Newspaper Page Text
2
<§nr Cumspnkttis.
for the Index and Baptist.]
DAILY READINGS IY THE SCR,PTIRES.
Dawson, Ga., Jan. 17th, 1876.
Dear Index —Will you please republish a
elan for reading the Bible through in the year,
y reading so many chaplers every day, and so
many each Sabbath, or so many books during
each month. I had a printed plan but lost
it, and want it again. If you republish the
plan, how would it do to request every one
that reads the Bible through this year to in
form you of the fact next Christmas, and then
publish how many of the readers of The In
dex have read the Bible, both Old and New
Testament, through in 1876? A. J. H.
My beloved brother Baker has refer
red to me the inquiry sent to The In
dex by A, J. H., on the above subject.
1, too, have lost the printed plan for
daily readings, which I used to follow ;
but the habit has been formed, and I
will give it as best I can from memory.
Begin with first chapter in Genesis,
first in I Chronicles and first in Mat
thew. There are 369 chapters in the
New Testament and minor prophets,
and the same number from Genesis to
the last of II Kings ; add to these the
66 chapters in laiah, which will be de
ducted from the 512 from I Chronicles
to the last of Ezekiel, and you have
only 16 chapters more in the middle
division than in each of the other two.
This is only an opproximation to accu
racy. Read three chapters daily and
one additional on Sabbath, and you
will have finished the Bible in the
year.
In reading the Scriptures it is very
desirable to enjoy their sanctifying
power, therefore, while they should be
read intellectually, they should also be
read spiritually- We should learn the
sacred Word to obey it; we should
know more of God that we may honor
Him in our hearts and lives. When
we gather the gold from the inexhaus
table mine, we may enrich our souls
therewith. E. W. W.
for the Index and Baptist.]
TO THE WASHINGTON ASSOCIATION.
Until a few years ago, I had no idea
of the great work which Mercer Uni
versity was accomplishing in Georgia,
and through other Southern States.
While attending the Mercer mass meet
ings, usually held some night during
the session of the Georgia Baptist Con
vention, I had my eyes opened to the
great importance of this University,
not only in advancing the cause of ed
ucation generally, but our denomina
tional influence and power for good es
pecially. At the meetings above refer
ed to, the alumni tell of the position
filled by such and such a one, either us
a prominent politician, merchant,
farmer, lawyer, physician, teacher, or
minister in this or that place or State,
etc., etc. This talk is carried on until
one, who had not thought on these
facts before, is made to fe<*l and x
-djdma ‘‘purely, Me. cer University, j
has accomplished venders
fib the denomination and the country !
What would have been our condition
without Mercer? How can we do
without Mercer?” etc. Now, brethren
and friends of tho Washington Asso
ciation, what Mercer has been, and is,
to the Georgia Baptist Convention,
Washington Institute can and should
be to the Washington Association.
For a few years after our school was
established, God blessed us most won
derfully, because “the people had a
mind to work.” And now scarcely a
neighborhood can be found within the
bounds of the Washington Associa
tion in which does not live one or more
representative men or women to testi
fy that “we should not come down, for
we aro doing a groat work.” We have
already sent out many pupils from the
Washington Institute, among all the
professions, especially teachers, male
and female, of whom we are proud.
Brethren, can we afford to give up
our Associatioual School? Shall wo
not still strive to make Washington
Institute a valuable tributary to our
beloved Mercer, and the Georgia Bap
tist Female College wherever located ?
To my mind, the times demand that a
school of high order should be estab
lished iu every Association. While
we pray God’s blessings upon each and
every common school in the land, yet
we are fully convinced that small com
munities are not able to keep up per
manent educational facilities sufficient
to meet our demands as a growing,
God-loving and God-serving people.
Brethren, will you give this subject
one serious thought ? The strength of
such institutions is expressed in one
word, viz : co-operation. We have al
ready a school of this order within our
bounds. Shall we give it up ? A high
school in every Association iu the State
would inspire a desire for still greater
attainments in knowledge that would
fill our colleges with students. With
these lights before us, may we all re
member that “ as Baptists, and mem
bers of the Washington Association,
we pledged ourselves,” by resolution
at the last session, “to work for our
beloved Institute, to foster it with our
tenderest care, and strive each to add
one pupil to the number of students in
attendance at said Institute.”
Brethren, in the year 1876, this cen
tennial year, we will decide for or
against the Washington Institute.
Shall we give up this grand project for
" blessing the young,” and through
them our churches and the country ?
May all say : "Never” !! Your broth
r in Christ, Thos. J. Adams.
THE CHRISTIAN INDEX AND SOUTH-WESTERN BAPTIST.
For the Index and Baptist.]
The Proposed State Inebriate Asjlnm for Geor
gia—The Legislature—lts Doty.
Brother Editor— ln your issue of
January 20th, you notice the report of
the committee to be submitted to the
Legislature, on an “Inebriate Asylum,”
and comment thereon. I read the no
tice and comments with pleasure, and
am gratified at the movement; but
still, I could not keep down my
thoughts on the subject while reading
the article, and I here give them to
you.
The Legislature of Georgia proposes
to build an asylum for drunkards ; is
this a charity work, or a debt due these
unfortunates ? I think the State owes
them a home more than she does the
insane. To the insane it is a work of
mercy ; to the drunkard it is a partial
discharge of an obligation. Should
the State, by legislation, authorize a
band of robbers to destroy the proper
ty of any of her citizens, she would be
under obligation to restore the proper
ty or its equivalent in money. But the
State does authorize a band of heart
less men, destitute of conscience, and
regardless of the rights and well-being
of others, to rob men of their reason
and of their money without giving
them value received, women and chil
dren of their natural protector, and
homes of their happiness. When these
ireatures become wrecks, made so by
those who are fostered and protected
in their nefarious work by the State,
is it not the duty of the State te pro
vide them a home?
But again, does it pay the State to
legalize those cess pools of vice, and
authorize the establishment of drunk
ard factories all over the State, and
then build homes to stow away the
manufactured article? Will the in
come from licenses equal the expendi
ture in providing and maintaining the
asylum ?
Again, what is this movement but
an attempt, on the part of the State,
to compensate, in some degree, for the
great evil she inflicts upon her citizens
in legalizing the liquor traffic? What
is this but a confession of guilt in being
particeps criminis in the work of drunk
ard making ? She cannot plead the es
tablishment of lunatic and blind asy
lums as being of similar character.
These latter instutions are tho result
of the great heart-throb of humanity,
providing for the relief of wretched
ness the State did not cause; the for
mer a provision for wretchedness that
might have been prevented. One is
the work of mercy; the other, an at
tempted restitution to the wronged
sufferers. If I give to the relief of one
who has been accidentally injured by
himself or others, it is an act of chari
ty ; if I wantonly or maliciously injure
one in person, and then pay the ex
pense incurred in curing him, I have
only performed, in part, my duty. 1
may compensate him for his time lost,
ana expense of his recovery, but jjever
for tip suffering ▼jMlTrefl 'in cons<4'
quence of iny act. The State may, in
part, compensate the poor outcasts by
providing them a comfartable home,
but never for the desolation of hearts,
and the misery and woe entailed upon
helpless families by its legalized
whiskey business.
Once more, is not tho Legislature be
ginning at the wrong end of its work ?
Would it not be wiser, cheaper, and
more humane to close up the factories
than to build homes for the handiwork
of saloon-keepers ? Would it not be
better to dry up the fountain ; then
there would bo no need of reservoirs to
receive its foul stream ? It is trying
to abate an evil by providing a place
for the ripened fruit of the poisonous
tree instead of cutting down the suc
culent stalk itself, and thus stopping
its feculent growth.
I would respectfully suggest to your
honorable Legislature, to cease traffic
in g in human wretchedness by legaliz
ing rum selling, and then the need of
an inebriate asylum will soon pass
away. If men will continue in the
criminal work, let them be outlaws
rather than fostered by State legisla
tion. I verily believe every legislator
who votes to license the liquor trade,
will bo hold accountable at the bar of
Eternal Justice, for all the evil done
under the licenso.
N. A. Bailey.
Talladega, Ala.
For tht l Index and Baptist.j
01K STATISTICAL TABLES —AS EARN EST AP
PEAL.
Eds. Index. —Evidently it was not
the design of our Lord, in establishing
His churches upon earth, that they
glory iu their numerical strength. If
such had been His design, He would
have incorporated into their constitu
tion some plan for collecting their sta
tistics. As it is, it is next to impossi
ble to get an exact estimate of their
numbers. The only means of forming
a statistical I able is through the min
utes of the various associations—a hu
man arrangement; and, necessarily, very
incomplete. There are mauy members
dismissed by letter, and not counted by
any church; many churches belong to
no association, and many which do,
failing to report themselves in their
associations, are not included in the
general estimate; while it has been
demonstrated an almost impossible
thing to collect all theso minutes. They
hare a wav of hiding themselves, or
their owners have a way of forgetting
that they have them, or where they
havo laid them, or that they are need
ed,—at least, notwithstanding my pri
vate notes, and public calls, even with
you to help me, (for which I thank you)
they fail to make their appearance.
In view of these stubborn facts, am
I not right in saying it was not the de
sign of the Master to encourage us in
glorying in our numbers ?
If the difficulty of doing a thing
were evidence that such thing is sinful
I should be compelled to believe that,
to make a correct statistical table of
Baptists is sinful. But this cannot be,
since the Bible gives records of the
numbers of God’s people, both definite
and indefinite. I shall continue, there
fore, the work of perfecting the statis
tical table of the Convention minutes,
and, with emphasis, repeat the request
to brethren to seud me their associa
tion minutes.
Of the members of the Convention
I need the minutes of the Appalachee,
Carrollton, Cave Spring, Central,
Clarksville, Friendship, Georgia, Liber
ty, Mercer, Mt. Vernon, New Ebenezer,
New Sunbury, North Georgia, Pied
mont, Tugalo and Western. Of thoo*
not members of the Convention, I need
all except the Ellijah and Hightower
of the whites, and the Southwesterly
Middle Georgia and Walker of thl
colored.
Brethren, clerks of Associations and
members thereof, agents of Boards ana
Conventions, editors and contributor
pastors and people, male and female,
one and all, please remember I need,
must have, the minutes of Associations
of all kinds, of white and colored, of
Missionary, anti-Missionary andomis-.
sionary, and that your aid is most ur
gently solicited in supplying them*.
Give this aid and we can settle the
mooted question, pronounced by some
“extravagant pretentions and wholly
unfounded” that ihere are more Bap-_
tists in Georgia by 25,000 than mem
bers of all other Protestant denomina
tions put together.
G. R. McCall.
H&wkiuaville, (la.,
For the Index and Baptist.]
GEAIS BESET.
—Every hour of time wasted in youth,
is ominous of misfortune in the future.
—The curse of a sensuous life, is the
aversion it engenders for useful em
ployment.
—Do this above all things: Be true
to God, and thy own soul.
—A brave resolve is nature’s health
ful plan to strengthen our souls, and
power doth make the man.
—Faith to this glorious thought
holds fast for aye: God is, will be,
when worlds have passed away.
—ls not a sympathetic heart, an ever
cheerful nature, made strong by health,
a treasure-mine worth having ?
—Old age is never homely when it]
possesses a soul that can show itself
without a mask. H. .
//f' ♦ 0/tvtY * *
it • •-
Fur tbs la lex and Baptist.]
OUR FOREIGN MISSION WORK.
In The Index, of the 10th instant,
we find some “ Facts for the Thought
ful and Pious,” presenting the needs of
our Foreign Mission Board under a
most alarming aspect —§10,000 de
manded for present pressing emergen
cies, notwithstanding the recent extra
ordinary retrenchments by the cutting
down, or even the entire relinquish
ment of salary on the part of our de
voted missionaries. Other sources of
information assure us that our beloved
Foreign Secretary and one of his clerks
have, for the present, suspended their
own salaries also.
The field of our operations abroad
is white to the harvest, and consecrated
men and women are offering them
selves for the work, but the treasury is
ornpty, and they cannot be accepted and
employed in the service. What is to
be the end of all this ? Must our mis
sionaries be recalled and our fields
abandoned? We can see but one al
ternative —they certainly must, unless
Southern Christians rally with anew
and unwonted zeal to the rescue.
Now, we have no fears respecting
the final success of Christ’s cause. His
Gospel will certainly be preached in all
the world; the heathen will be given
to Him for His inheritance, aud the
uttermost parts of the earth for His
possesssion. These glorious facts are
assured to us by the infallible testimony
of inspired prophecy, and almost every
note of intelligence from far off lands
proves that the day of their accomplish
ment is rapidly approohing. If we
forsake the fields of Christian enter
prise on whose threshold we have been
lingering, other laborers from other
sections, and of other households of
faith, will enter in and reap the har
vest of souls for our Redeemer.
But can we willingly consent to this?
A little self-denial on our part —just a
very little, would relieve all embarass
ments, and obviate the danger of the
relinquishment of the work.
Is it too much to ask that self
denial be practiced in gratitude to Him
“ who though He was rich, for our
sakes became poor, that we, through
His poverty, might be made heirs to
an inheritance incorruptible and unde
filed” and immortal, in the “ city whisli
hath foundations.”
Ten cents from 100,000 Baptists would
supply the amount. Of course, these
could not all be reached; but are there
not 10,000 Baptists who will read this
appeal, or who may be influenced by
those who will see it, and who can by a
little self-denial, send on to Richmond,
to our brother Tupper, the small sum
of $1 for Foreign Missions, for their
Redeemer’s sake. C.
Jlirate Ulisskns.
__
For the Index and Baptist.]
ANNUAL REPORTS
Of the Secretaries of Individual Churches, to
the Executive Committee of their Associa
tion—(sDch as may occur before very long.)
REPORT NO. 11.
Dear Bro. Keepatem, Secretary
Executive Committee —Our church
has prospered during the last year, hav
ing increased in numbeis from 400 to
450, most of whom were received by I
baptism, as you will see by the statis
tics sent. The total amount collected
in our church this last year, for all
purposes, was as follows : For pastor,
$2,500; for church expenses, $500; for
Associational purposes, SIOO ; for Do
mestic and Indian Missions, $225; for
Foreign Missions, $200; for our own
Sunday-school, $150; for State Sunday
school work, SSO; for State Missions,
$75. Besides these, our members have
been liberal towards the endowment of
Mercer University and the Southern
Baptist Theological Seminary, and have
aided the Orphans’ Home, and the Old
Preachers’ Board. I know our church
has not done its full duty, but we feel,
thoroughly, that it is incumbent upon
us to aid in spreading abroad the glo
rious Gospel of our Lord and Saviour.
,Our pastor has sought assiduously to
‘train the cnurch to give regularly and
systematically to the Mission and the
Sunday-school canse, and our Treasurer
has obtained pledges from nearly every
■ member, in behalf of missions, and
Las collected nearly all of them. Our
object is to raise funds to aid in sup
porting our great missionary operations
systematically and without spasmodic
violence. In years past by, we used to
take up one or more collections annu
ally, for missions, and would occasion
ally raise a collection for agent, visit
ing us, but we have now adopted a bet
ter plan . each member is requested to
state how much he or she will give
annually to missions, and the Treasurer
collects the various amounts during
the year, and forwards the funds
quarterly, as directed by the church.*
Our Sunday-school is flourishing,
having been visited by the State Evan
gelist and Superintendent, of Sunday
school work for the State several times
through the year. We have in the
school 400 scholars and 50 officers and
teachers. I should not omit to men
tion that our church has built one
mission chapel, at a cost of $1,500, and
supported a large Sunday-school iu it.
But, as our usual contributions to God’s
cause have been only about $lO, on an
|yrage, we feel that we have not done
plan for
'raising missionary money is not the
best possible; when we learn a better
one, we will adopt it. Yours in Gospel
bonds. Abram Constant,
Church Clerk.
To these two fictitious reports which
might be made by individual churches
to the Executive Committee of their
Association, might be aoded various
others, describing different plans for
raising money for Mission purposes, as
every church has its own plan, which
with most churches amounts to no plan
at all. Our object should be to dis
cover and practice the best plan. Hith
erto, I have written these articles with
out consulting any one, simply publish
ing my owl views as evolved by a con
sideration of our denominational ma
chinery, and by the urgent need for
organized co-operation and for some
generally adopted method for raising
mission funds systematically in all our
churches.
My plau has been to appoint a State
Board of Missions, (note the phrase
well,) not a Board for State Missions.
This Board should endeavor, by the
paid services of acompetent secretary,to
arouse every single church in the State
to its full duty in the Mission work
aud Sunday-school work. But he
should operate through the Assoc:a
tions and their Executive Committees,
and these Associations and their Ex
ecutive Committees should endeavor to
reach every church, and every single
member in each church. The State
Board of Missions, by its Secretary,
should, of course, seek the co-operatiou
of each pastor, and endeavor to estab
lish in each church the best possible
plan for collecting, regularly and sys
tematically, funds for the Mission and
Sunday-school work. If we can thus
get each church to collect its own Mis
sion funds, and to give liberally, the
necessity for other regular paid
Mission agents in the State of Georgia
will be obviated, and, therefore, just
so much money saved for Missions
themselves. I now take the liberty of
respectefully calling on brethren C. M.
Irvin, W. N. Chaudoin, and any other
brother who knows of a good plau by
which a church may, or can collect
funds for Missions, to state it in The
Index, or, what is better, to give in
detail that plan which has been adopt
ed in some church, aud which has
proved most easily successful and the
most self-perpetuating.
For, be it remembered, the use of
organization is to obtain from members
of individual churches the funds need
ed to carry out the great commission.
Now let us have the best plan for a
church to adopt, and then let our Con
vention appoint a Board for Missions,
which shall, as the agent of the great
Mission work, seek to secure the adop
tion of that or some systematic plan
in each church, and actually obtain the
money which it is the duty of the
churchs to contribute to the Mission
cause, each one according to its abili
ty-
I have written quite enough for one
man on this subject of general interest,
and may write more, if I fael like it,
but I now call upon the brethren who
feel an interest in this subject, to take
hold of their pens and let us hear what
they have to say, before our Conven
tion meets in April, at Thomasville.
S. Boykin.
Macon, Ga.
For the Index and Baptist.]
“MY DREAM.”
“ ’Mid the blue waves, by circling
seas embraced,” lies a chosen spot of
fairest land. I pushed my little barque
quickiy toward the shore, for I was
weary and would rest. I landed, and
so delighted was I with the beautiful
island and the joyous inhabitants, that
I sunk my little barque in the deep
waters, determined there to take up my
abode for the remainder of my life.
After a few days I began to explore
the island. The king sent a guide to
show me over the fertile plain thickly
strewn with choicest flowers. The
guide was very aged ; his hair bore the
traces of many winters snows, and his
tallform, which had once been majectic, l
was now bent with the weight of four
score years. I imagined that his pale
brow bore the imprint of sorrow, and
I said to him, “ Father, you look as
though you had seen something of sor
row. Tell me, if it is possible that
there is any suffering in this land of
beauties.” A mournful smile crossed
bis noble features. “ Follow me, my
son, and you will see.”
I followed, and lo! in the grassy
center of the isle, concealed amid their
native rocks, I saw two streams very
near to each other, but, strange to say,
their waters never met or mingled.
“What a contrast!” I murmured,
wondering the while, what my wise
guide could mean. Gazing awhile on
the two streams, I then looked up and
saw his eyes resting fixedly on my
troubled brow.
“ I will explain my son,” he said, in
low musical tones. “ You,, see that
black, repulsive stream —its name is
Sorrow. All who drink of its waters
must surely suffer from its effects.
Even the land through which its treach
erous waters glide, is ruined and blasted.
O, how unlike the pure, transparent
stream flowing so near. My son, we
call these twin streams. That mty
seem strange to you, but it is true, tha:
they flow their entire course near to
gether—so very near, as you see. This
other one is called Joy. It bubbles
over golden sands, and the impeding
stjuix's .with, pleasant music seem its
progress to detain for other lands, and
all its banks are wreathed with flowery
bands —ambrosial fragrance shed in
grateful dew. All who taste its waters
receive the most delightful effects.”
“ Then,” said I, “ why will they
touch the dark waters of Sorrow ; why
not drink only from this lovely stream
which you call Joy ?”
“Ah, my son, listen to me! ‘Mor
tals are not allowed to drink un
uiingledfrom that current bright.’ Our
island has many different streams and
fountains, from which all the inhab
itants drink promiscuously, according
lo their”tastes. There are fountains of
wealth and knowledge and power and
fame and ambition. But thelearned men
of the place tell us that the waters of
these two streams are mingled with
every other on the isle. ’Twas a long
time before they found it out, and they
tell us it is some wondeful freak in
nature for which they can give no rea
son. Many will not believe it, and in
their thirst after power and wealth,
they drink deeply of their waters,
never believing, until taught by bitter
experience, that in these fountains very
many drops of sorrow have found their
way. ludeed, those who choose the
other streams, and are fortunate
enough to find the bright current
mingled with theirs, find, alas, that
it has not come alone; they discover
some inky trace of the darker stream
in every draught, how bright so e’er
it seems.”
“And is there no relief, no help, no
remedy,” I asked; "no way in which you
may rid ourselves of this murky stream?
“ No, my son; not in the way you think.
One way there is, but few can be per
suaded to adopt it. They prefer strug
gling on with their own sorrows, trust
ing in their own strength. The true
way is this—to place our trust in the
Creator of a crystal river, which is at
the very utmost part of our island, and
to get which you must incur numerous
dangers ; but, once there, an angel of
light, clothed in beautiful raiment,
who, having guided you over the rough
places on the way, gives you of the
River or Life freely. It is called the
River of Life because once having tast
ed its waters, it is said you live eternal
ly thereafter, iu perfect happiness ; and
those who have been there assert that
these two streams flow on and on, un
til as they come nearer and nearer the
river, the muddy stream becomes
bright and the bright one becomes
brighter, until they both emerge into
this clear .beautiful stream,and lose their
own identity. |But few will consent
to brave the danger to have their bur.
dens of sorrow lifted off; others are
too busy, and others will not believe
in its existence. You see in me, my
son, a monument of the lives of the
many. In my youthful ambition
I drank eagerly of all the fountains,
yet what did I gain ? True, I gained
fame, knowledge, power, wealth; bat,
alas, you see me now, bent down with
the bitter sorrow drained from all these
cups. And now lam going, thus late
in life, to set out for the shining river,
hoping to reach it, if life be spared me.
Ore good deed would I do before I go
—I would advise you, as you have just
now begun life in this place, to join
me, and go first to th‘s river of life,
then the other streams will lose their
power to harm you.”
“Come ! come!” he said pleadingly,
and, as he took my hand, behold, by
our side appeared a beautiful being,
clad in raiment of purest white, with
the wings and face of a seraph.
“This is the angel who presides
over the river of life," said the old
man. I looked and the angel-hand
beckoned me on, and the seraph lips
murmeredthe word “ Come.”
Then I awoke—for I had been
dreaming. And now, as I recall the
dream, I can trace, very distinctly, a
vivid reality about it.
Yes, it is true, most true, that sor
sow mingles with every pursuit, and
joy, also—sometimes very little joy.
It is true, also, that one is always
either followed or preceded by the
other. ’Tis true, too that we have a
water of life, from which we are invited
to drink freely ; and a beautiful
thought it is, too, that faith in God
brightens our deepest sorrows, and il
luminates our sweetest joys.
Yesterday I was ambitious, hoping
for fame through the power of my in
tellect. I murmured to myself
“knowledge is power;” and so it is.
But I never thought to strive for any
knowledge of “the one thing needful.”
I was vain and grasping, and said to
myselfr “wealth brings homage and dis
tinction;” and for it I determined to
seek, thinking it would make me happy,
never once entertaining a thought
of the true “soul’s wealth”—religious
faith, hope and joy.
Now, I am mindful
That neither joy nor sorrow,
Is our destined end, or way ;
To strive that each to-morrow,
Shall make us better than to-day
should be the motto of my life ; and,
though I do not think it necessary to
give up all my ambitious prospects,
yet I am determined, first of all, to
seek the “one thing needful.” Lead
on, angel guide; where you lead I will
follow. G. W.
Montgomery, Ala.
TUREE FRIENDS OF MINE.
I.
When I remember those friends of mine,
Who are no longer here, the noble three,
Who half my life were more than friends to
me.
And whose discourse waslise a generous wine,
I most all remember the divine
Something, that shone in them, and made ns
see
The archetypal man, and what might be
The amplitude of Nature's first design,
In vain I stretch my hands to clasp their hands;
I cannot find them. Nothing now is left
But majestic memory. They meanwhile
Wander together in Elysiau lands.
Perchance remembering me, who am bereft
Of their dear presence, and, remembering,
smile.
u.
In Attica thy birthplace should have been,
Or the lonian Isles, or where the seas
Encircle in their arms the Cyclades,
So wholly Greek was thou in thy serene
And childlike joy of life, Philhelene!
Around thee would have swarmed the Attic
bees;
Homer had been thy friend, or Socrates,
And Plato welcomed thee to his demesne,
For the old legends breathed historic breath ;
Thou sawest Poseidon in the purple sea,
And the sunset Jason’s fleece of gold !
O, what hadst thou to do with cruel Death,
Who was so full of life, or Death with thee,
That thou shouldst die before thou hadst
grown old !
hi.
I stand again on the familiar shore,
And hear the waves of the distracted sea
Piteously calling aud lamenting thee,
And waiting restless at thy cottage door,
The rocks, the seaweed on the ocean floor,
The willows in the meadow, and the free
Wild winds of the Atlantic welcome me ;
Then why shouldst thou be dead, and come no
more ?
Ah ! why shouldst thou be dead, when common
men
Are busy with their trival affairs.
Having and holding ? Why, when thou hadst
read
Nature's mysterious manuscript, aud then
Wast ready to reveal the truth it bears,
Why art thou silent ? Why shouldst thou be
dead ?
rv.
River, that stealest with such silent pace
Around the City of the Dead, where lies
A friend who bore my name, and whom these
eyes
Shall Bee no more in his accustomed place,
Linger and fold him in thy soft embrace,
And say good light, for now the western skies
Are red with sunset, and gray mists arise
Like damps that gather on a dead man's face,
Good night! good night ! as we so oft have said
Beneath this roof at midnight, in days
That are no more, and shall no more return.
Thou hast but taken thy lamp and gone to bed ;
I stay a little longer, as one stays
To cover up the embers that still burn.
v.
The doors are all wide open ; at the gate
The blossomed lilacs counterfeit a blaze,
And seem to warm the air ; a dreamy haze
Hangs o'er the Brighton meadow like a fate,
And o’er their margin, with sea tides elate,
The flooded Charlos, as in the happier days,
Writes the last letter of his name and stays
His restless steps, as if compelled to wait.
I also wait; but they will come no more,
Those friends of mine, whose presence satis
fied
The thirst and hunger of my heart. Ah me !
They have forgotten the pathway to my door !
Something is gone from nature since they
died.
And summer ia not summer, nor can be.
—Henry Wadsworth Longfellow.
—The Macon Library, under its new
librarian, Mr. Charles Herbst, is pros
pering finely; out of debt, money on
hand and sixty new members added in
six weeks.