Newspapers / The Christian sun. / Sept. 1, 1849, edition 1 / Page 1
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PITTSBOROUGH, NORTH CArfol] VOLUME VI C O M M U N I C A Ti t) NS. For the Christian Snn. HOW BEAUTIFUL IS TRUTH! How important a strict and undeviating adher ence to truth, not only by the professed followers of God, but by all who feel an interest in the welfare j»(,»tinkin<l at large. In the Christian character it is indispensable and without it the professor would be a unit in the -word and laughing stock for the _ are many persons both in the It, who are naturally very fond of L is proverbial that such persons are deviating from the truth. Nature 1 not for liars but they have become „„ .......... They commenced by giving little exaggerated accounts of small matters and con tinue on, until they will advance their own thoughts and imaginations as facts, and as if they had heard them from some reliable source; others more un fortunaft, deviate from the truth unllushingly and intentionally and seem not to care, or be aware of what they are saying, or whatimpression they are producing of their own or anothers char acter. A pity it is that all such, have not 6ome kind friend to tell them of this great fault and por tray to them in unpainted colours, their great danger and responsibility. In most cases their own reputations not only properly suffer and are destroyed, but the reputation of the innocent are often cruelly attacked. “Truth is mighty and will prevail, tho’ crushed to the earth wTIFTisc again,” and though the character of the truth telling'roan or woman may be sometimes, and on some occasions doubted for veracity for a short season, and a cloud hang for a while over their pathway, yet in due season the sunshine of truth in all its beauty, will bear away the dim mist and their sky will seem even brighter^than ever. How beautiful is truth! What gives a man or woman of the world, so exalted a standing in society as that of a strict adherer to truth. Let a report be circulated in a community in which much interest is felt, and you will find doubt rest ing on the minds of every one until they find the source from which this report sprang. Trace it to the man who has established himself a truth telling one, and all anxiety ceases about the dor rectness of the report; all are satisfied it is so. A great responsibility rests on parents in this respect. Children are very apt to acquire a habit ofexaggerating, and if listened to with indifference by parents, will soon indulge in the blackest falsehoods, and if suffered to grow up unbridled, ^flB^Vnre .almost surc<to live and die story tclhny men -and women. An infant’s hand can bend the tender plant, but if suffered to grow and become a large,forest tree, an army cannot bend it, it will sooner Tweak; so with habits in children, they can be divested of almost any, if taken at the proper time, but if permitted to “grow with their growth & strengthen with their strength” they will, unless providentially prevented, carry them with them in sorrow to their graves. Alas! when the fresh ness hath passed from the blossom, who may reveal its dwelling? And when from the fail'd flower^of human hearts, tlie sunshine of truth hath vanished, we may trace, not the pathway of the departed light, but the shadowy and haunted darkness of the sad soul it hath forsaken. Sussex, Ya., Aug. 28, 1849. For tne unrisuan ouu. PASSING REFLECTIONS. No. 12. The Lord in his abundant mercy has spared some of us to see another protracted meeting season roll its round. There are a great many of onr-fellow-men still out of the ark of safety'. How zealous ought all Christians ti be, to try to persuade their relatives and friends to close in with the overtures of mercy, while it is called to day. God’s spirit is abroad in our land, diffus ing light and knowledge, and while this is so,'sin ner be wise! O, sinner, if God’s spirit has visit ed you, da. not spurn it! but make use of the time and opportunity; for God has said, “My spirit shall not always strive with man.” If God should withdraw his spirit from you, your case would be a hopeless one. Brother sinner, do not think me too eager about your interest. I see the danger to which you stand exposed, and if iknow my own heart, I wish all to shun that pit of misery, darkness,, and Ken despair. I want all to repent and turn to God, and be made the happy recipients of his manifold blessing, and his heavenly grace, that ■ ywst-wwym‘••IP1 that you may sit down around the throne of God with Jesus Christ. Jesus Christ our Savior bought your pardon upon the cross, and will you not accept of it? . We who have put on the Lord Jesus Christ Id be very watchful and prayerful—our cry I continually be, “Lord revive us!” for all „elp must come from thee. The Lord has ,,ised to answer prayer, and if we pray to -jn faith, believing, he will hear our prayers, rev?# the work of grace in our own hearts, u. causC sinners to bo convicted—mourners to p converted, arid the young converts to shout irthhis praise! God is reviving his work in oth • c]u«ches, and He will revive it in the “Chris an Vnrch,” if we ask him aright. He has egan among us in the “Eastern Virginia Chris^ (an Conference," and our prayer should be, .lord carry on the good work thou has begun, jtil there shall not be one left to advocate the mse of tlie wicked ono.” My brethren, do not link that I am dictating to you. I am only my reflections upon the good cause I so _jvc. It is ray desire to do good in my id generation. Our old ministers are pass angTiway, and they will soon be gontrfrom time to^eternity, and wc need young men to supply their 'places, t, for one, feel that God has called me to proclaim his blessed gospel; and I ask the prayers of my brethren at large, that my mind may bo enlightened—my head filled with know jedge—and my heart with the good of never dying souls—and that I may be able rightly to divide the word of truth, and give to each .liis portion in due season1—that 1 may hold out faith ful to the end, and at last scale the mountain top and sit down in the kingdom with Abraham, Isaac and Jacob, and all the blood-washed mil lions that have "one before. And I pray God to raise tip fouAffinon to supply the places of our old and wornout ministers, and so endow us with wisdom, that we may be useful to our Church, and our efforts attended with success in winning souls to Christ. This numberVmy reflections is not written in a pharisaical spirit—no, but it is the sentiments of my heart. , , In conclusion—advice from any of our minis ters, is acceptable, and will.be received with grat itude and joy. M- B. BARRETI. Littleton, *Vaa August 14th, 1849. For the Christian Sun. Mr. Editor:—l saw in the last number of the Sun, (No. 14) a short sketch from Elder M. B’s. pen to amuse the Readers of the Christian Sun. I do not wish to criticise upon him, but I love to amtjpe people too, when I have a good end in view. m “What a brotherhood !”• He then adds a strfnzj^ wal in conclusion, he asks, “Cannot this hrotheA>ooU be destroyed?*' I ask, wil __-_3_ _will he help to icstrof Answer, yes. HowJ Answer—by burning jt*in a crooked tip thing galled a pipe, ivitli a re^fl gtem in iW He lovqi? to^destroy it so well, that I will tell you a tale upon him, and —T ,rn. * ..... ..... you a tale upon . leave him in amazement. I have been acquainted with him some time, and have travelled with him several times, and I always found him so intent jpon destroying this “brotherhood,” that he would ;arry his smoking instruments* along with him, md once and a while he would stop and get a shunk,of fire. What are you going to do with hat fire? “I am going to light my pipe.” Stop fing to get fire was too much trouble. So be vow carries matches. I love to destroy the ‘stinking weed.” by chewing it; but I caijnot iome up to good Elder M. B. for bo destroys it vy chewing and smoking'bothv; I think “Tobacco'’ a sweet “weed”, And from the earth it*“doth proceed, It was given by our mailer to man, So we roust make the test use of ii we can. W'5 W«3 stroy the^'brotherh’ood?” . A CHEWER OF TOBACCO. August, 1849. For the Christian Sun. Brother Kerr:—Since I wrote you last, we have had quite interesting times. I commenced a meeting at Harper’s Cross Roads in Chatham County, on the first day of the present month and continued three daj's. During the meeting many ungodly persons bowed for prayers, and a general seriousness prevailed throughout the congregation; two persons found the Savior precious to their immortal souls by believing in the,<Lord Jesus Christ. We took leave of the congregation for the last time in the midst of the cries of penitents and acclamation of joy from old professors, and came over to Liberty, in Moore County, where I found a good arbor and seats prepared for the accommodation of the congregation, and met the people last Friday, and addressed them font the parable of the Sower; the people seemed serious and prayerful. We have now been here for five dqys, and have from ten to forty mourners at the altar of prayer from day to day, 15 conversions and several backsliders have been reclaimed, and I must say the people have been as well disposed as any that we have ever met with; the little church here are now taking measures lo sustain their ministers the neSt-ycar; they have about 15 dollars now subscribcd.'&hd think they will make out twenty dollars by the Conference; this speaks well for a church of fouitecn members, and all of them in moderate circumstances, so far as this world’s goods are concerned. May the Lord bless the church at Liberty. The church of eight mem bers at Salem, have made up about ten dollars for the next year, and I now give it as my simple opinion if all of our churches would adopt this plan, our preachers would be better sustained and the churches would grow- in numbers and pietv. I think all of our congregations will report to the Conference what they will give next year. You shall hear from us from time to time as we close our' protracted^n'd' camp meetings. I ask the praye.s of mf brethren generally, that I may keep -humble and that the Lord may make me useful in advancing liberal Christianity. Oh Lord revive thy work, is the prayer of yours in the bonds of the gospel. J. A. TURNER. • Liberty, Deep River Circuit, Sept. 11, 1849. APPRENTICESHIP. One of the most serious obstacles to the pro gress of the Mechanic Arts, among us, is the brief and irregular apprenticeship served. No greater mistake can be made tha^ suppose that a trade can be acquired in a few months. Without the instruction, practice and discipline of a regular apprenticeship .pq^one can become so good a me chanic as he is capable of becoming. It is true that one who has good mechanical1 talents may in a short time get a limited and superficial know ledge of a trade; and be able to do a plain jobin a bungling way. But such a person has no right to the proud title of “Mechanic.” Besides, he must always labor under great disadvantage. His work will never command high prices, nor wfjl he-find ready end cons; there is a great scarcity cufar business. Our stand Mechanics needs elevating, shali haver bunglers instcadof war, few of our Mechanics can do fi people will go to the Np^th s their manufactures, machinery, about encouraging home indust pendencc" upon ourselves^ Ac, • nothing at all. Nothing need now to be moJst than that, among all classes d Me and regular apprenticeship bob upon. Justice tv the the m and to the public requires this, ^nd it is tire dictate of policy as well as of juiice. Nothing short of this will insure to the apprentice such a knowledge of his business as will fit him to under take business on his own account; tilling short of this will give the employer'a prqgtf remuneration for his instruction; nothing shorWK this will give character and standing to us as a'-cltss. In Gerriiaiiy, the young man is mt only requir ed to serve a regular apprenticeship but he is then required to travel three years, thnugh the prin cipal cities and towns in his codltry, laboring awhile in each to pay the expenses $f his journey, and to give him a knowledge of {tK the new dis coveries, inventions and improvements in his trade. Thus he becomes a thorough Mechanic. For this reason we never see a bungling workman from Germany. No Mechanic is allowed to become a master, or boss,, until he can show specimens of the highest excellence of worlqpjjj^up. Laws, rendering all this obligatory, migtTCufcOut of place in our Government, but we wish that custom, which is law in another form, might require, most peremptorily, a regular apprenticeship in all cases. Let this important pofrit be not lost sight of by the Mechanics of the South.—American Mechanic. I A WORD OF ADMONITION. While behave reasons to rejoice over the ibundant productions of the earth, which arc romiag in their season, we have to latnent over the manjt'thousands of our fellow-citizens, who have been so recently swept away inline height of prosperity, and some in the midst of their useful ness. The heart melts with compassion, and the tear ef-sy rnpathy -spontaneously - S»ws from the eye; when we reflect, -in-soKluuAgLlhe multi tudes, throughout the whole exterif oi||ur country, that .have been bereaved of tlieirtiedfpst friends on earth. Parents have been seninated from their children, -*nd Husbands and wives, brothers antfsisters, have been sundered by the messenger of death, that will not accept a ransom, even from the great and the lich. The high and low, the ricS and poor, all fall together into his irqn and resistless grasp. However heedless and indifferent some may appear, truly to every reflecting trind this is a time of great‘lamentation, affliction jnd death. Some who cannot see the end of this affecting and mysterious Providence, may b< tempted t6 jomplain, and enquire to what extent is this afflic tion to be carried, and how long wil .the merciful Creator suffer the destroyer to make such terrible inroads among us? The thoughts f many are perhaps similar to those of David, as expressed in the lxxviiith Psalm: “Will the Lorjl cast off for aver, and will He be favorable no r ore? Is His mercy clean gone forever? Does Hi promise faiL forevermore? Hath God forgotten' to be gra jious? Hath He in anger shut up, His tender mercies?” We should not fqfget that our beneficent Benefactor has no pleasure in the affliction.and death of his creatures. All that He does is to ac complish some wise & benevolent purpose. His promises, His threats, and His judgments, are ill designed for the ultimate good of the human We are far from assenting to the soul-chilling hilosophy, that God, having established certain iws in the universe, has no direct government ver, or sympathy for His creatures. This philos phy is at war with the whole Bible, that teaches, lat even the falling of a sparrow does not escape tis notice; and that not only the saints are the bjects of His special care, but the very hairs of our head are numbered. , , y Jehovah has a special design in permitting the estilence to invade our borders, and make such jarful havoc among our .fellow-citizens. Could re see the end from the beginning at He does, and very link -in--the chain of HisproviVfence, it would e manifest, that as great as the scOurgc nray ap itual good1 hctrucT ar to be, it will result in the s; rTiiTman liimiTy. T3olF"appcars ver in His promises—but, “Blind unbeliefis sure to err, And scan His works in vain; God is His own interpreter, And He will make it plain.” I As great as the calamity is, we should be thank that it is no worse. [ There are elements in the bowel! of the earth, d in the atmosphere that surrounds it, some of licit, perhaps, are unknown to mortals, that bat • the divine goodness and power, would burst ■th in quicker succession, and with tenfold ire violence, than the plagues of Egypt. We ;lo think that the animal life is guarded and pro ved by the Author of life—and when He, in t wisdom, permits a calamity to go forth to surge a nation or nations, IVr^p then gives it bounds, saying, “thus far shaMfcJi come, and farther.” \ Who can tell hut that the Almighy Father, in this spensation, designs to correct some great moral il, which other •instrumentalities have failed to . Perhaps it is covetousness, tie mother of all i, and whose offspring are as numerous as the irs. War and oppression arc her twin daugh^ vorld—fdi“; there is, indeed, a striWn£ analogy - so daAhis epidemic, Jfot a nation under the un has escaped it ravages. Bin rages hna'ong all ilaaaes, but is most malignant in larga cities. Just epidemic. Sm i# *erv deceitful; it teals away sensibility and life of 4he soul, in a ihort time. So does the epidemic derive o{ lafural life. The longer sin is neglected, the wore difficult %.is to remove r>s» it is with the c: Tf fhSTW'Pfes ofmeu Wribp^tS behold the awful havoc that sin is making among the souls of their fellow-citizens, as they do the havoc among their bodies. Oh that the Church, ancuiprprofessed watch men, were as solicitous about the eternal inter est of the souls of men, as they are about the in terests of their bodies. Both require due atten tion—but if is folly to provide for the latter/ at the expense of the former. THE PRAYER OF HABBAKKUK. It is said of Dr. Franklin, that during his long residence in Paris, being invited to a party of the nobility, where most of tile court and courtiers were present, he produced a great sensation by one of his bold movements, and gained great ap plause for his ingenuity. Recording to the custom of that age and coun try, the nobles, after the usual ceremonies of the evening were over, sat down to a free and pro miscuous conversation. Christianity was the then great topic. The church was always ridiculed, and the Bible was treated with unsparing severi ty. Growing warmer and warmer in their sar castic remarks, one great lord commanded^ for a moment, universal attention, by his asserting in a loud voice, that the Bible was not only a piece of arrant deception, but totally devoid ofiiterary merit. Although the entire company of French men nodded a hearty assent to the sentence, Franklin gave no signs of approval. Being at that time a court favorite, his companions could not bear even a tacit reproof from a man of his weight of influence. They appealed to him for his opinion, FranMp^ m jgme^ of his ^peculiar 1 ways, replied. IhaJLlie wiShardly, prepared to -give-them a suit~ able answer, as his mind had been running on a new book of rare excellence, which he had just happened to fall in with at one of the city book haps it might interest them to compare with that old volume the merits of his new prize. If so, he would read them a short section. All were eager to have the Doctor read a portion of his rare book. In a very grave and sincere man ner, he took an old book from liis coat pocket, and with propriety of utterance read to them a poem. The poem had its effect. The admiring listen ers pronounced it the best they had ever heard read. “That is pretty,” said one. “That is sub limity,” was the unanimous opinion. They all wished to know the name of the new work, and whether that was a specimen of its contents.— “Certainly, gentlemen,” said the Doctor, smiling at his triumph, “my book is full of such passages. It is no other than your good for nothing BiWe; and I have read for you the prayer of the Prophet Habakkuk.” / Let every reader learn wisdom from this, inci dent and learn to appreciate the unequalled sub limities of the Bible. /. THOUGHTS ON LIGHT READING. BY MRS. S. T.MARTYY. Can any serious observer /doubt that tbe re prints and translations now flooding the country, manv of themvirom the very hotbeds of prurient vice in foreign novel manufactories, are exerting a most deleterious influence on the intellect, the morals, and thejfaiih of the people of our country? These novels, romances, Ac., have within the last few years been, multiplied by tens of thousands, and scattered broadcast over the length? and breadth of the" land..‘Every steamboat and rail road car seems freighted with them, and they are read, too, by multitudes who read nothing else. The moral poison is left to do its work on such minds without antjdote; and can the effect be otherwise than evil? Then may a bit ter fountain send forth sweet waters, and a corrupt, tree beat <v0od fruit. If the wives and mothers of America are tn ebtn'n,Lbe.ir ide.:is.riL--womajxAR.tgiutv.—and. woman’s dudes from such writers—if their moral sentiments and religious faith are to be gathered from free thinking novels and romances —-will they be qualified to educate the future legislators anfl guardians of our republican institutions? This is a question of vital inter est to every lover of his country, and all who seek the improvement and elevation of the human race. The morals of a country are intimately connec ted with its popular literature, and in a reading community, inseparable from it. What avail all the appliances of moral suasion, the Gospel min istry and the word of God, if a corrupt literature for six. not to say seven days in the week, isj* pre-occupy and saturate the mind of the young, with infidel and licentious principles?*-^ this masked Gorgon, like the devil who «ht at the eai of Eve, // , “Forging distempered, discontented thoughts, Vain hopes, vain ainjsfmordinate desires,’— is to have access-bo the social circle and the domestic sandamry, unquestioned and unsuspected’ , The women of our country are responsible fo: the cjwfacter\and circulation of immoral, anc corrupting books in society. Independently the effect of their own personal example in rea^B ing, or refusing to read such works, they may, W* wives, mothers, and members of society^ efert a ^ salutary or injurious influence on Others. It is an established and most important fact, that no one. social evil has continued to exist, against which the whole fora* of Intelligent and virtuous woman hood was once brought to bear. Tt is bccahse the inffuenoff God has given ns for the noblest ends, is so fwttered away by vanity and folly, so wasted on unworthy objects, or pwsa^oA^w unholy purposes, that there is such afWjflmt of afc&JmM lull unmitigated misery throng oat the world. Let every mother, as the guardian of the domestic circle, know what is the charac ter of the books read by her children, .and care fully preserve them from the contamination of the works of which we have spoken, as she values their present happiness, or their future interest. In the scenes of nature which , surround us, in the wonders of air, "earth and sky—in the structure and economy of animal and vegetable life—in the history of nations and the moral scenery of the world, enough will be found to engage the atten tion of the youthful reader, and to occupy the short period of time we can call our own. Works of biography, of voyages and travels, of natural history, or of profane and ecclesiastical history, present a rich variety of useful and amusing read ing, which may safely be placed in the hands of all. The man or woman who wades through a slopgh • of pollution to seek the pearl of truth, . “Would surely contract so inacjj soil by the way.. As the price of the jewel would never repay.’ SUPPORT YOUR MECHANICS. We copy the following sensible remarks from the Norfolk Southern Argus, and heartily second the appeal which it so forcibly makes in behalf of our industrious and intelligent mechanics. The habit of overlooking home skill and capacity, and paying tribute, in the way of patronage, to distant artizans, ought to be ‘reformed,’ or, to speak more truly, utterly rejected. If the advice from the Argus were followed, there would be less com plaint about “hard times.’-and-more support given to that worthy class of our community, so justly termed the “bone and sinew” of our country:— “It is a part of true economy to patronize your own mechanics. You should never send abroad for an article they can manufacture. The advan tage of this is seen at once. It gives business to the place—is one of the spurs —keeps money at' of general prosperity (ice on the pari of iorryt^ersons an TBTnspdsition to support, in a purely domestic sense, home in* dustry. This is wrong, and calculated to depress every effort at enterprise.—Even if the article costs a little moregft honto., than abroad, it is %till better to patronize home industry than send our money away—/because, ten chances to one, a por- • tion of the money you pay out for the article, will in the transactions of trade come back to you. Our own mechanics are industrious and faithful, and are yeafly improving and extending their respec tive branches of business.—It is only necessary thazthey should not be proscribed, and put un der the ban, by their own fellow-townsmen, to enable them in a short time to compete success fully with more favored regions. This is a matter that forcibly commends itself to the favorable con sideration of every' member of our community, Support one another! Let this be the watch* | word, and it will act like a talismanic charm upon the future prospects of the city.” THE ONE BOOK. In the first article of the last Edingburg Review* at the close of an admirable paragraph, in which Infidelity is challenged'to account f&r ‘the place* the ,Bible occupies throughout the continued his tory of literature,’ occurs the following:—“In his last illness, a few days before his death, Sir W. Scott asked Mr. Lockhart to’ read to him. Mr. Loekhartinqjaiircd what book he would like. “Can you ask?’ said Sir Walter,—‘there is but One;’ and requested him to read a chapter of the gospel of John. When will an equal genius, to whom all the realms of fiction are as familiar as tq him* say the like of some professed revelation, origina ting among a race and associated with a history and a clime as foreign as those who connected with the birth place of the Bible- from those of the ancestry of Sir Walter Scott? Can we, by aiiv stretch of imagination, suppose some Walter Scott of, a new race in Australia or South Africa, saying the same of the Vedas or the'Koran?” LAKE SUPERIOR. This immense inland ocean is four hundred and ninety miles in length, and is 1700 in ciieum, (ference—being the largest body of fresh water on the globe. It contains many islands; onsrm them* the Isle Royale, is one hundred mite; in length and forty in breadih. Upwards of thirty rivers empty themselves into it. arKl one curious fact in relation to it if* well ascertained, that the quantity of water discharged by the Sault St. Marie, is not one tenth ofydrat it receives from its tributary streams—^Evaporation must therefore, be the .prin ciple-ngent in keeping the lake down to its usual le^el. j ' Lost Child.—The Tenth Legion, (Woodstock, Va.) of the 25th ultimo, contains an account of the disappearance of a little son of a Mr. Washington Alexander, in the neighborhood of Mount Jackson in that county. Unavailing search had been made up to that date. From a later number, we learn that the body of the little sufferer was found within a few miles of home. He had starved to death; and by his side, also dead, was found the faithful dog that Cad accompanied him in his wanderings. I
Sept. 1, 1849, edition 1
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