Newspaper Page Text
The Christian Index.
BY JAS. P. HARRISON & CO.
The Christian Index.
Publication Rooms. 27 and 29 S. Broad. St.
The Socialists have abandoned their
project for holding a Congress in Lon
-1 don. They intend to watch the course
of events, and will perhaps hold a meet
ing in New York if the coming meet
ing at Zurich is prohibited.
“When I speak of the Dutch, I shall
mean Hollanders,” said a public speak
er in New York the other night, and
this remark was necessary because of
the common error in this country of
speaking of the Dutch when it is meant
to speak of the Germans, a different
people, speaking a different language.
The Rev. Dr. James freeman Clarke
of Boston says; “I discredit the ex
travagant statements which give intem
perance as the root of all crime in this
country, and maintain that there is a
steady growth of temperate habits
among the people, as compared with
the customs of a few generations ago.”
The number of converts made in San
Francisco by Moody and Sankey during
twenty weeks of revivalism is placed at
2,300. The two principal evangelists
were assisted by four professional ex
horters and singers from the East.
Nearly all the city pastors were active
in the movement, and meetings were
held in several churches every evening.
Augusta Female Seminary.—We
call the attention of parents to the ad
vertisement of this excellent and pop
ular institution of learning, situated
at Staunton, Virginia. It offers sup
erior advantages in every respect, and
for years has maintained a high and
well merited rank among the best
schools in the Union.
The metric system of weights and
measures is advancing in the United
States. It was legalized here in 1866,
and has now been made obligatory by
the Marine Hospital Service and the
United States Coast Survey. * The
Boards of Education of several States
have introduced it in public schools,
while a knowledge of it is required for
admission to most of our colleges.
The multiplicity of measures in conti
nental Europe—an outgrowth of the
feudal system —Was long a barrier to
commercial intercourse.
Recognition in Heaven. —We re
turn thanks to the publishers of this
exellent little volume, the Lutheran
Publication House, Philadelphia, for a
copy. It is now in its second edition.
It was written by Rev. M. Rhodes,
D.D., of St. Louis, author of “Life
Thoughts for Young Men.” It abounds
in the most precious truths of faith and
hope, happily and touchingly expres
sed by the author, and it conveys the
richest consolation and comfort to souls
bereaved by loved ones departed to the
better land on high.
The Adventists used to hold that, in
view of the early end of the world,
church organization was improper. In
1845 a simple declaration of their be
lief in the second coming of Christ was
formulated. The Second Advent C hris
tian Association, which is the principal
Advent body, has just held a conven
tion at Worcester, Mass., and on this
occasion a fuller statement of principles
was adopted. The peculiar points are
that the finally impenitent will be des
troyed, that the coming of Christ is
near at hand, and that the earth will
be made over for the future abode of
the saints.
Alluding to the indifference and
coolness displayed by all save one of
the condemned Nihilists recently hung
for the assassination of the Emperor of
Russia, an English journalist writes :
“For the more resolute spirits of the
secret societies of Europe the “King of
Terrors”has nothing really terrible about
him. They have satisfied themselves
that there is no life beyond the grave.
The value of a belief in the immortal
ity of the soul, as an instrument of so
cial police, is incalculably great, and
the gradual decay of this faith with
certain sections of desperate and aban
doned men, is a sign of the times full of
menace and alarm.”
By an act of the Legislature of Ala
bama creating a Board of Railroad
Commisioners of that State, a provis
ion of the act required the Commission
ers to consult with the Railroad Com
missioners of the other States, “by con
vention or otherwise,” on matters re
garding inter-State commerce. The
Railroad Commissioners of Missouri
have been consulted, and were the first
to agree to holding a convention off
hand. There are twenty-one States
which have Railroad Commissioners,
and it is probable nearly all will favor
the project of holding a National Con
vention some time in June, and the
place to be selected will probably be
Louisville, Ky. This will be the fourth
convention held by the Railroad Com
missions of the different States.
LITERARY NOTES AND COMMENTS
—Father Ryan, the poet-priest, is in
Tennessee lecturing on the ‘ Poetry of
the South.”
—The April number of the Southern
Musical Journal, published by Messrs.
Ludden & Bates, is by far the best
number this interprising firm have yet
issued. It is printed on fine tinted pa
per, its typographical appearances is
improved, and it has been enlarged
four pages. The choice musical pieces '
are well arranged and in excellent taste.
The new serial is good, and there is a
large quantity of original matter, which '
is not only interesting and instructive,
but exceedingly pleasing. It is a num
ber that you may send a friend with
the assurance that it will be apprecia
ted. Thus says the Savannah News,
and we adopt its opinion of this excel
lent journal of music as expressive of
our own views.
—The Blackwoods Magazine foi
April, re-printed by the Leonard Scott
Publishing Company, 41 Barclay St.,
New York, is like all their re-publica
tions of thegreat British Magazines,full
of good reading. “The Private Secre
tary” is continued. “Shadwell’s Life
of Lord Clyde” briefly sketches the ca
reer of that gallant soldier. “Vallam
brosa” is an interesting account of the
former and present condition of the
famed monastery. “Old Scottish Soci
ety” gives a lively description of' town
and country life in Scotland seventy
five or a hundred years ago. "Greece
and her claims” discusses the present
situation in the East. There is an
amusing article entitled “Freaks of the
Telegraph,” enumerating many pro
voking blunders caused by carelessness
either in writing or transmission, which
however laughable to read, must have
been truly annoying to the recipients.
—ln every respect one of the most
notable contributions to our current
magazine literature, is a paper by Mrs.
Margaret J. Preston, in a recent num
ber of Good Literature on “The Litera
ry Profession in the South.” It is a
brief yet, in the essentials, a compre
hensive review of the causes which, in
the days of the “Old South,” operated
deleteriously upon the growth and pro
gress of an indigenous literature; the
dwarfing and crippling influences of
the spirit of caste, and the false and
contracted views of literature, and of
its professors, entertained by the
Southerners of the ancient regime, with
a glance at the influences for some
time successfully at work in removing
these old hindrances, traditions and
prejudices, the steady and very satis
factory growth of intellectual activity,
keeping step and alignment with the
industrial progress, and closing with a
statement of the hopeful future await
ing the “New South” in the establish
ment ol a shining Republic of Letters.
Mrs. Preston herself wears worthily
the laurel-wreath of literary fame, and,
in her own person, is a representative
of Southern genius, and proof of the
fact that excellence in literature is rec
ognized and honored in the South, as
in the North, though it is not to be
questioned that, for some time yet, our
professional literary men and women
must look to Northern sources if they
desire to receive adequate remuneration
for their labors.
We wish that space would allow us
to give Mrs. Preston’s article in full; it
is so sensible, conservative, unbiased
and evenly balanced. However, we
must make room for the concluding
part of it:
Another reason of the hitherto low
condition of literary execution among
us has been the fact that we have been
too content with ourselves just as we
are; and the dead level of such stag
nant content has barred progress in the
direction of letters, as it has our mate
rial prosperity. Our critics and j udges
give a harsher name to the character
istic, and call it superciliousness; and
perhaps they have some reason for do
ing so. Just as we have scorned to
substitute for our old plantation homes,
with their broad spaces, their cozy
ways of living, their old-fashioned ease
and refinement, the modern spruce
villa, with its varied appliances for
comfort, and its labor-saving mechan
ism, so have we clung to the wonted
system of things. It was very well
under that system to insist upon the
pitcher of water being brought fresh
from the gushing spring an eighth of a
mile off when any one was athirst,
since a bevy of little black runners were
glad to have something to do for a
change; but now that these same run
ners are studying Latin and calculus,
it becomes us to alter our base and lay
down the more convenient water-pipes.
No doubt, too, our conservative
South has been intensely provincial in
many ways. Our people have lived to
themselves, and so have missed the
mental attrition which mingling with
the world at large furnishes. They
have not gone about as travelers to the
extent that Northern people have.
They have not been familiarized with
literary circles; they have not in large
enough degree seen works of art or ar
chitecture ; they have not suffiicently
walked foreign galleries and studied
the masterpiecies of antiquity, and
General Literature—Domestic and Foreign Intelligence—Secular Editorials.
wandered over museums, and stood in
the quadrangles of hoary universities,
and grown enthusiastic over the glori
ous achievements of the old world.
They have not realized how all lands
crown, with their highest honors, their
literary and artistic workers.
For the last fifteen years the South
has been endeavoring to right herself.
Like a great vessel that has weathered
the storm with the loss of all her sails
and masts, she is trimming herself as
bravely as she can to meet the emer
geheies before her. She sees plainly
enough now that
“The old order oliangeth. giving place to new,
And God fulfills himself in many ways I
and there grows gradually over the
Southern mind a spirit of acquiescence
and acceptance.
“Those who are observant of the
signs of the times see tokens every
where that predict the passing away of
the hindering traditions and prejudices
that, sacred as they may have seemed
to the old generations, will now only
prove trammels to the new. On all
hands the South is beginning to en
courage the rebuilding of her towns
and cities: the old plantation life has
lost its prestige, and never can be again
what it was in the past. Neighbor
hoods are trying to crowd more to
gether. The impulse of vicinage is be
ing felt. Our schools and colleges are
everywhere coming into healthy opera
tion. The weak idea of the servility of
labor is fast losing ground. Fresh
life has been infused into our daily and
weekly press. Notwithstanding their
greater poverty, the Southern people
go abroad far more than they did in
ante-bellum days, and thereby get the
cobwebs of prejudice swept from their
brains. We have text-books now issu
ing from our universities; we have
volumes of poems published of which
even The Saturday Review and The
Academy of London condescend to
take note; we have begun to send
forth essays and travels, and books of
science that meet the commendation
of the best critics of the land. We
might add instances and references to
verify what we have said, but it is out
side of our purpose to go into any
individual detail.
“A bright and’attractive future, then,
we believe is about to open before those
among us who may hereafter give them
selves to letters. With the possession
of genius, which nature has not made
a mattei of geography ; with the full
equipment which a thorough culture
demands; with the priceless inheri
tance of the richest historic associa
tions ; with a marvelously picturesque
past, whose local coloring is the fairest
which this trans-Atlantic land affords;
with the material prosperity which in
time must come ; with our noble rivers,
our unopened mines, our varied and
delicious climates, our great world
staples—cotton, tobacco, rice, and su
gar ; with the influx of new popula
tions ; with the stir and march and
thunder of the times filling our ears;
with the wealth and prosperity that
must give our Southern land its proper
place among the great brotherhood of
States —what is there to hinder this
wide, vast South from taking its posi
tion as a leader in the world of letters,
as the equal and peer of the North?
That, in the nature of things, this time
will speedily come, we surely do be
lieve.”
—The Magazine of Art, (Cassell,
Petter, Galpin <fc Co., New York), for
May, reproduces an engraving in min
iature, a large design for a “pictorial
advertisement,” in reference to which
an article appears in the same number
under the title of “The Streets as Art
Galleries.” The design is by Hubert
Herkomer, a prominent English artist,
and in conception and detail is strik
ingly unique and classical.
—A new edition of that beautiful
book, the illustrated “Story of the
Bible,” has just been issued, in im
proved form. Sixty thousand copies
have already been sold.
Silk culture was first introduced in
Louisiana by the “Company of the
West” in 1718, and in Georgia about
the same time. The first export of silk
from the South was eight pounds in
1734. Soon after a silk house was
erected in Savannah. In 1760 the co
coons amounted to 15,000 pounds.
This house was supposed to have receiv
ed all the silk from the Gulf States.
The product in 1766 was 20,000 pounds,
but then Parliament reduced the price
from 3s. to Is. 6d., and the product fell
off so rapidly that the total amount in
1770 was only 290 pounds. South
Carolina had also made commendable
progress in the art, but the Revolution
ary war put a stop to the culture of
silk in the South.
The reports of this spring’s hatching
in Louisiana are encouraging. . Inter
est in the industry is growing in that
State, and inducements are offered to
silk workers to come from France and
engage in the business.
—Miss Ella Dobbs, daughter of S. C.
Dobbs, of Athens, joined the Baptist
church May Ist, and was baptized. at
night.
ATLANTA, THURSDAY, MAY 12, 1881.
THE ANTI-NIHILIST CAMPAIGN.
The following is an extract from the
letter of a correspondent writing from
St. Petersburg : As to the internation
al campaign against the revolutionists,
the Russiafi diplomatic writers see no
difficulty whatever. First of all they
intend to have a settlement with the
Swiss republic. “We may demand
from Switzerland,” says the Novoe
Vremia, “that she shall expel all the
Nihijjgts, S cia'ists, Internationalists,
and revolutionalists generally, under
penalty that Swiss citizens shall'be ex
pelled from Russia, and the importa
tion of Swiss goods into Russia shall be
forbidden. If that should not produce
the desired effect, then we may hint to
Germany that Russia will not object to
annexation of the Swiss republic, or at
least of the northern part of it, to the
German empire. This, no doubt, will
put an end to the revolutionary mach
inations at Geneva.” It is proposed,
further, that the authorities of Paris
and London shall be vigorously “in
structed” not to harbor the.revolution
ists. The broad Atlantic does not stop
the Nihilist-eaters, and they go even to
NeA York. But here they propose a
different policy. “Having in view,”
they say, “ the close, friendly relations
existing between all the Russias and
the United States, the recent proof of
which we have had in the dispatches
of the President, of the United States
Senate, and the Assembly of the State
of New York and remembering the
gratitude of the American people
to the la‘te Czar for the great services
rendered by him to them during the
civil war, we shall respectfully request
the Federal and State governments of
the republic to expel at once all per
sons of regicidal tendencies, who can
bring nothing but dishonor to the as
yet glorious republic.”
“What do you think of the inter
national anti-Nihilist campaign?” I
asked a Russian friend, a well-known
writer.
“It is nothing else but hunting for a
mote in our neighbor’s eye, and over
looking the beam in.ourown eye; or, in
plain Russian, it is barking at the moon.
The tragedy of the situation is this :
The Czarists cry out, ‘Give us the
Nihilists and we will annihilate them,
will tear them to pieces, and will blow
them to dust.* But that is the main
diffie 1 Ity— how to get them. Go,
searUt for them in the ground, hunt
for them in the brains of men, and
squeeze them out of the hearts of wo
men. No, the Czarists have no such
powder, and so the Czardom is well
nigh gone. Vechnaia Pamiat (eter
nal remembrance) to it!”
International Cotton Exposition.
Our readers will find on the eighth
page a view of Oglethorpe Park, At
lanta, with the plan of the International
Cotton Eposition buildings, wherein
will be held from October sth, next, to
December 31st, the most important
and interesting exhibition ever held in
the Southern States.
The building will be ready for the
storing of the goods, machinery, etc., in
September. The exhibition will not be
confined alone to cotton. While this pro
duct will have the preference and be
sonfined to the main exposition build
ing it is the purpose of the management
to make as large and varied a display
as possible of all the Southern products,
woods and minerals. Several of the
leading railroads in the South will
make special exhibits of the products
on their lines of road, and there will
be an extensive exhibition of this kind
from the different Southern States, all
to be grouped in separate buildings.
The grounds and buildings will have
electric lights, and'the Exhibition will
be open such nights during the week
as the management may direct.
The enterprise has met with the ap
probation of the leading merchants
and manufacturers of the United States.
Money has been subscribed freely, and
in the cotton manufacturing districts
of England the proposed Exposition
has received liberal aid and general in
dorsement.
The Exposition will be of the utmost
benefit to the industrial progress of the
South, and cannot fail of exercising a
fine influence everywhere.
The publishers take much pleasure
in announcing that the Editor-in-chief,
Dr. Tucker, will be assisted in the la
bors of the editorial department by Dr.
D. Shaver, whose abilities as a writer
and editor are too well known to re
quire elucidation. The combined la
bors of Dr. Tucker and Dr. Shaver as
sure to the readers of The Index an
editorial page of unsurpassed excel
lence.
The publishers earnestly call the at
tention of our brethren, and of readers
generally, to the Department of Cor
respondence, which will be especially
under the supervision of Dr. Shaver.
He will attend to the communications
from pastors, churches, etc., with which
they may favor us, giving prompt per
sonal attention to all queries and re
quests. He will organize a corps of
contributors, which will give new life
and interest to this department. We
cordially request all the brethren to
send us communications, and to assist
us from week to week in making this
part of the paper entertaining and val
uable.
This department is one of unusual
importance, a medium for inter-com
munication among the churches, and
a reflector of the thoughts, wishes, pur
poses, suggestions and interests, special
and general, of the denomination, in
dividually and collectively. As such,
it requires the constant assistance of
brethren everywhere to maintain its
usefulness and essential variety. Due
attention will be given to all commu
nications, written to give information,
or upon any subject legitimate to our
columns.
Brethren are requested to direct all
communications intended for publica
tion, direct to The Christian Index,
Atlanta, Ga.
Mr. Parnell, the Irish Land-League
revolutionist, does not like the Land
Bill introduced by Gladstone, to relieve
the Irish tenant troubles and to restore
peace to that distracted country. The
measures of relief proposed by Mr. Glad
stone are of a most important and far
reaching nature, handling a most dif
ficult subject in a wise and statesman
like manner, and unqestionably offered
in good faith and for patriotic pur
poses. The bill has received the in
dorsement of the wisest men of all
parties, and will receive the support of
the conservative people of Ireland.
We are afraid that the real ground
for the ill-will displayed by Mr. Parnell
toward these pacificatory measures, lies
in the fact that their adoption will nec
essitate the retirement of this noted
gentleman from the front place of a
revolutionary movement, with its at
tendant personal renown and promin
ence in public affairs, unattainable to
him in other and more peaceful direc
tions
But the preferment of any individual,
however great he may consider him
self and essential to the welfare of a
cause, must give way to the promotion
of the common welfare of a people.
Personalism and patriotism are essen
tially antagonistic.
We thirik Irish affairs have now
reached a crisis favorable to that coun
try,and any captious attempt to obstruct
the cure would savor strongly of dem
agoguism.
Rome Bulletin: “Colonel Alfred
Shorter has donated the magnificent
sum of SI,OOO to the cause of rebuild
ing the colored Baptist church of this
city, which was destroyed by fire some
few weeks since. The donation is lib
eral, and Colonel Shorter deserves
much credit for the spirit which prompt
ed the gift. Nearly SSOO, additional
has been realized by other volunteer
subscriptions, making in ail a neat sum
with which to inaugurate the work.
The church is to be built of brick, and
is estimated to cost $3,000. We con
gratulate Rev. Jeff Milner, the pastor,
for the success which has, so far, crown
ed his zealous efforts.”
—The Columbus Times says: The
services on Mott’s Green, Sunday after
noon, were very largely attended, it be
ing estimated that about one thousand
people were present. Dr. DeVotie con
ducted the services, assisted by Rev. J.
W. Domingos. These services always
draw large numbers of people who never
go inside a church, and they are un
doubtedly doing great good. We
earnestly trust that the venerable man
of God, Rev. Dr. J. H. Campbell, who
has devoted so much of his attention to
this work, will yet see the rich results
of his labors.
—Meriwether Vindicator : Antioch
Baptist church, when completed, will
be one of the handsomest country
churches in the country. It will be
ceiled, painted, and furnished with
blinds and neat slatted seats. The
good people in the vicinity of the
church deserve commendation for their
progressive spirit.
—A recent issue of the Eatonton
Messenger says: During the past two
weeks the colored people have been
holding a special protracted meeting.
A large number of. them have recently
been baptized. Last Sunday week
about twenty-five were “baptized in
Christlast Sunday, over thirty re
ceived the rite, bat were not immersed.
♦
—The introductory sermon at the
Sunday-school Convention of the Cave
Spring Association was preached by
Rev. R. D. Mallary, President of Shorter
College. His very appropriate text
was “Feed My Lambs.” In his ser
mon Mr. Mallary very appropriately
call ed the Sunday-school the “Chris
tian Nursery.”
—The last Sunday-school Conven
tion of the Stone Mountain Association
passed a resolution requesting the Sun
day-schools within the bounds of the
Association to take up a collection for
the use of the Convention before July
Ist. We trust that there will be a lib
eral response.
ESTABLISHED I 811.
GEORGIA NEWS.
—The rice crop is growing finely.
An enormous cotton crop is being plant
ed in North Georgia.
—The question of a cotton factory in Grif
fin is again being agitated.
—The small grain crops of Putnam and
Jasper are good this season.
—The Walton railroad is now completed
to within 200 yards of Monroe.
Rockdale county is going to vote on the
fence question at an early day.
—The Methodists in Dublin are preparing
to build a new house of worship.
—The question of prohibition is being
vigorously agitated in Houston county.
Covington Star : “The peach crop now
promises to be much better than was expect
ed some weeks ago."
—The County Commissioners of Tabot
county have placed the liquor license at five
hundred dollars.
—The Montezuma Weekly says: “The
crop prospect in our vicinity was never bet
ter. Everything is flourishing."
—The Talbotton Branch Railroad has been
completed, and trains are now running
through from that town to Bostic Station.
—Mr. T, J. Howard, of Oglethorpe county,
made sixty bales of cotton last years with
ten hands, and did not plant a seed until the
last of May.
—The Swainsboro Herald says: “We are
gratified to know that the prospect for a
fruit crop in this vicinity is good. Peaches
and apples will be plentiful.”
—Dr, James B Underwood, a prominent
citizen of North Georgia, died last Friday
night at Cave Springs. He was a brother to
Judge Underwood, of Rome.
—Seven thousand dollars have been sub
scribed by the members of the First Metho
dist church to remodel and repair their
building in Athens. Several thousand are
needed still,
—Mr. Joseph N. Boyd died in Hogansville
last Friday, aged 104 years. He had had the
services of a physician only once in the last
fifty years, and had lived in Troup county
since 1830.
-The Atlanta Post-Appeal learns “from a
reliable source that a pure coal bed has been
discovered within five miles of Covington.
Specimens of the coal have been tested, and
and it is said to be of excellent quality.”
—The Oglethorpe Echo says about $50,000
has been “spent in the past two years, dig
ging gold in this county, without any return
whatever. Both mines have now been aban
doned, and the valuable machinery left to
rust.”
—The Cherokee furnace, at Cedartown,
commenced its new blast on the Bth, and
made its first run of pig iron. The Phillips
mill company have placed their saw-mill in
the iron works yard near the creek. Saw
legs for the same will be delivered by the
railroad.
—Treasurer Speer received $8 002.35 from
the sheriff of Floyd county as the net pro
ceeds of the sale of the Rome Bank building,
furniture and safe. The treasurer credited
the above amount to the Rome Bank. This
is the first installment that the State has re*
oeived from the bank since it collapsed.
—GainesvilleSouthron: “Our Clarksville
and Tallulah Falls friends are greatly elated
at the prospect of an early completion of the
Northeastern railroad to those points. We
don’t blame them; we are glad of it ourself.
It will open up that country amazingly, and
improve Habersham and Rabun counties a
hundred per cent- in two years.”
—The Eatonton Messenger says: 1 ' Mon
ticello has a Young Mens' Christian Associ
ation that is bound to accomplish some good.
In addition to the meetings held in Monti
cello, the Association sends out to the differ
ent churches of the county, on Sundays on
which there is to be no regular service, some
one of its members, who conducts services at
such church, and practically fills the vacant
Sunday. This is a good idea on the part of
the Association.”
—The rolling mills at Atlanta has gone
into the hands of a Receiver. The bill ask
ing for the appointment of a Receiver was
drawn by Messrs. Hopkins & Glenn, repre
senting W. S Thomason and G, J Foreacre,
Trustees, and sets forth the fact that the
Georgia Iron Works Company is indebted to
bondholders in the sum of $250,000, as is
evidenced by first mortgage bonds, SIOO,OOO
of which is due 1890, and $150,000 of which
is due in 1900, all bearing interest at the
rate of 7 per cent, per annum.
—Mr. Wolffe, of Montgomery, agent for
Erlanger & Co., the German bankers, who are
the owners of the Alabama and Great South
ern railroad from Chattanooga to Meridian,
has negotiated for the purchase of the Bruns
wick and Albany railroad, with a view to
extend it to Eufaula and thence to Meridian
or some more desirable point. Orders have
also been received in Atlanta to construct a
bridge over the Chattahoochee river and
commence laying a track on the old roadbed
on the Georgia Western railroad. This will
put some thirty miles in operation from At
lanta in a few months.
—The Savannah News says: “Tea culture
in Georgia is, at last, an assured success. By
reference to our telegraphic columns this
morning, it will be seen that a number of
representatives of the leading tea houses in
New York met together on Saturday and
sampled several specimens of tea grown in
Liberty county, this State, under the super
vision of United States Agricultural Com
missioner LeDuc. The tea was drawn and,
upon being tasted, was pronounced equal to
the finest Indian Tea, while the opinion
unanimously expressed was that the quality
could, with cultivation and experience, be
materially improved.
"This offers a new and valuable industry
to Georgia. With tea culture brought to per
fection in the State, an avenue of great
wealth will be opened up to our people, for
since thousands of tea drinkeis would infi
nitely prefer what they knew to be a pure
article to the adulterated and much manipu
lated imported teas, the demand would, at
all times, be fully equal to the supply."
—We have more than once adverted in
these columns to the rapid increase of divor
ces among the people of New England,
amounting last year, if we remember rightly,
to over ten per cent, of the marriages in the
States of Connecticut and Massachusetts, and
to a still larger per cent, in Maiut,. But,
unless our own people improve in their
ways, we shall not have occasion to go to
New England to find texts for lectures upon
the laxity of matrimonial obligations. The
dockets of our own court are beginning to
show an alarming increase in such cases,
and, while many of the parties are negroes,
the fact is scarcely the less deplorable for, as
we are to have tnese people among us, it is
best that they, as well as the whites, should
live faithful to their marriage vows. We
notice, in a late numberjof the Atlanta Con
stitution, shat a list of thirty-one couples is
published who applying for divorces. We
are sorry to see these things. It ought not
so to be. The State, the Church, ana socie
ty, in its home life, should find a remedy for
so great an evil, and apply it.