by the
Word of God, and if we find ni our hearts
anything contrary to t lie. will of God, we
may rest assumed that we have a beam iu
our own eyes whicli will pre cue us from
pulling the motes out d our neighbor's eye,
and should cause us to -pe:.k with caution
when we accuse others of being worse than
I ourselves
We shoull think aud speak
i charitably
Uod alone wno sceiietn the neirt can
judge the m itive, and that is properly
speaking, the contr Her of the actions, and
by it we sh ill be ju Iged when called to give
an account of our stewardship. T.
1.. V
For the X. O. Christian Advocate.
" Treacher's Wives."
There is ro class of wompn that are
watched more, closely than the wives of
ministers of tha gospel. Every deviation
from the path of rectitude is noted down,
a,nd by the community is never forgotten ;
and not only is it. remembered in that com
munity, but is oft-n carried to others, and
kid in memory's store, to be brought forth
on certain other occasions. They are look
ed upon by some, as though they ought to
be something above human beings related
to the anirels not connected with the infir
mities of nature, or in the reach of the as
saultsof the enemy of a'l men. And because
this is notf'-und to be the oa-, they are ift n
denounced as sinners above all that dwl
in Jerusalem. No class of mothers have
more bard things said about the garments,
and manners of their children no number
of christians have more said of their daily
walk and conversation, and unne have more j
slang and ridicule cast at them than the
wives cf ministers. And often, from ex
ceptions, general conclusions are drawn
and all censuted and looked upon aa being
busy bodies in o'ber people's matters.
Now Mr. Editor, you know wo arr not mar
ried, but like to see all have their just
dues apd no more, and especially te. wives
of ministers. TITUS.
Hyde eo April.
J5 A little endured patiently, a little ex
plained, a little unnoticed, a little considered
as human frailty and much forgiven, and lo!
the rugged atoms of a life's experience will
fit like smooth and polished mosaic,
hi inns.
The Hand that Saves Us.
Two painters were employed to frc?
coe the walls of a cathedra). Doth stood
o a rude scaffolding, constructed for
the purpose, some forty feet from the
floor.
One of them was so intent upon his
work that he became wholly absorbed,
and, in admiration, stood off from tho
picture, gazing at it with intense de
light. Forgetting where he was, lie moved
back slowly surveying critically the
work of his pencil, until he had neared
the edge of the plank on which he stood.
At this critical moment his companion
turned suddenly, and, almost paralyzed
with horror, beheld his imminent peril;
another instant, and the enthusiast
would he precipitated upon the p;iu
ment beneath. If he spoke to him, it
was certain death ; if he held hi
peace, death was equally sure. Sud
denly he regained his presence of mind,
and seizing a wet brush, flung it against
the wall, spattering the picture with
unsightly blotches of coloring.
The painter flew forward, and turned
upon his friend with fierce upbraiding.?;
but, startled at his ghastly face, he lis
tened to his recital of danger, looked
shuddering over the dread sp::co below
and with tears of gratitude blessed the
hand that saved him.
Just so we sometimes get a.bs.ibi'd
upon the pictures cf tho world ; and, in
contemplating them step backwards,
unconscious of our peril, when the Al
mighty in mercy dashes cut thc beau
tiful images, and draws us, at thc time
we are complaining of his dealing-?, into
his outstretched arms of compassion
and love.
. -A-
Last Words.
'Talk to mo now in Scripture lan
guage alone,' said a dying Christian.
'T can trust the words of (Jod; but when
they are the words of man, it costs mo
an effort to think whether I m.iy trust
to thy n. This was the testimony of
one who died in the morning of life.
Ch irlei, bring tne the Bible,' said a.
dying father. The weak sufferer laid
his thin, p ile hand on the blessed book,
and said, 'I rest in Christ.'
How pleasant are the last hours of
the Christian An 1 how often h ive
they borne to the trembling the nssu-
grave no victory? Who would
bear thc cross on earth, to. wear
not
tho
crown in heaven ?
"Who, if hi fi.nl he thorp.
Would hesitate to tread do ith'n narrow vale,
An I di' to live forever."
jfar tjjc jiillirrn.
A Little Boy's Prajer.
A little hoy after saying nightly tho
prayers which hail teen taught him,
was quite tenacious cf what he called
praying his own way. 1 le had a largo
number of brothers and sisters, whose
needs and peculiarities he sometimes
made the subject of his petitions. On
one occasion, at commencing this exer
cise he was overcome with sleep.
Wrestling with his stupor, he sail:
'Oh, Lord, bless Elizabeth and make
her better than she is.'
His head fell back on hi pillow, hut
soon rousing, he murmured, drowsily,
'Bless Henry too.' It was in vain; the
tongue refused its office so he added
indistinctly,
'Oli, Lord, I can't there is too many
of 'cm,' and he sank into the deep
slumber of childhood.
At another time, while conducting
this exercise in a somewhat more wake
ful manner, ho said i
'Lord, please to bless father and give
him a new heart. Be so kind as to
bless sister Miry, and give her a new
heart. Oh, Lord, bless mother but
you need not give her a new heart, for
she could not have any better one than
she's got, and I don't see how she'd go
to work to be any better woman than
she is now.'
Be sure therefore to. give God your
youth. Resolve now to be seriously re
ligious. Now beg for the pardon of
your sins, and the spirit of holiness ;
and though the generality of youth
take another course, yet be not sway
ed by the multitude, and carried dowu
tho stream towards hell ; let them go,
you shall have bettor company. The
saints of God will love you, tho angels
of God will guard you, and the presence
of God himself shall be with you.
For Christ's Little Lamb:.
I urn a very little child ;
I'm very young and very wild,
And sometimes naughty too.
I'm led by many a foolish thought,
To do the things I never ought,
To think of or to do.
But God, the holy fi d above,
Is very kind, an I full of love
For little ones like mp,
And he will hear me if I pray,
An I he will holpme everyday
A better child to be.
Thou knoweid, Lord, how weak I am ;
Oh. lead me like a little lamb,
And I will follow thee.
Tak all my naughtiness away,
And let me never e' astray,
Until thy facel see.